Enhanced wide area audio response network

• US 5,317,627 A
• Filed: 03/16/1992
• Issued: 05/31/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 10/01/1990
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: United States Advanced Network, Inc.
• Inventors: Richardson, Charles T. Jr., Austin, Kevin L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dwyer, James L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): TSANG, FAN S
• Application Number:
  US07/852,491
• Time in Patent Office: 806 Days
• Field of Search: 379/88, 379/89, 379/67, 379/244, 379/207, 379/94, 379/97, 370/94.1, 370/94.2, 370/110.1, 370/62, 370/60, 370/60.1, 370/61
• US Class Current: 379/88.17
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/00 Arrangements for metering, time-control or time indication ; Metering, charging or billing arrangements for voice wireline or wireless communications, e.g. VoIP
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/08 Metering calls to called party , i.e. B-party charged for the communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/47 Fraud detection or prevention means
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/745 Customizing according to wishes of subscriber, e.g. friends or family
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/88 Provision for limiting connection, or expenditure
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/00 Metering arrangements; Time controlling arrangements; Time indicating arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0108 Customization according to wishes of subscriber, e.g. customer preferences, friends and family, selecting services or billing options, Personal Communication Systems [PCS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0116 Provision for limiting expenditure, e.g. limit on call expenses or account
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0148 Fraud detection or prevention means
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/62 Called party billing, e.g. reverse billing, freephone, collect call, 0800 or 0900
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/22 Automatic class or number identification arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/2281 Call monitoring, e.g. for law enforcement purposes; Call tracing; Detection or prevention of malicious calls
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/36 Statistical metering, e.g. recording occasions when traffic exceeds capacity of trunks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/38 Graded-service arrangements, i.e. some subscribers prevented from establishing certain connections queuing arrangements H04Q3/64
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/382 using authorisation codes or passwords
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42 Systems providing special services or facilities to subscribers specially adapted for wireless communication networks H04W4/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42042 Notifying the called party of information on the calling party details within substation equipment H04M1/57, signalling details H04Q3/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42059 Making use of the calling party identifier
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42102 Making use of the called party identifier
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42221 Conversation recording systems at the subscriber's set H04M1/656
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4228 : in networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/436 : Arrangements for screening incoming calls , i.e. evaluating the characteristics of a call before deciding whether to answer it based on the calling party profile H04M3/42059; based on location H04M3/42348; based on presence H04M3/42365; diversion H04M3/54
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4878 : Advertisement messages
• 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 3/50 : Centralised arrangements for answering calls; Centralised arrangements for recording messages for absent or busy subscribers H04M3/487 takes precedence; centralised dictation systems H04M11/10; Centralised arrangements for recording messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/51 : Centralised call answering arrangements requiring operator intervention , e.g. call or contact centers for telemarketing
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/527 : Centralised call answering arrangements not requiring operator intervention
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/533 : Voice mail systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/53325 : Interconnection arrangements between voice mail systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/00 : Arrangements for interconnection between switching centres
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13091 : CLI, identification of calling line
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13095 : PIN / Access code, authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13103 : Memory
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13106 : Microprocessor, CPU
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/1313 : Metering, billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13204 : Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/1324 : Conference call
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13299 : Bus
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/1337 : Operator, emergency services
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13376 : Information service, downloading of information, 0800/0900 services
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13377 : Recorded announcement
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0016 : Arrangements providing connection between exchanges
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/72 : Finding out and indicating number of calling subscriber

Abstract

Apparatus and method to provide enhanced wide area audio response services through an enhanced wide area audio response network which includes a central controller and a plurality of audio peripherals distributed over a wide area, each audio peripheral being connected to telephone lines for receiving and originating telephone calls, converting received analog audio signals into digital representations, recording and storing digital representations, converting stored digital representations into analog audio signals, playing audio signals over connected telephone lines, and communicating with, including receiving commands from, the central controller over a Packet Switched Public Data Network (PSPDN), which controller is a highly reliable general purpose controller which offers utility grade service to each audio peripheral and utilizes Dialed Number Identification Service (DNIS) tables for various applications, including voice messaging, audio text, remote information provider accessing, and testing to provide error notification.

Claims

1. Method of providing audio response services to callers from a wide area audio response network system, said method comprising the steps of:

providing a plurality of audio peripherals remotely distributed over a wide area and connected to user telephone lines;

connecting each of the plurality of audio peripherals through a network to a central controller which controls the operation of each of the plurality of audio peripherals;

receiving user information at an audio peripheral through a user telephone line;

transferring the user information from the audio peripheral through the network to the central controller;

processing the transferred information at the central controller;

transferring command signals from the central controller through the network to the audio peripheral;

converting digital representations of analog audio signals stored at the audio peripheral into reproduced analog audio signals according to the transferred command signals;

supplying the reproduced analog audio signals to the user telephone line; and

repeating the steps of receiving user information, transferring user information, processing the transferred information, transferring command signals, converting digital representations, and supplying the reproduced analog audio signals until an audio response service is concluded,

wherein every supplying of a reproduced analog audio signal to a user telephone line is in response to receipt of at least one command signal from the central controller, and

wherein the transferred command signals include signals corresponding to the address of stored digital representations of analog audio signals.

2. Method of providing at least one audio response service to callers from a wide area audio response network system which includes a plurality of widely distributed audio devices connected to a central device, said method comprising the steps of:

receiving notification at an audio device that a caller is placing a call and attempting to access an audio response service;

transferring notification data from the audio device to a central device;

processing the notification data at the central device to produce command data;

transferring the command data from the central device to the audio device;

answering the call at the audio device after receiving the command data from the central device;

converting digital representations of analog audio signals stored at the audio device into reproduced analog audio signals;

transmitting the reproduced analog audio signals to the caller;

receiving operational caller data at the audio device;

transferring representative caller data representative of the operational caller data to the central device;

processing the representative caller data at the central a device to produce additional command data;

transferring the additional command data to the audio device;

converting digital representations of additional analog audio signals stored at the audio device into additional reproduced analog audio signals;

transmitting the additional reproduced audio signals to the caller; and

repeating, until an audio response service is concluded, the steps of receiving operational caller data, transferring representative caller data, processing the representative caller data, transferring the additional command data, converting digital representation of additional reproduced audio signals, and transmitting the additional reproduced analog audio signals, and

wherein the transferred command data includes, at least, an address corresponding to digital representations of analog audio signals stored at the audio device.

3. Method of providing voice messaging services to callers from a wide area network system, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a plurality of locationally diverse audio devices connected to a plurality of user telephone lines and a central device connected to the plurality of locationally diverse audio devices;

after a caller initiates a call, receiving caller information regarding the call through a user telephone line of the plurality of user telephone lines, wherein the caller information includes digits corresponding to, at least, the number initially dialed by the caller to access the audio device,

transferring the caller information from the audio device to the central device.

reproducing onto the user telephone line at least one audio prompt from digital representations of the audio prompt stored in the audio device to prompt the caller to provide a destination number and the caller audio message from the caller in response to the reproduced audio prompt;

converting the caller audio message into a digital representation of the caller audio message;

storing a digital representation in the audio device;

calling the destination number of communicate with a message recipient; and

reproducing to the message recipient the caller audio message from the digital representation of the caller audio message stored on the audio device.

4. Method of providing voice messaging services to callers from a wide area network system, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a plurality of locationally diverse audio devices connected to a plurality of user telephone lines and a central device connected to the plurality of locationally diverse audio devices;

after a caller initiates a call, receiving caller information regarding the call through a user telephone line of the plurality of user telephone lines;

transferring the caller information from the audio device to the central device;

transferring control commands from the central device to the audio device for reproducing onto the user telephone line at least one audio prompt from digital representations of the audio prompt stored in the audio device to prompt the caller to provide a destination number and speak a caller audio message;

receiving the destination number and the caller audio message from the caller in response to the reproduced audio prompt;

converting the caller audio message into a digital representation of the caller audio message;

storing the digital representation in the audio device;

calling the destination number to communicate with a message recipient; and

reproducing to the message recipient the caller audio message from the digital representation of the caller audio message stored on the audio device.

5. Method of providing voice messaging services to callers from a wide area network system, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a plurality of locationally diverse audio devices connected to a plurality of user telephone lines and a central device connected to the plurality of locationally diverse audio devices;

after a caller initiates a call, receiving caller information regarding the call through a user telephone line of the plurality of user telephone lines;

transferring at least one control command from the central device to the audio device for reproducing onto the user telephone line at least one audio prompt from digital representations of the audio prompt stored in the audio device to prompt the caller to provide a destination number and speak a caller audio message;

receiving the destination number and the caller audio message from the caller in response to the reproduced audio prompt;

transferring at least one control command from the dental device to the audio device for converting the caller audio message into a digital representation of the caller audio message;

transferring at least one control command from the central device to the audio device for storing the digital representation in the audio device;

transferring at least one control from the central device to the audio device for calling the destination number to communicate with a message recipient; and

transferring at least one control command from the central device to the audio device for reproducing to the message recipient the caller audio message from the digital representation of the caller audio message stored on the audio device.

6. Method of providing voice messaging services to callers from a wide area network system, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a plurality of locationally diverse audio devices connected to a plurality of user telephone lines and a central device connected to the plurality of locationally diverse audio devices;

after a caller initiates a call, receiving caller information at a first audio device regarding the call through a user telephone line of the plurality of user telephone lines;

reproducing onto the user telephone line at least one audio prompt from digital representations of the audio prompt stored in the first audio device to prompt the caller to provide a destination number and speak a caller audio message;

receiving the destination number and the caller audio message at the first audio device from the caller in response to the reproduced audio prompt;

converting the caller audio message into a digital representation of the caller audio message;

storing the digital representation in the first audio device;

evaluating at the central device, based on long distance rates, whether the digital representation of the caller audio message should be transferred to a second audio device nearer the location corresponding to the destination number;

calling the destination number to communicate with a message recipient; and

reproducing to the message recipient the caller audio message from the digital representation of the caller audio message.

7. Method of claim 6, further including the step of, according to results of said evaluating step, commanding the first audio device to transfer the digital representation of the caller audio message to the second audio device.

8. An audio response system for providing voice signals through user communication channels to users at user telephones, said audio response system comprising:

an audio peripheral for connection to user telephones through user communication channels, said audio peripheral including, at least,

a storage means for storing and retrieving storage representations of voice signals at peripheral voice storage addresses, and

an interface interposed between said storage means and the user communication channels, said interface including, at least, storage-to-transmission means for converting the storage representations of voice signals into transmission representations of voice signals for transmission over the user communication channels; and

a control device connected to said audio peripheral, said control device including, at least, command generation means for generating peripheral control commands for controlling said audio peripheral, said command generation means including, at least, address command generation means for generating peripheral control commands including peripheral voice storage address,

wherein said audio peripheral is located remotely from said control device, and

wherein said audio peripheral and said control device communicate through a public switched data network, and wherein said audio response system further comprises a conditioning means for converting communication signals between said audio peripheral and said control device for transmission on said public switched data network.