Abstract: Methods and apparatus for providing manned, e.g., live customer support to customers, e.g., people using the Internet to purchase goods and/or services are described. A person viewing a Web Site, e.g., a customer, is presented with a button which provides the opportunity to talk to a customer service representative. Upon activating the button, e.g., by clicking on it, the customer's computer or other Internet browser device sends a signal, e.g., a call request message, over the Internet indicating that the customer wants to talk with a service representative. The call request message includes the customer's telephone number and/or IP address. In response to the call request message, calling equipment is used to establish a customer service call between the customer and a customer service representative. The equipment can be owned by the telephone company thereby avoiding the need for E-business companies to make investments in telephone equipment.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for providing manned, e.g., live customer support to customers, e.g., people using the Internet to purchase goods and/or services are described. A person viewing a Web Site, e.g., a customer, is presented with a button which provides the opportunity to talk to a customer service representative. Upon activating the button, e.g., by clicking on it, the customer's computer or other Internet browser device sends a signal, e.g., a call request message, over the Internet indicating that the customer wants to talk with a service representative. The call request message includes the customer's telephone number and/or IP address. In response to the call request message, calling equipment is used to establish a customer service call between the customer and a customer service representative. The equipment can be owned by the telephone company thereby avoiding the need for E-business companies to make investments in telephone equipment.

Abstract: Techniques for generating, distributing, and using speech recognition models are described. A shared speech processing facility is used to support speech recognition for a wide variety of devices with limited capabilities including business computer systems, personal data assistants, etc., which are coupled to the speech processing facility via a communications channel, e.g., the Internet. Devices with audio capture capability record and transmit to the speech processing facility, via the Internet, digitized speech and receive speech processing services, e.g., speech recognition model generation and/or speech recognition services, in response. The Internet is used to return speech recognition models and/or information identifying recognized words or phrases. Thus, the speech processing facility can be used to provide speech recognition capabilities to devices without such capabilities and/or to augment a device's speech processing capability.

Abstract: Techniques for generating, distributing, and using speech recognition models are described. A shared speech processing facility is used to support speech recognition for a wide variety of devices with limited capabilities including business computer systems, personal data assistants, etc., which are coupled to the speech processing facility via a communications channel, e.g., the Internet. Devices with audio capture capability record and transmit to the speech processing facility, via the Internet, digitized speech and receive speech processing services, e.g., speech recognition model generation and/or speech recognition services, in response. The Internet is used to return speech recognition models and/or information identifying recognized words or phrases. Thus, the speech processing facility can be used to provide speech recognition capabilities to devices without such capabilities and/or to augment a device's speech processing capability.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for providing manned, e.g., live customer support to customers, e.g., people using the Internet to purchase goods and/or services are described. A person viewing a Web Site, e.g., a customer, is presented with a button which provides the opportunity to talk to a customer service representative. Upon activating the button, e.g., by clicking on it, the customer's computer or other Internet browser device sends a signal, e.g., a call request message, over the Internet indicating that the customer wants to talk with a service representative. The call request message includes the customer's telephone number and/or IP address. In response to the call request message, calling equipment is used to establish a customer service call between the customer and a customer service representative. The equipment can be owned by the telephone company thereby avoiding the need for E-business companies to make investments in telephone equipment.

Abstract: Techniques for generating, distributing, and using speech recognition models are described. A shared speech processing facility is used to support speech recognition for a wide variety of devices with limited capabilities including business computer systems, personal data assistants, etc., which are coupled to the speech processing facility via a communications channel, e.g., the Internet. Devices with audio capture capability record and transmit to the speech processing facility, via the Internet, digitized speech and receive speech processing services, e.g., speech recognition model generation and/or speech recognition services, in response. The Internet is used to return speech recognition models and/or information identifying recognized words or phrases. Thus, the speech processing facility can be used to provide speech recognition capabilities to devices without such capabilities and/or to augment a device's speech processing capability.

Abstract: Techniques for generating, distributing, and using speech recognition models are described. A shared speech processing facility is used to support speech recognition for a wide variety of devices with limited capabilities including business computer systems, personal data assistants, etc., which are coupled to the speech processing facility via a communications channel, e.g., the Internet. Devices with audio capture capability record and transmit to the speech processing facility, via the Internet, digitized speech and receive speech processing services, e.g., speech recognition model generation and/or speech recognition services, in response. The Internet is used to return speech recognition models and/or information identifying recognized words or phrases. Thus, the speech processing facility can be used to provide speech recognition capabilities to devices without such capabilities and/or to augment a device's speech processing capability.

Abstract: Techniques for generating, distributing, and using speech recognition models are described. A shared speech processing facility is used to support speech recognition for a wide variety of devices with limited capabilities including business computer systems, personal data assistants, etc., which are coupled to the speech processing facility via a communications channel, e.g., the Internet. Devices with audio capture capability record and transmit to the speech processing facility, via the Internet, digitized speech and receive speech processing services, e.g., speech recognition model generation and/or speech recognition services, in response. The Internet is used to return speech recognition models and/or information identifying recognized words or phrases. Thus, the speech processing facility can be used to provide speech recognition capabilities to devices without such capabilities and/or to augment a device's speech processing capability.

Abstract: Techniques for generating, distributing, and using speech recognition models are described. A shared speech processing facility is used to support speech recognition for a wide variety of devices with limited capabilities including business computer systems, personal data assistants, etc., which are coupled to the speech processing facility via a communications channel, e.g., the Internet. Devices with audio capture capability record and transmit to the speech processing facility, via the Internet, digitized speech and receive speech processing services, e.g., speech recognition model generation and/or speech recognition services, in response. The Internet is used to return speech recognition models and/or information identifying recognized words or phrases. Thus, the speech processing facility can be used to provide speech recognition capabilities to devices without such capabilities and/or to augment a device's speech processing capability.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for providing operator services to callers in a fully or partially automated manner are disclosed. In addition, the present invention is directed to methods and apparatus for providing new telephone services, e.g., the forwarding of messages to non-published telephone number customers. It is also directed to methods and apparatus that can be used to detect, report and correct operator input errors. Automated, e.g., unmanned, apparatus of the present invention are capable of interfacing with conventional telephone switches using known operator protocols. This allows automated devices of the present invention to appear to existing telephone switches as manned operator positions capable of servicing telephone calls. In accordance with the present invention, the unmanned apparatus of the present invention is assigned one or more operator position identifiers conventionally used to identify manned operator positions.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for providing operator services to callers in a fully or partially automated manner are disclosed. In addition, the present invention is directed to methods and apparatus for providing new telephone services, e.g., the forwarding of messages to non-published telephone number customers. It is also directed to methods and apparatus that can be used to detect, report and correct operator input errors. Automated, e.g., unmanned, apparatus of the present invention are capable of interfacing with conventional telephone switches using known operator protocols. This allows automated devices of the present invention to appear to existing telephone switches as manned operator positions capable of servicing telephone calls. In accordance with the present invention, the unmanned apparatus of the present invention is assigned one or more operator position identifiers conventionally used to identify manned operator positions.

Abstract: Techniques for generating, distributing, and using speech recognition models are described. A shared speech processing facility is used to support speech recognition for a wide variety of devices with limited capabilities including business computer systems, personal data assistants, etc., which are coupled to the speech processing facility via a communications channel, e.g., the Internet. Devices with audio capture capability record and transmit to the speech processing facility, via the Internet, digitized speech and receive speech processing services, e.g., speech recognition model generation and/or speech recognition services, in response. The Internet is used to return speech recognition models and/or information identifying recognized words or phrases. Thus, the speech processing facility can be used to provide speech recognition capabilities to devices without such capabilities and/or to augment a device's speech processing capability.

Abstract: Techniques for generating, distributing, and using speech recognition models are described. A shared speech processing facility is used to support speech recognition for a wide variety of devices with limited capabilities including business computer systems, personal data assistants, etc., which are coupled to the speech processing facility via a communications channel, e.g., the Internet. Devices with audio capture capability record and transmit to the speech processing facility, via the Internet, digitized speech and receive speech processing services, e.g., speech recognition model generation and/or speech recognition services, in response. The Internet is used to return speech recognition models and/or information identifying recognized words or phrases. Thus, the speech processing facility can be used to provide speech recognition capabilities to devices without such capabilities and/or to augment a device's speech processing capability.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for implementing a telephone communication system incorporating pager features are described. In accordance with the present invention, when a call to a system subscriber is received, the subscriber is contacted by the telephone switch which receives the call via the use of a pager message, e.g., using a conventional pager system. If the subscriber has a pager module of the present invention, which receives the pager message directed to the subscriber inserted into an enhanced telephone of the present invention, the pager module will automatically initiate a call to the switch where the waiting call is being held or “parked”. The automatically placed call will result in a connection between the switch and called party being established over conventional telephone lines. The connection with the switch is thus established automatically in a manner that is transparent to the subscriber.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for providing operator services to callers in a fully or partially automated manner are disclosed. In addition, the present invention is directed to methods and apparatus for providing new telephone services, e.g., the forwarding of messages to non-published telephone number customers. It is also directed to methods and apparatus that can be used to detect, report and correct operator input errors. Automated, e.g., unmanned, apparatus of the present invention are capable of interfacing with conventional telephone switches using known operator protocols. This allows automated devices of the present invention to appear to existing telephone switches as manned operator positions capable of servicing telephone calls. In accordance with the present invention, the unmanned apparatus of the present invention is assigned one or more operator position identifiers conventionally used to identify manned operator positions.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for automating telecommunications billing operations and reducing operator errors when processing operator assisted telephone calls is disclosed. In accordance with the invention, when an operator assisted telephone call is being serviced, a computer is used to automatically generate default billing charge information, e.g., a default class charge, which is automatically entered unless the operator alters this computer generated information. In addition, the computer provides the operator with messages regarding restrictions which are applicable to the call being processed as well as other useful call processing information. When the operator alters the default class charge, a check is automatically performed to insure that the new class charge is a valid class charge. If the class charge appears to be in error, a message is provided to the operator and the operator is given a chance to alter the class charge information before the call is terminated.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for inputting telephone number information into an operator workstation are described. In accordance with the present invention, telephone number information may be entered as either alphabetic information using, e.g., the alphabetic keys on an IBM compatible keyboard, or as numeric information using the numeric keys on the keyboard or on a standard telephone keypad. When telephone number information is input as alphabetic information, the workstation automatically converts the alphabetic character of e.g., a vanity telephone number such as "SKYTELL" into the actual numeric 759 8355 which is then used to complete the call. Error checking is performed as part of the data input and conversion process. If an operator attempts to enter the letters Q or Z into a telephone number field or enters a key other than an alphanumeric the input data is rejected and an error message is sent to the operator.