Providing Dynamic Services During a VOIP Call

• US 20090279535A1
• Filed: 05/09/2008
• Published: 11/12/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/09/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Sabse Technologies Inc.
• Original Assignee: Mobivox Corporation (Sabse Technologies Inc.)
• Inventors: REIHER, Eric
• Application Number:
  US12/118,387
• Publication Number:
  US 20090279535A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/352
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/66 Arrangements for connecting between networks having differing types of switching systems, e.g. gateways

Abstract

The present document describes a method and system for providing services during a call established between a user making the call and a contact. The call being established using a voice interface device having a key. The method comprises: providing an electronic assistant in a background mode; using the key to produce a summoning signal; upon detection of the summoning signal, summoning the electronic assistant to a foreground mode; issuing a command to the electronic assistant for the provision of a service; and upon detection of the command, providing the service.

Claims

1. A method for providing a service during a call established between a user making the call and a contact, the call established using a voice interface device having a key, the method comprising:

providing an electronic assistant in a background mode;

using the key to produce a summoning signal;

upon detection of the summoning signal, summoning the electronic assistant to a foreground mode;

issuing a command to the electronic assistant for the provision of a service; and

upon detection of the command, providing the service.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the production of the summoning signal using the key comprises producing an in-band signal.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the key forms part of a Dual-Tone Multi-Frequency (DTMF) keypad, and further wherein using the key comprises using at least one of depressing a star key (*) on the DTMF keypad, depressing a star key (*) twice, and depressing a combination of keys on the DTMF keypad.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the key forms part of at least one of a keypad, a touch-screen device, and a mouse cursor on the user interface device, and further wherein using the key comprises using the at least one of a keypad, a touch-screen device, and a mouse.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the provision of services by the electronic assistant comprise at least one of performing a call-up function, dynamic call conferencing, bridging contacts from different networks, dictating a message or a correspondence, group calling, transferring a call, recording a call, terminating a call, finding information in an internal or external database, adding information to an internal or external database, searching the Web, and consulting a schedule or calendar.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein using the key to produce a summoning command is available only to the user making the call.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the issuing a command to the electronic assistant comprises an in-band signal thereby defining an in-band command signal, the in-band command signal comprises at least one of a voice signal and a DTMF signal.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein when the in-band command signal comprises a voice signal, the method further comprises performing speech recognition of the voice signal to resolve the command to the electronic assistant.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising, when the electronic assistant is in the foreground mode, using at least one of the key and a different key to produce a release signal, and upon detection of the release signal, returning the electronic assistant to the background mode.

10. A bridge server for providing a service during a call established between a user making the call and a contact, the call established using a voice interface device having a key, the bridge server comprising:

an input for receiving a summoning signal from the key and for receiving a command during the call;

an ASR/TTS server in communication with the input and being for providing an electronic assistant in a background mode or a foreground mode, the ASR/TTS server for summoning the electronic assistant to a foreground mode upon detection of the summoning signal; and

an application server in communication with at least one of the ASR/TTS server and the input and for providing the service upon detection of the command.

11. The bridge server of claim 10, wherein the summoning signal from the key comprises an in-band signal.

12. The bridge server of claim 10, wherein the key forms part of a Dual-Tone Multi-Frequency (DTMF) keypad, and further wherein the summoning signal comprises at least one of a star key (*) on the DTMF keypad, a star key (*) twice, and a combination of keys on the DTMF keypad.

13. The bridge server of claim 10, wherein the key forms part of at least one of a keypad, a touch-screen device, and a mouse on the user interface device, and further wherein the summoning signal comprises at least one of a signal from the keypad, a signal from the touch-screen device, and a signal from the mouse.

14. The bridge server of claim 10, wherein the service for provision by the application server comprises at least one of performing a call-up function, dynamic call conferencing, bridging contacts from different networks, dictating a message or a correspondence, group calling, transferring a call, recording a call, terminating a call, finding information in an internal or external database, adding information to an internal or external database, searching the Web, and consulting a schedule or calendar.

15. The bridge server of claim 10, wherein the electronic assistant is in communication only with the user making the call.

16. The bridge server of claim 10, wherein the command comprises an in-band signal thereby defining an in-band command signal, the in-band command signal comprises at least one of a voice signal and a DTMF signal.

17. The bridge server of claim 16, wherein when the in-band command signal comprises a voice signal, the ASR/TTS server is further for performing speech recognition of the voice signal to resolve the command.

18. The bridge server of claim 10 further comprising a bridge application for bridging a call from the user to the contact.