Abstract:
A messaging response system (10) is disclosed wherein a service providing system (30) provides services to user clients (14) via messaging communications. In accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, multiple respondents servicing users through messaging communications may appear to simultaneously use a common "screen name" identifier.
Abstract:
A method for detecting dropped packets in a network that includes a packet switched network. The method includes establishing a telephonic connection between a first network location and a second network location (400). A set of N waveforms are transmitted from the first network location (404). Each waveform includes a characteristic operative to assign a predetermined value relative to other waveforms in the set of waveforms, such that a predetermined sequence of values are assigned to packets carrying the N transmitted waveforms. A telephonic signal is received at the second network location (406'). The signal is processed to obtain a received sequence of values (412), and the received sequence of values is used to detect dropped packets without having access to packet switched network control data (418).
Abstract:
To verify the integrity of optical paths through and among optical switches, optical signals are provided with co-propagating supplemental signals. The supplemental signals preferably have at least one characteristic which allows distinguishing one supplemental signal from another. Associated with a port of a switch, means are provided for detecting a supplemental signal and determining if the supplemental signal indicates that a desired optical signal is passing through the port as expected and desired. Means for imparting or changing the distinguishing characteristic of a supplemental signal may also be employed to facilitate verifying the passage of optical signals.
Abstract:
A method, system and program product for modeling an environment containing a collection of items are disclosed. In accordance with the method, an environmental hierarchy (124) describing a model environment, a product catalog (126) containing data describing a plurality of items that may be utilized to populate the modeled environment, and a configuration library (128) containing data describing a spatial relationship between first and second items among the plurality of items in the product catalog (126) are created. The modeled environment is then populated by storing, in a database (108), data representative of the spatial relationship between the environmental hierarchy and a collection of items including the first item.
Abstract:
A system for monitoring a plurality of telephone calls made to and originating from a common branch exchange to detect fraudulent activity, including receiving means (300) for receiving a call detail record (CDR) corresponding to each of the calls and directing the CDR to be stored in at least one queue means (310), the CDR containing at least a billing number associated with each call; means for retrieving (320) current CDRs, one at a time, from the queue means (310); processor means for comparing (320), for the current CDR, the billing number with billing numbers of previously stored CDRs in a fraud database (330); means for storing (320) the current CDRs in the fraud database (330); and means for generating an alert (230) when the billing number of the current CDR matches a billing number of a previously stored CDR in the fraud database.
Abstract:
A network security system is deployed between an internet backbone (100) and intranets (190) that belong to subscribing organizations. The system includes a scanning system (130) that scans incoming electronic mail for malicious code and an anti-virus server (150) for downloading anti-virus code to clients on the intranets. A switch (110) is provided for directing incoming electronic mail from the internet backbone to the scanning system so that the electronic mail can be scanned. In one embodiment, a decoy server (160) is also provided for masquerading as a legitimate server and logging suspicious activity from communications received from the internet backbone.
Abstract:
A system for malicious code detection includes a front-end processor (110), multiple scanning computer systems (122, 124, 126), and a detection management system (130). During operation, the multiple scanning computer systems (122, 124, 126) scan content for malicious code and generate an alarm when the content contains malicious code. The front-end processor (110) receives a flow of content from an external network (100) and distributes copies of the flow to each of the multiple scanning computer systems (122, 124, 126) in parallel for scanning. The detection management system (130) employs a countermeasure on the flow if at least one of the scanning computer systems (122, 124, 126) generates the alarm.
Abstract:
Where a first communication service exhibits a first performance characteristic affecting communication quality and a second communication service exhibits both the first performance characteristic and a second performance characteristic not exhibited by the first communication service, a method for determination the effect of the second performance characteristic upon the quality of the second communication service comprising the steps: Establishing communications via the second communications service (702); Obtaining objective measures of the first performance characteristic as the second performance characteristic varies (704); Converting the objective measurement of the first performance characteristic into subjective rating based upon knowledge of the first communication service (706, 708, 710); Altering the subjective ratings to reflect the effects of the second performance characteristic by use of an assumed model for the effects of the second performance characteristic upon the subjective ratings of the first performance characteristic (712); Computing quality index values from the altered subjective ratings (712); and Adjusting the assume model to improve the correlation between the quality index values and the second performance characteristic (714)
Abstract:
A method and apparatus for determining what level of performance must be maintained by a second communication service so as to be perceived as being of equal quality to a first communication service, especially where the second communication service is subject to additional impairments not experienced by the first communication service. In one example embodiment, the present invention is applied to determining what combinations of packet loss rate and packet delay are tolerable where a packet switched telephony service is desired to be perceived to be substantially equivalent to a traditional toll-quality non-packet-switched telephone service. Empirically derived models are used to relate user perception to objectively measurable characteristics, such as packet loss rate.
Abstract:
A system for monitoring a plurality of telephone calls made to and originating from a common private branch exchange (PBX) to detect fraudulent activity, including receiving means for receiving a call detail record (COR) corresponding to each of the calls and directing the COR to be stored in at least one queue means, the COR containing at least a billing number associated with each call; means for retrieving current CORs, one at a time, from the queue means; processor means for comparing, for the current COR, the billing number with billing numbers of previously stored CORs in a fraud database; means for storing the current CORs in the fraud database; and means for generating an alert when the billing number of the current COR matches a billing number of a previously stored COR in the fraud database.