Remote configuration of a Voice over Internet Protocol telephone for smart dial tone

• US 20060285535A1
• Filed: 06/21/2005
• Published: 12/21/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/21/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Voice Assist, Inc.
• Original Assignee: MDM SPA (Neopharmed Gentili SpA)
• Inventors: Duong, Hung, Laos, Paul, Metcalf, Michael D., Roberts, Tracy, Thomson, David L.
• Granted Patent: US 8,761,153 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/352
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1026 at the edge
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/103 in the network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1036 at the edge
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/104 in the network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1108 Web based protocols, e.g. webRTC
• 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 2201/40 using speech recognition
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/554 Data synchronization
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42178 by downloading data to substation equipment
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/493 Interactive information services, e.g. directory enquiries ; Arrangements therefor, e.g. interactive voice response [IVR] systems or voice portals
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0069 comprising a residential gateway, e.g. those which provide an adapter for POTS or ISDN terminals

Abstract

An Internet Access Device (IAD) is pre-configured with first, generic configuration information designating the address of a configuration server with which it will establish a communication session when the IAD is first powered up and connected to the Internet. The configuration server then downloads a second, specific configuration to the IAD, such as a hotline number designating a specific speech server, and creates a network data record to link a unique identifier for the IAD, such as a serial number, with a user account. When the IAD goes off-hook, the IAD connects directly to a speech server using the second configuration. The speech server provides a smart dial tone, such as a voice prompt. The speech server responds to a verbal request spoken by a user by performing a corresponding activity, such as placing a telephone call or providing voicemail access.

Claims

1. A method of providing access to a speech service, the method comprising:

establishing a first communication session with a predetermined configuration server and a calling device, the predetermined configuration server designated by a first configuration provided in the calling device;

downloading from the predetermined configuration server a second configuration for the calling device;

using the second configuration, automatically establishing a second communication session with a predetermined speech server, the predetermined speech server designated by the second configuration;

receiving at the predetermined speech server at least one voice sample provided by the calling device; and

in response to the voice sample, the predetermined speech server performing a corresponding activity.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the calling device is at least one device from a group of devices comprising:

a Voice over Internet Protocol (“

VoIP”

) telephone, a soft phone, a video phone, a telephone coupled to an Internet access device (“

IAD”

), a peer-to-peer telephone, a media gateway, or an Interactive Voice Response (“

IVR”

) system.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said soft phone is operative on at least one device selected from a group of devices comprising:

a personal computer, a wireless handset, a packet-based wireless handset, a mobile computer, or a packet phone.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said second configuration comprises at least one hotline number, and wherein the hotline number is a telephone number, Internet Protocol address, or other identifier associated with the predetermined speech server.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of automatically establishing a second communication session further comprises placing the calling device into an off-hook condition.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein said second configuration further comprises a first unique identifier of the calling device, of a plurality of unique identifiers, and an association of the first unique identifier with a selected user account, of a plurality of user accounts.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein said second configuration further comprises an automatic number identification (“

ANI”

) for the calling device.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the second configuration comprises a first hotline number and a second hotline number, and wherein the calling device is adapted to automatically make a first attempt at establishing the second communication session using the first hotline number, and when unsuccessful, automatically makes a second attempt at establishing the second communication session using the second hotline number.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the downloading of the second configuration is in response to at least one condition of the group of conditions comprising:

an installation of the calling device, a user service enrollment, an error condition, a detected traffic load, a user activity, a user profile modification, a subscription modification, or a session establishment condition,

10. The method of claim 1, wherein prior to downloading the second configuration, the method further comprising:

uploading a unique identifier of the calling device.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

uploading user account information.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the voice sample is spoken by a user and is at least one of the following group of voice samples comprising:

a telephone number, a name, an information request, a requested transaction.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the corresponding activity performed in response to the voice sample is at least one activity from a group of activities comprising:

placing a telephone call, transferring the second communication session to a different location, placing a video phone call, providing news information, providing user calendar information, providing directory information, providing securities information, executing a transaction, modifying the second configuration.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of downloading the second configuration further comprises logging into a speech service and entering user account information or logging into a speech service and entering a unique identifier for the calling device.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the first configuration is a hotline number of the predetermined configuration server and is pre-loaded into a memory of the calling device.

24. The method of claim 1, wherein the speech server is adapted to perform, in response to the voice sample, at least one activity from a group of activities comprising:

placing a telephone call, transferring the second communication session to a different location, placing a video phone call, providing news information, providing user calendar information, providing directory information, providing securities information, executing a transaction, modifying the second configuration.

16. A system for providing access to a speech service for a calling device, the calling device coupled to the system through a communication network, the system comprising:

a configuration server coupled to the communication network and designated by a first configuration provided in the calling device, the configuration server adapted to download a second configuration to the calling device during a first communication session established with the calling device; and

a speech server coupled to the communication network and designated by the second configuration, the speech server adapted to receive at least one voice sample provided by the calling device during a second communication session automatically established by an off-hook condition of the calling device, the speech server further adapted to perform a corresponding activity in response to the voice sample.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the calling device is at least one device from a group of devices comprising:

a Voice over Internet Protocol (“

VoIP”

) telephone, a soft phone, a video phone, a telephone coupled to an Internet access device (“

IAD”

), a peer-to-peer telephone, a media gateway, an Interactive Voice Response (“

IVR”

) system.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein said soft phone is operative on at least one device selected from a group of devices comprising:

a personal computer, a wireless handset, a packet-based wireless handset, a mobile computer, packet phone.

19. The system of claim 16, wherein said second configuration comprises at least one hotline number, and wherein the hotline number is a telephone number associated with the predetermined speech server or an Internet Protocol address associated with the predetermined speech server.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein said second configuration further comprises a first unique identifier of the calling device, of a plurality of unique identifiers;

an association of the first unique identifier with a selected user account, of a plurality of user accounts; and

an automatic number identification (“

ANI”

) for the calling device.

21. The system of claim 16, wherein the configuration server is adapted to download the second configuration in response to at least one condition of the group of conditions comprising:

an installation of the calling device, a user service enrollment, an error condition, a detected traffic load, a user activity, a user profile modification, a subscription modification, or a session establishment condition.

22. The system of claim 16, wherein the configuration server is adapted to receive an upload of a unique identifier of the calling device and user account information.

23. The system of claim 16, wherein the voice sample is spoken by a user and is at least one of the following group of voice samples comprising:

a telephone number, a name, an information request, or a requested transaction.

25. The system of claim 16, further comprising:

a data repository coupled to the configuration server, the data repository adapted to store a network data record to link a unique identifier for the IAD with a user account.

26. A system for providing access to a speech service for a calling device, the calling device coupled to the system through a communication network, the system comprising:

a configuration server coupled to the communication network and designated by a first configuration provided in the calling device, the configuration server adapted to download a second configuration to the calling device during a first communication session established with the calling device, the second configuration comprising a telephone number associated with a speech server or an Internet Protocol address associated with the speech server, and wherein the configuration server is further adapted to receive an upload of a unique identifier of the calling device and user account information;

a data repository coupled to the configuration server, the data repository adapted to store a network data record to link a unique identifier for the IAD with a user account; and

the speech server coupled to the communication network and designated by the second configuration, the speech server adapted to receive at least one voice sample provided by the calling device during a second communication session automatically established by an off-hook condition of the calling device, the speech server further adapted to perform a corresponding activity in response to the voice sample.

27. The system of claim 26, wherein the configuration server is adapted to download the second configuration in response to at least one condition of the group of conditions comprising:

an installation of the calling device, a user service enrollment, an error condition, a detected traffic load, a user activity, a user profile modification, a subscription modification, or a session establishment condition.