Abstract: A bridge connection is made between the interfaces on physically distinct telecommunication servers such that the two ends of the bridge can be used to connect existing calls that are terminated on each of the servers. To provide the bridge connection, a call using a standard outgoing PRI trunk on one of the servers is made through the public switched telephone network (PSTN) to an incoming PRI trunk on the other server. When a bridge connection is required one of the servers is queried for its directory number, which is any number that the PSTN has assigned to equipment in that server. The other server is then instructed to make a call to that number. When the called server recognizes the incoming call as bridge connection, its answers the call. The calling server then associates the bridge connection with the pending action, using information encoded in the out-of-band signal with which the call between the servers was established.

Abstract: A system for use of a telecommunications voice network includes a communication node local to a calling location for acquiring calling and called party identification numbers and transmitting them to a central switching unit associated with a called location, through a transception channel independent of the telecommunications voice network. Further provided is a central switching unit for interrogating the called location to obtain a call supervision status thereof. Also provided is an apparatus for completing a first phonecall from the switching unit to the called location if the call supervision status is that of an answer, and for originating a second phonecall through the telecommunications network to the calling location. Teleconferencing of the first and second phonecalls then occurs. Further provided is an apparatus for providing an uncompleted call status signal to the central switching unit if the call status is that of a no answer or busy. The calling party is then appropriately advised.

Abstract: A telephone terminal has a large size display indicating a telephone operation display of a touch panel system and it is used, for example, in a dealing speech system of financial organizations and the like. The telephone terminal has telephone operation indication functions which control the large display, as well as a master controller for controlling the display depicting telephone operation indications (pagination keys) and a slave controller for controlling the handlings concerning communication functions in order to obtain improved communication functions of the telephone terminal proper. These of the master controller and slave controller are cooperatively functioned to control these telephone indication functions and communication functions.

Abstract: A telephone-answering device responsive to human speech answers a telephone with a pre-recorded message and places the caller on hold until the called party can physically reach a telephone.

Abstract: A system and method for determining telephone status over a network. The system and method provides for off hook status to be determined by a switch or other monitor that then provides that information to a telephone status file. The telephone status file is accessible over the Internet by computer so that a calling party can first determine if the called party is on the telephone. Thus wasted time in making calls that cannot be completed is avoided. The system operates over normal PSTN's, over cable systems, and over the Internet.

Abstract: An apparatus and method is provided for placing a phone call when dialing out of the caller's local area. A database resident in a telephone connection mechanism contains the access codes required to place the out-of-local area call. A user input device is utilized by the calling party to retrieve the out-of-area access codes for the called party's telephone from the database. The user input device is also utilized by the calling party to input the called party's local telephone number into the telephone connection mechanism. The telephone connection mechanism automatically combines the local calling number input by the user with the out-of-area access codes retrieved from the database. The telephone connection mechanism then transmits a telephone connection request by utilizing the combined local telephone number and the out-of-area access codes.

Abstract: By using an external portable recording medium (for instance, IC card) that stores a personal ID, a communications apparatus automatically transmits the personal ID and its own terminal identification information to a center apparatus. The center apparatus manages the personal ID and the terminal identification information so that they are correlated with each other. For example, the terminal identification information includes a called-party address, a communication mode, and a position ID. Further, the center apparatus manages a present/absent mode for each personal ID. During the present mode, the center apparatus forwards a call using a personal telecommunication number, such as a UPT (universal personal telecommunication) number, which corresponds to a certain personal ID to a communications apparatus that corresponds to the personal ID. During the absent mode, the center apparatus automatically records a message.

Abstract: A call center includes a recording/playback unit for recording audible signals received (during an outgoing call) from a remote party location, while a call classifier unit within the call center processes the audible signals. A call processing unit places a call to a remote party location via a communication network to attempt to elicit a desired response from the remote party. The call classifier then processes audible signals received from the remote party location to determine whether or not the call was answered by a live party. The audible signals are recorded by the recording/playback unit and are placed in a queue while the call classifier processes the audible signals. If the call classifier determines that the call was answered by a live party, the call processing unit completes a path between the recording/playback unit and a local agent at the call center, and the recorded audible signals from the remote party are played back to the agent in an accelerated fashion.

Abstract: A dialed number of a called party is received from a calling party. Based on the dialed number, a name of the called party is retrieved from a database. An audio message which includes the name of the called party is generated and communicated to the calling party. A call is routed between the calling party and the called party after said communicating the audio message.

Abstract: A method and system for creating automated voice response menus for telecommunications services includes the creation of a task for the menu. The menu includes a group of pre-recorded messages assembled in manner to complete the task. The menu retrieves certain required inputs and certain optional inputs from a subscriber of the telecommunications service. The menu does not permit the user to provide other inputs or to select other menus. Instead, the menu uses straight-line processing to direct the user towards task completion. Once the task is complete, the user is immediately exited from the system.

Abstract: A method and a device are described for providing or simulating a direct dial-in function by providing an extension dialing function in telecommunication systems that have no direct dial-in capability with dedicated extension numbers. The dial-in capability is implemented in that an incoming call is automatically received by the TC system, the user is automatically prompted, via an audio user message, to input extension dialing commands, these extension dialing commands are automatically assigned to an extension and with this assignment information an electronic forwarding signal is generated, which causes the TC system to switch the incoming connection to an extension. This forwarding signal simulates the control signal generated in manual forwarding between the extensions of the TC system. The device for performing the method is integrated as a circuit arrangement in a TC system or designed as an adaptive device retrofitted on existing TC systems.

Abstract: A system and method for providing calling name delivery to a voicemail service subscriber. The system and method use the features of an advanced intelligent network to provide an interface between a voicemail service and a telephone service provider's calling name databases. The present invention advantageously provides this interface using standard call processing techniques without the need to establish a direct data interface between the systems.

Abstract: A user programmable telephone call screening device which screens incoming telephone calls by comparing a caller's identifying code to user programed codes and either diverting the call, without ringing the phone, to an answering device or ringing the phone for pickup by the intended recipient. The screening device is automatically deactivated to permit all incoming calls to ring through after an out going 911 or other user defined emergency call is made. The screening device also functions to permit the user to look up and automatically dial a call to phone numbers entered into the screening device's memory by the user. The screening device's programmable CPU and memory permit many functions to be incorporated into the device including, in-coming and out-going call blocking by area code, phone number and time of day, call forwarding, pager notification and recording out-going call information to permit the user to verify calls against telephone company billing records or for other purposes.

Abstract: A system (8) for identifying an unidentified caller (14, 16, 18) includes a database (42) that contains utterance data (162) corresponding to a known caller. A data communications system (10) is coupled to the database (42) and receives utterance information corresponding to the unidentified caller (14, 16, 18). The data communications system (10) compares the utterance information with the utterance data (162) to identify the unidentified caller (14, 16, 18) as the known caller.

Abstract: A voice processing system comprising a digital trunk processor 135 and a system unit 145 incorporates a local voice recognition resource 185 provided on a digital signal processing board 180, and can access a remote voice recognition resource 320 in a server 300 via a local area network 250. The system provides a barge-in facility for the recognition resource on the remote server, whereby a prompt is played out to the user, and the incoming telephony signal is fed into a voice activity detector on the digital trunk processor. Responsive to a detection of incoming voice activity, the outgoing prompt is terminated, and the incoming data is transferred over the local area network to the remote server for recognition.

Abstract: An automated message processing system is disclosed which receives an electronic mail message, coverts the mail message into speech and delivers the converted message to one or more telephone recipients identified in the electronic mail message. The system includes means for creating an electronic mail message which identifies one or more telephone recipients, means for converting the electronic mail message to speech and means for delivering the converted electronic mail message to the one or more telephone recipients identified in the electronic mail message. The system of the present invention utilizes text-to-speech techniques to convert the text in the electronic mail message into speech.

Abstract: Allowing a selective retrieval of messages based on message characteristics. The message characteristics are originating telephone number, specific caller, originating area code, originating country code, calls within a time period, and calls not resulting in a message. In addition, messages can be searched for a range of telephone numbers, range of area codes, range of country codes.

Abstract: Apparatus and method to record a verbal or textual summary for a particular voice message in a voice message system such as a telephone answering device. A message summary memory allows storage of either verbal or textual voice message summaries recorded by the calling party and/or by the user. The voice message summaries are retrievable by the user for playback or display before or during playback of the voice message.

Abstract: A computer-based system (70) for identifying an unidentified caller (14) includes a database (42) that contains utterance data (162) corresponding to a known caller. A processing system (72) coupled to the database (42) receives utterance information corresponding to the unidentified caller (14) and compares the utterance information with the utterance data (162) to identify the unidentified caller (14) as the known caller. In response, the processing system (72) provides a call routing option (84). The call routing option (84) may include an accept option (86), a transfer option (90), or a disconnect option (89), and may be provided to a called party visually using a personal computer (50).

Abstract: A telephone (202) includes a microphone (204), earphone (206), keypad (208), and display unit (210). The keypad (208) is the preferred user interface for entry of a telephone number into the telephone so that the telephone may call it. However, a voice recognition device (212) may be attached to the microphone with similar effect. The telephone includes a list (214) of stored telephone numbers, which may be added onto the list in any convenient way. As digits are entered into the phone through the user interface (208, 212), a comparator (216) compares the resulting partially entered number with the numbers on the list. When the comparison demonstrates some pre-established association between the numbers, then the stored number is displayed on the display unit (210). If the user selects (310) one of the displayed numbers (perhaps with scrolling), the number is called (312). If not, the next digit is entered.