Voice recognition for filtering and announcing message

• US 7,136,458 B1
• Filed: 12/23/1999
• Issued: 11/14/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Nuance Communications, Inc. (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Zellner, Samuel N., Enzmann, Mark J., Moton, Jr., Robert T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tsang, Fan
• Assistant Examiner(s): Anwah, Olisa
• Application Number:
  US09/471,315
• Time in Patent Office: 2,518 Days
• Field of Search: 379/88.03, 379/88.02, 379/88.01, 379/69, 379/70, 379/88.19, 379/207.15, 379/201.07, 455/414, 704/270, 704/273, 704/275, 704/246
• US Class Current: 379/88.02
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/40 using speech recognition speech recognition per se G10L15/00
• 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

Abstract

A system and method of call-routing and caller-screening that employs voice recognition to automatically recognize a caller'"'"'s voice and then screen a caller, if appropriate; all without forcing the caller to identity himself/herself, which may be perceived as rude or offensive by some callers. Instead, a synthesized voice automatically asks the caller to identify who the caller wishes to speak with. Caller'"'"'s response to this query is used to identify the callee as well as to optionally identify the caller. Thus, the screening of the caller takes place in a manner that the caller perceives as a more natural way of telephone communication. Caller'"'"'s speech is used to generate digital voice samples therefrom and the caller'"'"'s voice samples are directly compared with other voice samples stored in a database without converting the voice samples into digital text files. Present methodology is particularly useful when it is desired to limit one or more caller'"'"'s direct access to the called party as well as to identify a caller before the called party wishes to proceed with the call. The digital call assistant system of the present invention may be implemented, for example, in a telephone company central office, in a PBX in an organization or as part of a wireless network. Subscription-based automatic caller-screening service may also be provided by a telephone service provider using the call assistant system of the present invention.

Claims

1. A method of screening a caller prior to establishing a telephone connection between the caller and a callee, the method comprising:

receiving an indication from the callee of one or more callers that are authorized to be directly connected to the callee upon calling the callee, wherein the indication includes an instruction to collect voice samples;

receiving a telephone call from a caller;

prompting the caller to speak the name of the callee;

receiving a voice sample from the caller;

determining the callee from analysis of the voice sample wherein the callee is a person, and wherein the telephone call is directed to a telephone terminal for the callee for the purpose of speaking to the callee;

identifying the caller by analyzing the voice sample of the caller received when the caller speaks the name of the callee without asking the caller to self identify, wherein the identifying comprises;

obtaining a prior voice recording of the caller'"'"'s voice; and

analyzing the voice sample by using the prior voice recording; and

screening the telephone call based on an identity of the caller and based on a predefined authorization established by the callee stored in a digital call assistant.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein prompting the caller to speak the name of the callee is done using a synthesized voice.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the name of the callee includes receiving electrical audio signals representing the name of the callee as spoken by the caller.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising creating a database containing multiple sets of digital voice samples, wherein each set within the multiple sets contains at least one digital voice sample for a different one of a plurality of callers.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein identifying the caller includes:

creating a test set of voice samples from the voice of the caller received when the caller speaks the name of the callee; and

individually comparing the test set of voice samples with the each set of voice samples in the database to identify whether the caller is one of the plurality of callers.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising routing the telephone call to a message recording system if the callee is unable to receive the telephone call.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising creating a database containing a plurality of digital text files, wherein each of the plurality of digital text files contains identification information for a different one of a plurality of callees.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the each of the plurality of digital text files is in ASCII format, and wherein the identification information includes the name of the callee.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the identification information further includes a telephone extension number for the callee.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying the caller includes:

converting the name of the callee as spoken by the caller into a test digital text file; and

individually comparing the test digital text file with the each of the plurality of digital text files in the database to identify the callee.

19. The method of claim 1 further comprising routing the telephone call to the telephone terminal for the callee in response to determining that the first voice sample is a statistical allowable match to the second voice sample and the caller is authorized by the callee to directly connect to the callee.

20. The method of claim 1 further comprising routing the telephone call to a message recording system if the first voice sample is a statistical allowable match to the second voice sample and the caller is not authorized by the callee to directly connect to the callee.

21. The method of claim 1 further comprising disconnecting the telephone call in response to the digital assistant determining that the first voice sample does not match the second voice sample.

22. The method of claim 1, wherein the digital call assistant resides in the telephone terminal for the callee.

23. The method of claim 1, wherein the digital call assistant resides in a wireless device for the callee.

24. The method of claim 1, wherein obtaining a prior voice recording of the caller'"'"'s voice occurs during a previous telephone call from the caller.

25. The method of claim 1, wherein screening comprises:

routing the telephone call to the callee;

after ending the telephone call by the callee, maintaining the telephone call with the caller; and

providing interaction with the callee.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the interaction comprises obtaining the prior voice recording.

27. The method of claim 1, wherein the screening comprises routing the telephone call to the callee;

wherein the method further comprises;

after termination of the telephone call by the callee, maintaining the telephone call with the caller; and

providing interaction with the caller.

28. The method of claim 1, wherein the screening comprises routing the telephone call to the callee, and wherein the method further comprises the callee accepting the telephone call.

29. The method of claim 1, wherein the screening comprises routing the telephone call to the callee, and wherein the method further comprises the callee rejecting the telephone call.

30. The method of claim 1, wherein the screening comprises routing the telephone call to the callee, and wherein the method further comprises the callee allowing the telephone call to be routed to a message recording system.

31. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting the identity of the caller via an intercom associated with the telephone terminal for the callee.

32. The method of claim 1, wherein obtaining the prior voice recording of the caller'"'"'s voice occurs during an in-progress telephone call from the caller.

33. The method of claim 1, wherein the digital call assistant resides in a message recording system for the callee.

11. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions stored thereon which, when executed by a computer, will cause the computer to perform a method of screening a caller prior to establishing a telephone connection between the caller and a callee, the method comprising:

receiving an indication from the callee of one or more callers that are authorized to be directly connected to the callee upon calling the callee;

receiving a telephone call from a caller;

prompting the caller to speak the name of the callee;

receiving a voice sample from the caller

determining the callee from analysis of the voice sample, wherein the callee is a person and wherein the telephone call is directed to a telephone terminal for the callee for the purpose of speaking to the callee;

identifying the caller by analyzing the voice sample of the caller received when the caller speaks the name of the callee without asking the caller to self identify, wherein the identifying comprises;

obtaining a prior voice recording of the caller'"'"'s voice; and

analyzing the voice sample by using the prior voice recording; and

screening the telephone call based on an identity of the caller and based on a predefined authorization established by the callee stored in a digital call assistant.

12. The computer-readable medium of claim 11, further comprising creating a database containing multiple sets of digital voice samples, wherein each set within the multiple sets contains at least one digital voice sample for a different one of a plurality of callers.

13. The computer-readable medium of claim 11, further comprising routing the telephone call to a message recording system if the callee is unable to receive the telephone call.

14. The computer-readable medium of claim 11, further comprising creating a database containing a plurality of digital text files, wherein each of the plurality of digital text files contains identification information for a different one of a plurality of callees.

15. A system for screening a caller prior to establishing a telephone connection between the caller and a callee, comprising:

a voice recognition means operative to;

receive an indication from the callee of one or more callers that are authorized to be directly connected to the callee upon calling the callee, wherein the indication includes an instruction to collect voice samples;

receive a telephone call from a caller;

prompt the caller to speak the name of the callee;

receive a voice sample from the caller

determine the callee from analysis of the voice sample, wherein the callee is a person and wherein the telephone call is directed to a telephone terminal for the callee for the purpose of speaking to the callee; and

obtain a voice recording of the caller'"'"'s voice when the caller speaks the name of the callee;

a comparator means, in communication with the voice recognition means, operative to identify the caller by analyzing the voice sample of the caller received when the caller speaks the name of the callee without asking the caller to self identify, wherein in identifying the caller the comparator means is further operative to compare the voice sample to the voice recording; and

a call screening means, in communication with the voice recognition means and the comparator means, operative to screen the telephone call based on an identity of the caller and based on a predefined authorization established by the callee stored in a digital call assistant.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the comparator means further comprises a database containing multiple sets of digital voice samples, wherein each set within the multiple sets contains at least one digital voice sample for a different one of a plurality of callers.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the call routing means is further operative to route the telephone call to a message recording system if the callee is unable to receive the telephone call.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein the comparator means further comprises a database containing a plurality of digital text files, wherein each of the plurality of digital text files contains identification information for a different one of a plurality of callees.