Intelligent recognition of speech signals using caller demographics

In a Publicly Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) which includes Common Channel Signaling (CCS) and a Signal Control Point (SCP), a method of completing a call from a calling station to a called station comprising the steps of:

• responsive to said calling station dialing a destination identifier, establishing the identity of said calling station through said CCS pursuant to the conventional functioning of said PSTN;
• using said identity of said calling station to address a data base associated with said SCP;
• deriving from said data base information relating to demographics of said calling station;
• selecting from a plurality of resources a resource indicated by said demographic information;
• establishing a connection to said off-hook station;
• inputting a spoken command from a caller at said calling station to said selected resource;
• sensing from said calling station characteristics of said caller through means other than audio sensing means and generating a signal representative thereof;
• outputting to said caller an audio signal selected from a plurality of preestablished audio signals based on at least one of (a) audio sensing of said spoken command and (b) sensing other than audio;
• inputting a second spoken command from said caller responsive to said audio signal outputted to said caller;
• outputting from said plurality of resources a second output signal responsive to said second spoken command;
• determining the degree of traffic through said plurality of resources;
• comparing the determined degree of traffic to a predetermined traffic load;
• and
• responsive to said determined degree of traffic being below said predetermined load, inputting at least one of said spoken commands to a plurality of said resources in parallel.

A switching system including interconnected switching offices and stations connected to at least certain of said switching offices and a Common Channel Signaling System (CCSS) for controlling the connection of a calling station to a called station through said switching system;

• a plurality of speech recognition resources connected to said switching system;
• a data base associated with said CCSS having stored therein demographic information related to said stations connected to said switching stations;
• means for addressing said data base in response to said calling station dialing a destination identifier to access demographic information relating to said dialing station;
• means responsive to said accessed information to select at least one of said resources and to connect a signal from said calling station to said selected resource;
• means associated with said plurality of resources for outputting a signal responsive to a spoken command to said calling station;
• and
• audio response means for generating a plurality of predetermined audio responses, said audio response means generating an audio response responsive to said signal responsive to said spoken command;
• said audio response inviting a further spoken command from said calling station, and including means associated with said plurality of resources for outputting a signal responsive to outputs from at least a pair of said resources operating in parallel.