Abstract: A method for finding or routing a ring containing predetermined ring offices of a communications network while minimizing costs of communications channels used to route the ring. The ring may be a self-healing ring, the communications channels may be optical communications channels, the costs may be fiber transport costs and the network may be a SONET network.

Abstract: A message system includes voice or data messages and which allows such messages to be retrieved at the convenience of the recipient. A preferred data messaging system architecture according to the present invention includes a digital signal processor at a communications entry point, an operational API, a number of calling device personality and rules sets, a storage input/output, and voice and data message storage. The digital signal processor determines the type of communications device contacting the system. The operational API interacts with the calling device to a set of operating rules. These rules specify the calling device's abilities to navigate through a messaging path and provide capability which may be required for the calling device type. The calling device personality and rules set modules preferably contain a feature set for the particular type of communication device.

Abstract: Improved automated synthesis of human audible speech from text is disclosed. Performance enhancement of the underlying text comprehensibility is obtained through prosodic treatment of the synthesized material, improved speaking rate treatment, and improved methods of spelling words or terms for the sysstem user. Prosodic shaping of text sequences appropriate for the discourse in large groupings of text segments, with prosodic boundaries developed to indicate conceptual units within the text groupings, is implemented in a preferred embodiment.

Abstract: Improved automated synthesis of human audible speech from text is disclosed. Performance enhancement of the underlying text comprehensibility is obtained through prosodic treatment of the synthesized material, improved speaking rate treatment, and improved methods of spelling words or terms for the system user. Prosodic shaping of text sequences appropriate for the discourse in large groupings of text segments, with prosodic boundaries developed to indicate conceptual units within the text groupings, is implemented in a preferred embodiment.

Abstract: What is disclosed is a method and system for improving noise cancellation in a signal containing speech by classifying noise frames by their characteristics, and estimating noise based on only one classification at a time. In some instances, the disclosed method further directs the noise estimator and noise canceller to utilize only a designated noise class. Also, the disclosed system can automatically switch between pre-processing and post-processing modes in response to detected changes in acoustic environments.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for activating telephone services in response to speech are described. A directory including names is maintained for each customer. A speaker dependent speech template and a telephone number for each name, is maintained as part of each customer's directory. Speaker independent speech templates are used for recognizing commands. The present invention has the advantage of permitting a customer to place a call by speaking a person's name which serves as a destination identifier without having to speak an additional command or steering word to place the call. This is achieved by treating the receipt of a spoken name in the absence of a command as an implicit command to place a call. Explicit speaker independent commands are used to invoke features or services other than call placement. Speaker independent and speaker dependent speech recognition are performed on a customer's speech in parallel.

Abstract: A fault detection system for a broadband network having a central switch for switched telecommunications connections among subscribers each provided with subscriber interface equipment. The subscriber interface equipment has a received voice path and generates baseband signals for voice telephony which are carried at a carrier frequency on the broadband network. The fault detection system is provided with a tone generator for providing a constant, continuous pilot throughout the network. A pilot tone detector at the subscriber interface equipment detects the absence of pilot tone. The central switch is responsive to each pilot tone detection to recognize the absence of pilot tone at the corresponding subscriber location.

Abstract: To train a speech recognizer, a new voice message (one or a few isolated words), after being spoken by a user, is converted into a token. The token is then compared with a plurality of templates stored in the recognizer and a recognition score is obtained each time. The templates previously stored in the recognizer include templates for previously trained voice messages and one or more previously formed templates of the new voice message. Three tests are applied to the recognition scores to determine if the token and one of the previously formed templates of the new voice message can become paradigm templates, if the new voice message is too close in pronunciation to a voice message the recognizer has been previously trained to recognize, or if the user should repeat the new voice message to form another token. This training procedure provides a certain level of automatic control over the training process of a speaker dependent speech recognizer in an otherwise unsupervised environment.

Abstract: The present invention which is an interactive communication system includes a specialized software or programming system to function in a general field known as intelligent tutoring, which is a promising means of delivering instructions on procedural skills relating to programming and like subjects. What has been developed is integrated distance learning tutor (IDLT) techniques involving the specialized programming, and which inexpensively integrates the concepts of "shared work space" and distance learning technology for a PC based intelligent tutoring systems.