Patents by Inventor Harry Blanchard
Harry Blanchard has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Patent number: 11537947Abstract: In one example, the present disclosure describes a device, computer-readable medium, and method for automatically learning and facilitating interaction routines involving at least one human participant. In one example, a method includes learning an interaction routine conducted between a human user and a second party, wherein the interaction routine comprises a series of prompts and responses designed to identify and deliver desired information, storing a template of the interaction routine based on the learning, wherein the template includes at least a portion of the series of prompts and responses, detecting, in the course of a new instance of the interaction routine, at least one prompt from the second party that requests a response from the human user, and using the template to provide a response to the prompt so that involvement of the human user in the new instance of the interaction routine is minimized.Type: GrantFiled: April 20, 2020Date of Patent: December 27, 2022Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.Inventors: Harry Blanchard, Lan Zhang, Gregory Pulz
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Publication number: 20200250582Abstract: In one example, the present disclosure describes a device, computer-readable medium, and method for automatically learning and facilitating interaction routines involving at least one human participant. In one example, a method includes learning an interaction routine conducted between a human user and a second party, wherein the interaction routine comprises a series of prompts and responses designed to identify and deliver desired information, storing a template of the interaction routine based on the learning, wherein the template includes at least a portion of the series of prompts and responses, detecting, in the course of a new instance of the interaction routine, at least one prompt from the second party that requests a response from the human user, and using the template to provide a response to the prompt so that involvement of the human user in the new instance of the interaction routine is minimized.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 20, 2020Publication date: August 6, 2020Inventors: Harry Blanchard, Lan Zhang, Gregory Pulz
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Patent number: 10628754Abstract: In one example, the present disclosure describes a device, computer-readable medium, and method for automatically learning and facilitating interaction routines involving at least one human participant. In one example, a method includes learning an interaction routine conducted between a human user and a second party, wherein the interaction routine comprises a series of prompts and responses designed to identify and deliver desired information, storing a template of the interaction routine based on the learning, wherein the template includes at least a portion of the series of prompts and responses, detecting, in the course of a new instance of the interaction routine, at least one prompt from the second party that requests a response from the human user, and using the template to provide a response to the prompt so that involvement of the human user in the new instance of the interaction routine is minimized.Type: GrantFiled: June 6, 2017Date of Patent: April 21, 2020Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.Inventors: Harry Blanchard, Lan Zhang, Gregory Pulz
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Publication number: 20180349799Abstract: In one example, the present disclosure describes a device, computer-readable medium, and method for automatically learning and facilitating interaction routines involving at least one human participant. In one example, a method includes learning an interaction routine conducted between a human user and a second party, wherein the interaction routine comprises a series of prompts and responses designed to identify and deliver desired information, storing a template of the interaction routine based on the learning, wherein the template includes at least a portion of the series of prompts and responses, detecting, in the course of a new instance of the interaction routine, at least one prompt from the second party that requests a response from the human user, and using the template to provide a response to the prompt so that involvement of the human user in the new instance of the interaction routine is minimized.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 6, 2017Publication date: December 6, 2018Inventors: HARRY BLANCHARD, Lan Zhang, Gregory Pulz
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Patent number: 9412364Abstract: Disclosed herein are methods and systems for recognizing speech. A method embodiment comprises comparing received speech with a precompiled grammar based on a database and if the received speech matches data in the precompiled grammar then returning a result based on the matched data. If the received speech does not match data in the precompiled grammar, then dynamically compiling a new grammar based only on new data added to the database after the compiling of the precompiled grammar. The database may comprise a directory of names.Type: GrantFiled: May 2, 2014Date of Patent: August 9, 2016Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property II, L.P.Inventors: Harry Blanchard, Steven H. Lewis, Sivaprasad Shankarnarayan, Lan Zhang
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Publication number: 20140244256Abstract: Disclosed herein are methods and systems for recognizing speech. A method embodiment comprises comparing received speech with a precompiled grammar based on a database and if the received speech matches data in the precompiled grammar then returning a result based on the matched data. If the received speech does not match data in the precompiled grammar, then dynamically compiling a new grammar based only on new data added to the database after the compiling of the precompiled grammar The database may comprise a directory of names.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 2, 2014Publication date: August 28, 2014Applicant: AT&T Intellectual Property II, L.P.Inventors: Harry BLANCHARD, Steven H. Lewis, Sivaprasad Shankarnarayan, Lan Zhang
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Patent number: 8725511Abstract: Disclosed herein are methods and systems for recognizing speech. A method embodiment comprises comparing received speech with a precompiled grammar based on a database and if the received speech matches data in the precompiled grammar then returning a result based on the matched data. If the received speech does not match data in the precompiled grammar, then dynamically compiling a new grammar based only on new data added to the database after the compiling of the precompiled grammar. The database may comprise a directory of names.Type: GrantFiled: July 2, 2013Date of Patent: May 13, 2014Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property II, L.P.Inventors: Harry Blanchard, Steven H. Lewis, Shankarnarayan Sivaprasad, Lan Zhang
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Publication number: 20130297315Abstract: Disclosed herein are methods and systems for recognizing speech. A method embodiment comprises comparing received speech with a precompiled grammar based on a database and if the received speech matches data in the precompiled grammar then returning a result based on the matched data. If the received speech does not match data in the precompiled grammar, then dynamically compiling a new grammar based only on new data added to the database after the compiling of the precompiled grammar The database may comprise a directory of names.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 2, 2013Publication date: November 7, 2013Inventors: Harry Blanchard, Steven H. Lewis, Shankarnarayan Sivaprasad, Lan Zhang
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Patent number: 8532279Abstract: The problem of an automated telephony system having only a single way to measure a caller's difficulty in processing a transaction when using the system is solved by selecting from multiple thresholds for measuring the caller's difficulty. Having a choice of alternative thresholds to measure the caller's difficulty, referred to as inefficiency thresholds, allows for a more responsive approach to managing an automated telephony system. This choice of inefficiency thresholds overcomes multiple problems of systems only using one inefficiency threshold, such as: (1) transferring a call to a live agent too quickly, (2) transferring a call to a live agent too slowly, and (3) giving a caller a feeling that the automated telephony system is unresponsive to his or her needs. Having multiple inefficiency thresholds allows for a more dynamic response to a diverse audience of callers and serves different needs of a caller during various parts of a call.Type: GrantFiled: May 16, 2012Date of Patent: September 10, 2013Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property II, L.P.Inventors: Harry Blanchard, Steven Lewis, Gregory Pulz, Lan Zhang
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Patent number: 8478593Abstract: Disclosed herein are methods and systems for recognizing speech. A method embodiment comprises comparing received speech with a precompiled grammar based on a database and if the received speech matches data in the precompiled grammar then returning a result based on the matched data. If the received speech does not match data in the precompiled grammar, then dynamically compiling a new grammar based only on new data added to the database after the compiling of the precompiled grammar. The database may comprise a directory of names.Type: GrantFiled: July 18, 2012Date of Patent: July 2, 2013Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property II, L.P.Inventors: Harry Blanchard, Steven Lewis, Shankarnarayan Sivaprasad, Lan Zhang
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Publication number: 20120284025Abstract: Disclosed herein are methods and systems for recognizing speech. A method embodiment comprises comparing received speech with a precompiled grammar based on a database and if the received speech matches data in the precompiled grammar then returning a result based on the matched data. If the received speech does not match data in the precompiled grammar, then dynamically compiling a new grammar based only on new data added to the database after the compiling of the precompiled grammar The database may comprise a directory of names.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 18, 2012Publication date: November 8, 2012Applicant: AT&T Intellectual Property II, L.P.Inventors: Harry Blanchard, Steven LEWIS, Shankarnarayan SIVAPRASAD, Lan ZHANG
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Publication number: 20120269338Abstract: The problem of an automated telephony system having only a single way to measure a caller's difficulty in processing a transaction when using the system is solved by selecting from multiple thresholds for measuring the caller's difficulty. Having a choice of alternative thresholds to measure the caller's difficulty, referred to as inefficiency thresholds, allows for a more responsive approach to managing an automated telephony system. This choice of inefficiency thresholds overcomes multiple problems of systems only using one inefficiency threshold, such as: (1) transferring a call to a live agent too quickly, (2) transferring a call to a live agent too slowly, and (3) giving a caller a feeling that the automated telephony system is unresponsive to his or her needs. Having multiple inefficiency thresholds allows for a more dynamic response to a diverse audience of callers and serves different needs of a caller during various parts of a call.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 16, 2012Publication date: October 25, 2012Applicant: AT&T INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY II, L.P.Inventors: Harry Blanchard, Steven Lewis, Gregory Pulz, Lan Zhang
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Patent number: 8229746Abstract: Disclosed herein are methods and systems for recognizing speech. A method embodiment comprises comparing received speech with a precompiled grammar based on a database and if the received speech matches data in the precompiled grammar then returning a result based on the matched data. If the received speech does not match data in the precompiled grammar, then dynamically compiling a new grammar based only on new data added to the database after the compiling of the precompiled grammar. The database may comprise a directory of names.Type: GrantFiled: February 14, 2011Date of Patent: July 24, 2012Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property II, L.P.Inventors: Harry Blanchard, Steven Lewis, Shankarnarayan Sivaprasad, Lan Zhang
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Patent number: 8204205Abstract: The problem of an automated telephony system having only a single way to measure a caller's difficulty in processing a transaction when using the system is solved by selecting from at least two thresholds for measuring the caller's difficulty. Having a choice of alternative thresholds to measure the caller's difficulty, referred to as inefficiency thresholds, allows for a more responsive approach to managing an automated telephony system. This choice of inefficiency thresholds overcomes multiple problems of systems only using one inefficiency threshold, such as: (1) transferring a call to a live agent to quickly, (2) transferring a call to a live agent to slowly, and (3) giving a caller a feeling that the automated telephony system is unresponsive to his or her needs. Having multiple inefficiency thresholds from which to choose allows for a more dynamic response to a diverse audience of callers and to different needs of a single caller during the various parts of a call.Type: GrantFiled: February 8, 2007Date of Patent: June 19, 2012Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property II, L.P.Inventors: Harry Blanchard, Steven Lewis, Gregory Pulz, Lan Zhang
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Patent number: 8023627Abstract: A method and apparatus for retrieving information from household appliances are disclosed. For example, the method receives a request from a user of an appliance. The method then receives stored information from the appliance as one or more Dual Tone Multi-Frequency (DTMF) signals.Type: GrantFiled: December 27, 2006Date of Patent: September 20, 2011Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property II, L.P.Inventors: Harry Blanchard, Steven H. Lewis, Gregory Pulz, Lan Zhang
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Publication number: 20110137652Abstract: Disclosed herein are methods and systems for recognizing speech. A method embodiment comprises comparing received speech with a precompiled grammar based on a database and if the received speech matches data in the precompiled grammar then returning a result based on the matched data. If the received speech does not match data in the precompiled grammar, then dynamically compiling a new grammar based only on new data added to the database after the compiling of the precompiled grammar. The database may comprise a directory of names.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 14, 2011Publication date: June 9, 2011Applicant: AT&T Intellectual Property II, L.P.Inventors: Harry Blanchard, Steven Lewis, Shankarnarayan Sivaprasad, Lan Zhang
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Patent number: 7890328Abstract: Disclosed herein are methods and systems for recognizing speech. A method embodiment comprises comparing received speech with a precompiled grammar based on a database and if the received speech matches data in the precompiled grammar then returning a result based on the matched data. If the received speech does not match data in the precompiled grammar, then dynamically compiling a new grammar based only on new data added to the database after the compiling of the precompiled grammar. The database may comprise a directory of names.Type: GrantFiled: September 7, 2006Date of Patent: February 15, 2011Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property II, L.P.Inventors: Harry Blanchard, Steven Lewis, Shankarnarayan Sivaprasad, Lan Zhang
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Publication number: 20070208568Abstract: A method and a processing device for managing an interactive speech recognition system is provided. Whether a voice input relates to expected input, at least partially, of any one of a group of menus different from a current menu is determined. If the voice input relates to the expected input, at least partially, of any one of the group of menus different from the current menu, skipping to the one of the group of menus is performed. The group of menus different from the current menu include menus at multiple hierarchical levels.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 4, 2006Publication date: September 6, 2007Applicant: AT&T Corp.Inventor: Harry Blanchard