AUTOMATED TELEPHONE ATTENDANT
First Claim
1. A system comprising:
- a service node configured to communicate with a user device and provide a user associated with the user device with an automated voice interface upon the user'"'"'s initiating access to the system via the user device, wherein the automated voice interface is configured to permit the user to verbally specify a desired objective corresponding to any one of a plurality of predefined objectives, the predefined objectives including directory assisted call placement and at least one form of information retrieval, wherein, upon receiving the desired objective from the user, the service node acts to implement the desired objective, and wherein, when the user specifies a desired objective relating to information retrieval by retrieval of Internet search results, the service node is configured to request, by voiced instruction, the user'"'"'s verbal specification of a preferred Internet search engine.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A telephony system (100) includes a user device (110, 130) configured to enable a user of the telephony system (100) to place and receive telephone calls, and a service node (180, 185) configured to communicate with the user device (110, 130) and to thereby provide the user with an automated voice interface to the telephony system (100) upon the user'"'"'s initiating access to the telephony system (100) via the user device (110, 130). The automated voice interface permits the user to verbally specify a desired objective corresponding to any one of a number of predefined objectives, the predefined objectives including directory assisted call placement and at least one form of information retrieval. Upon receiving the desired objective from the user, the service node (180, 185) acts to implement the desired objective.
-
Citations
25 Claims
-
1. A system comprising:
-
a service node configured to communicate with a user device and provide a user associated with the user device with an automated voice interface upon the user'"'"'s initiating access to the system via the user device, wherein the automated voice interface is configured to permit the user to verbally specify a desired objective corresponding to any one of a plurality of predefined objectives, the predefined objectives including directory assisted call placement and at least one form of information retrieval, wherein, upon receiving the desired objective from the user, the service node acts to implement the desired objective, and wherein, when the user specifies a desired objective relating to information retrieval by retrieval of Internet search results, the service node is configured to request, by voiced instruction, the user'"'"'s verbal specification of a preferred Internet search engine. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
-
-
14. A method comprising:
-
voicing a request to a user, upon the user'"'"'s initiating access to a communication system, that the user identify an intended objective;
awaiting the user'"'"'s response to the voiced request;
selecting, based upon the user'"'"'s response, one of a plurality of predefined objectives, the predefined objectives including directory assisted call placement and at least one form of information retrieval; and
acting to implement the selected objective;
wherein when the selected objective relates to information retrieval by retrieval of Internet search results, the acting to implement the selected objective comprises requesting, by voiced instruction, the user'"'"'s verbal specification of a preferred Internet search engine. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
-
-
21. A system comprising:
-
a switch, the switch providing access for a user device;
a service control system providing access to a user database; and
a service node in communication with the switch and the service control system, the service node comprising;
logic configured to communicate with the user device and to provide a user of the system with an automated voice interface upon the user'"'"'s initiating access to the system via the user device, wherein the automated voice interface is configured to permit the user to verbally specify a desired objective corresponding to any one of a plurality of predefined objectives, the predefined objectives including call placement and at least one form of information retrieval, and wherein, upon receiving the desired objective from the user, the service node acts to implement the desired objective, wherein when the user specifies a desired objective relating to information retrieval by retrieval of Internet search results, the service node is configured to request, by voiced instruction, the user'"'"'s verbal specification of a preferred Internet search engine. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25)
-
Specification