Abstract: A system and method of directing calls is disclosed for a telephone network having remote locations. The remote locations receive incoming calls and attempt to route the calls using a basic call director. If the remote location cannot route the call, then data, such as a recorded spoken utterance, is provided to a central system. The central system then attempts to automatically determine how to route the call using the data from the remote location. If the central system is unable to automatically determine the routing information, then the data is provided to an operator who attempts to determine how to route the call. Finally, a caller can be connected directly to the operator, if the operator is not able to determine routing information from the provided data alone.

Abstract: A system and method for a packet VRU which directly utilize packet network protocols, such as those of the H.323 standard, to provide enhanced services via a packet network. The packet VRU generally operates within the packet network and is not required to provide data format translation or multiple device-type access. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the packet VRU redirects the media stream from a source so that it is sent directly to a destination, instead of passing through the packet VRU. Alternatively, if the packet VRU must perform processing on the message contents, the packets may be sent to both the destination and to the packet VRU. The packet VRU may still retain call control over the media streams by maintaining the signaling and user input components of the call.

Abstract: A system and method are disclosed which quantify one or more attributes of a finite number of resources for effective management of such resources. Quantifiable attributes possessed by a resource may include skills or functional capabilities possessed by the resources, as examples. A request for service by one or more of the resources is received, and at least one attribute desired by the request is quantified. Based at least in part on the quantified attributes of the resources and the quantified attributes desired by the request, at least one suitable resource for servicing the received request is determined. Most preferably, attributes of resources may be quantified along a scale, such as a scale of 0 to 100. For example, within a telephony call center, attributes possessed by agents, such as language skills or product knowledge may be quantified along such a scale. A request for service may be received, and the attributes of a resource desired by the request are quantified along such a scale.

Abstract: A method and system for performing enhanced transcription is disclosed. In a preferred embodiment, a transcription application may automatically transcribe information provided in a message. For instance, the application may automatically convert audio (e.g., voice) data, and/or other data types provided within a message to textual form. Additionally, the transcription application may automatically populate data entry fields with corresponding data from a message. Moreover, the transcription application may indicate a level of confidence for the data automatically transcribed. Furthermore, in a preferred embodiment, the transcription application may monitor the transcriber's activity and automatically adjust the presentation of data to be transcribed according to such activity. For example, the transcription application may monitor the transcriber's focus, e.g., by determining the location of the cursor, and the application may automatically adjust the presentation of data to correspond with such focus.

Abstract: The present invention relates generally to monitoring performance of interactive automated customer applications and more particularly to monitoring performance of an interactive voice response (IVR) system. The present invention monitors IVR state changes in an IVR application. The present invention appends IVR state changes to a history log to allow performance monitoring. Specifically, the present invention logs successful goal completion states (in addition to other information) in the history log where successful goal completion states are associated with a plurality of events associated with said IVR application.

Abstract: A system and method are disclosed which determine the flexibility of requests and utilize such flexibility of requests in managing a finite number of resources for servicing such requests. As an exemplary implementation within a telephony call center, a caller requesting to speak with an agent of the call center may be received. The call center may ascertain whether the caller is capable and willing to speak in multiple languages, such as both English and Spanish. A caller that is so capable and willing may be more efficiently serviced by allocating the “first available” of English and Spanish speaking resources to service the caller. Thus flexible requests that are capable and willing to be serviced by any of a plurality of resources, may be utilized to more effectively manage a finite number of resources in servicing requests.

Abstract: The present invention relates generally to monitoring performance of interactive automated customer applications and more particularly to monitoring performance of an interactive voice response (IVR) system. The present invention monitors IVR state changes in an IVR application. The present invention appends IVR state changes to a history log to allow performance monitoring. Specifically, the present invention logs successful goal completion states (in addition to other information) in the history log where successful goal completion states are associated with a plurality of events associated with said IVR application.

Abstract: There is disclosed an automatic calling system which analyzes the contents of detected voice on a called line and controls the operation of the calling system dependent upon the analyzed context. In one embodiment, the content is analyzed based on typically expected grammars, at least some of which may be unique to the called party. In another embodiment, upon answer detection, the called party is probed, for example by playing one or more messages, and action is taken dependent upon analyzed responses from the called line.

Abstract: A telephony application architecture which allows creating programs as a set of nested routines running independently and concurrently on three different control layers. Each layer focuses on only a particular portion of the overall call processing function thus allowing that portion to be written or presented in a substantially linear fashion. This linear presentation greatly reduces the complexity of development and maintenance of the software.

Abstract: A system and method are disclosed which utilize an enhanced direct memory access (DMA) to both perform a desired data transfer and update data queue directories as needed to properly reflect such data transfer. The enhanced DMA is implemented to receive a data transfer request that comprises at least one data transfer descriptor indicating the desired data transfer, and at least one record update descriptor indicating one or more data queue directories to be updated to properly reflect the desired data transfer. In response, the enhanced DMA both performs the desired data transfer and updates one or more data queue directories to properly reflect such data transfer within the data queue directories. Thereafter, the enhanced DMA notifies the requesting driver that the desired data transfer operation is complete.

Abstract: A simplified programming language is disclosed. The main flow of the program is enclosed in one or more frames. Concurrent operations and asynchronous events that may affect the main program code are attached to the frames as decorations. Operations within the frames may loop or pause until an outside event defined in a decoration causes the main program to exit the frame or to end. Concurrently operating programs may cooperatively exchange data using the decorations. The present language enables software code to be easily updated or modified by changing the decorations that are connected to the program frames.

Abstract: A method and system of managing virtual circuits for improved non-blocking fault tolerance in a multi-node virtual circuit network of resources is presented. On receiving a request for connection between two nodes in the multi-node network, a virtual circuit with a plurality of virtual circuit channels is set up between the two nodes. Each node may have more than one physical link equipped to it. Furthermore, the virtual circuit channel may be disconnected when there is no traffic between the nodes. A method for handling virtual circuit channel allocation and de-allocation that prevents conflicts in reuse of the channels before they are released by both nodes in the connection is also presented. A protocol to prevent race conditions between the nodes is also established providing improved bandwidth utilization in the multi-node network.

Abstract: A graphical development environment for developing the program flow of an application. The environment represents the program flow as an arrow between starting and end points. A developer can modify the program flow by adding an icon representing a subroutine to any point on the arrow. Loops and possible returns of a subroutine are graphically represented by the environment. If the developer modifies the API of a subroutine, the environment graphically represents the calling routines that are affected by the API change. The environment also allows functional components of subroutines to be overwritten by the caller. In such a case, the overwritten components are executing within the caller's environment space. Different overwritten instances of an overwritable subroutine may exist in the same program flow.

Abstract: A system and method for accessing and configuring remote systems is disclosed. A home system having a generic interface establishes a connection with a remote system. The home system determines the current configuration of the remote system, such as the installed features and software version. The remote system then provides any necessary configuration logic objects to the home system. The configuration logic objects are associated with the specific feature and software on the remote system. Using the configuration logic objects for a particular remote system, the generic interface provides a list of valid configuration options to the user. The user is thereby able to modify the configuration of the remote system without having to know the specific features and software that are installed on the remote system and without the risk of selecting an invalid configuration. Configuration logic objects may also monitor the configuration options selected by the user and verify that the selected options are valid.

Abstract: A system and method of directing calls is disclosed for a telephone network having remote locations. The remote locations receive incoming calls and attempt to route the calls using a basic call director. If the remote location cannot route the call, then data, such as a recorded spoken utterance, is provided to a central system. The central system then attempts to automatically determine how to route the call using the data from the remote location. If the central system is unable to automatically determine the routing information, then the data is provided to an operator who attempts to determine how to route the call. Finally, a caller can be connected directly to the operator, if the operator is not able to determine routing information from the provided data alone.

Abstract: A system and method to enable a wide user community to be universally networked in voice communication. Server/IVR 100 receives voice communications from users employing a variety of device types, primarily computers and telephones. These voice communications may be in either asynchronous format, incoming from data grade networks such as the Internet 140, or synchronous format, incoming from standard telephony networks such as SPN 109. Server/IVR 100 functionality seamlessly integrates these voice communications and provides point-to-point, conferenced or broadcast connections of multiple users regardless of user device or asynchronous/synchronous connection format. Server/IVR 100 may also selectively call up automated speech resources (“robots”) to be placed in voice communication with users.

Abstract: The inventive system provides a user interface between a wireless communication device and an information service provider. The interface allows for a blended presentation of information and calling services for implementing an information service to a user of a wireless communication device. The user establishes an initial connection with a data network server to receive a particular service. The data network server sends a set of wireless protocol instructions to the user's mobile device. Based on these instructions, the mobile device will display information to the user which can be used to select a particular service. While preferably presenting a continuous display to the user, the wireless protocol instructions initiate a communication connection between the mobile device and a voice server with speech recognition capabilities.

Abstract: A system and method having a number of call processors and servers which provide prepaid or debit card calling service to local areas is disclosed. The servers are linked via a wide area network (WAN) or some other communications network. The system maintains a single account record for each debit card customer. Each account record contains information such as an account balance and a rate billing plan for the customer. When a customer makes a prepaid call, a local call processor and server handle the call. The local server obtains the customer's record from another server via the WAN if the record is not already present in a local database. WAN traffic is reduced because most debit card users routinely call from the same local area and, as a result, most of calls from a particular customer are processed by the same local call processor and server.

Abstract: A tool for scheduling the delivery of media objects within varying constraints of available bandwidth. In a preferred embodiment in which the invention is enabled by software executable on a general purpose multimedia grade computer, a system designer orchestrates the playback of a series of media objects on a playback “score” analogous to a musical score. The media objects are represented on the playback score as playback icons. Responsive to the designer's manipulation of playback icons on the playback score, the present invention further creates and displays a corresponding download score, in which download icons (corresponding to playback icons on the playback score) are deployed and arranged to fill up a displayed “pipe” of available bandwidth. The topographical area of the download icons, as displayed, corresponds to the data size of the media objects. The download icons are displayed as rectangular or square-cornered polygonal shapes.

Abstract: A system and method for graphically debugging a computer program is disclosed. In a preferred embodiment, a graphical debugging environment is provided, which is capable of displaying a graphical representation of an application program to be debugged. Thereafter, the graphical debugging environment allows a user to insert debugging tools, such as breakpoints, directly into the graphical representation of the application program. Thus, a user is not required to interact with the textual source code of an application program when debugging it. The graphical debugging environment may display indicators illustrating where debug tools have been inserted within the application program. In a preferred embodiment, the graphical debugging environment allows a user to perform debugging during an application program's runtime. Thus, a user is not required to halt an application program prior to debugging it.