At&t Bell Laboratories

Lucent Technologies Inc.

Chander S Sehgal

Diane E Herr

Richard W Hemmeter

Douglas C Dowden

Richard J Piereth

Samuel M Salchenberger

Mahendra K Verma

Robert Petrelli

William K McCormick

An Internet-based electronic facsimile document transmission and reception system accommodates conventional facsimile (fax) machines and uses store and forwarding rather than real-time facsimile transmission to avoid keeping the originating fax machine (and the telephone line to which it is attached) from being unnecessarily occupied due to delays associated with the Internet. The preferred embodiment also obviates the need for PBXs at the fax machine ends of the system.

Electronic facsimile document transportation system utilizing local exchange carriers and a wide-area network

This invention relates to methods and apparatus for automatically processing operator assistance calls. A caller is connected to an automated operator position. The automated position has speech recognition facilities to replace those of an operator, has announcement capabilities to replace those of an operator, and has control apparatus for transmitting and receiving the same set of messages transmitted and received by an operator position. Advantageously, the operator assistance switch has the same interface to an automated position as to an operator position and interacts with the two identically. Since the capabilities of the automated position are limited by its program, the automated position switches a call to an automated position when a situation occurs for which it has not been programmed. Advantageously, a switch need not be specially programmed to communicate with an automated position. Advantageously, new operator assistance services can be provided automatically without rewriting the complex control software of the switch. The invention further relates to the use of automated operator positions for providing spontaneous voice message service wherein a caller converts a call to a message call if the called party does not answer or is busy, and to a method of recognizing a voice specified destination and establishing a call to that destination.

Automation of telephone operator assistance calls

This invention relates to methods and apparatus for automatically processing operator assistance calls. A caller is connected to an automated operator position. The automated position has speech recognition facilities to replace those of an operator, has announcement capabilities to replace those of an operator, and has control apparatus for transmitting and receiving the same set of messages transmitted and received by an operator position. Advantageously, the operator assistance switch has the same interface to an automated position as to an operator position and interacts with the two identically. Since the capabilities of the automated position are limited by its program, the automated position switches a call to an automated position when a situation occurs for which it has not been programmed. Advantageously, a switch need not be specially programmed to communicate with an automated position. Advantageously, new operator assistance services can be provided automatically without rewriting the complex control software of the switch.

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Naperville, IL, United States of America

Chander S Sehgal