Method for correcting communications errors when communicating with a voice response unit over a cellular telephone network

• US 5,881,133 A
• Filed: 09/30/1996
• Issued: 03/09/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Pitney Bowes Incorporated (Böwe Systec AG)
• Original Assignee: Pitney Bowes Incorporated (Böwe Systec AG)
• Inventors: Ryan, Jr., Frederick W., D'lppolito, Frank M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tsang, Fan S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hoosain, Allan
• Application Number:
  US08/723,494
• Time in Patent Office: 890 Days
• Field of Search: 379/67, 379/88, 379/89, 379/93, 379/67.1, 379/76, 379/88.01, 379/88.18, 379/93.09, 379/93.28, 379/110.01, 455/422, 455/550, 455/403, 375/222, 371/375, 370/522
• US Class Current: 379/67.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0057 Block codes H04L1/0061, H04L1/0064 take precedence

Abstract

This invention includes a voice response unit that communicates rapidly and directly with a system with minimum human intervention and minimizes the number of retransmissions of information due to errors. The rapid communication is achieved by knowing the question or prompt posed by the voice response unit and preparing a response which is speed dialed to the voice response unit. The voice response unit also examines an error correction code, i.e., Reed-Solomon, to determine if there is an error in the information transmitted to the voice response unit. The timing information enabled the voice response unit to determine whether or not one or more tones are missing from the transmitted information or one tone became two tones. The voice response unit determines if the information it received is correct based upon the error correction code. If, the information is incorrect the voice response unit uses the error correction code to determine and correct certain errors.

Claims

1. A communications system for sending data in a predetermined format over a telephone network, said system comprising:

a telephone that transmits data;

means located in said telephone for generating an error correction code that is related to the data entered into said telephone;

means located in said telephone for transmitting the data entered into said telephone and the error correction code generated by said telephone;

a voice response unit containing a plurality of prerecorded prompts or questions and a timer unit to determine if the transmitted data is duplicate data or missing data; and

means located in said voice response unit for processing the telephone data and error correction codes to determine the actual data transmitted by said telephone.

2. The system claimed in claim 1, wherein said telephone transmits data in predetermined intervals.

3. The system claimed in claim 1, wherein said telephone transmits data in the form of tones.

4. The system claimed in claim 1, wherein said telephone transmits an error correction code in predetermined intervals.

5. The system claimed in claim 1, wherein said telephone transmits an error correction code in the form of tones.

6. The system claimed in claim 3, wherein the tones are DTMF tones.

7. The system claimed in claim 5, wherein the tones are DTMF tones.

8. The system claimed in claim 1, wherein the error correction code is a Reed-Solomon error correction code.

9. The system claimed in claim 1, wherein said telephone is a cellular telephone.