Method and apparatus for intelligent dual-tone multi-frequency (DTMF) decoding and identification

A method for identifying a characteristic of information conveyed by dual-tone multi-frequency (DTMF) symbols, the method comprising:

• receiving, by communication circuitry, an audio input;
• decoding, by a DTMF decoder coupled to the communication circuitry, each DTMF symbol included in the audio input received from the communication circuitry;
• transferring, by the DTMF decoder, the decoded DTMF symbols to a buffer to be stored;
• determining, by a volume accumulator coupled to the communication circuitry and a timer, whether the audio input includes audio with volume above a predetermined threshold;
• resetting, by the volume accumulator, the timer when the audio input includes audio with volume above the predetermined threshold;
• transferring, by the buffer, each stored DTMF symbol to a filter when instructed by the timer or the volume accumulator;
• identifying, by the filter, a characteristic of information conveyed by the DTMF symbols;
• and
• sending, by the filter, the identified characteristic information to an output device.

An apparatus configured to identify a characteristic of information conveyed by dual-tone multi-frequency (DTMF) symbols, the apparatus comprising:

• communication circuitry configured to receive an audio input;
• a programmed processor coupled to memory and configured to execute instructions stored in the memory;
• the programmed processor further configured to determine whether the audio input includes at least one DTMF symbol;
• if the audio input includes at least one DTMF symbol, the programmed processor further configured to store in the memory the at least one DTMF symbol;
• the programmed processor further configured to determine whether the audio input includes audio with volume above a predetermined threshold;
• if the audio input does not include audio with volume above the predetermined threshold, the programmed processor further configured to determine whether a timer expired;
• if the audio input includes audio with volume above the predetermined threshold or the timer expired, the programmed processor further configured to determine whether the stored at least one DTMF symbol indicates a format of a telephone number;
• and
• if the stored at least one DTMF symbol indicates the format of a telephone number, the communication circuitry further configured to send the stored at least one DTMF symbol to an output device.

An apparatus configured to identify a characteristic of information conveyed by dual-tone multi-frequency (DTMF) symbols, the apparatus comprising:

• communication circuitry configured to receive an audio input;
• a DTMF decoder coupled to the communication circuitry that is configured to decode DTMF symbols included in the audio input received from the communication circuitry and configured to transfer the decoded DTMF symbols to a buffer to be stored;
• a timer coupled to the DTMF decoder and the buffer;
• a voice activity detector coupled to the communication circuitry and the timer and configured to determine whether the audio input includes voice information and configured to reset the timer when the audio input includes voice information for longer than a predetermined length of time;
• the buffer configured to receive an instruction from the timer or the voice detector to transfer each stored DTMF symbol to a filter;
• and
• the filter configured to match the DTMF symbols to a pattern and further configured to send the matched DTMF symbols to an output device.