Enhanced wide area audio response network

Method of providing at least one audio response service to callers from a wide area audio response network system which includes a plurality of widely distributed audio devices connected to a central device, said method comprising the steps of:

• receiving notification at an audio device that a caller is placing a call and attempting to access an audio response service;
• transferring notification data from the audio device to a central device;
• processing the notification data at the central device to produce command data;
• transferring the command data from the central device to the audio device;
• answering the call at the audio device after receiving the command data from the central device;
• converting digital representations of analog audio signals stored at the audio device into reproduced analog audio signals;
• transmitting the reproduced analog audio signals to the caller;
• receiving operational caller data at the audio device;
• transferring representative caller data representative of the operational caller data to the central device;
• processing the representative caller data at the central a device to produce additional command data;
• transferring the additional command data to the audio device;
• converting digital representations of additional analog audio signals stored at the audio device into additional reproduced analog audio signals;
• transmitting the additional reproduced audio signals to the caller;
• and
• repeating, until an audio response service is concluded, the steps of receiving operational caller data, transferring representative caller data, processing the representative caller data, transferring the additional command data, converting digital representation of additional reproduced audio signals, and transmitting the additional reproduced analog audio signals, and
• wherein the transferred command data includes, at least, an address corresponding to digital representations of analog audio signals stored at the audio device.

Method of providing voice messaging services to callers from a wide area network system, the method comprising the steps of:

• providing a plurality of locationally diverse audio devices connected to a plurality of user telephone lines and a central device connected to the plurality of locationally diverse audio devices;
• after a caller initiates a call, receiving caller information regarding the call through a user telephone line of the plurality of user telephone lines, wherein the caller information includes digits corresponding to, at least, the number initially dialed by the caller to access the audio device,
• transferring the caller information from the audio device to the central device.
• reproducing onto the user telephone line at least one audio prompt from digital representations of the audio prompt stored in the audio device to prompt the caller to provide a destination number and the caller audio message from the caller in response to the reproduced audio prompt;
• converting the caller audio message into a digital representation of the caller audio message;
• storing a digital representation in the audio device;
• calling the destination number of communicate with a message recipient;
• and
• reproducing to the message recipient the caller audio message from the digital representation of the caller audio message stored on the audio device.

Method of providing voice messaging services to callers from a wide area network system, the method comprising the steps of:

• providing a plurality of locationally diverse audio devices connected to a plurality of user telephone lines and a central device connected to the plurality of locationally diverse audio devices;
• after a caller initiates a call, receiving caller information regarding the call through a user telephone line of the plurality of user telephone lines;
• transferring the caller information from the audio device to the central device;
• transferring control commands from the central device to the audio device for reproducing onto the user telephone line at least one audio prompt from digital representations of the audio prompt stored in the audio device to prompt the caller to provide a destination number and speak a caller audio message;
• receiving the destination number and the caller audio message from the caller in response to the reproduced audio prompt;
• converting the caller audio message into a digital representation of the caller audio message;
• storing the digital representation in the audio device;
• calling the destination number to communicate with a message recipient;
• and
• reproducing to the message recipient the caller audio message from the digital representation of the caller audio message stored on the audio device.

Method of providing voice messaging services to callers from a wide area network system, the method comprising the steps of:

• providing a plurality of locationally diverse audio devices connected to a plurality of user telephone lines and a central device connected to the plurality of locationally diverse audio devices;
• after a caller initiates a call, receiving caller information regarding the call through a user telephone line of the plurality of user telephone lines;
• transferring at least one control command from the central device to the audio device for reproducing onto the user telephone line at least one audio prompt from digital representations of the audio prompt stored in the audio device to prompt the caller to provide a destination number and speak a caller audio message;
• receiving the destination number and the caller audio message from the caller in response to the reproduced audio prompt;
• transferring at least one control command from the dental device to the audio device for converting the caller audio message into a digital representation of the caller audio message;
• transferring at least one control command from the central device to the audio device for storing the digital representation in the audio device;
• transferring at least one control from the central device to the audio device for calling the destination number to communicate with a message recipient;
• and
• transferring at least one control command from the central device to the audio device for reproducing to the message recipient the caller audio message from the digital representation of the caller audio message stored on the audio device.

Method of providing voice messaging services to callers from a wide area network system, the method comprising the steps of:

• providing a plurality of locationally diverse audio devices connected to a plurality of user telephone lines and a central device connected to the plurality of locationally diverse audio devices;
• after a caller initiates a call, receiving caller information at a first audio device regarding the call through a user telephone line of the plurality of user telephone lines;
• reproducing onto the user telephone line at least one audio prompt from digital representations of the audio prompt stored in the first audio device to prompt the caller to provide a destination number and speak a caller audio message;
• receiving the destination number and the caller audio message at the first audio device from the caller in response to the reproduced audio prompt;
• converting the caller audio message into a digital representation of the caller audio message;
• storing the digital representation in the first audio device;
• evaluating at the central device, based on long distance rates, whether the digital representation of the caller audio message should be transferred to a second audio device nearer the location corresponding to the destination number;
• calling the destination number to communicate with a message recipient;
• and
• reproducing to the message recipient the caller audio message from the digital representation of the caller audio message.

An audio response system for providing voice signals through user communication channels to users at user telephones, said audio response system comprising:

• an audio peripheral for connection to user telephones through user communication channels, said audio peripheral including, at least,
• a storage means for storing and retrieving storage representations of voice signals at peripheral voice storage addresses, and
• an interface interposed between said storage means and the user communication channels, said interface including, at least, storage-to-transmission means for converting the storage representations of voice signals into transmission representations of voice signals for transmission over the user communication channels;
• and
• a control device connected to said audio peripheral, said control device including, at least, command generation means for generating peripheral control commands for controlling said audio peripheral, said command generation means including, at least, address command generation means for generating peripheral control commands including peripheral voice storage address,
• wherein said audio peripheral is located remotely from said control device, and
• wherein said audio peripheral and said control device communicate through a public switched data network, and wherein said audio response system further comprises a conditioning means for converting communication signals between said audio peripheral and said control device for transmission on said public switched data network.