Voice coordination/data retrieval facility for first responders

• US 7,889,846 B2
• Filed: 09/13/2005
• Issued: 02/15/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/13/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Pereira, Nuno D., Beard, Joshua L., Tabit, Robert S., Foss, Louis C., Som, Tapas K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Phan; Joseph T
• Application Number:
  US11/225,667
• Publication Number:
  US 20070081637A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,981 Days
• Field of Search: 379/88.01
• US Class Current: 379/88.01
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/40 using speech recognition speech recognition per se G10L15/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/2011 Service processing based on information specified by a party before or during a call, e.g. information, tone or routing selection
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5166 in combination with interactive voice response systems or voice portals, e.g. as front-ends
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/56 Arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities video conference systems H04N7/15

Abstract

Disclosed is a communication server that uses a communication mediator to conduct voice/text communication sessions between users with different communications systems through a session initiation protocol (SIP) server. The communication server uses a voice recognition system to interface with participants in communications sessions and to provide a link between the participants and the mediator. The voice recognition system monitors ongoing voice communications for keywords and verbally prompts the participants to provide additional value to the communication session. The mediator can also access and retrieve information directly from a directory or from other data sources through an intelligent data server. Based on the directory information, additional participants can be added to the communication session. The mediator can also establish a connection between the data server, the voice recognition server, and the SIP server so that data requested by participants during a session may be retrieved from the data sources.

Claims

1. A communication server comprising:

a directory comprising stored information;

a plurality of data sources comprising stored data;

a communication mediator adapted to conduct a communication session between a plurality of users having different communication systems and to access and retrieve information from said directory; and

a voice recognition system in communication with said communication mediator and adapted to monitor communications from at least one user for at least one trigger that engages said voice recognition system, wherein once engaged said voice recognition system is adapted to interface with said at least one user and to provide a communications link between said at least one user and said communication mediator;

a session initiation protocol (SIP) server adapted to initiate said communication session between said plurality of users, wherein said voice recognition system is adapted to receive an initiation request from said at least one user to initiate said communication session and to communicate said initiation request to said communication mediator and wherein said communication mediator is adapted to conduct said communication session through said SIP server; and

,

a data server in communication with said plurality of data sources, said communication mediator and said SIP server, wherein said communication mediator is adapted to coordinate communication between said users and said plurality of data sources through said data server, and wherein said data server further comprises a voice/data/text converter adapted to convert voice messages into data/text messages and data/text messages into voice messages such that a voice participant in said communication session may communicate with said data server.

2. The communication server of claim 1, wherein said voice recognition system is further adapted to transmit a request, from said user, for any of specific information and specific data contained in any of said directory and said data sources to said communication mediator and to further transmit said any of said specific information and said specific data, as retrieved from said any of said directory and said data sources by said communication mediator, back to said user.

3. The communication server of claim 1, wherein said plurality of users comprises at least one responder to an incident, and wherein said voice recognition system is further adapted to request details about said incident from said at least one responder, to review said details and, based on said review of said details, to automatically prompt said at least one responder to request any of specific information and specific data from any of said directory and said data sources.

4. The communication server of claim 3,

wherein said directory comprises a directory of potential responders, including a corresponding communication system address for each of said potential responders,

wherein said directory is organized by at least one of individual expertise and organization interests, and

wherein said specific information comprises a list, automatically complied from said directory, of suitable responders to said incident, including corresponding communication system addresses for said suitable responders, said suitable responders comprising any of organizations and individuals that have at least one of an interest in said incident and an expertise that may be of assistance in responding to said incident.

5. The communication server of claim 3, wherein said specific data comprises data records automatically complied from said data sources and associated with any of specific individuals involved in said incident and specific property involved in said incident.

6. A computer-implemented method of providing communication between different communication systems, said method comprising:

monitoring, by communications from a communication system of at least one user of a plurality of users, having a plurality of users having different communications systems, for at least one trigger;

upon detecting said at least one trigger, engaging a voice recognition system to interface with said at least one user and to provide a communication link between said at least one user and a communication mediator, wherein said communication mediator provides said at least one user with access to information stored in a directory and allows said at least one user to participate in a communication session with said plurality of users; and

during said communication session, providing said plurality of users with access to data stored in a plurality of data sources, wherein said providing comprises;

establishing communication between a session initiation protocol (SIP) server, said communication mediator and a data server, wherein said data server is in communication with said plurality of data sources;

coordinating communication between said plurality of users and said plurality of data sources through said data server using said communication mediator; and

translating voice messages to data/text messages and translating data/text messages to voice messages such that said plurality of users can verbally request and receive data during said communication session.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein said at least one user comprises a responder to an incident and wherein interfacing with said at least one user comprises:

requesting from said at least one responder details about said incident;

reviewing said details;

based on said reviewing of said details, automatically prompting said at least one responder to request any of specific information and specific data from any of said directory and said data sources; and

in response to such a request for said any of said specific information and said specific data, providing said any of said specific information and said specific data to said at least one responder.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein said at least one user comprises a responder to an incident,

wherein said directory comprises a directory of potential responders, including a communication system address for each of said potential responders,

wherein interfacing with said at least one user further comprises, based on said details, automatically identifying and communicating to said responder at least one other suitable responder to said incident from amongst said potential responders in said directory, and

wherein said at least one other suitable responder comprises one of an organization and an individual that has at least one of an interest in said incident and an expertise that may be of assistance in responding to said incident.

9. The method of claim 6, further comprising responding to an initiation request from said at least one user to initiate said communication session.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein said responding to said initiation request comprises:

initiating said communication session through a session initiation protocol (SIP) server; and

conducting said communication session.