Realcall message delivery system with echo cancellation
First Claim
1. An automated method of delivering a recorded information message via a telephone dialing system to an automated recorder while simultaneously monitoring the recorder for echo cancellation signals, comprising the steps of:
- (a)(i) placing a telephone call to a telephone number of an answering machine, the telephone number being selected from a database of telephone numbers;
(a)(ii) detecting a signal being emitted from the answering machine;
(a)(iii) under a two tiered method, determining if the detected signal is either a continuous noise signal tone over a first time period or is a period of silence over a second time period, the first time period being different from the second time period;
(b)(i) playing the recorded information message onto the answering machine after a third time period following the first time period of the continuous noise signal tone;
(b)(ii) playing the recorded information message onto the answering machine after a fourth time period following the second time period of the period of silence;
(c) monitoring the answering machine for echo cancellation break signals while simultaneously playing the recorded message;
(d) repeating steps (a)(i) (b)(i),(b)(ii) and (c) for less than three echo cancellation break signals; and
(e) continuing to play the recorded message if there are either no echo cancellation signals or there are at least three echo cancellation break signals, wherein the method overcomes problems with premature launching of the recorded message so that the recorded message is launched closer to the time when the answering machine begins recording, and the recorded message is delivered in a nontruncated form, so that the recorded message is recorded completely by the answering machine; and
(f) repeating the above steps until at least a pass through of all the telephone numbers from the database have been called.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Interactive system for responding to conditions after an answering machine has been detected in an automatic telephone number dialing and announcing system so that realistic sounding recorded messages can be delivered without truncation. The system starts by: placing a telephone call to an answering machine; playing a recorded message onto the answering machine; monitoring the machine for echo cancellation sounds (sounds emanating from the answering machine) while simultaneously playing the message; repeating the playing of said message onto the answering machine while monitoring for echo cancellation sounds; and continuing to play the message until there are no echo cancellation sounds whereby the recorded message is launched unto the answering machine and continues playing the message to completion. If there are greater than three occurrences of echo cancellation sounds, then the system avoids further resetting steps and proceeds to play the recorded message onto the answering machine without further interruption.
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Citations
18 Claims
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1. An automated method of delivering a recorded information message via a telephone dialing system to an automated recorder while simultaneously monitoring the recorder for echo cancellation signals, comprising the steps of:
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(a)(i) placing a telephone call to a telephone number of an answering machine, the telephone number being selected from a database of telephone numbers; (a)(ii) detecting a signal being emitted from the answering machine; (a)(iii) under a two tiered method, determining if the detected signal is either a continuous noise signal tone over a first time period or is a period of silence over a second time period, the first time period being different from the second time period; (b)(i) playing the recorded information message onto the answering machine after a third time period following the first time period of the continuous noise signal tone; (b)(ii) playing the recorded information message onto the answering machine after a fourth time period following the second time period of the period of silence; (c) monitoring the answering machine for echo cancellation break signals while simultaneously playing the recorded message; (d) repeating steps (a)(i) (b)(i),(b)(ii) and (c) for less than three echo cancellation break signals; and (e) continuing to play the recorded message if there are either no echo cancellation signals or there are at least three echo cancellation break signals, wherein the method overcomes problems with premature launching of the recorded message so that the recorded message is launched closer to the time when the answering machine begins recording, and the recorded message is delivered in a nontruncated form, so that the recorded message is recorded completely by the answering machine; and (f) repeating the above steps until at least a pass through of all the telephone numbers from the database have been called. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. An automated method of delivering a recorded information message via a telephone dialing system to an automated recorder while simultaneously monitoring the recorder for echo cancellation signals, comprising the steps of:
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(a)(i) placing a telephone call to an answering machine; (a)(ii) under a two tier method, alternatively detecting for both a continuous solid tone being emitted from the answering machine over a first time period, or for a silence response from the answering machine over a second time period, wherein the first time period is different from the second time period; (b)(i) playing the recorded information message onto the answering machine, following a third time period from the first time period of the continuous solid tone; (b)(ii) playing the recorded information message onto the answering machine, following a fourth time period from the second time period of the silence response; (c) monitoring the answering machine for echo cancellation break signals while simultaneously playing the recorded message; (d) repeating steps (a)(i), (b)(i), (b)(ii) (c) for less than three echo cancellation break signals; and (e) continuing to play the recorded message if there are either no echo cancellation break signals or if there are at least three echo cancellation break signals, wherein the method overcomes problems with premature launching of the recorded message so that the recorded message is launched closer to the time when the answering machine begins recording, and wherein the recorded message is delivered in a nontruncated form, so that the recorded message is recorded completely by the answering machine. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. An automated system for delivering a recorded information message via a telephone dialing system to an automated recorder while simultaneously monitoring the recorder for echo cancellation signals, comprising:
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means placing a telephone call to an answering machine; two tier means for alternatively detecting for both a continuous solid tone being emitted from the answering machine over a first time period, or for detecting a silence response from the answering machine over a second time period, wherein the first time period is different from the second time period; first tier means for playing the recorded information message onto the answering machine after a third time period following the first time period of the continuously solid tone; second tier means for playing the recorded information message onto the answering machine after a fourth time period following the second time period of the silence response; means for continuously monitoring the answering machine for echo cancellation break signals while simultaneously playing the recorded message from the first tier means and from the second tier means; means for repeating said two tier means, said first tier means and said second tier means when there are less than three echo cancellation break signals; and means for continuing to play the recorded message if there are either no echo cancellation break signals or there are at least three echo cancellation break signals, wherein the system overcomes problems with premature launching of the recorded message so that the recorded message is launched closer to the time when the answering machine begins recording, wherein the recorded message is delivered in a nontruncated form, so that the recorded message is recorded completely by the answering machine.
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Specification