Enhanced wide area audio response network

• US 5,487,103 A
• Filed: 04/12/1994
• Issued: 01/23/1996
• 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): Hofsass, Jeffery A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): TSANG, FAN S
• Application Number:
  US08/226,560
• Time in Patent Office: 651 Days
• Field of Search: 379/67, 379/88, 379/89, 379/94, 379/244, 379/207, 370/60, 370/61
• US Class Current: 379/88.26
• 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 studio 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 voice messaging services to callers from a wide area network system, the method comprising the steps of:

providing and activating a plurality of audio devices located remotely across a wide area network from each other and connected to user telephone lines, and a central device connected to the plurality of audio devices for communicating with the plurality of audio devices;

connecting a caller on a user telephone line to an audio device of the plurality of audio devices;

receiving a destination number and a caller audio message at the audio device;

storing the caller audio message in the audio device;

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

reproducing to the message recipient the caller audio message from the audio device.

2. Method of claim 1, further including the step of, after the connecting step and before the receiving step, reproducing from the audio device onto the user telephone line an audio prompt from a digital representation stored in the audio device to prompt the caller to speak the caller audio message and to provide the destination number.

3. Method of claim 1, further including the steps of, after the providing step:

receiving at the audio device from a public switched telephone network a called number representative of the number dialed by a caller;

transferring the called number to the central device;

generating control commands at the central device; and

transferring control commands from the central device to the audio device.

4. Method of claim 1, wherein said plurality of audio devices are located remotely from said central device.

5. An audio response system comprising:

a plurality of audio peripheral means distributed over a wide area network for storing digital representation of analog audio signals,

receiving terminating telephone calls over connected user telephone lines from users interacting through telephones,

receiving user input over the connected user telephone lines, and

responsive to receiving the user input, converting said digital representations of analog audio signals into reproduced analog audio signals,

supplying said reproduced analog audio signals to the connected user telephone lines; and

central control means connected to said plurality of audio peripheral means for controlling said plurality of audio peripheral means, wherein said central control means includes a plurality of script means for controlling operation of said plurality of audio peripheral means.

6. An audio response system comprising:

a plurality of audio peripheral means distributed over a wide area network for storing digital representation of analog audio signals,

receiving terminating telephone calls over connected user telephone lines from users interacting through telephones,

receiving user input over the connected user telephone lines, and

responsive to receiving the user input, converting said digital representations of analog audio signals into reproduced analog audio signals,

supplying said reproduced analog audio signals to the connected user telephone lines; and

central control means connected to said plurality of audio peripheral means for controlling said plurality of audio peripheral means; and

information provider means remotely connected to said central control means for providing database information to said central control means in response to calls received at said plurality of audio peripheral means.