Abstract: A computer implemented method includes sending a request from a customer service terminal to a broadband remote access server to retrieve a device identifier of a customer premises equipment device. The device identifier is received by the broadband remote access server via a point to point protocol over ethernet active discovery initiation packet sent from the customer premises equipment device. The computer implemented method includes receiving, at the customer service terminal, a response from the broadband remote access server that includes the device identifier of the customer premises equipment device.

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for providing detailed information about a party during interparty communication. Data-capable mobile devices query at least a public database to retrieve information about a set of parties engaged in communication. The results of the database query are employed to provide detailed caller identification and detail functionality to telephones or communication devices not utilizing traditional landlines or commercial caller identification service. Storage can be included to include address book function, query caching, and user preferences. An interface can be provided to facilitate display of rich caller identification information. The interface can further update displayed information without user input, or provide user selection control to request more information on a selected portion of displayed information. These features can be applied to determine the information about a party that is either receiving a communication or initiating a communication.

Abstract: Systems and methods for providing a status of a teleconference by determining an approximate delay time and providing a status signal in view of the determined approximate delay time are provided. An approximate delay time is approximately the amount of time that will elapse before an occurrence occurring at a first time, which is captured into an occurrence signal by a source unit, will be experienced at a second time after the occurrence signal is received by at least one receiving unit.

Abstract: A system is provided for managing incoming communications placed in response to advertising, online content, and/or special service numbers. Information extracted from incoming communications can be received by a system server and cross-referenced with a database to obtain cross-referenced customer information pertaining to previous customer communications in the form of online communications, telephone calls, and/or in person customer meetings. The cross-referenced customer information can be passed to a client workstation and displayed to the user in the form of an industry-specific template formatted in accordance with the business needs of the user. The template can be automatically populated with the cross-referenced customer information. The user can view and update the customer information, thereby maintaining a retrievable record of the communication.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a public access system provided with an interface system for public access terminals with telephony (1), which has the objective of simplifying the operation and interaction of users through automatic conversion of information from databank, texts and miscellaneous contents. The interface means (11) is installed at a public access terminal with telephony (1) and comprises a display means (12) operated directly by screen touch, through hierarchical buttons (13), generated dynamically and in real time by automatic procedures carried out through a remote dynamic contents control station (4) or manually, effected by an administrative area (5).

Abstract: A system and method for obtaining a personal identification number (PIN) from a client terminal is disclosed herein. The method includes storing, at the client terminal, PINs for plural prepaid services. The method also includes receiving, at the client terminal, a request for a PIN associated with a desired prepaid service corresponding to one of the plural prepaid services. A PIN request is then sent, from the client terminal, to a server when less than a predefined number of PINs associated with the desired prepaid service are stored at the client terminal. In response, one or more PINs associated with the desired prepaid service are received at the client terminal. The method further includes dispensing at least one PIN corresponding to the desired prepaid service from the client terminal.

Abstract: To provide a technology indicating guidance for a usage method of information equipment and for solving an abnormality of the information equipment to not only users having knowledge about terminology of the information equipment but also users having none of the knowledge about the terminology of the information equipment. A guidance apparatus receives identifying information of information equipment from a device, reads an image from a database containing images about the information equipment with respect to the received identifying information, creates guidance information containing the read image, transmits the created guidance information to the device, receives information determined by a manipulation about the guidance information on the device, and controls so as to read the image used next for the guidance information from the received information.

Abstract: Methods are provided for managing and configuring voice services the notification and disposition of voice services, such as telephone calls, in a cable television services system. In response to receiving a notification of an incoming voice service in the cable television services system, a voice services banner is generated for displaying options for managing the incoming voice service. Options for managing the incoming voice service are selected from the voice services banner. An on-screen user interface is generated for configuring voice services options on a display device in communication with a set-top box. The user interface receives selections for configuring the voice services options. In response to receiving a selection, a determination is made whether to display a menu for configuring the voice services options based on a subscriber profile. If it is determined that the configuration of voice services is authorized, then the menu is displayed for configuring the voice services options.

Abstract: A method and a system for connecting a service provider and a user at a remote location relative to the service provider, via a network based telecommunications device, are provided. The method includes utilizing a network operable terminal for transmitting communications between the service provider and the user, employing a display screen depicting a user selectable options menu, corresponding with service functions offered by the service provider, and enabling the user to choose an option from the user selectable options menu to initiate a corresponding communication to the service provider.

Abstract: A system and method for displaying information to a user of a telephone during a telephone call may include requesting information from a plurality of applications in response to receiving data indicative of a telecommunications device during a telephone call. The information may include information associated with a second user of the telecommunications device. The information received from the applications may be displayed for the first user to view during the telephone call.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer readable media providing an enhanced call alert service via a television service network are described. In one embodiment, the system comprises a call alert service mediator (CASM) that includes a telephone network interface for receiving, from a telecommunications network, a query message for a call to a called party device associated with a subscriber for requesting instructions for completing or modifying the call. The CASM also includes a TV network interface for, in response to the query from the telecommunications network, for sending a message to a TV network, wherein the message results in notification of the call to the subscriber via an customer premises equipment (CPE) device and the requesting of instructions from the subscriber via the CPE device for completing or modifying the call.

Abstract: A mobile telephone which can supply or post ‘pre-answer’ information which the device owner considers of relevance to a potential call recipient. This information enables a potential call recipient to be given useful information about a potential call before actually answering that call. The information is dynamic, unlike Caller ID information. Examples include: information about the subject of an intended voice call, a mood, a current activity, part or whole of a schedule of meetings or events, information about the urgency of an intended voice call, personal information, expected call duration, commercial inducements to a consumer to answer a call (special offers, loyalty points etc.), location information.

Abstract: A system that implements the display of the well-recognized MLPP keypad generated by a computer-based application adaptable for any authorized user. In one embodiment in accordance with the present invention, a system is provided for emulating an MLPP telephone. The exemplary system comprises a data entry portion that accepts telephone call initiation information, including MLPP priority information, from a user, and an information display portion that displays information relating to the data entry portion. In one form of the invention, the data entry portion comprises a visual representation, on a display device, of an MLPP telephone keypad, and a data input device. The visual representation, on a display device, may be a visual representation on a video display terminal associated with a personal computer.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for performing a telephone call between a first user (1) and a second user (2), comprising: connecting a first user equipment (1a) of the first user (1) to a second user equipment (2a) of the second user (2) for establishing a telephone call between the first and second user (1, 2). The method further comprises: in case that the connection (6a, 6b) between the first and second user equipment (1a, 2a) is interrupted during the telephone call, recording further speech data (D) provided by at least the first user (1) on a data server (10), and making the recorded speech data (D) of the data server (10) available to the second user (2). The invention also relates to a computer program product for implementing the method and to a communications network (3) for performing the method.

Abstract: An interactive media system for an IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) architecture includes a media resource function processor (MRFP) and a media resource function controller (MRFC). The MRFP includes media resources, such as automatic speech recognition (ASR) engines and text-to-speech (TTS) engines, and a voice browser. A caller places a call to a telephone number to reach an interactive media service, and the MRFC establishes a real-time packet media session between the media gateway and the MRFP. The voice browser queries a location server to determine the location of an interactive application associated with the called telephone number and then queries an application server corresponding to the location to obtain the interactive application as a voice extensible markup language (VXML) document. The browser interprets the VXML document and responsively invokes the media resources, via the MRFC, to provide the interactive media service to the caller.

Abstract: A communication apparatus includes at least two communication units that are mutually communicable; an incoming call detection device that is configured to detect presence or absence of an incoming call signal; a notification device that is configured to provide a user, when an incoming call signal is detected by the incoming call detection device, with a notification indicating the detection of the incoming call signal; and a first transfer device that is configured to transfer, when a voice communication is started by a first communication unit out of the at least two communication units after the notification by the notification device is provided, a first connection information indicating a connection condition, when the voice communication is started, of a data communication which has been performed by the first communication unit to a second communication unit other than the first communication unit out of the at least two communication units.

Abstract: A system and method for integrating voice and data operations into a single mobile device capable of simultaneously performing data and voice actions. The mobile device working in a network capable of exchanging both cell phone calls and data items to the mobile device. By wearing an earphone or an ear-bud device the user is capable of dealing with voice conversations while working with data centric information related to the current caller. By providing a data-centric device with voice capabilities there is a new range of features that allow incoming data events to trigger outgoing voice events.

Abstract: Disclosed is a video-ready Internet telephone which is compatible with a VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) telephone providing a voice communication service over the Internet. The video-ready Internet telephone includes a video processing module for converting a digital video signal into an analog video signal by using a communication protocol for video or converting an analog video signal applied thereto into an digital video signal for transmission through the Internet; and a video input/output module operated in cooperation with the video processing module, for receiving an analog video signal from a camera or receiving the converted analog video signal from the video processing module and displaying corresponding analog video data in response to the received analog video signal on a liquid crystal display (LCD).

Abstract: A computer system and method is disclosed for automatically establishing a screen sharing session between a first party and a second party based upon device associations. A computer telephony system establishes a telecommunication session between at least a first and second party. The computer telephony system receives a request for a screen sharing session from one party to the telecommunication session. Using a configuration plan, the computer telephony system is able to determine the proper computing devices between which to establish the screen sharing session absent user entry. A screen sharing session is created between the parties of the telecommunication session and optionally tied thereto.

Abstract: A system and computer-readable media for providing access to emergency data. Emergency data is collected from various sources and maintained such that it can be efficiently recalled in an emergency. In one implementation, the data is maintained in XML documents. An emergency application program provides a page and/or sub-pages via which a user interacts to obtain the data. The data is typed according to types of emergencies to facilitate user access to the appropriate data when needed. The emergency data may be automatically loaded from a remote source, such as a .NET service, or provided by a retailer. Actions may be associated with emergency data, such as to provide an easy or automated way to send an alert, email message, and the like in the event of an emergency.

Abstract: A system for placing a telephone call on hold and presenting video to the user that has been placed on hold comprises video on hold arbiter that either is a part of the server or the switch of an IP telephony system. The video on hold arbiter comprises a hold monitoring module, a switch interface module and a media source interface module. The video on hold arbiter monitors calls between parties for the selection of a hold signal indicating that a first caller is placing a second caller on hold. The video on hold arbiter then determines the capabilities of the first caller and the second caller, a source video signal and switches the call to a video-on-hold status. In the video-on-hold status, the video on hold arbiter provides a video signal to the caller on hold from the determined source video and matching the capabilities of the party on hold. Video on hold arbiter and monitors for an off hold signal.

Abstract: A device for obtaining, storing and displaying information from a remote server, the device has a modem for establishing communication sessions with the remote server. A memory coupled to the modem stores the obtained information, and a display is coupled to the memory for displaying the stored information. The device automatically and periodically communicates with the remote server for obtaining the information.

Abstract: A voice channel connection and a data channel connection are established with a structured voice interaction system. Navigation information for and provided by the structured voice interaction system is received over the data channel connection. The data channel navigation information is coordinated with navigation information provided by the structured voice interaction system over the voice channel connection.

Abstract: A device for obtaining, storing and displaying information from a remote server, the device has a modem for establishing communication sessions with the remote server. A memory coupled to the modem stores the obtained information, and a display is coupled to the memory for displaying the stored information. The device automatically and periodically communicates with the remote server for obtaining the information.

Abstract: A device for obtaining, storing and displaying information from a remote server, the device has a modem for establishing communication sessions with the remote server. A memory coupled to the modem stores the obtained information, and a display is coupled to the memory for displaying the stored information. The device automatically and periodically communicates with the remote server for obtaining the information.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and structures are discussed that enhance media processing. One aspect of the present invention includes a data structure to enhance media processing. The data structure includes a terminal data structure to instantiate terminal objects and a speech recognition terminal data structure that extends the terminal data structure. Another aspect of the present invention includes a data structure to enhance media processing. This data structure includes a terminal data structure to instantiate terminal objects and a speech generation terminal data structure that extends the terminal data structure. These data structures may be used to implement an internet protocol interactive voice response system, an internet protocol unified message system, and speech-enabled Web applications.

Abstract: A telephone system includes a primary unit having a processor, memory device, speaker, microphone, and transmitter. The system further includes an auxiliary unit having a processor, speaker, microphone, and a receiver. The primary unit processor stores routing instructions, each one being call specific and identifying at least one of the primary or auxiliary speakers. The primary processor includes programming to route caller data to a respective one or both primary and auxiliary speakers (e.g. to ring the appropriate telephone(s)). The primary unit includes programming for transmitting call data to the appropriate respective telephone. The primary unit processor further includes time-filtering instructions such that incoming call data may be selectively sent to a voicemail unit or rejected depending on predetermined call data characteristics. Similarly, the system includes blocking instructions stored in the primary memory and utilized by the processor for blocking predetermined incoming calls.

Abstract: The present invention comprises a system and method for providing a personal identification number (PIN) to a client terminal over a computer network. In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, a server receives a request for a PIN over a network, the request originating from a user at a client terminal. The request is associated with a requested monetary unit and a requested provider. The server retrieves from a database a PIN associated with the requested monetary unit and requested provider. The server transmits the retrieved PIN to the client terminal over the network, wherein the PIN is transmitted to the client terminal on-demand in response to the customer's request.

Abstract: A system and method for an integrated intercom and distributed audio/video system with a security interface is provided. An intercom station is configured to couple with a powerline and to transmit and/or receive system control signals over the powerline. The intercom station may be further configured to transmit and/or receive live audio data and/or live image data over the powerline in real time or in near real time. The system may include two intercom stations configured to be coupled with a powerline. At least one of the two intercom stations may be configured to be mounted to a wall. At least one of the two intercom stations may include an intercom adapter configured to transmit and receive a uniquely addressed, modulated carrier wave over the powerline.

Abstract: A method and system for presenting additional information about a user are provided. The user may be a calling party or a called party. A request for information in addition to the information normally contained in the caller ID may be constructed and sent to a repository of additional information that returns the additional information. If the user is a calling party, the additional information may be presented on the called party's communication device. If the user is a called party, the additional information may be presented on the calling party's communication device. A system including the repository may receive the request. An authoring and editing component of the system may allow the user or others to edit the additional information about the user. The system may select and send the additional information based on a set of parameters in the request and the access type of the requestor.

Abstract: A system is provided for managing telephone calls made to special service numbers. Information extracted from incoming telephone calls can be received by a system server and cross-referenced with a database to obtain cross-referenced caller information pertaining to previous customer telephone calls and/or in person customer meetings. The cross-referenced caller information can be passed to a client workstation and displayed to the user in the form of an industry-specific template formatted in accordance with the business needs of the user. The template can be automatically populated with the cross-referenced caller information. During the telephone call, the user can view and update the caller information, thereby maintaining a retrievable record of the telephone call. With regard to the multi-housing industry in particular, caller information can be displayed in the form of a guest card template and/or a service card template.

Abstract: A digital telephone system provides visual displays of live events to a digital telephone device. An animation script is generated according to real time actions which make up the live event. The digital telephone system transmits the animation script to the digital telephone which is preloaded with a smart client application. The smart client application receives the animation script, for example in the form of a SMS or MMS message, and the animation script controls the smart client application such that objects on a visual display are moved in order to simulate the live event.

Abstract: A method is provided for viewing extended text information associated with a particular item in place. A user may invoke a text scrolling area in order to view extended text in place without obstructing the view of other screen items. Multiple scrolling areas may be created to view text associated with multiple items.

Abstract: A remote control terminal includes an input section which allows selection of predetermined services offered from an information provider managing the services, a transceiver for obtaining a service selected by the input section from the information provider, and displaying means for displaying the contents of the service obtained by the transceiver.

Abstract: A terminal device as a first communication party's terminal has: voice recognition means which, during a communication connection to a second communication party's terminal, when the mode is set to a voice recognition mode receives, as digital voice signals, the second communication party's voice sent from the second communication party's terminal and performs voice recognition to convert the digital voice signals to text data; and control means for performing control in such a manner that the text data converted by the voice recognition means are output from output means.

Abstract: A method (600) and a system (102) for processing an incoming call (104). The method can include receiving the incoming call from a communication device (106, 108) and determining whether the communication device is configured to present a visual call menu. When the communication device is configured to present the visual call menu, the visual call menu can be communicated to the communication device. The present invention also relates to a method and a communication device for establishing a call. The method can include placing a call to a call handling system from a communication device, and receiving a visual call menu from the call handling system. The visual call menu can be presented on a display (120, 122, 508) associated with the communication device.

Abstract: An apparatus and method use logical network connections to telephones interconnected by the network to obtain the status of station-specific telephony function information and then to convert the status of station-specific telephony function information to audio information that is presented to the user.

Abstract: A method, telecommunication terminal, short message service center and telecommunication system is disclosed for transmission of a message from a first telecommunication terminal to a second telecommunication terminal, of which at least one is connected to a line-connected telephone network. The message is converted as a short message into the short message format, a connection setup is realized and the short message is transmitted in the short message format to a short message service center and from the latter to the second telecommunication terminal, where the transmission of the short message to the short message center and/or to the second telecommunication terminal is carried out by means of DTMF or FSK off-hook signaling in the voice band.

Abstract: A mechanism for placing a telephone call while at the same time communicating context (e.g., subject, importance and/or nature) of the telephone call. The caller uses a mechanism on a user interface to instruct a caller computing system to place a telephone call to a callee computing system. Using the same user interface, the caller also identifies some contextual information for the telephone call such as, for example, the subject, importance and/or nature of the telephone call. The caller computing system then constructs a call invitation data structure that includes both an invitation to the callee to engage in a telephone conversation and the user-entered identification of the context of the telephone call. Upon receiving the call invitation data structure, the callee computing system reads the identification of the context of the telephone call, and then takes appropriate action based on the context for the telephone call.

Abstract: A handset has a receiver that receives a voice message from an operator of the handset. An identification circuit identifies a portion of the voice message that occurs between a first point in time and a second point in time during the voice message. An audio processing circuit converts the portion of the voice information to visual information in a visual format. A transmitter transmits the visual information to a recipient. This allows the recipient to receive particularly specified information in a manner that is convenient to recover and use. A telephone number, for example, may be received as a viewable number and utilized accordingly.

Abstract: A method of communicating information describing a voice call from a caller to a recipient comprises steps of obtaining call subject information describing the call and communicating the call subject information to the recipient to inform the recipient about the call. The call subject information can be presented as a subject line displayed to a recipient in which the caller provides information about the nature of the call and/or its urgency, which thus enables the recipient to better judge whether it should be answered immediately. The call subject information can be input as text by the caller or it can be extracted automatically from a calendar application or a messaging application.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, telephone system includes terminals can make telephone communication, call processor sets links connecting terminals at outgoing callers and terminals at incoming callers in response to outgoing call requests, and status manager manages statuses of terminals, wherein the terminal comprises display displays information, display controller displays a list of partner's destinations of communication of user registered in advance onto display, call processor reports outgoing call request for setting link between a terminal selected by user from list and a terminal of user to call processor, acquisition processor acquires status information showing statuses of terminals regarding partner's destinations on list, and management processor manages security levels of links set between terminal of user and terminals of partner's destinations on list on the basis of status information, and display controller displays security levels on display by associating with each of security levels of par

Abstract: An enhanced mechanism for intelligently routing a call and providing a supporting computer interface on a screen of one or more computers connected to a network. In an embodiment, a service request form is provided on a customer's computer by which a customer provides customer-input information. A data file (e.g., an XML file) is generated with the customer-input information and transmitted over a data network. A service routing, integration, mining and personalization (SRIMP) engine receives, via the data network, the data file. The SRIMP engine routes a call (e.g., a VoIP call) to a customer care agent selected based on the data file. In addition, the SRIMP engine creates an agent's view computer interface the content of which is based on the data file. The SRIMP engine may, for example, send personalized information and portlets to the selected agent's browser that are needed to address the customer's question.

Abstract: A method or device includes a telephone with an audio or video effects generator to produce audio or video effects that are transmitted as part of a signal from the telephone.

Abstract: A portable communication apparatus including a first housing extending along a longitudinal direction, a second housing connected at substantially one end of the first housing, and a pair of link arms formed on the second housing facing each other, for connecting the second housing to the first housing allowing the second housing to rotate relative to the first housing so that a variety of electronic communication components may be mounted on the second housing, and rotation of the second housing facilitates convenient placement of the electronic component for use.

Abstract: A phone appliance and method of use are provided where the phone appliance can be used to make VoIP communications calls. In a preferred embodiment, the phone appliance includes an RF connection for connecting to a computer or other computing device for facilitating the placement of the VoIP communications calls. The phone appliance further includes a display or portal for depicting advertisements provided by various advertisers. The advertisements provided can be used to defray all or part of the cost associated with making VoIP communications calls. The portal can also be used to communicate with businesses for ordering products, such as ordering a pizza, and to perform various services, such as purchasing stocks. In an exemplary system, the phone appliance is used to transmit to a control center information related to the user of the phone appliance, such as interests and buying habits, and queries for receiving additional information for various advertised products and services.

Abstract: A device, system, and method which permit consumers to more effectively and efficiently shop for the lowest priced goods and services such as fuel. The device includes a GPS receiver for receiving satellite signals from GPS satellites and for determining a current location of the electronic device as a function of the satellite signals; a display; and a computing device coupled with the GPS receiver and the display. The computing device displays prices for sellers within a geographic area selected by the user or related to the current location of the device. The computing device determines an average price charged by certain sellers within the geographic area and indicates which sellers have prices above or below the calculated average price. The device also displays distances between the user's current location and the sellers and provide routing or other directions to a selected seller.

Abstract: In a communication system having a plurality of cellular telephones connected on a communication network, and a switching apparatus that manages communication functions usable in the plurality of cellular telephones, when the switching apparatus receives a communication request from a cellular telephone on the calling side, the switching apparatus determines communication functions usable in the cellular telephone to notify a cellular telephone on the receiving side, while determining communication functions usable in the cellular telephone to notify the cellular telephone, and the cellular telephones and on the calling side and receiving side display the communication functions usable in the cellular telephone as the communicating party notified from the switching apparatus, while registering the communication functions usable in the cellular telephone as the communicating party after finishing communication, respectively.

Abstract: An electronic apparatus has a communicating function and a privacy mode that prohibits access to and display of data and/or folders with respect to which a secret setting has been made. A storage part stores first contents, and second contents of the data and/or the folders with respect to which the secret setting has been made. A display part displays a standby screen, a call/receive screen or an electronic mail send/receive screen. A control part switches contents of a screen to be displayed by displaying the first contents in place of the second contents during the privacy mode, if the second contents are set in the standby screen, the call/receive screen or the electronic mail send/receive screen.

Abstract: A mail editing system and method create an icons database, which is capable of storing at least an emotion data, wherein, the emotion data consists of an emotion, an emotion code, and an emotion meaning; next, establishes a relation between the recipient of the attached emotion data and the emotion meaning of the emotion data, and based on the relation, creates a corresponding relation table of icons; then, based on the recipient of the attached emotion data of an electronic mail edited by the sender of the mail, looks up in the created relation table of icons in order to obtain the emotion meaning corresponding to the recipient of the attached emotion data; at last, based on the obtained emotion meaning, acquires the emotion and emotion code corresponding to the emotion meaning from the icons database and then adds both the emotion and the emotion code to the electronic mail.