Variable data voice survey and recipient voice message capture system

• US 7,382,867 B2
• Filed: 04/16/2007
• Issued: 06/03/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/13/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Extended Data Solutions, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Extended Data Solutions, Inc.
• Inventors: Smith, Scott R., O'Hara, James E., Kipp, Brian C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gauthier; Gerald
• Application Number:
  US11/735,863
• Publication Number:
  US 20070201630A1
• Time in Patent Office: 414 Days
• Field of Search: 379/88.04, 379/88.17, 704/251
• US Class Current: 379/88.04
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/64 Hybrid switching systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/64 Automatic arrangements for answering calls; Automatic arrangements for recording messages for absent subscribers; Arrangements for recording conversations centralised dictation systems H04M11/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/645 with speech synthesis
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/00 Telephonic communication systems specially adapted for combination with other electrical systems

Abstract

Personalized voice survey delivery systems and methods in which a computer identifies a person to be surveyed, including his or her phone number or Internet login to a specific website, or email address, together with specific identifiers for the person, such as the person'"'"'s name. The person'"'"'s phone number is dialed and when the call is answered, the computer concatenates the files having the digitized identifiers such as the person'"'"'s name, with the file that is the standard message to be delivered as the initial survey content. Computer-generated personalized voice messages are created by concatenating data files of audio that were pre-recorded in the voice of an individual whose live voice is to be simulated during the delivery of the voice survey. The audio signal that is produced from the concatenated data files, one of which is a pre-recorded voice phrase corresponding to the identifier, another of which is a standard message, the resultant audio message sent to the called number sounds as if the calling party is the political office holder, celebrity, or candidate, addressing the called party directly, as if during a live telephone survey by the political office holder, celebrity, or candidate. The event of the person logging into a specific website or clicking a link in an email can be substituted for dialing the person'"'"'s phone number.

Claims

1. A method of automatically delivering an audio survey to a first person in a voice of a second person by concatenating digital files, a content of which are digital representations of the second person'"'"'s voice, such that an audio signal is produced from the concatenated files, which is substantially identical to the second person speaking to the first person, the method comprising:

obtaining at least one identifier and a phone number of a first person;

obtaining a first data file the contents of which is a digitization of the second person speaking a recorded voice message relating to the identifier of the first person;

automatically originating a telephone call to a called number from a computer, the called number comprising the phone number of the first person, wherein automatically originating the telephone call from the computer includes originating a plurality of calls to a plurality of phone numbers substantially simultaneously;

detecting the telephone call answered by the first person;

transmitting an analog signal generated to the called number by concatenating the first data file with a second recorded voice message data file and generating an audio signal therefrom as a concatenated data file comprising a digitization of a voice message to be conveyed to the first person, the concatenated data file comprising digitized speech of the second person such that the audio signal generated from the concatenated file being substantially identical to the second person'"'"'s voice directed to the first person, wherein the step of transmitting to the called number includes the step of transmitting the analog signal to the plurality of the called numbers that are answered;

receiving a first person indicated specific response to the concatenated data file comprising the digitization of the voice message;

transmitting a further concatenated data file by concatenating the first data file with a third recorded voice message data file and generating an audio signal therefrom as a voice message to be conveyed to the first person providing an additional personalized voice message based on the first person indicated specific response; and

recording the first person speaking a message responsive to a prompt therefore, the messages which are recorded by computer being available for review by a third party.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving a first person indicated specific response comprises a first person user interface input by pressing buttons on the telephone key pad, voice command input or first person device input interface.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein additional personalized voice messages are transmitted in the form of survey questions based on the specific responses indicated by the first person following each question, including a step of concatenating a digitized speech file that represents the second person enunciating a phrase which corresponds to each unique response.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein additional personalized voice messages are transmitted in the form of survey questions based on the specific responses indicated by the first person following each question, including a step of concatenating a digitized speech file that represents a third person enunciating a phrase which corresponds to each unique response.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein first person indicates a specific response by pressing a button on the telephone key pad or other interface and speaks a message which is recorded by a computer.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the messages which are recorded by each first person are later made available for review by a third party, wherein the messages are subsequently forwarded to the third party via a telephone broadcast voice message.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the messages which are recorded by each first person are later made available for review by a third party, wherein the messages are posted to a website and can be played on the third party'"'"'s computer.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of obtaining at least one identifier of a first person includes a step of obtaining a person'"'"'s name from a data base, wherein the identifier is a reoccurring identifier for a plurality of persons.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the step of determining a name includes a step of determining the name to be a common first name or a common surname.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the identifier is at least one of:

a common name;

a demographic characteristic;

a political party affiliation or membership;

affiliation with a particular religion;

a voting history;

a geographic area;

an affiliation with or to an organization, corporation or group;

a purchase of a particular product or service;

an affiliation as a constituent to a sitting political office holder; and

a known interest or hobby.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of generating an analog signal by a computer, includes the step of:

concatenating data files of digitized speech according to predetermined rules on how the identifier should be rendered as speech of the second person.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of, transmitting to the called number, an analog signal generated by a computer from at least first and second concatenated data files, includes a step of concatenating a digitized speech file that represents the second person enunciating a salutation.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein the second and third recorded voice message data files comprise a multiplicity of data files, each of which produces a different audio signal that conveys different content.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein automatically originating a telephone call includes originating a plurality of calls to a plurality of phone numbers substantially simultaneously and wherein the step of transmitting to the called number, an analog signal includes the step of transmitting the analog signal to a plurality of the called numbers that answered.

15. The method of claim 1 wherein the second person is a candidate for political office.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein at least one of a first and second concatenated data files is a digitization of a political message, spoken by a political candidate, such that the audio electrical signal produced at the called phone number by the concatenated data files replicates a voice of the political candidate speaking to the first person.

17. The method of claim 15 wherein at least one of the first and second concatenated data files is a digitization of a political message spoken using a voice that is substantially identical to the voice of a political candidate such that the audio electrical signal produced at the called phone number by the concatenated data files substantially replicates the voice of the political candidate, speaking to the first person.

18. The method of claim 16 wherein at least one of the first and second concatenated data files is a digitization of a commercial message spoken using a voice that is substantially identical to a voice of the celebrity such that the audio electrical signal produced at the called phone number by the concatenated data files substantially replicates the voice of the celebrity, speaking to the first person.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of a first and second concatenated data files is a digitization of a commercial message, spoken by the celebrity, such that the audio electrical signal produced at the called phone number by the concatenated data files replicates a voice of the celebrity speaking to the first person.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein a first data base of persons is a data base of voters or prospective customers.

21. The method of claim 1, wherein said analog signal is generated from the digitization of the voice message by concatenating the first data file and the second data file and generating the audio signal from the concatenated data files substantially identical to the second person, the speech of the second person representing an individual, celebrity, political office holder, or candidate addressing the first person directly in a live call delivered in its entirety as a single personalized, life-like telephone survey.

22. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of automatically originating a telephone call includes placing a telephone call using cellular or other wireless communication service.

23. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of automatically originating a telephone call includes a step of placing a telephone call using Voice Over Internet Protocol.

24. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of automatically originating a telephone call includes determining a time of day when a telephone call is expected to be directed to a voice recording device.

25. An apparatus for delivering a variable data voice survey to a first person in the voice of a second person and allowing the first person to indicate a specific response by pressing a button on the telephone key pad or other interface and allowing the first person to speak a message which is recorded by a computer comprising:

a computer that is operatively coupled to;

a) a first data base having identifying characteristics of at least a first person and a phone number associated with the first person comprising common identifiers of each person to be called;

b) a second data base of recorded voice phrases comprising digital audio files, each digital audio file being a digitization of the second person speaking phrases associated with the identifying characteristics of the first person wherein common identifiers of the first data base are matched with the recorded voice phrases, each of which is a digitization of the individual speaking content corresponding to the common identifiers;

c) a communication network;

d) a third data base, storing at least one second audio file, which is a digitization of a voice message, spoken by the second person; and

e) a forth data base, storing at least one third audio file, which is a digitization of a voice message, spoken by the second person, or a third person, corresponding to each unique response;

f) a fifth data base, storing the key press responses;

g) a sixth data base storing the recorded voice messages of each recipient;

h) memory, storing computer program instructions, which when they are executed, cause the computer to;

i) determine if there is a digitization of the phrases associated with the identifying characteristics of the first person;

ii) if there is a digitization of the phrases associated with the identifying characteristics of the first person, then concatenate the first digital audio file with the second audio file;

iii) generating a voice message from the first digital audio file and the second audio file to produce a voice message that sounds as if it is spoken by the second person and addressing the first person directly;

iv) at the conclusion of the voice message, the first person indicating specific responses by pressing a button on the telephone key pad or other interface

v) generating a subsequent voice message from the first digital audio file and the second audio file and the third audio file to produce a voice message that sounds as if it is spoken by the second person and addressing the first person directly, including the identifying characteristics of the response;

vi) at the conclusion of all subsequent voice messages, the first person indicating a specific response by pressing a button on the telephone key pad or other interface, and speaking a message which is recorded by a computer;

vii) storing the key press responses of each first person in a fifth database;

viii) storing the voice messages recorded by each first person in a sixth database and subsequently providing access to the recorded messages for review by a third party.

26. A method of automatically delivering an audio survey to a first person in a voice of a second person by concatenating digital files, a content of which are digital representations of the second person'"'"'s voice, such that an audio signal is produced from the concatenated files, which is substantially identical to the second person speaking to the first person, the method comprising:

obtaining at least one identifier of a first person from a data base;

obtaining a phone number for the first person from a data base;

obtaining from a data base, a first data file, the contents of which is a digitization of the second person speaking a recorded voice message relating to the identifier of the first person;

automatically originating a telephone call from a computer, to a called number at the phone number for the first person;

detecting by a computer, the telephone call as being answered;

after the telephone call is answered, transmitting to the called number, an analog signal generated by a computer, by concatenating the first data file and a second recorded voice message file and generating an audio signal from the concatenated data files, the second data file being a digitization of a voice message to be conveyed to the first person, the concatenated data files being digitized speech of the second person such that the audio signal generated from the concatenated files is substantially identical to the second person'"'"'s voice directed to the first person, wherein automatically originating a telephone call from a computer includes originating a plurality of calls to a plurality of phone numbers substantially simultaneously and wherein the step of transmitting to the called number, an analog signal includes the step of transmitting the analog signal to a plurality of the called numbers that answered;

at the conclusion of the voice message, the first person indicates a specific response to the voice message by pressing buttons on the telephone key pad or other interface;

based on the responses of the first person, additional personalized voice messages are transmitted which are substantially identical to the second person speaking to the first person, based on the specific responses indicated by the first person;

upon indicating a specific response by pressing a button on the telephone key pad or other interface, the first person speaks a message which is recorded by a computer; and

recording messages by each first person and making the recorded messages available for review by a third party.

27. A method of automatically delivering an audio survey to a first person in a voice of a second person by concatenating digital files, a content of which are digital representations of the second person'"'"'s voice, such that an audio signal is produced from the concatenated files, which is substantially identical to the second person speaking to the first person, the method comprising:

obtaining a first data file the contents of which is a digitization of the second person speaking a recorded voice message relating to the identifier of the first person;

automatically originating a transmission from a computer;

generating an analog signal to the first person by concatenating the first data file with a second recorded voice message data file and generating an audio signal therefrom as a concatenated data file comprising a digitization of a voice message to be conveyed to the first person, the concatenated data file comprising digitized speech of the second person such that the audio signal generated from the concatenated file being substantially identical to the second person'"'"'s voice directed to the first person;

receiving a first person indicated specific response to the concatenated data file comprising the digitization of the voice message; and

transmitting a further concatenated data file by concatenating the first data file with a third recorded voice message data file and generating an audio signal therefrom as a voice message to be conveyed to the first person providing an additional personalized voice message based on the first person indicated specific response.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the receiving a first person indicated specific response comprises a first person user interface input by clicking input on a web site via first person device input interface, upon clicking a link to indicate they will take the survey via the Internet from the website to the first person'"'"'s computer.

29. The method of claim 27, comprising recording the first person speaking a message responsive to a prompt therefor, the messages which are recorded by computer being available for review by a third party.

30. The method of claim 27, wherein the generating an analog signal to the first person comprises a call placed by Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP) upon clicking a link, taking the survey via the Internet from the website to the first person'"'"'s computer.