Patent EP0245028A2 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
EP0245028A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
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Automated operator assistance calls with voice processing
Assignee: AT&T Inc
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Filing: 1987-04-30
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2007-04-30
Abstract
Abstract A method and apparatus for identifying the class of an operator assistance call in order to reduce the operator work time for serving such a call. A customer dials 0 or dials 0 plus a directory number and is connected to a program controlled operator assistance system or switch (1). The switch initially connects the calling customer to a voice processing unit (14) and prompts the customer to speak a command or key a command code. The command or command code is recognized and used to direct the flow of the control program to selectively defer a connection to an operator position (24). For example, for person-to-person calls, the operator position is only connected after the called customer terminal answers. Advantageously, such a method and apparatus substantially reduces operator work time for broad classes of frequently used operator assistance services.
Inventors
- 👤 Abraham Nelson Daudelin
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-02 10:29
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04M; H04M9/00; H04M3/00; H04M3/60; H04M3/42; H04M3/50; H04M3/51; H04M3/5166
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 28
Claim 1
Independent Claim
75 words
A method of serving an operator assistance call, in a telecommunications switch offering operator assistance services, CHARACTERIZED BY connecting a calling customer terminal to an automatic voice processing system in response to a receipt of signals from a calling customer terminal identifying said call as said operator assistance call; and analyzing a voice command received from said calling customer terminal by said automatic voice processing system to identify the class of said operator assistance call.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
75 words
A method of serving an operator assistance call, in a telecommunications switch offering operator assistance services, CHARACTERIZED BY connecting a calling customer terminal to an automatic voice processing system in response to a receipt of signals from a calling customer terminal identifying said call as said operator assistance call; and analyzing a voice command received from said calling customer terminal by said automatic voice processing system to identify the class of said operator assistance call.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method of claim 1 CHARACTERIZED IN THAT in said connecting step, said signals from said calling customer comprise signals specifying a directory number of a called customer terminal, and further: CHARACTERIZED BY
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
53 words
generating and transmitting a request to an interconnection network to set up a connection from said telecommunications switch to said called customer terminal in response to said identification; detecting an answer from said called customer terminal; and connecting said calling customer terminal to an operator position after said step of detecting an answer.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
53 words
generating and transmitting a request to an interconnection network to set up a connection from said telecommunications switch to said called customer terminal in response to said identification; detecting an answer from said called customer terminal; and connecting said calling customer terminal to an operator position after said step of detecting an answer.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
38 words
The method of claim 2 further CHARACTERIZED BY accessing a data base for said calling customer terminal to obtain calling customer data; and generating a display for an operator position comprising a subset of said calling customer data.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
39 words
The method of claim 3 further CHARACTERIZED BY accessing a data base for said called customer terminal to obtain called customer data; and generating a further display for said operator position comprising a subset of said called customer data.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
126 words
A method of setting u p a collect call in a telecommunications switch offering operator assistance services CHARACTERIZED BY connecting a calling customer terminal to an automatic voice processing system in response to a receipt of signals from said calling customer terminal comprising an indication that said call is an operator assistance call and the directory number of a called customer terminal; analyzing a voice command received from said calling customer terminal by said automatic voice processing system to identify the class of said call as a collect call; generating and transmitting a request to an interconnection network to set up a connection from said telecommunications switch to said called customer terminal in response to said identification; and detecting an answer by said called customer terminal.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
126 words
A method of setting u p a collect call in a telecommunications switch offering operator assistance services CHARACTERIZED BY connecting a calling customer terminal to an automatic voice processing system in response to a receipt of signals from said calling customer terminal comprising an indication that said call is an operator assistance call and the directory number of a called customer terminal; analyzing a voice command received from said calling customer terminal by said automatic voice processing system to identify the class of said call as a collect call; generating and transmitting a request to an interconnection network to set up a connection from said telecommunications switch to said called customer terminal in response to said identification; and detecting an answer by said called customer terminal.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
46 words
The method of claim 5 further CHARACTERIZED BY prompting a customer at said calling customer terminal to speak his or her name; recording the response to said prompt; and connecting an announcement to said called customer terminal, said announcement comprising said recorded response to said prompt.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
48 words
The method of claim 6 further CHARACTERIZED BY connecting said automatic voice processing system to said called customer terminal and detecting a positive response; and setting up a connection between said calling customer terminal and said called customer terminal in response to said detection of said positive response.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
148 words
A method for selectively deferring a connection to an operator position in a telecommunications switch for processing an operator assistance call, CHARACTERIZED BY connecting a calling customer terminal to an automatic voice processing system in response to a receipt of signals from said calling customer terminal comprising an indication that said call is an operator assistance call and the directory number of a called customer terminal; analyzing a voice command received from said calling customer terminal by said automatic voice processing system to identify the class of said call; if said identified class is one of a viable class of calls, establishing a connection between said telecommunications switch and the called customer terminal identified by said directory number; and selectively establishing a connection between said operator position and said calling customer terminal after said step of establishing a connection t between said switch and said called customer terminal.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
148 words
A method for selectively deferring a connection to an operator position in a telecommunications switch for processing an operator assistance call, CHARACTERIZED BY connecting a calling customer terminal to an automatic voice processing system in response to a receipt of signals from said calling customer terminal comprising an indication that said call is an operator assistance call and the directory number of a called customer terminal; analyzing a voice command received from said calling customer terminal by said automatic voice processing system to identify the class of said call; if said identified class is one of a viable class of calls, establishing a connection between said telecommunications switch and the called customer terminal identified by said directory number; and selectively establishing a connection between said operator position and said calling customer terminal after said step of establishing a connection t between said switch and said called customer terminal.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
131 words
A method of serving operator assistance calls in a telecommunications switch for offering operator assistance services, having access to operator positions organized into a plurality of operator position teams CHARACTERIZED BY connecting a calling customer terminal to an automatic voice processing system in response to a receipt of signals from said calling customer terminal comprising an indication that said call is an operator assistance call and the directory number of a called customer terminal; analyzing a voice command received from said calling customer terminal by said automatic voice processing system to identify the class of said call; and connecting said calling customer terminal to an operator position of one of said plurality of operator teams, said one of said plurality being selected according to said class identified in said analyzing step.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
131 words
A method of serving operator assistance calls in a telecommunications switch for offering operator assistance services, having access to operator positions organized into a plurality of operator position teams CHARACTERIZED BY connecting a calling customer terminal to an automatic voice processing system in response to a receipt of signals from said calling customer terminal comprising an indication that said call is an operator assistance call and the directory number of a called customer terminal; analyzing a voice command received from said calling customer terminal by said automatic voice processing system to identify the class of said call; and connecting said calling customer terminal to an operator position of one of said plurality of operator teams, said one of said plurality being selected according to said class identified in said analyzing step.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
58 words
The method of claim 9 wherein one of said operator position teams is a team staffed with foreign language speaking operators, CHARACTERIZED IN THAT said analyzing step comprises the step of analyzing said voice command by said automatic voice processing system to identify an operator assistance call whose class is service from a foreign language speaking operator. '
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
198 words
A telecommunications switch having a switching network having a plurality of customer inputs for connection to an interconnection network connected to customer terminals and another plurality of operator position inputs for connection to a plurality of operator positions, said switch CHARACTERIZED BY voice processing means (14), connected to terminals of said switching network (12), for analyzing a received voice input signal receivable from said switching network and generating a corresponding data output signal; and control means (10) for controlling establishment of connections through said switching network; said control means responsive to receipt from one of said customer inputs (31, 44) of said switching network of a request from a calling customer terminal (40,42) to set up an operator assistance call to a called customer terminal (46) for controlling establishment of a connection between said voice processing means and said one of said customer inputs; said voice processing means responsive to receipt of a voice signal from said one of said customer inputs for generating a first data output signal identifying the class of said operator assistance call; said control means controlled by said data output signal for detecting an answer signal subsequently received from said called customer terminal.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
198 words
A telecommunications switch having a switching network having a plurality of customer inputs for connection to an interconnection network connected to customer terminals and another plurality of operator position inputs for connection to a plurality of operator positions, said switch CHARACTERIZED BY voice processing means (14), connected to terminals of said switching network (12), for analyzing a received voice input signal receivable from said switching network and generating a corresponding data output signal; and control means (10) for controlling establishment of connections through said switching network; said control means responsive to receipt from one of said customer inputs (31, 44) of said switching network of a request from a calling customer terminal (40,42) to set up an operator assistance call to a called customer terminal (46) for controlling establishment of a connection between said voice processing means and said one of said customer inputs; said voice processing means responsive to receipt of a voice signal from said one of said customer inputs for generating a first data output signal identifying the class of said operator assistance call; said control means controlled by said data output signal for detecting an answer signal subsequently received from said called customer terminal.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
42 words
- The telecommunications switch of claim 11 CHARACTERIZED IN THAT said control means is responsive to said detection of said answer signal for selectively establishing a connection between said one of said customer inputs and one of said operator position (24) inputs.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
61 words
The telecommunications switch of claim 12, CHARACTERIZED IN THAT said voice processing means further comprises means for analyzing tones keyed from a customer terminal and wherein said voice processing means is further responsive to a sequence of tones keyed from said one of said customer inputs for generating said first data output signal identifying the class of said operator assistance call.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
82 words
A telecommunications switch for processing a plurality of different classes of operator assistance calls, CHARACTERIZED BY voice processing means (14) responsive to a voice message from a calling customer terminal (40,42) on one of said calls for analyzing said message to produce a data output signifying the class of said call; and control means (10) responsive to said data output for extending said call to a called customer terminal (46) and for detecting a subsequently received answer from said called customer terminal.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
82 words
A telecommunications switch for processing a plurality of different classes of operator assistance calls, CHARACTERIZED BY voice processing means (14) responsive to a voice message from a calling customer terminal (40,42) on one of said calls for analyzing said message to produce a data output signifying the class of said call; and control means (10) responsive to said data output for extending said call to a called customer terminal (46) and for detecting a subsequently received answer from said called customer terminal.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
29 words
The telecommunications switch of claim 14 wherein said control means is further responsive to said detection of said answer for further connecting said call to an operator position (24).
Claim 24
Independent Claim
54 words
A method of serving operator assistance calls in a telecommunications switching system offering operator assistance services CHARACTERIZED BY connecting a received call to an automatic voice processing system; and analyzing a voice command received on said call and by said automatic voice processing system to identify a language class of service of said call.
Claim 25
Independent Claim
54 words
A method of serving operator assistance calls in a telecommunications switching system offering operator assistance services CHARACTERIZED BY connecting a received call to an automatic voice processing system; and analyzing a voice command received on said call and by said automatic voice processing system to identify a language class of service of said call.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
54 words
The method of claim 16 CHARACTERIZED IN THAT wherein said language class of service of a call comprises a Spanish language class of service and comprising the further step of connecting said call to a Spanish speaking operator for assistance in response to said identifying step identifying Spanish language class of service voice command
Claim 27
Independent Claim
64 words
A method of serving an operator assistance call, in a telecommunications switch offering operator assistance services connecting a call to an automatic voice processing system in response to a receipt of signals identifying said call as requiring operator assistance; and analyzing a voice command received by said automatic voice processing system to identify one of a plurality of classes of said operator assistance call.
Claim 28
Independent Claim
64 words
A method of serving an operator assistance call, in a telecommunications switch offering operator assistance services connecting a call to an automatic voice processing system in response to a receipt of signals identifying said call as requiring operator assistance; and analyzing a voice command received by said automatic voice processing system to identify one of a plurality of classes of said operator assistance call.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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