Method and apparatus for providing outbound voice-to-fax service

• US 6,445,779 B1
• Filed: 10/14/1999
• Issued: 09/03/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 10/14/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Cerence Operating Company (Cerence Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Eslambolchi, Hossein
• Primary Examiner(s): Hoosain, Allan
• Application Number:
  US09/417,882
• Time in Patent Office: 1,055 Days
• Field of Search: 379/67.1, 379/93.01, 379/93.02, 379/93.05, 379/93.06, 379/93.08, 379/93.09, 379/93.15, 379/100.01, 379/100.08, 379/100.13, 379/100.15, 379/142.14, 379/201.01
• US Class Current: 379/100.01
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/26 Speech to text systems G10L15/08 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/40 using speech recognition speech recognition per se G10L15/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/60 Medium conversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/657 Combination of voice and fax calls
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/53 Centralised arrangements for recording incoming messages , i.e. mailbox systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00281 with a telecommunication apparatus, e.g. a switched network of teleprinters for the distribution of text-based information, a selective call terminal details of transmission H04N1/00095; establishing a communication with one of a facsimile machine or another apparatus sharing a single line H04N1/32704; interfacing cordless telephone terminals with an accessory to increase the functionality of user interface H04M1/72409
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00302 with a telephonic apparatus, e.g. telephone answering machine or videotex terminal H04N1/00307 takes precedence; telephonic communication H04M
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0067 Converting to still picture data

Abstract

A subscriber, using a voice telephone set (12) may transmit a facsimile message to a recipient facsimile machine (14) by dialing a telephone number associated with a platform (22) in a telephone network (20) that provides outbound voice-to-facsimile service. Upon receipt of the call, the platform (22) prompts the caller for the message and the identity of the recipient facsimile machine (14). The platform (22) translates the message into a format appropriate for facsimile transmission and then launches a call to the recipient facsimile machine (14) to deliver the facsimile.

Claims

1. A method for enabling a voice subscriber to send a facsimile message, comprising the steps of:

receiving an inbound call from a subscriber seeking voice-to-facsimile service at a platform in a telecommunications network that performs voice-to-facsimile conversion;

prompting the subscriber from the platform for a voice message the subscriber desires to send via facsimile;

prompting the subscriber from the platform to identify a recipient for the facsimile message;

translating the voice message received at the platform into a format suitable for transmission as a facsimile to the identified recipient;

launching a telephone call to the identified recipient from the platform; and

transmitting the facsimile to the recipient.

2. The method according to claim 1 wherein the subscriber is identified by DTMF signals received in the telecommunications network corresponding to a telephone number associated with the recipient.

3. The method according to claim 1 wherein he subscriber is identified by spoken digits received by the telecommunications network corresponding to a telephone number associated with the recipient and wherein the network translates the spoken digits into DTWF signals in order to launch a call to the identified recipient.

4. The method according to claim 1 wherein:

a) the subscriber is identified by spoken information received by the telecommunications network corresponding to non-telephone number identifier corresponding to the recipient;

the network translates the spoken non-telephone number identifier into a database query launched to a database; and

the network receives from the database the identity of the recipient.

5. The method according to claim 1 further including the steps of:

prompting the voice subscriber for an authenticating password or PIN; and

validating the subscriber to determine if the subscriber is authorized to obtain voice-to-facsimile service.