Abstract: The present invention provides a social networking platform offering various services, such as, facilitating aggregation and management of a user's interaction on one or more social networking platforms, offering enhanced control over the level of privacy associated with the flow of user data, offering tools to customize the user's exposure to advertisement-related content on the social networking platform(s), integrating features to control aspects of how data/content is presented to and visualized by the user, empowering the user to multicast direct messages to other users without the other users having to meet certain constraints, empowering the user to create and/or join a group based on messaging threads, and the like. One or more of these enhanced services/features are associated with a powerful framework of authentication/permission model for access control.

Abstract: Systems and methods of the present invention provide for electronic collaboration between at least two computing devices. The collaboration has a plurality of applications for scenarios requiring review and signing of documents. The collaboration may be based on a loose coupling of the computing devices and may enable a coordinated collaboration. An internet connection may be used to establish and conduct the collaboration. For example, the collaboration may be used to provide interaction between a financial institution and its representative and a customer. The collaboration may be used to review documents and information. Electronic signature capture capability may be provided. The system may be provide for active collaboration between the electronic devices with one device being able to monitor and view actions taken upon a second device. The collaboration and interaction may be extended to multiple electronic devices.

Abstract: Among other things, a central server maintains information representative of requests communicated through the Internet from devices at request locations. Each of the requests represents a proposed reservation for services to be managed by devices at delivery locations.

Abstract: A method for the online modification, submission and approval processing of a future payment request to afford a user the ability to renegotiate established loan agreement debt terms in which network communications are established between a user, such as a debtor, and a computing device, such as a server or server arrangement, is presented. The method comprises receiving information, at the computing device, regarding the loan agreement debt terms, presenting received information to a debtor, providing an interactive environment enabling a debtor to modify existing terms, submitting modified terms, processing data from the available information using a rules based engine, and processing a future payment request based on at least one decision made by the rules based engine. While online, the user/debtor may engage in revising a rejected future payment request in an attempt to reach a satisfactory renegotiation of debt terms.

Abstract: A method for establishing a communication connection between a first communication device and a second communication device, the method comprising requesting contact information for a second communication device, during a first communication connection established between a first communication device and a third communication device; receiving the contact information from the third communication device, in response to a third party interacting with the third communication device during the first communication connection; and establishing a second communication connection between the first communication device and the second communication device based on the contact information received from the third communication device, wherein the second communication connection is established by way of the first communication device independently initiating communication with the second communication device.

Abstract: A system includes a switching device. The switching device is configured to process a call request as a 12-digit telephone number. The 12-digit telephone number includes a 3-digit area code, a 4-digit location independent code, and a 5-digit location dependent code.

Abstract: In a method of processing an incoming sequence of one or more DTMF tones at a mobile device, the sequence is decoded to thereby identify any encoded message. Where the decoding does not identify a message, at least applying an error correction algorithm to the sequence to identify a message. Where the algorithm fails to correct the sequence, the sequence is compared to messages currently expected by the mobile device. If a message is not identified, a negative acknowledgement message may be sent. At a server, upon receipt of a negative acknowledgement message, it is determined if a message was sent to the mobile device in a previous pre-determined time window. If so, the message is re-sent. The server repeatedly sends certain messages to a mobile device until an acknowledgement message indicating receipt of the message by the mobile device is received.

Abstract: Method and system for recognising a numeric or alphanumeric sequence of characters in a document, the sequence conforming to predetermined rules and representing user identifiers for identifying users in a communication system include identifying a country of origin of the document, recalling rules relating to the format of the sequence associated with the determined country of origin, searching the document to identify any sequence in the document satisfying the format and returning any such sequence.

Abstract: A telephone communications system includes a quantizing device quantizing a multifrequency signal at a sampling frequency which is twice or more as larger as a sampling frequency necessary for sampling the multifrequency signal to produce quantized data, a low-pass filter low-pass filtering the quantized data at a cutoff frequency higher than a maximum frequency of the multifrequency signal to produce low-pass filtered data, and a multifrequency signal receiver alternately performing an odd-numbered receiver processing and an even-numbered receiver processing on the low-pass filtered data.

Abstract: A system and method for canceling a message sent to a recipient prior to retrieval by the recipient. A telephone call is received by a network from a calling party who desires to cancel a message left for a recipient through an earlier call from the calling party to the recipient after termination of the earlier call. By mapping the calling party's automatic number identifier (ANI) with at least one call record, a voice mailbox of the recipient may be accessed to determine whether the message has been retrieved by the recipient. If the message is still pending, the calling party is provided with the option to cancel the message. Alternatively, the calling party provides the telephone number from where the earlier call originated to a network server, which looks up the ANI of the originating number and then maps the ANI of that number with the at least one call record to enable the cancellation procedure.

Abstract: A system and a method are disclosed for controlling voice communications through a mobile computing device. In one embodiment, a mobile computing device enabled for telephony communications establishes a telephone call to transmit voice signals and mutes the established telephone call. When ready to transmit voice signals, a control switch configured on the mobile computing device is depressed and held for a duration in which to transmit those voice signals in the established telephone call. Once transmission of the voice signals is completed, the control switch is released to re-mute the established telephone call.

Abstract: The method provides a method and device for detecting in a single or multi frequency signal, one or more frequencies from a predetermined set of frequencies. The Signal is subjected to a complex filter substantially passing all of the frequencies in the predetermined set of frequencies. For each of one or more pairs of members of the complex filtered signal, a complex number Yd is determined having a phase indicative of a phase difference between the two members of the pair. The one or more frequencies are then determined based upon the one or more complex numbers. The method and device of the invention may be used in an apparatus such as a call indicator (CI) detector or a DTMF detector.

Abstract: A method of managing a user database in a mobile terminal includes, when communication using an arbitrary telephone number registered in a phone book occurs, updating a communication time of the telephone number to the time when the communication is terminated; searching for the communication time by a display request of phone book information including the telephone number; calculating a time interval from a present time to the communication time and searching for a connection period to which the calculated time interval belongs among a plurality of connection periods having different predetermined time intervals; and displaying a communication time mark corresponding to the searched connection period among a plurality of communication time marks corresponding to the plurality of connection periods with the requested phone book information.

Abstract: This invention relates in general to methods for receiving and interpreting an alphanumeric input string entered on a telephone keypad using one keystroke per input string character. The set of matching objects in a database are selected and sorted and presented to the user as an ordered list from which the user may select the desired item on the list through a further numeric keystroke entry or through a spoken selection that is matched against a restricted voice recognition grammar for improved recognition accuracy. In an alternative embodiment, the matching objects in the database are selected and sorted and the response associated with each matched object is presented in sorted sequence.

Abstract: A method and system of selecting one set of data from among multiple related data sets and beaming the data set from one handheld electronic device to another handheld electronic device. One embodiment discloses a method and system, which uses multiple cards, one for each category. The transmitter of the business card can transmit a business card from the active category of the device. Upon an attempt to transmit a business card from a category which does not have a pre-selected business card, the system issues a warning providing the user with a selection. The user has choices of sending a business card from any one category with pre-defined business card or sends a pre-defined default business card. In another embodiment, the transmitter of the business card can make a selection of a business card from a number of pre-defined electronic cards in the system and upon review of the business cards on the screen the user may decide to send the selected business card.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a system for reliably transmitting characters encoded as audible signals using voice over Internet protocol communication systems. According to an embodiment of the present invention, tones within a sequence of tones encoding a textual character are transmitted using two data packets. The first data packet includes a segment of time having a starting boundary that is synchronized with the start of the encoded tone and extending for a time period equal to about one-half the total time period of the tone. The second packet encodes the remaining half of the audible tone. At the receiving end, data packets encoding a textual character are ordered according to the position occupied by the data encoded by the packet within the sequence of tones. If any unpaired packets of data are detected at the receiving end, the characteristics of the packets that are unpaired are copied into the time slot that would have been occupied by the missing packet.

Abstract: A single press method for entering text using a keypad is disclosed. A conventional four-row by three-column 12-key keypad is used to enter all of the letters of the alphabet using single key actuation. Depending on the letter, either a single key or multiple side-by-side keys, such as a pair of side-by-side keys, that can be substantially simultaneously depressed by a user's finger or thumb are used to enter alphabet letters.

Abstract: Various embodiments of the invention provide methods and systems for sending data in-band over a telecommunications network during an active call. Some embodiments provide a telephone user with a way to send alphanumeric data from his or her phone to a receiving party's phone, when the user and the receiving party are engaged in an active telephone call.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method and apparatus for obtaining information from a remote database via a telephone network using an automated interactive system. Such information may include, for example, credit history information, address/telephone number information, and book availability information. The system includes a an automated call handler for receiving calls from the telephone, for receiving a request for information, for accessing the requested information, and for providing the requested information in accordance with the request, an audio controller providing outgoing audio messages from the call handler to the telephone, and a gateway coupled to the call handler and having a searchable database that may be accessed by the call handler. A user calls into the system and interactively with the system enters information via the telephone keypad using plurality of two-character responses.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for transmitting messages between communication devices via a communication channel allowing at least voice messages to be transmitted, the messages including data subdivided in a sequence of basic data units, the method including: a) encoding the basic data units as unique signals (usj) including a predetermined number of basic signals (bi), each basic signal having a unique fixed frequency (fi); b) transmitting a sequence of unique signals (usj) during a sequence of fixed time periods (t1, t2, t3, . . . ); c) receiving and decoding the sequence of unique signals (usj) into the sequence of basic data units; the data being transmitted in superposition over voice.

Abstract: A keypad for entering letters includes an array of keys with each key being assigned to at least one letter of an alphabetical system based on the frequency of occurrence of the least one letter in a typical body of written work. Thealphabetical system comprises at least one most-frequently-occurring letter that is entered by activation of the same key twice and at least one less-frequently-occurring letter that is entered by activation of two different keys.

Abstract: A device and method wherein, using a keypad such as a standard alphanumeric telephone-style keypad, text entry is improved by employing a key-press combination which indicates which of the multiple characters associated with a key is chosen. The user will push-and-hold a first key, then press a second key; the position within the keypad, such the row number, of the first key indicates which of the characters represented by the second key are chosen. In this way, any standard character can be selected with a two-key combination.

Abstract: A mobile information gateway comprises a mobile communications device, preferably a phone, which includes a first communications link with a remote data source, typically the Internet, and a second communications link to a separated display, so that data output is conveniently presented for ready use.

Abstract: A method and system for providing a dialed digit unlock and edit feature for an analog telephone connected to an advanced intelligent network (AIN) wireline network is disclosed. The analog telephone sends at least one digit of a called party number to an originating central office. The originating central office determines whether an initial address message (IAM) has been sent from the originating central office to a destination central office. If so, then the dialed digit unlock and edit feature is disabled. However, if the IAM has not been sent, then the originating central office determines whether a key to enable the dialed digit unlock and edit feature has been entered on the analog telephone. If the key has been entered, then the last digit(s) entered for the called party number are erased and the originating central office awaits a new digit(s) to be entered into the analog telephone.

Abstract: A method and system for providing a dialed digit unlock and edit feature for a digital telephone connected to an advanced intelligent network (AIN) wireline network is disclosed. The digital telephone sends at least one digit of a called party number to an originating ISDN switch. The originating ISDN switch determines whether a Q.931 CALL PROCEEDING call control message has been sent from the originating ISDN switch to the digital telephone. If so, then the dialed digit unlock and edit feature is disabled. However, if the Q.931 CALL PROCEEDING call control message has not been sent, then the originating ISDN switch determines whether a key to enable the dialed digit unlock and edit feature has been entered on the digital telephone. If the key has been entered, then the last digit(s) entered for the called party number are erased and the originating ISDN switch awaits a new digit(s) to be entered into the digital telephone.

Abstract: Letters (more generally, language symbols) are entered electronically by selecting, in sequential fashion, two keys on a standard phone layout. In preferred embodiments, the two keys in the sequence are located in the same row. The first key selected is that key on which the desired letter is displayed, and the second key is given by the spatial position of the desired letter within its group of letters on the key. The letters and keys may be color-coded to aid the user when inputting the two-key sequences. Letters may be selected to spell out words on a screen and then sent electronically to a remote device or recipient.

Abstract: The present invention is a system that uses a limited text input entry device to narrow the possibilities for the selection of a phonetically based name used in a voice dialer. The user enters a DTMF signature of a name using only one key for each letter of the name. The signature is used by a dictionary to generate likely possibilities for the word. The user is asked whether the name is the name entered via playing the name to the user. If the user confirms the choice, the phonetic representation is stored along with a corresponding telephone number. If the played word does not match, a word generator generates additional likely possibilities from the signature. A speech recognizer picks the best representation from the dictionary and generator words based on a spoken version of the name. A first name and last name procedure, in which the first and last name signatures produce separate candidate lists, is used to provide an entry to an address book for voice dialing.

Abstract: A subscriber in communication with an IP network (12) such as the Internet, though a terminal (14) may launch an application on a Public Switched Telecommunications Network (PSTN) (16) by entering a data packet that takes the format of a telephone number that identifies the PSTN application. An IP gateway (22) couples the IP network (12) to the PSTN (16) and serves to recognize the data packet in the format of the PSTN application telephone number as well as translate the packet yield a stream of DTMF or other signals corresponding to the PSTN application telephone number. The IP gateway (22) then launches the stream of signals to dial the telephone number of the PSTN application. The gateway may also request information or control PSTN calls via the signaling/data channel between the gateway and the PSTN.

Abstract: An asymmetric digital subscriber line transceiver unit-card (ATU-C) and a method of controlling the same. The ATU-C includes: a power supply unit; a plurality of modems to be connected to a plurality of asymmetric digital subscriber line transceiver unit-remote (ATU-R) for subscribers; a plurality of power switches for selectively supplying power generated by the power supply unit to the modems; and a microprocessor for controlling the operation of the power switches depending on the connection status between the subscribers and the modems.

Abstract: A data entry and processing system providing for simple two stroke entry of numerous auxiliary alpha-numeric data in addition to the single stroke entry of numeric data, using conventional data entry keys. The key array includes a set of radial direction indicator keys that are used with the conventional keys to select and enter a given alpha-numeric data item. An LCD display, a pre-programed micro-processor and other electronic components are included to display the data entries, as well as to convert entered data signals to the necessary DTMF tones for telecommunication or ASCII codes for computer data entries. The system is simple for use by ordinary users, and all electronic components are standard, minuscule in size, small in number, low in power need and low in cost. It is particularly adaptable for miniaturized device application.

Abstract: A data entry and processing system providing for simple two stroke entry of numerous auxiliary alpha-numeric data in addition to the single stroke entry of numeric data, using conventional data entry keys. The key array includes a set of radial direction indicator keys that are used with the conventional keys to select and enter a given alpha-numeric data item. An LCD display, a pre-programed micro-processor and other electronic components are included to display the data entries, as well as to convert entered data signals to the necessary DTMF tones for telecommunication or ASCII codes for computer data entries. The system is simple for use by ordinary users, and all electronic components are standard, minuscule in size, small in number, low in power need and low in cost. It is particularly adaptable for miniaturized device application.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a data processing system and method and, more particularly, to a computer aided telephony system and method which uses RTSP and associated protocols to support voice applications and audio processing by various, distributed, speech processing engines. Since RTSP is used to distribute the tasks to be performed by the speech processing engines, a distributed and scalable system can be realised. Furthermore, the integration of third party speech processing engines is greatly simplified due to the RTSP or HTTP interface to those engines.

Abstract: A device for detecting a predetermined waveform in a received signal and synchronizing the detected waveform to the predetermined waveform is disclosed. The device includes a memory element for storing a reference set of encoded values. The reference set representing an encoded version of the predetermined waveform. An encoder is used to PCM encode the signal to obtain sets of encoded values representing the received signal. A processor calculates the statistical correlation coefficient of the reference set and the signal sets. The processor then determines the maximum statistical correlation coefficient. The predetermined waveform is detected in the signal if the maximum statistical correlation coefficient is greater than or equal to a predetermined threshold value. The device provides a compact, inexpensive, and fast method for detecting a known reference waveform in a received signal.

Abstract: A keypad for entering letters includes an array of keys with each key being assigned to at least one letter of an alphabetical system based on the frequency of occurrence of the least one letter in a typical body of written work. The alphabetical system comprises at least one most-frequently-occurring letter that is entered by activation of the same key twice and at least one less-frequently-occurring letter that is entered by activation of two different keys.

Abstract: A keypad for entering letters includes an array of keys with each key being assigned to at least one letter of an alphabetical system based on the frequency of occurrence of the least one letter in a typical body of written work. The alphabetical system comprises at least one most-frequently-occurring letter that is entered by activation of the same key twice and at least one less-frequently-occurring letter that is entered by activation of two different keys.

Abstract: A data entry and processing system providing for simple two stroke entry of numerous auxiliary alpha-numeric data in addition to the single stroke entry of numeric data, using conventional data entry keys. The key array includes a set of radial direction indicator keys that are used with the conventional keys to select and enter a given alpha-numeric data item. An LCD display, a pre-programed micro-processor and other electronic components are included to display the data entries, as well as to convert entered data signals to the necessary DTMF tones for telecommunication or ASCII codes for computer data entries. The system is simple for use by ordinary users, and all electronic components are standard, miniscule in size, small in number, low in power need and low in cost. It is particularly adaptable for miniaturized device application.

Abstract: Digital wireless telephone equipment is adapted to support existing data services for the hearing or speech impaired. The data devices use existing analog tone transmission protocols. The digital telephone equipment provides protocol conversions between the standard tone signals used by TDD/TTY devices or the like and data messages in the form of a standard data protocol utilized within the air-link of the digital wireless telephone system. In either direction, each tone generated by the data device is detected. Upon detection of one or more tones, a protocol converter generates a data message signifying the bit(s) represented by the tone signals in a format used by the air-link protocol. The converter supplies the data message to the appropriate digital radio transceiver. The transceiver inserts the message into the data stream with any other information for the pertinent subscriber, such as vocoded audio information. The transceiver sends the combined data stream over the air-link.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method and interface for browsing the internet using a telephone circuit having keys for generating DTMF codes. The interface includes a memory and a processor and is coupled to the telephone circuit and display. The interface receives a first DTMF code requesting access to the internet and, in response to the first DTMF code, loads a Web browser in its memory. The interface then receives a second DTMF code from the telephone circuit and converts the second DTMF code into a Web browser command using an interpretation protocol. The Web browser command is then executed using the interface, thereby enabling a user to access the internet via manual operation of the keys of the telephone is circuit.

Abstract: A multi-user e-mail reader system allows several users to access their e-mail accounts simultaneously and have the e-mail messages played back with speech synthesis. The user navigates through various functional states of the system using either touch-tone keypad commands or optionally voiced commands interpreted by a speech recognizer. Users can send reply e-mail messages without the use of a computer, by invoking the system's text processor. The text processor operates in conjunction with a keypad-to-ASCII conversion mechanism that allows fully punctuated and properly addressed e-mail messages to be composed from the touch-tone phone. Digital audio sound file attachments may be recorded through the telephone handset and attached to an outgoing e-mail message. A system for storing canned messages allows the user to quickly send pre-composed reply messages, either as stored or after editing using the text processor.

Abstract: A method of generation and detection of acoustic signals carrying alpha-numeric data for reducing the effects of noise and thereby improving signal transmission without the need to boost the power of the signal. In accordance with one aspect of the invention, a special DTMF acoustic signal consisting of a combination of two frequencies will be generated for the representation of a particular alpha-numeric character that will be similar to the standard DTMF tone. The difference between the amplitudes of both frequencies varies during the time of generation of the DTMF tone in such a way that both signals will arrive at a final destination detector, i.e., an interactive voice response board, at least for a portion of the generation time, at a relatively similar amplitude, thereby substantially increasing the probabilities of being recognized as a DTMF signal.

Abstract: This invention relates to a novel and way to use a twelve button telephone keypad for alphanumeric data entry. This invention also relates to a method of alphanumeric data entry using short duration or long duration binary key actuations using a simultaneous coding system and/or sequential coding system for communicating on a standard twelve key push-button telephone keypad. Two binary keys are used for an all capital letter mode or two binary keys for a lower-case letter mode, along with three binary keys for an upper-case letter mode, for producing full alphanumeric text, including punctuation, symbols and control.

Abstract: This invention relates to a novel and way to use a twelve button telephone keypad for alphanumeric data entry. This invention also relates to a method of alphanumeric data entry using short duration or long duration binary key actuations using a simultaneous coding system and/or sequential coding system for communicating on a standard twelve key push-button telephone keypad. Two binary keys are used for an all capital letter mode or two binary keys for a lower-case letter mode, along with three binary keys for an upper-case letter mode, for producing full alphanumeric text, including punctuation, symbols and control.