"soft" Key Patents (Class 379/915)
  • Patent number: 11924370
    Abstract: A method for controlling a real-time communication between at least two participants can include identifying, from the at least two participants a first participant as an active speaker in the conversation by using audio signals received from the first participant via a microphone, and activating the digital assistant unit for the first participant. A voice recognition procedure for identifying and transcribing identified voice commands can be used so the transcribed voice commands are analyzed and executed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: RINGCENTRAL, INC.
    Inventors: Karl Klaghofer, Wolfgang Schiffer, Michael Rodenbücher
  • Patent number: 8442197
    Abstract: The present invention is directed, in one embodiment, to the simultaneous streaming of a text representation of a first voice stream from a first call to a telephone for display and transmitting of a second voice stream from a second call to the telephone for audible play to the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2013
    Assignee: Avaya Inc.
    Inventors: Bruce P. Mazza, Paul Roller Michaelis
  • Patent number: 8139740
    Abstract: A method for operating a telephone system with at least two telephony terminals to where, in addition to voice data or user data, functional data is transmitted by means of special functions of the telephone system, such as forwarding or holding established call connections. It shall be possible in a simple way for the user to handle even a relatively large multitude of special functions. For this purpose, according to the invention, an action key of a first telephony terminal, provided for triggering special functions is assigned the respective special function to be triggered, depending on its own status or the status of a second telephony terminal within the same team.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2012
    Assignee: Avaya Inc.
    Inventors: Dirk Schlossecki, Michael Grün, Stephan Stadler, James Farber, Steven Greenspan
  • Patent number: 6760410
    Abstract: A computer having automatic answering state displaying and processing functions includes an automatic answering setting unit for outputting an automatic answering guide message, preset by a user, for when a telephone call from the outside is received through a modem, portion for storing a predetermined received message from the outside according to the automatic answering guide message, portion for displaying that there is the received message in response to a display signal, a telephone button for generating an answering confirmation signal when the user notices the display portion and presses the telephone button, a microcomputer for generating the display signal to control the display portion, if there is the received message, and detecting the answering confirmation signal generated from the telephone button, and an automatic answering processing unit for informing the microcomputer that the received message is stored in the storage portion and informing the user of the received message from the storage p
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 1999
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2004
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Joon Lee
  • Patent number: 6304646
    Abstract: A man-machine interface device for a telephone terminal for selecting options offered to the user when using services offering such options indicates to the terminal the various options that can be selected and determines, in a manner specific to each terminal, the mode of presentation of the options to the user for the purpose of making the selection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 1997
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2001
    Assignee: Alcatel Mobile Phones
    Inventors: Patrick Liot, Francis Pinault, Frédéric Vasnier
  • Patent number: 6266404
    Abstract: The present invention allows characteristics of individual distributed telephone sets to be controlled by a central telephone switch. In one embodiment, configuration files are stored locally on the phone set, but control of the configuration files is provided by the phone switch. Alternatively, configurations files may be stored on the phone switch. When modifying the configurations of a particular phone set, the phone switch dynamically determines the options that are available based on factors such as phone set model and additional hardware connected to the phone set. The phone switch provides a menu or other means for modifying characteristics of the phone set. The menu provides options only for characteristics available on the phone set. The user of the phone set interacts with the menu to confirm or modify the characteristics of particular phone set.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 1997
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2001
    Assignee: Nortel Networks Limited
    Inventors: Bae-Sik Chon, Trang Ngo
  • Patent number: 6058167
    Abstract: A telephone for use in ISDN telephone systems that implement advanced features such as call forwarding and a method for operating an ISDN telephone system to provide such advanced features are provided for. In an ISDN telephone system implementing the invention, the telephone communicates commands to the switching system by sending codes to the switching system. These codes normally denote keys on the telephone that have been depressed by a user of the telephone. A user of the advanced telephone features having a conventional telephone signals the switching system to activate the advanced telephone feature by depressing a specific key on the conventional telephone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 1996
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2000
    Assignee: Siemens Information and Communication Networks, Inc.
    Inventors: David Iglehart, Leland Lester, Elie Antoun Jreij, O. J. Vander Meiden, Kevin M. Raper, James Umstetter