Integrated tone-based and voice-based telephone user interface

A telephone user interface (TUI) configured to receive a command signal after a call is connected, comprising:

• voice-based command mode logic configured to receive a vocalized command signal from a user in association with a voice option of a menu structure of voice options, said voice-based command mode logic having an active status and an inactive status;
• tone-based command mode logic configured to receive a tonal command signal from the user in association with a tone option of a menu structure of tone options, said tone-based command mode logic having an active status and an inactive status, said voice options logically associated with said tone options;
• and
• mode determination logic configured to determine whether the received command signal corresponds to the control mode logic that is currently associated with inactive status;
• translation logic configured to translate the received first command signal into a format corresponding to the control mode logic that is currently associated with the active status, in response to the determination that the received first command signal corresponds to the control mode logic that is currently associated with inactive status;
• toggle determination logic configured to, in response to the translation logic translating the control signal, determine whether to toggle the voice-based command mode logic and the tone-based command mode logic between active status and inactive status by providing a user prompt and receiving a user input to the user prompt;
• and
• switching logic configured to, in response to the toggle determination logic determining to toggle the voice-based command mode logic and the tone-based command mode logic between active status and inactive status, toggle the voice-based command mode logic and tone-based command mode logic between active status and inactive status.

A method in a telephone user interface (TUI) configured to receive a command signal after a call is connected, the TUI including a tone-based command mode having a menu structure of tone options and a voice-based command mode having a menu structure of voice options, wherein the tone-based command mode has an active status and an inactive status and the voice-based command mode has an active status and an inactive status, said method comprising the steps of:

• a. operating the TUI with a command mode that corresponds to active status;
• b. receiving a command signal from a user;
• c. determining whether the active command mode correlates to the command signal;
• d. in response to determining that the received command signal does not correlate with the active command mode, translating the received command signal into a format that corresponds to the active command mode;
• e. in response to translating the received command signal, determining whether to toggle the tone-based command mode and the voice-based command mode between active status and inactive status by providing a user prompt and receiving a user input to the user prompt;
• and
• f. in response to determining to toggle the tone-based command mode and the voice-based command mode between active status and inactive status, toggling the tone-based command mode and the voice-based command mode between active status and inactive status.

A method for controlling a telephone user interface (TUI), the TUI including a plurality of command modes, the method comprising:

• a. operating said TUI in a voice-based command mode;
• b. receiving a command signal from a user;
• c. determining whether the received command signal corresponds to the voice-based command mode;
• d. translating the received command signal to a format that corresponds to the voice-based command mode, in response to determining that the received command signal does not correspond with the voice-based command mode;
• e. in response to translating the received command signal to a format that corresponds to one of said command modes, determining whether to operate the TUI in a tone-based command mode that corresponds to a format associated with the received command signal by providing a user prompt and receiving a user input to the user prompt;
• and
• f. in response to determining to operate the TUI in the tone-based command mode, operating the TUI in the tone-based command mode that corresponds to a format associated with the received command signal.

A method in an integrated computer telephony system providing a telephone user interface (TUI), said TUI having a pair of command modes, the method for toggling between said command modes, comprising the steps of:

• a. operating said TUI in a tone-based command mode;
• b. receiving a command signal from a user;
• c. determining whether the received command signal corresponds to the tone-based command mode;
• d. translating the received command signal to a format that corresponds to the tone-based command mode, in response to determining that the received command signal does not correspond with the tone-based command mode;
• e. in response to translating the received command signal to a format that corresponds to the tone-based command mode, determining whether to operate the TUI in a voice-based command mode that corresponds to a format associated with the received command signal for a subsequent command signal by providing a user prompt and receiving a user input to the user prompt;
• and
• f. in response to determining to operate the TUI in the voice-based command mode, operating the TUI in the voice-based command mode that corresponds to a format associated with the received command signal for a subsequent command signal.

A method in a program module operating within a telecommunications system and having access to a TUI, said TUI having a pair of command modes for controlling said TUI and providing a plurality of options to be implemented through the telecommunications system, the method for controlling said command modes, comprising the steps of:

• implementing one of the said command modes to initially control said TUI;
• in response to a command signal issued by a user after a call is connected, translating the command signal into a format corresponding to the activated command mode;
• in response to translating the command signal into a format corresponding to the activated command mode, determining whether to toggle the command modes by providing a user prompt and receiving a user input to the user prompt, wherein said toggling is initiated by interrupting the operation of one of said command modes while one of said command modes is controlling said TUI, activating the other of said command modes, and resuming control of said TUI while in the other of said command modes for a subsequent command signal;
• and
• in response to determining to toggle said command modes, toggling said command modes, wherein the pair of command modes includes a tone-based command mode and a voice-based command mode.

A computer system for toggling command modes of a telephone user interface (TUI) having a pair of command modes, the pair of command modes including a first command mode and a second command mode, said computer system comprising:

• a processing unit;
• a memory storage device operative to store a program implementing said TUI;
• and
• an interface device coupled to said processing unit for receiving a call,
• said processing unit responsive to instructions in said program and being operative to:
• prompt for a command signal after a call is connected;
• activate said first command mode associated with said command signal;
• control said TUI while in said first command mode;
• receive a subsequent command signal from a user, the subsequent command signal corresponding to a second command mode;
• translate the subsequent command signal into a format that corresponds to the first command mode;
• in response to translating the subsequent command signal into a format that corresponds to the first command mode, determine whether to interrupt said first command mode by providing a user prompt and receiving a user input to the user prompt;
• in response to determining to interrupt said first command mode, interrupt said first command mode;
• and
• resume operation of said TUI by utilizing said second command mode for a subsequent command signal,
• wherein the pair of command modes includes a tone-based command mode and a voice-based command mode.