Voice enhancing for advance intelligent network services

• US 7,317,787 B2
• Filed: 04/30/2002
• Issued: 01/08/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/21/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Nuance Communications, Inc. (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Knowledge Ventures, L.P. (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Blumenschein, Gordon Lynn, Kovarik, James Daniel, Watry, Scott Ryan, Stroud, Kenneth Robert, Crockett, Susanne Marie, Tiliks, Dianna Inara
• Primary Examiner(s): Gauthier, Gerald
• Application Number:
  US10/134,637
• Publication Number:
  US 20020168055A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,079 Days
• Field of Search: 379/88.01, 379/88.03, 379/88.21, 379/88.02, 379/88.18
• US Class Current: 379/88.03
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/40 using speech recognition speech recognition per se G10L15/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/2072 Schedules, e.g. personal calendars
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/12 intelligent networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/2218 Call detail recording
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/38 Graded-service arrangements, i.e. some subscribers prevented from establishing certain connections queuing arrangements H04Q3/64
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42153 by subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42161 via computer interface
• 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 3/54 Arrangements for diverting calls for one subscriber to another predetermined subscriber based on the calling party profile H04M3/42059; based on location H04M3/42348; based on presence H04M3/42365; to voice mail H04M3/53308
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0033 Notification or handling of incoming calls by a computer
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/126 Interworking of session control protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/1285 Details of finding and selecting a gateway for a particular call
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/1295 Details of dual tone multiple frequency signalling

Abstract

A service includes verbally editing at least one parameter of a subscriber'"'"'s advanced intelligent network (AIN) service using speech recognition functionality of an intelligent peripheral. A call is received from the subscriber at a switch, including a dialed number for editing the AIN service. A connection is established with the intelligent peripheral in response to the dialed number. Call service data, including the parameter, is retrieved from a database. The intelligent peripheral plays a voice announcement identifying the parameter to the subscriber, receives a voice instruction from the subscriber in response to the voice announcement and translates the voice instruction into digital command data relating to a change to the parameter. The digital command data and the change to the parameter are stored in the database for near real-time implementation. The intelligent peripheral and the database are likewise accessible by the subscriber through a packet switched data network.

Claims

1. A method for verbally editing at least one parameter of a telephony service of a subscriber using speech recognition functionality residing on an intelligent peripheral, the at least one parameter being stored in association with an account of the subscriber, the method comprising:

receiving a call from the subscriber at a switch, the call comprising at least a dialed number associated with verbally editing the telephony service, and establishing a connection with the intelligent peripheral in response to the dialed number, the intelligent peripheral comprising an interactive voice response platform configured for speech recognition functionality;

retrieving call service data of the subscriber account from a database, the call service data comprising the at least one parameter;

playing a voice announcement to the subscriber, the voice announcement identifying the at least one parameter;

receiving at the intelligent peripheral a voice instruction from the subscriber in response to the voice announcement;

translating the voice instruction into digital command data relating to a change to the at least one parameter;

storing the digital command data and the change to the at least one parameter; and

implementing in near real-time the change to the at least one parameter.

2. The method according to claim 1, in which establishing the connection with the intelligent peripheral in response to the dialed number comprises suspending the call at the switch and establishing a temporary connection between the switch and the intelligent peripheral using a first interface protocol.

3. The method according to claim 2, in which retrieving the call service data of the subscriber account from the database comprises establishing a connection between the intelligent peripheral and a service control point using a second interface protocol and retrieving the call service data from a service control point database.

4. The method according to claim 3, in which implementing the change to the at least one parameter comprises transmiffing the change from the intelligent peripheral to the service control point via the second interface protocol connection, storing the change in the service control point database, and implementing the change in response to a trigger activating the telephony service.

5. The method according to claim 4, in which the first interface protocol comprises a GR-1129 interface protocol and the second interface comprises an SR-3511 interface protocol.

6. The method according to claim 1, in which establishing the connection with the intelligent peripheral in response to the dialed number comprises routing the call from the switch to the intelligent peripheral.

7. The method according to claim 1, in which the dialed number comprises one of a toll free number and a star code.

8. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

establishing a connection between a graphical user interface of the subscriber and the intelligent peripheral through a web server in a packet switching network;

establishing a connection between the intelligent peripheral and the database; and

retrieving the call service data of the subscriber account from the database, the call service data comprising the change to the at least one parameter, and displaying the call service data at the graphical user interface.

9. A method for accessing an account of a subscriber in a database relating to an intelligent telecommunications service in a public switched telephone network, the method comprising:

receiving calling data at a switch, the calling data being associated with a call initiated by the subscriber, the calling data comprising at least one dialed number associated with accessing and verbally modifying the telecommunications service;

querying a service control point based on at least the dialed number;

establishing a connection with a service node/intelligent peripheral based on an instruction received from the service control point in response to the query, enabling a speech recognition function of the service node/intelligent peripheral;

playing a first voice announcement at the service node/intelligent peripheral requesting identification information relating to the subscriber account;

receiving a first voice response from the subscriber providing the requested identification information;

translating the first voice response into digital identification data and verifying the subscriber based on the digital identification data;

establishing a connection between the service node/intelligent peripheral and the service database and retrieving call service data from the subscriber account;

playing a second voice announcement at the intelligent peripheral based on the retrieved call service data;

receiving a second voice response from the subscriber relating to a modification to the call service data;

translating the second voice response into digital instruction data and updating the call service data based on the modification and sending the updated call service data to the service database in near real-time; and

storing the updated call service data for immediate implementation in the service database.

10. The method for accessing a subscriber account according to claim 9, in which verifying the digital identification data comprises comparing the digital identification data to previously stored voice data of the subscriber.

11. The method for accessing a subscriber account according to claim 9, wherein establishing the connection with the telecommunications service node/intelligent peripheral comprises suspending the call at the switch and forming a temporary connection between the switch and the service node/intelligent peripheral using a GR-1129 interface protocol;

and

wherein establishing the connection between the service node/intelligent peripheral and the service database comprises forming a connection between the service node/intelligent peripheral and the service control point using an SR-3511 interface protocol.

12. A system for verbally editing at least one parameter of a network service of a subscriber in a public switched telephone network (PSTN) using speech commands, the at least one parameter being stored in association with an account of the subscriber, the system comprising:

an intelligent peripheral, including speech recognition functionality, that is accessible by the subscriber through the PSTN and a packet network;

a switch that receives a call from the subscriber and establishes a connection with the intelligent peripheral based on at least a dialed number of the call, the dialed number being associated with verbally editing the network service; and

a network service database that stores call service data in relation to the subscriber account, the call service data comprising the at least one parameter;

wherein the intelligent peripheral retrieves the at least one parameter from the network service database, plays a voice announcement to the subscriber relating to the at least one parameter, receives a voice instruction from the subscriber in response to the voice announcement relating to a change to the at least one parameter, translates the voice instruction into digital command data, and edits the at least one parameter in accordance with the digital command data; and

wherein in the network service database stores at least the edited parameter in association with the subscriber account in near real-time for immediate implementation in the PSTN.

13. The system according to claim 12, in which the switch establishes the connection with the intelligent peripheral by suspending the call and establishing a temporary connection between the switch and the service intelligent peripheral using a first interface protocol.

14. The system according to claim 13, further comprising a service control point, comprising the network service database, wherein the intelligent peripheral retrieves the at least one parameter from the network service database by connecting to the service control point using a second interface protocol and retrieving the at least on parameter from a service control point database.

15. The system according to claim 14, wherein the service control point receives the edited parameter from the intelligent peripheral via the second interface protocol connection, stores the edited parameter in the network service database, and implements the edited parameter in response to a trigger activating the network service.

16. The system according to claim 12, in which the switch establishes the connection with the intelligent peripheral by routing the call to the intelligent peripheral, in response to the dialed number, based on one of an internal routing translation and an instruction from a service control point.

17. A system for accessing an account of a subscriber, relating to a network service in a public switched telephone network, the system comprising:

a switch that receives calling data relating to a call from the subscriber at a terminal, the calling data comprising at least one dialed number for verbally editing at least a portion of the network service;

a service control point that receives a query from the switch based on at least the dialed number;

a service database that stores service data in relation to the subscriber account, the service data comprising identification data and call service data; and

a service node/intelligent peripheral that is connected to the subscriber terminal by the switch based on an instruction from the service control point in response to the query, enabling speech recognition functionality, the service node/intelligent peripheral receiving the service data from the service database;

wherein the service node/intelligent peripheral receives a first voice input from the subscriber terminal, in response to a first voice prompt, providing identification information, translates the first voice input into digital identification data, and verifies the subscriber based on comparing the digital identification data with the stored identification data;

wherein the service node/intelligent peripheral receives a second voice input from the subscriber terminal, in response to a second voice prompt, relating to a modification to the service data, translates the second voice response into digital instruction data, updates the service data based on the digital instruction data, and sends the updated service data to the service database, which stores the updated service data for implementation by the service control point.

18. The system for accessing a subscriber account according to claim 17, further comprising:

a web server in a packet switching network connectable to a graphical user interface of the subscriber and the service node/intelligent peripheral;

wherein the service node/intelligent peripheral receives the digital identification data relating to the subscriber account from the subscriber through the graphical user interface, retrieves the updated service data from the subscriber account in the service database, and displays the retrieved data on the graphical user interface.

19. A tangible computer readable medium for storing a computer program, executable by a computer, that enables editing at least one parameter of a communications network service of a subscriber, using speech recognition functionality residing on an intelligent peripheral, the at least one parameter being stored in association with an account of the subscriber, the computer readable medium comprising:

a connecting code segment for establishing a connection between the intelligent peripheral and a switch that receives a call from the subscriber, the call comprising at least a dialed number for verbally editing the service, the intelligent peripheral comprising an interactive voice response platform, configured to respond to speech input, and being accessible by the subscriber through a web server in a packet switching network;

a retrieving code segment for retrieving call service data relating to the subscriber account from a database, the call service data comprising the at least one parameter;

a speech recognizing code segment for providing a voice announcement to the subscriber identifying the at least one parameter, for receiving a voice instruction from the subscriber in response to the voice announcement and for translating the voice instruction into digital command data relating to a change to the at least one parameter; and

a storing code segment for storing the digital command data relating to the change to the at least one parameter in the database, the change to the at least one parameter being implemented in near real-time.

20. The computer readable medium according to claim 19, in which the connecting code segment establishes the connection by suspending the call at the switch and establishing a temporary connection between the switch and the intelligent peripheral using a GR-1129 interface protocol.

21. The computer readable medium according to claim 20, in which the retrieving code segment retrieves the call service data of the subscriber account from the database by establishing a connection between the intelligent peripheral and a service control point in a public switched telephone network using an SR-3511 interface protocol.

22. The computer readable medium according to claim 19, in which the connecting code segment establishes the connection in response to the dialed number by routing the call from the switch to the intelligent peripheral.

23. A tangible computer readable medium for storing at least one computer program, executable by a computer, that accesses an account of a user for a service in a public switched telephone network, the at least one computer readable medium comprising:

a receiving code segment for receiving calling data at a switch, the calling data being associated with a call initiated by the user and relating to the service, the calling data comprising at least one dialed number associated with modifying the service using speech input;

a querying code segment for querying a service control point based on at least the dialed number;

a connecting code segment for establishing a connection with a service node/intelligent peripheral based on an instruction received from the service control point in response to the query;

a first speech recognizing code segment for receiving a first voice input at the service node/intelligent peripheral from the user terminal in response to a first automated voice prompt, the first voice input providing identification information;

for translating the first voice input into digital identification data; and

for verifying the user based on comparing the digital identification data with previously stored identification data;

a second speech recognizing code segment for receiving a second voice input at the service node/intelligent peripheral from the user terminal in response to a second automated voice prompt, the second voice input relating to a modification of previously stored service data;

for translating the second voice response into digital instruction data; and

for updating the service data based on the digital instruction data; and

a memory for storing the updated service data for implementation by the service control point.