Non-voice completion of voice calls

• US 20020159572A1
• Filed: 04/30/2001
• Published: 10/31/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mavenir Ltd. (Mavenir Group Holdings Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Comverse Limited (Mavenir Group Holdings Ltd.)
• Inventors: Fostick, Gideon
• Granted Patent: US 7,133,504 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/88.14
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/066 Format adaptation, e.g. format conversion or compression
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/58 Message adaptation for wireless communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/60 Medium conversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/2016 Call initiation by network rather than by subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/4509 Unified messaging with single point of access to voicemail and other mail or messaging systems unified messaging in packet switching networks H04L51/56
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/4536 Voicemail combined with text-based messaging
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5322 for recording text messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/53341 Message reply
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/53391 dependent on calling party
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/567 Multimedia conference systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements

Abstract

The present invention relates to a system for allowing a caller to leave a voice message for a called party, who is unavailable, such that the voice message is transferred to the called party in a non-voice format. The present invention enables the user to automatically receive these voice messages via SMS or any other platform to any communications device, and to forward the message to any chosen communications device. In addition, the present invention enables a user to reply to an original caller, with a voice message, which can be instantaneously received by the original caller in a non-voice format. The present invention enables both automatic voice-to-text conversion and media switching, whereby the calling party leaves the message in voice format, and the message is converted and transferred to text format on the fly, in order to be instantaneously transferred to a message receiver to his/her chosen device. The present invention also includes the option of choosing a textual message, from an existing pre-configured list, via a voice/IVR interface.

Claims

1. A system for sending a voice message to a called party, such that the message is received by the called party in a non-voice format, comprising:

i. a Call Answering System (CAS) for processing and handling the voice message; and

ii. an Automatic Voice Recognition Server (AVRS) for converting the voice message sent to said CAS to a non-voice format, and transferring said converted message to said CAS.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said CAS is operatively connected to at least one communication interface selected from the group consisting of an e-mail interface, IM interface, SMS interface and Fax interface.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein said CAS is operative to transmit a converted message to at least one of a plurality of communications devices selected from the group consisting of Fax enabled devices, e-Mail enabled devices, Instant Messaging enabled devices, and SMS enabled devices.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein said CAS is operative to affect an automatic translation of a voice message into text, and to automatically transfer said text to a user as at least one SMS message.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein said CAS and said AVRS further enable the replying to the voice message by a voice message, such that said voice message reply is converted to a non-voice format, and transferred in said non-voice format to a subscriber.

6. A system for enabling a calling party to use voice narration to send at least one short message service (SMS) message to a wireless communications device, comprising:

i. a voice-enabled communications device for composing a voice message;

ii. a call answering system (CAS) for processing and handling said message; and

iii. an Automatic Voice Recognition Server for converting said message to text, and transferring said text to said CAS.

7. A system for enabling a message receiver to reply to a message by sending at least one short message service (SMS) message, such that the SMS message is composed using voice via a voice-enabled communications device, comprising:

i. a communications device with voice transmission capability, for composing a voice message;

ii. a call answering system (CAS) for processing and handling said voice message;

iii. an Automatic Voice Recognition Server for converting said voice message to text, and transferring said text to said CAS; and

iv. a SMS application tool for converting said text to a SMS compatible message.a

8. The system of claim 7, wherein said composing a message is performed by using a composing mechanism selected from the group consisting of:

choosing a pre-recorded message, selecting and adding to a pre-recorded message, such that a part of said prepared message is taken from said pre-recorded message, and at least one additional part of said composed message is chosen by said CGP, and composing a message by speech.

9. A method for automatically completing a voice call via non-voice medium, comprising:

preparing a textual message from a voice message; and

vi. transmitting said text message to a communications deviceby a Call Answering System (CAS).

10. The method of claim 9, wherein said preparing of said textual message includes using at least one previously recorded message.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein said preparing of said textual message includes selecting and adding to a pre-recorded message, such that a part of said prepared message is taken from said pre-recorded message, and at least one additional part of said composed message is chosen by said CGP.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein said textual format message is delived as a SMS message to said user.

12. A method for switching a message medium from voice to text, within the course of a calling party'"'"'s deposit process, comprising:

a. converting a voice message to a text format using an Automatic Voice Recognition Server, such that said voice message is converted before having entered a voice mail box; and

b. transmitting said text message to a destination communications device.

13. A method for receiving voice-messages in non-voice format, comprising:

i. receiving a voice message, by a Call Answering System (CAS);

ii. converting said voice message into a textual format, by an Automatic Voice Recognition Server (AVRS); and

iii. transfering of said textual formatt message, by said CAS, to a user.

15. A system for receiving a voice message from a calling party, such that the message is received in a non-voice format, comprising:

i. a Call Answering System (CAS) for processing and handling the voice message; and

ii. an Automatic Voice Recognition Server (AVRS) for converting the voice message sent to said CAS to a non-voice format, and transferring said converted message to said CAS.