Abstract: A distributed voice applications system includes a voice applications rendering agent and at least one voice applications agent that is configured to provide voice applications to an individual user. A management system may control and direct the voice applications rendering agent to create voice applications that are personalized for individual users based on user characteristics, information about the environment in which the voice applications will be performed, prior user interactions and other information. The voice applications agent and components of customized voice applications may be resident on a local user device which includes a voice browser and speech recognition capabilities. The local device, voice applications rendering agent and management system may be interconnected via a communications network.

Abstract: A distributed voice applications system includes a voice applications rendering agent and at least one voice applications agent that is configured to provide voice applications to an individual user. A management system may control and direct the voice applications rendering agent to create voice applications that are personalized for individual users based on user characteristics, information about the environment in which the voice applications will be performed, prior user interactions and other information. The voice applications agent and components of customized voice applications may be resident on a local user device which includes a voice browser and speech recognition capabilities. The local device, voice applications rendering agent and management system may be interconnected via a communications network.

Abstract: A distributed voice applications system includes a voice applications rendering agent and at least one voice applications agent that is configured to provide voice applications to an individual user. A management system may control and direct the voice applications rendering agent to create voice applications that are personalized for individual users based on user characteristics, information about the environment in which the voice applications will be performed, prior user interactions and other information. The voice applications agent and components of customized voice applications may be resident on a local user device which includes a voice browser and speech recognition capabilities. The local device, voice applications rendering agent and management system may be interconnected via a communications network.

Abstract: A voicemail system is capable of recording multiple personalized voicemail greetings for multiple individual potential calling parties. When a call is received by the voicemail system, the identity of the calling party is determined. This can be accomplished through caller ID information for the incoming call, or by interpreting spoken input provided by the calling party. If a personalized voicemail greeting has been established for the calling party, then the personalized voicemail greeting is played to the calling party. If no personalized voicemail greeting has been established for the calling party, a generic voicemail greeting is played to the calling party.

Abstract: A system and method embodying the invention utilizes voice applications that are performed by voice applications agents resident on user local devices to deliver messages to the users. The voice applications can also be used to collect information from the users. Also, voice applications can be used to allow users to purchase goods and services. Voice applications for these purposes could be customized to take into account the individual characteristics of the users.

Abstract: A distributed voice application execution environment system conducts a voiceprint analysis when a user initially begins to interact with the system. If the system is able to identify the user through a voiceprint analysis, the system immediately begins to interact with the user utilizing voice applications which have been customized for that user.

Abstract: Systems and methods of placing a telephone call for a user include monitoring the telephone number that the user has requested to reach. Depending upon the telephone number requested by the user, the system might take an alternate action, rather than simply placing a call to the requested telephone number. In some instances, the system might take an action in addition to placing a call to the requested telephone number.

Abstract: A system and method for allowing a telemarketer to place a series of telephone calls to called parties utilizes a distributed processing architecture. This allows the telemarketer to utilize data stored at remote locations to help interact with called parties. In addition, the telemarketer can utilize telephone assets to quickly and easily place multiple simultaneous calls to different called parties.

Abstract: A system and method for announcing and handling incoming telephone calls utilizes a distributed processing architecture. The distributed processing architecture makes use of local devices that can be located at various different locations where the user is often located. For instance, local devices could be at a user's home, a user's office and/or on a user's mobile device. The local devices are linked such than when there is an incoming telephone call directed to any one of multiple telephone numbers associated with the user, an announcement of the incoming call is provided at all of the user's locations. The user is also able to specify how the incoming call is to be handled on a call-by-call basis. The user may also be able to specify default call handling instructions so that an incoming telephone call directed to one of the user's telephone numbers is received by a device normally associated with a different one of the user's telephone numbers.

Abstract: A system that is capable of receiving and interpreting a user's spoken commands is also coupled to a television interface device that controls video programming content displayed the user's television. The user can speak commands to cause certain programs to be played, and to control various functions of the television. The system can track and analyze a user's video viewing habits. In addition, the system is able to determine which of multiple users might be interested in a particular video program, and the system can play marketing messages regarding that video program to those users that might be interested in viewing the video program.

Abstract: A system and method for connecting a user to business services monitors all attempts by the user to place outgoing telephone calls. When a user is attempting to place a call to a business, the system checks to see if the business has created a voice application that could be performed for the user. If so, the business' voice application is performed for the user on the user's local device, instead of connecting the user to the business' customer service line. If no voice application is available for the user, then the system connects the user to the business' customer service line, either through a telephone network, or through a data network connection.

Abstract: A system plays audio prompts to a user as part of a voice application. If the user begins to provide input in response to the audio prompt before the audio prompt is finished playing, the volume of the audio prompt is reduced, but the audio prompt continues to play. If the user finishes providing his input and the system is able to interpret the input before the audio prompt finishes, the audio prompt will halt and the system will take further action in accordance with the user's input. If the user finishes providing his input while the audio prompt is still playing, and the system is unable to interpret the input, the volume of the audio prompt will increase back to the original volume level until either the audio prompt finishes playing, or the user again begins to provide input.

Abstract: As a user interacts with a voice application, a history of the prompts played to the user and the users responses are displayed to the user. The displayed prompts and displayed responses could be summaries of the prompts and responses, or they could be full transcriptions of the prompts and responses. A user may be able to select a prompt or response in the history to return to a certain point in the voice application. It may be possible for a user to save a history of the interactions that occurred when a voice application was performed, and to recall the history to continue on from a selected location in the history.

Abstract: A distributed voice applications system includes a voice applications rendering agent and at least one voice applications agent that is configured to provide voice applications to an individual user. A management system may control and direct the voice applications rendering agent to create voice applications that are personalized for individual users based on user characteristics, information about the environment in which the voice applications will be performed, prior user interactions and other information. The voice applications agent and components of customized voice applications may be resident on a local user device which includes a voice browser and speech recognition capabilities. The local device, voice applications rendering agent and management system may be interconnected via a communications network.