Abstract: Methods and systems for managing real-time conversations include are disclosed. In one or more examples, voice communications may be received from a caller and converted into textual elements. The textual elements may be analyzed to identify key concepts or expressions. A segment of a call script associated with the identified key concepts or expressions can be identified, and a plurality of selectable audio responses to present to the caller based upon the identified segment of the call script and the identified key concepts or expressions may be provided to the agent-operator. An audio response selected by the agent-operator from the selectable audio responses may be communicated to the caller. Other aspects, embodiments, and features are also included.

Abstract: Methods and systems for automatically implementing contact center administration updates based on acceptance of a broadcast request are provided. In particular, a request can be broadcast to a target audience. Acceptance of the request by members of the target audience automatically implements changes defined in connection with the request for accepting agents. The broadcast request can be recalled under certain conditions. In addition, the action or actions implemented in response to the acceptance of the request can be undone under various conditions.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method and system for authenticating identification of a customer during interaction with a company representative. Data is received and stored relating to the customer at a computer. The data includes one or more identification attributes associated with the customer and one or more authentication data attributes associated with the customer. An interaction is commenced between the customer and the company representative. Captured is one or more identification attributes and authentication data attributes relating to customer from the interaction between the customer and the company representative. The customer is identified by matching a captured identification attribute with a stored identification attribute. The customer is authenticated by matching a captured authentication data attribute with a like stored authentication data attribute associated with the identified customer.

Abstract: A method for transmitting choices to a caller has steps of (a) interacting by voice with a caller using a communication device; (b) encountering a point in the interaction that a choice between two or more options is to be provided to the caller; (c) determining if the caller's communication device is capable of receiving a text message; (d) selecting a compatible text message comprising the options; (e) associating with the text message a text message destination address to the caller's device; and (f) transmitting the text message to the caller's device. The interaction may be by IVR or by a live agent.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus for protecting electrical components are disclosed. In one aspect a system includes a first gas discharge tube connected to a first conductor of a first twisted wire pair; and a second gas discharge tube connected to a second conductor of the first twisted wire pair. The first gas discharge tube can also be connected to a third conductor of a second twisted wire pair, and the second gas discharge tube can be connected to a fourth conductor of the second twisted wire pair.

Abstract: A system may time-shift the distribution high-definition (HD) audio. The system can obtain an audio stream from a specified audio source, transcode the audio stream into an HD audio stream, and store the HD audio stream in a memory. The system may later forward the stored HD audio stream to a destination device, which can be a communication device linked to the system through a local telephone network or a remote communication device. The system can also store HD audio when a local communication device receives an incoming call request that interrupts a current HD audio distribution process. The system may resume distribution of the HD audio after processing the incoming call request from a point when the distribution was interrupted.

Abstract: Current interactive voice response (IVR) systems only allow customers to interact with a company's database using a telephone keypad or by speech recognition. Such IVR systems require a customer to listen to and remember instructions or options presented by the IVR system. The instructions may be complicated, or there may be many options. An embodiment of the present invention enhances an IVR system by composing visual representations of states of the IVR system to display to the customer and enabling the customer to interact with the IVR via the visual representations. The use of the visual representations enables a user to interact with the IVR in a simplified and more expedient manner in part because a linear set of options is presented in a randomly-accessible list or tree structure format.

Abstract: A system includes: a computerized appliance having a processor; and software executing on the computerized appliance from a non-transitory physical medium, the software providing: establishment of a communication session over a network between two or more end communications appliances; detection and recording of at least media channel capabilities on individual end communications appliances connected in the session; service of media channel toggle options to end communications appliances; detection of media channel toggle option selections made by users operating the end communications appliances; and implementation of the media channel toggle option or options selected for individual communications sessions.

Abstract: A system and method are presented for voicemail acceleration. A voicemail acceleration system, which functions to accelerate the experience of a user, is associated with at least one user device. A user may initiate an interaction with another user, wherein the device associated with the voicemail acceleration system detects that the interaction is being sent to voicemail through contact analysis. A pre-established message and/or a number of options may be presented to the user initiating the interaction, wherein the user may choose an option or elect to automatically leave a message and end the interaction on their end. The voicemail acceleration system provides the retrieved message to the other user and finishes the interaction.

Abstract: The present invention refers to a method and device for detecting a bridged tap within a telecommunication line. In order to reliably detect bridged taps of different types, in particular wire pair bridged taps and single wire bridged taps, and/or to determine a type of each detected bridged tap the method includes determining first transfer function data that characterize an actual transfer function of the telecommunication line; detecting the bridged tap depending on the first transfer function data; simulating the telecommunication line based on a result of the detecting; and identifying the type of the bridged tap by comparing results of the simulating with the first transfer function data.

Abstract: An embodiment of the invention routes a call from a caller to a select agent with a controller, the call being routed based on a caller profile of the caller and a regional profile. A processor can generate a new call record for the call between the caller and the select agent, the new call record including caller attributes and agent attributes. A detector can monitor the call between the caller and the select agent, the call being monitored for communication barriers. The communication barriers can include words and/or phrases that indicate a misunderstanding, and/or repetition of the same phrase. The processor can update the caller's profile and/or the regional profile, the caller's profile and/or regional profile being updated with the new call record.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for monitoring audio quality and controlling noise in telephone conferences. In one example, voice activity detection processing is implemented based on the energy in the audio signal of each channel and the zero crossing rate of the audio signal to differentiate noise from speech. Certain examples further include the use of a voice quality index and activity timer to determine audio quality.

Abstract: A request is received from a communications device to execute an interaction site. A request is transmitted to the automated response system. First instructions that provide one or more steps of the multi-step communication flow between the communications device and the automated response system are received from the automated response system. In response to determining that the request is for the voice-interaction with the interaction site, second instructions that provide the one or more steps through a voice interaction with a user of the communications device are determined and transmitted to the communications device. In response to determining that the request is for the visual-interaction with the interaction site, third instructions that provide the one or more steps through a visual interaction with the user of the communications device are determined and transmitted to the communications device.

Abstract: A user ID authentication method, wherein it comprises the process step of realization of a call between the phone number recorded previously in the customer information database (5), and the interactive voice response system (IVR) (1) in the case where a user logs over a web browser (4) into a restricted access system requiring high security such as Internet banking.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method and an apparatus for facilitating speech application testing generate a plurality of test scripts. A test script is generated by initiating a voice call interaction with a speech application including a network of interaction nodes, and repeatedly performing, until a stopping condition is encountered, the steps of, executing the voice call interaction by traversing through interaction nodes until an interaction node requiring a response is encountered, selecting an utterance generation mode, determining a response to be provided corresponding to the interaction node, and providing the response to the speech application. The test script comprises instructions for traversing interaction nodes and for provisioning one or more responses during the course of the voice call interaction. One or more test scripts from among the plurality of test scripts are identified based on a pre-determined objective and provided to a user for facilitating testing of the speech application.

Abstract: Disclosed are systems, apparatus, methods, and computer readable media for interfacing with a phone system in an on-demand service environment. In one embodiment, a client machine is in communication with a data provider and the phone system. The phone system is operated by a phone provider separate from the data provider. A message is received at the client machine from the phone system. The message includes information regarding a phone event in relation to a phone call. The phone event information is provided in a first part of a user interface in a web browser on the client machine. A second part of the user interface is capable of displaying information received at the client machine from the data provider. The first part of the user interface and the second part of the user interface are adapted to communicate with one another. For example, the first part of the user interface is adapted to send a message including the phone event information to the second part of the user interface.

Abstract: Disclosed is a communication device including a first communication part, a calling processing part, and a second communication part. The first communication part generates a response by a virtual communication party to a user's input and outputs the response from an output unit to realize first communication. The calling processing part controls a communication unit and performs calling processing on a communication device of a real communication party to call the real communication party when the first communication is realized by the first communication part. The second communication part controls the communication unit to supply the user's input accepted by the input unit to the communication device of the real communication party, acquires a response to the user's input from the communication device of the real communication party, and outputs the response to the output unit to realize second communication.

Abstract: A Pre-distortion mechanism for transmit path non-linearity in xDSL AFE is disclosed in the present invention. The AFE includes a line driver and a pre-distortion signal generator. The line driver receives an input differential signal and generates an output differential signal. The input differential signal includes a first input signal and a second input signal. The output differential signal includes a first output signal and a second output signal. The line driver receives the first input signal to generate the first output signal and receives the second input signal to generate the second output signal. The pre-distortion signal generator is coupled to input ends and output ends of the line driver.

Abstract: At least one example embodiment discloses a method of reducing crosstalk in a system. The method includes obtaining a plurality of groups of lines based on crosstalk characteristics of the system, lines in a same group of lines being permitted to be active during a same time slot, identifying a first set of lines associated with data to send and a second set of lines associated with no data to send, the first set of lines being designated for transmission during a selected time slot, modifying the first set of lines in accordance with the plurality of groups of lines and transmitting symbols during the selected time slot using the modified first set of lines.

Abstract: Systems and methods that analyze and monitor the performance of a call center including performance of the interactive voice response systems, call center agents, and other components. The systems and methods record characteristics of the call such as the audio data, and analyze that record to identify the events that take place during the call. These events may be defined as customer/call center interactions, such as dropped calls, logic errors or other event. A call center administrator may also identify a set of metrics, such as the number of dropped calls that occur during a day, that may be monitored by the systems described herein. The data collected about these events and metrics may be stored in a database and provided to the administrator through a user interface that allows the administrator to browse through the collected metric and recorded call data and directly review relevant portions of a call.