Abstract: A speech recognition system recognizes a telephone call parameter dependent word received during a telephone call. The recognition system extracts a telephone call parameter (e.g., the telephone number from where the telephone call originated, the time of day, etc.) from the telephone call and generates a probable word set from the telephone call parameter. The probable word set includes at least one telephone call parameter dependent word. Further, the recognition system receives a speech signal and generates one or more of word choices from the speech signal. The recognition system then selects, based on the probable word set, one of the generated word choices as the recognized telephone call parameter dependent word.

Abstract: A network-based voice messaging system is provided. A voice message is received at a network. The network converts the voice message into a text message by utilizing speech recognition software. The text message is transmitted to the intended recipient as an electronic mail (e-mail) message or facsimile document and is received by the intended recipient on conventional text receiving equipment.

Abstract: An automated telephone call designation system includes a database that stores a plurality of keywords where each keyword is associated with at least one topic designation. The system monitors the conversation of an ongoing telephone call by utilizing voice recognition software resident in a network to detect the use of the keywords in the conversation. The keywords used in the conversation are correlated to the topic designation(s) associated with the keywords. Based on the correlation of the keywords to the topic designation(s) associated with the keywords, a topic for the ongoing telephone call is designated. A third party that desires to join an ongoing conversation of interest reviews the topics of the ongoing conversations and is bridged into the conversation of interest.

Abstract: A network that establishes a telephone call between a calling party and a called party and alters speech signals generated by the calling party during the telephone call. The network includes a network node that is coupled to the transmit channel of the calling party and the receive channel of the called party. The network node is programmed to receive a request to establish the telephone call from the calling party and receive a selection of a speech signal alteration from the calling party. The network node initiates the telephone call to the called party. Further, the network node alters the speech signal of the calling party based on the speech signal alteration selection.

Abstract: A network-based voice messaging system is provided. A voice message is received at a network. The network converts the voice message into a text message by utilizing speech recognition software. The text message is transmitted to the intended recipient as an electronic mail (e-mail) message or facsimile document and is received by the intended recipient on conventional text receiving equipment.

Abstract: A method and apparatus recognize an identifier entered by a user. A caller enters a predetermined identifier through a voice input device or a touch-tone keypad of a telephone handset. A signal representing the entered identifier is transmitted to a remote recognizer, which responds to the identifier signal by producing a recognized output intended to match the entered identifier. The present invention compares this recognized identifier with a list of valid reference identifiers to determine which one of these reference identifiers most likely matches the entered identifier. In performing this determination, the present invention compares each character of the recognized identifier with a character in a corresponding character position of each reference identifier in light of a plurality of confusion sets.

Abstract: A recording system that is automatically triggered in response to the detection of a triggering event to record a desired signal. In order to determine whether the triggering event is present in the input signal, the recording system of the present invention detects whether a recognized pattern in the input signal corresponds to a reference pattern maintained in memory. Alternatively, the triggering event may be detected by performing a predetermined logic operation on those recognized patterns that match at least one of the reference patterns. The present invention also employs a buffer for delaying the input signal by a predetermined duration. Once the triggering event is detected, a recording device is activated to record the delayed signal for at least the predetermined duration.

Abstract: A speech recognition system recognizes spoken utterances received as a speech signal from a user. A prompt for requesting a spoken utterance from the user is assigned a response identifier which indicates at least one of a plurality of speech recognizers to best recognize a particular type of spoken utterance. The system includes a processor for receiving the speech signal from the user in response to the prompt. The processor also directs the speech signal to the at least one speech recognizer indicated by the response identifier. The speech recognizer generates a plurality of spoken utterance choices from the speech signal and a probability associated with each of the plurality of choices. At least one of the spoken utterance choices is selected based on the associated probabilities.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for selectively eliminating nuisance signals during communications connections as during conference calling in which the signals are eliminated when a call path is placed on hold by monitoring signals in a reverse traffic channel from a holding party. If the reverse traffic channel contains a predetermined signal, a music on hold circuit is disabled. When the call is first placed on hold, a check for the predetermined signal is made. If the predetermined signal is not detected during a defined period of time, the music on hold circuit is engaged; otherwise the circuit remains disabled. The predetermined signal may be noise signals, speech signals or a sequence of touch tones or speech representing a command to disable the music on hold circuit. Optionally, a disabled music on hold circuit may be enabled by placing a second command signal, such as speech or touch tones, into the reverse traffic channel.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for delivering personalized broadcast messages is disclosed. In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, a broadcast message that is to be delivered to several recipients is stored in a network broadcast message database. Access numbers for each intended recipient of the broadcast message are stored in a recipient database in the network. The sender of the broadcast message generates a personalized message for each intended recipient and stores each personalized message in the recipient database. A message delivery module in the network retrieves the access number for each intended recipient from the recipient database and establishes a communications connection with each intended recipient. The message delivery module also retrieves the stored personalized message that is associated with the intended recipient and the stored broadcast message from the broadcast message database.

Abstract: A method and apparatus providing a communication service in which sponsors pay for communication services initiated by a caller. A caller may invoke the service by entering only the telephone number identifying the desired connection. A communication switch interprets the digits entered by the caller, determines whether the caller wishes to invoke the advertiser supported communication service and if so plays a message to the caller. At the end of the message the communication switch completes the desired connection.

Abstract: The present invention provides an apparatus and method for verifying address identifiers over a telecommunications network by first storing a plurality of zip codes in a database. A corresponding list of address identifiers is created and stored for each zip code. After receiving a spoken zip code from a user, the corresponding list of address identifiers is retrieved. Once the list of address identifiers is retrieved, a plurality of choices for at least some of the address identifiers is created. These plurality of choices contain words that rhyme with or sound like other address identifiers located in the retrieval group of address identifiers.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for placing a message in digital data. The message is placed by manipulating certain data bits in a way that does not severely corrupt the data. The data can be mu-law encoded, wherein a value of 1 is assigned to one representation of zero, and a value of 0 is assigned to the other representation of zero. In this case, a message is placed in the data using these assigned values of 1 and 0.

Abstract: A system and apparatus provides a voice message of a calling party to a called party. The method includes the steps of initiating a telephone call to the called party over a first network and receiving the telephone call at a network node within the first network. The method further includes the steps of determining whether the called party is on-line a second network and receiving the voice message from the calling party. The method further includes the steps of converting the voice message to a digital file and sending an electronic mail message that includes the digital file to the called party.

Abstract: Method and apparatus provide a frequency discount for host payable calls provided by a communication network. Call information, including the customer's telephone number and the dialed telephone number, is processed to determine whether a particular call is eligible for the frequency discount. A host profile is retrieved from a memory based on the dialed telephone number from which the eligibility conditions of the discount are obtained. Customer records are retrieved from the same or different memory based on the customer telephone number. If the customer's history meets the conditions outlined by the host profile, the discount is awarded.

Abstract: A speech recognition system recognizes spoken utterances received as a speech signal from a user. A prompt for requesting a spoken utterance from the user is assigned a response identifier which indicates at least one of a plurality of speech recognizers to best recognize a particular type of spoken utterance. The system includes a processor for receiving the speech signal from the user in response to the prompt. The processor also directs the speech signal to the at least one speech recognizer indicated by the response identifier. The speech recognizer generates a plurality of spoken utterance choices from the speech signal and a probability associated with each of the plurality of choices. At least one of the spoken utterance choices is selected based on the associated probabilities.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for reminding users who enter information in longhand fashion that such information may also be accessed by entering a shorthand counterpart to the entered information. According to the present invention, a user enters an input identifier into a device such as a telephone. The present invention maintains in memory a set of valid longhand identifiers associated with their respective shorthand counterparts. Based on a comparison between the input identifier and the information maintained in memory, the present invention determines whether the input identifier is a longhand information item. If it is, the present invention accesses from memory the associated shorthand information item for the entered longhand information item. The present invention then presents the accessed shorthand information item to the user, so that in the future, the user will activate the longhand information item by entering the associated shorthand information item.

Abstract: The present invention provides an apparatus and method for verifying address identifiers over a telecommunications network by first storing a plurality of zip codes in a database. A corresponding list of address identifiers is created and stored for each zip code. After receiving a spoken zip code from a user, the corresponding list of address identifiers is retrieved. Once the list of address identifiers is retrieved, a plurality of choices for at least some of the address identifiers is created. These plurality of choices contain words that rhyme with or sound like other address identifiers located in the retrieval group of address identifiers. After the system receives a spoken address identifier from the user, the system queries the database for a match between the spoken address identifier and the stored address identifier. The user is then prompted to verify that the system accurately recognized the spoken address identifier.

Abstract: A system and method for delivering automated pre-recorded messages to intended recipients is disclosed. An automated call controller places phone calls to intended recipients and plays a pre-recorded message for the recipient after the call is answered. The automated call controller accesses phone numbers for intended recipients from a database and automatically dials the accessed phone numbers. The automated call controller monitors parameters associated with the telephone call. A message delivery decision model analyzes these monitored parameters, and any other parameters input to the decision model, and, based on the analysis of the parameters, optimizes the delivery of the pre-recorded message by the call controller. Results from the completed phone call are stored in the database and are utilized by the decision model to optimize the completion of future phone calls to that particular phone number.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for recognizing an input identifier entered by a user. A caller enters a predetermined identifier through a voice input device. A signal representing the entered identifier is transmitted to a remote recognizer, which responds to the identifier signal by producing a recognized output intended to match the entered identifier. The present invention then generates a set of option identifiers, each option identifier having a possibility of matching the input identifier. The set of option identifiers is then reduced to a set of candidate identifiers by eliminating those option identifiers that are not found among a set of stored reference identifiers. The present invention selects a match for the input identifier from the set of candidate identifiers.