text:
|Publication number
|Publication type
|Application number
|Publication date
|Feb 7, 2008
|Filing date
|Aug 21, 2007
|Priority date
|Jun 14, 1999
|Also published as
|Publication number
|Stephen Forte
|Original Assignee
|Forte Stephen P
|Export Citation
|BiBTeX, EndNote, RefMan
|Referenced by (16), Classifications (14), Legal Events (1)
|External Links: USPTO, USPTO Assignment, Espacenet
This application is a continuation of application Ser. No. 11/604,740 filed on Nov. 28, 2006, which is a continuation of application Ser. No. 09/593,541, filed Jun. 14, 2000, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,162,020, which claims priority from provisional application Nos. 60/139,498, filed Jun. 14, 1999 and 60/185,070, filed Feb. 25, 2000, which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entireties.
It has become relatively common for individuals to possess a number of different devices through which they communicate. For example, a person may have a home telephone, a wireless telephone, a pager and an office telephone. As the population becomes increasingly mobile, making contact with a person through one of these communication devices has become more difficult.
Call forwarding is one method of addressing this problem. Certain telephone systems allow users to enter another number to which a call is forwarded if not answered by a specified number of rings. This should allow an individual with multiple telephone devices to forward the call to such devices until the telephone at which the individual is located finally rings. However, if several telephones are involved, this approach becomes complicated. Moreover, it requires the calling party to remain on the line for a significant period of time if the call is to be forwarded multiple times. Furthermore, it is necessary that call forwarding capabilities exist on each of the individual's telephones. In addition, this approach requires that all telephones involved be reprogrammed each time an individual desires to initiate call forwarding. A significant drawback to this forwarding strategy is that, in each leg of the forwarded call, the calling pay is terminated on the last device or network in the chain. It follows that the final number in the forwarding scheme is responsible for all available enhanced services or voice mail available to the caller. Accordingly, although a call may have been initially placed to an office telephone equipped with voice mail and/or operator assist, all such enhanced services of the corporate network are lost once the call is forwarded off the corporate PBX (e.g., to the user's wireless telephone).
Travel can also exacerbate the difficulty of establishing communication with an individual having access to multiple telephone devices. Upon checking into a hotel, the telephone in a traveler's hotel room becomes available as yet another potential means of contact. Unfortunately, this forces a calling party to decide whether to attempt to contact the traveler through his or her room telephone or other telephone device (e.g., wireless telephone or pager). If the traveler does not answer the called telephone, the calling party then must decide whether to leave a message (unaware of when, or if, the message will be retrieved) or instead attempt to reach the traveler via his or her other telephone. Likewise, if the traveler is expecting an important call but is unsure whether it will be placed to his room telephone or wireless telephone, the traveler may feel compelled to remain within his room until the call has been received. In addition, if the traveler's wireless telephone does not support certain types of long distance calls (e.g., to various foreign countries), the traveler may be able to place certain types of calls only from his or her hotel room.
The office telephone is the primary point of contact of most business people. Typically, corporations invest significantly in their office telephone infrastructure, which often includes voice mail, paging and unified messaging systems. In addition, most corporations have negotiated contracts with their telephone carriers (e.g., local and long distance carriers) to ensure they obtain the lowest possible rates for calls placed via their corporate network. However, because the corporate workforce is becoming increasingly mobile, more business people are using wireless telephones to conduct their business when they are out of the office. This has resulted in corporations spending a larger portion of their telecommunications budget on wireless communications, with far less favorable negotiated rates than the rates of their corporate network. In addition, wireless communication systems often lack the enhanced conveniences (e.g., interoffice voice mail, direct extension dialing, etc.) that corporate users have come to expect in the office environment.
A solution to the aforementioned problems would be to allow wireless telephony devices (e.g., wireless telephones or pagers) to access an office telephone system as though they were desktop telephones connected to the company's PBX. It is desirable to incorporate wireless devices into the PBX network so that users may place and receive telephone calls using the office PBX telephone system even though they are at a remote location (e.g., out of the office). This would allow the enhanced conveniences of today's PBX networks (e.g., interoffice voice mail, direct extension dialing, etc.) to be available on wireless devices—something which is desperately needed in today's society.
There have been recent attempts to incorporate wireless telephones into PBX networks. One system provided by Ericsson, requires the creation of a mini-cellular network within the confines of the enterprise. A cellular switching unit, unique wireless telephones and an auxiliary server are required to route inbound telephone calls to a wireless handset serving as a remote office telephone.
An in-building wireless system has been proposed by Nortel Networks. This system requires the wiring of pico-cells throughout the enterprise's building. The system routes inbound telephone calls to specialized wireless telephones serving as additional office PBX telephones. The wireless telephones cannot be used as conventional standard wireless telephones until they leave the premises.
These systems allow inbound calls to be routed to an office telephone and a wireless telephone, but they are not without their shortcomings. For example, each system requires specialized cellular equipment and wireless handsets. Moreover, the systems only use the wireless telephones for inbound telephone calls. In addition, these systems cannot use the wireless telephone as a conventional wireless telephone (i.e., not part of the enterprise's PBX network) within the building.
A system for (and a method of) selectively establishing communication with one of plural devices associated with a single telephone number is provided. In a preferred embodiment, the system includes a wireless connect unit connected between an enterprise private branch exchange (PBX) network and a public switched telephone network. The wireless connect unit preferably serves as a gateway between the PBX and one or more remote communication devices. The remote devices can be used as standard PBX office telephones for both inbound and outbound telephone calls. Thus, features of the PBX network (e.g., voice mail, direct extension dialing, corporate calling plan, etc.) are available to the remote device even though they are not physically connected to the PBX. When the system receives an incoming call, it can route the call to an office telephone and one or more of the remote devices simultaneously or as desired by the user.
Preferred embodiments and applications of the invention will now be described. Other embodiments may be realized and structural or logical changes may be made to the disclosed embodiments without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Although the preferred embodiments disclosed herein have been particularly described as applied to a business or office environment, it should be readily apparent that the invention may be embodied for any use or application having the same or similar problems.
The invention is more fully understood with reference to the preferred embodiments depicted in
The invention is not to be limited to any particular environment. The invention may be implemented, for example, in a hotel, boarding house, dormitory, apartment, or other commercial or residential establishment, where individuals are assigned to a unique extension or DID telephone number. The term "office" as used herein encompasses a singular room or space within a business or other enterprise, or a hotel room or similar facility. The term "user" as used herein encompasses office personnel, hotel guests or other individuals associated with a telephone extension and DID telephone number.
The system 10 as particularly illustrated herein includes a conventional office PBX network 11. The PBX network 11 may include a plurality of standard telephones 12 a, 12 b respectively connected to a conventional PBX 14 via communication lines 18 a, 18 b. The PBX 14, which may be any commercially available one such as a Meridian 1 PBX produced by Nortel Networks, is connected to a calling network such as a public switched telephone network (PSTN) 16 by a primary rate interface (PRI) connection 20 or other suitable communication line or medium. The standard telephones 12 a, 12 b can be any digital or analog telephone or other communication device known in the art. As illustrated in
The PBX 14 is coupled to a wireless connect unit (WC) 30. The WC 30 is connected to the PBX 14 and telephones 12 a, 12 b by suitable communication media 22 a, 22 b. The WC 30 is also connected to a PSTN 54 in this embodiment by a PRI connection or other suitable digital communication medium. The illustrated PRI connection between the WC 30 and the PSTN 54 includes a first PRI connection 32, a channel service unit (CSU) 34, and a second PRI connection 36. As known in the art, a CSU is a mechanism for connecting a computer (or other device) to a digital medium that allows a customer to utilize their own equipment to retime and regenerate incoming signals. It should be appreciated that the illustrated connection between the WC 30 and the PSTN 54 is utilizing CSU 34 and PRIs 32, 36, which is one of many suitable connections. Accordingly, the invention should not be limited to the illustrated connection. The WC 30 is one of the mechanisms that allows the integration of remote devices (e.g., wireless telephone 70) into the PBX network 11 and its operation will be described below in more detail.
The WC 30 is preferably connected to a local area network (LAN) 40 by an appropriate communication medium 38. Although a LAN 40 is illustrated, it should be appreciated that any other network could be used. A plurality of computers (e.g., 42 a, 42 b) may be respectively connected to the LAN 40 by any appropriate communication lines 44 a, 44 b. The computers 42 a, 42 b can be used by network administrators or others to maintain WC 30 and other portions of the system 10. The LAN 40 may also be connected to the Internet 50 by a suitable communication medium 48. A firewall 46 may be used for security purposes. In a preferred embodiment, Internet 50 can be used to allow a remote administration device 52 (e.g., a personal computer) to perform remote administration of WC 30 by office personnel or other authorized users of the system 10. Remote administration will allow office personnel to set user preferences for particular telephone extensions. Thus, each office telephone extension and associated remote device is individually configurable.
PSTN 54 is connected in this embodiment to a commercial wireless carrier (or other carrier not co-located with the system 10) by a wireless switch 58 or other wireless carrier equipment by an appropriate communication medium 56. The wireless switch 58 is connected to at least one antenna 60 (by an appropriate communication medium 62) for transmitting signals 64 to a wireless device, such as the wireless telephone 70. The wireless device could also be a pager, personal digital assistant (PDA), landline telephone, facsimile machine or other wired/wireless communication device. It may desirable for the wireless device to be capable of handling both (or either) digital and analog communication signals. It should be noted that any type of wireless communication protocol (or a combination of different protocols), such as TDMA, CDMA, GSM, AMPS, MSR, iDEN, WAP, etc., could be used.
It should be appreciated that the WC 30 is connected to a wireless carrier through a PSTN 54 and not by unique hardware or an in-office cellular network. As a result, WC 30 only has to interface with conventional components, such as the PBX 14 and PSTN 54. Thus, the system is substantially technology independent. Moreover, special wireless devices are not required, which allows the remote device to function in its conventional manner (e.g., as a separate wireless telephone) and as part of the PBX network 11 (if so desired).
The WC 30 and the PBX 14 may also be connected to an accounting/billing system 80. The billing system 80 may also be connected to the LAN 40 so that system administrators may access the contents of the billing system 80. By incorporating a billing system 80 into the system 10, it is possible to obtain immediate billing information for calls placed to/from the wireless telephone 70 or other remote device. This immediate billing feature is not present in other PBX or enterprise networks and is particularly useful for corporate environments such as law firms and government agencies, and hotel environments, where up to date billing information is essential.
As noted above, the WC 30 allows for the full integration of remote devices into the PBX network 11. In a preferred embodiment, WC 30 is a processor-based stand-alone unit capable of handling communications directed to the PBX network 11. In a preferred embodiment, WC 30 is composed of one or more processors generically represented by processor module 310 executing one or more computer programs stored in one or more memory units generically represented by memory module 320, which is coupled to processor module 310 via bus 330, as shown in
The modules (310, 320, 330, 340, 350) making up WC 30 may be implemented using any known hardware or software devices. For example, in one embodiment, workload performed by receiving and transmitting modules 340, 350, as well as some of the processing functions of processor module 310 of WC 30 are implemented using one or more conventional processor-based programmable telephony interface circuit cards used to interface WC 30 with PBX 14 and the PSTN. They are programmed to perform the conventional telephony services required to place and receive calls, as well as programmed to perform the unique call processing functions described below.
The WC 30 preferably contains a database of office extension numbers (also referred to herein as PBX extensions) and DID telephone numbers associated with each existing PBX extension. The database will be stored on a computer readable storage medium, which may be part of (e.g., in memory module 320) or connected to the WC 30. The database may also contain a wireless connect/PBX extension (hereinafter referred to as a "WC-PBX extension") and one or more remote device telephone numbers associated with each PBX extension. In this embodiment, software running on the telephony cards interfaces with the databases to perform the various call processing functions discussed below.
In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention, processor module 310 executes one or more programs stored in memory module 320 to process calls received through PBX 14 or PSTN.
In the exemplary system 210, an accounting/billing system 280 comprises at least a call accounting system 282 and/or a property management system (PMS) 284. These systems 282, 284 are typically provided by the hotel and may be accessed and updated via the hotel LAN 40. As noted above, the accounting/billing system 280 allows the system to obtain, display, printout, etc. immediate billing information for calls placed to/from the wireless telephone 70 or other remote device.
In the exemplary system 210, a cross panel 229 connects the physical extensions 218 a, 218 b of the PBX 14 to the respective phones 12 a, 12 b. The WC 230 is connected to the PBX 14 and telephones 12 a, 12 b by tapping into the cross-connect panel 229 with communication lines 222 a, 222 b, respectively. In the illustrated embodiment, the connection to the panel 229 allows the WC 230 to detect an incoming telephone call to one of the telephones 12 a, 12 b. Once detected, the WC 230 determines which hotel guest the call is intended for. The WC 230 then dials at least one telephone number associated with the guest, which is typically the number for at least one remote device 70. If the guest answers the associated telephone 12 a, the WC 30 immediately ceases the call to the remote telephone 70. Alternatively, if the remote telephone 70 is answered, the WC 230 may connect the call to the remote telephone 70.
The WC 230 allows a guest to use the hotel PBX 14 from a remote location via the remote telephone 70. The WC 230 receives an incoming call from the remote telephone 70, determines the calling number (e.g., from automatic number identification (ANI) information presented to the system) and uses this information to identify the source of the call. The WC 230 verifies that the caller is properly checked into the hotel (i.e., authorized to use the system) by comparing the ANI information to a list of current users. Upon validation, the remote phone call is connected to the hotel guest's appropriate room extension as if the guest were using hotel telephones 12 a, 12 b.
In the exemplary embodiment of
The connect database 291 includes a table that maps each line port 290 a, 290 b, 290 c, . . . 290 i of the WC 230 to a telephone 12 a, 12 b, etc. within one of the guest rooms of the hotel. The connect database 291 also maintains information concerning each of the guests staying at the hotel. For example, the database 291 may include records pertaining to the guest's name, a guest id, the guests hotel room and telephone extension, the PBX port number associated with the room telephone extension, the telephone number of the guests remote telephone or other communication device(s), and the date and time of the guests check-in and scheduled check-out. As guests are checked into and out of the hotel, the user/PMS interface 294 modifies the contents of these records based upon information provided by hotel front desk or other service personnel.
The WC 230 may also contain additional databases. The databases contained within or connected to the WC 230 in this embodiment will be collectively referred to herein as the "database subsystem." The additional databases may include any known data compilation such as call activity information for logging failures within the system 210 or port activity. This information may include, among other things, port number, date and time of the failure/activity, whether the call was inbound or outbound, whether the remote telephone was answered too late, whether the call was unanswered or whether a prompt was unrecognized. The databases may also include call detail records, used to record successful connection activity. The information may include, for example, originating port, connection port, date and time of call initiation and termination, length of the call in hours, minutes or seconds, the guest ID of the user, telephone number dialed by the user/switch, whether the call was inbound or outbound, the ANI of the calling trunk, room number and telephone extension, and various billing information. The databases may also include a history file, system diagnostic information, and hotel specific information such as the name of the hotel, telephone and area code of the hotel, number of rooms, technical assistance information, hotel code number, telephone calling rate information (dollars per minute, etc.), billing information including the telephone number of the billing system's modem and other information required by the hotel or the WC 230.
The user/PMS interface 294, via the hotel LAN 40, provides an interface through which database information may be entered or accessed using a standard Internet browser software on any LAN-connected personal computer (PC) by authorized personnel. Additionally, the WC 230 may manage check-in and check-out activity with the user/PMS interface 294 that is connected directly to the hotel's PMS allowing a seamless check-in/out process for the hotel staff. The interface through the LAN allows hotel personnel and other authorized individuals to access the WC 230 databases for review, modification and printout purposes, as well as other desired purposes.
The user/PMS interface 294 allows the appropriate personnel to enter all of the information required by the WC 230 during the check-in and check-out procedures. Thus, the guest's name, room number, remote telephone number, check-in and check-out date/time and guest ID may be entered through the LAN 40. The check-in and check-out date/time entries define the period in which the user is authorized to use the system 210. The user/PMS interface 294 also allows the appropriate personnel to modify a guest's records if necessary; it also allows administration functions to be performed on the system as well as the creation and printing of any necessary system reports and the viewing/printing of guest activity and call information. Modifications to the PMS information may be required if a guest checks into, or out of, the hotel at a date/time different from a reservation date/time.
The user/PMS interface 294 advantageously allows the check-in/out of hotel guests in the system to be virtually seamless to the hotel staff by collecting all necessary data used by the hotel in performing standard hotel check-in/out services. Moreover, the user/PMS interface 294 allows the WC 230 and the system 210 to be seamlessly configured to accommodate the arrival of new guests and the departures of existing guests. The WC 230 can access call accounting information (e.g., via a direct connection to the call accounting system 282) and hotel PMS information and may use or update this information as required.
In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention, processor module 310 (via telephony engine 298) executes one or more programs stored in memory module 320 to process calls received at the PBX 14 or PSTN 16.
In the present example, the WC 230 includes a plurality of analog or digital line cards (not shown), each of with is coupled to one of the ports 290. In the case of a digital connection between to the WC 230 and the PBX 14, the PBX 14 is programmed to out dial a digital trunk connected to the WC 230 (usually an ISDN PRI) simultaneously upon receiving an event to one of the ports 290. This enables the detection of a telephone call on the associated extension 218. The system is capable of determining which line port 291 has detected activity and the nature of the activity. Such activity may, for example, be an incoming call to guest room telephone 12, or an internal session-to-session call. When the method 400 is initially executed, it is associated with and connected to an appropriate line port 290.
When the WC 230 detects that the PBX 14 has received a call, at step 406 a check is made to determine if the called guest is registered at the hotel and therefore eligible to receive in-bound calls and place out-bound calls (i.e., whether the guest is a "valid user" of the system 210). Specifically, the system compares the check-in and check-out information stored for the applicable guest to the current date/time. If the verification is unsuccessful, invalid user processing is performed and a record is inserted into an activity table of the database subsystem (step 408). Invalid user processing may include any processing deemed appropriate by the hotel administrator. It should be noted that in another environment (e.g., enterprise office building), steps 406 and 408 may not be required if all office or room telephones are authorized to use the system 210.
If at step 406 it is determined that the guest is a valid user of the system 210, a call is placed to the guest's remote telephone (step 410). In the specific example illustrated in
In the illustrated example of
If the call is answered at the PBX 14, by either the hotel telephone 12 or the hotel voice mail, the WC 30 drops the call to the remote device (steps 418, 420) and updates the databases accordingly (step 422).
In a preferred embodiment, once the call is connected to the remote device 70, a variety of message prompts such as "press 1 to connect call" may be provided to the remote telephone. Since the calling party had originally placed the call to the guest's room telephone 12, these messages provide the guest with a number of different options such as the opportunity to either accept or decline the call (e.g., the guest may prefer that the caller leave a voice mail message at the hotel). If the guest presses "1" or otherwise accepts the call, the call is bridged by the WC 230 from the guest's extension 218 at the PBX 14 to the guest's remote telephone. If the guest does not accept the call or no response is provided, the call to the remote telephone is terminated, the originating caller is routed according to the default settings of the PBX 14, and the appropriate information entered into the connect database. If the guest accepts the call, but the calling party has previously terminated the call or begun to leave a voice mail message at the guest's room telephone 12, the system may play a message such as "the calling party has terminated the telephone call . . . " for the remote telephone and the call is disconnected.
In this illustrated embodiment, the message prompt function ensures that the call is actually answered by the guest and not by another party (e.g., a service of the wireless carrier, wrong number, etc.). Today, wireless carriers may answer a call if there is a bad connection, the wireless channels are overloaded or for other reasons (such as initiating a wireless answering service). This embodiment overcomes the deficiencies of prior art communication systems by incorporating remote devices into a PBX network.
In a preferred embodiment, if it is determined that the remote telephone 70 has been properly registered (at step 508), the system plays an optional introduction for the remote telephone 70 (step 512). At this point, the system seizes the room extension 218 associated with the calling remote telephone. The WC 230 bridges the call to the remote telephone 70 via the PBX extension 218 (step 514). For example, if a guest assigned to room 202 has registered his or her cellular telephone with the hotel, then in response to an incoming call from this registered cellular telephone, the system seizes the room extension 218 associated with room 202 and bridges it to the incoming call.
Once the guest has been bridged to its applicable room extension 218, the guest's remote telephone 70 will receive the PBX dial tone. This occurs even if the guest's remote telephone 70 is a cellular telephone, which during normal operation would not be provided with a dial tone. At step 516, the guest is able to place a call (e.g., outbound, station-to-station, special services, front desk, etc.) through the PBX 14 as if the guest were utilizing the telephone 12 in its hotel room. Upon disconnection of the call, all relevant date and time information is generated and written into the appropriate databases and call detail record stored within the connect database (step 518).
As an alternate, a different extension of the PBX 14 is called rather than a guest's remote telephone in response to an inbound call directed to the guest's room telephone 12. Moreover, in other implementations a guest may be assigned to a "virtual" extension of the PBX 14 rather than to an extension 218 physically associated with an actual room telephone 12. In such an implementation the guest would have access to all of the functionality associated with the WC 30 or WC 230 described herein, but would effectively be associated with a "roaming" primary telephony device rather than a room telephone 12.
Numerous embodiments of the invention have application to corporate environments. In one exemplary implementation applicable to a corporate environment, for example, an "800" number is established to enable direct dial access to the WC from remote locations. Upon being connected, a remote system subscriber may be prompted for a "PIN" or other personal identifier and would be directly linked to the corporate PBX from a remote location. This configuration eliminates the need for corporate travelers to carry calling cards, and can result in significant savings on long distance toll charges since remote calls are placed through the corporate PBX at favorably negotiated rates. This configuration also allows users to place multiple calls on the corporate PBX based on a single call to the wireless connect via inexpensive "800" inbound trunking.
In another preferred embodiment, the system has the ability to set access rights defining what type of calls the user can place from the remote device (e.g., local, long distance, international, station-to-station, etc.). One way of implementing this feature is to use PRI connections between the PSTN 54 and the WC 30, the PBX 14 and the WC 30, and the PBX 14 and the PSTN 16, where users can be assigned into particular access groups by assigning each user to a particular channel or group of channels of the PRI. The user assignments can be stored in a database memory within memory module 320 of WC 30 for access during a validation or authentication process performed by processor module 310. In the alternative, the responsibility over the user assignments can be incorporated into PBX 14 or some other (on-site/remote) equipment.
As is known in the art, in North America and Japan, for example, each PRI contains 23 "B" channels that can be used for voice communications. Each B channel can be programmed with different calling capabilities by the PBX 14. That is, some channels can be programmed for all types of calls (e.g., international, long distance, local etc.), others for long distance and local calls, while others can be programmed solely for local or internal station-to-station calls. The channels can also be restricted to a limited number of authorized telephone numbers as well. The programming can be determined by the enterprise. Since the channels can be programmed with different calling capabilities, the enterprise can implement different access groups, with each group defining a user's remote device access.
This feature significantly limits the enterprise's remote device (e.g., wireless service) costs because user access to services can be substantially restricted. For example, the enterprise may want delivery personnel to have a wireless telephone for internal dialing purposes, but may be afraid of misuse by the personnel. Implementing the above embodiment, the enterprise can group all wireless telephones assigned to its delivery personnel to a channel(s) restricted solely to internal calls. Any grouping is possible. Priorities may also be assigned. A user assigned to group 1 (programmed for all calling capabilities) may be given priority to bump a user assigned to group 2 (having less calling capabilities) in the event that the channels assigned to group 1 are busy. Any grouping or priority scheme can be implemented by the enterprise and is application specific.
In a preferred embodiment, WC 30 and WC 230 are co-located with the enterprises' PBX 14, but may also be centrally located in a remote location or distributed among the many locations, or any combination of these arrangements.
While preferred embodiments have been specifically described and illustrated herein, it should be apparent that many modifications to the embodiments and implementations of the invention can be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. For example, while the preferred embodiments illustrated herein have been limited to the processing of voice (packet or circuit switched) calls, it should be readily apparent that any form of call (e.g., audio, video, data) may be processed through WC 30 (or WC 230) to any communication device (e.g., cellular phone, pager, office/residential landline telephone, computer terminal, personal digital assistant (PDA), etc.). The individual method steps of the exemplary operational flows illustrated in
In addition, while the illustrated embodiments have demonstrated implementations of the invention using PBX-based communication systems, it should be readily apparent that the WC module may be connected (directly, indirectly, co-located, or remotely) with any other network switching device or communication system used to process calls such as a central switching office, centrex system, or Internet server for telephone calls made over the public switched telephone network, private telephone networks, or even Internet Protocol (IP) telephony networks made over the Internet. The use of a commercial wireless carrier network (represented by wireless switch 58 and antenna 60) as described herein may be implemented using one or more commercial carriers using the same or different signaling protocols (e.g., Sprint PCS and Nextel, etc.) depending on the communication devices registered with the system.
It should be apparent that, while only PRI lines (e.g., between PBX 14 and WC 30/WC 230, between PBX 14 and PSTN 16) have been illustrated in discussing preferred embodiments of the invention, these communication lines (as well as any other communication lines or media discussed herein) may be of any form, format, or medium (e.g., PRI, T1, OC3, electrical, optical, wired, wireless, digital, analog, etc.). Moreover, although PSTN 16, 54 are depicted as separate networks for illustration purposes, it should be readily apparent that a single PSTN network alone may be used in reducing the invention to practice. It should be noted that the WC 30/230 could trunk back to the PBX 14 instead of being directly connected to the PSTN 54.
The modules described herein such as the modules making up WC 30 (or WC 230), as well as WC 30 (or WC 230) and PBX 14 themselves, may be one or more hardware, software, or hybrid components residing in (or distributed among) one or more local or remote systems. It should be readily apparent that the modules may be combined (e.g., WC 30 and PBX 14) or further separated into a variety of different components, sharing different resources (including processing units, memory, clock devices, software routines, etc.) as required for the particular implementation of the embodiments disclosed herein. Indeed, even a single general purpose computer executing a computer program stored on a recording medium to produce the functionality and any other memory devices referred to herein may be utilized to implement the illustrated embodiments. User interface devices utilized by in or in conjunction with WC 30 (or WC 230) may be any device used to input and/or output information. The interface devices may be implemented as a graphical user interface (GUI) containing a display or the like, or may be a link to other user input/output devices known in the art.
Furthermore, memory units employed by the system may be any one or more of the known storage devices (e.g., Random Access Memory (RAM), Read Only Memory (ROM), hard disk drive (HDD), floppy drive, zip drive, compact disk-ROM, DVD, bubble memory, etc.), and may also be one or more memory devices embedded within a CPU, or shared with one or more of the other components. Accordingly, the invention is not to be seen as limited by the foregoing description, but is only limited by the scope of the appended claims.
|Citing Patent
|Filing date
|Publication date
|Dec 18, 2003
|Jul 13, 2010
|Siemens Enterprise Communications, Inc.
|Computer-based telephone call management
|Dec 18, 2003
|Dec 21, 2010
|Siemens Enterprise Communications, Inc.
|Telephone system responsive to call control protocol
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|U.S. Classification
|International Classification
|Cooperative Classification
|European Classification


text:
Transformers 4: Age of Extinction (2014)
Transformers 4: Age of Extinction SynopsisTransformers: Age Of Extinction is the fourth film in director Michael Bays global blockbuster franchise. Mark Wahlberg, Stanley Tucci, Li Bingbing , Kelsey Grammer, Sophia Myles, T. J. Miller, Nicola Peltz, Jack Reynor and Titus Welliver star. The film begins after an epic battle that left a great city torn, but with the world saved. As humanity picks up the pieces, a shadowy group reveals itself in an attempt to control the direction of history while an ancient, powerful new menace sets Earth in its crosshairs. With help from a new cast of humans, Optimus Prime (voiced by Peter Cullen) and the Autobots rise to meet their most fearsome challenge yet. In an incredible adventure, they are swept up in a war of good and evil, ultimately leading to a climactic battle across the world.
Transformers 4: Age of Extinction Release Date
In Theaters June 27, 2014
Transformers 4: Age of Extinction Credits
Starring: Mark Wahlberg, Nicola Peltz, Stanley Tucci, Kelsey Grammer, T.J. Miller, Sophia Myles, Peter Cullen (voicing Optimus Prime)
Written by: Ehren Kruger
Directed by: Michael Bay
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text: Dolphin Stories Friday, January 20, 2012 Le Moyne Opens New $20 Million Science Addition 10:18 AM :: 10466 Views Watch the dedication ceremony and blessing, which took place on Feb. 16, 2012. View building dedication ad that ran in the Syracuse Post-Standard Students returning for the beginning of Le Moyne College's Spring 2012 semester have a brand new shining facility for classes – the 48,000-square-foot science addition. Built on-time and under budget, the $20 million building was constructed in just over a year-and-a-half and was the key component of the largest level of construction on the Le Moyne campus since the College was founded in 1946. Located on the northern ridge of the campus, the building is connected to the Coyne Science Center, one of the College's original structures. The College's physician assistant program will occupy the third floor of the structure, and the classrooms and laboratories on the basement, first and second floors will support other health service disciplines, as well as biology and physics. "The opening of this impressive facility represents another major step forward on the OneLeMoyne journey," said Le Moyne President Fred P. Pestello. "This building will allow faculty, particularly those in the natural and health sciences, to better deliver our rigorous curriculum on the intimate scale for which we are known. All students will feel its impact." The building is symbolic of the Jesuit institution's rapidly growing programs in both the sciences and the health professions. The sciences have more students than any other area at the College, with the number of students specializing in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) increasing from the mid-300s in 2006 to more than 600 this year. In addition, Le Moyne physician assistant studies and nursing programs have enjoyed tremendous growth and popularity over the past several years. "There are so many individuals who worked tirelessly to make this building a reality, and the results are truly spectacular," said Provost Linda LeMura. "I'm so excited about how this facility will benefit all of our students. Our faculty will teach and engage in scholarship in a space that is cutting edge in terms of technology, design and the opportunity to interact with students, both in the classroom and in common areas." Among its features are a 125-seat tiered lecture hall (the largest teaching space on campus), a variety of classrooms, laboratories for instruction and research, faculty offices, collaborative spaces, simulation facilities, and a computer lab. A spectacular two-story atrium greets students and visitors from the main entrance of the building, and many classrooms and offices feature sweeping views from the Heights looking north. Angled to the south to capitalize upon solar resources, the building maximizes the use of sunlight for solar thermal heat and the harvest of best quality sunlight for daylight use. The building also features an "energy wall" that combines day lighting, solar preheating of building ventilation air, direct solar gain through glazing, and indirect gain and thermal storage via trombe walls. It was designed and constructed under principles of sustainability adopted by the U.S. Green Building Council. It is expected to earn certification at the gold level under the national Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) green building certification program. Designed by Ashley McGraw Architects, with project management services by Pioneer Companies, the College's Office of Facilities Management and Planning, under the direction of Vice President for Finance and Administration Roger Stackpoole, was instrumental in the overall planning and success of the project. Comments Name (required) Email (required) Website Enter the code shown above: Notify me of followup comments via e-mail Current Articles | Archives | Search


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- sarah vickery
- Toronto
- Canada
This conversation is closed.
Roughly 52% of the world's population is under 30. What is best way to harness the energy and ideas of youth?
Working for a youth development organization we are always looking for ideas about how to engage young people and create programs to effectively involve youth in their own development. Our cornerstone is peer to peer non-formal education. We believe youth innovation drives change.
We are looking for programs, project models, web resources, implementation techniques, big ideas and inspiration to share with our online community. Basically anything to spark a great conversation!
Thomas Jones
Jan 22 2012: Causes.
- +4
Have them identify a "cause" (you can provide a list as a starting point) and then have them decide on a concrete, measurable contribution they can make to the cause.
They can work in groups, each group focussing on a cause that motivates its members.
- Collecting food for a food bank.
- Cleaning up parks and streets (litter removal.)
- Mentoring younger kids (helping with reading, math, etc.)
- Helping seniors in "homes" (taking them for walks, writing letters, singing for them, etc.)
- Campaigning for a local politician.
- Volunteering on a crisis line.
- Increasing attendance at local cultural events.
- Anything.
Jan 24 2012: I love reading your responses to anything, Thomas... always crystal clear insight. I totally agree with your thought that they themselves must identify the cause. And, it would seem, the less known, and more quirky the cause, the better (at first.)
Sarah, I think that they have to want to have their energy and ideas harnessed. By default, and given the nature of the tools they use (FB, phones and video) they'd probably rather operate entirely alone (at first) - less risky for them, you know.
I think if I were you I'd be targeting young people you find who pour energy into really obscure things, tell them that you noticed, and recruit them to help you harness the energy and ideas of people within their own peer group, for causes that they themselves decide upon.
Jan 26 2012: Thank you.Jan 26 2012: Hi Christian,
This post is for Mary - there is no reply button on her comment.
Hey Mary,
Do I think that the voices we hear in our head when we are reading people's comments affect us?
Yes, I do.
In my experience, it takes discipline to hear what another person is saying and not hear ONLY what I think ABOUT what they are saying.
I need to acknowledge both. I "lead" from the former, unless the latter is required for clarification.
There are people (some here on TED) who seem incapable of making that distinction - they assume, for example, what they think about another person is a true and accurate portrait of that person.
There have been instances where people have told me what it was I was saying or thinking (and they have been completely wrong.) And, when I offer a clarification or correction, they tell me that I am wrong ... I was really saying whatever it was they said I was saying.
I don't mind participating in conversations with people who "cannot hear me." I find it fascinating.
I rarely (if ever ... maybe never) take personally what people say about me, or about my comments.
Some people understand what it is I am doing. Some don't.
Do I think that typing robs us of good communication?
Not at all.
Do you?
Sometimes, we assume the purpose of communication is to reach agreement (and, sometimes, it is) but, I say, more often, it is about reaching understanding. (And more often than that, it is simply about social cohesion.)
If someone understands me, I don't care if they agree or disagree. Understanding is enough.
It's cliché, but what we think about each other is, more often than not, a reflection of ourselves.
That's why I think everyone is a nice person. And, by the way, that has been universally true ... so far.
Sure, some people get a bit testy but, so what? I am not so attached to what I have to say that I would sacrifice a human being on the alter of my beliefs.
Beliefs, on the other hand, I will hammer.
It confuses people.Jan 14 2012: Unfortunately, I think that the ideas of the youth have already been limited with a selective lens that's been placed on them by the public educational system. Creativity is the spawn of all innovation, and creativity is stifled when students are forced to learn certain things geared to a specific curriculum. The world will continue to evolve at a blistering pace in regards to technology, but the real, world-changing ideas have already been lost in the pages of books, paragraphs in articles, and the mundane drudgery of monotonous work that is creatively masked as "scholarship".
Jan 26 2012: I agree. Just to add to the pot, if you look at the material students are learning nowadays, less and less of the material has any practical application without further education. I went to Stuyvesant High School, but there were no classes that taught machining practices. Most of the "hands on" lab work were made safer or simpler for us. Safety for kids became the major concern, and it seems like we'd rather sacrifice practice education to ensure safety.
College is no different. Going to an engineering college, I'd expect to work with dangerous equipment, however, we are restricted to working with low voltage devices. Without the ability to tinker and work with high voltage applications as college students, when would one learn such a thing?
So from my point of view, all levels of education has devolved to a means of knowledge transmission whereas it should really by the transmission of skills required to produce new knowledge.
Kathy Castle
Jan 31 2012: In answering this question, I would start with challenging the premise a bit--it's important to 'harness' the creativity and innovative potential of our entire population, not just our youth. Too often in discussions like this, we reveal an inherent bias toward youth and discredit the value and potential of experience. The perspective and talents of our youth are one important part of our future--but they certainly are not the only part, and, I would argue, not even the most important part, in as much as I don't think any one perspective in isolation is as good or important as a collaboration of perspectives. In fact, one perspective in isolation can serve to blind us to the value inherent in other, less favored perspectives. Like anything else, it is in finding the balance between the value that all perspectives bring to the table that we find our best solutions. The only way to do this effectively is to challenge the biases inherent in our assumptions about what is valuable--and remain open to the possibility that we are not seeing the whole picture in articulating what we think is the most desirable solution. Our youth are vitally important--and should certainly be encouraged to contribute to the larger solution---in conjunction with the valuable perspectives of those with the benefit of experience. In our zeal to celebrate and encourage the potential of our youth, we need to be careful that we don't de-value the potential of our more experienced employees. For me, the question is better considered in terms of how we can facilitate a dialogue between and among perspectives that resonates with mutual respect and ultimately results in ideas that reflect the best of these often polarized perspectives.
- +2
Aaron Prince
Jan 10 2012: There are a few ways that really spark the light of enthusiasm in the youth (13-18) and young adults (18+). One of them is to make them feel as though the community wants or needs them, make them feel like they are making a differnce. When the feeling of "Wow, I'm actually doing something for others." Hits a younger person there isn't a lot of things in the world that can snuff the flame that keeps them going. For me being a youth in the U.S. (17) working with a wildlife center that takes in sick, injured, and orphaned animals is one of the most uplifting and glorious experiences I have ever felt. Seeing in Arizona that many children and young adults didn't know much about wildlife disturbed me, so I decided to take this role further and go from school to school making education programs that involve much of Arizona's wildlife. To hear from schools that I have presented at that the students will still quote my speeches and reference me months after my presentation just makes me want to try harder and create more expereinces that broaden the horizens of the youth today.
- +2
Joseph Park
Jan 10 2012: Young men have dreams, old men have visions.If you want to foster people's ideas and creativity, whether you or under 30 or over, the most important thing firstly is to protect our freedom and civil liberties. Slowly, not just in the United States but all over the world, government systems, regimes, and the powers that be, are slowly eroding our freedom of speech and right to privacy. A Democracy is about the power of the people, not the power of a corporation or even a government. But haven't you noticed how the risks have increased to be creative and speak your mind? For if it is "dangerous", you can be imprisoned, gagged, or even legally executed/assassinated without the right of fair trial in a court of justice. Just look at the bills that were passed in the US only a few days ago. Cloaked by the diversion as increased security and anti-terrorist threats, when in fact, we've just given up more personal freedom and power of the people. Martial law and police state regimes are the killers of creativity and ideas. Just watch the movie Equilibrium if you want a good example. People will say the internet is the best way, or technology is the best way, but those things are quickly becoming censored and everything is becoming a legal infringement open to prosecution and imprisonment, even to the very air we breathe. Protect all human rights and freedom....protect the 1st ammendment...this is the priority folks.Thomas Jefferson once said, "I'd much rather live with the inconveniences of too much freedom rather than the inconveniences of too little of it." Me too, my friend. Me too.Feb 1 2012: This question is exactly what I am passionate about! I believe to harness the energy and ideas of "today's youth" has to begin with respecting today's youth. It begins by acknowledging that their experiences differ from my/our youth (anyone over 30) in ways that I can not truly understand without their help.
- +2
When I speak with high school students they are rarely stressed out about their life with technology in hand, and if I take a moment to emotionally travel back in time to 17 and put that technology into MY hand, and all the implications of that technology, it REALLY stresses me out. I take the time to honor today's youth for managing their world as well as they do, and I speak with their parents about taking the time to listen more and to try to stop being "the expert".
Preparing them for the future really means giving them a voice in their present, respecting their voice, and then working with them as a guide by offering scenarios, choices, possible outcomes, and letting them work with those through the lens of their life experience, not mine.
Feb 3 2012: Bravo! Very well said.True, every letter! I would complete with a message for parents: stop trying to control everything your kids do and let them experiment. You can give them a way better education by collaborating with them, than by fighting agaist them.
Ethan Bell
Feb 1 2012: I myself am a "bright" student. I score among the 99th percentile in Math, Science, and Reading tests. I am currently in a program specifically designed for students like myself. Everyone in the program tested in the 97th percentile or higher, so the teachers use material many (grades) above our level. We, as 6th graders, learned Algebra I and were taking a (supposedly) college-level course. We, whenever we can, discuss whatever interests us, which in almost all cases is someone's brilliant theories in the field of cosmology, or someone else's newest computer program which they made themselves. If someone were to listen to these students' approaches to a problem there would be no worries for prices of inventions, no need to have a team of the greatest minds to solve a problem. Just propose it to the kids. The point is, kids who are intelligent talk about intelligent things. If you have all that great conversation, you have a great resource for practically anything.
- +1
Feb 4 2012: Very understandable and a great comment. However, even the gifted children need leadership and mentoring. There are other things that children need to be prepared for outside in the real world other than being intellectual, many of the things I am talking about should and mostly will be taught by parents. However, we also know that many gifted children may not have the support system, and some might even need to be found, due to poverty or other circumstances. If you truly are a six grader, you have a bright future ahead of you.
Good Luck in all you do Ethan,
Feb 4 2012: Eighth, but I do understand that. Sorry, I may not have expressed correctly: My point was, purely for the intellectual aspect, more advanced kids need more advanced work. They can deal with it, and will far exceed standard expectations if they are provided with a fun way of doing this work. For example, my humanities class is taught in three ways: notes, reading, and simulations. While taking notes, the teacher is engaging. When reading, we often read primary sources or literature reflecting the politics of the era we are discussing. Simulations is just what it sounds like. We play out the civil war on a game board, and we learn to march. We are required to act for two months as soldiers otherwise we lose "combat points". In science, the teacher always brings something to demonstrate the concepts. For physics, we have made bottle rockets, and the teacher has used a Frisbee and a gun to demonstrate newton's laws. The mentors are a huge part of our success, because they keep us involved and progress quickly through curriculum.
Joshua Vise
Jan 23 2012: As a person increasingly concerned with our generation's employability, I would suggest that companies take more risks in their hiring process. Is it really necessary to require 5 years of experience for an entry level position in certain fields?Jan 20 2012: I propose the establishment of an Accredited Open Source University built by a collaboration of volunteers: built to inspire research, contribution, and innovation by giving young people the power to pave their own path to higher learning. By providing a Open Source educational platform and access to professionals and experts to facilitate and moderate and encourage young people we open ourselves up to the creative possibility locked away by the old regimented educational paradigm. Professional assessment could be made by the evaluation of contributions by professionals, academics, individual students, and organized groups. Students would be continually encouraged to publish, and peer review would allow the curriculum to evolve and improve and diversify. All developments would be for the benefit of all who choose to participate, and entrepreneurial groups could form an enterprise to affect social progress and to develop capitol for the implementation of problem solving solutions on a local and global level. By giving students the power and means to affect global change and a collaborative platform to give steam to world changing ideas I believe that students would be inspired to work harder and develop more than they ever would in a traditional educational setting.Jan 20 2012: Mind begins to think out of the world from age of 18 and broaden his vision over the worldly aspects. That's why we call this youth as adult. From 18 - 30 is the phase of hot blood from where every person thinks of getting something different and possess immense and intense amount of energy sparkling out with different choices about the carrier, education and entrepreneurship. This would be of great importance to harness this energy and get a revolution brought out in this world. Study implies that 46% of creative business ideas are developed in this age but only 2% are carried forward and rest are drop due to not getting a platform to show case the same. If this is brought out to the world the GDP would rise like crazy. So for me this topic is of fore most important and should be spread like a virus.
- +1
Jan 20 2012: Well thought ..ESP GDP point.
Robin Patin
Jan 18 2012: I believe the best way is to encourage people under 30 to make important changes to the world is to help them find their passions and talents and design a career (that can provide financially) centered around those passions and talents.
- +1
Each day when someone gets out of bed to go to a job they don't like or don't perform well in, its a waste of human potential. We need to harness the full force of human potential by encouraging young people to find their purpose and contribution to the world.
Jan 20 2012: I agree. Job giving bread n butter gets monotonous while working on passion with interest gives utmost satisfaction.Jan 21 2012: This is completely 100% on the money. You need to find something you're passionate about. Channeling Steve Jobs, but if you're not passionate about what you're doing you will never be happy.
I run my own organization, Empowering Students, where we try to find students organizations they can get passionate about and also get involved with. If you find somewhere to volunteer that you're genuinely interested in, you will never regret your time there.
Jan 26 2012: Your comment made me think of this quote by George Bernard Shaw:
- 0
"Take care to do what you like or you will be forced to lide what you do".Jan 17 2012: Hi Sarah,
Young people are speaking out all over the world - the Arab Spring is led by young people, as is the Occupy Wall Street...
The young are globally connected - old politics are narrow minded and staid as far as they are concerned and the older generations won't be able to stop them changing the world as they see fit!
Having said that, I feel many kids would benefit from learning debating skills - being exposed to different perspectives, developing their own point of view and practicing verbal communication in public is a valuable life skill. We need to help them develop themselves as passionate, articulate, well balanced verbal communicators so they can become social leaders and mentors to all generations.
I also feel in the obese west we need to educate young people about food, diet and portion size. There's no point in raising generations of people who will die young from preventable illnesses. Jamie Oliver says everyone should know how to cook 10 nutritionally balanced meals from scratch using real food produce. It'll keep them safe from junk food outlets during college and university and be a good grounding for life (it's also the perfect way to impress that girl/boy you like! :-)
Jan 20 2012: 100% right !!!Jan 15 2012: Our creativity is limitless, but limit to our lives, to harness what we are and who we can me, we have to do things that we are passionate about. I am young, and I haven't felt all the emotions others have, but I have passions that make me want to change the things that I don't want to be hidden by the fabric of our lives.
Kat Haber
Jan 14 2012: Leverage your idealism through social media, life experience, and interdependence as global institutions that the older generation relied on decay.
- +1
Bernd Fesel
Jan 11 2012: Sarah - we had good experience with P2P non formal education also. however the best progress was realized when the youth left the field of "education" and of "being young", which still often translates in "not fully responsible" - at least in the elderly society of Germany.
- +1
In two projects the youth took responsibility for a creative process they invented and they realized, all temporarily.
one was a youth conference, called global young faculty: the youth was redesigning curriculums of schools: http://bit.ly/xiPXjI
one was a street art company - having started as a fun spare-time activitiy, now being a commercial successfulll company. there show fill some of the largest halls in germany twice a night: http://bit.ly/zxNebr
Good luck !Feb 3 2012: Russell,
I just clicked on it and it took me to WISE Conference.
In a world where trends in globalization, demographics and technology are changing the labor market – how can schools create adaptable workers equipped with 21st-century skills for a changing labor market? In this session, the panel analyses the limitations of the school system at a time when we need to prepare young people for the 50 to 70 million jobs that are needed tomorrow. With a particular focus on the MENA region and the Philippines, the speakers discuss how school systems need to be strengthened to develop entrepreneurial mindsets adapted to solving real-world problems and the role that effective public-private partnerships have to play in bringing about large-scale educational reform.Jan 31 2012: Turn them loose, but have solid leaders to help mentor and guide them!
Feb 1 2012: Your idea is good but not very viable. This is because there is no real way to get these leaders, and also this sort of mentoring creates a format into which "looseness" decreases over time as can be seen in many examples. So rather that having a fixed mentor it would be better to have a plethora of mentors helping in more specific areas and wielding less power while also being part of this society. Thus instead of dividing the general society into three proponent societies; Under 30 society, Mentor society, and Others(not mentors of the 48%), it would be better to have a integrated society in which people of the under 30 group would interact with the group of mentors but also within itself.Jan 28 2012: Hire them. Provide opportunities for them to grow as an individual to become active, productive members of society.
To do that, we need to address the issues of the system already in place. It's not farfetched to think that youngsters simply see life as "going through the motions" void of any meaning. We need to appreciate the variety of intelligence that people have and not just focus on what a person scored on the SATs or in academia. I believe the traditional system turns people into robots; simply another cog in the wheel of capitalism. To have any chance at tapping the true potential of a human being, we must treat, train, and nurture them as one.
(IMO)Jan 27 2012: My 2 cents worth: collaboration at a very early age.
In my country, there is this place for kids which promotes fundamental values like helping each other, respecting other people differences, enjoy what you have and take care of it...etc.
Now, this could be the topic of a very boring class in a school, but they do it in a FUN way: Over the last 20 years, kids from different social backgrounds (I translate: poor and rich kids) have built tree houses during summer in the Belgian Ardennes. It has become a small wooden village, just like in Peter Pan's story. They give kids big responsibilities and run the place, encouraged by some inspired adults.
The results is that they feel they can accomplish anything and understand that collaboration, with everything that it implies, does matter to succeed. We'll need those kids in the future.
PS: here the link with some pictures to have an idea: http://www.ecoledeclerheid.com/villageenbois.htm
PPS: I know my answer is "Western-centric" and does not apply to half of the world where eating everyday is still the biggest concern of these 50+% of kids we are talking about; but it's a start.Jan 27 2012: Today's global youth should learn programming. Computers and connectivity are more affordable and ubiquitous than ever before, open source tools and libraries are freely available, and the innovation that comes from software engineering is limitless. We need a global initiative to transform the world's youth into "generation hack".Jan 25 2012: well years ago bill clinton did a great job by the rock your vote campaigne, if we want the youth to grow and change we need to comunicate to them trough the areas that they are active on. then it was mtv. now that may be facebook or apps on phones, other tv forums ect.. todays more tech using youths will find things on there own but they still need something poining them in the right direction.Jan 25 2012: TED talks have been showing this and proving our education is virtually creating youths "unsuitable" for employment. This era which can be referred to as the "non linear one" is one where mathematical increase of an input no longer yields more output compared to the linear era where the calculation was easier. THIS era gives huge opportunity and advantage for youth provided the employers realize this. In this Non linear era "past patterns are no longer repeating themselves". Products are offered to create "their own demand" and not based on old fashioned research based study of needs. Unfortunately employers are still over valuing "PAST experience in economic terms and THIS must end".
Since correction in education is taking time, investing in youth and training them is perhaps a very very low cost/profitable way to better innovative results. Youth are the only ones who can be trained to feel comfortable with risk, experiment and failure. So many TED talks have been listed by Sarah which explain with facts and figures. SO if TED attendees are employers then they must in 2012 should agree to REDUCE at the very least just ONE demand for an experienced senior manager and instead invest half the saving on training and the other half on hiring TWO youngsters. This would be a no brainer low risk input.Jan 24 2012: Video Games.Jan 24 2012: First off I would like to say superb weblog! I'd a quick query that I would choose to inquire if you don't intellect. I used to be interested to know how you center oneself and very clear your thoughts before composing. I've had trouble clearing my thoughts in acquiring my ideas out. I do take pleasure in writing but it just would seem like the 1st 10 to 15 minutes tend to be lost simply just striving to figure out how you can get started. Any suggestions or tips? Many thanks!
http://topclearporesreviews.com/Jan 24 2012: We can best help by creating intolerable problems that they feel compelled to solve. By create, I mean define an existing set of circumstances in such a way that it is inconceivable that any human being with the capacity to at least in part solve that problem would step aside. The next ingredient would be to attach a significant profit potential to the solution of that problem. It's much easier to appear altruistic while we're lining our own pockets. Challenge them. Tell them it's impossible, because we tried and failed. Those who take up the challenge will be those who are most likely to find a solution. We cannot manufacture passion we can only nurture it. I think it's important that we all come to terms with what really motivates people instead of what our particular set of values tells us "should" motivate them.Jan 23 2012: The best way to harness the energy and ideas of youth is to develop their concern for the world they live in. This should b developed gradually, meaning thereby that this concern should not bypass their family, kinship, society, and region. Once this concern is developed than they would themselves identify causes and will automatically find themselves inclined to participate socially n this will hopefully harness energy n ideas of youth n may help in actualizing their potential.Jan 22 2012: hone their talents and let them discover what they really want and not what their family or society expects them to be...it's really important for me to realize this. i was young once and will always be and what keeps me staying in this attitude is my passion for the things i love to do most.Jan 21 2012: I agree with your statement about involved youth on our environment,as we know youth generation have big role on the future, its good we have to developed youth program to make them courage their potential and talent. I have some advice about program which is have positive influenced for youth it based from my experience as well.
First I guess debate club is really good for self improvement because we let youth speak up their mind and word without judgement and expand their ideas for community. Some people think debate will influenced negative way or violent if we cant control each statement opponent but my personally think debate would be good lesson because we learn how to appreciate different opinion people and make discussion to found out solution about the issues.
Second students competition will be good point because we will learn fairness and honesty on every competition whether we lose or win. i realize competition is not about become the winner but its about our effort. If we lose at least we learn something new from the competiton.
Third become volunter in the some project maybe related with health care, education etc i thought it would be good for youth learning caring each others and took respect with people around.
so i have my conclusion about my explanation above is let youth choose what was their passion let them know what is actually they want to do on their life, As adult we just can direct and gude them.Jan 18 2012: Perhaps if they even created a TEDJunior, targeted specifically at children, with inspirational speakers addressing the younger generations on some of the issues that will be so relevant when they will be the ones in control. Some of the best ideas come from younger people however are often overlooked because their ideas fall on deaf ears. If we were to create a community such as the one we are on at the moment, specifically for their ideas to be communicated then perhaps even we can learn a thing or two from them. If we could make this site a bit more colourful and interactive then the children are sure to be a bit more interested. Maybe this is an idea for the TED creators.
Jon Miner
Jan 18 2012: Good idea. I would not want to water it down too much. But it would be cool to offer the TED speaking opportunity to the best of the best teenagers. I think many pre-teens have great ideas but they lack the knowledge and experience to express real world creativity that will last into the later years. Their imagination is way ahead of reality. The pre-teen years are too engaged in learning the basics and growing up.
- +1
Let's advocate the institution of a brother organization to TED which promotes the greatness of teenagers. I like the words 'youth' or 'young' better than 'junior.' Youth and Young are just the facts, while, Junior is a lower or secondary position that I don't want to stick them with. When they are good, they can be great!
Thanks for the creative idea.Feb 3 2012: Give them platform for their voice to be heard. My son was invited, without my knowledge, to speak at the 9th World Wilderness Congress, to deliver a message. http://www.wild.org/video/wild9-mckenzy-haber-english/
He has gone on to co-organize 3 TEDx's. For TEDxHomer2012:Sustain US he was awarded a Jefferson and won Ashoka's Technology for a Better World, as well as several others This is not to brag, but rather to say that when young people are given a shot to be heard they can rouse in themselves and decision makers a bolder and brighter future. We were chosen the top idea for bringing TEDx paradigm for teens throughout the 25,000 high schools in the US by Leaders Causing Leaders. Perhaps this year at the TEDxSummit this dream may inch closer to reality.
The deepest learning is from the being and doing rather than the studying.
Teens from Homer are completely organizing for Thursday, July 26
Some of their OJT:
Social Media
Public Speaking
Global Connectivity & Ideas
TEDx is just one, though a powerfully connective, paradigm among many that respects that their world is moving faster, closer than my generation could even imagine. Disruptive tech, interactive learning, and creative building distinguish their opportunities beyond what I could believe possible in my childhood. Challenges they face are not the tiny concerns of kids. From climate change to exploding world population to rapidly degrading environment, these under 30's must bring some game to the phase in life in which we had the luxury to grow to adulthood. Social entrepreurships and organizing TEDxTeen events can help them face their future with greater certainty and joy. They are not alone, if we stand beside and mentor them along the way.Jan 18 2012: The Issues of climate change, sustainable agriculture, and environmental
hazards and habitat destruction from water pollution are all issues of great
importance. In fact potable water is a diminishing resource which has already
given rise to armed conflict.
The rise of a Global Governing body is also seen by many as a
desirable step in pursuit of Global change. How to generate or create such a
governing body without meeting fierce resistance from the existing systems is
a dilemma. We and our world cannot afford to waste time and resources in
struggles for dominance.
The creation of watershed based districts which would then elect and send
to conventions delegates where resolutions would be voted up or down rules
and penalties set enforcement arms established, representation to the higher
level of global government nominated for general election in their districts..
The fact that many of the large drainage's on the planet drain territory that
crosses state and international boundaries, would make the actions of these
watershed districts naturally weaken the perceived dependence on the nation
Additionally, people who have nothing but hostility to the idea of a transnational
government or a government over powering their own,would have little or no
complaint a bout a meeting of neighbors to resolve communal issues like water
use pollution flood control ect.. Even if those neighbors were from other
counties, states ,or countries. This would also llink very well with the proposal
to begin widespread flood mitigation projects which I proposed elsewhere.
Feb 3 2012: WISE in Doha in November. http://www.wise-qatar.org/content/adapting-future-world-work-how-can-we-move-rhetoric-real-change-real-children
Feb 3 2012: I am sorry but that link didn't take me anywhere when I tried it. ?Jan 17 2012: Give them a game to play.Jan 12 2012: yesJan 12 2012: most of the word is poor, engage them with micro loan inovationJan 11 2012: Hey Sarah, I just wanted to add a few thoughts to your great conversation:
P2P non-formal education is powerful stuff. The key to this is getting every peer on the right track. Youth below 30 will want to learn from youth below 30.
Getting knowledge and goodwill into an under 30 community may be difficult but all it really needs is respect.
Youth tend to know more about enjoying themselves and self-oriented stuff. Struggle comes with the actions where others are involved. Commitment, Social Relevance and Productivity may trigger problems for individual youth.
Bridging those who solved their own problems and those who haven't can lead to both self and community development. Sometimes these bridges come in form of place, religion, profession and/or any form of common interest or a mash of these together.
Also, with regards to getting peers on the right track, the important part with P2P is wanting development in others as much as in self.
And if you don't mind, I'd like to know which Youth Development Org you work with. If it's not a problem, I'd like to watch your progress and learn more. :DJan 11 2012: ... continued about using TED
I looked at the TED web site just to get a better handle on what is offered.
TED Themes:
Technology, Entertainment, Design, Business, Science, Culture, Arts, and Global issues.
Surely, indexing and linking these presentations to the personalized data provided by testing your project members will enable you to both educate and motivate people of all ages.
Perhaps this will result in a new way to education students in public schools.
For example, take a look at this TED presentation:
Jan 18 2012: Perhaps if they even created a TEDJunior, targeted specifically at children, with inspirational speakers addressing the younger generations on some of the issues that will be so relevant when they will be the ones in control. Some of the best ideas come from younger people however are often overlooked because their ideas fall on deaf ears. If we were to create a community such as the one we are on at the moment, specifically for their ideas to be communicated then perhaps even we can learn a thing or two from them. If we could make this site a bit more colourful and interactive then the children are sure to be a bit more interested. Maybe this is an idea for the TED creators.
Feb 1 2012: They do have TEDx events for juniors. For example TEDxRedmondJan 11 2012: I think one of the most obvious and successful ways would be to install small media labs which are basically windows into TED presentations.
TED does a fair job online in making a wide variety of presentations available. However TED uses a model suitable for use by an individual who knows what he is looking for, be it technology, entertainment, or design.
As a group aiming to empower and motivate the young, be they 'young or young at heart' you could create an index of TED offerings linked to aptitude or talent tests or whatever test is applicable, so that you can provide to the persons a time and place to join with others to experience something wonderful. The users of your project would take a battery of tests, and the results would point them to the TED presentations linked to their interests and talents.
Your job would then be to group and schedule like minded people to a time and place where they would view and then discuss the TED presentation. Groups would be small enough that everyone could actually speak, and large enough so that members who are 'shy' won't feel pressured to speak before they have something to say. Perhaps some non-verbal software could be employed to enable the group to formulate and post questions to the group during the presentation to act as starting points in the post presentation activities.
When possible, 'hands on' materials could be provided which correlate to the presentation so that the members could actually experience something in the relevant subject.
Another part of your work would be to provide the links in an index which are cross linked to other relevant presentations such as 'Open University' or 'Open Source' media which allow the group members to continue their study on their own.
TED is a fantastic resource, and could become the foundation of a motivational and educational project such as you describe, if you do a good job in creating a viable, usable, and dynamic TED index linked to project participants' needs.Jan 11 2012: NEVER TO OLD TO LEARN is a popular saying but it is incomplete without NEVER TO YOUNG TO TEACH.Jan 10 2012: To begin with in countries with democratic governments lower the voting age to 15 or 16, and create a system where voters do not see or hear the candidates only read their positions to enable any age to achieve office, Create a government grant fund that will invest in the ideas and projects of young people, so that their ideas can be tried without depending on their elders or on banks.Give everyone access to the world wide web and free long distance cellphones, even if only for a year or two this ease of communication and access would be explosive. How about creating a super national global political body and giving everyone under 30 citizenship while making others apply for entry?Jan 10 2012: Get them to prepare for life after 30.
Jan 10 2012: And what is the best way to prepare them?
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Feb 1 2012: I believe that your idea of training people to be "useful human beings" is important, but also addresses two main problems. First, our system already provides necessity upon becoming effective and understanding life. Of course it is not the central concern of the government or of the general society, but it is importantly addressed in groups such as family or friends to some degree. How would you specifically increase effort into how a person should contemplate life, what in means to be useful, and how to do so. Second, we should be trained from birth but until when? The forming of a person happens from when that person is born all the way to life. So until when would you train people to be useful? To 20, to 30, for all life?Jan 10 2012: Know thyself is a great start. This needs to be constantly attended to as we grow older. Youth has everything going for it except that which comes with age..
If you want to keep kids out of trouble then put them on a constructive path - for me, it would be music. But there is sport, art, drama, building...a huge list.
It must be constructive and it probably needs to be something that the individual is very much 'in to'.
Jan 18 2012: That would be wondermous! ( if kids had, this option ) Wondermous idea! Who will fund this idea? ( the government? ) I like it!! :)Jan 18 2012: Teach them to prepare, after becoming, 21! Teach them to prepare to live thru, being 12, 14, 16. Today's problem, for our youth, is survival. There are a lot of kids, out there, that have crappy parents. Our youth needs to understand, they are not alone. Teach them, it is okay to be, lost in the system. TELL, them, they are not alone. :) Tell them!Feb 1 2012: All your conversation has something in common. Your all saying that you want preparation for the person at a young age to a a specific age(such as 30 or 21) into which they will fully interact with society with all the suffrage, difficulty, and responsibility it will provide. However, the point at which a can become "a useful person" is not a fixed number. There are "children" with amazing compatible and responsibility taking ability, who would be wasted unless society used them. On the other hand there are "adults" without the ability to take responsibility for themselves and would only be a hinder for society. We should base our opinions upon level of maturity and applicability for social development.
Jan 9 2012: Step one would be to make sure that energy and creativity are informed. Some background:
Comment deleted
I certainly recall formulating incredibly strong opinions in my teens and 20's which later, based on a broader understanding, were dead wrong. I suspect I'm not the only one.
Furthermore, nothing helps me really "gel" or solidify my opinion on something like trying to explain it to someone. Kinda like posting here on Ted Conversations!
Many curricula, especially in the US, rely too heavily on reading- and lecture-based pedagogy. Similarly, our adulthood self-education relies far too heavily on reading- and talking-head-debate based TV and print media. We sit and stare quietly, deciding to agree or disagree with the point being made. Later, over dinner when we try to explain it to our kids, we are disturbed to discover all the holes in our understanding or logic.
Innovation, dynamism, and human caprice are forcing many of us to continually reinvent ourselves professionally. Yet we still instill in our youth in a concept of "profession" tied to a specific set of skills. ("What do you want to be when you grow up?). As TED speaker Sarah Kay challenged: "How many lives can you live?" In prior centuries, the answer was one, but today's youth will be REQUIRED to reinvent themselves over and over again.
Therefore, I would advocate a two-pronged approach:
1/ further a culture of continual education. Make it socially desirable to question your opinions, to seek to further your understanding. Continued lifelong education is the best way to optimize our chances of continually contributing to (or maybe even disruptively improving) our world and thus achieving our life goals.
2/ make that education participatory and practical. University is great, but it so often misses the important applied education. We thus force our young and educated to take a leap of faith into the market across a chasm of lack of experience in applying their knowledge.
Jan 19 2012: Agreed. Agreed. Agreed.
And here is my suggestion idealistic as it may be:
3/ Do all that is possible to keep even the busiest of parents involved so that there is continuity with what happens "at school" and after. Parents who stay involved are a gift that kids don't always appreciate while navigating their tween and teen years, but I'll take my daughter thanking me later over saying you weren't around to talk to. I don't need to be her prime mentor, but I plan to stay in that circle. IT IS critical in my opinion that an open dialogue is ongoing, if at times we are even disagreeing and debating. I'm raising a critical and creative thinker to the best of my ability.
It is a fascinating idea to imagine all the versions of a professional life my daughter may pursue in her adulthood. OR consider that it is not too late for anyone to reinvent themselves if they are open to learning a new skill--even when it takes longer because one is older.
I'd love to see more programs and projects that have youth and elders collaborating to bring the best of the past forward and integrating technology to bridge generational divides. We all have much to teach each other if we remain open to learning from each other.


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Planetary Shields: Magnetospheres
Space is a challenging place. We think of it as mostly empty, but that is not completely true. The vast sea of space in our solar system is filled with powerful radiation and bombarded with high-speed atomic particles. In addition, the Sun generates a continuous stream of particles that we call the "solar wind." The high energy radiation, the high energy particles, and the solar wind could prove dangerous to life here on Earth's surface. Earth's planetary shield -- the Earth's magnetic field working together with our atmosphere -- protects us.
Every magnet generates a magnetic field. Several objects in our solar system also have their own massive magnetic fields: the Sun, Earth, Mercury, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune. The magnetic field around a planet that extends into space is called a magnetosphere. The magnetospheres of the planets interact with the particles from the Sun -- the solar wind. Within the magnetosphere, charged particles spiraling along the Earth's magnetic field toward the poles create beautiful aurorae, the northern and southern lights, when they interact with our atmosphere.
Magnetic fields can also create hazards. Magnetospheres trap high energy particles into radiation belts around planets. The distant gas giant planets do not need protection from the solar wind; instead, their powerful radiation belts create a serious hazard for spacecraft, as do our own Van Allen radiation belts here on Earth.
Earth's magnetosphere does more than shield us from the constant barrage of high-energy particles. It also protects our atmosphere and oceans from the solar wind, which would otherwise gradually erode them away into space. Mars' lack of a magnetosphere may be partly responsible for the thinness of its atmosphere and absent oceans. A magnetosphere on Venus could have prevented this planet's primordial water from escaping into space.
Given these critical roles, it is not surprising that several missions are actively investigating these planetary shields. The ongoing MESSENGER mission is mapping out Mercury's magnetic field, as is Cassini at Saturn, and Juno is on its way to do the same at Jupiter. The Solar Dynamics Observatory is also monitoring the Sun and its magnetic field to explore its impact on the near Earth space environment..
Explore this topic to investigate magnetic fields and planetary magnetospheres, through a variety of activities and mission resources. It's attractive stuff!


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From the spectacular Graham Watson poster series comes this black-and-white classic! This print stands alone as a stunning Ansel Adams-esque look at the Italian Dolomite Mountains - but it is also a look at the main peloton of the epic Giro d'Italia as the riders struggle up another long climb. Perfect for the cycling enthusiast who wants something truly beautiful and unique. NOte: this item is now out-of-print; limited quantity remains in our warehouse.
Product Specifications:


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Studies show that during the two-month holiday season that starts with Halloween candy and ends with Christmas pudding, most of us will gain about a pound. "No big deal," you say. "That's easy to take off." In theory, yes, but in reality, most of us never bother to shed it. A decade later you suddenly realize you've bumped up a size. I don't want that to happen. That's why this year I'm dreaming of a light Christmas!
Our family tradition is roast beef. In Christmases past, I would have served up a well-marbled prime rib with creamy horseradish sauce, followed by a big bowl of chocolate mousse for dessert.
Not this year. Instead, I'm roasting up beef tenderloin, an unusual cut because it's both lean and tender. For those assets you pay a price, but if you're ever going to enjoy a tenderloin, 'tis the season. Plus, whole beef tenderloin serves a large crowd, and leftovers are superb.
You can buy beef tenderloin two ways. For those who shop at warehouse-style grocery stores such as Costco or Sam's Club, beef tenderloin comes untrimmed and packaged in Cryovac. And untrimmed tenderloin contains many large pockets of fat, so you'll need to trim it a lot. There's also the silver skin, or connective tissue, to deal with … or not. You can leave it alone — it really doesn't affect the meat's texture — but it will cause the roast to bow during cooking. If you don't want the curling, simply snip the silver skin crosswise in a couple of places or remove it completely with a sharp knife.
Unless you like to butcher, you'll want to buy trimmed or peeled beef tenderloin. It's more expensive, but when you figure the weight of the excess fat and your labor, it's probably worth the extra cost.
Either way, you'll need some butcher's twine. Because the roast has a tapered shape, you should tuck the thin end under so the roast looks uniform and cooks evenly. Once it's been prepared to this point, the rest is simple. This classy roast does not need to be gussied up. Just oil, salt and pepper it and shove it in the oven. In 40 to 45 minutes it will emerge gorgeous and perfect, ready for Parsley-Red Pepper Sauce -— a festive, healthier alternative to traditional sour cream-horseradish sauce.
Dessert is light and festive, too. Instead of cream-laden chocolate mousse, this pudding is enriched with evaporated milk, which has half the calories of heavy cream. Top the pudding with Warm Prune-Walnut Sauce, which you can double, if you like: It's a wonderful topping for yogurt and granola the next morning.
I ate only one piece of Halloween candy, and my Thanksgiving dessert was fruit and cheese with a glass of port. With this year's lighter roast beef and Christmas pudding, I hope that when I hop on the scale on New Year's Day, I'll have no surprises.
Next page: Simple roast beef tenderloin with parsley-red pepper sauce. »


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Is there a way to add Apps to Google+ pages a la Facebook? For example the common iframe tab facebook allows. If not, is there any similar functionality available or something in store announced by Google?
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Currently there is not.
Google tries to do every feature it rolls out the right way from the start so all new features, especially those giving 3th party developers access to Google+ content, roll out relatively slow.