Abstract: In a computer system that has an interface to a telephone network and that executes network applications comprising one or more call flows that provide telephony services to callers who access the computer system via the telephone network, a call flow library provides an interface between the network applications and a client application to enable the client application to externally call and initiate execution of a selected call flow of one of the network applications.

Abstract: A web interface (12) to a service creation environment (14) includes a service logic parser (42) adapted to receive a service logic description (32) from the service creation environment (14), parse the service logic description (32), and generate a web browser readable service data file (44). At least one web page (22) is adapted to display information in the service data files (44) and prompt for user input in response thereto. A call scripting process (62) continuously receives the user inputs entered on the at least one web page (22) and communicates the user inputs to the service creation environment (14).

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for the management of a telephone automatic branch exchange (11) provided with a management program that makes use of the raw configuration data of a basic configuration enabling its operation. The method comprises a phase of initialization that consists in structuring the configuration into a plurality of objects characterized by parameters and in describing the basic configuration in the form of a raw data base; a phase for the extraction of a configuration diagram that consists in exploring the raw data base so as to prepare a diagram of configuration instructions constituted by a list of configuration instructions; an optional phase for the transfer of the diagram from an external management device to the telephone automatic branch exchange and/or prepare and upload the diagram within the device to store a descriptive condensed image of the current configuration of the telephone automatic branch exchange.

Abstract: A telecommunication system comprising a telephone switch, a telephone, a web server and a browser allows the user to control the interaction between the telephone and the telephone switch by interacting with a web page. The web page is provided by the web server based on information obtained from the control application and is based on the operation and features of the telephone switch. The web server provides the control information to the telephone switch through a control application. This allows the communication system to use regular telephone without any features while giving the user access to features through a standard, telephone switch independent user interface in the form of a web page displayed by the browser.

Abstract: A computer system and method for analysis and translation of Web on-line menu architectures to Interactive Voice Response (IVR) menu architectures. The system analyzes Uniform Resource Location (URL) links in HyperText Markup Language (HTML) documents that comprise the Web menus and develops corresponding IVR menus. Once the system has developed a validated IVR menu architecture, the system supports both on-line Web users and IVR users with a common set of structured information databases. The system and method also supports analysis and translation of IVR menu architectures to support Web on-line users. The common information databases contain the IVR and Web menu architectures as well as product specifications and prices.

Abstract: A system and method of implementing and provisioning features and thereby providing feature services in a call processing environment where features may be introduced, changed or removed from outside the code base. Features are introduced or “injected” into the call processing environment using a feature registry. The feature registry is used to manage feature configuration, behavior and interactions. The code base references the feature registry to apply features during operation. In this manner, features can be implemented by reference without modification or rebuilding of the code base. Features can be added, modified or removed without requiring a system upgrade, even while the code base is in operation. The code base uses a structured framework into which features can be introduced by reference using the feature registry. A feature service manager exclusively controls the feature registry and handles provisioning of features.

Abstract: A call processing apparatus incorporates a robust database supporting both autodialing and autoattendant functions. Incoming calls not directed to a specific telephone extension and any call to a dedicated autodialer function are answered and the caller prompted to speak the name of the desired person or department. A speech recognition platform analyzes the spoken name to provide one or more searchable text strings representing the various spellings associated with the spoken name. The database is searched to retrieve corresponding terminal address instructions such as the telephone number or extension of the named party and call routing to the address is initiated. Alternatively, in an autoattendant mode, a subscriber calls a telephone number associated with a specified service such as a hotline and is asked to identify himself by name. The speech recognition platform again provides a corresponding searchable text string used to retrieve subscriber-specific information for handling the call.

Abstract: A storage device has an operation effective value memory for storing operation start days, effective period deadlines, and number of effective days of service functions. A controller does not provide a service function when an extension telephone set is operated to use the service function if the present day is past an effective period deadline stored in the operation effective value memory.

Abstract: Disclosed is a system that prevalidates service orders that are placed by an inter exchange carrier with a local exchange carrier for connection of the inter exchange carrier with a business customer. An integrated prevalidation system and service order system is disclosed in which prevalidation requests are performed using the data that is entered for the service order. Prevalidation responses are then used to ensure that the order will be correct when submitted, thereby avoiding the necessity for expensive supplemental orders. Further, the present invention allows for stand alone prevalidation requests which enable a provisioner to determine availability of circuits, and to determine location information and equipment identification directly from the LEC databases. Further, the present invention is capable of reconciling the database of the inter exchange carrier with the database of the LEC to avoid submission of incorrect service orders.

Abstract: The virtual remote office of the present invention includes a programmable processor within a portable housing and a communications connection for transmitting communications between the virtual remote office and an external communications network. The processor is programmed to restrict incoming and outgoing communications, disconnect a telecommunications path between the virtual remote office and an external communications network, and redirect incoming communications to another line. In addition to the processor, the circuitry within the portable housing includes a Data Access Arrangement and line status module, a switching module, an off-hook detection module, a DTMF decoder module, and a light emitting diode module.

Abstract: A method of introducing a feature during a communication between subscribers of a telecommunications network. The first step of the method is executing, at each predefined trigger point during the communication, an operation to activate a particular requested feature. The method then requires accessing data stored in a network memory for use in the activation operation. The data is arranged in the memory in table and bit map format so as to enable the features to be customized. The method then requires executing the particular requested feature upon activation. The method may also include repeating the method steps for each feature available to be activated at a respective trigger point in an order determined by the stored data. The method is independent of the type of requested feature.

Abstract: Improved methods and apparatus for telecommunications call service and call feature processing utilize a compiled representation of a textual description in a mark-up language of operations describing a telecommunication service is generated. Objects, hereinafter referred to as context objects, access this compiled representation, in response to events occurring with respect to a telecommunication service in order to effect the execution of the operations.

Abstract: A telecommunications management system that deploys a unique Single-Point-of-Entry and Synchronous Data Base system. The system of the present invention is an integrated suite of system control and application software modules used to manage one or more telephone systems. In addition to controlling commonly used PBX systems, the invention controls adjunct systems such as voice mail and 911 emergency systems. The system of the invention ties its application modules and system control modules through a single point of entry and a synchronized database.

Abstract: A communications system is designed to receive programmed instructions from an end-user device, invoke within the system the necessary processes needed to execute these instructions, and to marshal and allocate the needed resources to deliver a communications service requested by the sender of the programmed instructions

Abstract: A system and method for provisioning application and data files to a plurality of real-time processing nodes within a telecommunications network. The system comprises a user interface for accepting commands from a user to deactivate, activate, deploy, or delete application and data files, an application database for storing the application and data files, and an interface to monitor the operational state of the plurality of real-time processing nodes. The method includes the steps of using a plurality of state tables to monitor the state of the application and data files and deploying the application and data files to the plurality of real-time processing nodes according to commands received from the user interface, the plurality of state tables, and the operational state of the nodes. The invention is particularly suited to provisioning a network of advanced interactive voice response (IVR) service platforms with customer IVR application and data files.

Abstract: A system and method for supporting and managing telecommunications services in a telecommunications network includes a management information base builder toolkit (66, 110) for specifying object definitions in an object-oriented framework of a plurality of managed objects (112) that model resources (64) within the telecommunications network. The toolkit (66, 110) is used to construct a master management information base (70, 116) for storing the object definitions of the plurality of managed objects (112).

Abstract: A user defines their own call-coverage path (141) or other call-processing information by drawing a graphical flowchart (200) using an interactive GUI of a PC-based software application (140). Once the flowchart is drawn, it is activated with the push of a button, and that flowchart is now the logic that is applied to a user's coverage path. The call-coverage path (the flowchart) remains resident on the user's PC (103) and the communications switching system (101) retrieves call-coverage information from the PC whenever it must perform call coverage for that user. A plurality of different flowcharts may be drawn and stored on the PC, and then recalled and activated at any time as the present call-coverage path for the user. A call-coverage path may be activated by and/or for the user from anywhere on a LAN (104), WAN, or the Internet, so that the call-coverage path my be controlled remotely.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a system, method, and apparatus for adding the benefit of object-oriented programming to conforming application programs to the specifications of telephony software interfaces and reducing the traffic load from messages generated and sent by line devices to application programs. An object-oriented interface layer is inserted between the application program which accepts objects from the application programs and causes the telephony software interface to perform a standard set of operations. From the standpoint of the telephony software interface, the object-oriented interface layer is the application program utilizing the line devices, thus causing the line devices to generate a single message to the object-oriented interface layer which distributes the message to the appropriate application programs. Accordingly, the traffic load caused by the generation of messages is reduced.

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 computer-based telephone integration system for providing various telephone-related services is disclosed. The computer-based telephone integration system includes a processing unit and memory storing system software. The system software includes a control object for determining call information pertaining to an incoming telephone call and for searching for a service object to perform a telephone service corresponding to the determined call information, and a plurality of service objects, each of which defines the behavior of a telephone service. The computer-based telephone integration system includes a database which, in response to the determined call information, provides an identification of a link library having therein the service object corresponding to the desired telephone service to perform. Subsequent to accessing the identified link library by the control object, the service object is executed, thereby providing the desired telephone service to the caller.

Abstract: A system and method for implementing services in an intelligent network of a telecommunications system. Upon registration of a subscriber station in a mobile telecommunications network, a plurality of triggers associated with the subscriber are downloaded to a switch that is handling the call. Subsequently, a trigger condition is detected at the switch, and a query signal is sent to a server storing data for responding to the trigger condition. In response to the query signal, a bundle of platform independent code comprising instructions for executing a particular service is downloaded to the switch. The code is executed at the switch to implement the particular service, and appropriate actions are taken in accordance with the implemented service.

Abstract: A first method comprises initiating a telecommunication network trigger based upon a service code dialed from an originating party. The service code includes an alphabetical abbreviation for a name of a telecommunication service. In dependence upon the trigger, a step of provisioning the telecommunication service for the originating party is performed. A second method comprises initiating a telecommunication network trigger based upon a code including “*M” or “#M”. In response to the trigger, a step of providing a menu of a plurality of telecommunication options in is performed. Systems and articles associated with the first and second methods are disclosed.

Abstract: A system and method (10) for commissioning telecommunications services includes an SLP toolkit (13) for building a service logic program (15), and an SPM toolkit (19) for building a service management program (21), where the service management program (21) implements a support service for the service logic program (15). A distribution network node (16) is used to receive and distribute the service logic program (15) and service management program (21) to a service logic execution environment (20, 92) residing in a telecommunications network node (30, 32, 34, 36, 50) for executing the service logic program (15), and to a management logic execution environment (22, 86, 94, 102) for executing the service management program (21).

Abstract: The present invention relates to a system and a method for the optimization of an analysis, said system comprising a telecommunication network and analysis means for analyzing data associated with calls. According to the invention, the analysis means comprise a generic analysis mechanism and one or more analysis functions utilizing the analysis mechanism. The invention makes it possible to avoid interpenetrating analysis implementations, thus reducing the costs.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a telecommunications system initiating telephone connections between, for example, a consumer and a service provider based on the criteria provided by the consumer and the services available from the service provider. The system is suitable for consumers requiring direct communication with a staff member of a service provider capable of meeting the consumer's service requirements. The system compiles a prioritized list of service providers matching the consumer's criteria. Starting with the first service provider on the list, the system rings the service provider and determines whether or not a staff member answers the call. If the line is busy or the call is not answered by a staff member, the system moves on to the next service provider on the list until a service provider having a staff member is located. Once such a service provider is located, the system rings the consumer and connects the two parties.

Abstract: A system and method for facilitating the design and development of automatic response unit (ARU) services and for processing automated response unit (ARU) services. The present invention comprises a compiler and interpreter that facilitate the development of an ARU service encoding. The interpreter is one embodiment of the present invention that may be used for processing an ARU service encoding. The present invention further comprises a graphical user interface (GUI) tool for creating and maintaining an ARU service encoding. An ARU service encoding is a tree structure comprised of service nodes wherein each service node may represent a caller's menu selection from the ARU service. Each service node has multiple components including variable support, message capability, processing capability, and default capability. The present invention parses the ARU service encoding for service nodes.

Abstract: An apparatus and method is disclosed for providing transparent enhanced telecommunications services to subscribers by implementing an enhanced services platform on a local network exchange within the public telephone network. More specifically, the apparatus and method of the present invention is capable of providing a plurality of enhanced telecommunications services to a subscriber by using a voice-activated interface to enable the subscriber to access at least one of the plurality of enhanced telecommunications services. In addition, the apparatus and method of the present invention may use a web-activated interface to enable the subscriber to access at least one of the plurality of enhanced telecommunications services.

Abstract: A system and method of implementing and provisioning features and thereby providing feature services in a call processing environment where features may be introduced, changed or removed from outside the code base. Features are introduced or “injected” into the call processing environment using a feature registry. The feature registry is used to manage feature configuration, behavior and interactions. The code base references the feature registry to apply features during operation. In this manner, features can be implemented by reference without modification or rebuilding of the code base. Features can be added, modified or removed without requiring a system upgrade, even while the code base is in operation. The code base uses a structured framework into which features can be introduced by reference using the feature registry. A feature service manager exclusively controls the feature registry and handles provisioning of features.

Abstract: A subscriber of a public switched telecommunications network may gain direct access his/her voice station set (12) to the Internet (14) by first accessing a special platform (16) in the telephone network. The special platform (16) serves to validate the subscriber, and upon validation, converts a entered address label, entered by the subscriber via DTMF or voice, into a corresponding TCP/IP address for a site on the Internet. After launching the address to gain access to the site, the special platform converts orders entered by the subscriber via DTMF or voice into TCP/IP text commands, and converts TCP/IP commands received from the site into voice for transmission to the subscriber.

Abstract: An automated message system sends a message of the calling party to the called party in response to a control signal. The automated message system includes a telephone network, a first telephone station, a second telephone station used by the called party and an automated message unit coupled to the first and second telephone stations through the network. A controller of the automated message unit that receives the control signal from the calling party selects a database from a memory device and retrieves a message from the database based on information included in the control signal. If an answering machine answers the calling party's call, the controller waits for the answering machine message to complete and sends the message retrieved from the database to the second telephone station of the called party.