Abstract: A capacitor switch and control system for high-power transmission/distribution lines comprising a branch circuit comprising a capacitor, a capacitor switch, a capacitor control, and a sensor, where the capacitor control is operative to control the opening of the capacitor switch upon the sensor sensing at least one of an overload condition and a fault condition, and control the closing of the capacitor switch. The invention also includes a method for protecting transmission/distribution line capacitors from faults comprising: (a) monitoring a capacitor branch of a transmission line for a fault condition; and (b) responding to the fault condition by automatically opening a switch on the capacitor branch to provide an open circuit between the transmission line and a branch capacitor, where the switch is repositionable between an open position and a closed position.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is provided to process an instant message call within a customer interaction system. The method includes receiving the instant message call at the customer interaction system and processing the instant message call within the customer interaction system with other interaction types based on information associated with the instant message call.

Abstract: An inventory management system utilizes unattended facilities remote from a central warehouse for service parts logistics. Items are placed in inventory in secure enclosures at the unattended facilities by the inventory management service or are delivered directly to the unattended facility. The unattended facilities may be located near one or more customers to reduce a service technician's travel time and customers' inventory costs. A service technician utilizes a passcode to retrieve needed items. The service technician may order items that are not kept in the inventory of the unattended facility in which case the items may be delivered to the unattended facility and the service technician may receive a notification related to all the items that comprise an order that the order is ready for pick up at an unattended facility.

Abstract: A method and apparatus to is provided to respond to a customer query received at a customer interaction system. The method includes communicating at least one expert group to an agent; receiving a selection from the agent that identifies an expert group from the at least one expert group, the selection triggering a first immediate message that includes a request for assistance from the expert group; identifying at least one expert that is associated with the expert group; and establishing an immediate message connection between the at least one expert and the agent, wherein the immediate message connection enables the exchange of immediate messages between the at least one expert and the agent so the agent may respond to the customer query.

Abstract: The invention is directed to techniques for allowing a user to remotely interrogate a target computing device in order to collect and analyze computer evidence that may be stored on the target computing device. A forensic device receives input from a remote user that identifies computer evidence to acquire from the target computing device. The forensic device acquires the computer evidence from the target computing device and presents a user interface for the forensic device through which the remote user views the computer evidence acquired from the target computing device. In this manner, forensic device allows the user to interrogate the target computing device to acquire the computer evidence without seizing or otherwise “shutting down” the target device.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for universal call identification. One embodiment includes a method in a telephone call processing system for maintaining information about a call. The method includes creating a universal call identification for the call the call is received in the system. A call includes each of a multiple call segments that occur between a first connection of a caller resource to a call processing system resource and a disconnection of the caller resource from the call processing system. The method also includes creating a record of each of the call segments.

Abstract: A method for dynamically allocating network resources while transferring multimedia at variable bit-rates in a network extracts first content features from the multimedia to determine renegotiation points and observation periods. Second content features and traffic features are extracted from the multimedia bit stream during the observation periods. The second content features and the traffic features are combined in a neural network to predict the network resources to be allocated at the renegotiation points.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for integrating business data and transaction data in a transaction processing environment comprises a telephone call processing system including a call distribution device connected to several agent devices through one type of communication link. The call distribution device is connected to an information server through another type of communication link. The information server includes a database for storing business data associated with call data for a particular call. A machine implemented method for storing data related to a call comprising the steps of transmitting a host data value from an agent device to the information server during a transaction, and, if a host data signal is received by the data warehouse during the transaction, associating the host data value with a transaction identifier and storing the host data value in the database a predetermined time after a termination of the call.

Abstract: In an automatic call distribution (ACD) system having a plurality of client systems and at least one host server system, the host server system for conducting transactions in real time, a method is provided for creating and reporting data substantially synchronously with other data and in substantial real-time with events which generate the data wherein at the host server system requests are handled and translated directly into executable machine code containing all knowledge needed to execute the request as a query as if the query were directed to a relational database, a query in real-time interaction is used to access data in shared memory of the host server system and report information, typically status information related to transactions of interest, to the requesting client system.

Abstract: A thermally responsive substrate includes an electric circuit extending throughout the substrate and providing multiple terminal pads through the substrate for the application of electrical current for heating the thermally responsive substrate. A tool for the application of electrical current to the terminals pads includes a device having multiple spaced apart contact probes for engaging selected terminal pads of the substrate.

Abstract: A carpet seaming apparatus includes an elongated bonding tape having an electrical resistance circuit with contacts at the edge of the tape mounted on the face thereof with a hot melt adhesive in the form of elongated beads running the length of the tape that melts in response to electrical current in the resistive conductors. A tool having spaced apart electrical contacts for engaging the contacts adjacent the edges of the tape inducing an electrical current therein for heating and melting the hot melt adhesive.