Voice enhancing for advance intelligent network services

• US 20020168055A1
• Filed: 04/30/2002
• Published: 11/14/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 11/21/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nuance Communications, Inc. (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Tiliks, Dianna Inara, Kovarik, James Daniel, Blumenschein, Gordon Lynn, Crockett, Susanne Marie, Watry, Scott Ryan, Stroud, Kenneth Robert
• Granted Patent: US 7,317,787 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/88.01
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/40 using speech recognition speech recognition per se G10L15/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/2072 Schedules, e.g. personal calendars
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/12 intelligent networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/2218 Call detail recording
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/38 Graded-service arrangements, i.e. some subscribers prevented from establishing certain connections queuing arrangements H04Q3/64
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42153 by subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42161 via computer interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/436 Arrangements for screening incoming calls , i.e. evaluating the characteristics of a call before deciding whether to answer it based on the calling party profile H04M3/42059; based on location H04M3/42348; based on presence H04M3/42365; diversion H04M3/54
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/54 Arrangements for diverting calls for one subscriber to another predetermined subscriber based on the calling party profile H04M3/42059; based on location H04M3/42348; based on presence H04M3/42365; to voice mail H04M3/53308
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0033 Notification or handling of incoming calls by a computer
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/126 Interworking of session control protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/1285 Details of finding and selecting a gateway for a particular call
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/1295 Details of dual tone multiple frequency signalling

Abstract

A service includes verbally editing at least one parameter of a subscriber'"'"'s advanced intelligent network (AIN) service using speech recognition functionality of an intelligent peripheral. A call is received from the subscriber at a switch, including a dialed number for editing the AIN service. A connection is established with the intelligent peripheral in response to the dialed number. Call service data, including the parameter, is retrieved from a database. The intelligent peripheral plays a voice announcement identifying the parameter to the subscriber, receives a voice instruction from the subscriber in response to the voice announcement and translates the voice instruction into digital command data relating to a change to the parameter. The digital command data and the change to the parameter are stored in the database for near real-time implementation. The intelligent peripheral and the database are likewise accessible by the subscriber through a packet switched data network.

Claims

1. A method for verbally editing at least one parameter of an advanced intelligent network (AIN) service of a subscriber using speech recognition functionality residing on an intelligent peripheral, the at least one parameter being stored in association with an account of the subscriber, the method comprising:

receiving a call from the subscriber at a switch, the call comprising at least a dialed number associated with editing the AIN service, and establishing a connection with the intelligent peripheral in response to the dialed number, the intelligent peripheral comprising an interactive voice response platform;

retrieving call service data of the subscriber account from a database, the call service data comprising the at least one parameter;

playing a voice announcement to the subscriber, the voice announcement identifying the at least one parameter;

receiving at the intelligent peripheral a voice instruction from the subscriber in response to the voice announcement;

translating the voice instruction into digital command data relating to a change to the at least one parameter;

storing the digital command data and the change to the at least one parameter; and

implementing in near real-time the change to the at least one parameter.

2. The method for verbally editing at least one parameter of the AIN service according to claim 1, in which establishing the connection with the intelligent peripheral in response to the dialed number comprises suspending the call at the switch and establishing a temporary connection between the switch and the intelligent peripheral using a first interface protocol.

3. The method for verbally editing at least one parameter of the AIN service according to claim 2, in which retrieving the call service data of the subscriber account from the database comprises establishing a connection between the intelligent peripheral and a service control point using a second interface protocol and retrieving the call service data from a service control point database.

4. The method for verbally editing at least one parameter of the AIN service according to claim 3, in which implementing the change to the at least one parameter comprises transmitting the change from the intelligent peripheral to the service control point via the second interface protocol connection, storing the change in the service control point database, and implementing the change in response to a trigger activating the AIN service.

5. The method for verbally editing at least one parameter of the AIN service according to claim 4, in which the first interface protocol comprises a GR-1129 interface protocol and the second interface comprises an SR-3511 interface protocol.

6. The method for verbally editing at least one parameter of the AIN service according to claim 1, in which establishing the connection with the intelligent peripheral in response to the dialed number comprises routing the call from the switch to the intelligent peripheral.

7. The method for verbally editing at least one parameter of the AIN service according to claim 1, in which the dialed number comprises one of a toll free number and a star code.

8. The method for verbally editing at least one parameter of the AIN service according to claim 1, further comprising:

establishing a connection between a graphical user interface of the subscriber and the intelligent peripheral through a web server in a packet switched data network;

establishing a connection between the intelligent peripheral and the database; and

retrieving the call service data of the subscriber account from the database, the call service data comprising that change to the at least one parameter, and displaying the call service data at the graphical user interface.

9. A method for accessing an account of a subscriber in a database relating to an advanced intelligent network (AIN) service in a public switched telephone network, the method comprising:

receiving calling data at a switch, the calling data being associated with a call initiated by the subscriber, the calling data comprising at least one dialed number associated with accessing the AIN service;

querying a service control point based on at least the dialed number;

establishing a connection with a service node/intelligent peripheral based on an instruction received from the service control point in response to the query, enabling a speech recognition function of the service node/intelligent peripheral;

playing a first voice announcement at the service node/intelligent peripheral requesting identification information relating to the subscriber account;

receiving a first voice response from the subscriber providing the requested identification information;

translating the first voice response into digital identification data and verifying the subscriber based on the digital identification data;

establishing a connection between the service node/intelligent peripheral and the AIN service database and retrieving call service data from the subscriber account;

playing a second voice announcement at the intelligent peripheral based on the retrieved call service data;

receiving a second voice response from the subscriber relating to a modification to the call service data;

translating the second voice response into digital instruction data and updating the call service data based on the modification and sending the updated call service data to the AIN service database in near real-time; and

storing the updated call service data for immediate implementation in the AIN service database.

10. The method for accessing a subscriber account according to claim 9, in which verifying the digital identification data comprises comparing the digital identification data to previously stored voice data of the subscriber.

11. The method for accessing a subscriber account according to claim 9, wherein establishing the connection with the service node/intelligent peripheral comprises suspending the call at the switch and forming a temporary connection between the switch and the service node/intelligent peripheral using a GR-1129 interface protocol;

and

wherein establishing the connection between the service node/intelligent peripheral and the AIN service database comprises forming a connection between the service node/intelligent peripheral and the service control point using an SR-3511 interface protocol.

13. The method for executing the AIN service using speech recognition functionality according to claim 12, in which establishing the connection with the intelligent peripheral comprises suspending the call at the switch and establishing a temporary connection between the switch and the intelligent peripheral using a first interface protocol.

14. The method for executing the AIN service using speech recognition functionality according to claim 13, in which retrieving the call service data of the subscriber account from the database comprises establishing a connection between the intelligent peripheral and the service control point using a second interface protocol, the service control point comprising the database.

15. The method for executing the AIN service using speech recognition functionality according to claim 14, in which the first interface protocol comprises a GR-1129 interface protocol and the second interface comprises an SR-3511 interface protocol.

17. The system for verbally editing at least one parameter of the AIN service according to claim 16, in which the switch establishes the connection with the intelligent peripheral by suspending the call and establishing a temporary connection between the switch and the service intelligent peripheral using a first interface protocol.

18. The system for verbally editing at least one parameter of the AIN service according to claim 17, further comprising a service control point, comprising the AIN service database, wherein the intelligent peripheral retrieves the at least one parameter from the AIN service database by connecting to the service control point using a second interface protocol and retrieving the at least on parameter from a service control point database.

19. The system for verbally editing at least one parameter of the AIN service according to claim 18, wherein the service control point receives the edited parameter from the intelligent peripheral via the second interface protocol connection, stores the edited parameter in the AIN service database, and implements the edited parameter in response to a trigger activating the AIN service.

20. The system for verbally editing at least one parameter of the AIN service according to claim 16, in which the switch establishes the connection with the intelligent peripheral by routing the call to the intelligent peripheral, in response to the dialed number, based on one of an internal routing translation and an instruction from a service control point.

12. A method for executing an advanced intelligent network (AIN) service using speech recognition functionality residing on an intelligent peripheral, the method comprising:

storing at least one parameter in a database in association with an AIN service account of a subscriber, the at least one parameter relating to a restriction on calls involving a telephone number of the subscriber;

receving at a switch a call from a calling terminal involving the subscriber telephone number and querying a service control point based on at least the subscriber telephone number;

establishing a connection with the intelligent peripheral based on a response to the query, the intelligent peripheral comprising an interactive voice response platform;

retrieving call service data of the subscriber from the database, the call service data comprising the at least one parameter;

playing a voice announcement to the calling terminal, the voice announcement identifying the at least one parameter and requesting one of an instruction and a verification relating to the call service data;

receiving at the intelligent peripheral a voice input from the calling terminal in response to the voice announcement, providing the one of the instruction and the verification, and translating the voice input into digital command data;

receiving at the switch an instruction from the intelligent peripheral for processing the call based on the digital command data; and

processing the call according to the instruction.

16. A system for verbally editing at least one parameter of an advanced intelligent network (AIN) service of a subscriber in a public switched telephone network (PSTN) using speech commands, the at least one parameter being stored in association with an account of the subscriber, the system comprising:

an intelligent peripheral, including speech recognition functionality, that is accessible by the subscriber through the PSTN and a packet switched data network;

a switch that receives a call from the subscriber and establishes a connection with the intelligent peripheral based on at least a dialed number of the call; and

an AIN service database that stores call service data in relation to the subscriber account, the call service data comprising the at least one parameter;

wherein the intelligent peripheral retrieves the at least one parameter from the AIN service database, plays a voice announcement to the subscriber relating to the at least one parameter, receives a voice instruction from the subscriber in response to the voice announcement relating to a change to the at least one parameter, translates the voice instruction into digital command data, and edits the at least one parameter in accordance with the digital command data; and

wherein in the AIN service database stores at least the edited parameter in association with the subscriber account in near real-time for immediate implementation in the PSTN.

21. A system for accessing an account of a subscriber, relating to an advanced intelligent network (AIN) service in a public switched telephone network, the system comprising:

a switch that receives calling data relating to a call from the subscriber at a terminal, the calling data comprising at least one dialed number associated with the AIN service;

a service control point that receives a query from the switch based on at least the dialed number;

an AIN service database that stores AIN service data in relation to the subscriber account, the AIN service data comprising identification data and call service data; and

a service node/intelligent peripheral that is connected to the subscriber terminal by the switch based on an instruction from the service control point in response to the query, enabling speech recognition functionality, the service node/intelligent peripheral receiving the AIN service data from the AIN service database;

wherein the service node/intelligent peripheral receives a first voice input from the subscriber terminal, in response to a first voice prompt, providing identification information, translates the first voice input into digital identification data, and verifies the subscriber based comparing the digital identification data with the stored identification data;

wherein the service node/intelligent peripheral receives a second voice input from the subscriber terminal, in response to a second voice prompt, relating to a modification to the AIN service data, translates the second voice response into digital instruction data, updates the AIN service data based on the digital instruction data, and sends the updated AIN service data to the AIN service database, which stores the updated AIN service data for implementation by the service control point.

22. The system for accessing a subscriber account according to claim 21, further comprising:

a web server in a packet switched data network connectable to a graphical user interface of the subscriber and the service node/intelligent peripheral;

wherein the service node/intelligent peripheral receives the digital identification data relating to the subscriber account from the subscriber through the graphical user interface, retrieves the updated AIN service data from the subscriber account in the AIN service database, and displays the retrieved data on the graphical user interface.

25. The computer readable medium for storing a computer program that enables editing at least one parameter of the AIN service according to claim 24, in which the connecting source code segment establishes the connection with the intelligent peripheral by suspending the call at the switch and establishing a temporary connection between the switch and the intelligent peripheral using a GR-1129 interface protocol.

26. The computer readable medium for storing a computer program that enables editing at least one parameter of the AIN service according to claim 25, in which the retrieving source code segment retrieves the call service data of the subscriber account from the database by establishing a connection between the intelligent peripheral and a service control point in a public switched telephone network using an SR-3511 interface protocol.

27. The computer readable medium for storing a computer program that enables editing at least one parameter of the AIN service according to claim 24, in which the connecting source code segment establishes the connection with the intelligent peripheral in response to the dialed number by routing the call from the switch to the intelligent peripheral.

23. A system for executing an advanced intelligent network (AIN) service of a subscriber in a public switched telephone network (PSTN) using speech recognition, the system comprising:

a service control point, comprising an AIN service database that stores call service data in relation to an account of the subscriber, the call service data comprising at least one parameter relating to a restriction on calls involving a telephone number of the subscriber;

a switch that receives a call from a calling terminal involving the subscriber telephone number and queries the service control point based on at least the subscriber telephone number, the service control point identifying the AIN service and the subscriber account based on the subscriber telephone number; and

an intelligent peripheral, including speech recognition functionality, that retrieves the call service data from the AIN service database, the switch establishing a connection with the intelligent peripheral based on an instruction from the service control point in response to the query;

wherein the intelligent peripheral plays a voice announcement to the calling terminal via the connection with the switch, the voice announcement identifying the at least one parameter and requesting one of an instruction and a verification relating to the call service data, and receives a voice input from the calling terminal in response to the voice announcement, providing the one of the instruction and the verification; and

wherein the intelligent peripheral translates the voice input into digital command data and instructs the switch to process the call based on the digital command data.

24. A computer readable medium for storing a computer program that enables editing at least one parameter of an advanced intelligent network (AIN) service of a subscriber, using speech recognition functionality residing on an intelligent peripheral, the at least one parameter being stored in association with an account of the subscriber, the computer readable medium comprising:

a receiving source code segment that receives a call from the subscriber at a switch, the call comprising at least a dialed number for editing the AIN service;

a connecting source code segment that establishes a connection with the intelligent peripheral in response to the dialed number, the intelligent peripheral comprising an interactive voice response platform and being accessible by the subscriber through a web server in a packet switched data network;

a retrieving source code segment that retrieves call service data relating to the subscriber account from a database, the call service data comprising the at least one parameter;

a speech recognizing source code segment that plays a voice announcement to the subscriber identifying the at least one parameter, receives at the intelligent peripheral a voice instruction from the subscriber in response to the voice announcement and translates the voice instruction into digital command data relating to a change to the at least one parameter;

a storing source code segment that receives and stores the digital command data relating to the change to the at least one parameter in the database; and

an implementing source code segment that implements the change to the at least one parameter in near real-time.

28. A computer readable medium for storing a computer program that accesses an account of a subscriber for an advanced intelligent network (AIN) service in a public switched telephone network, the computer readable medium comprising:

a receiving source code segment that receives calling data at a switch, the calling data being associated with a call initiated by the subscriber and relating to the AIN service, the calling data comprising at least one dialed number associated with the AIN service;

a querying source code segment that queries a service control point based on at least the dialed number;

a connecting source code segment that establishes a connection with a service node/intelligent peripheral based on an instruction received from the service control point in response to the query;

a first speech recognizing source code segment that receives a first voice input at the service node/intelligent peripheral from the subscriber terminal in response to a first automated voice prompt, the first voice input providing identification information;

translates the first voice input into digital identification data; and

verifies the subscriber based on comparing the digital identification data with previously stored identification data;

a second speech recognizing source code segment that receives a second voice input at the service node/intelligent peripheral from the subscriber terminal in response to a second automated voice prompt, the second voice input relating to a modification of previously stored AIN service data;

translates the second voice response into digital instruction data; and

updates the AIN service data based on the digital instruction data; and

a memory that stores the updated AIN service data for implementation by the service control point.

29. A computer readable medium for storing a computer program that executes an advanced intelligent network (AIN) service of a subscriber using speech recognition functionality residing on an intelligent peripheral, the computer readable medium comprising:

a storing source code segment that stores at least one parameter in a database in association with an AIN service account of the subscriber, the at least one parameter relating to a restriction on calls involving a telephone number of the subscriber;

a receving source code segment that receives at a switch a call from a calling terminal involving the subscriber telephone number and queries a service control point based on at least the subscriber telephone number;

a connecting source code segment that establishes a connection with the intelligent peripheral based on a response to the query, the intelligent peripheral comprising an interactive voice response platform;

a data retrieving source code segment that retrieves call service data of the subscriber from the database, the call service data comprising the at least one parameter;

a speech recognizing source code segment that plays a voice announcement to the calling terminal, the voice announcement identifying the at least one parameter and requesting one of an instruction and a verification relating to the call service data;

receives a voice input from the calling terminal in response to the voice announcement, providing the one of the instruction and the verification; and

translates the voice input into digital command data;

processing source code segment that receives at the switch an instruction from the intelligent peripheral for processing the call based on the digital command data and processes the call according to the instruction.