Abstract: Declarative markup languages for speech applications such as VoiceXML are becoming more prevalent programming modalities for describing speech applications. Present declarative markup languages for speech applications model the running speech application as a state machine with the program specifying the transitions amongst the states. These languages can be extended to support a marker-semantic to more easily solve several problems that are otherwise not easily solved. In one embodiment, a partially overlapping target window is implemented using a mark semantic. Other uses include measurement of user listening time, detection and avoidance of errors, and better resumption of playback after a false barge in.

Abstract: A system and method are provided for an intermediate party to facilitate an interactive telephony session between a customer and a sender of a request for the session. The sender can provide the request to the intermediate party via electronic mail. The request includes the information to initiate the interactive telephony session with the customer as well as the information to conduct that session. In one embodiment, the information to conduct the interactive telephony session includes a URL that provides an application in VoiceXML (Voice Extensible Markup Language). The intermediate party can initiate and conduct the session at the appropriate time and provide the sender with a status regarding the session. During the session, the customer can respond with voice or DTMF inputs to various prompts, thereby proceeding with a transaction and/or providing valuable feedback to the sender.