US 8,014,509 B2 · Automated telephone attendant

Abstract

A telephony system (100) includes a user device (110, 130) configured to enable a user of the telephony system (100) to place and receive telephone calls, and a service node (180, 185) configured to communicate with the user device (110, 130) and to thereby provide the user with an automated voice interface to the telephony system (100) upon the user's initiating access to the telephony system (100) via the user device (110, 130). The automated voice interface permits the user to verbally specify a desired objective corresponding to any one of a number of predefined objectives, the predefined objectives including directory assisted call placement and at least one form of information retrieval. Upon receiving the desired objective from the user, the service node (180, 185) acts to implement the desired objective.

Drawings

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Drawings

Claims25

Dependent claims

A system comprising:

a service node configured to communicate with a user device and provide a user associated with the user device with an automated voice interface upon the user's initiating access to the system via the user device,
wherein the automated voice interface is configured to permit the user to verbally specify a desired objective corresponding to any one of a plurality of predefined objectives, the predefined objectives including directory assisted call placement and at least one form of information retrieval,
wherein, upon receiving the desired objective from the user, the service node acts to implement the desired objective, and
wherein, when the user specifies a desired objective relating to information retrieval by retrieval of Internet search results, the service node is configured to request, by voiced instruction, the user's verbal specification of a preferred Internet search engine.

1 more element

A computerized method comprising:

voicing a request to a user, upon the user's initiating access to a communication system, that the user identify an intended objective, said voicing and said initiating implemented by operation of a computer;
awaiting the user's response to the voiced request:
selecting, based upon the user's response, one of a plurality of predefined objectives, the predefined objectives including directory assisted call placement and at least one form of information retrieval;
and
acting to implement the selected objective;
wherein when the selected objective relates to information retrieval by retrieval of Internet search results, the acting to implement the selected objective comprises requesting, by voiced instruction, the user's verbal specification of a preferred Internet search engine.

3 more elements

A system comprising:

a switch, the switch providing access for a user device;
a service control system providing access to a user database;
and
a service node in communication with the switch and the service control system, the service node comprising:
logic configured to communicate with the user device and to provide a user of the system with an automated voice interface upon the user's initiating access to the system via the user device,
wherein the automated voice interface is configured to permit the user to verbally specify a desired objective corresponding to any one of a plurality of predefined objectives, the predefined objectives including call placement and at least one form of information retrieval, and
wherein, upon receiving the desired objective from the user, the service node acts to implement the desired objective, wherein when the user specifies a desired objective'relating to information retrieval by retrieval of Internet search results, the service node is configured to request, by voiced instruction, the user's verbal specification of a preferred Internet search engine.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Description4,900 words

Summary538 words

#1. Field of the Invention

#The present invention relates generally to telephony and, more particularly, to user interfaces within telephony systems.

#2. Description of the Related Art

Brief description of the drawings4 figures

#The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate an embodiment of the invention and, together with the description, explain the invention. In the drawings,

#FIG. 1 depicts an exemplary telephony system consistent with implementations of the present invention;

#FIG. 2 depicts an exemplary method of providing an automated telephony user interface consistent with implementations of the present invention;

Detailed description4,266 words

#The following detailed description of the invention refers to the accompanying drawings. The same reference numbers in different drawings may identify the same or similar elements. Also, the following detailed description does not limit the invention. Rather, the scope of the invention is defined by the appended claims and equivalents.

#Generally, systems and methods consistent with the present invention provide a voice-based, rather than a key-sequence-based, user interface for telephony. Such a voice-based user interface serves as a personal telephone attendant, or personal telephone concierge, accessing and retrieving audio and/or text information based on a subscribing user's spoken instructions.

#In exemplary wireline implementations, the dial tone conventionally provided by the public switched telephone network (PSTN) is replaced by a voiced greeting. In exemplary wireless implementations, the voiced greeting is presented upon the user's dialing, either manually or by voice-activation, an attendant-specific code (e.g., a short key sequence beginning with “#” or “*” and followed by “send”).

Facts

Application

11/867,104Filed 4 Oct 2007 · continuation

Priority

15 Jan 2003

Published

US 2008/0019497 A124 Jan 2008

Granted

6 Sep 2011

Term ended

27 Jun 2026

Estimated · how

20 years from earliest known nonprovisional domestic filing plus recorded patent term adjustment, including 1,006 days of adjustment. Maintenance-fee lapses, terminal disclaimers and statutory extensions have not been checked. The continuity chain may be incomplete; this is not an enforceability determination.

Classification4 codes

H04M 3/4938
Interactive information services, e.g. directory enquiries ; Arrangements therefor, e.g. interactive voice response [IVR] systems or voice…
H04M 3/4935
Directory assistance systems: connection initiated by DAS system
H04M 2207/12
Type of exchange or network, i.e. telephonic medium, in which the telephonic communication takes place: intelligent networks
H04M
Telephonic communication

Family

Application60/440,214Us provisional application · filed 15 Jan 2003

Application10/671,413Parent of this continuation · filed 25 Sep 2003

US 2008/0019497 A1Pre-grant publication · published 24 Jan 2008

US 7,295,664 B1Parent of this continuation

US 8,014,509 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.

Timeline

15 Jan 2003Priority claimedParent application 60/440,214
4 Oct 2007Application filedUS 11/867,104
24 Jan 2008PublishedUS 2008/0019497 A1
13 Jan 2011Assigned to Verizon Data Services Inc.assignment of assignor's interest
13 Jan 2011Assigned to Verizon Data Services LLCchange of name
6 Sep 2011GrantedUS 8,014,509 B2
28 Jul 2014Assigned to Verizon Patent and Licensing Inc.assignment of assignor's interest
27 Jun 2026Term endedEstimated, includes 1,006 days of adjustment

Automated telephone attendant

Life of this patent

Automated telephone attendant

Life of this patent

Life of this patent

Abstract

Drawings

Drawings

Claims25

Description4,900 words

Drawings

Classification4 codes

Life of this patent

Description4,900 words