Abstract: A method and apparatus route telecommunication calls in a communication system based on media type by detecting a requirement for a special media type for a telecommunication call; and selecting a subset of a plurality of gateways wherein only the subset of gateways is capable of providing communication for the special media type.

Abstract: A method and apparatus provide access to a plurality of instant messaging systems via a multi-media messaging system by receiving an incoming communication by the multi-media messaging system for a user of the multi-media messaging system; determining a presence of the user on one of the plurality of instant messaging systems; and establishing instant messaging communication between an originator of the incoming communication and the user. The method and apparatus also provide communication for the user via a multi-media messaging system with a plurality of instant messaging systems by broadcasting a presence of the user on the multi-media messaging system to the plurality of instant messaging systems; and establishing instant messaging communication between a person using one of the plurality of instant messaging systems and the user via the multi-media messaging system.

Abstract: Systems and methods for contiguously and accurately updating target object information during an entire target engagement period are provided. The target tracking system includes a database for storing starfield information, an optical beam source configured to illuminate one or more optical beam pulses, first and second camera systems, and a processor. The processor instructs the first camera system to track the object based on recordation of the tracked object, instructs the second camera system to stabilize the tracking image based on the instructions sent to the first camera system, and determines inertial reference information of the tracked object based on the stabilized image and starfield information associated with the stabilized image.

Abstract: Systems and methods for contiguously and accurately updating target object information during an entire target engagement period are provided. The target tracking system includes a database for storing starfield information, an optical beam source configured to illuminate one or more optical beam pulses, first and second camera systems, and a processor. The processor instructs the first camera system to track the object based on recordation of the tracked object, instructs the second camera system to stabilize the tracking image based on the instructions sent to the first camera system, and determines inertial reference information of the tracked object based on the stabilized image and starfield information associated with the stabilized image.

Abstract: A multi-media messaging system (106) provides multi-media message access capability to non-subscriber message recipients (126) who lack multi-media message-reception capability. When a message originator (100) who is a subscriber requests a message to be sent to a recipient's address, the messaging system determines whether the recipient is able to receive at this address all of the media in which the message is expressed. If not, the messaging system saves the message for the recipient, assigns an identifier/password to the message, and creates a substitute message containing any components of the original message that are expressed in media which the recipient is able to receive at the address, along with the password and instructions on how to log into the sending messaging system. The messaging system then sends this substitute message to the recipient's address.

Abstract: Video and telephony messaging are integrated by a telephony multi-media messaging system (101) connected to a plurality of video workstations (103-104) by a LAN or WAN (100). The workstations are connected to ISDN telephone lines (153-154). The workstations answer video calls on the video lines and/or on the LAN or WAN that go unanswered by users, record video messages from the video calls, and send the video messages via the LAN or WAN to the messaging system for storage. They also retrieve stored video messages via the LAN or WAN from the messaging system and play them to users. The messaging system stores both video and non-video messages and has a telephony user interface (114-115 and 118) for storing and retrieving non-video messages and for accessing non-video portions of all messages.

Abstract: The contents of a pair of mailboxes (21, 31), one of which resides in an e-mail system (29) and the other of which resides in a voice-mail system (39), are automatically synchronized both in message content and in message state by a synchronizer (10), even though messages in the two mailboxes may have different data structures and carry information expressed in different media and having different formats. Synchronization is effected by automatically creating a corresponding message in one mailbox for every message that arrives in the other mailbox of the mailbox pair.