Nortel Networks Corporation

Rockstar Consortium US LP

Genband US LLC

Steve John McKinnon

Samuel Henry Christie, Iv

John H Yoakum

David P Ress

Ta-Ming Chen

William C Dalrymple

Dominic Goodwill

Anthony Robert Jones

Patrick James Dagert

William Janning

William Clyde Prentice Dalrymple

Jeong Min Kim

Christopher G Ramsayer

William Harmon Bishop

Joshua Me

Joseph Fobert

Srivallipuranandan Navaratnam

M Neil Harrington

Greg R Utas

Douglas S Weisenberg

PhilipJohn Campion

Andrew C Preston

Steve S Yang

The present invention allows Internet Protocol television (IPTV) services to be provided to different types of subscriber devices over different types of networks via a multimedia subsystem, such as an IP multimedia subsystem. A given subscriber may have one subscription supporting IPTV services to different types of subscriber devices. Each of the subscriber devices may register with a given IPTV application server, which will interact with the various subscriber devices using a common session control protocol, such as the Session Initiation Protocol (SIP). The IPTV sessions may support delivery of various types of streaming content, such as audio or video content, for broadcast or on-demand services. Different IPTV sessions are used to support broadcast and on-demand services. However, within a given broadcast or on-demand IPTV session, channels may be changed or the streaming media may be controlled within the respective IPTV sessions.

Multimedia subsystem control for internet protocol based television services

The present invention relates to a mechanism for providing state information, which bears on the presence of a telephone user, to a presence system. The state information is derived by monitoring events relating to telephony use. Once derived, the state information is directly or indirectly sent to a presence service, which provides presence information to applications requiring such information about the telephone user. The state information preferably bears on the presence, absence, or availability of the telephone user based on their interaction with a telephony device or function. In one embodiment, a telephony switching system is configured to monitor events associated with a telephony device or function and send messages to a presence service over a packet-switched network when the state of the telephony device or function changes. In another embodiment, an IP telephone system is configured to provide state information to the presence service.

Telephony usage derived presence information

The present invention provides an architecture for translating closed captioning text originally provided with a video program from one language to another and presenting the translated closed captioning text with the video program to a viewer. As such, the viewers are able to receive the closed captioning text in languages other than that used for the closed captioning originally provided with the video program. The original closed captioning text may be translated from one language to another by a centralized closed captioning processor, such that the customer equipment for various subscribers can take advantage of centralized translation services. Once the original closed captioning text is translated, the translated closed captioning text may be delivered to the customer equipment in different ways.

Closed captioning language translation

The present invention provides distributed communication services based on a presence technology platform. Presence messaging and communication techniques allow a variety of communication agents to cooperate with one another to provide distributed services. Essentially, the messaging between the agents is used to facilitate media sessions and update participating devices of state changes bearing on providing the services. In one embodiment, each of the participating devices is associated with a logic entity, referred to as a presentity, which subscribes to notification services for the other participating devices. When a state change occurs on any one of the participating devices, the corresponding presentity notifies the other devices of the state change. As such, each participating device knows the status of the other participating devices via the presentities and can systematically determine when and how to provide services based on its current state and the current state of the other participating devices.

Distributed services based on presence technology

The present invention relates to a personal user agent acting on behalf of a group of member device agents in a communication network. The personal user agent provides its group of member device agents with a specialized proxy function, while representing the group to the network as a single user agent. To devices on the communication network, the personal user agent behaves and is viewed as a user agent. To the group of member device agents, the personal user agent behaves and is viewed as both a registrar and a proxy server.

Personal user agent

The present invention provides a presence system capable of monitoring state information derived from a plurality of sources over any number of disparate networks. The sources of state information are devices, which are frequently used by a user throughout a normal day and configured to provide state information to the presence system. The sources monitor normal user interactions and automatically provide corresponding state information to the presence system without requiring the user to enter or otherwise provide information bearing on their status or availability. Based on a profile provided by the user, the presence system evaluates the state information from one or more sources to create presence information to deliver to subscribers. The state information bears on the presence or availability of the user and may take many forms. The presence information may range from complex analysis of state information from many devices to simply the states of selected devices.

Monitoring natural interaction for presence detection

The present invention provides presence information to a subscriber indicative of the availability of a user who is already actively participating in a communication session. A presence system receives and processes participation information, which bears on the degree in which the user is participating in the communication session, and generates the presence information based on defined processing rules. The resultant presence information may indicate whether the user can be interrupted to accept other communications while engaged in the communication session. If the user can be interrupted, the presence information may also identify the most appropriate methods to contact the user during the communication session.

Presence information based on media activity

A virtual reality system initiates desired real world actions in response to defined events occurring within a virtual environment. A variety of systems, such as communications devices, computer networks, and software applications, may be interfaced with the virtual reality system and made responsive to virtual events. For example, the virtual reality system may trigger a communications system to establish a communications link between people in response to a virtual event. Users, represented as avatars within the virtual environment, generate events by interacting with virtual entities, such as other avatars, virtual objects, and virtual locations. Virtual entities can be associated with specific users, and users can define desired behaviors for associated entities. Behaviors control the real world actions triggered by virtual events. Users can modify these behaviors, and the virtual reality system may change behaviors based on changing conditions, such as time of day or the whereabouts of a particular user.

Controlling communications through a virtual reality environment

The present invention provides a presence system capable of monitoring state information, communication capabilities, or a combination thereof derived from a plurality of sources over any number of disparate networks. The state information bears on the presence or availability of the user and may take many forms. The communication capabilities relate to a potential method by which one can communicate with the user. Based on a profile provided by the user, the presence system evaluates the state information or communication capabilities from one or more sources to create presence information, including a preferred method or a prioritized list of methods by which to communicate with the user. The presence information is then delivered to subscribers of the presence information.

Presence information specifying communication preferences

The present invention allows synchronization of web browsers to eliminate the need for users to convey uniform resource locators (URLs) or like location indicia. The invention operates with a local user's browser to identify the URL for a newly loaded web page and transmit this newly loaded URL to a remote user's computer for loading on the remote user's browser. Further, the invention also provides for receiving URLs associated with web pages loaded onto the remote user's browser and loading the web pages on the local user's browser using the received URLs.

Automated web browser synchronization by using session initiation protocol during a real-time session

The present invention relates to providing server functionality in a dedicated module or a specially configured packet-switched telephone. The server function is preferably adapted to control the configuration and operation of a plurality of packet-switched telephones configured to operate as clients of the server function. The server function may control specific operation of the packet-switched telephones as well as support communications between the packet-switched telephones and other telephony devices over the packet-switched network. The server function may operate to facilitate communications with the supported packets-switched telephones using a first protocol and with the other telephony devices using a second protocol. The second protocol is preferably the Session Initiation Protocol (SIP).

Homing and controlling IP telephones

A client-server network for managing internet protocol voice data packets includes a client terminal, for receiving internet protocol voice data packets; a graphical display, for conveying information to a client terminal user; a client terminal controller, for controlling the client terminal; a terminal proxy server, responsive to the internet protocol voice data packets, for sending synchronized signals to the client terminal and the client terminal controller to notify a client terminal user of the voice data packets, the client terminal controller, in response to the synchronized signal, adapted to retrieve information about the incoming caller and convey the information to the client terminal user on the graphical display; and a graphical user interface, displayed on the graphical display, for receiving instructions from the client terminal user, the client terminal controller, in response to instructions received from the user through the graphical user interface, adapted to perform at least one data manipulation task on the voice data packets.

Client-server network for managing internet protocol voice packets

The present invention provides a presence system capable of monitoring state information derived from a plurality of sources over any number of disparate networks. The state information bears on the presence or availability of the user and may take many forms. Based on a profile provided by the user, the presence system evaluates the state information from one or more sources to create presence information to deliver to subscribers. The profile can define different categories of subscribers for which different presence information is provided. Based on available state information, the presence system can provide different views of presence for different subscribers to allow the user to control delivery and use of presence information. Accordingly, different subscribers may receive different presence information based on the same state information.

Customized presence information delivery

An apparatus for providing a calling party with options for call termination treatments. The apparatus allows the called party to provide options which are presented to the calling party for a treatment when an attempted communications session is not successfully completed, and it provides the calling party with the selected treatment. Various types of treatments include receiving a recorded message, transferring to a voice mail system, transferring to a pager, or initiating another communications session.

Growing community of inventors

Cary, NC, United States of America

Steve John McKinnon