International Business Machines Corporation

Ebay, Incorporated

Paypal, Inc.

Nuance Communications, Inc.

Joseph Herbert McIntyre

Michael Wayne Brown

Scott Lee Winters

Michael A Paolini

James Mark Weaver

Victor S Moore

Thomas Edward Creamer

Glen R Walters

Steven Michael French

Neil A Katz

Scott J Broussard

Eduardo N Spring

Zygmunt A Lozinski

Oliver Birch

Aidon Paul Jennery

James Richard Schoech

Scott James Bennett

Martin F Slatnick

A method, system, and program for billing for service provided to destination device according to the calling plan of the individual receiving the call. An authenticated identity for a callee answering a call placed to a destination device is received at an intermediary device. The intermediary device then accesses a billing plan for the authenticated identity of the callee and loads the billing plan for specifying charges for the call, such that telephone service billed to the callee is accessible at multiple destination devices.

Destination device billing according to call recipient

A method, system, and program for intermediary device initiated caller identification are provided. A trusted telephone network detects a call initiation connection from an origin device. The trusted telephone network then brokers a connection between the origin device and an external server enabled to perform a caller identity authentication service. A voice utterance for a caller is received at the external server from the origin device. The server authenticates a caller identity associated with the voice utterance and transfer the authenticated caller identity to the trusted telephone network. The trusted telephone network then specifies services available for the call according to a caller profile for the authenticated caller identity.

Intermediary device initiated caller identification

A computer system detects a call from a caller at a hold queue, wherein an identity of the caller is authenticated according to a voice identity of the caller. The computer system accesses a caller profile according to the identity of the caller, wherein the caller profile comprises at least one previously earned advancement token. The computer system offers the caller an option of redeeming the previously earned advancement token for adjustment of a position of the caller in the hold queue.

Controlling hold queue position adjustment

A question of a first caller from among multiple callers waiting in a hold queue of a call center is published. Responsive to a second caller from among multiple callers indicating a readiness to answer to the question, the first caller is connected with the second caller. Responsive to the second caller answering the question, the second caller is awarded an advancement token for storage in association with an authenticated identifier for the second caller in a caller profile for redemption by the second caller for a value selected by the second caller.

A method, system, and program for allowing callers to adjust in position within a hold queue are provided. An advancement token earned by a caller while waiting in a hold queue is detected. The advancement token is stored for redemption in a future call by the caller according to an authenticated identifier for the caller, wherein future redemption of the advancement token will cause adjustment of a waiting position. In particular, a caller in the call hold queue may earn advancement tokens by answering questions posed by other callers in the call hold queue, where the questions are answered in a manner such that the other callers do not need additional aid from a representative. In addition, a caller may redeem advancement tokens earned in a previous hold queue while waiting in current hold queue, where the redeemable advancement tokens are accessible across multiple call centers according to the caller identification.

A method, system, and program for logging calls according to call context are provided. A context for a call is detected, where the context include information such as the parties to a call, whether a backup party is accessed, where the call is on behalf of another, the locations of the parties to the call, the subject matter of the call, tariffs applied during the call, billing for telephone services accessed during the call, and orders placed during the call. At least one context based logging request valid for the context for the call is accessed from among multiple context based logging requests stored for multiple parties. Parties requesting logging may include parties to the call, on behalf of parties, third parties, and guardians. The context is logged according to the context based logging request.

Logging calls according to call context

A destination telephony device, responsive to detecting a call between a caller at an origin telephony device and a callee at the destination telephony device within a trusted telephone network, authenticates an identity of the callee with a callee voice authenticated identifier through a voice sample provided by the callee during the call. The destination telephony device receives an order form from the origin device for an order placed with the caller by the callee from the destination telephony device. The destination telephony device controls output of the order form from at least one output interface of the destination telephony device. The destination telephony device, responsive to receiving a single entry by a callee to complete the order, generates an authorization for the billing service to bill for the order from the billing plan according to the callee voice authenticated identifier in the order form, wherein authorized access to the billing plan is allowed according to the callee voice authenticated identifier and not according to account numbers.

The invention provides a method and system for temporarily provisioning a telephone service feature. At the request of a calling or called party, a telephone service feature to be temporarily provisioned can be identified. Once identified, the telephone service feature can be provisioned and activated to handle the telephone service feature. Upon completion of the call, the requested telephone service is deactivated. In order to activate the requested telephone service feature, system resources can be allocated to support the identified telephone service feature. The allocation of system resources can include reserving a pool of resources for activating the identified telephone service feature. For example, a pool of line interface circuits may be reserved specifically for providing temporary provisioning of the telephone service feature for subscribers. An available resource capable of processing the identified telephone service feature can be selected from the pool of resources. The selection of an available resource can include multiplexing the available resource onto a conduit that bears existing service for the subscriber for which the telephone service feature is being provisioned.

Method and system for temporarily provisioning a telephone service feature for a subscriber

A trusted telephone network, including at least one service provider, receives a request for service from an origin device. The origin device is associated with a line number to be billed for according to a line subscriber billing plan. An identity of a caller requesting the service from the origin device is authenticated. Then, a billing plan associated with the authenticated caller identity is accessed and utilized to replace or supplement the line subscriber billing plan, such that billing for service provided at an origin device is specified according to the caller currently utilizing the origin device.

Origin device billing according to caller

Methods, systems, and products for informing a caller of a callee identity are disclosed that include: detecting a call receipt condition from a destination device at a trusted telephone network; brokering a connection between said destination device and an external server enabled to perform a callee identity authentication service; and responsive to receiving, from said external server, an authenticated callee identity of a callee utilizing said destination device, transferring said authenticated callee identity to an origin device, such that a caller initiating said call at said origin device is informed of an identity of a party answering said call.

Intermediary device based callee identification

A method, system and article of manufacture of recognizing a voice command. One embodiment of the invention comprises: receiving a voice input; using the number of sound fragments, determining a number of sound fragments to be processed in a first set of sound fragments; determining whether the first set of sound fragments of the voice input matches with the first set of sound fragments of a voice command; and if the first set of sound fragments matches with the first set of sound fragments of the voice command, then determining whether one or more remaining sound fragments matches with one or more remaining sound fragments of the voice command.

Growing community of inventors

Austin, TX, United States of America

Joseph Herbert McIntyre