Speech enabled, automatic telephone dialer using names, including seamless interface with computer-based address book programs, for telephones without private branch exchanges

• US 6,671,354 B2
• Filed: 02/28/2001
• Issued: 12/30/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 01/23/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Nuance Communications, Inc. (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Ivoice Com Incorporated
• Inventors: Mahoney, Jerome R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tsang, Fan
• Assistant Examiner(s): Phan, Joseph T
• Application Number:
  US09/795,582
• Publication Number:
  US 20020118803A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,035 Days
• Field of Search: 379/88-1-, 379/88.17, 379/355.01, 704/246, 704/251, 704/270, 704/270.1
• US Class Current: 379/88.03
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/271 controlled by voice recognition
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2745 using static electronic memories, e.g. chips
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/40 using speech recognition speech recognition per se G10L15/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/203 composed of PSTN and data network, e.g. the Internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4931 Directory assistance systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0015 First party call control architectures

Abstract

The present invention a speech enabled automatic telephone dialer device uses a spoken name corresponding to name-telephone number data. User telephones are connected to a public service telephony mechanism. The telephony mechanism and user computer workstations containing loaded address book programs with name-telephone number data, are connected to the name dialer device. The name dialer device includes a host computer in a network; a telephony board for controlling the telephony mechanism for dialing; memory within the host computer for storing software and name-telephone number data; and, software to access computer-based address book programs, to receive voice inputs from the telephony mechanism, to create converted phonemes from names to match voice inputs with specific name-telephone number data from the computer-based address book programs for initiating an automatic dialing. In other embodiments, there is no host computer or computer network, and a stand alone computer system with the aforesaid features is described.

Claims

1. A speech enabled automatic name dialing system for connection to a plurality of computer workstations having computer-based address book programs, for retrieval of name-telephone number data therefrom and for creation therefrom of speech enabling phoneme sets for auto dialing by speaking a name, for use with telephones without private branch exchanges, which comprises:

(a.) at least one host computer to perform as a central host server in a network;

(b.) workstation connector means for connection to said plurality of user computer workstations having loaded address book programs, said workstations connector means being connected to said at least one host computer, wherein said workstation connector means is selected from LAN connection, WAN connection, internet connection and combinations thereof;

(c.) a telephony board connected to said at least one host computer for controlling a telephony mechanism without a private branch exchange for dialing;

(d.) memory within said host computer for storing software and name-telephone number data;

(e.) said software contained within said host computer, having at least the following functional capabilities;

(i.) accessing said computer-based address book programs contained within said user computer workstations via said workstation connector means;

wherein said software interfaces with said programs owned by a third-party vendor;

(ii.) receiving voice inputs from a telephony mechanism without a private branch exchange, and creating converted phonemes from names of said name-telephone number data and matching said phonemes and said voice inputs to retrieve specific name-telephone number data from said computer-based address book programs for initiating an automatic dialing thereof; and

,

(iii.) signaling to a public service telephony mechanism to initiate a dialing of a telephone number in response to said voice input and said phoneme match;

said dialing is initiated by a one-step process of speaking into said telephony mechanism.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein said workstation connector means is a LAN connection.

3. The device of claim 1 wherein said workstation connector means is an internet connection.

4. The device of claim 1 wherein said software further includes the following functional capability:

(iv.) to prompt a user to take a predescribed action if a voice inputted name does not match available name-telephone number data.

5. The device of claim 4 wherein said software further includes the following functional capability:

(v.) to prompt a user to speak a phone number when a voice inputted name does not match available name-telephone number data; and

,

(vi.) to convert voice inputted telephone numbers into signals for automatic dialing.

6. The device of claim 5 wherein said software further includes the following functional capability:

(vii.) to prompt a user to input name-telephone number data to that user'"'"'s workstation computer address book program; and

,

(viii.) to return to automatic dialing of the user requested name after the user has inputted said name-telephone number data.

7. The device of claim 1 wherein said connector means includes a modem.

8. A speech enabled automatic telephone dialer system, responsive to a user speaking a name corresponding to name-telephone number data of computer-based address book programs, which comprises:

(A.) said a plurality of user telephones connected to at least one public service telephony mechanism;

(B.) at least one public service telephony mechanism connected to said plurality of user telephones and connected to a telephony board of a name dialer device;

(C.) said plurality of user computer workstations connected via workstation connector means to a name dialer device, said plurality of user computer workstations having loaded address book programs with name-telephone number data included therein;

(D.) said name dialer device, including;

(a.) at least one host computer to perform as a central host server in a network;

(b.) said workstation connector means for connection to said plurality of user computer workstation having loaded address book programs, said workstation connector means being connected to said at least one host computer;

(c.) A telephony board connected to said at one host computer for controlling a public service telephony mechanism for dialing;

(d.) memory within said host computer for storing said software and name-telephone number data;

(e.) said software contained within said host computer, having at least the following functional capabilities;

(i.) accessing said computer-based address book programs contained within said user computer workstations via said workstation connector means wherein said software interfaces with said programs owned by a third-party vendor;

(ii.) receiving voice inputs from said public service telephony mechanism, and creating converted phonemes from names of name-telephone number from said address book programs and matching said phonemes and voice inputs to retrieve specific name-telephone number data from said computer-based address book programs for initiating an automatic dialing thereof; and

,

(iii.) signaling to said public service telephony mechanism to initiate a dialing of a telephone number in response to said voice input and said phoneme match;

said dialing is initiated by a one-step process of speaking into said telephony mechanism.

9. The dialer system of claim 8 wherein said workstation connector means is a LAN connection.

10. The dialer system of claim 8 wherein said workstation connector means is an internet connection.

11. The dialer system of claim 8 wherein said software further includes the following functional capability:

(iv.) to prompt a user to take a predescribed action if a voice inputted name does not match available name-telephone number data.

12. The dialer system of claim 11 wherein said software further includes the following functional capability:

(v.) to prompt a user to speak a phone number when a voice inputted name does not match available name-telephone number data; and

,

(vi.) to convert voice inputted telephone numbers into signals for automatic dialing.

13. The dialer system of claim 12 wherein said software provides for user input of previously not matched name-telephone number data to said address book program by input means selected from the group consisting of direct manual input, speech activation/speech recognition input and combinations thereof.