Abstract: A telephone interface device adapted for the transmission of recorded audio files over communication channels is disclosed. The telephone interface device comprises electronic circuitry contained within a case member. The circuitry includes a plurality of electrical connection jack members, each accessible via an aperture in the case member, with each electrical connection jack member in communication with at least one control switch member mounted in an aperture in the case member and operable from exterior the case member.

Abstract: A method for realizing ring back tone in communication system, enabling that the calling user can only hear the ring back tone triggered by the primary called user no matter whether the call is forwarded or how it is forwarded. In the present invention, service control unit sets a mark indicating not to request ring resource in Invite message initiated to the forward user, and indicating the backward service control unit not to request triggering the ring resource. Optionally, service control unit only sends ringing message forwardly when it receives the backward ringing message and succeeds to request ring resource, and when it receives the backward ringing message, if service control unit has ever initiated call forward, then it deactivates backward ring resource.

Abstract: A system for providing ringback content. In the system, a user places a call on a communication device to a callee via a network. The network may store content information about the user and uses this content information to deduce the intent of the user's call. The callee provides ringback content to the user's communication device based on the deduced user call intent.

Abstract: A system and method that records a message and then delivers the message to one or more recipients. The message may be delivered to the recipients at some determined later time. Each recipient may be able to receive the message at different times depending on data that is input with respect to each recipient. Also described are repeat call function that repeats a call until a live recipient answers the call, and repeat message function that repeats a recorded message to a recipient a determined number of times.

Abstract: Message delivery system primarily for answering machines which provides a realistic sounding recorded message containing an individualized personal greeting which can be delivered onto one or more answering machines. This automated method of delivering a recorded personalized information message via an automated dialing system to automated recorders involves a series of steps of: forming a database of first names, determining frequency of occurrence of greatest number of the first names in the database; recording individual personal greetings to the first names having the greatest frequency of occurrence and, playing the individualized personally greeting without truncation onto answering machines associated with the first names having the greatest frequency of occurrence. This system provides a preliminary personalized greeting to the beginning of the generic message being delivered so that the recipient believes the message is coming from a real person.

Abstract: A method for transmitting and for storing destination information in a mobile communication terminal is disclosed. The method for transmitting destination information includes determining whether a navigation mode is enabled and, if the navigation mode is enabled, determining whether a hot key is pressed for a predetermined time. If the hot key is pressed for the predetermined time, destination address information corresponding to the hot key is read, and transmitted to an information center over a wireless network. Therefore, since a phone book of the mobile communication terminal is interworked with destination address information for navigation, the present invention simplifies procedures needed to transmit the destination address information using the mobile communication terminal.

Abstract: A messaging system includes a messaging platform storing a message from a calling party, a switching mechanism for receiving a call from a subscriber to access the stored message, and a routing application at a server. The subscriber accesses the message at the messaging platform and signals for a callback connection with the calling party. In response, the messaging platform sends bookmark information to the routing application describing a current state of the messaging platform with regard to the subscriber. The routing application directs the switching mechanism to disconnect the subscriber from the messaging platform and connect the subscriber to the calling party. When the callback connection is completed, the routing application directs that the subscriber be re-connected with the messaging platform and sends the stored bookmark information back to same. The messaging platform employs such bookmark information to re-establish the current state.

Abstract: A method and system for identifying whether a communicating party is a person or an automated device is provided. The identification system determines whether a person or an automated device is currently providing audio of the communication. When the identification is to be determined, the identification system outputs an audio signal to the party. The identification system monitors the input audio signal from the party to determine whether a person or an automated device is providing the input audio. The identification system makes this determination based on whether there is simultaneous sound on the input audio signal and the output audio signal. The greater the amount of simultaneous sound, the greater the likelihood that the party is an automated device.

Abstract: A mechanism and method for updating local call information databases for calls to be placed by predictive dialers deployed at different geographic locations within a communications network.

Abstract: Interactive system for responding to conditions after an answering machine has been detected in an automatic telephone number dialing and announcing system so that realistic sounding recorded messages can be delivered without truncation. The system starts by: placing a telephone call to an answering machine; playing a recorded message onto the answering machine; monitoring the machine for echo cancellation sounds (sounds emanating from the answering machine) while simultaneously playing the message; repeating the playing of said message onto the answering machine while monitoring for echo cancellation sounds; and continuing to play the message until there are no echo cancellation sounds whereby the recorded message is launched unto the answering machine and continues playing the message to completion.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for detecting an answering machine for a new voice message delivery method and system. The invention detects the presence of an existing answering machine or voicemail system of a Recipient by listening for talk-over during playback of the message or initial prompts. The method and system will also restart playback of the prompts and/or message if talk-over is detected to ensure that the message is properly recorded on the answering machine.

Abstract: A user computer, for example a personal computer (PC), includes a recorder configured for generating an audio file having an identifier enabling a unified messaging system to identify the audio file as a voice message, and an e-mail client configured for sending the audio file to a prescribed destination corresponding to a unified messaging subscriber voice mail inbox, enabling the unified messaging subscriber to use the unified messaging system for retrieval of the audio file as a stored voice message.

Abstract: A system for determining the status of an answered telephone during the course of an outbound telephone call includes an automated telephone calling device for placing a telephone call to a location having a telephone number at which a target person is listed, upon the telephone call being answered, initiating a prerecorded greeting which asks for the target person and receiving a spoken response from an answering person and a speech recognition device for performing a speech recognition analysis on the spoken response to determine a status of the spoken response. If the speech recognition device determines that the answering person is the target person, the speech recognition device initiates a speech recognition application with the target person.

Abstract: A portable telephone produces either beep sound or melody sound as incoming call sound. The melody sound is produced based on music data, which are stored in advance or downloaded from the prescribed distribution center, wherein the music data represent the melody of a single musical tune in different arrangements that are respectively assigned to time zones in advance. Hence, the portable telephone produces the same melody in different arrangements in response to time zones, to which the time for receiving an incoming call belong.

Abstract: An IP telephony gateway and a voice mail resource enable a voice mail subscriber to place an outgoing call to a destination party from a voice mail session according to the voice over IP (H.323) protocol, and resume the voice mail session upon completion of the outgoing call with the destination party. The IP telephony gateway establishes a voice mail session for the voice mail subscriber with the voice mail resource across a first Real Time Protocol (RTP) data stream. The voice mail resource initiates a second RTP data stream to a destination party in response to reception of a prescribed command from the voice mail subscriber. Although an RTP bridge connecting the first and second RTP data streams can be maintained by the voice mail resource, the voice mail resource may also use the Empty Capability Set feature in the H.323 standard to cause the IP telephony gateway to close the first and second RTP data streams to the voice mail resource.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a telephone system, an exchange and a method for setting up telephone connections between a computer, which is an extension of the exchange, and the exchange via a computer network. The exchange comprises a switch core, a switch control means for setting up connections and a network connection device connected between the switch core and the computer network. The computer comprises a function for use as a telephone and has a computer network address. The network connection device registers the computer as a telephone to which calls can be made in the switch control means, sets up at least one traffic channel via the computer network for sending speech signals, and, receives data packets containing telephony from the computer over the traffic channel and removes a signal structure suitable for telephony from the data packets. The switch control means allocates a telephone number to the computer.

Abstract: A system and method for providing an operator with automated calling functions allows the operator to be on the line when a customer call is placed so that a sales call can begin immediately if a customer answers the call. The system and method could be configured so that the operator can place calls automatically be selecting customers from customer call lists. The system and method may also allow the operator to cause a pre-recorded audio message to be played to a first customer, or the first customer's answering machine, while the operator proceeds to a second customer call placed over a second telephone line.

Abstract: ThunderCall is a computer based system for delivering NWS(National Weather Service) severe weather warnings as a message (personalized information, if desired) via an automated dialing system to live persons and to automated recorders comprising the steps of: forming a database of names with their respective geographic locations; capturing a NWS Bulletin reciting the location of a severe storm; validating a relevant Bulletin into a Valid Bulletin by determining from the storm's location that it represents an imminent severe storm danger to at least one person of said database (capable of 10,000,000 or more persons) recording, if desired, an individual personal urgent warning to the name of the intended recipient of the Valid Bulletin; combining, if desired, said personal warning with a generic severe storm warning for said recipient; and, sending said Valid Bulletin with said combined warnings to said person whereby he is alerted within seconds of the release time of said National Weather Service bulletin to

Abstract: A message distribution system for distributing a message via a telecommunications network to a plurality of communications terminals comprises: a message unit for contacting each of the terminals and sending the message, memory for storing, for a plurality of said terminals, corresponding terminal address data, and storing also a plurality of geographical element data linking geographical features of a portion of the Earth with location data; input for accepting an input control signal to initiate message distribution; area designation unit to designate a geographical area within the portion of the Earth; terminal derivation unit for outputting the terminal address data of terminals for outputting the terminal address data of terminals recorded as being geographically within the area and supplying the addresses for use by the message unit.

Abstract: Message delivery system primarily for answering machines which provides a realistic sounding recorded message containing an individualized personal greeting which can be delivered onto one or more answering machines. This automated method of delivering a recorded personalized information message via an automated dialing system to automated recorders involves a series of steps of: forming a database of first names, determining frequency of occurrence of greatest number of the first names in the database; recording individual personal greetings to the first names having the greatest frequency of occurrence and, playing the individualized personally greeting without truncation onto answering machines associated with the first names having the greatest frequency of occurrence. This system provides a preliminary personalized greeting to the beginning of the generic message being delivered so that the recipient believes the message is coming from a real person.

Abstract: Methods and systems for enabling a subscriber to interrupt a review of messages in a voice mail system (VMS), to make a call or take some other action, and to return to the same position as occupied at the time of interruption in the review of messages in the VMS. In response to an indication from the SSP subscriber's communic ation to leave the review, an identifier is created to mark the position of the subscriber's communication in the review. The identifier is stared in the VMS. The VMS transmits a release message with respect to the subscriber's communication, the message including a copy of the identifier. The message may be a GR-1129 message including a remote operations (RO) parameter with the copy of the identifier. In response to the release message, a service control point (SCP) stores the copy of the identifier and causes whatever action is indicated in the message to be taken with respect to the subscriber's communication.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for inducing a person to store telephone numbers or other contact information entered into a new voice message delivery method and system. The invention preferably operates after the person has completed a transaction, such as sending or receiving a voice message, so that the action of saving the telephone number or other contact information is convenient for the user and is less competitive with the action of sending or receiving a voice message. After a person sends or receives a voice message, the invention determines whether to offer the person an opportunity to save the telephone number or other contact information already entered into the system. The invention then allows the person to save the telephone number or other contact information in an address book associated with their account.

Abstract: An improved contact center is disclosed in which voice contacts may be processed by agents simultaneously by storing incoming voice and responding to it in near real time. The technique permits an agent at a contact center to process incoming voice contacts in near real time, but to simultaneously handle plural customers in a manner similar to that utilized in web chat applications.

Abstract: A system and method for providing an operator with automated calling functions allows the operator to be on the line when a customer call is placed so that a sales call can begin immediately if a customer answers the call. The system and method could be configured so that the operator can place calls automatically be selecting customers from customer call lists. The system and method may also allow the operator to cause a pre-recorded audio message to be played to a first customer, or the first customer's answering machine, while the operator proceeds to a second customer call placed over a second telephone line.

Abstract: An IP telephony gateway and a voice mail resource enable a voice mail subscriber to place an outgoing call to a destination party from a voice mail session via a first Real Time Protocol (RTP) data stream according to the voice over IP (H.323) protocol, and resume the voice mail session upon completion of the outgoing call with the destination party. The voice mail resource initiates a second RTP data stream to a destination party, and uses the Empty Capability Set feature in the H.323 standard to cause the IP telephony gateway to close the first and second RTP data streams to the voice mail resource. The voice mail resource then issues Non-Empty Capability Set messages to the IP telephony gateway for the first and second RTP data streams, causing the IP telephony gateway to internally bridge the first and second RTP data streams, and later to resume the voice mail session.

Abstract: A system and method for providing easy access to messaging services in a telecommunications network having office switches that are used by different providers of telephone and messaging services. The system uses a supplementary services database to maintain customer records including whether the customer uses messaging services and whether the customer subscribes to a short dialing sequence service for access to the messaging services. The customer is connected to the central office switch, which analyzes the dialing sequences generated by the customer. When the customer attempts access to the messaging services, the customer dials a short dialing or message sequence, such as *XX. The central office switch triggers a query to the supplementary services database for a call forwarding number to the messaging service used by the customer when the selected short dialing sequence is recognized by the switch.

Abstract: The customer inputs the customer's identification data to the customer's terminal (7). The customer's terminal sends the input identification data to the server (2). The server (2) acquires from the database (3) historical information of the customer corresponding to the identification data. The server (2) sends the acquired historical information to the customer terminal (7). The customer terminal (7) displays the historical information by a browser. By doing this, the customer is able to select a desired operator based on the displayed historical information. The customer terminal (7) sends the selected operator information to the server (2). The server (2) connects the operator terminal of the selected operator to the customer terminal (7). The PBX (4) connects the operator telephone of the selected operator to the customer telephone (8).

Abstract: In an emergency notification and rescue request system having an answer detector for detecting a call receiving party's answer to a telephone call, the answer detector comprises a level detector for outputting a first signal when a level of an audio signal on a telephone line is greater than a prescribed level and otherwise outputting a second signal which is different from the first signal, wherein an interval between adjacent prescribed state changes in the output signal from the level detector is computed every time the prescribed state change is detected, and the current and previous intervals are compared so that if such an event that the current and previous intervals do not substantially correspond to each other has occurred prescribed times consecutively, it is determined that no regular signals such as the busy signal or ring signal exist on the telephone line, i.e., the call receiving party has answered the telephone call.

Abstract: An automated nodal calling system comprises a database having a plurality of phone numbers and associated geographic identifiers. In the event of an emergency, an emergency calling area is defined and a message is recorded for delivery to the callees in the emergency calling area. The system generates a call request for all phone numbers having an associated geographic identifiers within the emergency calling area. Each call request contains various pieces of information important to proper completion of the phone call identified in the call request. All of the call requests are stored in a queue and the system determines whether to process each call request from a local node or a remote node. A call request to be processed from a local node is delivered to a template program which connects to the telecommunications system and completes the call request to the identified phone number. After the local node completes the call request, a call response is generated to identify the result of the call request.

Abstract: The present invention features techniques for designing large, robust monolithic and monolithic-like displays having good brightness and contrast over a wide range of viewing angles. These techniques include controlling the layout of the pixel array and its access circuits that modify the electrical characteristics in order to minimize undesirable optical, electro-optical, and ambient light aberrations and any electronic anomalies creating visually perceptible discontinuities or boundaries. These artifacts are reduced to levels that allow for better color correction. In addition, the use of optical components such as collimators, light enhancing films, diffusers, screens, polarizers and masks are described. The resulting displays present luminance and chromaticity outputs from areas of originally varying optical response that become uniform within the tolerances of the human visual system.

Abstract: A system and method for performing independent third party verification utilizes an automated system for posing questions to a customer and for recording and analyzing the customer's responses to those questions. The system could include a voice synthesizer or an audio player for posing oral questions to a customer. The system could also include voice recognition capabilities to analyze a customer's oral responses to questions. The system could also be provided with the capability to analyze a series of customer responses and to create an automated score to confirm or deny the verification process. The system could further include a live operator interface to allow a live operator to quickly review only the customer's responses to a series of verification questions. The live operator's analysis of the customer responses could be compared to the automated analysis as a further check on the verification process.

Abstract: An automated calling system includes a database comprising phone numbers and one or more data fields associated with each phone number. Phone numbers (callees) in the database are selected based on the data fields associated therewith. A recorded voice message is transmitted to callees through a plurality of outgoing phone lines, and callees are prompted to enter one of several vocal or TOUCH TONE responses, which is recorded. The database record for the callee is automatically updated based on the vocal or TOUCH TONE response, so that the updated field may be used to select whether to send a future call to the callee.

Abstract: An automated calling system includes a database comprising phone numbers and one or more data fields associated with each phone number. Phone numbers (callees) in the database are selected based on the data fields associated therewith. A recorded voice message is transmitted to callees through a plurality of outgoing phone lines, and callees are prompted to enter one of several vocal or TOUCH TONE responses, which is recorded. The database record for the callee is automatically updated based on the vocal or TOUCH TONE response, so that the updated field may be used to select whether to send a future call to the callee.

Abstract: A call center includes a recording/playback unit for recording audible signals received (during an outgoing call) from a remote party location, while a call classifier unit within the call center processes the audible signals. A call processing unit places a call to a remote party location via a communication network to attempt to elicit a desired response from the remote party. The call classifier then processes audible signals received from the remote party location to determine whether or not the call was answered by a live party. The audible signals are recorded by the recording/playback unit and are placed in a queue while the call classifier processes the audible signals. If the call classifier determines that the call was answered by a live party, the call processing unit completes a path between the recording/playback unit and a local agent at the call center, and the recorded audible signals from the remote party are played back to the agent in an accelerated fashion.

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.

Abstract: The present invention provides a communications system and maintenance system for telephone contact. The present invention is designed to be a stand-alone system used in concert with computers and public telephone switches that are well known in the telephone contact industry. The present invention may, if desired, be integrated into an existing telephone contact system or host program, or, it can be made available as a stand alone product. The communication system enables the telephone service representative to transparently deliver a prerecorded voice file to a party that is consistent in voice tone, quality, energy and pitch. The communication system also provides the telephone service representative with a viewable transcript of the actual voice being transmitted to the party.

Abstract: Interactive system for responding to conditions after an answering machine has been detected in an automatic telephone number dialer system so that realistic sounding recorded messages can be delivered in their entirety within three seconds of an answering machine starting to record so that the message is delivered without truncation onto the answering machines recorder. The system accurately predicts when the connected answering machine begins recording. The system has a two tier approach which takes place after the system has already determined it has connected to an answering machine. In the first tier, the system monitors for one of two conditions which indicates that recording is about to begin. The first tier threshold is met when either a solid non human tone lasts at least one second in duration, or when there is silence for at least two seconds in duration. The second tier threshold has the system continue to analyze the call until a silence condition has been met.

Abstract: A system of delivering a message to a voice messaging system, coupled to a telephone extension, calls a telephone number received from a database. Subsequently, the call is monitored for speech energy and for a continuous silence interval after speech has been detected. Finally, a message is played to a voice messaging system after the continuous interval of silence expires.

Abstract: Method and system for delivering a message over a telecommunications network to a recipient comprising transmitting a message over the telecommunications network to the recipient when a predetermined energy/silence condition is detected, performing echo cancellation on a signal communicated from the telecommunications network, and monitoring the signal to detect the energy/silence condition.

Abstract: A system and method for delivering automated pre-recorded messages to intended recipients is disclosed. An automated call controller places phone calls to intended recipients and plays a pre-recorded message for the recipient after the call is answered. The automated call controller accesses phone numbers for intended recipients from a database and automatically dials the accessed phone numbers. The automated call controller monitors parameters associated with the telephone call. A message delivery decision model analyzes these monitored parameters, and any other parameters input to the decision model, and, based on the analysis of the parameters, optimizes the delivery of the pre-recorded message by the call controller. Results from the completed phone call are stored in the database and are utilized by the decision model to optimize the completion of future phone calls to that particular phone number.

Abstract: A telecommunications system and method is disclosed for enabling a calling subscriber to invoke the forwarding of a call to a voice mail system for the called subscriber on a call-by-call basis in order to leave a message for the called subscriber without disturbing (ringing) the called subscriber. The associated disadvantage with this “Direct Voice Mail Access” (DVMA) feature is that the called party will lose control over his/her call forwarding to voice mail feature for that particular call. Therefore, in order to overcome this disadvantage, another feature, “Direct Voice Mail Access Blocking” (DVMAB) can be implemented to allow the called subscriber to inhibit direct access to their voice mail by the calling subscriber.

Abstract: In a method of leaving a message for a calling party in an automatic long-distance re-dialing service where a called party returns a call from the calling party but the calling party does not answer the called party's return call, the method comprises the steps of providing the called party an option of returning the call from the calling party, for example, at the expense of the calling party and prompting the called party to leave a message for the calling party if the calling party does not answer the called party's return call. The apparatus comprises a controller for controlling operation of an announcement(message delivery capability, a dialer, a voice detector/coder and a memory for storing the message from the called party to be delivered to the calling party.

Abstract: A system inserts one or more background sounds in a telephone call between a calling party and a called party. The system includes a network node coupled to a first telephone used by the calling party and a second telephone used by the called party. The network node is further coupled to an audio source. One or more background sounds are stored on the audio source. The calling party dials into the network node. The network node presents a menu of background sounds to the calling party who selects at least one background sound. The calling party then enters the phone number of the called party. The network node initiates the telephone call to the called party over a first telephone channel, and then inserts the selected background sound retrieved from the audio source onto the telephone channel. If a multi-party call is requested by the calling party, the calling party can select different background sounds that are inserted by the network node onto the telephone channel for each called party.

Abstract: An automated calling system includes a database comprising phone numbers and one or more data fields associated with each phone number. Phone numbers (callees) in the database are selected based on the data fields associated therewith. A recorded voice message is transmitted to callees through a plurality of outgoing phone lines, and callees are prompted to enter one of several TOUCH TONE codes, which is recorded. The database record for the callee is automatically updated based on the TOUCH TONE response code, so that the updated field may be used to select whether to send a future call to the callee.

Abstract: A computer-controlled telephone system capable of answering a call to a user telephone associated with the system, notifying a user of the call, and telephoning a previous caller upon command by the user. The system has a sensor capable of determining whether the user telephone is in use, and an outgoing message delivery component activateable by the sensor when the user telephone is in use or is unanswered. The outgoing message requests identity information from a caller, and a recorder component is capable of storing this identity information. The system further includes a notification component in communication with the recorder component and capable of automatically audibly notifying the user of the occurrence of the call and capable of providing the identity information, and a dialer component capable upon command of causing dialing of a telephone number included in the identity information from the caller.

Abstract: The invention provides a group message delivery system that includes a memory device coupled to a group message controller. The group message controller generates a group telephone number and a database corresponding to the group telephone number in the memory device based on first information received from a first caller. The first information includes a group list of at least one telephone number corresponding to at least one receiving party. The group message controller responds to a call by a second caller to the group telephone number by receiving second information from the second caller and delivering a message included in the second information to the at least one receiving party.

Abstract: A public notification system includes a first database comprising phone numbers and one or more data fields associated with each phone number. Phone numbers (callees) in the first database are selected based on the data fields associated therewith. A recorded voice message is transmitted to callees through a plurality of outgoing phone lines, and callees are prompted to enter one of several dial codes, which is recorded. The database record for the callee is automatically updated based on the response dial code, so that the updated field may be used to select whether to send a future call to the callee. A second database comprising records identifying convicted criminals is also included in the public notification system. Each record in the second database comprises one or more data fields associated with a convicted criminal.

Abstract: There is provided a portable packet switched wireless voice messaging device capable of transmitting and receiving a digital voice signal. The device includes a microphone for inputting a voice message, an encoder for encoding the voice message, a memory for storing the encoded message, a data compressor with variable compression ratio for compressing the encoded message in accordance with a data compression mode selected by the user and a transmitting circuit for transmitting the compressed data with information indicating the mode selected.

Abstract: An emergency telephone communications system allows communications during congestion in the event of disaster. The system includes an exchange and telephones connected to the line circuits thereof. The exchange sends a congestion generation signal to a control section to initiate emergency processing when a congestion detecting circuit detects more than a predetermined number of the line circuits in the off-hook state. The control section has a congestion management table listing subscribers and stores not-yet-serviced subscribers when congestion has occurred. The not-yet-serviced subscribers are successively selected from the congestion management table, and calling signals are sent to their telephones. When the subscribers go off-hook within a predetermined time, the control section controls the emergency dial pulse receiver circuit to be ready for reception, and then controls the switch to connect an emergency service trunk to the line circuits to send a tone signal or a voice message.

Abstract: A method for receiving and processing an incoming message in a wireless messaging terminal. The method includes providing a receiver which receives the message and a memory for storing the message. The method further includes matching the message with a pre-recorded voice prompt stored in the memory and retrieving the voice prompt from the memory. In addition, the method includes playing the voice prompt as an audible alert signal through an audio output device.