Abstract: A system for controlling the functionality of a mobile communications device based upon geographic location is provided. The system includes a location determining unit to determine a geographic location of the mobile communications device. The system further includes a location database in communication with the location determining unit. The location database contain one or more data elements designating one or more geographic locations as communications-limited zones within which the mobile communications device is precluded from performing one or more predetermined functions.

Abstract: A method of implementing telephony services can include receiving a call from a telephony switch and matching the received call to a voice markup language document implementation of a telephony service. The voice markup language document can be retrieved from a data store. The received call can be processed in accordance with the retrieved voice markup language document thereby implementing the telephony service.

Abstract: Within an interactive voice response system, a method of automatically disambiguating results presented to a user can include determining the identity of a user within an interactive voice response session, receiving user inputs specifying selections in an interactive voice response menu hierarchy, and storing historical information specifying the user selections within a profile associated with the identity of the user. For at least one subsequent input from the user, identifying the historical information associated with the identity of the user and using the historical information to reduce a number of possible selections in the interactive voice response menu hierarchy which are presented to the user.

Abstract: A system for presenting telecommunication services to potential customers can include a distributed, platform independent registry disposed within a publicly accessible network. The registry can include a plurality of entries, each entry specifying at least one telecommunication service, wherein selective ones of the telecommunication services can be provided by two or more providers. Each entry can further contain connectivity information for contacting an associated one of the providers across a publicly accessible network in order to obtain the telecom service from the provider. Each of the telecommunication services can be configured to function within multiple switch environments.

Abstract: A method of automatically resolving a Digital Subscriber Line failure can include detecting a failure of the Digital Subscriber Line and establishing a call over a public switched telephone network with an administrative system for the Digital Subscriber Line. The method further can include notifying the administrative system for the Digital Subscriber Line of the failure over the established call. The administrative system then can cause the Digital Subscriber Line to be reset.

Abstract: A method, system and apparatus for bill payment over a PSTN. The method can include processing a call in the PSTN to establish a telephonic connection between a caller and a call center configured to process bill payments. The method further can include resolving an identity for the caller separate from the established telephonic connection. The identity can be routed to the call center over a data communications link unrelated to the telephonic connection. Finally, a bill payment process can be managed for the caller within the call center based upon the routed identity. Preferably, the resolving step can include querying a LIDB through a name resolution adapter disposed in the PSTN for identifying information for the caller. Further more, the processing step can include performing the resolving step responsive to receiving an SS7 message in an SCP to set up the telephonic connection between the caller and the call center.

Abstract: A method, system and apparatus for service management. A service management system can include a name resolution adapter disposed in a PSTN. The name resolution adapter can be communicatively linked to a LIDB also disposed within the PSTN. Notably, an enterprise application can be configured to manage service subscriptions and can enjoy communicative couplings both to the name resolution adapter over a data communications network and also to a switch disposed in the PSTN. Finally, service renewal logic can be associated with the enterprise application and programmed to renew service subscriptions for calling ones of subscribers to the service subscriptions based upon identifying data for the calling ones of the subscribers as received in the enterprise application over the data communications network from the name resolution adapter.

Abstract: A method, system and apparatus for service management. In accordance with the present invention, a service management method can include the steps of receiving a telephone call from a service subscriber over a PSTN and identifying the service subscriber through identifying information received externally to the received telephone call. Importantly, a service term for a subscription associated with the service subscriber can be modified only if payment can be resolved on behalf of the service subscriber.

Abstract: A method of testing a voice response system can include establishing a communications link between a test system and the voice response system, sending a signal to the test system over the voice link indicating that a voice prompt is to follow, and sending the voice prompt to the test system over the voice link. A system having means for performing the various steps disclosed herein and a machine readable storage for causing a machine to perform the steps described herein are also provided. The present invention relieves a tester or test system from having to know or be programmed with the operational details of a VRS, to adequately test the functionality of the VRS, as the VRS itself can provide the necessary test data to the test system.

Abstract: An instant messaging or chat (IM/chat) communication method can include a series of steps. The steps can include inserting in an instant message (IM) a voice conference identifier comprising a voice conference call list identifying conference call nodes. The IM can be transmitted to a recipient at a recipient node. Responsive to the recipient selecting the voice conference identifier, a voice conference call between selected ones of the identified conference call nodes can be established.

Abstract: A method of deriving audio content from visual content can include modifying a visual markup language document requested by a client computer system to specify a control for generating an audio markup language document version of the visual markup language document. The modified visual markup language document can be provided to the client computer system. Responsive to a selection of the control, an audio markup language document version of the visual markup language document can be generated. The audio markup language document can be saved for subsequent presentation through an audio interface.

Abstract: A method for receiving and presenting interactive voice response data can include sending a telephony connectivity request for establishing a voice channel connection between an originating device and a interactive voice response system. Prior to establishing the voice channel connection, an interactive voice response menu associated with said interactive voice response system can be received via a ringback channel. At least a portion the interactive voice response menu can be presented to a user of the originating device.

Abstract: A method of roaming between a cellular network and a wireless network can include receiving an invitation over the wireless network. The invitation can be sent from a mobile communications device engaged in a cellular call over a cellular voice channel. The method also can include authenticating the mobile communications device over the wireless network, sending an acknowledgement of the invitation to the mobile communications device over the wireless network, and initiating a handoff. The established cellular call can be switched from the cellular network to the wireless network.

Abstract: A system and method for processing caller information across heterogeneous networks is provided. An enterprise application receives a message from a name resolution adapter over a computer network. The message includes caller attributes and port location information. The enterprise application uses the caller attributes to retrieve a caller profile. The enterprise application determines whether to accept the call using the caller profile and whether a call exists on a telephone port corresponding to the port location information. Once enterprise application decides to accept the call, the enterprise application retrieves service subscriptions corresponding to the caller and processes the call using the caller's service subscriptions.

Abstract: A method of communication among telephony services using an event context cache can include, in a messaging telephony service, receiving a telephony event from a node in the public switched telephony network specifying a called directory number, a calling directory number, and service context data. The service context data can be stored as an entry within the event context cache. The event context cache can be accessible by at least one other telephony service. The entry can be associated with a key for the event context cache. The key can be specified by the called directory number and the calling directory number.

Abstract: A method for conveying digital information can include initiating a telephone connection to a receiving device. Prior to establishing a voice channel connection with the receiving device, supplemental data can be digitally encoded into a CNG transmission. The CNG transmission can be conveyed via a CNG channel, wherein the CNG channel is capable of transporting a facsimile calling tone signal.

Abstract: A method of roaming between a mobile network and a wireless network can include receiving, over the wireless network, an invite from a user agent disposed within a mobile communications device. The mobile communications device can be engaged in a call over a voice channel in the mobile network. The method also can include selecting one of a plurality of gateways having an affinity with the user agent, wherein each gateway is configured as an interface between at least one mobile network and the wireless network. The call can be handed off from the mobile network so that at least a portion of the call is conducted over the wireless network using the selected gateway.

Abstract: A method of linking call control functions of a telephony server with voice processing functions of a voice server using a common server side program can include receiving a call in the voice server, invoking the server side program to generate a voice processing script, executing the voice processing script in the voice server to process the call, and sending the call to the telephony server to perform a call control function on the call. The call control function can be indicated by the server side program.

Abstract: A method for providing dynamic ringback services can include receiving a connection signal from an originating device and determining a receiving device specified by the connection signal. The method can access receiving device specific information and can dynamically generate a ringback transmission responsive to at least a portion of the receiving device specific information. The method can send this ringback transmission to the originating device before a connection is established between the originating device and the receiving device.

Abstract: A method of aggregating interactive voice response services from a plurality of interactive voice response systems can include, for at least one caller, storing service information for a plurality of services within an interactive voice response system. Each service can be accessible through a corresponding one of the plurality of interactive voice response systems. The method further can include receiving a call from the caller and receiving an input from the caller over the call, wherein the input identifies at least one of the plurality of services and corresponding interactive voice response systems. The method also can include accessing the interactive voice response system corresponding to the identified service on behalf of the caller, retrieving information from the interactive voice response system, and providing the retrieved information to the caller.