Patents by Inventor Peter J. Foster

Peter J. Foster 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).

  • Patent number: 8019387
    Abstract: Voice activated dialing is described for use in a mobile telecommunications system. A voice input is received from a wireless network user. A telephone number to be dialed is determined by using speaker independent speech recognition to interpret a string of spoken digits in the voice input to determine the telephone number, or using speaker dependent speech recognition to interpret a spoken word in the voice input to determine the telephone number. A telephone call is then initiated by dialing the telephone number.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2011
    Assignee: Nuance Communications, Inc.
    Inventors: Bernard F. Bareis, Peter J. Foster, Thomas B. Schalk
  • Patent number: 7551944
    Abstract: An advanced telecommunications system is provided for the recognizing of spoken commands over a cellular telephone, satellite telephone, or personal communications network. In the cellular application, for example, a Speech Recognition System interconnects either internally with or as an external peripheral to a cellular telecommunications switch. The Speech Recognition System includes an administrative subsystem, a call processing subsystem, a speaker-dependent recognition subsystem, a speaker-independent recognition subsystem, and a data storage subsystem. The Speech Recognition System also allows for increased efficiency in the cellular telephone network by integrating with the switch or switches as a shared resource. The administrative subsystem of the Speech Recognition System is used to keep statistical logs of pertinent call information. Pre-recorded instructional messages are stored in the memory of the call processing subsystem for instructing a user on his or her progress in using the system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2009
    Assignee: Nuance Communications, Inc.
    Inventors: Bernard F. Bareis, Thomas B. Schalk, Peter J. Foster
  • Publication number: 20090074157
    Abstract: Voice activated dialing is described for use in a mobile telecommunications system. A voice input is received from a wireless network user. A telephone number to be dialed is determined by using speaker independent speech recognition to interpret a string of spoken digits in the voice input to determine the telephone number, or using speaker dependent speech recognition to interpret a spoken word in the voice input to determine the telephone number. A telephone call is then initiated by dialing the telephone number.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 2, 2008
    Publication date: March 19, 2009
    Applicant: Nuance Communications, Inc.
    Inventors: Bernard F. Bareis, Peter J. Foster, Thomas B. Schalk
  • Patent number: 6931104
    Abstract: The present invention comprises an intelligent call processing platform for use with a home telephone system. The system consists of a processing unit interfaced with a variety of memory storage areas, a switching central office providing local telephone service and a plurality of telephone handsets. Using a variety of voice and/or pushbutton commands, a user is able to access a variety of telephone services from any telephone interfaced with the platform. Services provided include identification of incoming callers, automatic speed dialing of user-stored telephone numbers, storage of new numbers to the user-stored list of telephone numbers, and control of peripheral systems interconnected with the intelligent call processing platform.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 1999
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2005
    Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V.
    Inventors: Peter J. Foster, Bernard F. Bareis
  • Publication number: 20030087675
    Abstract: An advanced telecommunications system is provided for the recognizing of spoken commands over a cellular telephone, satellite telephone, or personal communications network. In the cellular application, for example, a Speech Recognition System interconnects either internally with or as an external peripheral to a cellular telecommunications switch. The Speech Recognition System includes an administrative subsystem, a call processing subsystem, a speaker-dependent recognition subsystem, a speaker-independent recognition subsystem, and a data storage subsystem. The Speech Recognition System also allows for increased efficiency in the cellular telephone network by integrating with the switch or switches as a shared resource. The administrative subsystem of the Speech Recognition System is used to keep statistical logs of pertinent call information. Pre-recorded instructional messages are stored in the memory of the call processing subsystem for instructing a user on his or her progress in using the system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 3, 2002
    Publication date: May 8, 2003
    Applicant: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V.
    Inventors: Bernard F. Bareis, Thomas B. Schalk, Peter J. Foster
  • Patent number: 6501966
    Abstract: An advanced telecommunications system is provided for the recognizing of spoken commands over a cellular telephone, satellite telephone, or personal communications network. In the cellular application, for example, a Speech Recognition System interconnects either internally with or as an external peripheral to a cellular telecommunications switch. The Speech Recognition System includes an administrative subsystem, a call processing subsystem, a speaker-dependent recognition subsystem, a speaker-independent recognition subsystem, and a data storage subsystem. The Speech Recognition System also allows for increased efficiency in the cellular telephone network by integrating with the switch or switches as a shared resource. The administrative subsystem of the Speech Recognition System is used to keep statistical logs of pertinent call information. Pre-recorded instructional messages are stored in the memory of the call processing subsystem for instructing a user on his or her progress in using the system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2002
    Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V.
    Inventors: Bernard F. Bareis, Peter J. Foster, Thomas B. Schalk
  • Patent number: 6502075
    Abstract: An automated telephone operator platform (e.g., an auto attendant) has a natural names library associated therewith. The natural names library comprises a large database of audio files representing common objects expected to be recognized by a telephone-based ASR application associated with or executing on the platform. Whenever the ASR application requires playback of an object file (e.g., a user's name associated with a mailbox), the system first determines whether the user has recorded a sample of his or her own voice. If so, the user's actual voice sample is output. If, however, the user's actual voice sample is not available or has not been recorded, the ASR application accesses the database to retreive objects files from which it then builds an appropriate output string.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2002
    Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics, N.V.
    Inventors: Kim S. Terry, Peter J. Foster
  • Patent number: 6157848
    Abstract: An advanced telecommunications system is provided for the recognizing of spoken commands over a cellular telephone, satellite telephone, or personal communications network. In the cellular application, for example, a Speech Recognition System interconnects either internally with or as an external peripheral to a cellular telecommunications switch. The Speech Recognition System includes an administrative subsystem, a call processing subsystem, a speaker-dependent recognition subsystem, a speaker-independent recognition subsystem, and a data storage subsystem. The Speech Recognition System also allows for increased efficiency in the cellular telephone network by integrating with the switch or switches as a shared resource. The administrative subsystem of the Speech Recognition System is used to keep statistical logs of pertinent call information. Pre-recorded instructional messages are stored in the memory of the call processing subsystem for instructing a user on his or her progress in using the system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 1997
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2000
    Assignee: Philips Electronics North America Corporation
    Inventors: Bernard F. Bareis, Peter J. Foster, Thomas B. Schalk
  • Patent number: 5881134
    Abstract: The present invention comprises an intelligent call processing platform for use with a home telephone system. The system consists of a processing unit interfaced with a variety of memory storage areas, a switching central office providing local telephone service and a plurality of telephone handsets. Using a variety of voice and/or pushbutton commands, a user is able to access a variety of telephone services from any telephone interfaced with the platform. Services provided include identification of incoming callers, automatic speed dialing of user-stored telephone numbers, storage of new numbers to the user-stored list of telephone numbers, and control of peripheral systems interconnected with the intelligent call processing platform.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 1996
    Date of Patent: March 9, 1999
    Assignee: Voice Control Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Peter J. Foster, Bernard F. Bareis
  • Patent number: 5659597
    Abstract: An advanced telecommunications system is provided for the recognizing of spoken commands over a cellular telephone, satellite telephone, or personal communications network. In the cellular application, for example, a Speech Recognition System interconnects either internally with or as an external peripheral to a cellular telecommunications switch. The Speech Recognition System includes an administrative subsystem, a call processing subsystem, a speaker-dependent recognition subsystem, a speaker-independent recognition subsystem, and a data storage subsystem. The Speech Recognition System also allows for increased efficiency in the cellular telephone network by integrating with the switch or switches as a shared resource. The administrative subsystem of the Speech Recognition System is used to keep statistical logs of pertinent call information. Pre-recorded instructional messages are stored in the memory of the call processing subsystem for instructing a user on his or her progress in using the system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 1994
    Date of Patent: August 19, 1997
    Assignee: Voice Control Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Bernard F. Bareis, Peter J. Foster, Thomas B. Schalk
  • Patent number: 5494130
    Abstract: A system for preventing theft and hijacking of a motor vehicle. The system comprises a fuel cut-off valve operative to prevent the flow of fuel to the vehicle engine. The fuel cut-off valve is in communication with the vehicle ignition such that activation of the vehicle ignition will cause the fuel cut-off valve to close, unless a vehicle run switch is actuated contemporaneous with or immediately after the vehicle ignition. The vehicle run switch is preferably concealed from view and/or coded and/or keyed to limit its accessibility to only authorized operators of the vehicle. Additionally, to prevent hijacking, the system incorporates a driver's heat sensor capable of sensing when a human body is seated in the driver's seat. When the sensor determines that the driver's body has been removed from the driver's seat for more than a minimum time period (e.g., 3 seconds) a controller/timer will begin timing a predetermined delay period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 1994
    Date of Patent: February 27, 1996
    Inventor: Peter J. Foster
  • Patent number: 5315649
    Abstract: A toll call service center of the present invention is accessible by subscribers to a toll call service. One or more of the subscribers of the service have their own set of identifiers uniquely associated with a plurality of called stations desired to be accessed by the subscriber. The center comprises a voice command system having a storage for storing representations of the identifiers at storage locations uniquely identified with the subscriber. The command system also includes an announcing circuit and a processor operative under the control of a program stored therein. The processor is responsive to reception of an incoming call from a subscriber for controlling the announcing circuit to request the subscriber to speak an identifier associated with one of the plurality of called stations. A voice recognizer is responsive to receipt of the identifier for determining whether the identifier is valid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 1992
    Date of Patent: May 24, 1994
    Assignee: VCS Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Peter J. Foster, Kim S. Terry
  • Patent number: 5297183
    Abstract: An advanced telecommunications system is provided for the recognizing of spoken commands over a cellular telephone, satellite telephone, or personal communications network. In the cellular application, for example, a Speech Recognition System interconnects either internally with or as an external peripheral to a cellular telecommunications switch. The Speech Recognition System includes an administrative subsystem, a call processing subsystem, a speaker-dependent recognition subsystem, a speaker-independent recognition subsystem, and a data storage subsystem. The Speech Recognition System also allows for increased efficiency in the cellular telephone network by integrating with the switch or switches as a shared resource. The administrative subsystem of the Speech Recognition System is used to keep statistical logs of pertinent call information. Pre-recorded instructional messages are stored in the memory of the call processing subsystem for instructing a user on his or her progress in using the system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 1992
    Date of Patent: March 22, 1994
    Assignee: VCS Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Bernard F. Bareis, Peter J. Foster, Thomas B. Schalk