Apparatus and method for transparent telephony utilizing speech-based signaling for initiating and handling calls
First Claim
1. A telephony system for establishing voice communication over a communication network between a caller and a call recipient, comprising:
- means for initiating a call from a caller'"'"'s location to a call destination based on a voice utterance made by said caller; and
means for reproducing, at said call destination, an audible likeness of said voice utterance made by said caller subsequent to the call being initiated by said initiating means, so as to enable said call recipient to identify said caller on the basis of voice characteristics of said caller.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A transparent telephony system is disclosed for providing hands-free communication. The transparent telephony system includes a device for initiating a call between a caller'"'"'s location and a call destination based on a voice utterance (e.g., the call recipient'"'"'s name) made by the caller, a device for reproducing the voice utterance made by the caller at the call destination so that the call recipient may identify the caller, and a device for handling the call attempt in accordance with a voice utterance made by the call recipient. The call handling device enables the call recipient to optionally accept the initiated call and establish two-way voice communication with the caller by uttering an appropriate voice command ( e.g., "go-ahead" or "yes"). Further, the system provides telecommunications between parties that seems "transparent" with respect to the actual communication network involved, partly since the caller'"'"'s voice command initiating the call and the call recipient'"'"'s acceptance utterance are forwarded and heard by the respective parties as if they are initiating a normal conversation with one another in the same room or location.
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Citations
39 Claims
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1. A telephony system for establishing voice communication over a communication network between a caller and a call recipient, comprising:
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means for initiating a call from a caller'"'"'s location to a call destination based on a voice utterance made by said caller; and means for reproducing, at said call destination, an audible likeness of said voice utterance made by said caller subsequent to the call being initiated by said initiating means, so as to enable said call recipient to identify said caller on the basis of voice characteristics of said caller. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A telephony system for establishing voice communication over a communication network between a caller and a call recipient, comprising:
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means for initiating a call from a caller'"'"'s location to a call destination based on a voice utterance made by said caller, said initiating means establishing one-way voice communication between said caller'"'"'s location and said call destination; means for reproducing, at said call destination, said voice utterance made by said caller subsequent to the call being initiated by said initiating means, so that said call recipient can identify said caller; and means for processing the initiated call based upon a voice utterance made by said call recipient, said processing means enabling said call recipient to optionally accept the call and establish two-way communication with said caller. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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28. A method of selectively establishing voice communication in a telephony system, comprising the steps of:
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initiating a call from a caller'"'"'s location to a call destination over a communications network based upon a voice utterance made by a caller; reproducing, at said call destination, said voice utterance made by said caller after the call has been initiated; thereafter processing the call in response to detection of a voice utterance made by a call recipient, so that said call recipient can optionally accept the call and establish two-way voice communication with said caller. - View Dependent Claims (29)
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30. A telephony system for establishing two-way voice communication over a communications network between a caller and a call recipient, comprising:
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means for initiating a call and establishing one-way voice communication from a caller'"'"'s location to a call destination in accordance with a voice utterance made by said caller; means for reproducing, at said call destination, said caller'"'"'s voice utterance subsequent to the establishment of one-way voice communication by said initiating means, so that said call recipient can identify said caller; and means for processing the initiated call in response to detection of a voice utterance made by said call recipient, said processing means enabling said call recipient to optionally accept the call and establish two-way communication with said caller. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39)
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Specification