Systems and methods for multiple mode voice and data communications using intelligently bridged TDM and packet buses and methods for implementing language capabilities using the same

• US 9,037,451 B2
• Filed: 02/16/2007
• Issued: 05/19/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/25/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: RPX Corporation
• Original Assignee: RPX Corporation
• Inventors: Johnson, Christopher Sean, Pickett, Scott K.
• Primary Examiner(s): COLUCCI, MICHAEL C
• Application Number:
  US11/707,559
• Publication Number:
  US 20070239429A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,014 Days
• Field of Search: 704/208, 704/4, 704/9, 704/8, 704/275, 704/270, 704/210, 707/4, 370/463, 370/356, 379/88.22, 715/854
• US Class Current: 704/8
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/56 Natural language generation
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 13/07 Concatenation rules
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/487 Arrangements for providing information services, e.g. recorded voice services or time announcements

Abstract

A system for managing voice communications provides voice prompts in one or more particular languages or language variants. High level grammatical rules are defined for the set of voice prompts in the particular language. The grammatical rules for the set of voice prompts are stored in the system. A set of audio tiles are developed in the particular language. The audio files in the particular language are stored in the system. A request is received from a user, and the system initiates a request for a voice prompt. A sequential list of audio files is developed, and when the sequential list of audio files is played by the system, the requested voice prompt is played to the user in the particular language. The sequential list of audio files is produced based on the grammatical rules and voice communications are managed in the system.

Claims

1. A method for providing a set of voice prompts in a particular language of a plurality of languages, comprising:

storing grammar files for the plurality of languages, the grammar files providing high level grammatical rules defining how phrases are strung together to form grammatically correct phrases for each of the plurality of languages in a first database;

parsing the high level grammatical rules associated with the particular language of the plurality of languages and translating the high level grammatical rules into a first set of language rules for generating voice prompt responses for the particular language of the plurality of languages;

storing the first set of language rules for the set of voice prompts in a second database;

developing a set of audio files for each of the plurality of languages;

storing the set of audio files in a third database;

receiving a request from a user at an application program interface;

initiating a voice prompt request in response to the request from the user;

in response to the voice prompt request, generating a sequential list of audio files in the particular language from the stored set of audio files based on the first set of language rules associated with the particular language, wherein, when the sequential list of audio files is played, the voice prompt request is played to the user in the particular language through the application program interface.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the steps of translating the language rules and storing audio files are repeated a plurality of times for a plurality of particular languages, wherein the system provides voice prompts in each of the plurality of particular languages.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising the step of determining which of the particular languages are to be used for a particular user.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the system includes hardware and software selectively allocating resources within the system, wherein the processor determines a communication path from one or more communication paths in the system for each of the voice and packet-based communications based on available network resources type of communication, and/or usage patterns in an office type environment.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

transferring packetized data to and from the system via a second packet network;

wherein the processor selectively controls packet-based communications over the second packet network.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the system determines one or more communications paths among the first and second packet networks based on predetermined rules.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the rules selectively allocate resources within the system as a function of time of day, network availability, type of communication and/or usage patterns.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the second packet network comprises an Ethernet network.

9. The method of claim 5, wherein first communications are received from a wide area communications network organized into frames, wherein a deframing circuit coupled to the wide area communications network deframes the first communications according to a first protocol.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein second communications are received from the second packet network organized according to a second protocol, wherein the second protocol is an Ethernet protocol.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein first and second communications are concurrently occurring.

12. The method of claim 1 further including storing text translation files in a fourth database, the text translation files providing a text version of all of the voice prompts in each of the plurality of languages supported by the system accessible via the application program interface.

13. The method of claim 1 further including storing language property files in a fourth database, the language property files providing language information that does not relate grammatical to how the particular language is spoken.

14. A system for providing a set of voice prompts for a plurality of languages, comprising:

a computer server located on a network;

a first database stored on the computer server defining grammar files for the plurality of languages, the grammar files providing high level grammatical rules defining how phrases are strung together to form grammatically correct phrases for each of the plurality of languages;

a parser for parsing the high-level grammatical rules associated with a particular language of the plurality of languages and translating the high-level grammatical rules into a first set of language rules for generating voice prompt responses for the particular language of the plurality of languages;

a second database stored on the computer server for storing the first set of language rules for generating prompt responses for the particular language;

a third database stored on the computer server defining a set of audio files for each of the plurality of languages;

an application program interface for receiving a request from the user and initiating a voice prompt request in response to the request;

an engine within the computer server for generating a sequential list of audio files from the stored set of audio files for the particular language based on the first set of language rules in response to the voice prompt request; and

wherein the computer server is further configured to play a voice prompt to the user in the particular language when playing the sequential list of audio files generated by the engine through the application program interface.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the computer server is configured to determine which of the plurality of particular languages are to be used for a particular user.

16. The system of claim 14 further including a fourth database stored on the server for storing text translation files, the text translation files providing a text version of all of the voice prompts in each of the plurality of languages supported by the system accessible via the application program interface.

17. The system of claim 14 further including a fourth database stored on the server for storing language property files, the language property files providing language information that does not relate grammatical to how the particular language is spoken.