Abstract: This invention is characterized by providing an apparatus for automatically discriminating service users which can prevent troubles from occurring between the service provider and users because of difference in language. When the service provider has a call from a user, the service provider makes an announcement to the user to request the voicing of a specific keyword. If an answer by the keyword is made from the user, it is determined whether or not it is an answer by the correct keyword. If correct, the call is connected to the service provider. If not correct, how to use the service is announced in another language. Then, the line is disconnected. As a result, a user who is weak in the language used by the service provider can be prevented from being connected to the service provider.

Abstract: A telephone speech recognition system is provided which has a high level of speech recognition without affecting from various conditions of a telephone line. The system comprises speech analyzers (4) and (5), and reference speech model storages (7) to (9) corresponding to line connection data. A telephone line interface (1) having a line connection data acquisition function analyzes a call received from the telephone line for identifying the country, route, and other information of the call and transmits those line connection data to a line connection data processor (2). The line connection data processor (2) selects one of the acoustic analyzers (4) and (5) in response to the line connection data from the interface (1) and also one of the speech model storages (7) to (9). A speech pattern matcher (11) compares an acoustic vector train output of the selected acoustic analyzer with the speech models given from the selected reference speech model storage for speech recognition.

Abstract: A method and system for screening international phone calls to reduce the number of phone calls which are made simply for the purpose of talking with international operators (prank phone calls) and to reduce the workload of the operators. When an international incoming phone call is placed from a calling terminal abroad, a database is used to determine, based on the calling country code of the incoming phone call, whether the call is from a prank phone call country. If the call is from a prank phone call country, an announcement for determining the intention of the caller is sent to the caller. If the caller provides a response to the announcement, a determination is made as to whether the response is valid. If the response is determined to be valid, the call is connected to the operator. If the response is invalid, the call is determined to be a prank call and is thus disconnected.