Abstract: Methods and systems for conducting a competition within a gaming environment. Two or more players can be enabled to electronically access a gaming environment over a communication network. The players can be registered to allow access to a competition within the gaming environment. Each player can be enabled to compete against one or more other players by selecting from macro events displayed in the gaming environment one or more micro event outcomes to future micro events, the micro event outcomes randomized to prevent cheating. A selection of the micro outcomes utilizes a number of points or credits, wherein each selection of a micro outcome increases a selecting player's points or credit balance if the micro outcome occurs or decreases the points or credit balance if the micro outcome selected does not occur.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method for generating a recommended change to a communication behavior of a first user of a network includes identifying a communication pattern in accordance with data extracted from communications collected in the network, wherein the data is associated with at least one of the first user and an endpoint other than the first user, and generating the recommended change based on the communication pattern, where the recommended change is to the communication behavior of the first user.

Abstract: An apparatus has a processor and a memory, the memory storing instructions that when executed by the processor, cause the processor to schedule a communication between a contact center and a communication device associated with a user, prompt the user to configure a geographic location for the communication device, track geographic location for the communication device, and initiate the communication in response to determining that the geographic location of the communication device appliance is the configured geographic location.

Abstract: A method and system for providing a phone directory service to a user terminal in a mobile communication network are provided. The method includes displaying, when a search keyword for the phone directory service is input by a user, a business list including businesses corresponding to the search keyword on a screen of the user terminal, connecting a call connection with a business selected by the user among the businesses displayed on the screen, displaying at least one product image provided by the selected business on the screen during the call connection, displaying, if a desired product is selected by the user, order details for the selected product during the call connection, processing payment of the selected product during the call connection, and displaying details for the payment on the screen.

Abstract: Apparatus, methods, and machine-readable articles of manufacture facilitate configuration of a networked messaging system. In some embodiments, nodes of the system are automatically interrogated to obtain current configuration information of each of the nodes, and a configuration file with the nodes' current configuration information is generated and stored in a format that is readily editable. Exemplary formats include spreadsheet, comma separated variables, and other text formats. An administrator is allowed to access and edit the configuration file, resulting in an updated configuration file with updated configuration information. Editing may include adding and removing servers, creating and removing digital networking mailboxes or links on the nodes, and other configuration changes.

Abstract: A voice controlled assistant has a housing to hold one or more microphones, one or more speakers, and various computing components. The voice controlled assistant facilitates transactions and other functions primarily through verbal interactions with a user. In some situations, a transaction may require entry of a code, which the user may wish to enter in a non-verbal way. A control knob is rotatably mounted to the housing and non-verbal manual entry of the code may be accomplished via rotations of the control knob. In other implementations, the code may be entered through use of a companion application executing on another device separate from the voice controlled assistant.

Abstract: Message management and classification techniques are described. In one or more implementations, a message received from a sender for delivery via a user account is examined to extract one or more features of the message. A determination is then made as to whether the message corresponds to one or more categories based on the extracted features, the categories usable to enable features to be applied to the message in a user interface.

Abstract: A system and method for utilizing a message assistant. A contact list is updated by retrieving one or more contact lists. Preferences are received for communicating with contacts on the contact list. A message is received to be sent to a group listed in the contact list including one or more contacts at a time specified by a user. The message is sent to the group at the time specified by the user based on the preferences.

Abstract: A system and method for voice messaging the enables the modification of recorded voice messages and caller-specific conveniences. More particularly, the present invention pertains to identifying a caller and, thereby, enabling the caller to modify recorded voice messages and enabling a recipient to designate how calls from a particular caller should be handled, for example, by specifying a greeting message for a particular caller or by specifying the order in which voice messages are presented based upon the associated caller.

Abstract: A method and apparatus at an apparatus for handling an incoming call (2:7, 3:7, 4:7) originating from an anonymous calling party(100) where the anonymous calling party calling party(100) can be identified on the basis of a personal identity assigned to the anonymous calling party(100), wherein the personal identity is assignable to the anonymous calling party(100) after a personal identity has been assigned to the anonymous calling party in response to a manually or automatically initiated assignment instruction, but without requiring any interaction from the anonymous calling party(100). The suggested method and apparatus are applicable in any type of wireless or fixed communications network which enables a calling party to register as an anonymous calling party.

Abstract: A system and method for secure payment transactions is provided. The system may include an adaptive payment server including one or more processors configured to receive a first communication including first identification information from a first communication device on a first communication channel. The adaptive payment server may identify a second communication device based on the first identification information and initiate a second communication to the second communication device on a second communication channel, which may be discrete from the first communication channel. The adaptive payment server may receive second identification information from the second communication device on the second communication channel and authenticate the payment transaction using the first identification information and the second identification information.

Abstract: A method for fault-tolerant recording of calls of a PBX, comprising concurrently receiving metadata of calls of a PBX by a plurality of computerized apparatuses, generating unique identifiers for each of the calls such the unique identifiers that are common between the plurality of the computerized apparatuses, activating a first computerized apparatus to control recordings of contents of the calls and assigning the recording with the unique identifiers respective to the calls, operating the computerized apparatuses to receive feedbacks of activities of the recordings, where the feedbacks comprise the assigned unique identifiers and in case of a failure of the first computerized apparatus, activating a second computerized apparatus to maintain the recordings that were controlled by the first computerized apparatus.

Abstract: Usage data associated with a user of a telephonic device is accessed by a remote learning engine. A service or a product that is likely to be of interest to the user is identified by the remote learning engine based on the accessed usage data. A recommended voice bundle application for the user is determined by the remote learning engine based on the accessed usage data, the recommended voice bundle application being a voice application that, when executed by the telephonic device, results in a simulated multi-step spoken conversation between the telephonic device and the user to enable the user to receive the identified service or the identified product. A recommendation associated with the recommended voice bundle application is transmitted from the remote learning engine to the telephonic device. The recommendation is presented by the telephonic device to the user through voice communications.

Abstract: A device in a provider network receives a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) request message from an originating device, where the SIP request message includes a general number for a voicemail service and where the voicemail service includes multiple voicemail systems. The device determines whether the originating device is associated with a voice-over-Internet-protocol (VoIP) account on the provider network and, when the originating device is associated with a VoIP account, selects a direct access number assigned to a voicemail system, from the multiple voicemail systems in the network, that services the VoIP account. The device also associates the direct access number and the SIP request message, and forwards, based on the direct access number, the SIP request message to an application server.

Abstract: A pacing system and method for determining information related to a state of a call queue of an automatic call distributor (ACD). The information is based on a number of calls in the ACD queue waiting to be connected to a live agent. The pacing system and method controls a number of outbound calls being made by the IVR based system to a number of end users based on the information related to the ACD queue state.

Abstract: Embodiments of the disclosure relate to a method of processing a voice call from a mobile device to a customer care center, including placing, from a mobile device, a call to a customer care center. The method also includes displaying, on the mobile device, a first query about whether the call was completed to the satisfaction of the customer, analyzing, on a processor, a status of a first response by a customer to the first query, and displaying, on the mobile device, a first customer care message on the mobile device if the first response was negative.

Abstract: Storing data is disclosed. A range or addresses is received and the range of addresses is stored in a bulk object. Retrieving data is disclosed. A request to access data associated with an address within a range of addresses is received. A response is derived based at least in part on a bulk object.

Abstract: Provided is a system and method for providing advertisement information using voice recognition when performing a voice call based on a Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP). The system for providing advertisement information based on a VoIP may include a voice recognition unit to recognize voice information received via an application of a user terminal, an information converter to convert the voice information to text information, an advertisement selector to select advertisement information corresponding to the text information among a plurality of pieces of advertisement information stored in a database, and a transmitter to transmit the selected advertisement information.

Abstract: A method for allowing a calling party to leave a message for a called party. The method comprises: receiving a command provided by the calling party and indicative of a desire of the calling party to leave a message for the called party; obtaining message destination information associated with the called party; receiving a voice message provided by the calling party; generating an electronic message representative of the voice message; and causing transmission of the electronic message based on the message destination information. An apparatus for implementing the method is also provided.

Abstract: An intelligent virtual service agent implemented on a computer platform with a processor and a memory is assigned a responsibility to automatically interact with different users via different mediums across a communication network when a predetermined characteristic of content provided by the users is identified. Content provided by a user is received over the communication network. The content provided by the user is analyzed to determine whether the content provided by the user possesses the predetermined characteristic. A determined is made, based on the analyzing, that the content possesses the predetermined characteristic. The intelligent virtual service agent is assigned to automatically interact with the user based on determining that the content possesses the predetermined characteristic.

Abstract: A system and method for processing quick note messages. A call from a calling party is intercepted prior to transmitting the call to the receiving telephone and prior to ringing the receiving telephone. A quick note message from the calling party is recorded. A quick note message waiting indicator is activated on the receiving telephone.

Abstract: Techniques are described for performing actions for users based at least in part on spoken information, such as spoken voice-based information received from the users during telephone calls. The described techniques include categorizing spoken information obtained from a user in one or more ways, and performing actions on behalf of the user related to the categorized information. For example, in some situations, spoken information obtained from a user is analyzed to identify one or more spoken information items (e.g., words, phrases, sentences, etc.) supplied by the user, and to generate corresponding textual representations (e.g., via automated speech-to-text techniques). One or more actions may then be taken regarding the identified information items, including to categorize the items by adding textual representations of the spoken information items to one or more of multiple predefined lists or other collections of information that are specific to or otherwise available to the user.

Abstract: Techniques for routing a telephone call are provided. A call interface device of an interactive voice response system is configured to receive the telephone call from a caller. A level one agent processing module routes the telephone all to a level one agent for an agent interview of the caller when level three and level two agents are not available. A level two agent processing module handles the telephone call when the level three agent is not available. A level three agent processing module facilitates the handling of the telephone call when the level three agent is available.

Abstract: A method to detect the pause in the personal or system message to determine when to leave the payload message, but since there is an issue of the carrier disconnecting the call while waiting to make a determination if the personal or system message has been completed and the recording phase started, the present invention teaches a solution of sending a beep during every second of the pause time, to keep the line alive and the carrier therefore does not hang up and the message is left in full.

Abstract: A device may be configured to receive information regarding a call center. The received information may include an interactive voice response (“IVR”) menu configuration that includes contact information for contacts associated with the call center, and audible options to place a call to the contacts via the contact information for the contacts. The device may parse the IVR menu configuration to generate a graphical user interface (“GUI”) menu configuration, which may comprise visual selectable options that correspond to the audible options. Selection of a particular one of the visual selectable options may cause a call to be placed to a particular contact that is associated with the particular visual selectable option. The device may further store or output the GUI menu configuration.

Abstract: A system, method and program product for providing a voice response unit (VRU) proxy. A system is provided that includes: a graphical user interface (GUI) for dynamically displaying information from a VRU and for receiving data from a user; a system for initiating a call with the VRU; and a VRU interface system for transmitting data from the user to the VRU, and for using speech recognition to capture broadcasts from the VRU for display within the GUI.

Abstract: A method for speaker adaptation includes receiving a plurality of media files, each associated with a call center agent of a plurality of call center agents and receiving a plurality of terms. Speech processing is performed on at least some of the media files to identify putative instances of at least some of the plurality of terms. Each putative instance is associated with a hit quality that characterizes a quality of recognition of the corresponding term. One or more call center agents for performing speaker adaptation are determined, including identifying call center agents that are associated with at least one media file that includes one or more putative instances with a hit quality below a predetermined threshold. Speaker adaptation is performed for each identified call center agent based on the media files associated with the identified call center agent and the identified instances of the plurality of terms.

Abstract: The disclosure provides a method and corresponding system for personalizing and disbursing content material in an automated fashion based on differing characteristics or profiles of the recipients. The system includes a database of potential recipients with key characteristics such as location data, revenue, product ownership, customer status, tenure with the company/organization, payment status, credit rating, whether they have recently responded to other material, and the like. Dissemination media include email communications, collaterals, brochures, textual materials, image and video information, and any similar media, where the contents of the communication material is customized based on the key characteristics profiles of the recipients and driven by a set of business rules that can be adapted to fit various scenarios.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for providing access to a visual phone menu is disclosed. One of the methods includes receiving a call request transmitted from a calling device to initiate a call to a recipient; saving state information associated with the caller's navigation through a voice response system; providing an option for the caller to select between receiving a visual phone menu (VPM) or continuing to listen to the voice response system menu; receiving a selection of the option to receive the VPM; providing the VPM to a client device including providing state information associated with the caller's navigation through the voice response system prior to the selection; and using the state information when the caller navigates back in the response tree using the VPM.

Abstract: Voicemail is received at a voicemail server and converted to an audio file format; it is then sent or streamed over a wide area network to a voice to text transcription system comprising a network of computers. One of the networked computers plays back the voice message to an operator and the operator intelligently transcribes the actual message from the original voice message by entering the corresponding text message (actually a succinct version of the original voice message, not a verbose word-for-word conversion) into the computer to generate a transcribed text message. The transcribed text message is then sent to the wireless information device from the computer. Because human operators are used instead of machine transcription, voicemails are converted accurately, intelligently, appropriately and succinctly into text messages (SMS/MMS).

Abstract: Disclosed is a method, apparatus, system and non-transitory computer program product configured to process user call responses and assign caller specific preferences to the user based on the caller's feedback. One example method of processing spoken words from a user of a calling platform may include operations, such as calling a user via a call processing device, and sending a call prompt message to the user after the user has answered the call, the call prompt message soliciting a user response. The user may respond and the response is received as a spoken call greeting from the user in response to the call prompt message. Other operations may include recording the spoken call greeting, and determining whether the spoken call greeting is indicative of a language preference. The system may process the user's word or utterances and assign language preferences to the user based on the user provided information.

Abstract: A method for consulting a voice message received and a method for providing a compounded voice message. The compounded voice message is composed of at least one first and one second voice component and is associated with a group of items of information relating to the voice components. The method for consultation includes reading at least one voice component of the voice message, detecting at least one user interaction concomitant upon the reading of the at least one voice component, sending at least one signal relating to the interaction detected, and receiving a command of an action to be performed relating to a voice component read from the voice message and to at least one item of information of the group of items of information associated with the voice message. Also provided is a device implementing the method for consulting a compounded voice message.

Abstract: A network communication node includes an audio outputter that outputs an audible representation of data to be provided to a requester. The network communication node also includes a processor that determines a categorization of the data to be provided to the requester and that varies a pause between segments of the audible representation of the data in accordance with the categorization of the data to be provided to the requester.

Abstract: Disclosed is a visual IVR directory system for enabling a user to telephonically interact with organizations, the IVR system comprising a database comprising a plurality of organization entries wherein, each organization entry represents a organization registered therewith, each organization entry associated with at least one phone number and an visual IVR menu file, the execution of which leads to the display of a visual IVR menu comprising a plurality of graphical menu icons, the selection of each displays either a graphical submenu, organization information, or establishes an telephonic connection between the user and the organization, the IVR system configured such that, upon determining that a phone number dialed from a telephonic device of the user is listed within the database, the corresponding visual menu file is retrieved from the database and executed on the telephonic device, the telephonic device equipped with a display means.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention relate to effectively traversing the structure of an interactive voice response system. A menu associated with the system is organized and arranged in a hierarchy. Each received input is dynamically analyzed to enable a traversal of the hierarchy and to direct the input to an appropriate menu option associated with the system. The appropriate menu option is directly related to the input submission, and supports a direct communication with a telecommunication device that initiated communication with the system.

Abstract: The invention features a computer-implemented method for playing back an announcement message to a user device. The method includes initiating, by a computing device, an announcement session in response to a user device establishing communication with the computing device and determining, by the computing device, the announcement message to be played back to the user device. The method includes loading, by the computing device, into a queue associated with the announcement session, a descriptor referencing a memory buffer on the computing device. The memory buffer includes a plurality of memory partitions, each memory partition storing at least one portion of the announcement message encoded at a different rate. The method includes the computing device scheduling play back of the announcement message, playing the announcement message to the user device at a first rate and receiving a request from the user device for playback at a second rate.

Abstract: Usage data associated with a user of a telephonic device is accessed by a remote learning engine. A service or a product is identified by the remote learning engine based on the accessed usage data. A recommended voice bundle application is determined by the remote learning engine. A recommendation associated with the recommended voice bundle application is transmitted to the telephonic device. The recommendation is presented to the user through voice communications. One or more input parameters associated with the recommended voice bundle application is collected by the telephonic device. The user through voice communications has accepted the recommendation determining is determined. In response to determining that the user has accepted the recommendation, the one or more input parameters to the recommended voice bundle application are loaded by the telephonic device, and the recommended voice bundle application is executed by the telephonic device.

Abstract: A contact center is described along with various methods and mechanisms for administering the same. In general, methods and mechanisms are disclosed that are configured to provide interactive voice response (IVR) functionality as one or more distributed resources capable of being assigned work items via a work assignment engine. Assigning work items may be performed via the work assignment engine running an IVR script. This IVR script may be configured to determine information associated with a work item such that an efficient work assignment can be made. In some cases, business rules and the information associated with the work item can affect the work assignment.

Abstract: A telephone with a call screening device is able to screen automated calls by transmitting a message containing an instruction upon detecting an incoming call. The instruction from the call screening device requests that the calling party respond to the message correctly and in time before the call screening device allows the telephone to ring and the call answered. The instruction contains, inter alia, a string of randomly generated numbers that the calling party is asked to dial as part of his/her response. In the event that the response is not received in time or the response is incorrect, the call screening device terminates the call without the phone ever ringing.

Abstract: A system and method for storing call recordings in a call center is provided. Incoming calls to a call center are monitored. Retention criteria are obtained and ordered by importance. The retention criteria are applied to each of the calls. Those calls that match at least one of the retention criteria are identified. The identified calls that include one of a single highly important criteria and two or more less important criteria are selected for retaining in the call center. Recordings of the selected calls are stored in the call center.

Abstract: The current application is directed to a multi-channel interactive message response system that allows for interaction between users and the multi-channel interactive message response system through many different types of devices, communications protocols, and communications media. The multi-channel interactive message response system, in one implementation, is implemented within an automated communications system that organizes and facilitates information exchange between members of organizations and between organizations and individuals outside the organizations.

Abstract: Automated response processing includes receiving a first audible prompt from a called system and a response to the first audible prompt from a calling system during a first phone call. Automated response processing further includes determining, using a processor, a semantic identifier for the first audible prompt using semantic analysis and storing the semantic identifier of the first audible prompt in association with the response. The stored response is played responsive to determining that a semantic identifier for a second audible prompt played to the calling system matches the semantic identifier of the first audible prompt.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: A device may be configured to receive information regarding a call center. The received information may include an interactive voice response (“IVR”) menu configuration that includes contact information for contacts associated with the call center, and audible options to place a call to the contacts via the contact information for the contacts. The device may parse the IVR menu configuration to generate a graphical user interface (“GUI”) menu configuration, which may comprise visual selectable options that correspond to the audible options. Selection of a particular one of the visual selectable options may cause a call to be placed to a particular contact that is associated with the particular visual selectable option. The device may further store or output the GUI menu configuration.

Abstract: A voice channel connection and a data channel connection are established with a structured voice interaction system. Navigation information for and provided by the structured voice interaction system is received over the data channel connection. The data channel navigation information is coordinated with navigation information provided by the structured voice interaction system over the voice channel connection.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide a system, method, and computer program product for updating software on an embedded computer device. According to one aspect of the present invention, a concurrent embedded application update is performed in which selected state information for one or both of an embedded virtual machine and a plurality of applets on an embedded computer device is securely exported to a host computer device. After software updates have been installed, the selected state information can be restored on the embedded computer device from which it was exported and/or it can be migrated to a second embedded computer device.

Abstract: A method of analyzing speech application performance can include determining a call path for each of a plurality of calls from a log of an interactive voice response system having a speech application. Each call path can be defined by an ordered set of dialog nodes of the speech application. A number of occurrences of at least one selected type of event for the dialog nodes of the plurality of calls can be counted. At least one call path from the plurality of call paths can be indicated according, at least in part, to the number of occurrences of the selected type of event within the at least one indicated call path.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide a system for generating an Interactive Voice Response (IVR) database, the system comprising a processor and a memory coupled to the processor. The memory comprising a list of telephone numbers associated with one or more destinations implementing IVR menus, wherein the one or more destinations are grouped based on a plurality of categories of the IVR menus. Further the memory includes instructions executable by said processor for automatically communicating with the one of more destinations, and receiving at least one customization record from said at least one destination to store in the IVR database.

Abstract: A system, method and computer program product are provided for activating a cellular phone account utilizing automated speech recognition. In use, information about a user is received over a network utilizing automated speech recognition. Thereafter, a cellular phone account is activated based on the information received utilizing the automated speech recognition.

Abstract: Visual voicemail privacy protection is implemented by requiring a credential from a user or a user device before providing voicemail data to the user. The credential may be a user name and password combination, a digital certificate, or the like. The user may enable or disable this privacy protection feature at will. A first device being used for visual voicemail services may detect a second device within a defined area around the first device and either enable or disable privacy protection features based on whether the second device is determined to be an authorized or unauthorized device. Privacy protection features may be implemented locally or remotely.