Answering machine detection for voice message delivery method and system

• US 7,054,419 B2
• Filed: 04/23/2001
• Issued: 05/30/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/02/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Genesys Telecommunications Laboratories Incorporated (Genesys Cloud Services Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Soundbite Communications Incorporated (Genesys Cloud Services Incorporated)
• Inventors: Culliss, Gary
• Primary Examiner(s): Hoosain, Allan
• Application Number:
  US09/839,840
• Publication Number:
  US 20020085686A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,863 Days
• Field of Search: 379/67.1, 379/70, 379/88.01, 379/88.02, 379/88.03, 379/88.04, 379/88.12, 379/88.17, 379/88.18, 379/88.19, 379/88.22, 379/88.25, 379/69, 379/201.01, 379/203.01, 379/209.01, 379/218.01, 379/214.01, 379/67
• US Class Current: 379/88.22
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/65 Recording arrangements for recording a message from the calling party in the exchange H04M3/50
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/2027 Live party detection
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/533 Voice mail systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/53333 Message receiving aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/53383 Message registering commands or announcements; Greetings

Abstract

An apparatus and method for detecting an answering machine for a new voice message delivery method and system. The invention detects the presence of an existing answering machine or voicemail system of a Recipient by listening for talk-over during playback of the message or initial prompts. The method and system will also restart playback of the prompts and/or message if talk-over is detected to ensure that the message is properly recorded on the answering machine.

Claims

1. An answering machine detection method for a voice message delivery system, comprising:

(a) placing an outbound call to a telephone line of a Recipient;

(b) detecting a telephone line pick-up;

(c) performing echo cancellation on the outbound call;

(d) playing a prompt to introduce the outbound call to a live Recipient, wherein the prompt is selected from the group consisting of “

This is a message from [Sender'"'"'s name],”

“

This is a call from [Sender'"'"'s name],” and

“

[Sender'"'"'s name] has sent you a message,”

; and

(e) determining, at a voice message sewer, that the telephone line pick-up was by an existing answering machine when talk-over occurs at the same time as at least a portion of the playing of the prompt, the talk-over comprising voice energy coming from the telephone line of the Recipient.

2. The answering machine detection method of claim 1 further comprising:

(f) waiting for silence when the telephone line pick-up was by the existing answering machine;

(g) playing a first message when the telephone line pick-up was by the existing answering machine; and

(h) playing a second message when the telephone line pick-up was by a live Recipient.

3. The answering machine detection method of claim 2 further comprising:

(i) detecting talk-over by the existing answering machine during the playing of the first message; and

(j) restarting the playing of the first message.

4. The answering machine detection method of claim 2, wherein the first message is different from the second message.

5. The answering machine detection method of claim 2 further comprising:

(k) playing at least one interactive option when the telephone line pick-up was by the live Recipient.

6. The answering machine detection method of claim 5 further comprising:

(l) playing at least one interactive reject option when the telephone line pick-up was by the live Recipient.

7. The answering machine detection method of claim 1, wherein the playing of the prompt occurs within one second of detecting the telephone line pick-up.

8. The answering machine detection method of claim 1 further comprising detecting voice energy after detecting the telephone line pick-up, and wherein the playing of the prompt occurs within one second of detecting the voice energy.

9. The answering machine detection method of claim 1 further comprising detecting voice energy and an end of that voice energy after detecting the telephone line pick-up, and wherein the playing of the prompt occurs within one second of detecting the end of the voice energy.