Voice Message Synthesis Patents (Class 379/88.16)
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Patent number: 8630401Abstract: An approach is disclosed for providing an extended directory service over a communication system including a data network and a telephony network. A subscriber submits a request for directory information to the communication system according to a first communication mode. The system accesses a directory among multiple directories in response to the request, wherein the directories include an internal directory associated with the subscriber and an external directory not associated with the subscriber. The directory information from the selected directory is retrieved and forwarded to the subscriber according to a second communication mode.Type: GrantFiled: October 28, 2004Date of Patent: January 14, 2014Assignee: Verizon Business Global LLCInventors: Richard G. Moore, Guna D. Gunasekar, Phillip E. Lawson-Shanks, Darryl W. Shaw
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Patent number: 8619948Abstract: A method and system are disclosed for intelligently notifying first parties via automated telephone calls regarding an absence by second parties at an event with minimal burden on a third party who manages attendance issues for the event. In a preferred embodiment, the event is a school session, the second parties are students who are supposed to attend the school session, the first parties are guardians for the students, and the third party is a school employee who handles attendance issues. Differentiated notifications are provided to first parties based on whether the first parties receive the notifications in person or in absentia. The first parties are also provided with opportunities for responding to the notifications while avoiding direct interactions with the third party.Type: GrantFiled: April 27, 2010Date of Patent: December 31, 2013Assignee: Groupcast, LLCInventors: Joe Harley Moore, John William Lindemann, III, Scott Allen Schulte
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Patent number: 8620278Abstract: In system and method of prioritizing a voice mail message, a voice mail message is received comprising caller information and chronological information, a voice mail priority is associated with the first voice mail message based on at least one of a matching criteria, a call history criteria, a chronological criteria, a frequency metric, and a missed call value, and a voice mail list is ordered according to the voice mail priority.Type: GrantFiled: August 23, 2011Date of Patent: December 31, 2013Assignee: Sprint Spectrum L.P.Inventors: Siddharth S. Oroskar, Anoop K. Goyal, Sachin R. Vargantwar, Maulik K. Shah
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Patent number: 8600012Abstract: Disclosed are methods and systems for providing pre-call-connection messaging services to calling parties. In at least one embodiment, a first call-setup request is received from a calling party, reflecting a request that an active call be set up between the calling party and a called party. Responsive to the first call-setup request, at least one network device starts to attempt to establish the active call between the calling and called parties at least in part by transmitting a second call-setup request to the called party. Prior to receiving a response to the second call-setup request, the at least one network device starts to record a message for the called party while continuing to attempt to establish the call. If the active call is not successfully established prior to an affirmative termination of the message recording, the recorded message is thereafter made accessible to the called party.Type: GrantFiled: October 20, 2010Date of Patent: December 3, 2013Assignee: Sprint Spectrum L.P.Inventor: Baoquan Zhang
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Patent number: 8600018Abstract: Interactions with a user are coordinated upon receiving, at a networked interactive system, audible communication from a user and interacting with the user in the audible communication in accordance with an audible format menu. Whether to provide the user with a visual format menu that at least partially matches the audible format menu is determined during the audible communication. The user is provided with the visual format menu concurrent with the audible communication upon determining, based on the interaction with the user in the audible communication, to provide the user with the visual format menu. Interactions with the user are in accordance with the visual format menu.Type: GrantFiled: April 30, 2012Date of Patent: December 3, 2013Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.Inventors: Xiaofeng Gao, David Scott, Samuel N. Zellner
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Patent number: 8594285Abstract: A method for analyzing a telephonic communication between a customer and a contact center is provided. According to the method, a telephonic communication is separated into at least first constituent voice data and second constituent voice data. One of the first and second constituent voice data is analyzed by mining the voice data and applying a predetermined linguistic-based psychological behavioral model to one of the separated first and second constituent voice data. Behavioral assessment data is generated which corresponds to the analyzed voice data.Type: GrantFiled: June 21, 2011Date of Patent: November 26, 2013Assignee: Mattersight CorporationInventors: Kelly Conway, Keene Hedges Capers, Christopher Danson, Douglas Brown, David Gustafson, Roger Warford, Melissa Moore
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Patent number: 8583433Abstract: A system and method for efficiently transcribing verbal messages to text is provided. Verbal messages are received and at least one of the verbal messages is divided into segments. Automatically recognized text is determined for each of the segments by performing speech recognition and a confidence rating is assigned to the automatically recognized text for each segment. A threshold is applied to the confidence ratings and those segments with confidence ratings that fall below the threshold are identified. The segments that fall below the threshold are assigned to one or more human agents starting with those segments that have the lowest confidence ratings. Transcription from the human agents is received for the segments assigned to that agent. The transcription is assembled with the automatically recognized text of the segments not assigned to the human agents as a text message for the at least one verbal message.Type: GrantFiled: August 6, 2012Date of Patent: November 12, 2013Assignee: Intellisist, Inc.Inventors: Mike O. Webb, Bruce J. Peterson, Janet S. Kaseda
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Patent number: 8572170Abstract: Methods and apparatus for allowing a message to be left for an expected user of a network application are disclosed. According to one embodiment, a method includes determining when a first user has requested access to a first application, and determining if there is a message for the first user when it is determined that the first user has requested access to the first application. The method also includes informing the first user of the message if it is determined that there is the message for the first user, as well as providing the first user with access to the first application after informing the first user of the message and after the first user acknowledges that the first user has been informed of the message.Type: GrantFiled: February 14, 2008Date of Patent: October 29, 2013Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc.Inventors: Shmuel Shaffer, Labhesh Patel, Joseph Khouri
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Patent number: 8565732Abstract: Systems and methods allow a roaming mobile device to communicate with a visual voicemail (VVM) system to inform the VVM system of its roaming status. The VVM system then suspends VVM service for the voicemail account associated with the roaming mobile device and instructs a notification server to notify the roaming mobile device if a voicemail message is deposited into a voicemail box associated with the voicemail account.Type: GrantFiled: November 28, 2012Date of Patent: October 22, 2013Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.Inventors: Michael Zubas, Jacqueline Jackson
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Patent number: 8542804Abstract: A voice and text mail application method and apparatus capable of supporting both synchronous and asynchronous voice communication. The application is configured to (i) simultaneously and progressively store media of an incoming message as the media is received at a communication device over the network and (ii) provides a “catch up” rendering option which enables the rendering of previously received media of the message starting at any previous point of the message and to catch up the rendering to the current point or head of the message as the media of the message is being received. By rendering the previously received media of the incoming message out of storage at a rate faster relative to when the media of the incoming message was originally encoded, eventually the rendering will catch up and seamlessly transition the rendering from an asynchronous time-shifted mode out of storage to a synchronous mode as the media of the message is received over the network.Type: GrantFiled: March 10, 2010Date of Patent: September 24, 2013Assignee: Voxer IP LLCInventors: Thomas E. Katis, James T. Panttaja, Mary G. Panttaja, Matthew J. Ranney
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Patent number: 8537980Abstract: A method may include receiving, at a first device associated with a first party, communications from a second device. The communications may be associated with a communication session that includes an audio conversation, a text-based conversation or a multimedia conversation. The method may also include identifying a word or phrase from the communication session and retrieving, from a memory included in the first device, information associated with the word or phrase. The method may further include outputting, to a display associated with the first device, the retrieved information.Type: GrantFiled: March 27, 2009Date of Patent: September 17, 2013Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Inc.Inventors: Kristopher T. Frazier, Heath Stallings
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Patent number: 8537979Abstract: In accordance with one embodiment, a method for operating a telephonic voice content system is provided. The method, comprises in a non-live agent mode, interacting with a caller by receiving an utterance from the caller, performing a machine selection of voice content to play to the caller based on the utterance, and playing the machine-selected voice content to the caller; and upon receiving a request to speak to a live agent from the caller, switching to a live agent mode wherein a live agent holds a conversation with the caller, and selects voice content to play to the caller based on the conversation; and switching to the non-live agent mode and playing the live agent-selected voice content to the caller.Type: GrantFiled: August 23, 2011Date of Patent: September 17, 2013Assignee: West Interactive Corporation IIInventor: Steven Samuel Pollock
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Patent number: 8532270Abstract: A telecommunication and multimedia management apparatus and method that supports voice and other media communications and that enables users to: (i) participate in multiple conversation modes, including live phone calls, conference calls, instant voice messaging or tactical communications; (ii) review the messages of conversations in either a live mode or a time-shifted mode and to seamlessly transition back and forth between the two modes; (iii) participate in multiple conversations either concurrently or simultaneously; (iv) archive the messages of conversations for later review or processing; and (v) persistently store media either created or received on the communication devices of users. The latter feature enables users to generate or review media when either disconnected from the network or network conditions are poor and to optimize the delivery of media over the network based on network conditions and the intention of the users participating in conversations.Type: GrantFiled: May 7, 2012Date of Patent: September 10, 2013Assignee: Voxer IP LLCInventors: Thomas E. Katis, James T. Panttaja, Mary G. Panttaja, Matthew J. Ranney
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Patent number: 8509408Abstract: A text/voice system comprises a device configured to receive an incoming voice call intended for a called party, and detect, in response to receiving the voice call, the current status of the called party on a text messaging system, where the current status may include active or inactive. The device is also configured to establish a communication session between the calling party and the called party via the text messaging system, where speech from the calling party is translated to text and delivered to the called party during the communication session, and responsive text from the called party is translated to speech and delivered as speech to the calling party during the communication session.Type: GrantFiled: December 15, 2008Date of Patent: August 13, 2013Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Inc.Inventors: Lee N Goodman, Sujin C Chang
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Patent number: 8503619Abstract: A system allows an agent to manage an interaction between the agent and a contact using a computer system. The agent may use the computer system to selectively interleave pre-recorded script segments that are part of a planned informational dialog with pre-recorded script interjections such that the selective playing of scripts or script segments mimics conversion between actual persons.Type: GrantFiled: April 25, 2011Date of Patent: August 6, 2013Assignee: Noguar, L.C.Inventor: Forrest Baker
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Patent number: 8498624Abstract: An apparatus (100, 200) and method are disclosed for managing voicemail messages. A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a voicemail system (100) having a communications interface (110) and a controller (102) for managing operations of the communications interface. The controller is programmed to store (310) voicemail messages corresponding to a communication device (102), transmit (316) a log of the voicemail messages to the communication device, and receive (318) from the communication device a request to delete a voicemail message selectively chosen from a user interface corresponding to the voicemail log. The present disclosure further describes embodiments for the communication device.Type: GrantFiled: December 5, 2005Date of Patent: July 30, 2013Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.Inventors: Dinesh Nadarajah, David Wolter, Adam Klein, Rias Muhamed
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Patent number: 8483365Abstract: A method of authenticating an inbound caller in telephony applications. The method establishes a predetermined caller identification telephone number associated with a predetermined inbound caller identity from which inbound calls are permitted, retrieves a caller identification telephone number from an inbound caller, and then authenticates the inbound caller responsive to the caller identification telephone number matching the predetermined caller identification telephone number. A corresponding computer system and computer program product are also provided.Type: GrantFiled: January 15, 2010Date of Patent: July 9, 2013Assignee: QUALCOMM IncorporatedInventor: John Francis Baxter, Jr.
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Publication number: 20130156168Abstract: Techniques for dynamic voice menus are described. An apparatus may comprise an endpoint component operative on a processor circuit to receive an incoming call from a user, and identify an incoming phone number for the incoming call, a menu retrieval component operative on the processor circuit to determine a voice menu based on the incoming phone number, and a menu performance component operative on the processor circuit to perform the voice menu for the user. Other embodiments are described and claimed.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 16, 2011Publication date: June 20, 2013Applicant: MICROSOFT CORPORATIONInventors: Jegan Lingam, Uma Maheswari Anbazhagan
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Publication number: 20130156169Abstract: A method is disclosed, herein, for managing multiple simultaneously placed calls by enabling calling, in parallel and simultaneously, a plurality of parties. An initial answer is detected from one of the plurality of parties and the initial answer is further determined to be from a live person or a machine-operated apparatus, such as an answering machine, voice-mail service. Where the initial answer is from a machine-operated apparatus a pre-recorded message is played; unlike where a live person has been detected. Therein, a live conversation is enabled where the initial answer is determined to be a live person. Finally, the method includes the simultaneous management of the other called parties while the live conversation with the initial live person is occurring.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 20, 2011Publication date: June 20, 2013Applicant: MOTOROLA MOBILITY, INC.Inventors: William P. Alberth, Dean E. Thorson
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Patent number: 8452270Abstract: Provided are an apparatus and a method for providing a ring back tone in a mobile communication terminal. Character information is received through a wireless data communication or generated through a user input. The character information is transformed into voice using a text-to-speech transformer and then provided as a ring back tone.Type: GrantFiled: October 30, 2007Date of Patent: May 28, 2013Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., LtdInventors: Yang-Un Lee, Chul-Yong Jeon
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Publication number: 20130114803Abstract: In a method for recording telephone conversations between a subscriber to a service provider and a telephone conversation partner, the subscriber dials the number of the service provider and interacts with a menu-driven IVR user interface, entering his subscriber number as well as a corresponding PIN-number to authenticate himself. After the verification, the subscriber can chose one or more of the following options: (a) listen to one or more of his previously recorded telephone conversations, (b) delete one or more of his previously recorded telephone conversations, (c) arrange that all incoming and outgoing calls are to be automatically recorded, (d) deactivate the setting that all incoming and outgoing calls are automatically recorded, and/or (e) record the next telephone conversation. At the beginning of each conversation to be recorded, the service provider informs the telephone conversation partner, via a warning voice message, that the telephone conversation will be recorded.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 30, 2011Publication date: May 9, 2013Inventor: ALI HASSAN AL-KHAJA
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Patent number: 8422645Abstract: A method of managing a voicemail network is described herein. Voicemail system data for the voicemail network is received. The voicemail system data includes communication node data, source voicemail node data, and destination voicemail node data. A destination voicemail node is determined based on the destination voicemail node data and a destination voicemail node criteria. When the source voicemail node data meets a source voicemail node criteria, a communication node is associated with the destination voicemail node.Type: GrantFiled: July 10, 2008Date of Patent: April 16, 2013Assignee: Spring Communications Company L.P.Inventors: Kanglung Wong, Caleb S. Hyde, Brendan Lee Hughes, Narayanan Govindan Kasi
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Patent number: 8422644Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for contact channel redirection to improve agent routing/assignment efficiency and customer experience. For example, the system may redirect a customer, waiting in a queue for an agent for telephonic communications, to a chat agent for online chat.Type: GrantFiled: August 31, 2009Date of Patent: April 16, 2013Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.Inventors: James Fan, Jennifer K. Lam, Deva-Datta Sharma, Eric Towell
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Patent number: 8416928Abstract: Methods, apparatuses, and media for extracting phone numbers from voice mail messages are disclosed. Embodiments may include a method for determining a phone number in a voice mail message that includes analyzing a message and determining phone number(s) associated with the message based on the analysis. Embodiments of the method may also include generating a macro based on the determined phone number(s) and performing a macro action for at least one generated macro. In some embodiments, analyzing the message and determining phone number(s) associated with the message may include detecting a trigger word and parsing words in the message after the detected trigger word. In other embodiments, analyzing the message and determining one or more phone numbers associated with the message may include analyzing a voice-to-number dictionary and determining phone number(s) based on the dictionary. The macro action may include dialing, storing, deleting, etc. a phone number.Type: GrantFiled: May 23, 2008Date of Patent: April 9, 2013Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Venkatesan Ramamoorthy, Keith R. Walker
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Patent number: 8412817Abstract: A load balancing server system balances the load imposed by requestor requests for services across a set of service-providing servers. A network interface receives the requestor requests from a network communication system and sends server requests for services to the service-providing servers. A data processing system creates and maintains server status information indicative of whether each service-providing server is operational, and server pointer information identifying the service-providing server to which the next server request should be sent. In response to each requestor request, the data processing system causes the network interface to send one or more server requests for one or more services related to the requestor request to the service-providing server identified by the server pointer information and increments in a round-robin manner the server pointer information to the next operational service-providing server.Type: GrantFiled: February 28, 2011Date of Patent: April 2, 2013Assignee: Cellco PartnershipInventor: Madhu Bharathula
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Patent number: 8401155Abstract: Systems and methods for secure recording in a customer center environment are provided. The system receives data related to a communication at a media distribution device. A key is provided by a key server to the media distribution device to encrypt the received data. In addition, an identifier may be associated with the received data. The key and the identifier are stored in a database associated with the key server. The encrypted data is recorded the a recorder, where it is accessible to authorized users within the customer center. Upon request, the key is provided to the authorized user to decrypt the encrypted data for play back. The customer center environment may include a user interface for viewing customer contacts. The contact may be organized into folders and annotations associated with the customer contacts may be received.Type: GrantFiled: May 22, 2009Date of Patent: March 19, 2013Assignee: Verint Americas, Inc.Inventors: Robert John Barnes, Jamie Richard Williams, Marc Calahan, Thomas Z. Dong, Damian Smith
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Publication number: 20130064358Abstract: A system and a method for receiving, by a processing device, a call from a communication device associated with a patient, the communication device associated with a patient having a unique identifier; associating, by the processing device, the unique identifier with a personal health profile stored in a database; determining, by the processing device, a communication device associated with a health care provider; transmitting the personal health profile to a communication device associated with a health care provider; and communicatively connecting the call from the communication device associated with the patient with the communication device associated with the health care provider.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 13, 2012Publication date: March 14, 2013Applicant: Giffen Solutions, LLCInventor: Michael Jay Nusbaum
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Patent number: 8391450Abstract: A unified messaging system which can provide messaging services for a plurality of different “message types” is disclosed. The unified messaging system can serve as a single interface to a number of messaging services provided by various messaging components which use different message types (e.g., mail server). A unified message type is implemented and presented to a user as an abstract message. In addition, the unified messaging system can automatically determine, based on a first selected feature, if one or more message types should be used. A particular message type can also be automatically selected as a “best message type” based on one or more selected options.Type: GrantFiled: March 11, 2010Date of Patent: March 5, 2013Assignee: Unwired Planet, Inc.Inventors: Jason Rukman, Joseph Edward Heitzeberg, Thomas Jay Hoover, Ethan Lowry, Patrick Greer Franklin
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Patent number: 8391451Abstract: A personal Interactive Voice Response (IVR) system includes a plurality of IVR servers communicating personal IVR service node information in a network and a plurality of personal IVR service node clients coupled to the plurality of IVR servers communicating the personal IVR service node information. The plurality of personal IVR service node clients have a client-server relationship with the plurality of IVR servers. The personal IVR system further includes facilities for managing transmission of the personal IVR service node information using a Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) technology.Type: GrantFiled: May 24, 2006Date of Patent: March 5, 2013Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.Inventor: Douglas F. Reynolds
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Patent number: 8385515Abstract: Methods and systems for providing a telephone user with one or more of a plurality of possible voice scripts are disclosed. The voice scripts may be comprised of one or more individual voice modules which are dynamically selected for presentation to the user based on information known about the user. The information known about the user may include the user's identity, information obtained from the user on one or more previous calls, and/or demographic information obtained from third party sources. The user's identity may include the user's ANI, gender, and/or other identity data. The user's gender may be determined by analyzing the tonality of the user's voice.Type: GrantFiled: November 29, 2006Date of Patent: February 26, 2013Assignee: Ignite Media SolutionsInventors: Doug Winslow, Paul Hult
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Patent number: 8379807Abstract: Ways of presenting a custom greeting to a user who retrieves a voicemail that was left by a caller are disclosed. In one embodiment, a voicemail server facilitates storing a voicemail in connection with an identifier that is associated with a calling device that was used by a caller in an attempt to call the user. A user-specific name is automatically retrieved based on the identifier. This name can be retrieved from the user's mobile device or from a remote address book. When the user retrieves his or her messages, the voicemail server presents a custom announcement introducing the message, where the custom announcement is based on the name retrieved.Type: GrantFiled: June 2, 2009Date of Patent: February 19, 2013Assignee: Sprint Communications Company L.P.Inventors: Badri Subramanyan, Ayodeji Abidogun, William Routt, Piyush Upadhyay
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Patent number: 8374334Abstract: A method is implemented by one or more server devices associated with a network. The method includes receiving information relating to a customer service request, where the information includes data to identify a category of the customer service request. The method also includes receiving a request to speak with a customer service agent, and placing a service call request in a calling queue associated with the category of the customer service request. The method further includes monitoring availability of customer service agents associated with the calling queue, and sending a call initiation message to the access terminal when a customer service agent associated with the calling queue is available. Based on the call initiation message, the access terminal may automatically initiate a voice session with an available customer service agent.Type: GrantFiled: July 27, 2009Date of Patent: February 12, 2013Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Inc.Inventor: Ramesh Sankaranarayanan
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Patent number: 8369492Abstract: A method, apparatus, computer program product and service for directory dialer name recognition. The directory dialer has a directory of names and a first name grammar and a second name grammar representing phonetic baseforms of first names and second names respectively. The method includes: receiving voice data for a spoken name after requesting a user to speak the required name; extracting a set of phonetic baseforms for the voice data; and finding the best matches between the extracted set of phonetic baseforms voice data and any combination of the first name grammar and the second name grammar. The method can further include: checking the best match against the directory of names; if the best match does not exist in the directory, informing the user and prompting the next best match as an alternative; and if the best match does exist in the directory, forwarding the call to that best match.Type: GrantFiled: July 7, 2008Date of Patent: February 5, 2013Assignee: Nuance Communications, Inc.Inventors: Eric William Janke, Keith Sloan
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Patent number: 8370141Abstract: Devices, systems and methods for converting analog data to digital data or digital data to analog data for enabling speech recognition processing on a portable data device are provided. The system includes at least one portable data device including an input module configured to receive analog audio signals; a processing module configured to convert the analog audio signals to digital audio data; a communication module configured to transmit the digital audio data to a remote processor and to receive digital text data from the remote processor; and a display module for displaying the received digital text data; the remote processor configured for receiving digital audio data, converting the digital audio data to digital text data and transmitting the converted digital text data to the at least one portable data device; and a communications network for coupling the remote processor to the at least one portable data device.Type: GrantFiled: March 3, 2006Date of Patent: February 5, 2013Assignee: Reagan Inventions, LLCInventor: Leigh M. Rothschild
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Patent number: 8363790Abstract: A method and apparatus for providing automated processing of a switched voice alarm on a switched and/or Internet Protocol (IP) network are disclosed. For example, the method receives an alarm associated with a switched voice service, and retrieves a Local Routing Number (LRN) or Primary Inter-exchange Carrier (PIC) information from a switch serving a call associated with a caller's telephone number. The method determines if the alarm is due to one or more service degradations, and notifies a work center responsible for one or more of the service degradations if the alarm is due to the one or more service degradations.Type: GrantFiled: July 17, 2008Date of Patent: January 29, 2013Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.Inventors: Paritosh Bajpay, Roberta Bienfait, Mojgan Dardashti, Jackson Liu, Timothy Plattner, Zhiqiang Qian, Michael John Zinnikas
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Patent number: 8355918Abstract: A method (10) in a speech recognition application callflow can include the steps of assigning (11) an individual option and a pre-built grammar to a same prompt, treating (15) the individual option as a valid output of the pre-built grammar if the individual option is a potential valid match to a recognition phrase (12) or an annotation (13) in the pre-built grammar, and treating (14) the individual option as an independent grammar from the pre-built grammar if the individual option fails to be a potential valid match to the recognition phrase or the annotation in the pre-built grammar.Type: GrantFiled: January 5, 2012Date of Patent: January 15, 2013Assignee: Nuance Communications, Inc.Inventors: Ciprian Agapi, Felipe Gomez, James R. Lewis, Vanessa V. Michelini
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Publication number: 20130010938Abstract: A system and method for telephone service technicians to retrieve telephone line assignment information, including receiving a telephone call from a telephone service technician. A telephone number assigned to a customer of a communications carrier may be received, where the telephone number is associated with a telephone operating on a wired communications network, such as the public switched telephone network (PSTN). Telephone line assignment information may be requested, where the telephone line assignment information includes cable and line pair information. The telephone line assignment information may be converted into speech synthesized audible signals and communicated to the telephone service technician during the telephone call. The conversion of the telephone line assignment information may be performed by an interactive voice response system.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 24, 2012Publication date: January 10, 2013Applicant: CenturyLink Intellectual Property LLCInventor: Wendell J. Smith
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Patent number: 8346222Abstract: Systems and methods allow a roaming mobile device to communicate with a visual voicemail (VVM) system to inform the VVM system of its roaming status. The VVM system then suspends VVM service for the voicemail account associated with the roaming mobile device and instructs a notification server to notify the roaming mobile device if a voicemail message is deposited into a voicemail box associated with the voicemail account.Type: GrantFiled: December 15, 2009Date of Patent: January 1, 2013Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, LPInventors: Michael Zubas, Jacqueline Jackson
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Patent number: 8332225Abstract: Techniques to create and share custom voice fonts are described. An apparatus may include a preprocessing component to receive voice audio data and a corresponding text script from a client and to process the voice audio data to produce prosody labels and a rich script. The apparatus may further include a verification component to automatically verify the voice audio data and the text script. The apparatus may further include a training component to train a custom voice font from the verified voice audio data and rich script and to generate custom voice font data usable by the TTS component. Other embodiments are described and claimed.Type: GrantFiled: June 4, 2009Date of Patent: December 11, 2012Assignee: Microsoft CorporationInventors: Sheng Zhao, Zhi Li, Shenghao Qin, Chiwei Che, Jingyang Xu, Binggong Ding
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Patent number: 8320531Abstract: A unified messaging system enables a subscriber to log into the system remotely and compose and send text messages, such as email messages, using predefined templates and sound input. The sound input may be DTMF or speech. After the subscriber selects an appropriate template, the system confirms the template, and asks the subscriber to provide values for prompted variables, such as dates and times. The system then generates an email message as defined by the selected template and the values of the prompted variables provided by the subscriber. The email message may also include automatic variables, such as the subscriber's name, and company name. The generated email message may be a new message, a reply message, or a forwarding message. The reply and forwarding messages may be generated in response to received email, or in response to other received messages, such as voice mail messages and facsimiles.Type: GrantFiled: February 1, 2011Date of Patent: November 27, 2012Assignee: Applied Voice & Speech Technologies, Inc.Inventor: Roger E. Visser
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Patent number: 8300776Abstract: A computer-implemented voice mail method includes obtaining an electronic audio file of a recorded user message directed to a telephone user, automatically generating a transcript of the recorded user message, and identifying locations in the transcript in coordination with timestamps in the recorded user message so that successive portions of the transcript can be highlighted in coordination with playing of the recorded user message. The method also include identifying one or characteristics of the message using meta data relating to the recorded user message, and storing the recorded user message and information about the identified locations of the recorded user message.Type: GrantFiled: September 30, 2011Date of Patent: October 30, 2012Assignee: Google Inc.Inventors: Benedict Davies, Christian Brunschen
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Patent number: 8296138Abstract: A system and method of updating automatic speech recognition parameters on a mobile device are disclosed. The method comprises storing user account-specific adaptation data associated with ASR on a computing device associated with a wireless network, generating new ASR adaptation parameters based on transmitted information from the mobile device when a communication channel between the computing device and the mobile device becomes available and transmitting the new ASR adaptation data to the mobile device when a communication channel between the computing device and the mobile device becomes available. The new ASR adaptation data on the mobile device more accurately recognizes user utterances.Type: GrantFiled: November 22, 2011Date of Patent: October 23, 2012Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property II, L.P.Inventors: Sarangarajan Parthasarathy, Richard Cameron Rose
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Publication number: 20120263282Abstract: Methods and systems are disclosed for providing Programmable Caller ID Screening services. One method monitors a telephone call for a call screening request for commercial, residential, and other identifiers of incoming calls. An action is taken in response to the call screening request. The action could be playing an announcement, terminating the connection, forwarding to voice mail, storing the ICLID information in a database, adding the ICLID information to a Do Not Call list, updating a subscriber's profile with the ICLID information, and/or storing the ICLID information in a subscriber's blocked communications list. The call screening request may comprise a Dual-Tone Multi-Frequency, a softkey entry, and/or a data message. Subsequent incoming calls from the calling telephone number are characterized as undesirable and are screened from alerting or otherwise establishing a communications connection to the called telephone number.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 29, 2012Publication date: October 18, 2012Applicant: AT&T Intellectual Property I, LP.Inventors: Gennamin Wood, Kevin Forsberg
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Patent number: 8290124Abstract: Call replay systems and methods are disclosed. A call replay system can record a telephonic communication and replay the recorded communication upon request. The entire communication may be recorded, or only a portion, such as the most recent few minutes. The entire recording can be transmitted to a requester, or only a portion. The recording may be altered before it is transmitted to a requestor. Alterations may include actions taken to reduce playback time, such as removing spaces in the recording where no conversation is taking place, or speeding up the recording. Other alterations may include adjusting the sonic characteristics of the recording, translating the recording, or transcribing the recording to create a text version.Type: GrantFiled: December 19, 2008Date of Patent: October 16, 2012Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLCInventors: Jeffrey Mikan, Justin McNamara, John Lewis, Fulvio Cenciarelli
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Patent number: 8280452Abstract: An in-vehicle apparatus having a handsfree function is disclosed. The in-vehicle apparatus is connectable with multiple cellular phones at a same time using a handsfree communication protocol. When a first cellular phone and a second cellular phone of the multiple cellular phones are respectively and simultaneously in a handset communicating state and in a calling state, the in-vehicle apparatus does not display a transfer switch for the first cellular phone and displays an answer switch for the second cellular phone, the transfer switch for the first cellular phone being user operable to switch the first cellular phone from the handset communicating state into a handsfree communicating state, the answer switch for the second cellular phone being user operable to switch the second cellular phone from the calling state into the handsfree communicating state.Type: GrantFiled: December 2, 2009Date of Patent: October 2, 2012Assignee: Denso CorporationInventor: Kazuyoshi Azuma
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Publication number: 20120243670Abstract: Techniques for automatically providing updated meeting information are provided. The techniques include facilitating receipt of a message pertaining to a meeting, automatically interpreting the message to determine if the message requires that meeting information be changed, automatically updating the meeting information if a change is required from the message, and automatically sending a message to each meeting participant informing each participant of the updated meeting information.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 23, 2011Publication date: September 27, 2012Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATIONInventors: Lior Horesh, Dimitri Kanevsky, David Nahamoo, Tara N. Sainath
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Patent number: 8249568Abstract: Described is a system and method for processing a voice mail. The method comprises receiving a voice mail, converting the voice mail into a text message using a predefined speech-to-text conversion algorithm and transmitting the text message to a wireless computing device.Type: GrantFiled: June 15, 2006Date of Patent: August 21, 2012Inventor: Timothy Salmon
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Patent number: 8243894Abstract: A telecommunication and multimedia management apparatus and method that supports voice and other media communications and that enables users to: (i) participate in multiple conversation modes, including live phone calls, conference calls, instant voice messaging or tactical communications; (ii) review the messages of conversations in either a live mode or a time-shifted mode and to seamlessly transition back and forth between the two modes; (iii) participate in multiple conversations either concurrently or simultaneously; (iv) archive the messages of conversations for later review or processing; and (v) persistently store media either created or received on the communication devices of users. The latter feature enables users to generate or review media when either disconnected from the network or network conditions are poor and to optimize the delivery of media over the network based on network conditions and the intention of the users participating in conversations.Type: GrantFiled: February 26, 2008Date of Patent: August 14, 2012Assignee: Voxer IP LLCInventors: Thomas E. Katis, James T. Panttaja, Mary G. Panttaja, Matthew J. Ranney
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Patent number: 8244531Abstract: A method is disclosed that enables the handling of audio streams for segments in the audio that might contain private information, in a way that is more straightforward than in some techniques in the prior art. The data-processing system of the illustrative embodiment receives a media stream that comprises an audio stream, possibly in addition to other types of media such as video. The audio stream comprises audio content, some of which can be private in nature. Once it receives the data, the data-processing system then analyzes the audio stream for private audio content by using one or more techniques that involve looking for private information as well as non-private information. As a result of the analysis, the data-processing system omits the private audio content from the resulting stream that contains the processed audio.Type: GrantFiled: September 28, 2008Date of Patent: August 14, 2012Assignee: Avaya Inc.Inventors: George William Erhart, Valentine C. Matula, David Joseph Skiba, Lawrence O'Gorman
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Patent number: 8239197Abstract: A system and method for efficiently transcribing verbal messages transmitted over the Internet (or other network) into text. The verbal messages are initially checked to ensure that they are in a valid format and include a return network address, and if so, are processed either as whole verbal messages or split into segments. These whole verbal messages and segments are processed by an automated speech recognition (ASR) program, which produces automatically recognized text. The automatically recognized text messages or segments are assigned to selected workbenches for manual editing and transcription, producing edited text. The segments of edited text are reassembled to produce whole edited text messages, undergo post processing to correct minor errors and output as an email, an SMS message, a file, or an input to a program. The automatically recognized text and manual edits thereof are returned as feedback to the ASR program to improve its accuracy.Type: GrantFiled: October 29, 2008Date of Patent: August 7, 2012Assignee: Intellisist, Inc.Inventors: Mike O. Webb, Bruce J. Peterson, Janet S. Kaseda