SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CONNECTING A USER TO BUSINESS SERVICES

• US 20100158208A1
• Filed: 03/04/2010
• Published: 06/24/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/01/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Xtone Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Xtone Incorporated
• Inventors: PRICE, Timothy M., SINDHWANI, Manoj, DHAWAN, Vishal
• Granted Patent: US 9,456,068 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/88.20
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2478 Telephone terminals specially adapted for non-voice services, e.g. email, internet access centralized arrangements where telephones services are combined H04M7/0024; for recording text messages H04M3/5322; for accessing Internet H04M3/4938
• 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 1/271 controlled by voice recognition
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/08 Metering calls to called party , i.e. B-party charged for the communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/40 using speech recognition speech recognition per se G10L15/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/74 with voice recognition means voice activated dialling H04M1/271; voice recognition algorithms G10L15/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4936 Speech interaction details speech recognition per se G10L15/00

Abstract

A system and method for connecting a user to business services monitors all attempts by the user to place outgoing telephone calls. When a user is attempting to place a call to a business, the system checks to see if the business has created a voice application that could be performed for the user. If so, the business'"'"' voice application is performed for the user on the user'"'"'s local device, instead of connecting the user to the business'"'"' customer service line. If no voice application is available for the user, then the system connects the user to the business'"'"' customer service line, either through a telephone network, or through a data network connection.

Claims

1. A method of placing a telephone number to a toll-free telephone number, comprising:

receiving a request from a user to reach an entity;

determining whether a voice application for the requested entity is available;

performing the entity'"'"'s voice application for the user if a voice application for the entity is available;

establishing a telephone call between the user and the entity if no voice application for the entity is available.