Elimination of false requests for telephone operator assistance
December 2, 2008. Estimated Expiration Date is calculated based on simple USPTO term provisions. It does not account for terminal disclaimers, term adjustments, failure to pay maintenance fees, or other factors which might affect the term of a patent.Patent References 3335231 Optional telephone answering system Telephone system for audio demonstration and marketing of goods or services Switching system auxiliary line transfer circuit Remote control system Comprehensive automatic directory assistance apparatus and method thereof Reprogrammable call forwarding device Semi-automated directory assistance systems Patent #: 4677609 InventorAssigneeApplicationNo. 283057 filed on 12/02/1988US Classes:379/88.01, Voice activation or recognition379/84, At switching facility (e.g., central office, switchboard)379/88.25, Message storage in centralized location (e.g., central office, PBX, etc.)379/214.01, Secretarial or answering service379/393Hold circuitExaminersPrimary: Stephan, Steven L.Assistant: Tomassini, James E. Attorney, Agent or FirmInternational ClassesH04M 011/00H04M 011/10 AbstractA problem has been encountered in directory assistance and intercept systems which provide automatic announcement facilities to announce a directory number or line status to a customer and which permit the customer to be subsequently connected to an operator if the announcement is unsatisfactory. In such systems, if the customer disconnects and immediately attempts to place another call, such a situation may be interpreted by the local switching system serving the customer as a "flash"; if the customer is provided with three-way calling then the connection to the directory assistance or intercept system is put into a hold state while the customer dials a new number. In the meantime, the directory assistance or intercept system, not being aware of the hold status of the connection to the customer, sets up a connection to an assistance operator who hears nothing. This "no voice" connection is costly and annoying to the assistance operator. No voice connections are eliminated by checking for a positive voice signal or for a positive keyed command signal using a voice processing unit following an announcement and prior to setting up a subsequent connection to an assistance operator. If no positive keyed command or voice signals are detected, the call is disconnected and the no voice connection to an assistance operator is eliminated.Other References
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