Text-enhanced voice menu system

• US 6,493,428 B1
• Filed: 08/18/1998
• Issued: 12/10/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 08/18/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Unify GmbH & Co. KG (Atos SE)
• Original Assignee: Siemens Information & Communication Networks, Inc. (Siemens AG)
• Inventors: Hillier, Curt
• Primary Examiner(s): Hoosain, Allan
• Application Number:
  US09/136,210
• Time in Patent Office: 1,575 Days
• Field of Search: 379/67.1, 379/71, 379/88.01, 379/52, 379/88-1-, 379/93.05, 379/93.08, 379/93.09, 379/93-1-, 379/93.35, 379/100.01, 379/100.09, 379/100-3-1, 379/88.04, 379/88.07, 379/88.08, 379/142.01, 379/214.01, 379/265.09, 379/908, 704/258, 704/260, 704/270, 704/271, 704/275, 707/10, 707/104
• US Class Current: 379/67.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/271 controlled by voice recognition
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72469 for operating the device by selecting functions from two or more displayed items, e.g. menus or icons
• 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: Y10S 379/908 Multimedia

Abstract

A text enhanced voice menu system includes data storage, a voice communication path, a text communication path and switch logic. The data storage stores audio information for producing a voice menu, and stores text information for producing a text version of the voice menu. The voice communication path generates a voice menu from the audio information. The text communication path generates a text menu from the text information. The switch logic selects one of the voice menu and the text menu to be transmitted over a connection line.

Claims

1. A text enhanced voice menu system comprising:

data storage which stores audio information for producing a voice menu, and which stores text information for producing a text version of the voice menu;

a voice communication path, coupled to the data storage, for generating a voice menu from the audio information;

a text communication path, coupled to the data storage, for generating a text menu from the text information; and

,

switch logic, coupled to the voice communication path and the text communication path, for selecting one of the voice menu and the text menu to be transmitted over a connection line;

wherein the switch logic, in response to the text enhanced voice menu system receiving a telephone call, sends a query to a calling entity, and selects the text menu in response to reception of a text enhanced confirmation, the switch logic selecting the voice menu when no text enhanced confirmation is received.

2. A text enhanced voice menu system comprising:

data storage which stores audio information for producing a voice menu, and which stores text information for producing a text version of the voice menu;

a voice communication path, coupled to the data storage, for generating a voice menu from the audio information;

a text communication path, coupled to the data storage, for generating a text menu from the text information; and

,

switch logic, coupled to the voice communication path and the text communication path, for selecting one of the voice menu and the text menu to be transmitted over a connection line; and

an enhanced telephone, the enhanced telephone comprising;

a speaker;

a display;

a voice communication telephone path, coupled to the speaker, for producing audio on the speaker;

a text communication telephone path, coupled to the display, for displaying text on the display; and

,

a phone switch logic, coupled to the voice communication telephone path and the text communication telephone path, for selecting one of the voice communication telephone path and the text communication telephone path to receive signals from a telephone connection line;

wherein;

the switch logic, in response to the text enhanced voice menu system receiving a telephone call from the enhanced telephone, sends a query to the enhanced telephone, and selects the text menu in response to reception of a text enhanced confirmation, the switch logic selecting the voice menu when no text enhanced confirmation is received; and

,

the phone switch logic, in response to the query from the switch logic, returns the text enhanced confirmation.

3. A text enhanced voice menu system as in claim 2 wherein the enhanced telephone additionally includes:

a button for enabling and disabling text enhancement, so that when text enhancement is disabled, the phone switch logic always selects the voice communication telephone path.

4. A text enhanced voice menu system as in claim 3 wherein when text enhancement is disabled, the phone switch logic is prevented from returning the text enhanced confirmation in response to the query from the switch logic.

5. A text enhanced voice menu system comprising:

data storage which stores audio information for producing a voice menu, and which stores text information for producing a text version of the voice menu;

a voice communication path, coupled to the data storage, for generating a voice menu from the audio information;

a text communication path, coupled to the data storage, for generating a text menu from the text information; and

,

switch logic, coupled to the voice communication path and the text communication path, for selecting one of the voice menu and the text menu to be transmitted over a connection line; and

an enhanced telephone, the enhanced telephone comprising;

a speaker;

a display;

a voice communication telephone path, coupled to the speaker, for producing audio on the speaker;

a text communication telephone path, coupled to the display, for displaying text on the display; and

,

a phone switch logic, coupled to the voice communication telephone path and the text communication telephone path, for selecting one of the voice communication telephone path and the text communication telephone path to receive signals from a telephone connection line;

wherein the enhanced telephone additionally includes;

a button for enabling and disabling text enhancement, so that when text enhancement is disabled, the phone switch logic always selects the voice communication telephone path.

6. A method, for presenting a menu to caller, the method comprising the following steps:

(a) receiving a telephone call from a telecommunications device;

(b) sending a query to determine whether the telecommunications device is text enhanced;

(c) sending a text menu to the telecommunications device when a text enhanced confirmation is received from the telecommunications device; and

,

(d) sending a voice menu to the telecommunications device when no text enhanced confirmation is received from the telecommunications device.

7. A method as in claim 6 additionally comprising the following step:

(e) receiving menu selections from the telecommunications device via DTMF tones.

8. A method as in claim 6 additionally comprising the following step:

(e) receiving menu selections from the telecommunications device via voice from a caller.

9. An enhanced telephone, the enhanced telephone comprising:

a speaker;

a display;

a voice communication telephone path, coupled to the speaker, for producing audio on the speaker;

a text communication telephone path, coupled to the display, for displaying text on the display;

a phone switch logic, coupled to the voice communication telephone path and the text communication telephone path, for selecting during a call one of the voice communication telephone path and the text communication telephone path from a telephone connection line to receive all further signals of that call, the phone switch logic, in response to a query from a text enhanced voice menu system, returning a text enhanced confirmation; and

,

a button for enabling and disabling text enhancement, so that when text enhancement is disabled, the phone switch logic always selects the voice communication telephone path.

10. An enhanced telephone in claim 9 wherein when text enhancement is disabled, the phone switch logic is prevented from returning the text enhanced confirmation in response to the query from the text enhanced voice menu system.