Abstract: Disclosed is a recording and reproducing apparatus comprising: an apparatus main body; and a remote controller to perform remote control of the apparatus main body, wherein the remote controller comprises: a key operating section to receive a key operation by a user; a sound information inputting section to input sound information; and a transmitting section to transmit sound data based on the sound information to the apparatus main body, and the apparatus main body comprises: a recording section to record input content data on a recording medium; a reproducing section to reproduce the content data; a receiving section to receive the sound data; a sound information recording section to record the sound data so as to be associated with a piece of the content data; and a sound information outputting section to reproduce the sound data to output the reproduced sound data.

Abstract: Systems, methods and machine readable media for processing voicemails are described. In one embodiment, a method includes presenting, on a first data processing system, a first user interface which is capable of presenting data representing a plurality of voicemails and receiving from the first user interface a selection for playback of one of the plurality of voicemails. The data representing the plurality of voicemails are received from a second data processing system which includes a voicemail system which records voicemails left for customers of a public telephone carrier, and the first user interface is configured to receive the selection of any one of the plurality of voicemails in any order. Systems, media and other methods are also described.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide a communication device comprising a database comprising a plurality of visual Interactive Voice Response (IVR) menus associated with a plurality of destinations. The communication device further comprises means for dialing a phone number of a destination, means for comparing the dialed phone number with phone numbers stored in the database, and means for displaying a form based on the comparison, wherein the form comprises one or more data request fields corresponding to a visual IVR menu associated with the dialed destination.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide a communication device. The communication device comprises a processor. Further, the communication device comprises a memory coupled to the processor. The memory comprises a database comprising at least one visual Interactive Voice Response (IVR) menu associated with at least one IVR system. Further, the memory comprises instructions executable by the processor for sending a first section of a data packet to a second communication device. The first section comprising first information is sent based on a visual IVR menu associated with the second communication device. Further, the memory comprises instructions executable by the processor for receiving an acknowledgement message from the second communication device based on the first section of the data packet. Furthermore, the memory includes instructions executable by the processor for sending a second section of the data packet to the second communication device based on the acknowledgement message.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method and system for interacting with an IVR system. In one aspect, a computing device receives a user request to connect to an IVR system to perform an action. A request for information (e.g., a request to select from a plurality of menu options) is obtained from the IVR system. In response to the request, the computing device automatically supplies an answer to the request for information to the IVR system. In one embodiment, the answer is a dual-tone multi-frequency (DTMF) signal. The obtaining and supplying steps are repeated until the action has been performed.

Abstract: A third-party interactive voice response service includes a media archiving service in which media streams from a call to a subscriber is encrypted by a public key of the subscriber. The media streams may optionally be compressed and are encrypted in real-time so that at any time no tangible portion of the media streams can be accessed by the third party provider. The multiple media streams can optionally be compressed and/or encrypted individually or after they have been combined into a combined stream. The subscriber is able to retrieve the encrypted media streams and decrypt them using the subscriber's private key. The encryption and compression are under program control of the interactive voice response service.

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: 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.

Abstract: A Mobile Voice Self Service (MVSS) mobile device and method thereof. A VoiceXML browser that is implemented directly on the MVSS mobile device may request a VoiceXML application from a VoiceXML application server and process it. A call data manager may also be implemented on the MVSS mobile device and may provide call data that, in conjunction with data from the VoiceXML application server, may authorize access to advanced Media Resource Control Protocol (MRCP) services, such as Automatic Speech Recognition (ASR) or Text-To-Speech (TTS). A media resource gateway may then provide the advanced MRCP services to the VoiceXML application processed by the VoiceXML application browser. Hotkey navigations and bookmarked application points to VoiceXML applications may be created and applied through application analysis and state tracking. Therein, VoiceXML document transitions and user input are stored to maintain application state changes until the user requests creation of an application bookmark.

Abstract: The invention serves to avoid causing the destination telephone from ringing while performing voicemail advertising. The method makes it possible to gain direct access to the voice mailbox of a telephone line that is configured, while busy, to redirect incoming calls to its voice mailbox. The method consists in executing the following steps: triggering a first group of calls to the line; waiting for a first predetermined duration that is long enough to have placed the line in the busy state; triggering a new call to the line; and stopping the calls of the first group at the end of a second predetermined duration that is longer than the first duration, but short enough to avoid causing the telephone of the line to ring. The invention also protects a computer program for implementing the method, and the server hosting it.

Abstract: A guidance confirmation apparatus includes a pseudo terminal which belongs to an IMS network including a CSCF server which performs call/connection processing of an SIP terminal, an HSS server which permits use of a registered SIP terminal in the IMS network, and an MRF system which includes sound sources for generating various kinds of guidance. Upon receiving a test connection command to instruct a guidance connection test from the SIP terminal, the pseudo terminal is registered in the HSS server as a virtual terminal usable in the IMS network and connects the SIP terminal to a sound source corresponding to a guidance number based on the test connection command. A guidance confirmation method is also disclosed.

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: A message greeting system receives a notification that a party is unavailable in response to a communication initiated by a contacting party. In response to receiving the notification, the message greeting system acquires contextual data associated with the contacting party, determines a message greeting that is appropriate for the contacting party based upon the contextual data, acquires the appropriate message greeting, and sends the appropriate message greeting to a contacting party device associated with the contacting party. The appropriate message greeting includes a message greeting that is usable by the contacting party given a context in which the contacting party is involved as identified by the contextual data. In some embodiments, the message greeting system acquires the appropriate message greeting by adapting an inappropriate message greeting for the context in which the contacting party is involved, thereby creating the appropriate message greeting.

Abstract: The invention concerns a method of managing a telephone call from a caller (B) to a person being called, in which the non-reply of the person being called (A) to the telephone call during a predetermined length of time is detected, a communication is established between the caller and a non-reply server (130) for transferring at least one message intended for the caller while maintaining the telephone call from the caller to the person being called, the response of the person being called (A) to the telephone call from the caller is detected and, if the response of the person being called to the telephone call is detected, the communication between the caller and the non-reply server is interrupted and communication is established between the caller and the person being called. The invention also concerns the associated system.

Abstract: A voice communication controller (e.g., private branch exchange (PBX)) is described herein which can automatically enable an outbound dual tone multi-frequency (DTMF) feature for one of it's extensions that is attached to a phone which belongs to a user while that user is or is likely to be participating in a session with an external DTMF communication system (e.g., a conference/collaboration bridge, an interactive voice response (IVR) system, or a voice mail system). This is desirable because if the user presses button(s) on their phone then the voice communication controller which has enabled the outbound DTMF feature will not attempt to process the corresponding DTMF digit(s) but instead will automatically transfer the corresponding DTMF signal(s) to the external DTMF communication system.

Abstract: An audio splitting system for sharing speech data associated with the same utterance between multiple speech technologies (consumers). In one aspect, the system comprises one or more queues for storing data, a plurality of consumers each sharing the data stored in the one or more queues and a scheduler for managing the storage of the data in the one or more queues and the consumption of the data in the one or more queues by each of the plurality of consumers. The consumers will register their data requirements and priority requests with the scheduler. The scheduler assigns each of the plurality of consumers to one or more of the queues based on the registered data requirements.

Abstract: A method and electronic device for storing and transmitting response data in an interactive voice response (IVR) system session are provided. Response data, such as a credit card number, system access code or password may be stored in the device. During an IVR session, the response data may be selected, retrieved and transmitted to respond to an IVR request. Content protection may be used to control access to the response data and to allow access to the response data if an IVR session is established.

Abstract: A method for providing an interactive voice response service is provided. The method uses a VoiceXML interpreter in cooperation with a voice/audio application. The voice/audio application uses scripts coded in VoiceXML with embedded Java Server Pages (JSP). The use of VoiceXML along with JSP allows the present invention to provide an implementation that minimizes interaction between the voice/audio application and the VoiceXML server.

Abstract: A system and method for recording voicemail. The system includes a first phone, a second phone, and a server. A call is placed from the first phone to the second phone. The server is configured to transmit a notification to the first phone to initiate recording of a voicemail at a location local to the first phone, receive a file of the voicemail recorded by the first phone, store the recorded voicemail, and establish a session between the server and the second phone to access the recorded voicemail.

Abstract: Allowing an initiating party to invoke automated communication attempts that continue and escalate and limit a targeted party's wireless device capabilities until satisfactory communication is established with the targeted party is provided. After a number of unsuccessful attempts at communicating with the targeted party, the initiating party may activate an automated escalating communication system that encourages the targeted party to eventually respond due to escalating communications automatically sent to the targeted party or his/her affiliates or due to limiting controls placed on the targeted party's communication device.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide ways to locally store and deliver voicemail messages on personal communication devices. An illustrative method includes initiating a call to a recipient's device, receiving an indication the call cannot be established, prompting the user to leave a voicemail, storing the voicemail locally on the communications device, and sending the voicemail to the recipient's device.

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 invention are directed to communication systems and methods that allow a resident of a controlled environment facility to report a past, on-going or threatened crime, such as a rape. The resident is able to make the report using a facility communications system without alerting other residents of the controlled environment facility that the crime has been reported.

Abstract: A method for optimizing message transmission and decoding comprises: reading data from a memory of an originating device, the data comprising information regarding the originating device; encoding the data by converting the data to a subset of words having a ranked recognition accuracy higher than the remainder of words; transmitting the encoded data from the originating device to a receiving system audibly as words via a telephone connection; utilizing a voice recognition software to recognize the words; decoding the words back to the data; and taking a predetermined action based on the data.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method of controlling transmission of voice messages or information via telephonic voice message systems, which are sometimes referred to as Voice Mail Systems. Users of the system selectively specify voice message transmission instructions for controlling transmission of voice messages directed to them. Upon receipt of a user's voice message address, the voice message system determines whether the destination voice message address has a specified voice message transmission instruction previously selected by the recipient and processes the voice message in accordance with the instruction.

Abstract: A method for customization of voice mail messaging. The method includes recording a plurality of voice mail messages, defining selection criteria for each of the plurality of voice mail messages, establishing a first call for which one of the plurality of voice mail messages will be selected, identifying parameters of the first call, matching the parameters with the selection criteria, selecting the one of the plurality of messages based on the matching step, and playing the selected message on the first call.

Abstract: A device receives, from a management server, an optimal number of threads, generates a dynamic thread based on the optimal number of threads, and retrieves, from a message store, a message based on the dynamic thread and when the message store is not empty. The device receives a binding from a voicemail server associated with a voicemail user, generates a notification based on the retrieved message and based on the binding, and provides the notification to a user device associated with the voicemail user.

Abstract: Call flow information can build ‘intent’ into call flows having a series of intended steps and one or more alternative steps for selected intended steps. Users can advance in the call flow based on any response other than one or more alternative valid responses for the one intended step that lead in the call flow to one or more alternative steps to the one intended step because every action in the call flow motivates the user to follow the predetermined ordering. A user can proceed from a first intended step in the series of intended steps to a second intended step in the series of intended steps based on a user's response or information known or discovered about the user.

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: In some embodiments, a method for interfacing an interactive voice response system with a business application comprises receiving a function call from an interactive voice response system. A first function is selected from a first function library in response to the function call. Using the first function, a request for information from a business application is posted to a memory. The request is retrieved from the memory. The information from the business application is retrieved in response to the request. A second function is selected from a second function library. The second function is executed to post the requested information to the memory. The requested information is retrieved from the memory and transmitted to the interactive voice response system.

Abstract: Voicemail systems (24, 26, 28) can include at least one memory and at least one processor. A memory can store data relating to one or more users. An incoming communication can be handled by the voicemail system (24, 26, 28), forwarded to another voicemail system (24, 26, 28), provided with functionality based upon a user's preferences, and the like. The voicemail systems (24, 26, 28) can include functionality to allow a user to consolidate voicemail messages and/or calls at one or more designated destinations, for example, a voicemail system (24, 26, 28) and/or a mobile device (18).

Abstract: A framework is provided to offer composite voice applications and services. A composite application and service begins from the user dialing in via phone and ends by the user hanging up the phone. The composite interactive voice services architecture includes a session initiation protocol session service unit is in the loop of session signaling all the time starting from the time the user first dials in, during the user roaming across various voice servers, and until the end of the composite service when user hangs up the phone. This unit accepts a command and login instruction of the next interactive voice service from the previous interactive voice service. The unit has knowledge of DTMF sequences required for the user to login to next interactive voice service. The session service unit automatically accomplishes a roaming process such that composite applications and services can be achieved across various voice servers.

Abstract: A system and method for integrating voice and data operations into a single mobile device capable of simultaneously performing data and voice actions. The mobile device working in a network capable of exchanging both cell phone calls and data items to the mobile device. By wearing an earphone or an ear-bud device the user is capable of dealing with voice conversations while working with data centric information related to the current caller. By providing a data-centric device with voice capabilities there is a new range of features that allow incoming data events to trigger outgoing voice events.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided that use resources more efficiently for calls originating and terminating in a first address space that use services in an IP address space. A call is established from an originator in a first address space to an IP device within an IP address space. The IP device sends a message to a switch in the first address space indicating a new destination in the first address space. The established call is released and a second call is established from the originator in the first address space to the new destination in the first address space. In another implementation, a first leg of a call is established to an IP device from a first address space. The IP device establishes a second leg of a call to a destination in the first address space. The calls are bridged and resources released.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are inventions that integrate a home television set top box (“STB”) or home media center with a smart voicemail system of a telephone service provider. Smart voicemail features, such as email notification of voicemails, or online playback of voicemails, may be used to obtain digital voicemail audio files that are then stored and maintained in a home computer network. These files can be served over the network via a networked television STB or a media center computer, to a display monitor during normal usage. Embodiments cause new voicemail notifications to be displayed during typical operation of a television with the STB or media center computer and provide users with an interface for responding to new voicemail notifications, and reviewing, managing, and playing back voicemail. Messages received thus can be easily identified and reviewed through an interface with which subscribers are extremely comfortable.

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: Methods, devices, and systems are provided for monitoring and reporting various metrics associated with objects of interest. The present invention is adapted to monitor objects of interest, such as contact center agents, to determine whether a triggering event has occurred and, if so, report metrics associated with the object of interest in a dynamic, customized, and real-time fashion.

Abstract: Techniques for use in a mobile telephone for configuring voice mailbox configuration information at a remote voicemail system for storage in association with a voice mailbox of the mobile telephone. The mobile telephone displays, in a GUI, a user input prompt for initializing or changing the information. In response to the user input prompt, the mobile telephone receives the information that is input via the GUI and stores the information in memory. After receiving and storing the information, the mobile telephone initiates a connection with the system via a wireless network. The mobile telephone transmits, via the wireless network, and over the connection to the system, the stored information and a command for initializing or changing the information of the voice mailbox at the system. The mobile telephone accesses, via the wireless network, voicemail from the voice mailbox of the system which utilizes the information.

Abstract: An automatic answering device and an automatic answering method for automatically answering to a user utterance are configured: to prepare a conversation scenario that is a set of input sentences and replay sentences, the input sentences each corresponding to a user utterance assumed to be uttered by a user, the reply sentences each being an automatic reply to the inputted sentence; to accept a user utterance; to determine the reply sentence to the accepted user utterance on the basis of the conversation scenario; and to present the determined reply sentence to the user. Data of the conversation scenario have a data structure that enables the inputted sentences and the reply sentences to be expressed in a state transition diagram in which each of the inputted sentences is defined as a morphism and the reply sentence corresponding to the inputted sentence is defined as an object.

Abstract: An interactive voice response system takes into account current and/or historical call data in determining navigation logic for a specific call.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention relate to a system and method for managing abrupt contact disconnects. In accordance with one embodiment, there is provided a method for managing abrupt customer call disconnects from an IVR system, dependent upon variations of call disconnect scenarios, the method comprising detecting an abrupt customer call disconnect; storing IVR options selected by customer before the abrupt customer call disconnect; sending an SMS/voice message notification to the customer; receiving customer call re-connection; determining, whether there is status information of an abnormally terminated call corresponding to the customer call re-connection; retrieving status information of the abnormally terminated call; connecting the IVR system to the customer; and providing IVR system options to the customer based upon the particular disconnect scenario.

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

Abstract: Methods are provided for preventing the delivery of undesired voicemails, which may occur when a voicemail is being left for a given user, and the given user calls back the user currently leaving the voicemail. An incoming call is received while a communications device is facilitating a recording of the voicemail. A voicemail system is instructed to prevent the voicemail from being delivered and also to terminate a suspended call corresponding to the recording of the voicemail. The incoming call is connected.

Abstract: A system and method is provided to operate a directory assistance call center based upon data stored in a directory assistance database and a line information database (LIDB). A caller can access a directory assistance call center to request phone listing information about a particular party. The directory assistance call center can send a query to a directory assistance database for the requested information. Moreover, if the requested information is not found, then the directory assistance call center can send a query to a LIDB or CNAM database provider. The LIDB or CNAM database provider can forward the query to a local LIDB or CNAM database and to other remote LIDB or CNAM database providers to find the requested information.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide a method, system and computer program product for tag cloud prompting in an interactive voice response (IVR) system. In an embodiment of the invention, an IVR prompting method can include loading a set of options in an option set for a caller to an IVR application from over a network, identifying commonly selected options in the options set in a data store of historically selected options, generating a tag cloud for the option set with options in the option set that are more commonly selected being more emphasized than options in the option set that are less commonly selected, and directing a display of the tag cloud in a telephonic device of the caller.

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.

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 and method of saving and delivering a voice memo or text memo to identify incoming calls is provided. A user of the system of the invention is given the option of recording a memo on the calls he or she has received through a prompt on a telecommunication device. The user can choose to record a voice memo or text memo after each call. The memos are saved in connection with caller id information pertaining to the number from which the call was placed. When a user of the system receives a call from a number that has a memo saved in relation thereto, the user will be prompted to hear, and may listen to, the voice memo before answering the call. If the memo is in text form, the user can configure the system to provide various processing options. In one processing option, a text to speech audio presentation of the text of the memo is made available to permit the message to be heard over a telephone or networked audio capable PDA device.

Abstract: A method for switching interactive modes in a menu system is disclosed. An audio interactive voice response session is established to provide audio menus to a communication device. A data session with said communication device is also established. The data session is used to instruct the communication device to display indicia that a second mode may be activated. The indicia may be an icon indicative of the second mode. A user selection of the indicia on the communication device sends a message to the IVR system indicating that the second mode is to be activated. The second mode may be a text mode wherein text menus are presented to the user instead of audio menus. The second mode may be a suspend mode whereby the IVR session is halted at its present menu choices and saved for later reactivation.

Abstract: An interactive display response (IDR) system. The IDR system comprises an interactive display server (IDS) for communicating display requests from a call center to a plurality of mobile devices that established a connection with the call center; an interactive display agent (IDA) installed on each of the plurality of mobile devices for at least displaying the display requests received from the IDS and communicating user's selections to the call center responsive to the display requests; and an IDR interface for interfacing with interactive voice response (IVR) scripts carried out by the call center and generating display requests based on the IVR scripts.