Patents Examined by Joseph T Phan
  • Patent number: 8848878
    Abstract: Systems and methods for facilitating emergency callbacks are provided. A request to permit the connection of a telephone call originated by a user device may be received by a call processing system. The call processing system may include any number of computers or computing devices. The telephone call may be identified by the call processing system as an emergency call. Based upon the identification, the call processing system may override one or more incoming call parameters to permit connection of a return call to the user device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2014
    Assignee: Cox Communications, Inc.
    Inventors: Timm Peddie, Michael Poffenberger
  • Patent number: 8837692
    Abstract: A selection identifying a voice mailbox associated with an endpoint in a call diversion chain in which to store a voice message is received. In response to receiving a call from an endpoint and the call not being answered, a header field is generated in signaling data for the call that identifies the selected voice mailbox to store a voice message associated with the call.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2014
    Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Vamsi Mohan Tirunagari, Rajasheela T. Sundarabai, Ravikumar R
  • Patent number: 8831185
    Abstract: A method of accessing voice services through a personal computing system can include receiving, in the personal computing system, a telephone call from a user registered with the personal computing system, wherein the user is remotely located from the personal computing system, receiving a user spoken utterance over the telephone call, and speech recognizing the user spoken utterance to determine a request for a voice service. The method further can include formatting an electronic message according to the request for a voice service and sending the electronic message over a communications network to a remote computing system in accordance with the request for a voice service. Also, the method can include processing and formatting a response received from the remote computing system and playing back audio to the user over the telephone call.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2014
    Assignee: Nuance Communications, Inc.
    Inventors: Shailesh B. Gandhi, Pradeep P. Mansey, Anilkumar B. Patel
  • Patent number: 8811592
    Abstract: Apparatus and methods are provided for using automatic speech recognition to analyze a voice interaction and verify compliance of an agent reading a script to a client during the voice interaction. In one aspect of the invention, a communications system includes a user interface, a communications network, and a call center having an automatic speech recognition component. In other aspects of the invention, a script compliance method includes conducting a voice interaction between an agent and a client and evaluating the voice interaction with an automatic speech recognition component adapted to analyze the voice interaction and determine whether the agent has adequately followed the script. In still other aspects of the invention, respective data for specific interactions, including voice records or panels, transcribed text equivalents to such voice records or panels, and/or script text governing such voice records or panels, can be forwarded to one or more respective clients.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2014
    Assignee: West Corporation
    Inventors: Mark J. Pettay, Jill M. Vacek
  • Patent number: 8811576
    Abstract: Apparatus and method to allow retrieval of voice messages deleted from the voice message memory of a voice messaging system. A voice messaging system such as a telephone answering device includes a deleted voice message memory for storing voice messages deleted from the voice message memory. The deleted voice messages stored in the deleted voice message memory are retrievable by the user for review subject to rules for permanent deletion of the deleted voice messages (e.g., after a period of time, when the deleted voice message memory approaches capacity, periodically, etc.).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2014
    Assignee: Agere Systems LLC
    Inventors: Syed S. Ali, Lakshmi Narayana Jampanaboyana, James J. Greybush
  • Patent number: 8811575
    Abstract: The present disclosure describes a system, method, and computer readable medium for providing information to a receiving party in a communications network. The method includes receiving a message from a sending party and performing a lookup of information relating to the sending party in a database via an Internet Protocol connection. The lookup is based on an identifier of at least one of the sending party and the receiving party. Subsequently, the information is provided to the receiving party based on the availability of the information in the database.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2014
    Assignee: I D You, LLC
    Inventors: Monica Rose Martino, Kevin V Nguyen, M. Gregory Smith
  • Patent number: 8804913
    Abstract: A system for monitoring quality of calls in a network. A server receives information concerning calls which begin or end in a network and at the same time receives measurements of a quality parameter such as bandwidth. This measurement data is provided by a probe, so that the server is able to correlate calls which are placed through the network with the quality of service in the network at that time. When the quality falls below a desired level, the server notifies the customer or the network operator so that appropriate action may be taken.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2014
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property II, L.P.
    Inventors: Eric Cheung, Mark Foladare, Shelley Goldman, Kermit H. Purdy, David H. Shur
  • Patent number: 8798240
    Abstract: An interactive voice response process that permits an intelligent interactive voice system to communicate with a caller includes receiving a call and connecting the caller with the system. The process also includes identifying the caller, determining if the caller is a first time caller or a repeat caller, and interactively communicating with the caller in accordance with an interactive script. For each first time caller, the process establishes a personal profile of the caller from information gathered from the caller. The process then develops a predictive personalized interactive communication dialog for future calls from the caller based on information gathered from the caller during the interactive communication and stored in the caller's personal profile.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2014
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
    Inventors: Mina Awad, John T. McSweeney
  • Patent number: 8787533
    Abstract: A system and method for placing a phone call through a selected telephone network is disclosed. A member submits a source phone number and a destination phone number to an application server in the selected telephone network. The member's class of service (COS) is determined. A first phone call is placed to the source phone number, if it is within the member's COS. A second phone call is placed to the destination phone number if it is within the member's COS. Caller ID information associated with the member's phone in the selected telephone network is communicated to the destination phone. The phone calls are connected to enable communication between the source and destination phones.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2014
    Assignee: Mitel Networks Corporation
    Inventor: Douglas James MacDonald
  • Patent number: 8787538
    Abstract: Various technologies and techniques are disclosed for providing an autoresponder that allows subscribers to opt-in to one or more autoresponder campaigns using their spoken voice. Voice input is received from a subscriber and converted to text. The subscriber is added to at least one campaign. A contact communication identifier is stored in a subscriber contact record from the text that was converted from the voice input. One or more messages are sent to the subscriber using the contact communication identifier, and according to a schedule specified in the campaign. A virtual seminar playback system is described that simulates a live virtual seminar and allows subscribers to access a playback of a media recording over a communication connection at a specified time. An autoresponder system is described that delivers messages to subscribers in multiple available formats, based upon selections received by the subscribers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2014
    Assignee: You Everywhere Now, LLC
    Inventor: Michael A. Koenigs
  • Patent number: 8774381
    Abstract: A subscriber who seeks to block access to contact information may receive identifying information for people attempting to access the subscriber's contact information. The subscriber also may be provided interfaces to enable the attempting person to contact the subscriber, in a variety of escalating forms, without revealing the subscriber's contact information. In a particular implementation, a request is received from an information seeker for contact information for a subscriber. A data structure is accessed that includes an indication that the subscriber should be provided with information relating to requests received for the subscriber's contact information. A message address for the subscriber is accessed, and a message is sent to the subscriber indicating the request for the subscriber's contact information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2014
    Assignee: AOL Inc.
    Inventors: John Ernest Keeling, Barry Appelman
  • Patent number: 8755501
    Abstract: Methods for identifying a remote user of a portable device by using the portable device to encode sound corresponding to the identification of the remote user. The sound is received by a microphone external to the portable device and converted to an electrical signal. The electrical signal is transmitted to a processing device, that may be remote to the microphone, where the electrical signal is processed and the identification of the remote user is completed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2014
    Assignee: Encotone, Ltd.
    Inventor: Isaac J Labaton
  • Patent number: 8737579
    Abstract: A method of routing messages may include providing a listener registry of a plurality of listeners and associated namespaces so that at least one namespace is associated with each of the plurality of listeners. A message may be received from an originating application, and the message may include a message namespace. The message may be stored in a message queue, and a determination may be made to determine if a listener from the listener registry is associated with the message namespace. If no listener from the listener registry is associated with the message namespace, the message may be stored in a parked message queue separate from the message queue. After the message has been in the parked message queue for a predetermined period of time, the message may be deleted from the parked message queue.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2014
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
    Inventors: Brett Dennis Johnson, Larry Kent, Jr., Charles Frederick Hart, Matthew Campbell, Donald H. Fair, Thomas Hackbarth, Bruce Peterson
  • Patent number: 8724779
    Abstract: A small baseline audio sample is sampled when a person initially calls in and the sample is held only for the duration of the call. For each subsequent transfer, a comparison is made to the baseline established from the initial call and at the end of the call the voice sample is discarded so no resources need to be maintained. Speaker verification and VOIP technologies are used to persist the customer's verification information as service representative hand-offs occur.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2014
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Rahul P. Akolkar, Joao P. Goncalves, Jacquelyn A. Martino, Mathew S. Thoennes
  • Patent number: 8718241
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2014
    Assignee: salesforce.com, inc.
    Inventors: Marco Casalaina, Gautam Vasudev, Rahul Kaw, Rachel Wang, Jason A. Ellis
  • Patent number: 8718237
    Abstract: A mobile phone 100 with music reproduction function comprising a reproduction unit 106 that reproduces music data and a ring tone which are recorded in a music data recording medium 105 and a ring tone, a communication unit 108 that detects an incoming call from outside and a control unit 103 that instructs the reproduction unit 106 to perform a fade-out process of reproducing music data and to perform a fade-in process of outputting a ring tone when the communication unit 108 detects an incoming call while the reproduction unit 106 is reproducing music data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2014
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Kenji Tagawa, Takashi Hiraoka
  • Patent number: 8718239
    Abstract: Techniques are described for performing actions for users based at least in part on spoken information, such as spoken voice-based information received from the users during telephone calls. The described techniques include categorizing spoken information obtained from a user in one or more ways, and performing actions on behalf of the user related to the categorized information. For example, in some situations, spoken information obtained from a user is analyzed to identify one or more spoken information items (e.g., words, phrases, sentences, etc.) supplied by the user, and to generate corresponding textual representations (e.g., via automated speech-to-text techniques). One or more actions may then be taken regarding the identified information items, including to categorize the items by adding textual representations of the spoken information items to one or more of multiple predefined lists or other collections of information that are specific to or otherwise available to the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2014
    Assignee: Nuance Communications, Inc.
    Inventors: Shreedhar Madhavapeddi, John F. Pollard
  • Patent number: 8712029
    Abstract: A method, comprising causing a telephony communication originating from a calling party communication device to be routed to a first called party communication device together with calling party identifier information associated with the calling party communication device. The method further comprises receiving an identification of a second called party communication device to which the telephony communication should be routed, and generating modified calling party identifier information associated with the telephony communication on the basis of modification information received from the first called party communication device. Finally, the method comprises routing the telephony communication to the second called party communication device together with the modified calling party identifier information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2014
    Assignee: BCE Inc.
    Inventor: Danica Rogers
  • Patent number: 8705703
    Abstract: A system and method for emergency telephone call notification. The system includes an AIN capable switch, a service control point (SCP) having a database of designated contact numbers associated with a service subscriber telephone number, and an intelligent peripheral (IP) in communication with the SCP for contacting the designated contact numbers. The method includes the steps of recognizing an N11 trigger and the SCP initiating telephone calls, via the IP, to each of the contact numbers corresponding to the telephone number of the subscriber making the emergency telephone call.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2014
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
    Inventors: David Anthony Orwick, Karen Jeanne Pelletier, Laura Marie Griffith, Todd August Bartels, Thomas Joseph McBlain, Dianna Inara Tiliks, Gordon Lynn Blumenschein, James Daniel Kovarik
  • Patent number: RE45096
    Abstract: With interactive voice response services, it can be frustrating for a user to become stuck in a dialogue where the same question is asked repetitively. Here the wording of questions used by the system are varied throughout the dialogue depending upon how many times a user has visited a particular dialogue state during the call history. Furthermore the wording of the question is also varied in dependence upon the way in which the question was asked the last time the user was in a particular dialogue state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2014
    Assignee: British Telecommunications public limited company
    Inventors: Michael Andrew Harrison, Paul Ian Popay, Neil Lewis Watton