Abstract: Delegation of processing functions to specialized appliances in an enterprise is provided. An appliance typically comprises a combination of hardware and resident firmware that addresses needs in a computing environment, such as by providing common message transformation, integration, security, filtering and other functions. Delegation is carried out by specifying at least one XML function for front-process offloading from a server to a corresponding appliance configured to receive messages pushed towards the server, communicating management directives to the appliance for configuring the appliance to perform the specified XML function(s) according to specific requirements dynamically specified by the server and communicating instructions to the appliance so that the appliance augments received event messages with intermediate processing information based upon the front-process offloading, as received event messages pass through the appliance.

Abstract: This invention relates to the management, in an interactive voice response system, of a plurality of speech technology modules. In particular it relates to an apparatus and a method for dynamically determining which of a plurality of speech technology modules to use during voice interaction between the system and a user. In prior art IVR systems each speech technology module is configured for a specific application or task. Most speech technology modules have different lexicons for the range of functions but it is the full lexicon which can determine an engine's suitability for a language. For instance, one type of speech recognition engine is preferred for certain languages whereas IBM ViaVoice is a good general all rounder. Choosing one speech recognition module according to application or function alone is not entirely satisfactory and there is a need for improvement.

Abstract: A voice processing system is disclosed having a first interface for receiving telephone calls from the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) and application software for processing received PSTN telephone calls. The voice processing system supports an API to allow the first interface to inform the application software of the presence of the call. The voice processing system further has a second interface for receiving telephone calls from an internet protocol (IP) network, and a signaling subsystem for routing an IP call from the second interface to the application software. This signaling subsystem uses the same API as is used to inform the application software about PSTN calls. Therefore, it is transparent to the application software whether an incoming call has been received from the IP network rather than the PSTN.

Abstract: A voice processing system, method and computer program product therefor, allows telephone callers without computers to access World Wide Web pages from the Internet. Usual graphical-based Hyper-Text Mark-Up language (HTML) commands are interspersed with special HTML tags including the commands and data for forming a voice application, which, when run on the voice processing system, provides a voice browser for allowing telephone callers to access Web pages. The voice application tags are provided together with the remainder of the HTML document, thus facilitating editing of the combined data. This helps to keep the graphical browser and voice browser versions of the same data set synchronized.

Abstract: There is provided a method and system of processing electronic transactions involving three parties, normally remote from one another. A service requestor(SR) requests a good or service from a service provider(SP) on the condition that certain terms will be fulfilled indicating that the good or service is provided at a particular standard. The service provider registers with a reputation authority terms for the supply of a good or service. Independently the service requestor acquires from the reputation authority a public key for which the private key is kept by the reputation authority. The service requestor(30) requests the service provider(20) for a good or service according to certain terms and the request is sent to the reputation authority which compares registered terms with the requested terms and if compatible signs the transaction with the retained private key and sends the signed transaction back to the service requestor.

Abstract: An interactive voice response (IVR) system comprises many different application objects which combine to deliver a voice application. These objects typically include IVR programs or scripts, prompts or voice segments and server scripts or programs for communicating with external systems or databases. Large voice applications can contain hundreds of application objects and potentially thousands of voice segments. The grouping of the application objects becomes more important in the later stages of the process. There is described a method of grouping data objects having different data categories, such as IVR programs or scripts, prompts or voice segments, in an application processing system.

Abstract: A voice processing system is connected to a switch via multiple telephone lines, and provides a set of line objects, each line object being associated with one of the physical telephone lines. The line object allows a demarcation to be made between the underlying voice processing system software, and external business applications. Thus a line object supports a set of methods such as Get DTMF Tone, Play Audio, Answer Call, and End Call, to allow the external business applications to perform desired operations on a telephone line. These methods are invoked via a set of corresponding IVR action objects, which in turn are integrated into the business application. The business application itself, and its IVR actions, regard the line objects effectively as servers to provide IVR functionality. The business application may therefore run partially or completely on a separate physical machine from the IVR system itself.

Abstract: A system for remotely developing an telephony application for a call handling server comprises: program code components for each process used by the call handling server and an associated reduced code components for each process; an application designer for combining the reduced code components into an application design; networking capability for sending the application designer and reduced code components to a client and receiving a completed application design; and an application builder for assembling, according to the application design, the program code components into an self contained application.

Abstract: The present invention relates to establishing a communication channel between two communication systems having computer telephony integration (CTI). Many CTI systems are configured into incoming and outgoing lines according to the anticipated demands. Consequently, if sufficient outgoing or incoming capacity is unavailable at a given time to support a communication channel of required characteristics, the users of such a system must conventionally wait until sufficient capacity becomes available. However, the present invention determines who the intended addressee is and can instruct the CTI system associated with that addressee to instigate the establishment of a communication channel to the user who originally desired the connection. The instructions can be sent to the intended addressee using for example, another communication network, such as the Internet or other data communications network.

Abstract: The invention relates to a voice processing system capable of outputting voice prompts and background music. The volume of background music is progressively variable relative to the voice prompts or speech. The progressive variation is effected by multiplying the background music samples by a scaling factor and then adding together a current voice sample and the scaled background music sample. Accordingly, when the combined samples are output to the user the volume of the background music varies.

Abstract: A voice processing system comprises a computer workstation 80 running a voice system software and a telephony interface module 70 which is attached via a trunk line 100 to a telephone switch 10. The computer system 80 and the telephony interface module 70 are connected by a standard data connection 230 such as a SCSI connection over which voice data is exchanged. The SCSI interface is provided with a voice device driver capable of handling voice data by means of an appropriate set of commands.

Abstract: A data processor comprises storage (e.g., registers) for each of first, second and third values, a processor condition register for processor condition codes, and logic for decoding instructions including a specific instruction defining an operation between the first value and either the second value or the third value, the selection of the second or the third value being made by the processor in dependence on the state of said processor condition code. The invention is of particular, but not exclusive, application for the plotting of lines in a display system. In an example of a display system incorporating such a data processor, a pixel can be plotted on each processor instruction cycle.