Other

Nortel Networks Corporation

Northern Telecom Limited

Rockstar Consortium US LP

Rpx Clearinghouse LLC

Rockstar Consotrium US LP

Cognitive Research & Design Corp.

Craig Alexander Will

Tracy Roberts

Conway Chan

Wayne N Shelley

Michael Stephen Will

A method for real-time communication among two or more individuals separated in space. The method includes the steps of determining that a first individual is likely to be interested in communicating with a second individual via a first communications link; retrieving information via the first communications link about one or more additional individuals from electronic memory means associated with the second individual; and establishing communication with at least one of the additional individuals based on the retrieved information.

Recursive identification of individuals for casual collaborative conferencing

A system, method, and computer readable medium storing a software program for translating a script for an interactive voice response system to a script for a visual interactive response system. The visual interactive response system executes the translated visual-based script when a user using a display telephone calls the visual interactive response system. The visual interactive response system then transmits a visual menu to the display telephone to allow the user to select a desired response, which is subsequently sent back to the visual interactive response system for processing. The voice-based script may be defined in voice extensible markup language and the visual-based script may be defined in wireless markup language, hypertext markup language, or handheld device markup language. The translation system and program includes a parser for extracting command structures from the voice-based script, a visual-based structure generator for generating corresponding command structure for the visual-based script, a text prompt combiner for incorporating text translated from voice prompts into command structure generated by the structure generator, an automatic speech recognition routine for automatically converting voice prompts into translated text, and an editor for editing said visual-based script.

Visual interactive response system and method translated from interactive voice response for telephone utility

A method and apparatus for entering words into a computer system. Letters contained in a desired word are entered ambiguously by selecting a group of letters rather than a single letter. Whenever it would be more efficient for the user to unambiguously indicate the letter for a particular letter position than to continue entering ambiguous groups of letters, the user is so notified. The extent to which that this is likely to improve efficiency may also be indicated. The sequence of ambiguous and unambiguous letters for different letter positions is used to retrieve from a dictionary those words consistent with the input and displaying them to the user, who then chooses the desired word. The approach is particularly applicable to very small devices that have a very limited number of keys or space on a display for a virtual keyboard.

Efficient entry of words by disambiguation

An embodiment of the present invention is a technique of establishing a telephone communication using a packet switching communications network. Digitized voice information is received from a speaker. The voice information is placed into a payload of a first packet. The first packet is transmitted to a recipient. A significance to voice quality of the voice information contained in the first packet is calculated. One or more additional packets is transmitted to the recipient containing the voice information if the significance of the voice information is above a threshold level. One or more phonemes contained in the voice information is identified. A value from memory for each identified phoneme representing the significance to voice quality of that phoneme is retrieved. The measure of significance for the voice information is set to the maximum of the values for all of the phonemes contained in the voice information.

Speech packetizing based linguistic processing to improve voice quality

A method and apparatus for the order and delivery of goods in which the goods are transported to one or more storage containers that are maintained in a drive-up storage, retrieval, and dispensing mechanism. Goods are ordered via the Internet, telephone, or other electronic method, retrieved from a warehouse or store, and transported to the storage container by truck or by a regional train system designed for passenger use. The storage container accepts packages, which are placed into a plastic storage box and moved by an elevator assembly to a particular storage bin located in a matrix of bins arranged in columns and rows. When a customer arrives to pick up a package, he or she drives up to the device and communicates with the system via a keypad and display screen to identify the order and present appropriate identification of the person or other means of maintaining security. A computer verifies the identification and retrieves the storage box, presenting it to the window of the vehicle driving up at an appropriate height so that the customer can retrieve the package. The use of a handheld wireless device by the customer can aid in ordering, checking order status, obtaining directions, providing identification, and retrieving the order.

Electronic ordering of goods with delivery by automatic drive-up storage device

An improved method and apparatus for entering words with a menu and thumbwheel. A menu and thumbwheel is an effective user interface for certain specialized miniature information appliances, including personal digital assistants, two-way pagers, and handheld wireless Web access devices. However, entering text can be rather tedious. In the present invention, the average entry speed is increased by using menus in which each item contains more than one letter. The user enters the first few letters of a word ambiguously, with the system retrieving from a dictionary those words consistent with the letters and displaying them as part of the menu. When the user sees the desired word, that word is selected. The system can also learn which words a particular user is likely to enter, further speeding up entry. The approach is applicable to the entry of words to compose natural language text as well as the entry of names, electronic mail, and Web addresses for use with electronic mail, directory lookup, and Web browsing.

Entry of words with thumbwheel by disambiguation

A method and apparatus for assisting voice-dialing using a model of an individual's calling behavior to improve recognition of an input name corresponding a desired telephone number. When the individual picks up a telephone, activity is initiated in a neural network model of the individual's calling behavior that predicts the likelihood that different numbers will be called, given such predictors as the day of the week and the time of day. The model is constructed by training the neural network with data from the user's history of making and receiving telephone calls. The auditory output from an automatic speech recognition system and the output from the user model are integrated together so as to select the number that is most likely to be the number desired by the speaker. The system can also provide automatic directory assistance, by speaking the number aloud rather than dialing it. In one version, the system is a personal directory for an individual maintained on that individual's personal computer. In another version, the system serves as a directory for a given physical or virtual site, with information about the institutional organization at the site in addition to individual calling histories used to track calling patterns and make predictions about the likelihood of calls within the site.

Voice-dialing system using model of calling behavior

A useful, novel, and nonobvious speech verification apparatus, method and media incorporating the same, as well as a secure interactive voice response ('IVR') system. The speaker verification apparatus and method involves a determination whether one or more speech samples captured from a speaker substantially matches a speaker template in a registration database. If no substantial match is found, alternate access control is utilized to allow the speaker to verify herself, without the use of speaker verification techniques. If alternative access control is able to verify the speaker, the captured speech samples are used to modify the corresponding speaker template. The so-modified speaker template may account for acoustic idiosyncrasies or anomalies perceived in the speech samples to improve verification rates in subsequent acoustic attempts.

Adaptive speaker verification apparatus and method including alternative

A method and apparatus for routing an incoming telephone call to an individual in a building who is not in his or her office. The individual carries a wireless communications unit, typically incorporated in a clip-on badge, that receives messages and transmits both responses and periodic signals to allow tracking the location of the individual. When a call arrives, a message indicating the call is transmitted to the communications unit, which displays an indication of the call together with responses that can be selected to determine how the call is to be routed. Such responses include, in particular, locations of telephone instruments near the individual that the call can be routed to. If the individual selects a particular location, the response is transmitted back to a PBX to cause the appropriate routing.

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Fremont, CA, United States of America

Craig Alexander Will