Abstract: A system for transmitting data via a core portion of a computer network to a mobile device is described. The network includes a plurality of access points wherein each access point includes a memory where data for onward transmission to the mobile device may be cached and is operable to communicate with the mobile device over a short-range wireless connection, when the mobile device is in range thereof, and with the core portion of the network over a backhaul connection on a substantially continuous basis.

Abstract: A method of call control in which a first communications network, detecting calls directed to a destination in the first network; redirects at least some of the calls to a destination in a second network (e.g. on no answer from the destination in the first network). The first communications network obtains from a client on a terminal associated with the destination in the second network a value for the time delay before a call to the destination in the second network is redirected in the second network on no answer to an alternative destination and sets a delay period to a value less than the value of the time delay obtained from the client. When one of the plurality of calls redirected to the second network is not answered in the second network within the delay period, the first communications network redirects the call to an alternative destination associated with the first network.

Abstract: A method of establishing a communications session in a communications system is disclosed. The communications system comprises a user terminal, a mobile terminal associated with a contact a and session initiation unit. The method comprises: identifying the contact using the user terminal; transmitting contact data identifying the contact and user data associated with the user terminal from the user terminal to said session initiation unit; in dependence on the contact data, transmitting a request from the session initiation unit to the mobile terminal, the request comprising the user data and requesting that the mobile terminal establishes the communications session with the user terminal in dependence on the user data.

Abstract: A method of call control in which a first communications network, detecting calls directed to a destination in the first network; redirects at least some of the calls to a destination in a second network (e.g. on no answer from the destination in the first network). The first network then operates in two phases. In a first phase, for a group of calls redirected to the second network, the time delay before the call is answered in the second network is recorded. When a number of time delays have been recorded, a delay period is set to a value less than the maximum value of the recorded time delays. In a second phase, for a second group of calls redirected to the second network subsequent to the calls of the first group, when a call of the second group is not answered in the second network within the delay period, the call is redirected to a message service associated with the first network.

Abstract: A method of establishing a communications session in a communications system is disclosed. The communications system comprises a caller terminal (103), a mobile terminal (101) associated with the caller terminal (103), a callee terminal (115) associated with a callee and session initiation means (111,113). It has become common yet frustrating for users to have to maintain contact lists on a multiplicity of communications devices (e.g. the caller terminal and the mobile terminal). The method comprises: (i) identifying the callee using the mobile telephone (101); (ii) responsive to identification of said callee, transferring data identifying the callee from the mobile terminal (101) to the session initiation means (111,113); and (iii) in dependence on the transferred data, operating the session initiation means (111,113) to establish a communications session between the caller terminal (103) and the callee terminal (115).

Abstract: A method of call control in which a first communications network, detecting calls directed to a destination in the first network; redirects at least some of the calls to a destination in a second network (e.g. on no answer from the destination in the first network). The first communications network obtains from a client on a terminal associated with the destination in the second network a value for the time delay before a call to the destination in the second network is redirected in the second network on no answer to an alternative destination and sets a delay period to a value less than the value of the time delay obtained from the client. When one of the plurality of calls redirected to the second network is not answered in the second network within the delay period, the first communications network redirects the call to an alternative destination associated with the first network.

Abstract: A system for transmitting data via a core portion of a computer network to a mobile device is described. The network includes a plurality of access points wherein each access point includes a memory where data for onward transmission to the mobile device may be cached and is operable to communicate with the mobile device over a short-range wireless connection, when the mobile device is in range thereof, and with the core portion of the network over a backhaul connection on a substantially continuous basis.

Abstract: A method of establishing a communications session in a communications system is disclosed. The communications system comprises a user terminal (100, 202), a mobile terminal (213) associated with a contact and session initiation means (209). The method comprises: identifying said contact using said user terminal (100, 202); transmitting contact data identifying said contact and user data associated with said user terminal (100, 202) from said user terminal (100, 202) to said session initiation means (209); in dependence on said contact data, transmitting a request from said session initiation means (209) to said mobile terminal (213), said request comprising said user data and requesting that said mobile terminal (213) establishes said communications session with said user terminal (100, 202) in dependence on said user data.

Abstract: A method of establishing a communications session in a communications system is disclosed. The communications system comprises a caller terminal (103), a mobile terminal (101) associated with the caller terminal (103), a callee terminal (115) associated with a callee and session initiation means (111,113). It has become common yet frustrating for users to have to maintain contact lists on a multiplicity of communications devices (e.g. the caller terminal and the mobile terminal). The method comprises: (i) identifying the callee using the mobile telephone (101); (ii) responsive to identification of said callee, transferring data identifying the callee from the mobile terminal (101) to the session initiation means (111,113); and (iii) in dependence on the transferred data, operating the session initiation means (111,113) to establish a communications session between the caller terminal (103) and the callee terminal (115).

Abstract: A method and apparatus of recognizing a pattern comprising a sequence of sub-patterns includes a set of possible patterns being modelled by a network of sub-pattern models. One or more initial software model objects are instantiated first. As these models produce outputs, succeeding model objects are instantiated if they have not already been instantiated. However, the succeeding model objects are only instantiated if a triggering model output meets a predetermined criterion. This ensures that the processing required is maintained at a manageable level. If the models comprise finite state networks, pruning of internal states may also be performed. The criterion applied to this pruning is less harsh than that applied when determining whether to instantiate a succeeding model.

Abstract: A system for synchronizing application programs which together provide a multi-modal user interface, which comprises multiple application programs which provide the various interface of the multi-modal interface and which are in communication with a synchronization manager. Means are provided to detect status changes in the application programs and to communicate such status changes, in the form of data updates to the synchronisation manager. The synchronization manager is operative to communicate such a data update to the application program in which the data update did not originate so that the application programs are synchronised.

Abstract: The invention relates to multi-modal computer interfaces and the synchronisation of two or more application programs which have user interfaces which make up the multi-modal interface. The invention employs a synchronisation server process with blackboard style data store for posting the changes made to any one particular application program to the other application programs. Data updates pass via the synchronisation server. A map file is provided for translating data provided by one application program into the formats suited to other application programs, and vice versa. In this way, application programs are not limited by a common dialogue but are autonomous, thus providing a cohesive and highly flexible user interface.

Abstract: Out-of-vocabulary word models for a speech recognizer vocabulary are generated by forming phonemic transcriptions (phonetic baseforms) of user's utterances in terms of existing reference phonemes by using a speech recognition algorithm to match input sub-word feature sample sequences to suitably-constrained allowable sequences of existing reference phoneme features. The resultant new-vocabulary-word phonetic baseform models are stored for subsequent speech recognition using the same recognition algorithm.