Method for processing audio data on a network and device therefor

• US 20060047516A1
• Filed: 11/24/2003
• Published: 03/02/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/29/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Stremawide Co.
• Original Assignee: Stremawide Co.
• Inventors: Beglin, Pascal, Bouton, Thomas, Nadhir, Zakaria, Gaichies, Lilian Francois
• Granted Patent: US 8,644,465 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 704/270.100
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/40 using speech recognition speech recognition per se G10L15/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4936 Speech interaction details speech recognition per se G10L15/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4938 comprising a voice browser which renders and interprets, e.g. VoiceXML
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/56 Arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities video conference systems H04N7/15
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/58 Arrangements for transferring received calls from one subscriber to another; Arrangements affording interim conversations between either the calling or the called party and a third party substation line holding circuits H04M1/80
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/006 Networks other than PSTN/ISDN providing telephone service, e.g. Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) , including next generation networks with a packet-switched transport layer H04L65/00 takes precedence; aspects not specific to the type of network H04M3/00; special services in those networks H04M3/42
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/1255 where the switching fabric and the switching logic are decomposed such as in Media Gateway Control
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/1295 Details of dual tone multiple frequency signalling
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 1/45 using multi-frequency signalling H04Q1/46 takes precedence

Abstract

A method of processing a data stream comprising audio data exchanged over a network between a server (SERV) and at least one telephone terminal, the data stream corresponding to a telephone call from said terminal during which a user has produced at least one event. The method comprises a step a) consisting in extracting from the stream audio data (INST2) corresponding to each event, and a step b) consisting in executing at least one task relating to the extracted audio data (INST2) and executable by a software application (AL), the software application being designed to interact with the network by using a data transmission protocol that is not specifically audio. The method further comprises a step c) of introducing into said software application (AL) at least one instruction (INST2′) relating to the extracted audio data (INST2) and adapted to activate the step b).

Claims

1. A method of processing a stream of data comprising audio data (INST2) exchanged over a network between a server (SERV) and at least one telephone terminal, the stream of data corresponding to a telephone call from the terminal during which a user (UTI) has produced at least one event, the method comprising:

a step a) consisting in extracting from the data stream corresponding to each telephone call audio data (INST2) corresponding to each event; and

a step b) consisting in executing at least one task relating to the extracted audio data (INST2) and executable by a software application (AL);

the method being characterized by the facts that the software application (AL) is designed to interact with the network by using a data transmission protocol that is not specific to audio, and that the method includes a step c) which comprises inserting into said software application (AL), through program elements that are specific to voice and added to the software application via an insertion sub-module, at least one instruction (INST2′

) relating to the extracted audio data (INST2) and adapted to activate step b).

2. A method according to claim 1, in which the software application (AL) is written in a language, and in which the program elements specific to voice that are added to the software application are written in the same language.

3. A method according to claim 1 or claim 2, in which the event is produced by the user (UTI) pressing on at least one key of the telephone terminal.

4. A method according to any preceding claim, in which the event is produced by the user (UTI) uttering a voice command, and step a) includes a step consisting in recognizing the uttered voice command by means of a voice recognition unit (REC).

5. A method according to any preceding claim, in which the software application is adapted to execute tasks that are equivalent in terms of services given to the user (UTI) whether implemented over an Internet or Intranet network (RESP) or over a telephone network (RESC).

6. A method according to any preceding claim, further including a step a′

) consisting in managing changes in the telephone call on the basis of non-audio data extracted from the data stream.

7. A method according to any preceding claim, further including a step d) consisting in using a protocol for transmitting audio data over a network to transmit output audio data (INSTS) over the network as delivered in response to at least one event produced by the user (UTI).

12. A computer program for processing a data stream comprising audio data (INST2) exchanged over a network between a server (SERV) and at least one telephone terminal, the data stream corresponding to a telephone call from said terminal during which a user (UTI) has produced at least one event, the computer program including program code portions for executing the steps of the method according to any one of claims 1 to 7 when said program is executed by a computer.

8. A system for processing a data stream comprising audio data (INST2) exchanged over a network between a server (SERV) and at least one telephone terminal, the data stream corresponding to a telephone call from said terminal during which a user (UTI) has produced at least one event, the system comprising:

extraction means (MOD1) for extracting audio data (INST2) corresponding to each event from the data stream corresponding to each telephone call; and

execution means (MOD2) for executing at least one task relating to the extracted audio data (INST2) and executable by a software application (AL);

the system being characterized by the facts that the software application (AL) is designed to interact with the network by using a data transmission protocol that is not specifically audio, and that the system includes insertion means (SM) for inserting into said software application (AL) at least one instruction (INST2′

) relating to the extracted audio data (INST2) and adapted to be read and executed by the execution means, the introduction means (SM) comprising program elements that are specific to voice and added to the software application.

9. A system according to claim 8, in which said extraction means (MOD1), execution means (MOD2), and introduction means (SM), are integrated in the server (SERV), and in that the server (SERV) comprises at least one computer.

10. A system according to claim 8 or claim 9, in which the server (SERV) includes digital processor means taken from the following list:

a voice recognition unit (REC) for recognizing voice commands uttered by at least one user (UTI);

a call control unit (CONT) for extracting from the data stream corresponding to each telephone call, non-audio data corresponding to the telephone call;

a sound transmit unit (EMI) for using a network protocol for audio data transmission to transmit over the network output audio data (INSTS) corresponding to at least one event;

a call transfer unit (TRA) for managing call transfers for at least one user;

a read unit (LINST) for reading at least one instruction relating to the extracted audio data (INST2′

);

a call transfer instruction unit (TINST) for implementing a call transfer; and

a conference setup instruction unit (CINST) for setting up a conference of at least two calls using non-audio data corresponding to each telephone call.

11. A system according to any one of claims 8 to 10, further including an audio database (DATA).

13. A method of preparing a computer program for executing at least one task relating to audio data (INST2) extracted from a data stream comprising audio data (INST2) exchanged over a network between a server (SERV) and at least one telephone terminal, the data stream corresponding to a telephone call from said terminal during which a user (UTI) has produced at least one event, the audio data (INST2) corresponding to said event;

the method being characterized in that said computer program is executable by a software application (AL) for interacting with the network using a data transmission protocol that is not specifically an audio protocol; and

in that the method includes a step in which an insertion sub-module (SM) is added to the software application (AL), the sub-module comprising program elements that are specific to voice and adapted to introduce into the software application (AL) an instruction (INST2′

) relating to the extracted audio data (INST2) and adapted to activate execution of said task.