Method and system for providing enhanced call waiting with verification and name change service

• US 6,775,357 B2
• Filed: 07/09/2001
• Issued: 08/10/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/19/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: SBC Properties, L.P.
• Inventors: Bossemeyer, Jr., Robert Wesley, Crockett, Susanne Marie, McBlain, Thomas Joseph, Hardzinski, Mary Louise
• Primary Examiner(s): BUI, BING Q
• Application Number:
  US09/900,938
• Publication Number:
  US 20020034286A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,128 Days
• Field of Search: 379/88.01, 379/88.02, 379/88.11, 379/88.12, 379/88.13, 379/88.2, 379/88.21, 379/93.03, 379/93.23, 379/93.35, 379/215.01
• US Class Current: 379/88.02
• 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 3/42153 by subscriber
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/436 Arrangements for screening incoming calls , i.e. evaluating the characteristics of a call before deciding whether to answer it based on the calling party profile H04M3/42059; based on location H04M3/42348; based on presence H04M3/42365; diversion H04M3/54
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/487 Arrangements for providing information services, e.g. recorded voice services or time announcements

Abstract

A method and apparatus for verifying call waiting information in a communication system is particularly well suited for correcting mispronunciation of caller identification information provided for a call waiting call. A current pronunciation of the call waiting information is provided to the calling party who is prompted to change the current pronunciation. The system receives a new pronunciation of the call waiting information and stores information about the new pronunciation for subsequent retrieval.

Claims

1. A call waiting product comprising:

a computer readable modulated carrier signal;

means embedded in the signal for obtaining the identity of a caller at a calling communication station,

when the identity of the caller satisfies a predetermined criterion, using an exception file to produce an audible representation of the identity of the caller, the exception file defining variations from standard pronunciation of the identity of the caller,

otherwise, using calling line identification information associated with the calling communication station to produce the audible representation of the identity of the caller;

means embedded in the signal for transmitting an audible call waiting indicator to a called communication station called from the calling communication station; and

means embedded in the signal for transmitting the audible representation of the identity of the caller to the called communication station.

2. The call waiting product of claim 1 wherein the signal is a transmission over a telecommunications network.

3. The call waiting product of claim 1 wherein the signal is embodied on a computer readable storage medium having computer readable code stored thereon.

4. The call waiting product of claim 1 further comprising:

means embedded in the signal for providing a plurality of menu options;

means embedded in the signal for determining exceptions when a change current pronunciation change option is selected; and

means embedded in the signal for updating the exception file based on the determined exceptions.

5. The call waiting product of claim 4 further comprising:

means embedded in the signal for prompting a service subscriber to provide a spoken pronunciation when the change current pronunciation change option is selected;

means embedded in the signal for recording and playing back the spoken pronunciation; and

means embedded in the signal for detecting verification of the played back spoken pronunciation.

6. A menuing method for a verification and name change service operated in connection with a call waiting service in a telecommunication system which processes calls between a calling party and a called party, the method comprising:

providing a first menu option to play a current name pronunciation based on a current text to speech (TTS) input file defining a current pronunciation of stored name information, the current name pronunciation being provided to users of the call waiting service;

providing a second menu option to change the current name pronunciation;

if the second option is selected, determining exceptions to the current name pronunciation based on a new name pronunciation;

storing an exceptions file including information for the new name pronunciation, the exception file to be used to provide the new name pronunciation to users of the call waiting service; and

providing a third menu option to exit the service.

7. The menuing method of claim 6 further comprising:

detecting a user input in response to the provided menu options.

8. The menuing method of claim 7 further comprising:

in response to selection of the first menu option, playing a current text to speech file associated with the current name pronunciation.

9. The menuing method of claim 7 further comprising:

in response to selection of the second menu option, prompting for a spoken pronunciation; and

playing back the spoken pronunciation.

10. The menuing method of claim 9 further comprising:

offering a verification option.

11. The menuing method of claim 10 further comprising:

detecting a verification response; and

prompting for a corrected spoken pronunciation when the verification response indicates the spoken pronunciation was not verified.

12. The menuing method of claim 11 further comprising:

storing data associated with the corrected spoken pronunciation when the verification response indicates the spoken response was verified.

13. The menuing method of claim 7 further comprising:

in response to selection of the third option, determining if the current name pronunciation has been changed; and

if the current name pronunciation has been changed, updating a text to speech file associated with the current name pronunciation.

14. A menuing method for a verification and name change service operated in connection with a call waiting service in a telecommunication system processing calls between a calling party and a called party, the method comprising:

providing a first menu option to play a current name pronunciation, the current name pronunciation being provided to users of the call waiting service;

providing a second menu option to change the current name pronunciation; and

providing a third menu option to exit the service;

in response to selection of the second menu option, prompting for a spoken pronunciation;

playing back the spoken pronunciation;

offering a verification option;

detecting a verification response;

prompting for a corrected spoken pronunciation when the verification response indicates the spoken pronunciation was not verified;

determining exceptions to the current name pronunciation based on the corrected spoken pronunciation; and

storing the exceptions as an exception file.

15. A menuing method for a verification and name change service operated in connection with a call waiting service in a telecommunication system processing calls between a calling party and a called party, the method comprising:

providing a first menu option to play a current name pronunciation, the current name pronunciation being provided to users of the call waiting service;

providing a second menu option to change the current name pronunciation; and

providing a third menu option to exit the service;

detecting a user input in response to the provided menu options;

in response to selection of the third option, determining if the current name pronunciation has been changed; and

if the current name pronunciation has been changed, updating a text to speech file associated with the current name pronunciation, including

storing exceptions to the current pronunciation based on a new pronunciation in an exception file.