Voice information storage and retrieval system and method

• US 20040264655A1
• Filed: 06/26/2003
• Published: 12/30/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/26/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Levine, David A.
• Granted Patent: US 7,319,742 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/88.18
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42153 by subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4938 comprising a voice browser which renders and interprets, e.g. VoiceXML

Abstract

Methods and systems are provided for allowing a telecommunications services subscriber to call a voice information application from a wireline or wireless telephone to allow the subscriber to record and save voice information and access, review and modify previously stored information such as subscriber contacts information, emergency telephone directories, business information, and the like. Information may be stored, accessed and modified by the subscriber via the voice information application by placing a voice telephone call from the subscriber to the voice information application or by contacting the voice information application via a distributed computing environment such as the Internet.

Claims

1. A method of storing and accessing information to and from a remote voice information system, comprising:

placing a call to a voice information application;

routing the call to an intelligent network component;

receiving the call at the intelligent network component;

connecting the call to the voice information application;

receiving a voice information message from a subscriber placing the call;

storing the voice information message for subsequent retrieval by the subscriber; and

indexing the stored voice information message for locating the stored voice information by the voice information application.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a request for the stored voice information message from the subscriber;

locating the requested stored voice information message from a data store of information available to the voice information application; and

playing the requested stored voice information message to the subscriber.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a request for a stored text information message;

locating the requested stored text information in a data store of information available to the voice information application;

converting the requested stored text information message from a text format to an audio format; and

playing the audio format message to the subscriber.

4. The method of claim 1, whereby placing the call to the voice information application includes placing the call via a wireline telephone.

5. The method of claim 1, whereby the step of placing the call to the voice information application includes placing the call via a wireless telephone.

6. The method of claim 1, whereby the step of routing the call to an intelligent network component includes routing the call to the voice information application at a telecommunications system services node.

7. The method of claim 6, whereby the services node includes a voice services node.

8. The method of claim 1, whereby the step of connecting the call to the voice information application includes connecting the call to the voice information application via a computer telephony interface.

9. The method of claim 1, prior to the step of connecting the call to the voice information application, authenticating a caller placing the call as an authorized subscriber of the voice information application.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

providing the subscriber a set of voice information application options for recording a voice information message and for accessing any previously stored information; and

receiving a voice information application option selection from the subscriber.

11. The method of claim 10, after providing the subscriber a set of voice information application options, allowing the subscriber to navigate through the set of voice information options by selection of telephone keypad keys associated with navigation functionality.

12. The method of claim 10, allowing the subscriber to navigate through a set of voice information application options via voice commands from the subscriber.

13. The method of claim 10, whereby the step of receiving a voice information application option selection from the subscriber includes receiving the voice information application option via a DTMF tone generated from a telephone keypad selection from the subscriber.

14. The method of claim 10, whereby the step of receiving a voice information application option selection from the subscriber includes receiving the voice information application option selection via a voice command from the subscriber.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising converting the voice command from the subscriber from a voice format to a digital format for processing the voice command by the voice information application.

16. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing the selected option to the subscriber.

17. The method of claim 16, whereby the selected option includes allowing the subscriber to record a voice information message.

18. The method of claim 16, whereby the selection option includes allowing the subscriber to retrieve and play previously stored voice or text messages.

19. The method of claim 16, whereby the selected option includes allowing the subscriber to retrieve and play a plurality of stored data.

20. The method of claim 16, whereby the selection option includes allowing the subscriber to search a data store of available information that may be retrieved by the subscriber telephonically in audio format.

21. The method of claim 20, prior to receiving a request for a stored text information message, storing one or more text information messages for access by the voice information application.

22. The method of claim 21, whereby storing one or more text information messages includes storing one or more text information messages via an Internet-based web server whereby the web server is accessible by the voice information application.

23. The method of claim 22, further comprising accessing the Internet-based web server by the subscriber for modifying information telephonically accessible by the subscriber via the voice information application.

24. A method of storing and accessing information to and from a remote voice information system, comprising:

placing a call by a subscriber to a voice information application;

routing the call to a telecommunications system services node;

connecting the call to the voice information application at the services node via a computer telephony interface;

providing the subscriber a set of voice information application options for recording a voice information message and for accessing any previously stored information;

receiving a request from the subscriber for voice information accessible by the voice application from a remote server;

obtaining by the voice information application the requested voice information;

converting the requested voice information message from a text format to an audio format; and

playing the audio format message to the subscriber via a subscriber wireline or wireless telephone.

25. The method of claim 24, prior to the step of connecting the call to the voice information application via a computer telephony interface, authenticating a caller placing the call as an authorized subscriber of the voice information application.

26. The method of claim 25, after providing the subscriber a set of voice information application options, allowing the subscriber to navigate through the set of voice information options by selection of telephone keypad keys associated with navigation functionality.

27. The method of claim 25, allowing the subscriber to navigate through a set of voice information application options via voice commands from the subscriber.

28. The method of claim 24, prior to receiving a request from the subscriber for voice information accessible by the voice application from a remote server;

storing at the remote server one or more text information messages for access by the voice information application.

29. A system for storing and accessing information to and from a remote voice information system, comprising:

a voice information application operative to receive a call from a subscriber for voice information services;

to communicate with the call via a computer telephony interface;

to provide the subscriber a set of voice information options;

to receive and process a selected voice information option from the subscriber;

to parse a data store of information for voice information responsive to the selected voice information option; and

to provide voice information to the subscriber telephonically via the computer telephony interface.

30. The system of claim 29, whereby the voice information application is further operative to communicate with a remote server to obtain voice information stored at the remote server by the subscriber.

31. The system of claim 30, whereby the voice information application is further operative

to pass text-based voice information from the remote server requested by the subscriber to a text-to-speech module for conversion to audio format;

and

to play the audio format voice information to the subscriber.

32. The system of claim 29, whereby the voice information application is further operative

to receive a request for stored voice information from the subscriber;

to locate the requested stored voice information from a data store of information available to the voice information application; and

to play the requested stored voice information to the subscriber.

33. The system of claim 29, whereby the voice information application is further operative to authenticate a caller placing the call as an authorized subscriber of the voice information application.

34. The system of claim 29, whereby the selected option includes allowing the subscriber to record a voice information message.

35. The system of claim 29, whereby the selection option includes allowing the subscriber to retrieve and play previously stored voice or text messages.

36. The system of claim 29, whereby the selected option includes allowing the subscriber to retrieve and play a plurality of stored data.

37. The system of claim 29, whereby the selection option includes allowing the subscriber to search a data store of available information that may be retrieved by the subscriber telephonically in audio format.