Abstract: A system and method for speech-responsive voice messaging, in which a Speech-Responsive Voice Messaging System (SRVMS) preferably provides a hierarchically-simple speech user interface (UI) that enables subscribers to use speech to specify commands such as mailboxes, passwords, and digits. The SRVMS generates and evaluates candidate results. The SRVMS invokes a speech UI navigation operation or a voice messaging operation according to the outcome of the evaluation of the candidate results. In the preferred embodiment, the SRVMS determines whether the candidate results are good, questionable, or bad; and whether two or more candidate results are ambiguous due to a likelihood that each such result could be a valid command. If the candidate results are questionable or ambiguous, an ambiguity resolution UI prompts the subscriber to confirm whether the best candidate result is what the subscriber intended.

Abstract: A communication system utilizing speech control of operations, comprising a plurality of telephone devices, at least one Speech Recognition Engine (SRE) for providing indications of speech from spoken voice at the telephone devices, and a call control for controlling operation of the telephone devices in accordance with predetermined call states, and for dynamically allocating and de-allocating the SRE in response to the predetermined call states, whereby the SRE provides indications to the call control for initiating changes in the call states.

Abstract: A portable radio telephone is provided with a headset having a user actuable switch and a microphone. The handset of the radio telephone includes circuitry for responding to the operation of the headset by the user to select or generate information such as a telephone number.

Abstract: A method for managing voice registration entries of voice recognition apparatus for use in both a handset and a hands-free kit. In the method, it is determined whether the handset is set to a hands-free mode where the handset is mounted on a cradle, thus connecting with the hands-free kit. If the handset is set to the hands-free mode, a voice registration entry for the handset is compared with a voice registration entry for the hands-free kit to calculate an entry difference value therebetween. A voice recognition process is performed, if the entry difference value is a minimum value, e.g., substantially zero. If the entry difference is larger than the minimum value, then a voice entry is registered for the hands-free kit, in response to a user confirmation. If the entry difference is smaller than the minimum value, then the voice entry is registered for the handset, in response to a user confirmation.

Abstract: A mobile telephone system and a method for answering a mobile telephone incoming call by a user's verbal command, to allow hands-free voice. The mobile telephone system includes a carkit and a mobile telephone. The mobile telephone has a programming key for pre-programming the user's voice greeting, a keypad for answering the call in telephone mode, a microphone for entering a user's verbal command for answering the call in carkit mode, a digital processor connected to the microphone for performing spectrum analysis and feature extractions of the user's verbal command in carkit mode, and a memory connected to the digital processor, having a database for storing the user's pre-programmed voice greeting digitized speech pattern. The pre-programmed voice greeting may be a factory-programmed voice greeting or the user's pre-programmed voice greeting, if previously initialized after pressing the programming key.

Abstract: A voice portal platform for communicating content to a telephone user during a telephone call includes a manager for receiving and executing voice application logic of voice applications and for providing a telephone user session having a voice application for the telephone user during the telephone call. A telephony channel provides telephony event signals between the telephone user and the voice application indicative of telephony events. A speech channel provides speech event signals to the voice application and the telephone user in response to speech events from the telephone user and the voice application. A content server provides content event signals by accessing requested content from content sources. The manager maps the voice application logic of the voice application to the telephony channel, the speech channel, and the content server for execution of the voice application logic to generate the event signals during the telephone call.

Abstract: A voice messaging system and method includes a voice recorder/playback device to store a plurality of voice messages associated with a respective plurality of incoming calls. A receiver receives call related information associated with each of the respective plurality of incoming calls. A controller is provided to organize the plurality of voice messages for playback by the voice recorder/playback device based on pre-stored groupings of expected call related information irrespective of an order in which voice messages are stored. In one aspect the pre-stored groupings relate to various priority levels for playback sequencing. In another aspect the pre-stored groupings relate to a specific voice mailbox or bin to receive the voice message. In yet another aspect, voice recognition techniques may be utilized to query the voice messaging system, either locally or remotely, for voice messages grouped in accordance with the principles of the present invention.

Abstract: In a multimedia call center (MMCC) operating through an operating system, a client-specific self-help wizard is provided for active clients and updated periodically with information related to client transaction history with the MMCC. A connected client is presented by the wizard with a selective media function through which the client may a select a media type for interaction and help, and the MMCC will then re-contact the client through the selected media. The client, for example, may select IP or COST telephony, and the MMCC will place a call to the client to a number or IP address listed for the client, and interactivity will then be through an interactive voice response unit. Help information specific to a client is updated in the client's wizard periodically according to ongoing transaction history with the MMCC. The wizard may also monitor client activity with the wizard and make reports available to various persons.

Abstract: A voice mail system today offers a user the option to forward a message that he or she has reviewed, alone or along with a message recorded by the user. However, to forward the message, the voice mail system needs to receive the telephone number of the party intended as the recipient of the forwarded message. To eliminate the need for manual output of the destination telephone number, the voice mail system is coupled for communication with a voice responsive directory service system. The directory service system or alternatively the voice mail system prompts the user to speak the name of the party intended as the recipient of the forwarded message. The directory service system analyzes the input speech information, identifies a desired destination and retrieves the number for that destination. The directory service system may announce the number to the user, for manual input to the voice mail system. Preferably, the directory service system supplies the number directly to the voice mail system.

Abstract: Personal dial tone service is used to identify the user of a subscriber line to a telephone terminal and, based on that identification, the system and method dynamically configures that line with the personal profile of that user. Such a line is used in a roaming situation to provide voice mail service to the roamer through an emulation of the roamer's home voice mail interface. The emulation is accomplished by storage at the home locale of the roamer of object oriented script associated with both executable and non-executable data duplicating or emulating executable and non-executable data in the roamer's home voice mail system. The script directs the running of the executables using the non-executables at the roaming central office to provide to the roamer at that remote office voice mail service using virtually the same interface as the interface to which the roamer is accustomed at his home locale.

Abstract: In the method of the invention for dialling a telephone number by voice commands, the telephone number to be dialled can be uttered either as one or as several number strings or identifications, which are recognized in order to find out which number string or identification was uttered. An incorrectly recognized number string or identification will be marked incorrect.

Abstract: A wireless telephone system incorporates voice activated mobile instruments that are powered through a separate pod that includes electrical couplings either to A.C. structural power or D.C. vehicular power. Furthermore, the system accommodates both digital (DTMF) and voice (audio) communication from the keyless mobile instruments to and through a switched telephone network.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for verifying call waiting information in a communication system is particularly well suited for correcting mispronunciation of caller identification information provided for a call waiting call. A current pronunciation of the call waiting information is provided to the calling party who is prompted to change the current pronunciation. The system receives a new pronunciation of the call waiting information and stores information about the new pronunciation for subsequent retrieval.

Abstract: An improved prompting system for accessing specified functions in an interactive voice response (IVR) system. The IVR system (101) presents a plurality of prompts to callers. The prompts are typically presented in a predetermined order. However, the IVR system (101) improves the presentation by adjusting the presentation order based on a caller pattern of prompt selection. By monitoring incoming calls to determine what prompts are most frequently selected, the IVR system (101) can tailor the presentation order to the needs of individual users. The IVR system (101) can monitor either the selections made by all users or those made by a particular individual user over a configurable time period to establish the pattern of prompt selection.

Abstract: In order to increase the versatility with which incoming phone calls, are handled, a plurality of outgoing messages are stored. A first caller identification is associated with a first outgoing message from the plurality of outgoing messages. Upon receipt of a call from a caller, passive identification of the caller is performed in order to determine if an identity of the caller matches the first caller identification. If an identity of the caller matches the first caller identification, the first outgoing message is played to the caller. If in an identity of the caller does not match the first caller identification, an outgoing message other than the first outgoing message is played to the caller.

Abstract: A system and method for extracting key information from digitized audio messages, including telephone voice messages. Information, such as a telephone number and the name of the caller, is derived and extracted from a voice message and used to establish links to the information within the message. The telephone number and name of the caller can then be replayed without the need to replay the entire voice message. The telephone number and name of the caller can also be used as indices into an information database.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for increasing the utility and interoperability of peripheral devices such as, voice mail devices and voice dialing platforms, used in communications systems are described. Methods of efficiently providing speech recognition functionality to multiple subscribes through the use of centralized speech recognition circuits are also described. One feature of the invention is directed to dynamically enabling/disabling an automatic connection feature whereby a central office switch connects a subscriber to an intelligent peripheral device in response to an off-hook condition. In one embodiment the C.O. switch's automatic peripheral device connection feature is only enabled when a voice mail IP has a waiting message thereby reducing or eliminating unnecessary connections to the voice mail IP. In order to support automatic connection to multiple IPs in response to an off-hook condition, in one embodiment a caller is connected to a control IP in response to an off-hook condition.

Abstract: In an enterprise-hosted multimedia telecommunications center, a client-facing interactive single-media pre-processing interface has an answering facility adapted for greeting and pre-instructing a client making a contact to the pre-processing interface, an identifying facility adapted for identifying the client through one or both of data accompanying the contact and information elicited from the client, and a discrimination facility adapted for offering the client one or more communication choices based on the client identification established by the identifying facility. In one embodiment the pre-processing interface is a WEB page. Also in a preferred embodiment, client transaction history is recorded in an enterprise data repository, including current projects, and clients are offered choices based on transaction history. In one such embodiment, live calls are reserved for clients engaged in current projects.

Abstract: An automated system places telephone calls to speech-based information systems, and interacts with the systems to retrieve information therefrom. The system employs a calling computer which uses speech recognition software to recognize the verbal messages generated by the information systems. A first embodiment of the present invention is designed specifically for calling bank information systems to verify accounts, checking transactions drawn on accounts, etc. This embodiment includes a bank database which contains all of the pertinent information necessary to navigate each of a plurality of bank's information systems through entry of appropriate DTMF tones. A second embodiment of the invention is employed for checking the status of lists of telephone numbers to determine whether the numbers have been changed or disconnected.

Abstract: A rationalized automated answering machine which can distinguish sentence intervals in the Out Going Message (OGM) left by a host by using a microcomputer and record the space position between adjacent sentences of the Out Going Message. When the rationalized automated answering machine receives a call and plays the Out Going Message left by the host, the rationalized automated answering machine also monitors the sound of a caller simultaneously. If the caller interrupts in the OGM playback at any point, the Out Going Message playback stops immediately and the rationalized automated answering machine records the sound of the caller. After talk from the caller finishes, the Out Going Message playback continues.

Abstract: Authentication of voice message recipient network addresses employs generating (102) and storing (104) a “network file” that includes “voice clips” and associated network addresses that are extracted from voice messages received across a network (10) from voice message systems (16, 18). A voice clip is the first one to three seconds of voice extracted from each received voice message. Over time, the network file will grow to contain multiple voice clips and associated network voice message addresses. When a voice message originator subsequently enters a recipient's network address (106), the originating voice message system searches (114) the network file for the network address, retrieves the associated voice clip (116), and plays it for the voice message originator to authenticate the recipient's network address.

Abstract: A personal computer is typically equipped with a modem that enables the user to dial through the Public Telephone Switched Network (PTSN) to access an Interactive Voice Response system. Once connected to the Interactive Voice Response System, the present system for providing personal computer access to an interactive voice response system uses the touch-tone generation capability of the personal computer to implement a predefined script to navigate through the Interactive Voice Response System. The navigation path is defined by the selections provided by the Interactive Voice Response System to enable a user to reach a computer interaction site that represents one of the back-end selections served by the Interactive Voice Response System. Thus, once the Interactive Voice Response System is traversed, the user can interact with the computer to perform the desired tasks.