Abstract: Location-based services are provided in a communication system comprising at least a portion of at least one wireless network. In one aspect of the invention, profile information is obtained for users associated with respective mobile user devices, and location information is obtained for the mobile user devices. At least one message is controllably delivered to a given one of the mobile user devices based on the location information and the profile information. The location information is obtained for respective ones of the mobile user devices responsive to location determinations initiated by those devices.

Abstract: Location-based services are provided in a communication system comprising at least a portion of at least one wireless network. In one aspect of the invention, one or more interested parties are permitted to bid on available opportunities for delivery of messages to mobile user devices, and delivery of at least one message to a given one of the mobile user devices is controlled based on user profile information and at least one received bid for a corresponding message delivery opportunity. The message delivery opportunities may be specified as combinations of two or more of a message category, a location for message delivery and a time for message delivery. For example, a given message delivery opportunity may be a category-location-time combination.

Abstract: Location-based services are provided in a communication system comprising at least a portion of at least one wireless network. In one aspect of the invention, particular ones of a plurality of mobile user devices associated with a wireless network are identified for which sufficient location-indicative information is available from which a general location of said devices can be inferred without performing actual location measurements for said devices. The delivery of location queries to the identified mobile user devices is prevented, such that a number of location queries required for provision of a given location-based service is reduced relative to a number of location queries which would otherwise be required without the delivery prevention.

Abstract: Location-based services are provided in a communication system comprising at least a portion of at least one wireless network. In one aspect of the invention, mobile user devices that are located within a common geographic area are identified, and location-based service information is delivered to the identified mobile user devices over a broadcast channel shared by those mobile user devices. A response to the location-based service information maybe received from at least a given one of the mobile user devices, and at least one message maybe controllably delivered to the given one of the mobile user devices based on the response to the location-based service information.

Abstract: Location-based services are provided in a communication system comprising at least a portion of at least one wireless network. In one aspect of the invention, mobile user devices that are candidates for a location-based service are identified and the identified mobile user devices are monitored to determine when one or more of said mobile user devices becomes currently active on a traffic channel of the wireless network. Location information is automatically obtained for the one or more mobile user devices that are currently active on the traffic channel, and delivery of at least one message to a given one of those mobile user devices is controlled based on the location information. Generation of location queries involving respective ones of the mobile user devices is thereby synchronized with the traffic channel activity of those devices.

Abstract: Location-based services are provided in a communication system comprising at least a portion of at least one wireless network. In one aspect of the invention, profile information is obtained for users associated with respective mobile user devices, and location and presence information is obtained for the mobile user devices. Delivery of at least one message to a given one of the mobile user devices is controlled based on a combination of the location, presence and profile information.

Abstract: Location-based services are provided in a communication system comprising at least a portion of at least one wireless network. One aspect of the invention relates to generation of user movement statistics that may be utilized to facilitate the development of targeted marketing campaigns or other types of message delivery. In this aspect, the user movement statistics are generated based on location and profile information for mobile user devices, and delivery of at least one message to a given one of the mobile user devices is controlled based on the user movement statistics. The user movement statistics may comprise, for example, information sufficient to determine approximately how many users having particular designated characteristics are likely to be in a given location at a given time, and may be utilized to determine prices charged for delivery of messages to the mobile user devices.

Abstract: A method for location tracking on a distributed basis using multiple locations, which utilizes a pairwise application of distance constraints and vicinities for determining locations. The location of a particular node is represented by a group of points (as opposed to a single point) defined by the vicinity.

Abstract: An alert-me management system for a telecommunications infrastructure and a method of providing an alert-me service. In one embodiment, the system includes: (1) distributed alert-me request servers configured to receive and aggregate alert-me requests pertaining to uniquely identified wireless terminals from calling parties and (2) an alert-me service manager configured to receive the alert-me requests from the distributed alert-me request servers, further aggregate the alert-me requests into a table based on the uniquely identified wireless terminals, generate status checks for the uniquely identified wireless terminals and respond to the distributed alert-me request servers with positive alert-me indications to prompt the distributed alert-me request servers to generate alerts to the calling parties.

Abstract: A method of fulfilling a request for information content with a user-selectable version of a file containing that information content. Selection of a hyperlink to information content results in generation of a menu of versions of files containing that information content. The menu displays options for versions which are derivable therefrom by a computer program for converting files from one version to another version. Selection of an option for a materialized version results in transmission of the materialized version. Selection of an option for a version which is not materialized results in derivation of the user-selected version from either a materialized version or any other version from which the user-selected version may be derived. Apparatuses for carrying out the inventive method are also provided.

Abstract: Improved p-cycle restoration techniques using a signaling protocol are disclosed. For example, a technique for use in at least one node of a data communication network for recovering from a failure, wherein the data communication network includes multiple nodes and multiple links for connecting the multiple nodes, comprises the following steps/operations. Notification of the failure is obtained at the at least one node. A determination is made whether the failure is a single link failure or one of a node failure and a multiple link failure. A pre-configured protection cycle (p-cycle) plan is implemented when the failure is a single link failure but not when the failure is one of a node failure and a multiple link failure, such that two independent paths in the network are not connected when implementing the pre-configured protection cycle plan.

Abstract: Techniques and systems for designing a network providing communication and location identification services are described. A solution point comprising parameters for each of a plurality of base stations is generated. A coverage and locatability performance value for the solution point is computed, as well as derivatives of the performance value. The coverage and locatability performance value and its derivatives are used to indicate favorable directions for searching for subsequent solution points, and subsequent solution points are generated and compared against previous solution points until an optimum solution point is found. The coverage and locatability performance value is a weighted sum of coverage and locatability values for each point in the service area of the network, with coverage values representing forward and reverse link quality and locatability values representing the probability that a point will experience an acceptable power level from at least four base stations.

Abstract: Multi-path routing techniques using intra-flow splitting are disclosed. For example, a technique for processing traffic flows at a node in a network comprises the following steps/operations. At least one traffic flow is obtained. The at least one traffic flow comprises multiple packets or bytes. The at least one flow is split into at least two sub-flows, wherein each of the at least two sub-flows comprises a portion of the multiple packets or bytes. The packets or bytes of the at least two sub-flows are respectively routed on at least two paths in the network.

Abstract: Location enabled voice mail is described. Such capability can be provided by service providers to offer their customers a host of unique location based voice mail services of both an audio and video nature. By way of example, a first calling party may leave a voice mail message for a second called party at a first time. First location information for the calling device is obtained about the first time. Upon retrieving the voice mail message at a second time, the called party is provided with the location enabled voice mail services. For example, the called party may receive a map containing the location of the calling device at a first time plotted thereon.

Abstract: Personalized location enabled indicators, such as ring backs or ring tones are described. Such capability can be provided by wireless service providers to offer their customers a host of unique location based ring tones and ring backs of both an audio and video nature. By way of example, a first calling party may be provided with a video ring back indicative of location, such as a picture of the Golden Gate Bridge when a second called party is in San Francisco, or a ring tone may indicate a called party is at work and busy, at home and not busy, or the like, with different ring tones for different classes of callers, such as coworkers, family, friends or specified individuals.

Abstract: Techniques and systems for designing a network providing communication and location identification services are described. A solution point comprising parameters for each of a plurality of base stations is generated. A coverage and locatability performance value for the solution point is computed, as well as derivatives of the performance value. The coverage and locatability performance value and its derivatives are used to indicate favorable directions for searching for subsequent solution points, and subsequent solution points are generated and compared against previous solution points until an optimum solution point is found. The coverage and locatability performance value is a weighted sum of coverage and locatability values for each point in the service area of the network, with coverage values representing forward and reverse link quality and locatability values representing the probability that a point will experience an acceptable power level from at least four base stations.

Abstract: Network design techniques and techniques for routing virtually-concatenated data traffic in a network in a manner which distributes delay to intermediate nodes of the network are disclosed. For example, in one aspect of the invention, a technique for routing virtually-concatenated data traffic in a network comprising a plurality of nodes comprises, for a given traffic demand to be routed from a source node to a destination node in the network, the following steps/operations. Two or more paths are determined to route the given traffic demand. Each of the two or more paths correspond to a member of a virtually-concatenated group. At least one path of the two or more paths comprises the source node, the destination node and at least one other node coupled between the source node and the destination node. Further, at least a subset of the source node, the destination node and the one other node buffer at least a portion of the given traffic demand such that a delay is distributed over the at least one path.

Abstract: Techniques for single-failure protection in load-balanced network architectures are disclosed. For example, in one aspect of the invention, a technique for processing a traffic flow in a communication network comprising a plurality of nodes, the traffic flow being deliverable from a source node to at least one destination node via one or more intermediate nodes, comprises the following steps/operations. The traffic flow is split at the source node into a plurality of parts. The parts are distributed to respective ones of the intermediate nodes such that the parts are routed from the source node to the at least one destination node in a disjoint manner.

Abstract: A load-balanced network architecture is disclosed in which a traffic flow deliverable from a source node to a destination node via intermediate nodes is split into parts, and the parts are distributed to respective ones of the intermediate nodes. Path delay differences for the parts are substantially equalized by delay adjustment at one or more of the intermediate nodes, and packets of one or more of the parts are scheduled for routing from respective ones of the intermediate nodes to the destination node based on arrival times of the packets at the source node.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for communicating files over a communications network in which links to files, such as hyperlinks, comprise a multilink. A multilink is a hyperlink associated with a plurality of electronic addresses, each leading to a different physical file. Selection of a multilink results in the generation of a menu of options for all of the different files that can be returned to the client corresponding to the selected multilink. Selection of an option results in returning of the associated file to the client.