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US 7,054,419 B2Granted
Answering machine detection for voice message delivery method and system
AssigneeSoundbite Communications, Inc.
InventorGary Culliss
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Abstract
An apparatus and method for detecting an answering machine for a new voice message delivery method and system. The invention detects the presence of an existing answering machine or voicemail system of a Recipient by listening for talk-over during playback of the message or initial prompts. The method and system will also restart playback of the prompts and/or message if talk-over is detected to ensure that the message is properly recorded on the answering machine.
Claims9
An answering machine detection method for a voice message delivery system, comprising:
- (a) placing an outbound call to a telephone line of a Recipient;
- (b) detecting a telephone line pick-up;
- (c) performing echo cancellation on the outbound call;
- (d) playing a prompt to introduce the outbound call to a live Recipient, wherein the prompt is selected from the group consisting of “This is a message from [Sender's name],” “This is a call from [Sender's name],” and “[Sender's name] has sent you a message,”;
- and
- (e) determining, at a voice message sewer, that the telephone line pick-up was by an existing answering machine when talk-over occurs at the same time as at least a portion of the playing of the prompt, the talk-over comprising voice energy coming from the telephone line of the Recipient.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.