At&t Bell Laboratories

American Bell, Inc.

Diane E Herr

David F Winchell

Richard W Hemmeter

Richard J Piereth

Douglas C Dowden

Chander S Sehgal

Mahendra K Verma

Laddie E Suk

Samuel M Salchenberger

Reinhard Metz

Robert Petrelli

William K McCormick

Larry A Russell

Paul Ronald Wiley

Richard G Bantel

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.

A dial-up audio/data conference arrangement is disclosed wherein the originator of the conference has certain speaker priorities and control capabilities e.g., adding and deleting conferees, etc. The originator, under the guidance of voice prompts, can transfer this control to another party on the conference.

Conference control transfer arrangement

A communication network including a conference arrangement is disclosed. When a conferee disconnects from a conference, a tone is coupled to the bridge to inform the remaining conferees. The identity of the disconnected conference station is then transmitted to the controller who can cause the connection to be reestablished automatically.

Method and apparatus for controlling a conference

An arrangement for conferencing a plurality of data terminals via a data conference bridge. The bridge includes apparatus for negotiating a common set of communication parameters when data terminals having differing capabilities are connected to the same conference. All terminals connected to an existing conference must agree to accept any differing capabilities of a data terminal about to join the conference or the new terminal will be rejected.

Data conference arrangement

A communications network having a multiport data conference system is disclosed. The data conference system includes a multilevel processor arrangement with the lower level port processors communicating directly with data terminals and higher level processors controlling conference configuration. Data to be conferenced is put in a buffer memory which is shared by all levels of processors. The ports can be configured to be compatible with different type terminals that operate at different data speeds.

Data conference system

A network services complex having an audio conference bridge, a data conference bridge, a tone receiver and a data store announcement system is disclosed. The complex is connected to a telephone network via a host toll switching center. Customers dialing over the network using a keyset can selectively establish audio-only, data-only and combined audio/data conferences. Announcements from the data store prompt the customer in the use of the arrangement and request the user to reenter information when the customer makes an error. Should the customer make too many errors, an operator is summoned.

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Warrenville, IL, United States of America

Diane E Herr