Abstract: In one example, a portable device having a camera downloads checkout software. The camera is then used to capture images of indicia associated with products in a store, such as bar codes. The portable device incrementally transmits messages to a remote server over a packet data connection of the portable device as the portable device moves through the store based on the captured images. The portable device then transmits a message requesting checkout to the remote server, and in response to receiving a reply to the message requesting checkout, causes a checkout price associated with purchasing the products to be displayed on a display of the portable device.

Abstract: A system, method, apparatus, means, and computer program code for determining a location of a device connected to a network. According to some embodiments of the present invention, a device, such as an IP enabled or compliant telephone, may receive, detect, or otherwise actively or passively determine a location identifier. The location identifier may be associated with a geographic location of the device. The device may then provide data indicative of the location identifier to another device, such as a network manager device, server, computer, etc. In some embodiments, the device may determine its geographic location after receiving a request for data indicative of its geographic location. In other embodiments, the device may provide data indicative of its geographic location each time it receives, detects or otherwise determines its geographic location.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for providing an automatic called party locator service by intelligently managing lists of contacts. The apparatus includes a contact list manager (10) where lists of contacts are stored, and a locator (60) capable of sending out location request messages and receiving and handling responses. In some embodiments, the current invention may be integrated with call messaging systems, fax and or e-mail systems. In some cases, advanced features such as message delivery method selection, message customization, contact message retrieval or expiration and automatic call dialing may be enabled. In embodiments which support caller identification capabilities, the invention may be configured to have different behaviors based on the identification of the caller.

Abstract: A bandwidth adjustment server (BWAS) (109) is provided which monitors system bandwidth usage, sends requests to terminals (102A, 102B and/or 106), to identify their coding capabilities, and directs each of the terminals to adjust their coding algorithms based on system bandwidth usage. If system bandwidth usage is high, the BWAS (109) requires the terminals to employ a less bandwidth intensive coding algorithm; similarly, when system bandwidth usage is low, the BWAS (109) will allow the terminals to employ higher bandwidth use coding algorithms. Codec renegotiation may be initiated if there is a disparity between the bandwidth allocated to new connections versus ongoing connections or an increase in data traffic.

Abstract: An apparatus and method are disclosed for connecting a headset microphone alternately to a telephone line and an alternative device. The apparatus includes a device connector for connecting the apparatus to the alternative device, a telephone connector for connecting the apparatus to the telephone line, and a microphone connector for connecting the apparatus to the microphone. The apparatus also includes a switching circuit connected to the device, telephone, and headset connectors. The switching circuit can be used with or included in a CTI module. The switching circuit connects the telephone connector to the headset connector in response to sensing a voltage greater than a predetermined threshold on the telephone line. When the voltage sensed returns to a value less than the predetermined threshold value, the switching circuit reconnects the headset connector to the device connector.

Abstract: A system and method for optimizing packet length in a telephony-over-LAN (ToL) network (101). A threshold of packet length as a fraction of jitter buffer size is established. When call setup is undertaken, endpoints such as client terminals (102A, 102B) check the packet sizes against the threshold. If the packet sizes are at or below the threshold, the packet sizes are adjusted upwards. If they are already above the threshold, the packet sizes are left alone. Optimizing packet length using this threshold minimizes the consumption of unnecessary processing power at the endpoints and switching entities, as well as unnecessary network traffic due to excess overhead, that would otherwise occur when the jitter buffers are longer than the packet sizes.

Abstract: An improved voicemail system (101) that allows a message waiting indicator to be forwarded to a remote location is disclosed. The voicemail system (101) includes a voice mail controller (103), a home location (105), and a remote location (109). A user of the voicemail system (101) is assigned a home location (105) for the reception of calls and deposition of voice messages. The user can configure the voice mail controller (103) to forward a message waiting indicator to the remote location (107) when a message is left. The voice mail controller (103) stores a table (401) that indicates the location to which a message waiting indicator should be forwarded to for each user of the voicemail system (101).

Abstract: A system and method for a gatekeeper (108) to multicast commands to all gateways (106) in the system. The gateways (106) listen for one of their peer gateways (106) to accept. If one accepts, then the other gateways ignore the pending call request. The gatekeeper (108) making the request can specify an order in which the gateways (106) are to respond to its request. The order may be based on a variety of factors, such as number of calls presently being handled by a particular gateway (106) or cost of calls. Further, the gateways (106) may be provided with timers to process a call request in the requested order if a gateway (106) earlier in the queue fails to respond.

Abstract: A system, method, apparatus, means, and computer program code for determining a location of a device connected to a network. According to some embodiments of the present invention, a device, such as an IP enabled or compliant telephone, may receive, detect, or otherwise actively or passively determine a location identifier. The location identifier may be associated with a geographic location of the device. The device may then provide data indicative of the location identifier to another device, such as a network manager device, server, computer, etc. In some embodiments, the device may determine its geographic location after receiving a request for data indicative of its geographic location. In other embodiments, the device may provide data indicative of its geographic location each time it receives, detects or otherwise determines its geographic location.

Abstract: A telecommunication system includes a source private branch exchange (12) that transmits telephone calls from a source to a destination private branch exchange (26) over a public switched telephone network (18). As an alternative to transmitting the calls over the public switched telephone network, the private branch exchange is coupled to a telephony Internet server 30 that can transmit telephone calls over a global wide area computer network such as the Internet (32). The private branch exchange (12) queries the destination private branch exchange (26) to determine if it similarly coupled to a telephony Internet server. If so, the bandwidth used by the telephony Internet server will allow the transmission of the telephone call, the call is routed over the Internet (32) to the intended recipient.

Abstract: A multipoint control unit (104) is provided which allows for dynamic codec selection. According to one embodiment, the MCU (104) causes endpoints (102, 106) to renegotiate their codec selections if a most-commonly available codec is not being used, upon entry of new parties to a teleconference. Alternatively, the codec renegotiation may be performed each time a user speaks, to optimize for maximum transmission quality or for minimizing transcoding.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for protecting call privacy across telecommunication networks allow a calling party of a first telecommunication network to control the privacy of a telephone call to a called party of a second telecommunication network. This is achieved by selecting among a group of privacy options that represent varying degrees of privacy, assigning each of the selected privacy options to the call, and enforcing the selected privacy options within the second telecommunication network, thereby eliminating the need for external enforcement. The privacy options selected for the call limit the ability of a called party to manipulate the call. For example, the privacy options may prevent the called party from forwarding the call, transferring the call, conferencing the call, and/or listening to the call via a hands-free speaker phone.

Abstract: A multipoint control unit coordinator (MCUC). The MCUC tracks all conferences in a telecommunications system and determines how they can be best configured and modified over time. The MCUC instructs multipoint control units (MCUs) to break down and reconfigure calls, if necessary. A MCUC according to an embodiment of the invention maintains a database of all the MCUs in the system, a measure of processing coding resources, and a geographical location. When two parties seek to add a third in a conference call, the MCUC determines coding resources, geographical locations, and determines the most appropriate media stream mixing location based on preferences, such as network cost or endpoint coding resources or quality. The MCUC then instructs the MCUs to handle the conference accordingly.

Abstract: A system and method within a multimedia messaging system for automatically enabling the system to notify a user that his or her mailbox is full and therefore no longer accepting messages for storage. The system includes one or more mailboxes to receive and store messages from callers, a capacity calculator to determine whether the messages stored in the mailbox exceed the allotted amount of storage space and a message transmittal unit to enable one or more notification alerts to be generated in response to the capacity calculator determining that the mailbox is full.

Abstract: A user's access patterns are accounted for in deciding to switch between a plurality of wireless networks 204, 206. A method according to one embodiment of the present invention includes monitoring a location of a wireless communication device 202 Within a region serviced by a first wireless communication network 204 and second region serviced by a second wireless communication network 206. The first and second region have an overlapping region which could be serviced by both networks. The future location of the wireless communication device 202 within the first and second regions is predicted based on the monitoring of the previous locations of the wireless communication device 202. When the wireless communication device 202 is detected as being within the overlapping region, the system determines whether to transfer an active connection between the wireless communication device 202 and one of the networks to the other network.

Abstract: A system for enabling voice communications outside a LAN telephone network to be accomplished by way of a wireless interface formed from a standard wireless telephone, such as a cellular telephone, and an adapter. The adapter is configured to interface a standard wireless telephone to the communication network, such that the wireless telephone may be used as the wireless trunk. In particular, a network user may originate a call intended for someone outside the network and the call will be routed to its destination over the wireless telephone network, via the wireless telephone. The network and the adapter communicate with each other using standard network signaling protocols. Likewise, communication between the adapter and the wireless telephone is performed using known cellular signaling protocols. The adapter functions as a protocol converter to translate between the network signalling and wireless telephone signalling.

Abstract: A system for enabling music to be provided to callers placed on hold in a LAN network used for voice communications. Bandwidth consumption is minimized by ensuring that music-on-hold is provided in a manner that enables most necessary tasks to be executed by a client instead of a server. In specific embodiment, the music-on-hold system is configured to transfer a small application program or applet, having a music file and a media player, from the server to the client if necessary. Concurrently, a real time protocol (RTP) stream carrying music is used to provide music to the client from the server during the applet transfer to ensure that the held caller receives music at all times. The RTP stream is initially used to provide music to held callers.

Abstract: A method of allocating resources for implementing certain call-related features, such as call forwarding, includes enabling a centrally accessed unit (e.g., a gatekeeper) to support the features and enabling telephony devices (e.g., personal computers running ToL client software) to independently implement the features. Thus, there is redundant capability with respect to the features. A task-allocation scheme is established for adaptively assigning execution of the tasks needed to perform the features. The scheme is at least partially based upon determining processing resource availability within either or both of the centrally accessed unit and the telephony devices. When a request for a feature is detected, the execution of the requested feature is assigned to either the centrally accessed unit or the particular telephony device with which the request is associated, depending upon the current processing resource availabilities.

Abstract: A notification method for providing camp-on capability includes utilizing device-to-device signal exchanges via a data network. As a result, the camp-on capability may be enabled at a called communication device by means of a signal sent from a calling communication device. In the preferred embodiment, the data network is the global communications network referred to as the Internet, but this is not critical. As a response to the determination that the called communication device, such as the telephone, is in an unavailable condition, a first notification signal is transmitted from a calling communication device to the unavailable called device. The first notification signal may be an application program that is automatically executed at the called device. Alternatively, the first notification signal may be a special protocol element that triggers execution of a camp-on program stored at the called device. The first notification signal includes the network address of the calling device.

Abstract: A data traffic network 200 in which excess cells, or cells whose transfer is expected to cause the user to exceed the QoS traffic contract bandwidth limit, are transferred to a destination node 300b via an alternate or secondary network 212. More particularly, traffic received at a first ATM node 300a (for example, an end user node) is or has been classified according to traffic type, such as voice, data, or video (with their corresponding characteristics). Prior to packetizing the data streams into the ATM fixed length packets, the ATM node 300a, 600a determines whether the QoS traffic contract bandwidth limit has been exceeded or is likely to be exceeded. If so, then the corresponding traffic is transmitted to the destination node 300b via an appropriate alternate network 212. For example, voice traffic is transferred to a PBX and, ultimately, to the public switched telephone network (PSTN).