U S West, Inc.

Mediaone Group, Inc.

U S West Technologies, Inc.

U S West Advanced Technologies, Inc.

Louis A Cox, Jr

Hans-Peter Mueller

Yuping Qiu

Lu Lu

Aruna Bayya

George E Tegan

Kenneth L Hamel

Gregory Joseph Beveridge

Hynek Hermansky

Marvin Leroy Vis

Stephen L Bulick

Xiaorong Sun

Jiyang Xu

K David Lin

Paul M Bauer

Michael L Epstein

Margarete A Ralston

James H Starr

Victoria L Corlew

Edward J Fontenot

An electronic calendar system is disclosed wherein the calendar system can interact with a user entirely auditorially, e.g. via speech based interactions, entirely visually, or a combination of both. Moreover, the present invention utilizes context information regarding the state or configuration of the calendar system so that substantially at any time a user may query the calendar system for informing the user of the current state of the calendar system. Accordingly, the present invention is particularly useful for users who communicate with the calendar system substantially or entirely auditorially. The user may contact a processing module in the calendar system through a telecommunications network such as a telephone network, a cable network or through the worldwide web. The system includes an apparatus for converting speech to text streams and vice versa. In such an interaction mode, a user can utter a phrase such as, 'Where am I?' and the present invention is able to provide a response that assists the user in maintaining effective communication with the calendar system. Accordingly, the present invention is particularly useful for telephony users wherein a standard telephone is the user communication device to the calendar system of the present invention.

Calendar system with direct and telephony networked voice control

A method and system for segmenting and acting upon segments of, for example, a previously generated voice message by inserting audible interrupts into the voice message for partitioning the voice message into segments. Upon initiating or encountering such an interrupt in a voice message, a subscriber may act upon a segment adjacent to the interrupt. Actions on the adjacent segment include replaying the segment, forwarding the segment to an addressee with comments, deleting the segment, or no action although retaining the option of future action on the adjacent segment. Furthermore, the inserted interrupts may be inserted by the originating party of the voice message for action by the originating party, or by the originating party for future action by another receiving party.

Method for annotating and editing voice messages via acoustic bullet

An architecture for providing interactive broadband products and services uses existing cable and telephone plant. The architecture includes a central office switch in communication with a head-end server and a Customer Premises Equipment (CPE) device such as, for example, a modem emulator, data terminal, set-top terminal or personal computer. The CPE device is provided in communication with the head-end server via cable plant for downstream broadcasts and is further provided in communication with a central office switch via telephone plant for upstream signaling and downstream control messages.

Architecture and method for providing interactive broadband products and

A method for providing a user with the facility to linguistically direct a computer system to present desired audio/video programming is provided. The method is intended to be used in conjunction with a computer system having an input device, an audio interface, a controller, and a monitor. The method begins with the step of presenting to a user a menu of options at the monitor. The method continues with the step of identifying a set of key phonemes including phonemes associated with the menu of options. The method next includes the step of receiving at the audio interface a command signal representing a linguistic audio command. The command signal is then converted into a command phoneme which is matched with a phoneme of the set of key phonemes. Finally, the controller performs a task associated with the matched phoneme.

Method and system for linguistic command processing in a video server

A method and system for providing user access to complex information through interactive voice dialog. The computerized method includes the provision of a memory and storage in the memory of a plurality of selected words which may be recognized in predetermined phrases and dialogue contexts when spoken by users. A voice template is further stored in memory having selected information slots in corresponding frames. Each of the slots and frames is adapted to be continuously filled by recognized words. User speech utterances are initiated for receipt by the computer which requests complex information or responds to generated queries. By continuously receiving and comparing the user speech utterances to the stored plurality of selected words, slots and frames of the voice template are filled. Based on the context of the interactive dialogue and the extent of recognized vocabulary words, responsive speech segments are generated which provide the requested complex information or, alternatively, request additional information necessary to provide a full response to the user.

Adaptive knowledge base of complex information through interactive voice

A method for developing a network analysis and modeling application program includes the step of interactively selecting and displaying a graphical object. An instantiation of the graphical object is representative of at least a portion of a network. The graphical object is further used in an executable network analysis and modeling application program. The preferred embodiment further includes the step of editing the selection of the graphical object.

Method and system for developing network analysis and modeling with

A method is disclosed for identifying corrupted speech signals in a call receiving mode of a voice messaging system. The method includes the step of receiving a message signal. The message signal represents an audio message. The method next includes the step of determining a signal quality. The signal quality is then compared to a threshold. If the signal quality is at least as great as the threshold, the audio data representing the message signal is stored in a memory. If the signal quality is not as great as the threshold, an indication signal is transmitted indicating that the signal quality is poor. A system is also disclosed for implementing the steps of the method.

Method and system for identifying a corrupted speech message signal

Desired tasks are modeled as a plurality of database slots. Each of the slots is opportunistically fillable by a predetermined set of values in accordance with a predetermined set of user utterance recognition rules. The user utterance recognition rules include a first layer which recognizes questions and commands based upon co-occurrences of key words in a sentence, removes corresponding database slot values and generates a supplemental utterance. A second layer recognizes database word values irrespective of sentence context and fills the slot appropriately. Responsive utterances are generated in accordance with a predetermined set of condition-action rules. The condition-action rules are based on logical combinations of filled slot values and, in operation, provide a user with the desired perception of a linguistically competent dialog while at the same time eliciting further information to complete a desired task.

Method for providing a linguistically competent dialogue with a

An automated method and system for voice processing is used with a plurality of voice mail boxes each of which is assigned to a corresponding one of a plurality of subscribers and is operative to receive and store a plurality of voice messages. After playback of the stored message has begun, playback may be suspended and a response may be generated by a subscriber (the called party) to the previous message segment. The response is directed to a selected destination and may include attachment of the message segment. Playback may thereafter be resumed and suspended in the same manner so as to form multiple responses to the stored message. Multiple responses to the same destination are concatenated so as to form a single concatenated response.

Automated system and method for voice processing

A method is disclosed for use in cooperation with a computer having memory in a Synchronous Optical Network (SONET) for generating an optimized transition plan for the placement of Self-Healing Rings (SHR) and the routing of point-to-point demand in accordance with projected customer demand over a selected multi-period time interval. By determining the number of nodes within a SONET, the demand therebetween over selected time interval as well as the discounted add-drop cost for a plurality of selected Add-Drop Multiplexers (ADMs), a set of logical rings as well as a set of physical rings and detailed routing information may be obtained and graphically illustrated. Logical rings may be determined by optimizing discounted fixed and interconnection costs for the plurality of ADMs in accordance with a selected mixed integer program to generate a corresponding electrical signal for receipt by the computer memory. Thereafter, the placement of physical self-healing rings, the cash flow out and optimal traffic routing may be determined in accordance with a second selected mixed integer program whereupon a second electrical signal may be generated corresponding thereto. Utilizing a heuristic approach, where the number of nodes under study is high, logical rings may be determined through an iterative process of randomly generating new proposed rings or, in the alternative, randomly expanding existing proposed rings until all demand has been satisfied.

Method and system for planning and installing communication networks

A method and system is provided for use in cooperation with a computer having a memory for generating an optimized transition plan for the placement and interconnection of carrier hubs in a local access network having a plurality of Central Offices (COs), Serving Wire Centers (SWCs) and Point-of-Presence (POP) exchange carriers such that calls may be routed at least cost. In operation, the total number and location of existing SWCs within the network must be determined along with the total switched and special access demand. Thereafter, known tariff rates for selected channel terminals, transport channels and multiplexers must be determined along with the total number of DS3 lines from each SWC to its corresponding POP. By expressing determined network demand as selected mixed-integer program decision variables and determining a corresponding set of logical constraints consistent with these decision variables, the optimized placement of hubs within the local access network may be determined. In addition, the corresponding location and type of channel terminals, transport channels and multiplexers may be implemented all accordance with the mixed-integer program and an electrical signal corresponding thereto may be generated for receipt by the computer memory. This information may thereafter be retrieved from computer memory and graphically displayed on a user-friendly interface.

Method and system for designing least cost local access networks

An improved logistics planning method and system for recommending optimal order quantities and timing, choice of vendor locations and storage locations, and transportation modes, for individual items and for product families. The system is designed for use in cooperation with the computer having memory and incorporates item, customer, supplier, and routing information databases. In operation, the item, customer and supplier databases are accessed in order to provide customer and warehouse demand forecasts. The routing and customer databases are similarly accessed to provide transportation cost forecasts necessary to determine optimized routing modes for selected items, customers and suppliers. The demand and transportation costs are processed in accordance with a dynamic programming model to determine stock and non-stock order/shipment solutions for the selected items and customers, including optimized supplier and routing selection, order timing and quantity.

Method and system for optimized logistics planning

A method for synthesizing human speech using a linear mapping of a small set of coefficients that are speaker-independent. Preferably, the speaker-independent set of coefficients are cepstral coefficients developed during a training session using a perceptual linear predictive analysis. A linear predictive all-pole model is used to develop corresponding formants and bandwidths to which the cepstral coefficients are mapped by using a separate multiple regression model for each of the five formant frequencies and five formant bandwidths. The dual analysis produces both the cepstral coefficients of the PLP model for the different vowel-like sounds and their true formant frequencies and bandwidths. The separate multiple regression models developed by mapping the cepstral coefficients into the formant frequencies and formant bandwidths can then be applied to cepstral coefficients determined for subsequent speech to produce corresponding formants and bandwidths used to synthesize that speech. Since less data are required for synthesizing each speech segment than in conventional techniques, a reduction in the required storage space and/or transmission rate for the data required in the speech synthesis is achieved. In addition, the cepstral coefficients for each speech segment can be used with the regressive model for a different speaker, to produce synthesized speech corresponding to the different speaker.

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Denver, CO, United States of America

Louis A Cox, Jr