Abstract: A method and system for managing requests in a hold queue and the responses thereto are described. By providing a management system for handling requests in a call queue, a requesting party may be free to perform other tasks while waiting for a response. In addition, the management system may modify request priority independently of a party receiving the request. The method and system may further facilitate the entry of request related information by implementing an information database. The flexibility of a receiving party in responding to a request may also be enhanced through a greater selection of response options. The management system and method may further provide automatic backup and secondary options if a receiving party's first option is unfeasible.

Abstract: A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a Media Content Processor (MCP) having a controller to detect a communication device roaming into a personal area network, receive a communication identifier from the communication device, authenticate the communication device responsive to validating the communication identifier, and enable the communication device to manage operations of the MCP according to a profile of a subscriber of said communication device responsive to a successful authentication of said communication device. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Abstract: A method to index recorded content at a media device includes extracting, at a remote service provider, event index data from an event being recorded at a media device and associating the event index data with locator code data of the event. The method further includes storing, at the remote service provider, the extracted event index data and the associated locator code data; searching the extracted event index data for a plurality of segments associated with the event, the search being associated with a search request; determining index display data for a presentation of the plurality of segments based on the search request; and transmitting, to the media device, the locator code data associated with the plurality of segments, and the index display data.

Abstract: A method to index locally recorded content at a media device includes extracting, at a remote service provider, event index data from an event being locally recorded at a media device and associating the event index data with locator code data of the event. The method further includes storing, at the remote service provider, the extracted event index data and the associated locator code data; searching the extracted event index data for a plurality of segments associated with the event, the search being associated with a search request; determining index display data for a presentation of the plurality of segments based on the search request; and transmitting, to the media device, the locator code data associated with the plurality of segments, and the index display data.

Abstract: A method and system for managing requests in a hold queue and the responses thereto are described. By providing a management system for handling requests in a call queue, a requesting party may be free to perform other tasks while waiting for a response. In addition, the management system may modify request priority independently of a party receiving the request. The method and system may further facilitate the entry of request related information by implementing an information database. The flexibility of a receiving party in responding to a request may also be enhanced through a greater selection of response options. The management system and method may further provide automatic backup and secondary options if a receiving party's first option is unfeasible.

Abstract: A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a Media Content Processor (MCP) having a controller to detect a communication device roaming into a personal area network, receive a communication identifier from the communication device, authenticate the communication device responsive to validating the communication identifier, and enable the communication device to manage operations of the MCP according to a profile of a subscriber of said communication device responsive to a successful authentication of said communication device. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Abstract: A method to index locally recorded content at a media device includes extracting, at a remote service provider, event index data from an event being locally recorded at a media device and associating the event index data with locator code data of the event. The method further includes storing, at the remote service provider, the extracted event index data and the associated locator code data; searching the extracted event index data for a plurality of segments associated with the event, the search being associated with a search request; determining index display data for a presentation of the plurality of segments based on the search request; and transmitting, to the media device, the locator code data associated with the plurality of segments, and the index display data.

Abstract: A system to personalize a display of content locally recorded at a media device is described herein. A segment having an associated segment identifier is extracted from a broadcast event recorded at the remote media device. Each segment identifier is searched for a match with the user profile data to generate a personalized segment list. Locator code data is associated with each segment of the personalized segment list. The locator code data is transmitted to the media device to be used to extract an image to present the personalized segment list.

Abstract: A security node disposed in the telecommunications network connecting calling and called parties transforms information (which can be voice, data, facsimile, video and other types of calls or messages) encrypted in a first format to (a) encrypted information in a different format or to (b) non-encrypted information, and vice-versa. The node is accessible from any location connected to the network. By routing calls or messages originated by the calling party and destined for the called party via the security node, and providing appropriate control signals to the node, the information may be encrypted only over a portion of the transmission path between the parties, and clear over the remainder of the transmission path. Alternatively, the information may be encrypted in different portions of the path using different encryption algorithms.

Abstract: In a communications system, a convolutional encoder encodes data from a data source and a modified Viterbi decoder decodes the encoded data after the encoded dated passes through an error producing channel. The decoder calculates selected metric increments, known as kernel metric increments, for half the states, and selects survivor metrics for all states.

Abstract: A security node disposed in the telecommunications network connecting calling and called parties transforms information (which can be voice, data, facsimile, video and other types of calls or messages) encrypted in a first format to (a) encrypted information in a different format or to (b) non-encrypted information, and vice-versa. The node is accessible from any location connected to the network. By routing calls or messages originated by the calling party and destined for the called party via the security node, and providing appropriate control signals to the node, the information may be encrypted only over a portion of the transmission path between the parties, and clear over the remainder of the transmission path. Alternatively, the information may be encrypted in different portions of the path using different encryption algorithms.

Abstract: Branchwood signals are generated by a tailbiting convolutional coder. The receiver stores received branchword signals in memory such that the branchword signals are accessible in a logically circular sequence. The receiver then performs Viterbi updates on the logically circular sequence of branchwords, the sequence comprising more than N branchwords. The receiver stops performing Viterbi updates in response to an indication that update decisions have become repetitive. A set of generated decision vectors resulting from the Viterbi updates is then modified in response to the indication. A decoded signal is generated by performing a Viterbi traceback procedure using the modified set of decision vectors. The indication that Viterbi update decisions have become repetitive may be provided by a predetermined fixed number of Viterbi updates, the number reflecting an estimate of when said update decisions will likely become repetitive.

Abstract: Subband signals are formed each corresponding to a portion of an input signal frequency spectrum. The subband signals are partitioned into subband time segments. The subband time segment signals are permuted. The permuted signals are combined to form a scrambled signal.