Abstract: Datacasting systems may include one or more compound carousels each managing one or more elementary carousels, and managed by a bandwidth manager. Subsets of compounds carousels may be identified, for example, according to priority levels. Bandwidth allocations may be determined for the compound carousels. For example, the bandwidth manager may utilize multiple bandwidth allocation cycles to determine the bandwidth allocations. The multiple bandwidth allocation cycles may form a sequence. Each bandwidth allocation cycle may at least partially allocate an available datacasting bandwidth resource to at least one of the identified subsets of the compound carousels. The allocations may be based at least in part on desired bandwidths determined by the compound carousels and/or one or more bandwidth guidelines of datacast sessions associated with the compound carousels.

Abstract: The present invention describes a method and apparatus for providing an intelligent speed dialing service for a phone user according to a pre-selected dialing algorithm. More specifically, this invention provides an intelligent speed dialing feature to call a list of available phone numbers of the person to be contacted. With this invention, a caller can dial pre-programmed speed dialing digits on the phone station to call the person to be contacted, according to a pre-program algorithm, to automatically dial one or multiple phone numbers of the person to be contacted. The present invention greatly improves the convenience of using the speed dialing feature of a phone station, especially when the advanced call forwarding feature such as “follow me” is not available to or not enabled by the person to be contacted.

Abstract: The present invention describes a method and apparatus for providing an advanced call forwarding feature for telephone service subscribers. More specifically, the present invention provides a method and apparatus to forward a phone call to multiple phone numbers in a progressive manner. With this invention, when a phone number is called, the call is forwarded to a list of phone numbers in the following manner: a) call to the first phone number in the forwarding list, b) wait for a pre-provisioned period, if not answered, c) call to the second phone number from the list while the first phone is still ringing, if not answered by either phones, e) call yet another phone number from the forwarding list in the same manner until the end of the list while keeping all phones ringing simultaneously f) stop ringing of all other phone stations when one of the phone stations in the call list is picked up.

Abstract: Datacasting systems may include one or more compound carousels each managing one or more elementary carousels, and managed by a bandwidth manager. Subsets of compounds carousels may be identified, for example, according to priority levels. Bandwidth allocations may be determined for the compound carousels. For example, the bandwidth manager may utilize multiple bandwidth allocation cycles to determine the bandwidth allocations. The multiple bandwidth allocation cycles may form a sequence. Each bandwidth allocation cycle may at least partially allocate an available datacasting bandwidth resource to at least one of the identified subsets of the compound carousels. The allocations may be based at least in part on desired bandwidths determined by the compound carousels and/or one or more bandwidth guidelines of datacast sessions associated with the compound carousels.

Abstract: A datacast system, and associated apparatus and method for automatically managing a data object or objects within a hierarchical carousel structure by enabling, among other functions, the dynamic allocation of bandwidth to each carousel within the structure. The dynamic bandwidth allocation enables a server platform to redistribute the bandwidth allocated to a carousel or set of data objects to adjust to desired changes in object transmission policies or priorities of a datacast application.

Abstract: Datacasting systems may include one or more compound carousels each managing one or more elementary carousels, and managed by a bandwidth manager. Subsets of compounds carousels may be identified, for example, according to priority levels. Bandwidth allocations may be determined for the compound carousels. For example, the bandwidth manager may utilize multiple bandwidth allocation cycles to determine the bandwidth allocations. The multiple bandwidth allocation cycles may form a sequence. Each bandwidth allocation cycle may at least partially allocate an available datacasting bandwidth resource to at least one of the identified subsets of the compound carousels. The allocations may be based at least in part on desired bandwidths determined by the compound carousels and/or one or more bandwidth guidelines of datacast sessions associated with the compound carousels.

Abstract: The present invention describes a method and apparatus for providing an intelligent speed dialing service for a phone user according to a pre-selected dialing algorithm. More specifically, this invention provides an intelligent speed dialing feature to call a list of available phone numbers of the person to be contacted. With this invention, a caller can dial pre-programmed speed dialing digits on the phone station to call the person to be contacted, according to a pre-program algorithm, to automatically dial one or multiple phone numbers of the person to be contacted. The present invention greatly improves the convenience of using the speed dialing feature of a phone station, especially when the advanced call forwarding feature such as “follow me” is not available to or not enabled by the person to be contacted.

Abstract: The present invention describes a method and apparatus for protecting the privacy and verifying the identities of both calling and called parties in online social networks, with an extension to the public switched telephone networks. More specifically, this invention relates to the distribution of unique user identities in social networks to be used in public telephone networks providing privacy protection of both calling and called parties, while the calling party's identify can be verified. The user identity of the calling party, which is different from the real phone number of the calling party, can be used as part of the call filtering feature of the called party. None of the real phone numbers are revealed to the other party of a phone call using the public switched telephone networks.

Abstract: A datacast system, and associated apparatus and method for automatically managing a data object or objects within a hierarchical carousel structure by enabling, among other functions, the dynamic allocation of bandwidth to each carousel within the structure. The dynamic bandwidth allocation enables a server platform to redistribute the bandwidth allocated to a carousel or set of data objects to adjust to desired changes in object transmission policies or priorities of a datacast application.

Abstract: A method and system for content recommendation make such recommendations possible, even if users are in different geographic locations, use different network service providers and different services, user different types of device, etc. A method for communicating a content recommendation comprises receiving a recommendation for content, the content recommendation originating from a first client device communicating using a first network and destined for a second client device communicating using a second network, determining access information for the second client device to access the content using the second network, and transmitting the determined access information.