Enabling voice control of telephone device

• US 10,187,503 B2
• Filed: 12/28/2016
• Issued: 01/22/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 08/19/2016
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Inventors: Hart, Gregory Michael, Oliver, Brian, Hurditch, Adrian, Uppal, Nawdesh, Abdollahi, Reza
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, Nhan T
• Application Number:
  US15/392,314
• Publication Number:
  US 20180054504A1
• Time in Patent Office: 755 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1919 characterised by the type of controller
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2535 adapted for voice communication over an Internet Protocol [IP] network Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) network equipment and services H04M7/006; implementation or adaptation of Internet protocol [IP], of transmission control protocol [TCP] or of user datagram protocol [UDP] H04L69/16
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/271 controlled by voice recognition
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6033 for providing handsfree use or a loudspeaker mode in telephone sets arrangements for preventing acoustic echo H04M9/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/045 using recorded signals, e.g. speech
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/40 using speech recognition
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/74 with voice recognition means
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/042 Public Land Mobile systems, e.g. cellular systems

Abstract

A system capable of connecting a device to a Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) using an adapter. The adapter may connect to the PSTN and send audio data between the PSTN and a server via a data network, enabling the device to communicate over the PSTN. In addition, the adapter enables a telephone connected to a home telephone circuit to perform voice commands, by sending audio data from the telephone to the server and the server determining voice commands included in the audio data. In addition, the system may enable additional functionality for the home telephone circuit, such as three way calling, avoiding charge calls, detecting outgoing alarm signals and triggering an alarm response, monitoring call statistics of telephone calls and sending intercom signals to telephones connected to the home telephone circuit.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

receiving, by an adapter connected to a public switched telephone network (PSTN) via the PSTN, first audio data originating from a telephone connected to the PSTN, the first audio data corresponding to a voice command;

determining to send the first audio data to at least one remote server, the adapter connected to the remote server via a data network;

sending, to the at least one remote server via the data network, the first audio data, the at least one remote server configured to determine the voice command;

receiving, from the at least one remote server via the data network, a phone number with which to initiate a telephone call to a recipient user profile;

receiving, from the at least one remote server via the data network, a first instruction to initiate the telephone call to the recipient user profile over the PSTN;

initiating the telephone call by dialing the phone number over the PSTN; and

receiving, from the at least one remote server via the data network, a second instruction to forward audio data between the PSTN and the at least one remote server.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising, by the adapter:

detecting an incoming telephone call over the PSTN from a second phone number;

sending, to the at least one remote server via the data network, a notification of the incoming telephone call and the second phone number;

receiving, from the at least one remote server via the data network, a second instruction to answer the incoming telephone call; and

accepting the incoming telephone call over the PSTN.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

detecting, from the telephone via the PSTN, first audio tones, the first audio tones associated with a second telephone call;

determining that the first audio tones correspond to a second phone number;

determining that the second telephone number will incur an additional fee;

ending the second telephone call;

detecting, from the telephone via the PSTN, second audio tones;

determining that the second audio tones correspond to a sequence of numbers, the sequence of numbers indicating a second command to send audio data to the at least one remote server;

receiving, from the telephone via the PSTN, second audio data; and

sending, to the at least one remote server via the data network, the second audio data.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining call statistics associated with the telephone call, the telephone statistics including at least one of a duration of the telephone call, the recipient user profile, the phone number, and a number of telephones connected to the PSTN during the telephone call;

sending, to the remote server via the data network, first data corresponding to the telephone statistics;

detecting that a third telephone is connected to the PSTN during the telephone call and is receiving second audio data; and

sending, to the remote server via the data network, a notification that the third telephone has accessed the telephone call.

5. A device, comprising:

at least one processor;

at least one port configured to connect to a public switched telephone network (PSTN);

at least one network component configured to connect to at least one data network;

memory including instructions operable to be executed by the at least one processor to cause the device to;

detect an incoming telephone call over the PSTN from a phone number;

send, to at least one remote server via the at least one network component, a notification of the incoming telephone call and the phone number;

receive, from the at least one remote server via the at least one network component, an instruction to answer the incoming telephone call;

accept the incoming telephone call over the PSTN;

receive, via the at least one port and from a device connected to the PSTN, first audio data;

send, to the at least one remote server via the at least one network component, the first audio data;

receive, from the at least one remote server via the at least one network component, second audio data; and

send, to the device via the at least one port, the second audio data.

6. The device of claim 5, wherein the memory further comprises instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the device to:

receive, from the at least one remote server via the at least one network component, a second instruction to initiate a second telephone call to a second phone number over the PSTN; and

initiate the second telephone call using the at least one port.

7. The device of claim 5, wherein the memory further comprises instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the device to:

receive, from the at least one remote server via the at least one network component, a second instruction to forward audio data between the PSTN and the at least one remote server during a second telephone call with a second device associated with a second phone number;

receive, via the at least one port from the second device, third audio data;

send, to the at least one remote server via the at least one network component, the third audio data;

receive, from the at least one remote server via the at least one network component, fourth audio data; and

send, to the second device via the at least one port, the fourth audio data.

8. The device of claim 5, wherein the memory further comprises instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the device to:

receive, via the at least one port and from the device, third audio data;

detect a wakeword included in the third audio data;

determine, based on detecting the wakeword, to send the third audio data to the at least one remote server; and

send, to the at least one remote server via the at least one network component, the third audio data, the at least one remote server configured to determine a voice command included in the third audio data.

9. The device of claim 5, wherein the memory further comprises instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the device to:

receive, from the device via the at least one port, one or more audio tones;

determine that at least a portion of the one or more audio tones correspond to a sequence of numbers, the sequence of numbers corresponding to a command to send third audio data to the at least one remote server;

receive, from the device via the at least one port, the third audio data; and

send, to the at least one remote server via the at least one network component, the third audio data, the at least one remote server configured to determine a voice command included in the third audio data.

10. The device of claim 5, wherein the memory further comprises instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the device to:

receive, from the device via the at least one port, audio tones associated with a second telephone call;

determine that the audio tones correspond to a second phone number;

determine that the second phone number will incur an additional fee; and

end the second telephone call.

11. The device of claim 5, wherein the memory further comprises instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the device to:

receive, from a second device via the at least one port, audio tones associated with a second telephone call;

determine that the audio tones correspond to a second phone number;

determine, based on the second phone number, that the second telephone call will incur an additional fee;

end the second telephone call;

send, to the at least one remote server via the at least one network component, a request to initiate a third telephone call using a voice over IP (VoIP) protocol;

receive, from the at least one remote server via the at least one network component, third audio data;

send, to the device via the at least one port, the third audio data;

receive, from the device via the at least one port, fourth audio data; and

send, to the at least one remote server via the at least one network component, the fourth audio data.

12. The device of claim 5, wherein the memory further comprises instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the device to:

detect, via the at least one port and from a security device, a signal indicating that an alarm system is triggered; and

send, to the at least one remote server via the at least one network component, an indication that the alarm system is triggered.

13. The device of claim 5, wherein the memory further comprises instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the device to:

determine that the PSTN is unavailable to initiate a second telephone call at a first time;

send, to the at least one remote server via the at least one network component, a second notification that the PSTN is unavailable to initiate the second telephone call;

determine that the PSTN is available at a second time after the first time; and

send, to the at least one remote server via the at least one network component, a third notification that the PSTN is available.

14. The device of claim 5, wherein the memory further comprises instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the device to:

receive, via the at least one port from a second device, third audio data during a second telephone call;

detect that a third device is connected to the at least one port during the second telephone call and receiving the third audio data; and

send, to the at least one remote server via the at least one network component, a second notification that the third device has accessed the second telephone call.

15. The device of claim 5, wherein the memory further comprises instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the device to:

determine telephone statistics associated with a second telephone call, the telephone statistics including at least one of a duration of the second telephone call, a recipient user profile, a second phone number, and a number of devices connected to the at least one port during the second telephone call; and

send, to the at least one remote server via the at least one network component, first data corresponding to the telephone statistics.

16. The device of claim 5, wherein the memory further comprises instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the device to:

receive, from the at least one remote server via the at least one network component, a second instruction to send third audio data to a second device;

receive, from the at least one remote server via the at least one network component, the third audio data; and

send, to the second device via a wireless signal, the third audio data, the wireless signal having a frequency band corresponding to at least one of very high frequency (VHF) and ultra-high frequency (UHF).

17. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

receiving, by an adapter coupled to a public switched telephone network (PSTN) via at least one port and configured to communicate over the PSTN, from a device connected to the at least one port, first audio data;

determining to send the first audio data to at least one remote server;

sending, to the at least one remote server via at least one network component, the first audio data;

determine that the PSTN is unavailable to initiate a telephone call at a first time;

send, to the at least one remote server via the at least one network component, a first notification that the PSTN is unavailable to initiate the telephone call;

determine that the PSTN is available at a second time after the first time; and

send, to the at least one remote server via the at least one network component, a second notification that the PSTN is available.

18. The computer-implemented method of claim 17, further comprising:

receiving, from the at least one remote server via the at least one network component, an instruction to forward audio data to and from the PSTN during the telephone call;

receive, via the at least one port from a second device associated with the telephone call, second audio data;

sending, to the at least one remote server via the at least one network component, the second audio data;

receiving, from the at least one remote server via the at least one network component, third audio data; and

sending, to the second device via the at least one port, the third audio data.

19. The computer-implemented method of claim 17, further comprising:

detecting an incoming telephone call over the PSTN from a phone number;

sending, to the at least one remote server via the at least one network component, a third notification of the incoming telephone call and the phone number;

receiving, from the at least one remote server via the at least one network component, an instruction to answer the incoming telephone call;

accepting the incoming telephone call using the at least one port;

receiving, via the at least one port from a second device, second audio data;

sending, to the at least one remote server via the at least one network component, the second audio data;

receiving, from the at least one remote server via the at least one network component, third audio data; and

sending, to the second device via the at least one port, the third audio data.

20. A device, comprising:

at least one processor;

at least one port configured to connect to a public switched telephone network (PSTN);

at least one network component configured to connect to at least one data network;

memory including instructions operable to be executed by the at least one processor to configure the device to;

receive, via the at least one port and from a device connected to the PSTN, first audio data;

receive a command to send the first audio data to at least one remote server;

send, to the at least one remote server via the at least one network component, the first audio data;

receive, from the at least one remote server via the at least one network component, an instruction to forward audio data between the PSTN and the at least one remote server during a telephone call with a second device associated with a phone number;

receive, via the at least one port from the second device, second audio data;

send, to the at least one remote server via the at least one network component, the second audio data;

receive, from the at least one remote server via the at least one network component, third audio data; and

send, to the second device via the at least one port, the third audio data.

21. A device, comprising:

at least one processor;

at least one port configured to connect to a public switched telephone network (PSTN);

at least one network component configured to connect to at least one data network;

memory including instructions operable to be executed by the at least one processor to configure the device to;

receive, via the at least one port and from a device connected to the PSTN, first audio data;

receive a command to send the first audio data to at least one remote server;

send, to the at least one remote server via the at least one network component, the first audio data;

receive, via the at least one port and from the device, second audio data;

detect a wakeword included in the second audio data;

determine, based on detecting the wakeword, to send the second audio data to the at least one remote server; and

send, to the at least one remote server via the at least one network component, the second audio data.