Method and system for text-to-speech conversion of caller information

• US 6,718,016 B2
• Filed: 04/01/2002
• Issued: 04/06/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 01/29/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Nuance Communications, Inc. (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: SBC Properties, L.P.
• Inventors: Bossemeyer, Jr., Robert Wesley, Hardzinski, Mary Louise, McBlain, Thomas Joseph
• Primary Examiner(s): Hoosain, Allan
• Application Number:
  US10/114,664
• Publication Number:
  US 20020191758A1
• Time in Patent Office: 736 Days
• Field of Search: 379/88.07, 379/88.08, 379/88.11, 379/88.12, 379/88.16, 379/88.19, 379/88.2, 379/88.21, 379/142.01, 379/201.04, 379/221.09, 379/142.06, 379/201.01, 704/260, 704/261, 704/266, 704/270, 704/275, 704/277
• US Class Current: 379/88.19
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 13/00 Speech synthesis; Text to speech systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/575 Means for retrieving and displaying personal data about calling party
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/39 using speech synthesis speech synthesis per se G10L13/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/60 Medium conversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/12 intelligent networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/22 Automatic class or number identification arrangements
• 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 3/428 Arrangements for placing incoming calls on hold
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4288 Notifying a called subscriber of an incoming call during an ongoing call, e.g. Call Waiting

Abstract

A system (10) and method (40) for providing audible caller information to telephone service subscribers is presented. The system (10) includes a pre-processor (28) that converts textual caller information from a first data format to a second data format suitable for text-to-speech synthesis (TTS). The pre-processor (28) can be incorporated in a service node/intelligent peripheral (SN/IP) (24) in an advanced intelligent network (AIN). In this configuration, the pre-processor (28) can be used to convert caller-ID with name database entries into a predetermined TTS format. The TTS formatted information can be provided to a TTS synthesized (30) included in the SN/IP (24). In conjunction with a switching service point (SSP) (20), the pre-processor (28) can provide a talking call-waiting feature to subscribers with significantly improved intelligibility.

Claims

1. A method for providing audible caller information, the method comprising:

receiving caller information from a caller information database;

removing at least one irregular character from the caller information; and

announcing the caller information.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising performing text-to-speech synthesis of the caller information after the at least one irregular character has been removed.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the caller information received from the caller information database is in a first format, and wherein the method further comprises converting the caller information from the first format to a second format.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the conversion from the first format to the second format is in accordance with a set of rules comprising a first subset of rules for business listings and a second subset of rules for residential listings.

5. The method of claim 4 further comprising determining whether the caller information contains a residential or business listing.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising comparing the caller information to an exceptions table and, if the caller information corresponds to an entry in the exceptions table, generating a predetermined output.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising comparing the caller information to a state name table.

8. A telecommunication system comprising:

a service node; and

a service switching point in communication with the service node and operative to provide the service node with caller information;

wherein the service node is operative to remove at least one irregular character from the caller information and then announce the caller information.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the service node comprises an intelligent peripheral.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the service node comprises a pre-processor and a text-to-speech synthesizer.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the caller information is in a first format, and wherein the service node is operative to convert the caller information from the first format to a second format.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the conversion from the first format to the second format is in accordance with a set of rules comprising a first subset of rules for business listings and a second subset of rules for residential listings.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the service node is operative to determine whether the caller information contains a residential or business listing.

14. The system of claim 8, wherein the service node is operative to compare the caller information to an exceptions table and, if the caller information corresponds to an entry in the exceptions table, generate a predetermined output.

15. The system of claim 8, wherein the service node is operative to compare the caller information to a state name table.

16. A computer-usable memory storing at least one computer program, the at least one computer program operative to remove at least one irregular character from caller information received from a caller information database and perform text-to-speech synthesis of the caller information after the at least one irregular character has been removed.

17. The invention of claim 16, wherein the computer-usable memory is part of a service node.

18. The invention of claim 17, wherein the service node comprises an intelligent peripheral.

19. The invention of claim 16, wherein the caller information received from the caller information database is in a first format, and wherein the at least one computer program is operative to convert the caller information from the first format to a second format.

20. The invention of claim 16, wherein the at least one computer program is operative to communicate with a service switching point.