Abstract:
A privacy management system is disclosed for when a calling party has a private telephone number. Privacy screening services allow a subscriber to manage and monitor incoming telephone calls, such that unwanted calls are not terminated to the subscriber. When a calling party calls the subscriber to this privacy screening service, the privacy management system manages the call according to whether the calling party number is known and public, known and private, or unknown. If the calling party number is known and public, the call is routed to the subscriber. If, however, the calling party is known and private, an announcement is played to the calling party, asking the calling party for permission to override his or her privacy. If the calling party is unknown, the calling party is asked to record his/her name.
Abstract:
A signal processing system which discriminates between voice signals and data signals modulated by a voiceband carrier. The signal processing system includes a voice exchange, a data exchange and a call discriminator. The voice exchange is capable of exchanging voice signals between a switched circuit network and a packet based network. The signal processing system also includes a data exchange capable of exchanging data signals modulated by a voiceband carrier on the switched circuit network with unmodulated data signal packets on the packet based network. The data exchange is performed by demodulating data signals from the switched circuit network for transmission on the packet based network, and modulating data signal packets from the packet based network for transmission on the switched circuit network. The call discriminator is used to selectively enable the voice exchange and data exchange.
Abstract:
Systems and methods for detecting call blocking devices or services. The devices monitor outbound call connections to determine if a connected call has been answered by a call blocking device or service rather than a person or answering machine. The verification is a comparison between the connection of an outbound call and a predefined parameter of data associated with that connection. For example, the predefined timing parameter may require detecting a connection before the first ring, or a connection occur within a predetermine period of time from when the outbound call is placed, or a connection occurring after a certain number of rings, etc. Which predefined parameter is associated with a particular outbound call may depend on the call blocking device or service the call center placing the outbound call expects to encounter on a particular connection attempt of a particular phone number. Once the call blocking device or service has been detected on a connected call, the call can be process as if a connection occurred including routing such calls to an available agent or other handling process customized to handle such calls such as automatically navigating prompts for voice or dialing responses from the privacy director systems.
Abstract:
Devices, systems and methods that route a communication link to a proper destination are disclosed. The method may include connecting the communication link to a first destination; requesting a response from the first destination; validating the response from the first destination; and disconnecting the communication link to the first destination if the response from the first destination is not valid. The method may also include connecting the communication link to a second destination; requesting a response from the second destination; and disconnecting the communication link to the second destination if the response from the second destination is not valid. The devices, systems and methods may provide hunt group, call center and conference call features as discussed later herein.
Abstract:
A system for determining the status of an answered telephone during the course of an outbound telephone call includes an automated telephone calling device for placing a telephone call to a location having a telephone number at which a target person is listed, upon the telephone call being answered, initiating a prerecorded greeting which asks for the target person and receiving a spoken response from an answering person and a speech recognition device for performing a speech recognition analysis on the spoken response to determine a status of the spoken response. If the speech recognition device determines that the answering person is the target person, the speech recognition device initiates a speech recognition application with the target person.
Abstract:
System and method for processing communication signals in a communication system having a detector for detecting a parameter of a communication signal. A communication signal is provided to a non-linear processor (NLP) adapted to examine the signal and to decide whether or not to enter an active state based upon a parameter of the signal. If the NLP enters an active state, the NLP performs non-linear processing on the signal. The NLP communicates to the detector whether the NLP is active or inactive. If the NLP is active, a processing step of the detector is disabled.
Abstract:
A system and method for providing an operator with automated calling functions allows the operator to be on the line when a customer call is placed so that a sales call can begin immediately if a customer answers the call. The system and method could be configured so that the operator can place calls automatically be selecting customers from customer call lists. The system and method may also allow the operator to cause a pre-recorded audio message to be played to a first customer, or the first customer's answering machine, while the operator proceeds to a second customer call placed over a second telephone line.
Abstract:
A call center includes a message playback unit for playing back a prerecorded greeting during an outgoing call while a call classifier unit within the call center processes an audible signal received from a remote party location. A call processing unit places a call to a remote party location via a communication network to attempt to elicit a desired response from the remote party. The call classifier then processes an audible signal received from the remote party location to determine whether or not the call was answered by a live party. The prerecorded greeting is then played while the call classifier is simultaneously processing the audible signal. If the call classifier determines that the call was answered by a live party, the call processing unit completes a talk path between the remote party location and a local agent at the call center who handles the remainder of the call. The call processing unit will normally wait until the greeting has ended to complete the talk path. If the call classifier determines that the call was not answered by a live party, the call processing unit will terminate the call.
Abstract:
A system and method for providing an operator with automated calling functions allows the operator to be on the line when a customer call is placed so that a sales call can begin immediately if a customer answers the call. The system and method could be configured so that the operator can place calls automatically be selecting customers from customer call lists. The system and method may also allow the operator to cause a pre-recorded audio message to be played to a first customer, or the first customer's answering machine, while the operator proceeds to a second customer call placed over a second telephone line.
Abstract:
The automated, computerized voice message storage and redelivery system (SRS) provides for the receipt, recordation and storage into individual computer files of telephonic messages received from subscribers who telephone into the computer system and respond either verbally or via touch-tone keypad to verbal prompts by the SRS in order to enter scheduling data and who then record voice message(s) in response to prompts by the SRS. The SRS receives the subscriber's scheduling data and verbal message. The SRS automatically checks its files every minute of every day and, upon detecting a scheduled call telephones the predetermined number. When the recipient telephone is answered, the SRS listens for a human voice. If a human voice is detected, the SRS then replays the previously recorded voice message. If a human voice is not detected, the SRS terminates the telephone call and then does one of two things depending upon the previously recorded request of the subscriber. The SRS redials the predetermined number every three to four minutes until (1) the telephone call is answered and the SRS does detect a human voice and then delivers the previously recorded voice message or (2) the SRS fails on six or more consecutive attempts and then abandons the dialing sequence altogether. Alternatively, the SRS accesses all of the predetermined telephone numbers assigned to the subscriber and then dials each number in cascading fashion until (1) the telephone call is answered and the SRS does detect a human voice whereupon the SRS delivers the previously recorded voice message or (2) the SRS fails on six or more consecutive attempts and then abandons the dialing sequence altogether.