Abstract: A method and an Ethernet local area network are described herein in which the Ethernet local area network is configured to enable a talking device (e.g., microphone) to send a media stream to one or more listening devices (e.g., speakers). In one embodiment, the method for configuring the Ethernet local area network includes the following steps: (1) providing a user of a talking device with a “relevant” catalog which contains information including positional information about one or more listening devices; (2) allowing the user to interface with the “relevant” catalog so they can select at least one of the listening device(s); (3) enabling the talking device to send a subscribe-request message to the selected listening device(s) requesting that the selected listening device(s) subscribe to the talking device; (4) and sending a media stream from the talking device to the selected listening device(s).

Abstract: A method and an Ethernet local area network are described herein in which the Ethernet local area network is configured to enable a talking device (e.g., microphone) to send a media stream to one or more listening devices (e.g., speakers). In one embodiment, the method for configuring the Ethernet local area network includes the following steps: (1) providing a user of a talking device with a “relevant” catalog which contains information including positional information about one or more listening devices; (2) allowing the user to interface with the “relevant” catalog so they can select at least one of the listening device(s); (3) enabling the talking device to send a subscribe-request message to the selected listening device(s) requesting that the selected listening device(s) subscribe to the talking device; (4) and sending a media stream from the talking device to the selected listening device(s).

Abstract: Dynamic delivery of different commercials to different viewers is achieved using a network node within an IPTV packet-switched network that is coupled to receive both a multicast television program and commercial programs. The network node is able to identify one or more subscribers to the multicast television program and to identify targeted commercial programs for each of the subscribers. The network node further includes a commercial inserter for inserting the respective targeted commercial program for each of the subscribers into the multicast television program to produce respective customized programs and to transmit the customized programs towards the respective subscribers.

Abstract: Dynamic delivery of different commercials to different viewers is achieved using a network node within an IPTV packet-switched network that is coupled to receive both a multicast television program and commercial programs. The network node is able to identify one or more subscribers to the multicast television program and to identify targeted commercial programs for each of the subscribers. The network node further includes a commercial inserter for inserting the respective targeted commercial program for each of the subscribers into the multicast television program to produce respective customized programs and to transmit the customized programs towards the respective subscribers.

Abstract: A system and method for provisioning presence application services using a customizable presence data model. An ontology depository having at least one domain-specific ontology model for a particular presence application is provided on a communications network. Presence client software associated with a general-purpose presence entity is customized by referencing a domain-specific ontology model of the ontology depository, whereby the presence entity becomes operable to engage in a particular presence application relating to the domain-specific ontology model.

Abstract: A method and an Ethernet local area network are described herein in which the Ethernet local area network is configured to enable a talking device (e.g., microphone) to send a media stream to one or more listening devices (e.g., speakers). In one embodiment, the method for configuring the Ethernet local area network includes the following steps: (1) providing a user of a talking device with a “relevant” catalog which contains information including positional information about one or more listening devices; (2) allowing the user to interface with the “relevant” catalog so they can select at least one of the listening device(s); (3) enabling the talking device to send a subscribe-request message to the selected listening device(s) requesting that the selected listening device(s) subscribe to the talking device; (4) and sending a media stream from the talking device to the selected listening device(s).

Abstract: A system, method, and computer readable medium to provide alternative communications during jamming in a presence system, that comprises, registering a mobile device as a presentity to a presence server in the presence system, detecting a communication jamming of the mobile device, providing information related to the detected communication jamming as a state information to the presence server, and upon attempting to communicate with the mobile device while being jammed, providing the state information and offering an alternative communication suggestion.

Abstract: A method of implementing common interest community services in a presence system comprising creating a common interest community in which an interest state of a presence message is aggregated into a group in the presence system, publishing a member presence information to the common interest community to be selectively made available to a subscribing member of the common interest community and subscribing to the common interest community for receiving the member presence information, wherein a publishing member may selectively grant an access level.

Abstract: A system, method, and computer readable medium for providing secure access between devices comprises generating a new and unique access code by a cell phone, providing the new and unique access code by the cell phone to at least one of: a user of a further device, and the further device, contacting the cell phone by the further device, sending the new and unique access code by the further device to the cell phone, and permitting a connection between the further device and the cell phone, by the cell phone.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for encoding a multimedia content, and comprising the steps of: encoding the multimedia content into hierarchical elementary streams, parsing the elementary streams into data packets for further transmission through a network towards a decoding unit, receiving a request whereby the decoding unit requests delivery of at least one required elementary stream. A method according to the invention further comprises the steps of: discriminating within the data packets between first data packets that compose the at least one required elementary stream, and second data packets that do not, assigning one first network priority to the first data packets, and assigning at least one second network priority, lower than the first network priority, to the second data packets, transmitting the first data packets and the second data packets towards the decoding unit. The present invention also relates to an encoding unit implementing a method according to the invention.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a zapping agent that receives a zap signal from a particular user, whereby a new channel is requested. A zapping agent according to the invention caches, as a background task, the last-forwarded GoP of the new channel into memory, and upon receipt of the zap signal, resumes transmission from the first frame of that GoP onwards. As soon as a new anchor frame is available for further forwarding, the zapping agent stops transmitting frames from the cache memory, and starts forwarding the real stream. This may result in a small mismatch (visual glitch). Yet, by so doing, the decoder can start displaying moving pictures of the new channel faster, thereby improving the system latency and the user experience. Such a zapping agent may form part of interalia an edge device, or a video server.

Abstract: A system and method for provisioning presence application services using a customizable presence data model. An ontology depository having at least one domain-specific ontology model for a particular presence application is provided on a communications network. Presence client software associated with a general-purpose presence entity is customized by referencing a domain-specific ontology model of the ontology depository, whereby the presence entity becomes operable to engage in a particular presence application relating to the domain-specific ontology model.

Abstract: An ACD accessory (10) and a GUI accessory (100), which may be integrated into a phone or provided as a separate device, are coupled between the PSTN and the user's legacy phone (12) to provide enhance services. The ACD accessory (10) provides visual display and selection capabilities for menus provided by the ACD system (14). The GUI accessory (100) provides enhance control of telephony features and enhanced data services though a graphical proxy server (134).

Abstract: A voice recognition system with a graphical user interface (GUI) is provided by the present invention for visually prompting a user for expected inputs that the user can choose to speak at designated points in a dialog in order to improve the overall accuracy of the voice recognition system. By reading the GUI window, the user can know what the recognizable grammar and vocabulary are for spoken input at any moment in the dialog. The GUI and voice interface can be built from a single dictionary and grammar specification. Prompts that represent non-terminal tokens in the grammar are replaced with one of a set of other prompts in the grammar in response to spoken input. The GUI may further comprise pull-down menus as well as separate windows that open and close in response to user input. The system may also verbally prompt the user to provide certain spoken input.