Patents Examined by Scott L. Weaver
  • Patent number: 6873687
    Abstract: An audio messaging system receives audio input and records its contents. The audio input is then converted to a machine-readable representation for later audio playback. The audio input is also converted into a text representation using voice recognition techniques. The machine-readable and text representations are associated with one another and sent to selectable media for retrieval by the intended recipient. By associating the machine-readable representation with the text representation and providing them together, an immediately recognizable text message is provided whose contents can be verified precisely through playback of the machine-readable representation in at least one of a plurality of selectable media formats.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2005
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventor: Donald X. Smith, II
  • Patent number: 6870915
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for storing directory assistance information in a subscriber's electronic address book for future use. If a directory number associated with the desired called party is not in the subscriber's address book, a voice services node initiates a call to a directory assistance service to obtain a directory number for the called party. If the subscriber would like to have the obtained number added to the subscriber's address book, the directory number, name and address associated with the requested directory assistance may be added to the subscriber's address book for future use by the subscriber when the subscriber needs the directory number associated with the called party.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2005
    Assignee: BellSouth Intellectual Property Corporation
    Inventors: Scott T. Stillman, John Jeffrey Decker
  • Patent number: 6870909
    Abstract: A platform provides access to multiple telecommunications services via a single telephone number. These services may include, for example, voicemail services, facsimile messaging services, paging services, and outbound calling services. A guest caller may call the single phone number to speak to a subscriber, leave a voicemail message for a subscriber, leave a facsimile message for a subscriber, or place a page to a subscriber. A subscriber may call the phone number to place outbound calls. In addition, a subscriber may call the single phone number to retrieve or send facsimile messages and/or voicemail messages. A subscriber may also call the phone number to configure service options. For instance, a subscriber may select routing options and choose what services are available to guest callers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2005
    Assignee: MCI, Inc.
    Inventors: Karen A. Gross, Thomas J. Galvan, Rupika Chib
  • Patent number: 6862341
    Abstract: An interface device and a method according to the invention interfaces between a user and a switch according to programming parameters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2005
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Robert B. Drzewiecki, Eugene S. DeFabio
  • Patent number: 6862343
    Abstract: Methods, apparatus, scripts, and computer readable media for facilitating secure capture of sensitive data during a voice-based transaction with a caller conducted over a telecommunications network. In an illustrative embodiment, the method comprises executing a script controlling a flow for the voice-based transaction, during which transaction at least one of sensitive and non-sensitive data may be obtained. The caller is transferred to an automated system in real time in response to the script to capture sensitive data from the caller and to store the sensitive data in a transaction record. The caller is transferred to a live operator in real time in response to the script to capture non-sensitive data from the caller and to store the non-sensitive data in the transaction record. Apparatus, scripts, and computer readable media for realizing the above method and other embodiments of the same are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2005
    Assignee: West Corporation
    Inventors: Jill M. Vacek, Mark J. Pettay, Hendryanto Rilantono, Mahmood S. Akhwand
  • Patent number: 6859526
    Abstract: A method for managing call information has steps of receiving a plurality of calls, determining the caller for each call, and recording a message for at least one of the calls with a recorder. A call record is created for each call, with the record having at least caller information and an indication of whether a recorded message is associated with the call. The records are displayed on a display, which has a selector for selecting one of the records. The method further comprises a step of replaying the recorded message associated with a selected record.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2005
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventor: Lee Edward Macklin
  • Patent number: 6850602
    Abstract: In a communications network, systems and methods using a feature other than a tone for detecting if the destination is a machine are described. An exemplary method includes the following steps: establishing a communication with a destination, detecting a response, if a response is not detected within a pre-determined time interval, determining that the destination is a machine. If a response is detected, the method further includes the following steps: determining whether the response includes a speech signal that includes a predefined term (e.g., “please leave a message”), and if it does, determining that the destination is a machine. If the response does not include a predefined term, the method may send out a query to the destination and if no response to the query is received or the response is not a speech signal, the method determines that the destination is a machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2005
    Assignee: Avaya Technology Corp.
    Inventor: Wu Chou
  • Patent number: 6842504
    Abstract: A method and system for automating the analysis of performance data includes an analysis system automatically analyzing a plurality of performance data sets, a task engine, and a score engine. The task engine allows for the matching of each performance data set with an assigned task for each performance data set and the retrieval of a correct key sequence for each performance data set. The score engine compares the correct key sequence with a recorded key sequence of the performance data set to determine if the assigned task is successfully accomplished. The score engine further calculates one or more response times for each performance data set. The automated analysis of performance data allows for a cost savings, more efficient use of time, and more reliable and consistent performance data analysis results.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2005
    Assignee: SBC Properties, L.P.
    Inventors: Scott H. Mills, Kurt M. Joseph, Theodore B. Pasquale, Robert R. Bushey, John M. Martin, Benjamin A. Knott
  • Patent number: 6829335
    Abstract: The present invention allows an automated telephone attendant and a voice mail system to be shared among a plurality of users and tenants without duplicating tables stored at the switch in the voice mail system. In an automated attendant embodiment, the invention can include a port to receive an incoming call, the call having a called number associated with one of a plurality of users, an input to receive a user identification for the incoming call and a greeting storage to contain stored greetings retrievable based on the received identification. The invention further includes a telephone circuit interface of the port to answer the incoming call, and a playback device to play a retrieved greeting for the answered call based on a received user identification.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2004
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventor: James M. Colemon
  • Patent number: 6810111
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2004
    Assignee: InterVoice Limited Partnership
    Inventors: Phillip W. Hunter, Jenny Panzarella Burr
  • Patent number: 6804334
    Abstract: The invention comprises a method and device for dynamic message delivery based upon the identification of an originating caller. Specifically, the originating caller for an incoming call is identified and compared to a list of callers, where each caller within the list of callers is associated with one of a plurality of dispositions, the dispositions including accept, reject and forwarding of an incoming call. The incoming call is routed based upon the disposition associated with the identified originating caller. In the case of a subscriber utilizing a dial-up internet account, a message is sent to the subscriber via the internet connection alerting the subscriber that an incoming call is present and offering the subscriber various disposition options.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2004
    Assignee: Lucent Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: John Richard Beasley, Rebecca Lee Bessette, Wilbur Lee Bright, Gerald P. Carney, Jeffrey Thomas Cortley, Michael M. Cruzcosa, James J. Daniels, David J. Ford, Charles David Morgan, Kasiraman Narayanaswamy, Marcellus Alvernon Pannell, John A. O'Reilly, Mark A. Weissman, Weizhong Zhang
  • Patent number: 6804332
    Abstract: A computer-implemented method of processing communications through a multimedia interface that includes a plurality of interface devices and a plurality of input/output devices. Each of the plurality of interface device is capable of connecting to a different communications network, and each of the plurality of input/output devices is capable of processing different media types.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2004
    Assignee: Wildfire Communications, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard A. Miner, William J. Warner, Anthony M. Lovell, Eric R. Shienbrood, Keith Gabryelski, Kenneth C. R. C. Arnold, Nicholas C. d'Arbeloff, Kee Hinckley
  • Patent number: 6795532
    Abstract: A platform provides access to multiple telecommunications services via a single telephone number. These services may include, for example, voicemail services, facsimile messaging services, paging services, and outbound calling services. A guest caller may call the single phone number to speak to a subscriber, leave a voicemail message for a subscriber, leave a facsimile message for a subscriber, or place a page to a subscriber. A subscriber may call the phone number to place outbound calls. In addition, a subscriber may call the single phone number to retrieve or send facsimile messages and/or voicemail messages. A subscriber may also call the phone number to configure service options. For instance, a subscriber may select routing options and choose what services are available to guest callers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 1999
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2004
    Assignee: MCI, Inc.
    Inventors: Karen A. Gross, Thomas J. Galvan, Rupika Chib
  • Patent number: 6792084
    Abstract: A platform provides access to multiple telecommunications services via a single telephone number. These services may include, for example, paging services. A guest caller may call the single telephone number and select an option to page the subscriber. Other services, such as voicemail services, facsimile services, electronic mail messaging services and outbound calling services may also be available.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 1999
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2004
    Assignee: MCI, Inc.
    Inventors: Karen A. Gross, Thomas J. Galvan, Rupika Chib
  • Patent number: 6785369
    Abstract: A system and method for playing back data segments stored in one or more locations and managed by one or more playback servers. In a preferred embodiment the system and method receive data describing data segments to be played back; transmit notifications to the playback servers to prepare for playback; and transmit playback requests to the playback servers. The system and method are also capable of playing back the segments in a specified order and such that gaps between the segments are minimized. Additionally, a graphical display can be provided to display the status of the segments being played back.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2004
    Assignee: Dictaphone Corporation
    Inventors: David A. Diamond, David A. Glowny, Trong Nguyen, Phil Min Ni, John E. Richter
  • Patent number: 6785370
    Abstract: A system and method for monitoring a telephone switching environment. In a preferred embodiment the system and method construct a call record for each telephone call; receive data regarding telephony events; match a received telephony event with a call record; update the matching call record based on the received telephony event data; and combine the updated call record with data indicating the location of recorded audio data for the segment of the call, to generate a master call record representing the lifetime of the telephone call. Additionally, the system and method are capable of assembling and playing back segments of telephone calls using the recorder locations described in the master call record for each telephone call, and of using the master call record to display a graphical representation of the telephone call.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2004
    Assignee: Dictaphone Corporation
    Inventors: David A. Glowny, Phil Min Ni, John E. Richter
  • Patent number: 6785367
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a system for automatically identifying enunciation of telephone numbers and email addresses in voice mail messages for presentation to a user via either voice or text, without the user being required to replay the message. Furthermore, according to the invention the extracted telephone number or email addresses may be forwarded to an application for further processing (e.g. to dial the extracted number, add the email address and/or telephone number to a contacts database, etc.) The user may specify text strings to be searched (other than telephone numbers and email addresses). Thus, a user can specify certain words such as “extension”, “email”, etc., in order to qualify the extracted number or email address information, or words such as “urgently” or “immediately” to identify important voice mail messages.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2004
    Assignee: Mitel Knowledge Corporation
    Inventors: Steve Horvath, Tonis Kasvand
  • Patent number: 6765999
    Abstract: A private branch exchange has a terminating classification table for storing, in connection with terminating information transmitted through an outside line circuit, destining extension numbers and additional parameters by relating them to each other and a control unit for controlling the above components. When a call terminates at the outside line circuit, the control unit picks up a destining extension number corresponding to terminating information from the terminating classification table, delivers a terminating signal from a corresponding extension line circuit and also delivers a corresponding additional parameter in the form of an additional parameter signal from the inside line circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2004
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Ryota Nonaka
  • Patent number: 6757363
    Abstract: A system (10) includes a packet-switched network (12). A plurality of telephones (21-26) are each coupled to the network. A call manager server (31) is also coupled to the network, in order to interact with the telephones to implement telephony functions. Each of the telephones has the capability to act as an independent network client, by using Internet-compatible protocols to communicate directly with a resource server, without the participation or even the awareness of the call manager server. The resource server may be a local server (32) coupled directly to the network, or a remote server (66-68) coupled to the network through some other network, such as the Internet (52).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2004
    Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard B. Platt, Mark R. Nelson, Paul S. Hahn, Richard A. Dunlap, Jeffery A. Sanders
  • Patent number: 6751299
    Abstract: A voice messaging system. The voice messaging system includes a set of geographically distributed devices in which voice messages are stored and logic that causes voice messages to be stored in respective devices in the set of devices from which messages can be efficiently retrieved. The logic may cause voice messages to be stored in a device from the set of devices closest to a location from which the user has retrieved messages. A voice message system comprising logic that receives and stores messages from callers for respective users and logic that selects and plays a message not left by a caller to a user. The message is selected based on information about the user, and the message not left by a caller may comprise an advertisement. A method of storing messages in a voice messaging system that has a plurality of voice mail boxes associated with a plurality of subscribers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2004
    Assignee: America Online, Incorporated
    Inventors: Wendell Brown, Mark D. Klein, Edgar Allan Tu