Telephone application programming interface-based, speech enabled automatic telephone dialer using names

• US 6,940,951 B2
• Filed: 01/23/2002
• Issued: 09/06/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 01/23/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Vlingo Corporation (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: iVoice, Inc.
• Inventors: Mahoney, Jerome R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Urban, Edward F.
• Assistant Examiner(s): CHOW, CHARLES CHIANG
• Application Number:
  US10/055,854
• Publication Number:
  US 20020097845A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,322 Days
• Field of Search: 379/88.03, 379/88.01, 379/88.04, 379/88.02, 379/88.06, 379/88.05, 379/88.07, 379/67.1, 379/133, 379/229, 379/142.01, 379/201.01, 379/354, 379/88.18, 379/88.16, 379/88.22, 379/207.02, 379/201.02, 379/212.01, 379/207.45, 379/221.09, 379/221.11, 379/428.04, 379/352, 37935501-35509, 379/355.188, 379/355, 379/428, 379/114, 379/67, 379/88, 379/142, 379/201, 379/385, 379/357, 379/428.02, 379/447, 455/563, 455/460, 455/564, 455/412.1, 455/567, 455/569.1, 455/569.2, 455/575.9, 455/422.1, 455/415, 455/418, 455/419, 455/79, 455/561, 455/554.1, 4555542-557, 455/575.1, 455/559.1, 455/413, 455/596, 455/566, 455/575, 455/151.1, 704/236, 704/255, 704/239, 704/243, 704/247, 704/266, 704/270, 704/246, 704/231, 704/258, 381/163, 381/182, 381/370, 381/375, 381/329
• US Class Current: 379/88.03
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/271 controlled by voice recognition
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/27453 Directories allowing storage of additional subscriber data, e.g. metadata
• 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

A speech enabled automatic name dialer dialing system for connection to a telephone system, includes a user computer with a computer-based address book program for retrieval of name-telephone number data for creation of speech enabling phoneme sets for auto dialing by speaking a name, and utilizing telephone application programming interface (TAPI), for use with a telephone systems having telephones with private branch exchanges. There is at least one user computer having a microphone and a speaker; a telephone application programming interface provider installed in the user computer; and at least one loaded address book program or equivalent name-telephone number data base contained in the user computer. The software for the user computer, which accesses the data base, creates the phonemes from names of data sets, receives voice inputs, matches the voice input phonemes to the data and signals to a router and PBX to initiate dialing.

Claims

1. A speech enabled automatic name dialer dialing system for connection to a telephone system, utilizing a user computer having a computer-based address book program for retrieval of name-telephone number data therefrom and for creation therefrom of speech enabling phoneme sets for auto dialing by speaking a name utilizing telephone application programming interface, for use with telephones with private branch exchanges, which consists of:

(a) at least one user computer having a microphone and a speaker;

(b) a telephone application programming interface provider in said user computer;

(c) memory within said at least one user computer for storing, managing and supporting name-telephone number data;

(d) software contained within said user computer, having at least the following functional capabilities, to be performed in sequential order;

(i) accessing said at name-telephone number data contained within said at least one user computer;

(ii) creating converted phonemes from names of said name-telephone number data;

(iii) receiving voice inputs from a microphone connected to said user computer;

(iv) matching said phonemes and said voice inputs to retrieve specific name-telephone number data from said computer-based name-telephone number data for initiating an automatic dialing thereof; and

,

(v) signaling to a router and to a private branch exchange to initiate a dialing of a telephone number and to effect a telephone call within a telephone system in response to a voice input/phoneme match; and

,

wherein said software further includes the following functional capability to be performed in sequential order;

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

,

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

2. The dialing system of claim 1 wherein said software further includes the following functional capability:

(viii.) to prompt a user to input name-telephone number data to that computer'"'"'s name-telephone number data; and

,

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

3. The dialing system of claim 1 wherein said software further includes the following software capability:

(viii.) to prompt a user to make a selection for a telephone number for a voice inputted name-telephone number match when that name contains more than one telephone number wherein said selection is prompted by audible choices to be voice inputted by a user, said audible choices selected from the group consisting of home, office, fax, cell, answering service, and combinations thereof.

4. The dialing system of claim 1 wherein said at least one user computer is connected to said router, said router is connected to a telephone application programming interface compliant private branch exchange.

5. The dialing system of claim 1 wherein said software includes the following sequence of use:

(1.) user starts-up dialer program;

(2.) speech engine start-up;

(3.) user speaks activation keyword;

(4.) program queries user for contact name;

(5.) if contact name found, if only one number, effects automatic dialing;

(6.) if contact name found with more than one number, prompts selection and, after selection is made, effects automatic dialing;

(7.) if contact name not found, dialer does not dial and awaits further input, if number found, effects automatic dialing, if not, defaults caller.

6. The dialing system of claim 5 wherein the sequences of use also includes:

8.) if contact name is not found, prompts user to create new entry of name-telephone number data.

7. The dialing system of claim 6 wherein said new entry is created by a manual input through a keyboard.

8. The dialing system of claim 6 wherein said new entry is created by voice input.

9. A speech enabled automatic name dialer dialing system for connection to a telephone system, utilizing a user computer having a computer-based address book program for retrieval of name-telephone number data therefrom and for creation therefrom of speech enabling phoneme sets for auto dialing by speaking a name utilizing telephone application programming interface, for use with telephones with private branch exchanges for automatic dialing into a telephone system, which compromises:

(a.) at least one user computer having a microphone and a speaker;

(b.) a telephone application programming interface provider installed in said user computer;

(c.) at least one loaded address book program contained in said at least one user computer;

(d.) an internal network router connected to said at least one user computer for telephone call transmittal via a private branch exchange for dialing through a telephone into a telephone system;

(e.) memory within said at least one user computer for storing said at least one loaded address book program, supporting software and name-telephone number data;

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

(i) accessing said at least one loaded address book program contained within said at least one user computer;

(ii) creating converted phonemes from names of said name-telephone number data;

(iii) receiving voice inputs from a microphone connected to said user computer;

(iv) matching said phonemes and said voice inputs to retrieve specific name-telephone number data from said computer-based name-telephone number data for initiating an automatic dialing thereof; and

,

(v) signaling to a router and to a private branch exchange to initiate a dialing of a telephone number and to effect a telephone call within a telephone system in response to a voice input/phoneme match; and

,

wherein said software further includes the following functional capability;

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

,

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

10. The dialing system of claim 9 wherein said software further includes the following functional capability:

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

,

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

11. The dialing system of claim 9 wherein said software further includes the following software capability:

(viii.) to prompt a user to make a selection for a telephone number for a voice inputted name-telephone number match when that name contains more than one telephone number wherein said selection is prompted by audible choices to be voice inputted by a user, said audible choices selected from the group consisting of home, office, fax, cell, answering service, and combinations thereof.

12. The dialing system of claim 9 wherein said at least one user computer is connected to said router, said router is connected to a telephone application programming interface compliant private branch exchange.

13. The dialing system of claim 9 wherein said software includes the following sequence of use:

(1.) user starts-up dialer program;

(2.) speech engine start-up;

(3.) user speaks activation keyword;

(4.) program queries user for contact name;

(5.) if contact name found, if only one number, effects automatic dialing;

(6.) if contact name found with more than one number, prompts selection and, after selection is made, effects automatic dialing;

(7.) if contact name not found, dialer does not dial and awaits further input, if number found, effects automatic dialing, if not, defaults caller.

14. The dialing system of claim 13 wherein the sequences of use also includes:

8.) if contact name is not found, prompts user to create new entry of name-telephone number data.

15. The dialing system of claim 14 wherein said new entry is created by a manual input through a keyboard.

16. The dialing system of claim 14 wherein said new entry is created by voice input.