Answering machine detection for voice message delivery method and system

• US 20020085686A1
• Filed: 04/23/2001
• Published: 07/04/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 01/02/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Genesys Telecommunications Laboratories Incorporated (Genesys Cloud Services Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Soundbite Communications Incorporated (Genesys Cloud Services Incorporated)
• Inventors: Cullis, Gary Allan
• Granted Patent: US 7,054,419 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/67.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/65 Recording arrangements for recording a message from the calling party in the exchange H04M3/50
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/2027 Live party detection
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/533 Voice mail systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/53333 Message receiving aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/53383 Message registering commands or announcements; Greetings

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.

Claims

1. An answering machine detection method for a voice message delivery system comprising the steps of:

(a) placing an outbound call to a Recipient;

(b) detecting a telephone line pick-up;

(c) detecting whether the telephone line pick-up was by an existing answering machine or a live Recipient.

2. The answering machine detection method of claim 1, wherein step (c) comprises:

(c1) playing a prompt;

(c2) listening for talk-over during the playing of the prompt;

(c3) determining the telephone line pick-up was by an existing answering machine if there is talk-over during the playing of the prompt.

3. The answering machine detection method of claim 2, and further comprising the steps of:

(d) waiting for silence if the telephone line pick-up was by an existing answering machine;

(e) playing a message if the telephone line pick-up was by an existing answering machine;

(f) playing a message if the telephone line pick-up was by a live Recipient.

4. The answering machine detection method of claim 3, and further comprising the steps of:

(g) detecting talk-over during playing of the message if the telephone line pick-up was by an existing answering machine;

(h) restarting the playing of the message if the telephone line pick-up was by an existing answering machine and talk-over is detected during playing of the message.

5. The answering machine detection method of claim 3, wherein step (e) comprises:

(e) playing a first message if the telephone line pick-up was by an existing answering machine;

and further wherein step (f) comprises;

(f) playing a second message different from the first message if the telephone line pick-up was by a live Recipient.

6. The answering machine detection method of claim 3, wherein step (f) comprises:

(f) playing a message and playing at least one interactive option if the telephone line pick-up was by a live Recipient.

7. The answering machine detection method of claim 3, wherein step (f) comprises:

(f) playing at least one interactive reject option, playing a message and playing at least one interactive option if the telephone line pick-up was by a live Recipient.

8. The answering machine detection method of claim 1, wherein step (c) comprises:

(c1) playing a prompt that requests a touch-tone input;

(c2) listening for the requested touch-tone input;

(c3) determining the telephone line pick-up was by an existing answering machine if the requested touch-tone input is heard.

9. The answering machine detection method of claim 1, wherein step (c) comprises:

(c1) playing a prompt that requests a specific speech input;

(c2) listening for the requested specific speech input;

(c3) determining the telephone line pick-up was by an existing answering machine if the requested specific speech input is heard.

10. The answering machine detection method of claim 2, wherein step (c1) comprises:

(c1) playing a prompt within one second of detecting a telephone line pick-up.

11. The answering machine detection method of claim 2, wherein step (c1) comprises:

(c1a) detecting voice energy after detecting a telephone line pick-up;

(c1b) playing a prompt within one second of detecting voice energy.

12. The answering machine detection method of claim 2, wherein step (c1) comprises:

(c1a) detecting voice energy and the end of voice energy after detecting a telephone line pick-up;

(c1b) playing a prompt within one second of detecting the end of the voice energy.

13. The answering machine detection method of claim 2, wherein step (c1) comprises:

(c1) playing a prompt that introduces a call to a live Recipient.

14. The answering machine detection method of claim 2, wherein step (c1) comprises:

(c1) playing a prompt that introduces a call to a live Recipient by playing a prompt 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.”

16. The apparatus for detecting an answering machine for a voice message delivery system of claim 15, wherein a TeleMail Server in step (c) operates to:

(c1) play a prompt;

(c2) listen for talk-over during the playing of the prompt;

(c3) determine the telephone line pick-up was by an existing answering machine if there is talk-over during the playing of the prompt.

17. The apparatus for detecting an answering machine for a voice message delivery system of claim 16, wherein the TeleMail Server additionally operates to:

(d) wait for silence if the telephone line pick-up was by an existing answering machine;

(e) play a message if the telephone line pick-up was by an existing answering machine;

(f) play a message if the telephone line pick-up was by a live Recipient.

18. The apparatus for detecting an answering machine for a voice message delivery system of claim 17, wherein the TeleMail Server additionally operates to:

(g) detect talk-over during playing of the message if the telephone line pick-up was by an existing answering machine;

(h) restart the playing of the message if the telephone line pick-up was by an existing answering machine and talk-over is detected during playing of the message.

19. The apparatus for detecting an answering machine for a voice message delivery system of claim 17, wherein the TeleMail Server in step (e) operates to:

(e) play a first message if the telephone line pick-up was by an existing answering machine;

and further wherein the TeleMail Server in step (f) operates to;

(f) play a second message different from the first message if the telephone line pick-up was by a live Recipient.

20. The apparatus for detecting an answering machine for a voice message delivery system of claim 17, wherein the TeleMail Server in step (f) operates to:

(f) play a message and play at least one interactive option if the telephone line pick-up was by a live Recipient.

15. An apparatus for detecting an answering machine for a voice message delivery system including a TeleMail Server connectable to a telephone communications system, wherein the TeleMail Server operates to:

(a) place an outbound call to a Recipient;

(b) detect a telephone line pick-up;

(c) detect whether the telephone line pick-up was by an existing answering machine or a live Recipient.