09 - Scientific and electric apparatus and instruments
38 - Telecommunications services
42 - Scientific, technological and industrial services, research and design
Goods & Services
Computer software, namely, software for the transmission,
recording, reproduction, display, organization, management,
manipulation and review of messages, text, images, files,
audio, video and audio-visual content and other data for the
facilitation of communications between two or multiple users
via computer networks, communication networks and the global
information network; computer software development tools;
computer software for use as an application programming
interface (API) for communications software facilitating
voice over internet protocol (VOIP) calls, phone calls,
video calls, text messages, instant message and online
social networking services; wireless, short-range wireless
enabled and universal serial bus (USB) devices for
communications, namely, telephones, handsets, headsets,
speakers, microphones, earphones, webcams and video cameras;
application programming interface (API) for computer
software which facilitates online services for social
networking, building social networking applications and for
allowing data retrieval, upload, download, access and
management; downloadable computer software in the nature of
a mobile application for operating telecommunications
products. Communication services, namely, transmitting and receiving
text, images, files, audio, video and audio-visual content
and other data for the facilitation of communications
between two or multiple users via computer networks,
communication networks and the global information network;
text and instant messaging services; voice over ip services;
audio and video teleconferencing; automated screening
services for communications, namely, automated screening for
voice over internet protocol (VOIP) calls, telephone calls,
video calls, text messages and instant messages; providing
user access to third party web sites hosted on computer
servers accessible via a global information network;
telecommunications services, namely, providing prepaid
minutes for use on cell phones; providing online electronic
bulletin boards and on-line forums for communication among
users on topics of general interest; electronic transmission
and streaming of digital media content for others via
computer networks, communication networks and global
information networks, in the nature of pre-recorded digital
sound, video and data recordings. Providing temporary use of on-line non-downloadable software
and applications for instant messaging, enabling and
managing simultaneous, multiple modes of communication over
local area networks and the internet via instant messaging,
voice over internet protocol (VOIP), video conferencing,
audio conferencing, computer desktop sharing, file transfer,
sensing and providing user presence information, and
telephony; providing technical information in the field of
computer software.
A mobile device, and a method and computer program product for displaying a streaming video image at the mobile device during a packet based video call via a channel established over a wireless communication network, the method includes receiving a speed indication of the mobile device and sending said indication to a communication client application; and responsive to receiving said indication, the communication client application is configured to limit the amount of information in the streaming video image that is supplied for display on a display of the mobile device during the video.
Various embodiments provide a wearable camera that can be worn by a user. The wearable camera includes an accelerometer that can be used to detect camera motion. Input can be provided to the camera in the form of one or more taps which have an associated motion profile, as sensed by the accelerometer. The tap or taps can be mapped to camera functionality to activate the functionality.
Techniques are provided for transmitting high quality multimedia data from a mobile device for live and on-demand viewing. The mobile device adjusts the quality of a single multimedia data stream based on one or more factors, such as the available bandwidth of a wireless link with a server, whether there are any “live” subscribers of the multimedia data stream, whether any “live” subscribers are interacting with the mobile device, and a change in the privacy settings of the user of the mobile device. Any data that was removed from the multimedia data stream before it was transmitted to a server is subsequently sent to the server. The server generates multiple versions of the multimedia data stream that vary in terms of quality. The server selects which version of the multimedia data stream to transmit to a subscriber of the multimedia data stream based on one or more criteria.
H04N 7/173 - Analogue secrecy systemsAnalogue subscription systems with two-way working, e.g. subscriber sending a programme selection signal
G06F 15/16 - Combinations of two or more digital computers each having at least an arithmetic unit, a program unit and a register, e.g. for a simultaneous processing of several programs
5.
Real-time consumption of a live video stream transmitted from a mobile device
Techniques are provided for transmitting a live video stream from a mobile device for live viewing by one or more consuming devices. An intermediate server receives the live video stream from the mobile device, identifies a plurality of consuming devices, and sends a real-time notification to those consuming devices to inform the users of those devices that a live video stream is available for immediate viewing. Also, any necessary processing (e.g., transcoding) is performed on the live video stream before the live video stream is sent to one or more consuming devices. The “producing” mobile device is not required to identify (or have any data about) any of the consuming devices in order for the live video stream to be transmitted to those devices. The consuming device can be on a mobile network, any Web network, or any PC connected to the Internet.
G06F 15/16 - Combinations of two or more digital computers each having at least an arithmetic unit, a program unit and a register, e.g. for a simultaneous processing of several programs
A method, user device and computer program product for processing audio signals during a communication session between a user device and a remote node. The method comprising: receiving a plurality of audio signals at audio input means at the user device including at least one primary audio signal and unwanted signals; receiving direction of arrival information of the audio signals at a gain control means; providing to the gain control means known direction of arrival information representative of at least some of said unwanted signals; processing the audio signals at the gain control means by applying a level of gain to generate a gain controlled signal for transmission to the remote node, wherein the level of gain applied is dependent on a comparison between the direction of arrival information of the audio signals and the known direction of arrival information.
A method of placing an outgoing communication event to a destination phone number is disclosed. Accordingly, upon receiving a notification of the outgoing communication event (302), a determination is made if the destination phone number is associated with a user of a first network (304). The first network is a packet based communication network. A user identification of the user of the first network corresponding to the destination phone number is then retrieved. A presence information of a communication node in the first network associated with the user is also retrieved (310). The presence information is an indication of the user's availability. The communication node is configured to receive voice communication events (312). The outgoing communication event to the communication node associated with the user in the first network is placed based on the retrieved presence information (314).
A first terminal is coupled to a wide-area packet-based network and installed with first client application. One or more second terminals are coupled to the first terminal via a local wireless link, and each installed with an instance of a lightweight sub-client having reduced functionality relative to the first client. The first client establishes a call with a remote, third terminal over the network, based on a user credential identifying the first client. Each second terminal generates an audio or video stream, and each sub-client transmits the respective stream to the first client over the local wireless link for use in the call. The first client switches between a second state in which the call uses the streams from the sub-clients and a first state in which the call uses a stream generated by the first terminal without the streams from the sub-clients.
In an embodiment, a method of transmitting data from a user terminal to a decryption component over a communication network in a limited connectivity environment includes at the user terminal, receiving data from a user at the user terminal. If it is determined that the data is sensitive data, the sensitive data is encrypted using a secure encryption key. A packet is generated based on tunnelling protocol, the packet including command data and the encrypted sensitive data. The command data includes an address of a network component, a command and a command identifier. The command identifies that the secure encryption key has been used to encrypt the sensitive data. At the network component identified in the address, the packet is received at a first port; the command is read; the packet is forwarded via a second port to the decryption component for decryption; and a response packet is forwarded, including a response and the command identifier, to the user terminal.
Method, computer program product and device for integrating a client application, associated with a service provider, with at least one web application instance implemented on a device platform of a device. A respective at least one user interface module of the client application is embedded into the at least one web application instance, wherein the at least one user interface module is implemented using web-based technology. Native parts of the client application are implemented in a centralized manner on the device, wherein the native parts of the client application are installed on the device and implemented using technology that is native to the device platform. A control module of the client application is implemented in a centralized manner on the device, wherein the control module is implemented using web-based technology.
A method, device and computer program product for processing audio signals, the method comprising: determining beamformer filter coefficients to be applied to the audio signals; applying the beamformer filter coefficients to the audio signals; outputting the filtered audio signals from an audio output means comprising a plurality of speakers coupled with the device; and receiving at a microphone coupled with the device, the filtered audio signals output from the audio output means, wherein the filter coefficients are determined such that the filtered audio signals are suppressed when received at the microphone.
H04R 3/12 - Circuits for transducers for distributing signals to two or more loudspeakers
H04M 9/08 - Two-way loud-speaking telephone systems with means for conditioning the signal, e.g. for suppressing echoes for one or both directions of traffic
Method, device and computer program product for processing signals. Signals are received at a plurality of sensors of the device. The initiation of a signal state in which signals of a particular type are received at the plurality of sensors is determined. Responsive to the determining of the initiation of the signal state, data indicating beamformer coefficients to be applied by a beamformer of the device is retrieved from data storage means, wherein the indicated beamformer coefficients are determined so as to be suitable for application to signals received at the sensors in the signal state. The beamformer applies the indicated beamformer coefficients to the signals received at the sensors in the signal state, thereby generating a beamformer output.
The application relates to a method of processing audio signals at a device, the device comprising audio output means for outputting audio signals, the method comprising: receiving audio signals at a plurality of microphones of the device; processing at least one of the audio signals received by the plurality of microphones to generate a first characteristic; a beamformer applying beamformer coefficients to the received audio signals, thereby generating a beamformer output; processing the beamformer output to generate a second characteristic; applying echo cancelling means to the beamformer output, thereby suppressing, from the beamformer output, an echo resulting from audio signals output from the audio output means; determining an operating parameter of the echo cancelling means, using relationship between the first and second characteristics.
A method of pairing a first device with a second device is disclosed. Accordingly, an image that include encoded data is generated by the first device. The encoded data includes a unique identifier for identifying the first device and an arbitrary security code. The first device displays the image on a display. The second device captures the image using an image sensing device. The encoded data is decoded to generate a decoded data. The second device sends the decoded data to a server that is communicatively connected to the first device and the second device. Upon receiving the decoded data and using the unique identifier, the server communicates with the first device to verify the arbitrary security code.
A method of associating a first device with a second device is disclosed. The first device through its speaker broadcasts a request for association using an audio signal. The broadcasted audio signal is received by the second device through its microphone. The first and second devices then cooperatively verifies a security code and upon a successful verification of the security code, the first and the second devices are enabled to communicate with each other.
A user terminal, method and communication client code for establishing a communication event, the user terminal comprising: a processor arranged to execute communication client code and image data decoding code; and means for capturing image data including (i) encoded contact information for a second user and (ii) encoded data defining a communication event related to the second user, said image data being supplied to the image data decoding code, said image data decoding code arranged to decode said image data and to supply decoded contact information decoded from said image data to the communication client code, wherein responsive to receiving said decoded contact information the communication client code configured to implement the communication event defined in the encoded data using said decoded contact information.
H04M 1/2755 - Devices whereby a plurality of signals may be stored simultaneously with provision for storing more than one subscriber number at a time using static electronic memories, e.g. chips providing data content by optical scanning
Method, device and computer program product for processing audio signals at the device, the device comprising audio output means for outputting audio signals. Audio signals are received at a plurality of microphones of the device. A characteristic of at least one of the audio signals received by the plurality of microphones is measured. A beamformer applies beamformer coefficients to the received audio signals, thereby generating a beamformer output. Echo cancelling means are applied to the beamformer output, thereby suppressing, from the beamformer output, an echo resulting from audio signals output from the audio output means, wherein an operating parameter of the echo cancelling means is controlled based on the measured characteristic of the at least one of the audio signals received by the plurality of microphones.
H04M 9/08 - Two-way loud-speaking telephone systems with means for conditioning the signal, e.g. for suppressing echoes for one or both directions of traffic
In an embodiment, method of controlling transmission of data from a wireless device to a receiver connected via a communication channel includes an application executing on the wireless device providing an estimate of end-to-end bandwidth of the communication channel; supplying to the application from wireless access circuitry in the wireless device at least on communication-related parameter and modifying in the application the estimate of end-to-end bandwidth using at least one communication-related parameter
A search query to provide a search result may be received, which identifies source and target nodes and an application for generating the search result. The application accesses a data structure holding landmark nodes, which store a shortest path tree in the form of a set of parent links. Each parent link can identify an adjacent vertex node in a shortest path between each node in the data structure and the landmark node. The location of the source node and the target node in the shortest path trees may be identified to the landmark node. For each landmark node, using the identified locations of the target node and source node, a measure of distance between the source node and the target may be generated. The landmark node with the shortest distance may be determined. A search result related to the shortest path tree of that landmark node may be provided.
According to an embodiment, there is provided a method of generating a data structure stored in computer memory for processing a search query in a network of interconnected nodes, wherein the method comprises selecting landmark nodes by the following steps and storing the selected landmark nodes in the data structure: sampling from the network nodes a first sample of vertex pairs, computing the shortest path for each vertex pair, each shortest path comprising a set of vertices between each vertex in the vertex pair; identifying a first landmark node which occurs in more of the shortest paths more often than any other vertex; removing from the network vertices shortest paths including the first landmark node and identifying a second landmark node which occurs in more of the remaining shortest paths than any other remaining vertex.
In an embodiment, a method of transmitting video data includes at an encoder encoding the video data as a plurality of frames, including reference frames and intermediate frames, at least some of which are encoded based on multiple reference frames; at the encoder maintaining for each frame a current list of reference frames; and transmitting the plurality of frames, each frame being transmitted in associate with a current list of reference frames for that frame.
Method, device and computer program product for stabilising a received video signal. A plurality of frames of the video signal are captured using a camera. The video signal is transmitted as an encoded bit stream. Displacement of the camera between successive frames is determined from a motion indication in the bit stream. The determined displacement is used to compensate for motion in the video signal between successive frames caused by the motion of the camera, to thereby stabilise the video signal.
Method, device and computer program product for transmitting a video signal from a user device. A plurality of frames of the video signal are captured using a camera at the user device. A functional state of the device is determined and the video signal is selectively stabilised prior to transmission based on the functional state.
Method, device and computer program product for processing signals at the device. Signals are received, over a range of angles, at a plurality of sensors of the device, the received signals including an interfering signal received from an interfering source location. An interference delay pattern between receipt of signals at the sensors corresponding to receipt of a signal from the interfering source location is determined. A plurality of regularization signals having a delay pattern matching the determined interference delay pattern are generated. The generated regularization signals are used to determine beamformer coefficients to be applied by a beamformer, and the beamformer applies the determined beamformer coefficients to the signals received by the plurality of sensors, thereby generating a beamformer output.
G01S 3/808 - Systems for determining direction or deviation from predetermined direction using transducers spaced apart and measuring phase or time difference between signals therefrom, i.e. path-difference systems
Beamformer coefficients can be computed, which may include a plurality of sets of theoretical statistical data for a respective plurality of theoretical signals. Each theoretical signal may have its own particular attributes. The statistical data may be used in computing beamformer coefficients for application by a beamformer to signals received at a device. Signals are received at an input of the device. A respective plurality of weights is determined, for the theoretical statistical data sets, based on an analysis of the extent to which the received signals have the particular attributes of the theoretical signals. The theoretical statistical data sets are retrieved, and a statistical data set is calculated for the received signals by performing a weighted sum of the theoretical statistical data sets using the determined respective plurality of weights. Beamformer coefficients are computed based on the calculated statistical data set for the received signals, which are used by a beamformer to the received signals for generating a beamformer output.
Method, device, system and computer program product for processing audio signals at the device for use in a communication event. The device comprises audio output means for outputting audio signals of the communication event. The device queries a data store to obtain an indication of an echo direction, wherein the echo direction relates to a direction from which audio signals output from the audio output means are likely to be received at a microphone array of the device, the microphone array comprising a plurality of microphones. Beamformer coefficients of an adaptive beamformer of the device are determined in dependence upon the received indication of the echo direction. Audio signals are received at the plurality of microphones of the microphone array. The adaptive beamformer applies the determined beamformer coefficients to the received audio signals, thereby generating a beamformer output for use in the communication event, wherein the beamformer coefficients are determined such that the beamformer applies echo suppression to audio signals received at the microphone array from the indicated echo direction.
G10L 21/02 - Speech enhancement, e.g. noise reduction or echo cancellation
H04M 9/08 - Two-way loud-speaking telephone systems with means for conditioning the signal, e.g. for suppressing echoes for one or both directions of traffic
Signals are received, over a range of angles, at an input a device. The signals include a primary signal with a principal direction of arrival and an interfering signal with a respective interfering direction of arrival at the input. A plurality of measurements are determined for the received signals over the range of angles. Each measurement relates to a particular angle and indicating the energy of the received signals which are received from the particular angle. For each angle over the range of angles, a value is removed from the measurement for that angle, the value being based on the minimum of: (i) the energy of the measurement for that angle, and (ii) the energy of a corresponding measurement for a corresponding angle mirrored around the principal direction of arrival, whereby the remaining values of the plurality of measurements are indicative of said at least one interfering direction of arrival.
G01S 3/14 - Systems for determining direction or deviation from predetermined direction
G01S 3/86 - Direction-finders for determining the direction from which infrasonic, sonic, ultrasonic, or electromagnetic waves, or particle emission, not having a directional significance, are being received using ultrasonic, sonic, or infrasonic waves with means for eliminating undesired waves, e.g. disturbing noises
H04R 1/40 - Arrangements for obtaining desired frequency or directional characteristics for obtaining desired directional characteristic only by combining a number of identical transducers
Mobile device, method and computer program product for processing signals at the mobile device. The signals are received at a plurality of signal sensors of the mobile device. Motion of the mobile device is sensed and the received signals are processed using beamforming means at the mobile device, in dependence upon their direction of arrival at the plurality of signal sensors and in dependence upon the sensed motion of the mobile device.
The invention relates to a method of transmitting data from a source device to a destination device in a communications system, the method comprising: at the device, executing an application which generates data according to an application layer protocol and supplies the data to a first network interface for transmission in a communications session over a first channel; the device receiving data at the first network interface for supply to the application; the application determining to effect a handover and opening a second channel for the communication session; the application supplying data to a second network interface for transmission over the second channel and generating a message for transmission over the first or second channel to the destination device, said message including a destination address identifying the second network interface for receiving data over the second channel.
The invention relates to a method of transmitting data from a device in a communications system, the method comprising: at the device, executing an application which generates data according to an application layer protocol and supplies the data to an access layer for transmission in a communication session over a first channel using a first wireless network interface; receiving at the application an indication from the access layer of an alternate, second channel for transmission of the data, the second channel using a second network interface; on receipt of the indication, the application determining whether or not to take action responsive to the indication and, if it determines to do so, opening a second channel for the communication session and supplying data to the access layer for transmission over the second channel.
A method for rendering a document is disclosed. The method includes identifying a phone number in the document. The sponsorship configuration of the phone number is then determined. A caller account configuration is also determined. The caller account configuration is associated with a user of a device and the device is configured to display the document. The document is amended to format the phone number according to the sponsorship configuration and the caller account configuration.
A method of processing a message for communication from a sender user terminal of a sender in a first time zone to a recipient user terminal of a recipient in a second time zone, the method comprising: receiving, at the sender user terminal from the sender, content of the message (104); determining that the content includes an indication of a time in the first time zone; sending the message over a network from the sender user terminal to the recipient user terminal; determining a corresponding time in the second time zone which corresponds to the time in the first time zone indicated by the indication; and conveying the message to the recipient at the recipient user terminal, the conveyed message (114) including a second indication which indicates the determined corresponding time in the second time zone.
A method of encoding an outgoing video stream comprising a plurality of frames, each frame comprising a plurality of image portions, the method comprising: for each target image portion to be encoded, selecting a preferred one of a set of encoding modes by optimizing a function comprising an estimate of distortion and a measure of bit rate required to encode the target image portion; encoding the target image portion into the outgoing video stream using the selected encoding mode; and transmitting the encoded outgoing video stream over a lossy channel. The estimate of distortion comprises a first term representing source coding distortion, and a bias term representing an estimate of distortion that would be experienced due to loss over said channel. The bias term is determined based on a trained parameter trained based on a sample video stream.
H04N 7/26 - using bandwidth reduction (information reduction by code conversion in general H03M 7/30)
H04N 7/64 - Systems for detection or correction of transmission errors (coding, decoding or code conversion for error detection or error correction in general H03M 13/00)
34.
MODE DECISION WITH PERCEPTUAL - BASED INTRA SWITCHING
A method comprising: for each target image portion to be encoded, selecting a preferred one of a set of encoding modes by optimizing a function comprising an estimate of distortion and a measure of bit rate required to encode the target image portion, the encoding modes comprising at least an intra frame mode and an inter frame encoding mode; encoding the target image portion into the encoded video stream using the selected encoding mode; and transmitting the encoded video stream over a lossy channel. The estimate of distortion is based on a contribution from possible new loss over the channel comprising possible loss of the target block, and on a contribution from possible past loss over the channel comprising possible loss in a history of the encoded video stream upon which decoding of the target portion depends. The method comprises accumulating the contribution from past loss over time, such that the estimate of distortion grows irrespective of the contribution from new loss.
H04N 7/26 - using bandwidth reduction (information reduction by code conversion in general H03M 7/30)
H04N 7/50 - involving transform and predictive coding
H04N 7/64 - Systems for detection or correction of transmission errors (coding, decoding or code conversion for error detection or error correction in general H03M 13/00)
A method of encoding a video stream comprising a plurality of frames, each frame comprising a plurality of image portions, the method comprising: for each of a plurality of first image portions to be encoded in an outgoing video stream, selecting a preferred one of a set of potential encoding modes using a first process comprising an estimation of distortion of the first image portion and a measure of bit rate required to encode the first image portion for each of the first image portion's potential encoding modes; encoding each of the first image portions of the outgoing stream using the respective selected encoding mode; for each of a plurality of second image portions of a video stream, applying a second process comprising at least an estimation of distortion of the second image portion; and using an output of the second process resulting from the second image portions to bias the first process in said selection of the encoding modes for the first portions.
Method, device and computer program product for stabilising a video signal. A plurality of frames of the video signal are captured using a camera. A motion sensor associated with the camera is used to generate a plurality of samples representing motion of the camera. The samples are used to determine a displacement of the camera between a first time and a second time, wherein the first time corresponds to an exposure time midpoint of a first frame of the video signal and the second time corresponds to an exposure time midpoint of a second frame of the video signal. The determined displacement is used to compensate for motion in the video signal between the first and second frames caused by the motion of the camera, to thereby stabilise the video signal.
A method of processing an audio signal transmitted from a remote transmitter and received at a local receiver of an acoustic system, includes at the receiver receiving with the audio signal an indication of remote transmitter gain, determining an overall system gain of the acoustic system from the remote transmitter gain and a local receiver gain and selectively applying a system gain reduction step to the audio signal if it is determined that the overall system gain exceeds a threshold.
Method, user terminal and communication system for authenticating an application for accessing the communication system on behalf of a user, wherein a communication client associated with the communication system is executed at the user terminal, usable by the user, and is authenticated for communicating over the communication system on behalf of the user. The method comprises transmitting authentication data from the application to the communication system. The communication system verifies the authentication data transmitted from the application, and on the basis that the authentication data is verified, the communication system authenticates the application for accessing the communication system on behalf of the user. Prior to the transmitting step the authentication data is provided from the communication system to the client, and then from the client to the application. The verifying step comprises determining that the authentication data transmitted from the application corresponds to the authentication data provided from the communication system to the client, such that the application is authenticated for accessing the communication system on behalf of the user on the basis of the client's authentication with the communication system.
A method of determining information on network resources in a packet-based internetwork comprising multiple routing nodes, the method comprising: distributing user software to each of multiple end-user terminals connected to the internetwork, the user software having a primary user function other than the collection of network data; in association with the user software, distributing secondary code configured to participate in the collection of data by probing different routes from the respective end-user terminal to a destination terminal over the internetwork, each route passing via a plurality of said routing nodes; receiving data resulting from the probing performed by the secondary code on the multiple end-user terminals, including data resulting from routes involving the routing nodes of different network service providers; and determining estimates of network resources based on the received data.
Method and communication system for processing media streams. A plurality of synchronised media streams are provided to a respective plurality of communication clients at a respective plurality of end points of a communication system. The communication clients output the media streams at the end points, wherein the amount of time required for said providing and outputting of the media streams is different for the plurality of end points. At least one of said providing and said outputting of at least one of the media streams is controlled so that the outputting of the plurality of media streams is synchronised at the plurality of end points.
H04N 21/43 - Processing of content or additional data, e.g. demultiplexing additional data from a digital video streamElementary client operations, e.g. monitoring of home network or synchronizing decoder's clockClient middleware
H04N 21/41 - Structure of clientStructure of client peripherals
H04N 21/24 - Monitoring of processes or resources, e.g. monitoring of server load, available bandwidth or upstream requests
Method, apparatus and computer program product for processing an input stereophonic audio signal to thereby generate a converted stereophonic audio signal representing the input stereophonic audio signal, the input stereophonic audio signal comprising a left input audio signal and a right input audio signal, and the converted stereophonic audio signal comprising a first converted audio signal and a second converted audio signal. The first converted audio signal is generated based on the sum of the left input audio signal and the right input audio signal. The second converted audio signal is generated based on the difference between a first function of the left input audio signal and a second function of the right input audio signal. The first and second functions are adjustable to thereby adjust at least one characteristic of the converted stereophonic audio signal.
G10L 19/00 - Speech or audio signal analysis-synthesis techniques for redundancy reduction, e.g. in vocodersCoding or decoding of speech or audio signals, using source filter models or psychoacoustic analysis
Method and communication system for permitting access to a network by sharing access credentials over the communication system between first and second communication clients executed at respective first and second user terminals of respective first and second users of the communication system. The access credentials are for accessing the network. The method comprises the first communication client causing the access credentials to be stored in a first store of the first user terminal or of the communication system, and the first user authorising the second user to access the access credentials stored in the first store. The second communication client accesses the first store and retrieves the access credentials on the basis of the second user's authorisation to access the access credentials stored in the first store. The second communication client stores the retrieved access credentials in a second store at the second user terminal, and the second communication client uses the access credentials stored in the second store to access the network, without conveying the retrieved access credentials to the second user in a form which is comprehensible to the second user.
Method and communication system for permitting access to a network via an access point, wherein the method comprises determining, at a first node of the communication system, at least one identifier of the access point. Using a predetermined encrypting function and the determined at least one identifier of the access point, access credentials are encrypted in such a way that the at least one identifier of the access point is required in order to decrypt the encrypted access credentials. The access credentials are for accessing the network via the access point. The encrypted access credentials are provided over the communication system to a second node of the communication system, and the second node determines the at least one identifier of the access point by communicating with the access point. The second node uses the determined at least one identifier of the access point to decrypt the encrypted access credentials using a predetermined decrypting function which corresponds to the predetermined encrypting function, and the second node uses the decrypted access credentials to access the network via the access point.
A system comprising: one or more first user terminals each for a respective user, each of the first user terminals comprising a first interface to a service run over a communication network; an authorisation mechanism arranged to conditionally verify the users of the first user terminals as being licensed to use the communication service based on a first indication received via the first interface; and one or more second user terminals each for a respective user, each of the second user terminals comprising a second, alternative interface to the communication service; wherein the second interface is not operable to provide the first indication to the authorisation mechanism; and wherein the authorisation mechanism is configured to conditionally verify the users of the second user terminals as being licensed to use the communication service based on a second indication received via the second interface.
H04M 3/56 - Arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities
H04M 7/12 - Arrangements for interconnection between switching centres for working between exchanges having different types of switching equipment, e.g. power-driven and step by step or decimal and non-decimal
H04L 12/18 - Arrangements for providing special services to substations for broadcast or conference
H04L 29/06 - Communication control; Communication processing characterised by a protocol
G06Q 20/00 - Payment architectures, schemes or protocols
45.
SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR TRANSLATING NETWORK ADDRESSES
An apparatus and method are described for translating between IPv6 and IPv4 addresses on a computer network. For example, one embodiment of a method for generating an Internet Protocol Version 6 (IPv6) IPv6 address from an Internet Protocol Version 4 (IPv4) IPv4 address literal comprises: constructing a host name for a domain name query at a first host by combining the IPv4 address literal with a domain name of a first domain name server, the first domain name server configured to interpret the host name containing the IPv4 address literal to generate an A record including the IPv4 address; wherein the A record is usable to generate a synthetic IPv6 address, the synthetic IPv6 address including a first portion identifying a network address translation (NAT) 64 server and a second portion identifying an IPv4 host associated with the IPv4 address literal; and receiving the synthetic IPv6 address at the first host, the synthetic IPv6 address usable by the first host to connect to the IPv4 host through the NAT64 server.
A terminal comprising: a plurality of hardware I/O units, including a wireless transceiver having a powered-up state in which at least one of a transmit path and a receive path is enabled at the expense of higher power consumption and a powered-down state in which the at least one path is disabled in favour of lower power consumption; a processing apparatus; and a storage medium coupled to the processing apparatus and storing at least a first and a second application, an operating system, a communication protocol layer and a driver layer arranged to be executed on the processing apparatus; wherein the operating system is arranged to arbitrate access by the plurality of applications to the hardware I/O units via the driver layer, including access to the wireless transceiver via the communication protocol layer and driver layer; and wherein the second application comprises a wireless traffic scheduler configured to coordinate traffic associated with the second application to be communicated via the wireless transceiver during a same continuous phase of the powered-up state as traffic associated with the first application.
A method of controlling the operational mode of a radio in a wireless device, the method comprising: executing at least one application, said application providing access information for use by radio control logic to determine an operational mode of a radio, wherein said access information defines usage of the radio by that application.
Method, system and control block for transmitting a video signal over a network, in which portions of the video signal are encoded with an encoder, and the encoded portions are transmitted over the network to a decoder. The encoder allocates index numbers to the transmitted portions of the video signal, each index number identifying a respective portion of the video signal. At least some of the portions of the video signal are stored in a buffer associated with the encoder. Feedback is received from the network at a control block remote from the encoder, the feedback indicating whether each of the transmitted portions has been correctly received. Based on the feedback, the control block determines a subset of the portions of the video signal stored in the buffer which are to be used by the encoder for encoding subsequent portions of the video signal. The control block transmits a message to the encoder, the message identifying the subset of portions of the video signal using the index numbers allocated to the portions in the subset of portions. In response to receiving the message from the control block, the encoder uses the index numbers in the message to identify and retrieve at least one portion of the subset of portions from the buffer, wherein the encoder encodes subsequent portions of the video signal using the at least one retrieved portion.
H04N 7/50 - involving transform and predictive coding
H04N 7/64 - Systems for detection or correction of transmission errors (coding, decoding or code conversion for error detection or error correction in general H03M 13/00)
A method of reducing noise in a signal received at a processing stage of an acoustic system, the method comprising, at the processing stage: identifying at least one frequency at which a system gain of the acoustic system is above an average system gain of the acoustic system; providing a noise attenuation factor for reducing noise in the signal for the at least one frequency, the noise attenuation factor for the at least one frequency based on the system gain for that frequency; and applying the noise attenuation factor to a component of the signal at that frequency.
H04M 9/08 - Two-way loud-speaking telephone systems with means for conditioning the signal, e.g. for suppressing echoes for one or both directions of traffic
50.
METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PROCESSING A VIDEO SIGNAL
Method, apparatus and computer program product for processing a video signal, the video signal comprising a plurality of frames, wherein the frames of the video signal are received at a jitter buffer, and the frames are output from the jitter buffer at a variable output rate to account for jitter in the received frames. Variations in the output rate are controlled in dependence upon the visual information content of the video signal, the visual information content of the video signal being the portion of the video signal that is to be displayed when the video signal is played out.
H04N 21/44 - Processing of video elementary streams, e.g. splicing a video clip retrieved from local storage with an incoming video stream or rendering scenes according to encoded video stream scene graphs
51.
DYNAMICAL ADAPTATION OF DATA ENCODING DEPENDENT ON CPU LOAD
Method, user terminal (104), communication system (100) and computer program product for processing audio data for transmission over a network (106) in a communication session between the user terminal (104) and a further user terminal (114). Samples of audio data which have a sampling frequency and which provide a digital representation of an analogue audio signal are transmitted to the further user terminal (114) in the communication session. During the communication session, an estimate of processing resources available for processing audio data in the communication session is repeatedly determined (S604), and the sampling frequency is dynamically adjusted during the communication session based on the determined estimate of available processing resources (S606).
H04M 1/253 - Telephone sets using digital voice transmission
H04N 21/442 - Monitoring of processes or resources, e.g. detecting the failure of a recording device, monitoring the downstream bandwidth, the number of times a movie has been viewed or the storage space available from the internal hard disk
H04N 7/26 - using bandwidth reduction (information reduction by code conversion in general H03M 7/30)
A system comprising: a receiver for receiving a video signal over a lossy medium; and a decoder coupled to the receiver and arranged to decode the video signal for output to a display, the decoder including a concealment module for regenerating a portion of image data lost from the video signal over said medium, by interpolating or extrapolating from other image data of the video signal received over the medium. The decoder comprises a controller configured to select, based on a measure of loss effect estimated for the portion of image data, whether (i) to apply the concealment module to regenerate the portion of image data, or alternatively (ii) to freeze preceding image data of the video signal in place of the portion of image data.
H04N 19/895 - Methods or arrangements for coding, decoding, compressing or decompressing digital video signals using pre-processing or post-processing specially adapted for video compression involving methods or arrangements for detection of transmission errors at the decoder in combination with error concealment
There is provided a packet-based communication system for conducting voice or video calls over a packet-based network. A client application on a first terminal is configured to determine an availability of one or more other, second user terminals installed with other instances of the client application, and to present a near-end user with an option to select one of said second user terminals for use by the near-end user in conjunction with the first user terminal when conducting a voice or video call with a far-end user via the client instances and packet-based communication system; thereby enabling the voice or video call to be conducted using the second terminal to consume or generate at least one stream of the call whilst the first user terminal concurrently generates or consumes at least another stream of the call or controls the call.
There is provided an instance of a client application enabling a first user terminal to access a packet-based communication system to conduct voice or video calls over a packet-based network. The client application is configured to receive an input from one or more audio and/or video input transducers of the first terminal, and to operate in conjunction with one or more other instances of the client application executed on one or more respective second terminals so as to participate in an analysis of the one or more inputs in relation to an input from one or more audio and/or video input transducers of the one or more second terminals; thereby enabling selection of one of the first and second terminals for use by a near-end user in conducting a call with a far-end user of a third user terminal via the respective client instance and packet-based communication system.
A method, client application and user terminal, the method comprising: providing a packet-based communication system for conducting voice or video calls over a packet-based network; and providing an instance of a client application enabling a first user terminal to access the packet-based communication system. The client application is configured so as when executed on the first terminal to receive an input from multiple different audio and/or video input transducers of the first terminal, to analyse those inputs in relation to one another, and based on that analysis to select at least one audio and/or video input transducer and/or output transducer of the first terminal for use in conducting a voice or video call with a remote user terminal via the packet-based communication system.
Method, user terminal and computer program product for controlling audio signals at the user device during a communication session between the user device and a remote node, in which a primary audio signal is received at audio input means of the user device for transmission to the remote node in the communication session. It is determined whether the user device is operating in (i) a first mode in which secondary audio signals output from the user device are likely to disturb the primary audio signal received at the audio input means, or (ii) a second mode in which secondary audio signals output from the user device are not likely to disturb the primary audio signal received at the audio input means. In dependence upon determining that the user device is operating in the first mode, the secondary audio signals are selectively suppressed from being output from the user device during the communication session, such that when the user device is operating in the first mode said secondary audio signals do not disturb the primary audio signal received at the audio input means for transmission to the remote node in the communication session.
A method of accessing a first communication system of a first communication provider via a packet-based network, the first communication system maintaining a first list of contacts being users of the first communication system. The method comprises establishing a contact-sharing channel with a second communication system of a second, partner communication provider, wherein the second communication system is accessible via an independently executable web- browser and the packet-based network, and wherein the second communication system maintains second group of contacts being users of the second communication system. The contact-sharing channel is used to fetch contact information of one or more of the second contacts, so as to display at least part of the fetched contact information in the client application and establish a communication based on at least part of the fetched contact information.
A method of controlling a user interface to display participants of a call in dependence upon the participants' speech activity in the call, the method comprising: monitoring the speech activity of the participants in the call and determining whether a participant is an active participant or an inactive participant in dependence on the participants' speech activity over a minimum time period of the call. In response to determining whether a participant is an active or inactive participant, an active participant is displayed in a first area of the user interface and an inactive participant is displayed in a second area of the user interface. The first area of the user interface is larger than the second area of the user interface.
A communication system comprising a plurality of nodes, the communication system being arranged to assign each of the plurality of nodes a certificate by means of which it can authenticate itself to other nodes in the communication system, the communication system further comprising an authentication node arranged to determine that a certificate should be revoked and to, responsive to that determination, write an indicator of that certificate's revocation to a location in the communication system that is external to the authentication node and to which the node assigned the revoked certificate is not permitted to write.
H04L 29/06 - Communication control; Communication processing characterised by a protocol
H04L 9/32 - Arrangements for secret or secure communicationsNetwork security protocols including means for verifying the identity or authority of a user of the system
A communication system comprising a plurality of nodes, the communication system being arranged to assign each of the plurality of nodes a certificate by means of which it can authenticate itself to other nodes in the communication system, periodically distribute to the plurality of nodes an update formed by compressing a data set representing the validity of the certificates assigned to the plurality of nodes, the update being such that a node may not be able to unambiguously determine from the update whether or not a particular certificate is valid and provide the plurality of nodes with a source of information about the validity of the plurality of certificates that is different from the update and by means of which a node may resolve an ambiguity in the update regarding a particular certificate's validity.
H04L 29/06 - Communication control; Communication processing characterised by a protocol
H04L 9/32 - Arrangements for secret or secure communicationsNetwork security protocols including means for verifying the identity or authority of a user of the system
09 - Scientific and electric apparatus and instruments
35 - Advertising and business services
36 - Financial, insurance and real estate services
38 - Telecommunications services
42 - Scientific, technological and industrial services, research and design
Goods & Services
(1) Computer software, namely software for the recording, reproduction, display, organization, management, manipulation, review and transmission by means of a communications network, namely via instant messaging, text messaging, voice over internet protocol (VOIP), video conferencing, audio conferencing, computer desktop sharing, and file transfer, of written and oral messages, text, images, image and text files, and audio, video and audio-visual files featuring user generated content, for the facilitation of communications between two or multiple users via computer networks, communication networks, and the global information network; wireless-enabled and universal serial bus (USB) devices for communications, namely telephones, handsets, headsets, speakers, microphones, earphones, webcams and video cameras. (1) Advertising and information distribution services, namely, providing advertising space for third parties via the global computer network.
(2) Financial services, namely, providing a virtual currency for use by members of an online community via computer and communication networks, namely wireless, cable or satellite; financial transaction services, namely, clearing and reconciling financial transactions via computer and communication networks, namely, wireless, cable or satellite, and providing secure commercial transactions and payment options using a mobile device; electronic processing and transmission of payment data for users of computer and communication networks, namely, wireless, cable or satellite.
(3) Communication services, namely via the internet, cellular, wireless, and wire line phone network for transmitting and receiving on a global communications network text, images, files, audio files, video files, and audio-visual files featuring user generated content for the facilitation of communications between two or multiple users via the Internet and other computer and communication networks, namely wired and wireless communications networks, a global computer network and other computer networks; providing digital instant messaging services and voice over IP services; audio and video teleconferencing; caller automated screening services for communications, namely, automated screening for voice over Internet protocol (VOIP) calls, telephone calls, video calls, text messages and instant messages; providing multiple user access to third party web sites hosted on computer servers accessible via a global information network; telecommunications services, namely, providing prepaid minutes for use on cell phones abroad.
(4) Providing an on-line portal that provides customer access to their wireless communication account usage data, account usage pattern, for purposes of account business management, financial reporting, accounting features and related reference information.
(5) Computer services in the form of enabling and managing simultaneous, multiple modes of communication via computer networks, communication networks and the global information network via instant messaging, voice over internet protocol (VOIP), video conferencing, audio conferencing, computer desktop sharing, file transfer, sensing and providing user presence information, and telephony and accessing remotely stored data for such applications; providing temporary use of on-line non-downloadable software and applications for instant messaging, enabling and managing simultaneous, multiple modes of communication over local area networks and the internet via instant messaging, voice over internet protocol (VOIP), video conferencing, audio conferencing, computer desktop sharing, file transfer, sensing and providing user presence information, and telephony; providing technical information in the field of computer software.
62.
INSTANT MESSAGING USING MULTIPLE INSTANCES OF A CLIENT
Instant messaging method and communication system for communicating between a first user at a first user terminal of the communication system and a second user at a second user terminal of the communication system. Instant messages are transmitted over the communication system in both directions between the first and second user terminals, wherein the instant messages constitute a conversation between the first and second users. Each instant message of the conversation is stored in a store at a server of the communication system, wherein the server is accessible from a third user terminal of the communication system such that the first user can retrieve, at the third user terminal, each instant message of the conversation from the store.
A method of providing selectable media content from a server to a user at a user terminal, the method comprising: retrieving program code from the server, responsive to the user interacting with a communication client application executed at the user terminal; storing variables in a storage means at the user terminal; executing said program code at the user terminal to read said variables to determine the media content to be provided to the user based on said variables; retrieving said determined media content from the server; and providing said media content to the user at the user terminal.
A communication system and method for communicating over the communication system are provided. The communication system comprises a client executed at a user terminal; a front end server; and a plurality of other nodes. Data packets of a point-to-point communication are transmitted between the client and one of the other nodes. A persistent connection is provided between the client and the front end server, and the communication system is configured to use the persistent connection to provide support for the point-to-point communication between the client and said one of the other nodes.
Method and user terminal for handling a call over a communications network between a first user terminal, usable by a first user, and at least one other user terminal, usable by a respective at least one other user, wherein a client is executed at the first user terminal for participation in the call. The client determines a condition of a respective at least one network connection used in the call between the first user terminal and the at least one other user terminal over the communications network. The client also determines that the call has been dropped, and responsive to the determination that the call has been dropped, the client automatically attempts to re-establish the call in dependence upon the determined condition of the at least one network connection.
Communication systems and methods for providing premium multiparty communication sessions between a plurality of callers. The plurality of callers may comprise an initiating caller who initiates the premium multiparty communication session but who does not have a status in the communication system which is recognized by an operator of the communication system for allowing the premium multiparty communication session to proceed; and a premium multiparty caller who has a status in the communication system which is recognized by the operator of the communication system such that the operator allows the premium multiparty communication session to proceed, wherein the premium multiparty caller is a different caller to the initiating caller. The premium multiparty caller funding the premium multiparty communication session may be transferred and assigned during communication sessions.
A method of providing selectable media content from a server (108) to a user (102) at a user terminal (104), the method comprising: storing variables relating to the user's familiarity with a communication client application (110) executable at the user terminal (104); executing program code to read said variables to determine the media content to be provided to the user (102) based on said variables; retrieving said determined media content from the server (108); and providing said media content to the user (102) at the user terminal (104).
Method, server, network and computer program product for sharing an image between a first terminal and a second terminal. An original version of the image is received at the server from the first terminal. Tiles are then received at the server from the first terminal, each tile representing at least a section of the image and including a change made to the image at the first terminal, An image state is maintained at the server identifying which tiles are required for forming a latest version of the image. On determining that the latest version of the image is to be formed at the second terminal, tiles based on the image state for forming the latest version of the image are transmitted from the server to the second terminal.
Method, terminal, network and computer program product for processing updates of an image for transmission from a first terminal to a second terminal for use in screen sharing between the first terminal and the second terminal wherein updates to the image displayed on a first display at the first terminal are also displayed on a second display at the second terminal. The image is divided into an array of contiguous sub-tiles, each sub-tile comprising more than one picture element of the image. It is determined that a plurality of sub-tiles of the image have changed at the first terminal and at least one of said changed sub-tiles and at least one contiguous sub-tile are selected to form a tile. The tile is encoded for transmission to the second terminal, said encoding determining sub-tile data identifying which sub-tiles are included in the tile such that the image can be updated at the second terminal in accordance with the changes to said changed sub-tiles, wherein the configuration of the tile is flexible such that the number of contiguous sub-tiles encoded in the tile can be varied.
Method, device and computer program product for handling a communication session at a device, by executing a communication session handling program at the device, the communication session handling program comprising a communication session handling part for handling the communication session and an interfacing part for linking with a communication session control interface. An application is executed at the device, the application providing, to a user of the device, a communication session control interface for the communication session handled by the communication session handling part of the communication session handling program, the application linking with the interfacing part of the communication session handling program. It is detected that the application has ceased to provide the communication session control interface. On detecting that the application has ceased to provide the communication session control interface, the interfacing part of the communication session handling program links, without dropping the communication session, to a further communication session control interface provided at the device for continuation of the communication session handled by the communication session handling part of the communication session handling program.
Method, communications device and computer program product for determining network quality for the communications device which is capable of communicating over a communications network. The method comprises determining location information associated with a location of the device, querying a database using the determined location information, wherein the database stores a plurality of entries each comprising location information and corresponding network quality information, and obtaining, from the database in response to the query, network quality information from at least one entry of said entries which comprises location information corresponding to the determined location information.
Method, device and computer program product for controlling data transmission over a network wherein a plurality of applications are capable of execution at a device of the network to thereby access the network, and wherein control means of the device are configured to set respective bandwidth limitations and to limit the bandwidth of the network access of the applications in accordance with their respective bandwidth limitations, the plurality of applications comprising at least one real-time application. The method comprises the control means determining a current transmission condition, the current transmission condition being one of a current network condition and a current bandwidth requirement of one of the at least one real-time application. The control means dynamically adapts the respective bandwidth limitations for the applications in dependence upon the determined current transmission condition. The control means controls network access of the applications to thereby limit the bandwidth of the network access of the applications in accordance with their respective adapted bandwidth limitations.
A method for issuing tickets in a communication system comprising a plurality of nodes that are capable of establishing a communication connection between two or more clients, the method comprising a first client transmitting to a ticket-issuing service a request for a ticket authorising the first client to establish a communication connection with a second client, the ticket-issuing service determining if the first client is authorised to establish the requested communication connection and if the first client is determined to be authorised to establish the requested communication connection, the ticket-issuing service transmitting to the first client one or more tickets designating the second client which authorises the first client to establish the requested connection with the second client by means of one or more of the plurality of nodes.
A communication system comprising a plurality of nodes that are capable of establishing a communication connection between two or more clients, the plurality of nodes being arranged in a hierarchy in which a node comprised in one level of the hierarchy is more likely to be reachable by a client trying to establish a communication connection with another client than a node comprised in a lower level of the hierarchy, the communication system being arranged such that, when a client determines that a node is unreachable for establishing a communication connection between it and another client, that communication connection is instead established by a node comprised in a higher level of the hierarchy than the unreachable node.
Method, relay node and computer program product for processing transport packets, the transport packets conveying: (i) data stream units forming a data stream, and (ii) correction data units relating to the data stream units, where each transport packet contains information identifying the content of units in that transport packet. Transport packets are received at the relay node, the data stream units in the transport packets received at the relay node being insufficient to constitute the data stream. At least some of the correction data units and the data stream units in the received transport packets are used to generate substitute data stream units thereby to substantially recover the data stream at the relay node. The relay node packetises the data stream units of the substantially recovered data stream with correction data units to form output transport packets for transmission from the relay node, and then the output transport packets are transmitted from the relay node.
Method, device and computer program product for establishing a call between a first user and a second user, where the first and second users are associated with respective first and second devices which are configured to execute respective first and second communication clients for communicating over a first network. The first communication client attempts to establish a call to the second communication client over the first network using a first identifier associated with the second user in the first network. The first communication client determines that the attempt has failed, and in response displays actuatable secondary call means to the first user on the first device for calling a second identifier associated with the second user in a second network, where the second network is distinct from the first network. In response to the first user actuating the secondary call means, the first communication client establishes a call from the first device over the second network to the second identifier associated with the second user.
A mobile device (102a) and corresponding method and program. The mobile device (102a) comprises: a transceiver (303) for accessing a packet-based network (101); a screen (201); communication processing apparatus (301) coupled to the transceiver (303) and screen (201), for conducting a packet-based video call with a remote device (102b) via a channel established over the packet-based network (101); and a sensor (304) for sensing a spatial state of the mobile device (102a). The communication processing apparatus (301) is coupled to the sensor (304) and configured so as to detect, during the video call, whether the mobile device (102a) is in a first spatial state or a second spatial state, e.g. being held away from or against a user's ear and to suppress a video function of the call when in the second spatial state but not in the first spatial state.
A television appliance comprising: a television receiver for receiving television signals and outputting the television signal of a selected channel to a screen; a network interface for accessing a packet-based network; a memory storing a communication client application; and processing apparatus arranged to execute the communication client application. The client application is configured to maintain a list of contacts and allow a user of the media appliance to establish communication events with the contacts via the network interface and packet-based network. The client application is further configured so as: to receive a machine-readable data item via the network interface and packet-based network from a television appliance of one or more of said contacts, the machine-readable data item indicating a current television channel being viewed by the respective contact; and to process the machine-readable data item so as to control operation of said user's television appliance in relation to the contact's television appliance based on the processed data item.
A television comprising: a television screen for displaying video signals to a user; a network interface for accessing a packet-based network; processing apparatus coupled to the television screen and network interface, arranged to execute a communication client application for receiving communication events via the network interface and packet-based network; power-saving circuitry coupled to the television screen and processing apparatus, configured to switch between a higher-power mode in which the television screen is switched on and a lower- power mode in which the television screen is switched off; and a user input device communicable with the power-saving circuitry for switching between the power modes, the lower-power mode thus being a mode set in response to a manual user input from the user input device. The client continues to monitor the network interface during the low power mode in order to provide notifications and/or wake up the television.
Provided is a method of communicating using a user terminal that comprises: a first interface for exchanging call data with a first interface of a mobile communication device, wherein the mobile communication device comprises a second interface for interfacing with a node of a mobile telecommunications network, and wherein the first interface of the mobile communication device is unsuitable for interfacing with a node of a mobile telecommunications network; a second interface for exchanging call data with a second user terminal over a packet-based communication network; and a processor for executing a communications client, which processor is coupled to the first interface of the user terminal and to the second interface of the user terminal and is configured to participate in a call with the second user terminal via the second interface of the user terminal and the packet-based communication network; wherein the method comprises: sending call data via one of the first interface of the user terminal and the second interface of the user terminal during the call, on the basis of call data received via the other of the first interface of the user terminal and the second interface of the user terminal.
A media appliance comprising: video apparatus for outputting signals to a screen; a control device allowing a user to control the output of signals from the video apparatus to the screen, thereby selecting a viewing activity; a network interface for accessing a packet-based network; a memory storing a communication client application; and processing apparatus, coupled to the memory, network interface and video apparatus, and arranged to execute the communication client application; wherein the client application is configured so as when executed to allow the user to conduct bidirectional communications with other users via the packet-based network, and output notifications to the user of incoming communication events received from other users over the packet- based network; and wherein the client application is further configured to defer one or more of said notifications of incoming communication events received during said viewing activity, determine a delineation in the viewing activity, and automatically output the one or more notifications to the user following said delineation.
A system comprising: a first user device and at least a second user device for a same user, at least one of the first and second user devices being a household media appliance, and each being installed with a respective instance of a communication client application for conducting voice or video calls over a packet-based network. Each instance is associated with a same user identifier identifying said same user, a first of said instances is associated with a first sub- identifier, and a second of said instances is associated with a second sub-identifier. The instances are configured so as, during an ongoing call conducted over a first network connection established based on said user identifier and the first sub-identifier, after the call has been answered, to establish a second network connection based on said user identifier and the second sub-identifier and to switch the call to the second network connection.
H04M 1/00 - Substation equipment, e.g. for use by subscribers
H04M 1/253 - Telephone sets using digital voice transmission
H04M 3/42 - Systems providing special services or facilities to subscribers
H04M 3/54 - Arrangements for diverting calls for one subscriber to another predetermined subscriber
H04M 3/58 - Arrangements for transferring received calls from one subscriber to anotherArrangements affording interim conversations between either the calling or the called party and a third party
H04N 5/445 - Receiver circuitry for displaying additional information
A media appliance comprising: video apparatus for outputting signals to a screen; a network interface for accessing a packet-based network; a memory storing a communication client application; and processing apparatus arranged to execute the communication client application. The client application is configured to allow a local user of the media appliance to participate in bidirectional communication sessions with other remote users via the network interface and packet-based network. The client application is further configured so as: to receive an invitation signal from a remote user terminal over the packet-based network, the received invitation signal comprising a trigger condition specifying a future event for triggering participation of the media appliance in a proposed one of said communication sessions with said remote user terminal; to monitor the received trigger condition at said media appliance; and to join the proposed session in dependence on an occurrence of said event.
A communication system comprising: a terminal having: an interface to a network, whereby the terminal can be connected to another party on a communication session; an output for outputting a communication stream received from another party on a communication session; and a source of play-out stream independent of a communication session; and a communication controller for managing a communication session terminated at the terminal, the communication controller being configured to: a) when it detects that the terminal has been placed on hold in a communication session, cause play-out stream from the source of play-out stream to be directed to the output; and b) when it detects that the terminal has been taken off hold in the communication session, cause communication stream from the communication session to be directed to the output.
Disclosed is a method of controlling transmission of data transmitted in packets from a transmitter to a receiver via a channel. The method comprises transmitting packets from the transmitter to the receiver; determining if the transmission delay and/or loss of subsequent packets transmitted to the receiver may be reduced beyond a threshold amount; controlling the transmission rate to be dependent on a first target delay if it is determined that the transmission delay and/or loss of subsequent packets transmitted to the receiver may not be reduced beyond a threshold amount; and controlling the transmission rate to be dependent on a second target delay if it is determined that the transmission delay and/or loss of subsequent packets transmitted to the receiver may be reduced beyond a threshold amount, wherein the second target delay is lower relative to the first target delay.
Provided is a method of controlling traffic transmitted over a network path from a transmitter to a receiver via a router, the traffic comprising a plurality of packets, and the method comprising: at one of said transmitter and receiver, estimating a maximum queuing delay at a buffer of the router based on a maximum observed delay for traffic to travel from the transmitter to the receiver, and estimating a current queuing delay at the buffer of the router based on an observed delay for one or more specified packets to travel from the transmitter to the receiver; and based on said estimates of current queuing delay and maximum queuing delay, controlling traffic between the transmitter and receiver over said network path.
An encoder stage, and corresponding encoded bitstream and decoder. The encoder stage comprises: a variable length encoder for encoding an input signal; and a counter configured to dynamically detect an observed frequency at which different symbols are found to occur within each of a plurality of predetermined portions of the input signal, prior to the symbols of each respective portion being encoded by the variable length encoder. The variable length encoder is configured to encode the symbols of each portion using variable length coding performed in dependence on the observed frequencies detected within the respective portion of the input signal, to generate an encoded bitstream comprising the encoded symbols along with an additional element indicating information regarding the observed frequencies detected for each portion, and to output the encoded bitstream to at least one of a storage medium and a transmission medium for supply to a decoder.
A method of selecting reference blocks for intra or inter prediction coding of a current block of a video signal. Each reference blocks is selected by: (i) determining a group of candidate blocks comprising at least some candidate blocks other than immediately adjacent spatial neighbours of the current block; and (ii) selecting one of the candidate blocks as the reference block based on a second metric, different from the first metric, the second metric relating to a number of bits that would be required in the encoded bitstream to encode both the residual block and the side information identifying the respective reference block.
A method of compressing video data, the method comprising: providing image data for each of a plurality of image portions; determining an index value for each of said image portions based on the respective image data; for a target image portion to be encoded, identifying a matching image portion having an index value within a search threshold of the index value of the target image portion; and generating difference data for the target image portion relative to the matching image portion, and including the difference data in an encoded video signal.
The present invention provides an encoded bitstream and corresponding decoder. An encoded bit stream of compressed video data represents a plurality of successive video frames with each frame being divided into a plurality of portions and each portion corresponding to a plurality of pixels. The encoded bit stream comprises: a set of quantized transform domain coefficients representing a first one of said portions; difference data for a second one of said portions, wherein the difference data defines a difference between transform domain coefficients of the first portion and the predicted second portion, such that the second portion can be predicted from the first portion; and an address specifying the location of the first portion in terms of a whole number of said portions instead of a pixel offset.
A method of encoding a video signal for transmission, comprising: receiving a video signal comprising a plurality of video frames, each frame being divided into a plurality of image portions; for each of a plurality of target ones of said image portions to be encoded, selecting a respective reference portion, generating respective residual data based on the target portion relative to the respective reference portion; during ongoing encoding of the video signal, generating a table of commonly usable reference portions and transmitting an indication of the table to a decoder; and generating an encoded bitstream comprising the residual data together with side information identifying the selected reference portions by reference to an entry in said table, and transmitting the encoded bitstream to the decoder.
A method of transmitting video data from a transmitter to a receiver, the method comprising: receiving data values of a video signal at a higher resolution; at the transmitter, combining groups of the data values into one or more first units of a first lower-resolution arrangement; encoding and transmitting the first lower-resolution arrangement to the receiver; at the transmitter, combining groups of the data values into one or more second units of a second lower-resolution arrangement, wherein the second units are offset from the first units by a fractional shift such that each second unit partially overlaps with at least one first unit; encoding and transmitting the second lower-resolution arrangement to the receiver; and transmitting an indication of said shift to the receiver; and at the receiver, combining the first and second lower-resolution arrangements based on the indication so as to reconstruct an image of at least a higher resolution than that of the first and second lower- resolution arrangements.
A method of compressing a video signal. The method comprises: for each of a plurality of image portions, transforming from a spatial domain representation into a transform domain representation; and for each of a plurality of target image portions to be encoded, determining a respective reference portion, determining a prediction of the target image portion based on the reference portion, and encoding the target image portion based on the prediction. The prediction comprises predicting a non- lateral motion of the target image portion relative to the reference portion based on processing of their transform domain coefficients. The encoding comprises generating an encoded bitstream comprising information about the non-lateral motion for use by a decoder.
The present invention provides a technique for performing one or more aspects of video coding such as quantization, intra prediction coding or inter prediction coding in dependence on a perceptual model taking into account human sensitivity to data in the video signal. The perceptual model may relate to spatial frequency, temporal frequency, contrast sensitivity, colour sensitivity, a structural metric, and/or one or more parameters affecting perception such as motion in the video, the distance of a recipient user from the screen, and the size, aspect ratio or resolution of the screen of the recipient terminal.
A user terminal comprising: a positioning system arranged to detect a geographical location of the user terminal; a transceiver for communicating with other user terminals via a communication network; and a communication processing apparatus coupled to the transceiver and positioning system. The communication processing apparatus is arranged to detect communication events occurring via the transceiver and communication network in relation to other user terminals, and to maintain a log of the communication events. Further, the communication processing apparatus is configured to organize the log in dependence on a geographical location detected by the positioning system.
A method of transferring image data from a first terminal to a second terminal connected via a communication network, the method comprising: displaying on a screen of the first terminal a screen image generated by a processor executed application; a processor executing a communication client to: establish a communication event between the first and second terminals and display at the first terminal an interactive selection component; a user at the first terminal actuating the selection component to select at least one object displayed on the screen to be shared with the second terminal, wherein the communication client accesses data defining displayed object dimensions and adjusts the selection component based on those dimensions to cause the at least one object selected by the window selection component to be displayed on a screen of the second terminal by transferring image data over the communication network in the established communication event.
A method of delivering an encoded data stream to a plurality of recipient end- user nodes of a network. The method comprises: receiving an incoming encoded data stream at a first recipient node from a transmitting node over the network; during ongoing receipt of the incoming encoded data stream at the first recipient node from the transmitting node, decoding the incoming encoded data stream at the first recipient node to produce a decoded data stream and outputting the decoded data stream for consumption at the first recipient node; using the decoded data stream to generate a modified encoded data stream being a modified version of the incoming encoded data stream; and, still during ongoing receipt of the incoming encoded data stream at the first recipient node from the transmitting node, relaying the modified encoded data stream from the first recipient node to one or more second recipient nodes over the network.
A method and apparatus for transmitting an audio signal over a communication channel comprising encoding the audio signal with an encoder 204 using a first sampling rate, filtering the audio signal using a first cut off frequency, the first cut off frequency being chosen in dependence upon the first sampling rate, and transmitting the encoded and filtered audio signal over the communication channel. The presence of a condition in which the sampling rate of the encoder 204 is to be switched to a second sampling rate at a switching time is determined and if the condition has been determined to be present, the cut off frequency used in the filtering step is gradually changed from the first cut off frequency to a second cut off frequency, the second cut off frequency being chosen in dependence upon the second sampling rate, such that the audio bandwidth of the transmitted signal changes gradually when the sampling rate is switched to the second sampling rate.
G10L 21/02 - Speech enhancement, e.g. noise reduction or echo cancellation
G10L 19/24 - Variable rate codecs, e.g. for generating different qualities using a scalable representation such as hierarchical encoding or layered encoding
99.
SELECTIVE FILTERING FOR DIGITAL TRANSMISSION WHEN ANALOGUE SPEECH HAS TO BE RECREATED
A method, terminal and program for making a call in a packet switched network between a calling device and a called device. The method comprises receiving at a processor of the calling device samples of a speech signal and an identity of the called device, executing code on the processor to perform the steps of: determining based on the identity of the called device whether a filter should be applied to the samples, when it is determined that a filter should be applied, filtering the samples, and encoding the filtered samples for transmission on the packet switched network.
A method, terminal and program for processing a speech signal, in which the speech signal is received over a network from a transmitting device, wherein the frequency components in the received speech signal are limited to a predetermined frequency range and the received speech signal has been filtered using a transmitter frequency response over the predetermined frequency range. The received speech signal is decoded. The decoded speech signal is filtered using a receiver frequency response which is complementary to the transmitter frequency response over the predetermined frequency range to thereby reduce distortion in the speech signal introduced over the predetermined frequency range by using said transmitter frequency response.
