Abstract: A system and method are disclosed for synthesizing speech based on a selected speech act. A method includes modifying synthesized speech of a spoken dialogue system, by (1) receiving a user utterance, (2) analyzing the user utterance to determine an appropriate speech act, and (3) generating a response of a type associated with the appropriate speech act, wherein in linguistic variables in the response are selected, based on the appropriate speech act.

Abstract: A method that incorporates a detailed, precise procedure of designing a user interface by utilizing agent behavioral models. This method applies quantitative and qualitative agent behavioral models derived through the Categorize Describe-Model (CDM) methodology to the iterative design stage of interface development. The method includes: (1) categorizing at least two users; (2) validating targeted user behaviors and preferences; (3) capturing emergent behaviors and preferences; (4) tracking design requirements and implementations; (5) accommodating diversity in performance and preference during interactive testing; and (6) customizing a user interface design to each of the at least two users.

Abstract: Systems and techniques for generating item ratings for a user in order to allow for recommendations of selected items for that user. A set of known ratings of different items for a plurality of users is collected and maintained, and these known ratings are used to estimate rating factors influencing ratings, including user and item factors. Initial user and item factors are estimated and new user and item factors are successively added, with the original rating factors being progressively shrunk so as to reduce their magnitude and their contribution to the rating estimation as successive factors are added. When an appropriate number of user and item factors has been estimated, the rating factors are used to estimate ratings of items for a user, and the estimated ratings are employed to generate recommendations for that user.

Abstract: Systems and techniques for estimation of item ratings for a user. A set of item ratings by multiple users is maintained, and similarity measures for all items are precomputed, as well as values used to generate interpolation weights for ratings neighboring a rating of interest to be estimated. A predetermined number of neighbors are selected for an item whose rating is to be estimated, the neighbors being those with the highest similarity measures. Global effects are removed, and interpolation weights for the neighbors are computed simultaneously. The interpolation weights are used to estimate a rating for the item based on the neighboring ratings, Suitably, ratings are estimated for all items in a predetermined dataset that have not yet been rated by the user, and recommendations are made of the user by selecting a predetermined number of items in the dataset having the highest estimated ratings.

Abstract: A method and system include routing telephone calls from multiple private networks via public lines and trunks in a public switched telephone network (PSTN) to a host switch, at which the connections would begin to run parallel. The host switch routes the telephone calls via a private trunk group to a private facility, such as an electronic tandem network (ETN) node or an asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) switch. If the private trunk group is full or unavailable, the host switch routes the telephone calls over alternate private or public trunk groups and selected carriers.

Abstract: A method and system for error prevention and recovery of voice activated navigation through a menu having plural nodes provides situation dependent utterance verification by relating confirmation to utterance determination confidence levels. In one embodiment, a high confidence level results in implicit confirmation, a medium confidence level results in explicit confirmation and a low confidence level results in a concise interrogative prompt of a single word that requests the user to repeat the utterance. In situations where voice recognition is difficult, dual modality with DTMF navigation is provided as an option for menu selections.

Abstract: A computer program for routing a service call from a calling party to a service network having a plurality of service network locations, the program stored in a computer-readable medium. The program includes receiving a service call request to connect the calling party to one of the service network locations, determining a location of the calling party by searching a Number Plan Area (NPA) table to determine an NPA of the calling number of the calling party, identifying one of the service network locations for receiving the service call request, and identifying routing information for routing the service call request to the receiving service network location, and completing the service call request to the receiving service network location.

Abstract: Disclosed are methods, systems, and computer-readable media for tracking dialog states in a spoken dialog system. The method comprises casting a plurality of dialog states, or particles, as a network describing the probability relationships between each of a plurality of variables, sampling a subset of the plurality of dialog states, or particles, in the network, for each sampled dialog state, or particle, projecting into the future, assigning a weight to each sampled particle, and normalizing the assigned weights to yield a new estimated distribution over each variable's values, wherein the distribution over the variables is used in a spoken dialog system. Also disclosed is a method of tuning performance of the methods, systems, and computer-readable media by adding or removing particles to/from the network.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are systems, methods, and computer-readable media to represent, store, and manipulate metadata. The method for representing metadata includes defining a map to metadata stored in a global database for each of a plurality of metadata containers, receiving a query for metadata associated with a file, determining which of the plurality of metadata containers the query requires, and responding to the query based on metadata associated with the file from the global database retrieved using the corresponding map for the determined metadata container.

Abstract: A central host performs an automated method of updating multiple remote devices. In one embodiment, the host recognizes a predetermined download time and, in advance of the download time, transmits a calendar update to multiple remote devices. The calendar update includes the download time, and the remote devices may utilize the download time to set calendar reminders for entering an active state. Within a short time after reaching the download time, the host pushes download data to the remote devices by broadcasting the download data. In one aspect, the host may receive message acknowledgements from remote devices in response to a first calendar update, and the host may automatically transmit additional calendar updates to any remote devices that did not receive the first calendar update. Additional embodiments involve related methods and the terminal devices that receive the updates.

Abstract: A method for creating an electronic marketplace includes receiving from a first client a request to create an electronic marketplace and receiving information about a product associated with the marketplace. The information includes at least one of first product information and a reference to second product information. The method also includes creating a marketplace metacatalog associated with the marketplace using a template, storing the first product information in the marketplace metacatalog if the information about the product includes the first product information, and associating the reference to the second product information with the marketplace metacatalog if the information about the product includes the reference. The method further includes communicating at least a portion of at least one of the first product information and the second product information to a second client using the marketplace metacatalog.

Abstract: A communications services network platform has a multi-layered software architecture residing on a host computer. The network platform connects to a communications network and includes a call processing stack, a link layer, and a service support subsystem. The call processing stack implements call processing by processing events associated with a communication path through the communications network and has an application layer, representing each active call being processed by the call processing stack, and a resource layer, including software abstractions of physical resources located outside the host computer. The link layer manages a communications link between physically connected physical resources and the call processing stack. The service support subsystem executes services requested by the call processing stack. The platform manages and controls communications events associated with the communication path to complete a request for services between nodes on the communication network.

Abstract: A method of presenting instructions to a user sending an incoming communication to a service center includes presenting a menu to the user. The menu includes a plurality of procedure descriptors to the user. The user is presented, according to a selection of one of the procedure descriptors by the user, a sequence of instructions which enable completion of a procedure described by the selected procedure descriptor. The incoming communication is transferred at a position in the sequence of instructions to a representative. The incoming communication is also transferred back to the same position in the sequence of instructions.

Abstract: A mobile station is used by one of a plurality of subscribers of a home area wireless service provider. The mobile station includes a memory for storing a home area wireless network identity and a plurality of preferred wireless network identities. The mobile station further including a controller controlling said mobile station to connect to the home area wireless network when in a home area and controlling said mobile station to connect to one of the preferred wireless networks when outside the home area.

Abstract: A method for location-based communicating includes defining at least one predefined service area for a service provider. A networked communications apparatus receives a communication including a first identifier that identifies the service provider based on input from a requesting party. A determination is made as to whether multiple predefined service areas have been defined for the service provider based on receiving the communication at the networked communications apparatus. A determination is made as to whether the requesting party is in one of the predefined service areas, when the multiple predefined service areas have been defined for the service provider. A determination is made as to which of the predefined service areas the requesting party is in, when the requesting party is in one of the predefined service areas. Information specific to a service provider location is provided for the determined predefined service area the requesting party is in.

Abstract: A method for location-based communications routing includes determining a location of a requesting party in accordance with an address of the requesting party. Whether the location of the requesting party is in a first subscriber service area is determined and, when the location of the requesting party is not in the first subscriber service area, whether the location of the requesting party is in a second expanded subscriber service area larger than and including the first subscriber service area is determined. When the location of the requesting party is determined to be in the first subscriber service area, data corresponding to the first subscriber area is forwarded. When the location of the requesting party is determined to be in the second expanded subscriber service area, data corresponding to the second expanded subscriber service area is forwarded.

Abstract: Outgoing call log data associated with a call from a subscriber's terminal is provided by a system including a switch, which receives the call from the subscriber's terminal and launches a query in response to the call, and a service controller, which receives the query and forwards call data to an interface server in response to the query. The switch continues to process the telephone call after querying the service controller. The interface server obtains additional information from a directory database based on at least the received call data. An outgoing call log database receives and stores the call data and the additional information from the interface server as the outgoing call log data. A web server retrieves the outgoing call log data from the outgoing call log database, in response to a query from a web client, and displays the outgoing call log data at the web client.

Abstract: A method of collecting information is provided. The method includes sending an interactive text markup programming language script, using a session initiation protocol (SIP) message, to a communications device. The interactive script includes a first query and a second query that depends on a response to the first query. The method also includes receiving the response from the communications device. The response is based upon input from a user of the communications device.

Abstract: A method for providing spectral containment over telecommunications service lines is provided. The method includes selecting a filter having spectral characteristics corresponding to a predetermined passband. The method also includes connecting the filter in series to at least one loop used to provide at least one telecommunications service to a customer. The method further includes activating service over the at least one loop. The filter attenuates signals transmitted on frequencies outside of the predetermined passband over the at least one loop.

Abstract: A customer service call system that provides both manual (assisted by a service representative) and automated problem solving dialogs. A routing process determines which dialog is appropriate for incoming calls. The routing process determines a probability that the automated system will resolve the problem and also determines an expected hold time for the customer to reach the manual dialog. The routing process uses this information to determine how the call should be routed.