US7308462B1
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Methods and systems for building and distributing audio packages
Assignee: RPX Clearinghouse LLC
•
Filing: 1999-10-29
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Granted: 2007-12-11
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Expires: 2019-10-29
Abstract
Abstract Methods and systems for building and distributing audio packages include a database storing audio files to be played to end users in a telecommunications network. An audio package builder/export tool generates audio packages including audio segments files and index files. Audio segments files include audio segments to be played by gateways in the telecommunications network. Index files include information used by gateways to located audio segments in audio segments files. The audio packages are distributed to gateways in the telecommunications network to enable the gateways to play audio to end users.
Inventors
- 👤 Laurence Wayne Clarkson
- 👤 Jeffrey Dean Lanning
- 👤 Melissa Ann Metts
- 👤 Xiaofeng Gao
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 16:55
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04M; H04M3/00; H04M3/42; H04M3/487; H04M3/4872; H04M7/00; H04M7/006; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S707/00; Y10S707/99941; Y10S707/99944; Y10S707/99945; Y10S707/99948
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 26
Claim 1
Independent Claim
154 words
A system for use in a telecommunications network for providing audio segments to a gateway to be played to an end user of the telecommunications network, said system comprising: a provisioning server; a centralized database containing a plurality of audio segments, said audio segments comprising announcements to be played to the end user of the telecommunications network; an audio package builder/export tool executed by the provisioning server and configured to: access the centralized database; construct an audio package from audio segments in the centralized database; construct an index file within the audio package that indicates to the gateway where an audio segment is located in the audio package; and export the audio package to the gateway, wherein the audio segment is located by using said index file by mapping the audio identifier of an audio segment in the centralized database to the offset and length of an audio segment within the constructed audio package.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
154 words
A system for use in a telecommunications network for providing audio segments to a gateway to be played to an end user of the telecommunications network, said system comprising: a provisioning server; a centralized database containing a plurality of audio segments, said audio segments comprising announcements to be played to the end user of the telecommunications network; an audio package builder/export tool executed by the provisioning server and configured to: access the centralized database; construct an audio package from audio segments in the centralized database; construct an index file within the audio package that indicates to the gateway where an audio segment is located in the audio package; and export the audio package to the gateway, wherein the audio segment is located by using said index file by mapping the audio identifier of an audio segment in the centralized database to the offset and length of an audio segment within the constructed audio package.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
51 words
The system of claim 1 wherein said audio package builder/export tool is further configured to: construct a catalog file within the audio package, said catalog file comprising information selected from the group consisting of: announcement title, phrasing, prompt text, voice talent, language, codec, format, group, release notes, checkdata, and date recorded.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
23 words
The system of claim 1 wherein said audio package builder/export tool exports the audio package to the gateway over a packet based network.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
16 words
The system of claim 1 wherein said system is configured to operate on the provisioning server.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
16 words
The system of claim 1 wherein each of said audio segments comprises a unique audio identifier.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
37 words
The system of claim 1 wherein said audio package builder/export tool is further configured to present a graphical user interface to a user such that the user selects audio segments to be placed in the audio package.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
26 words
The system of claim 1 wherein the audio package further includes an audio segments file comprising a subset of the audio segments in the centralized database.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
37 words
The system of claim 1 wherein said audio package builder/export tool is further configured to export the audio package to the gateway by preliminarily exporting the audio package to an intermediary storage location within the provisioning server.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
34 words
The system of claim 1 wherein said audio package builder/export tool is further configured to export the audio package to the gateway by exporting the audio package to a portable computer readable storage medium.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
34 words
The system of claim 1 wherein said audio package builder/export tool exports the audio package to the gateway so that the gateway selectively presents the audio segments within the audio package to end users.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
24 words
The system of claim 1 wherein said audio package builder/export tool constructs the index file as a distinct data structure within the audio package.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
152 words
A system for use in a telecommunications network for providing audio segments to a gateway to be played to an end user of the telecommunications network, said system comprising: a provisioning server; a centralized database containing a plurality of audio segments, said audio segments comprising announcements to be played to the end user of the telecommunications network; an audio package builder/export tool executed by the provisioning server and configured to: access the centralized database; construct an audio package from audio segments in the centralized database; construct an index file within the audio package that indicates to the gateway where an audio segment is located in the audio package; and export the audio package to the gateway, wherein the constructed audio package is associated with a version number and said audio package builder/export tool is further configured to track a version number of any audio package created with the audio package builder/export tool.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
152 words
A system for use in a telecommunications network for providing audio segments to a gateway to be played to an end user of the telecommunications network, said system comprising: a provisioning server; a centralized database containing a plurality of audio segments, said audio segments comprising announcements to be played to the end user of the telecommunications network; an audio package builder/export tool executed by the provisioning server and configured to: access the centralized database; construct an audio package from audio segments in the centralized database; construct an index file within the audio package that indicates to the gateway where an audio segment is located in the audio package; and export the audio package to the gateway, wherein the constructed audio package is associated with a version number and said audio package builder/export tool is further configured to track a version number of any audio package created with the audio package builder/export tool.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
112 words
A method of providing audio segments to a gateway to be played to an end user of a telecommunications network, said method comprising: accessing audio segments within a centralized database; constructing an audio package from the accessed audio segments in the centralized database; constructing an index file within the audio package that indicates to the gateway where in the audio package an audio segment is located; and exporting the audio package to the gateway, wherein the audio segment is located by using said index file for mapping the audio identifier of an audio segment in the centralized database to the offset and length of the located audio segment within the audio package.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
112 words
A method of providing audio segments to a gateway to be played to an end user of a telecommunications network, said method comprising: accessing audio segments within a centralized database; constructing an audio package from the accessed audio segments in the centralized database; constructing an index file within the audio package that indicates to the gateway where in the audio package an audio segment is located; and exporting the audio package to the gateway, wherein the audio segment is located by using said index file for mapping the audio identifier of an audio segment in the centralized database to the offset and length of the located audio segment within the audio package.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 13 further comprising provisioning the centralized database with audio segments.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
43 words
The method of claim 13 further comprising constructing a catalog file within the audio package, said catalog file comprising information selected from the group consisting of: announcement title, phrasing, prompt text, voice talent, language, codec, format, group, release notes, checkdata, and date recorded.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 13 wherein exporting the audio package to the gateway comprises exporting the audio package over a packet based network.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 13 further comprising associating each of said audio segments with an unique audio identifier.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method of claim 13 further comprising presenting a graphical user interface to a user such that the user selects audio segments to be placed in the audio package.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 13 wherein the audio package is constructed from a subset of the audio segments in the centralized database.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method of claim 13 wherein exporting the audio package to the gateway comprises exporting the audio package to an intermediary storage location within a provisioning server.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 13 wherein exporting the audio package to the gateway comprises exporting the audio package to a portable computer readable storage medium.
Claim 25
Independent Claim
94 words
A method of providing audio segments to a gateway to be played to an end user of a telecommunications network, said method comprising: accessing audio segments within a centralized database; constructing an audio package from audio segments in the centralized database; constructing an index file within the audio package that indicates to the gateway where in the audio package an audio segment is located; exporting the audio package to the gateway, wherein the constructed audio package is associated with a version number and each audio package constructed is tracked by its own version number.
Claim 26
Independent Claim
94 words
A method of providing audio segments to a gateway to be played to an end user of a telecommunications network, said method comprising: accessing audio segments within a centralized database; constructing an audio package from audio segments in the centralized database; constructing an index file within the audio package that indicates to the gateway where in the audio package an audio segment is located; exporting the audio package to the gateway, wherein the constructed audio package is associated with a version number and each audio package constructed is tracked by its own version number.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2010-12-10 | 2011-06-11 | 2011-12-11 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2014-12-10 | 2015-06-11 | 2015-12-11 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2018-12-10 | 2019-06-11 | 2019-12-11 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |