Abstract:
A computer readable medium stores a computer program that provisions an announcement to be played to a requester. The computer readable medium stores and include code segments. A storing code segment stores multiple announcements. A receiving code segment receives a request to send the announcement to be played to the requester to an announcement device, in response to a determination that the announcement is not stored locally at the announcement device. A sending code segment sends the announcement to the announcement device in response to the request.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    The present application is a continuation application of pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/383,745, filed on Mar. 10, 2003, the disclosure of which is expressly incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0003]    The present invention is related to the field of telecommunications. More particularly, the present invention relates to the distribution of voice announcements from a centralized recorded announcement platform to a plurality of end office switches. 
         [0004]    2. Acronyms 
         [0005]    The written description contains acronyms that refer to various telecommunications services, components and techniques, as well as features relating to the present invention. Although some of these acronyms are known, use of these acronyms is not strictly standardized in the art. For purposes of the written description, acronyms will be defined as follows:
       Adaptive Differential Pulse Code Modulation (ADPCM)   Advanced Intelligent Network (AIN)   Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM)   Asynchronous Transfer Mode Gateway (ATMG)   Basic Rate Interface (BRI)   Carrier AIN (CAIN)   Dual Tone Multi-Frequency (DTMF)   Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN)   Intelligent Peripheral Announcement Device (IPAD)   Internet Protocol (IP)   Local Area Network (LAN)   Media Gateway (MG)   Media Gateway Control Protocol (MGCP)   Network Facility Access (NFA)   Open Systems Interconnection (OSI)   Primary Rate Interface (PRI)   Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN)   Pulse Code Modulation (PCM)   Service Control Point (SCP)   Service Switching Point (SSP)   Session Initiation Protocol (SIP)   Signaling System 7 (SS7)   Speech Activated Intelligent Dialing (SAID)   Time Division Multiplexing (TDM)   Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP)   Voice Over IP (VoIP)   Wide Area Network (WAN)       
 
         [0033]    3. Background and Material Information 
         [0034]    Telephone service providers provide voice announcements to subscribers in support of its services and to assist in call processing. The voice announcements are recorded voice files that are installed at each end office switch. That is, each particular recorded voice announcement must be duplicated or installed on each end office switch. To do so requires a substantial amount of time and resources from a manpower and hardware perspective. 
         [0035]    With new services being offered frequently, flexibility in provisioning announcements is crucial. This is especially true with respect to the delivery and marketing of subscription and pay per use services. Moreover, an increasing segment of the population would appreciate announcements in a language other than English. Unfortunately, installing new announcements or changing existing announcements is very difficult to coordinate on a company wide basis, given the number of end office switches involved. Attempts at improving this process have proved unsatisfactory. 
         [0036]    Therefore, it would be advantageous to implement a centralized digital recorded announcement system employing high speed transmission technology that would permit the provisioning of voice announcements quickly and inexpensively. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
         [0037]    The present invention is further described in the detailed description that follows, by reference to the noted drawings by way of non-limiting examples of embodiments of the present invention, in which like reference numerals represent similar parts throughout several views of the drawings, and in which: 
           [0038]      FIG. 1  is a block diagram showing an exemplary telecommunications network, according to an aspect of the present invention; 
           [0039]      FIG. 2  is an exemplary flow diagram, according to an aspect of the present invention; 
           [0040]      FIG. 3  is an exemplary flow diagram, according to an aspect of the present invention; and 
           [0041]      FIG. 4  is a block diagram showing an exemplary telecommunications network, according to an aspect of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS 
       [0042]    The present invention relates to a method and system for the distribution of voice announcement files from a shared recorded announcement unit to end office switches via a packet-switched network. As defined herein, a packet-switched network includes a transport medium adapted to carry, for example, internet protocol (IP) packets, asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) cells, and frame relay frames. 
         [0043]    In view of the above, the present invention through one or more of its various aspects and/or embodiments is presented to accomplish one or more objectives and advantages, such as those noted below. 
         [0044]    Accordingly, one aspect of the invention is to provide a recorded announcement unit that stores digitally recorded announcements in the form of announcement files. The announcement files are transported to an announcement device at end office switches using internet protocol packets, asynchronous transfer mode cells, or frame relay frames. 
         [0045]    Another aspect of the present invention is to provide a method of delivering at least one recorded announcement to a caller at an end office switch in a public switched telephone network. The method includes receiving a call at the switch, determining which announcement to play to the caller, receiving an announcement from a recorded announcement unit via a packet-switched network, and playing the announcement to the caller. 
         [0046]    The method may also include storing the announcement in a memory of an announcement device. Further, the method may include sending a request to the recorded announcement unit for the announcement. The method may also include converting the announcement from a first format to a second format. A determination may also be made as to whether the announcement is stored in a memory of the announcement device, which may be an intelligent peripheral. 
         [0047]    The announcement is received via internet protocol packets, asynchronous transfer mode cells, or frame relay frames at the switch, which may include a class 5 switch. Further, the announcement may be received via a voice over IP packet-based communication. 
         [0048]    The method includes an announcement device that plays the announcement to the caller, in which the switch and the announcement device may communicate via an announcement trunk or a line interface. With respect to an announcement trunk, the communications may include multi-frequency in-band signaling, signaling system 7 signaling, or D-channel signaling over primary rate interface ISDN. With respect to a line interface, the communications may include DTMF signaling or D-channel signaling over basic rate interface ISDN. Alternatively, a software bridging arrangement may be provisioned between the switch and the announcement device, or the switch and the announcement device may communicate via an advanced intelligent network interface. 
         [0049]    The method may further include sending a request from the switch to a telephone number at an announcement device, in which the telephone number is associated with the announcement. Still further, a specific identifier to identify a particular announcement may be associated with each announcement. 
         [0050]    Another aspect of the present invention is to provide a method of delivering at least one announcement file from a recorded announcement unit to be played to a caller at an end office switch in a public switched telephone network. The method includes storing announcement files on the recorded announcement unit, receiving a request, via a packet-switched network, from an announcement device to send at least one announcement file to the announcement device, and sending the announcement file to the announcement device via a packet-switched network. 
         [0051]    The announcement device may include an intelligent peripheral. Further, the announcement file is sent in the form of internet protocol packets, asynchronous transfer mode cells, or frame relay frames. 
         [0052]    Another aspect of the present invention is to provide a centralized recorded announcement system for playing announcements to a caller at an end office switch in a public switched telephone network. The system includes a recorded announcement unit to store recorded announcements digitally in a file, end offices connected to the recorded announcement unit, and an announcement device at each end office that is configured to receive announcement files over a packet-switched network and play at least one announcement to the caller. 
         [0053]    The announcement files may be received in the form of internet protocol packets, asynchronous transfer mode cells, or frame relay frames. The announcement device, which may be an intelligent peripheral, may convert a received announcement file from a first format to a second format and may store announcement files in a memory. The recorded announcement unit may send an announcement file to the announcement device in response to a request from the announcement device. Also, a processor may be included to store announcement files on the recorded announcement unit. 
         [0054]    According to another aspect of the present invention, a data signal is provided that is propagated on a propagation medium that transports at least one recorded announcement file from a recorded announcement unit to an announcement device at an end office switch in a public switched telephone network. The data signal includes internet protocol signaling, asynchronous transfer mode signaling, or frame relay signaling. 
         [0055]      FIG. 1  is a block diagram showing an exemplary telecommunications network, according to an aspect of the present invention. The telecommunications network  100  includes a records and administration processor  110 , a centralized recorded announcement unit  120 , a switch  125 , an IP network  128 , end office switches  130 ,  150 ,  170 , IP routers  131 ,  151 ,  171 , calling stations  136 ,  137 ,  138 ,  156 ,  157 ,  158 ,  176 ,  177 ,  178 , and intelligent peripheral announcement devices (IPADs)  140 ,  160 ,  180 . Each of the IPADs  140 ,  160 ,  180  include a media gateway (MG), which will be discussed later. 
         [0056]    The records and administration processor  110  is a processor/server operating an announcement management interface that is used to store digital announcement files on the centralized recorded announcement unit  120  and/or the IPADs  140 ,  160 ,  180 . An exemplary records and administration processor includes an IBM compatible computer running the Windows operating system. The announcement files stored at the centralized recorded announcement unit  120  are a collection of announcements that the service provider plays to callers. The announcements may be digitally stored in formats such as WAV, MP3, G.711 (i.e., pulse code modulation (PCM)), G.726 (i.e., adaptive differential pulse code modulation (ADPCM)), or suitable equivalents. An exemplary centralized recorded announcement unit includes the Harmony 6000 available from IP Unity. 
         [0057]    Typically, the records and administration processor  110  is operated by a telephone service provider. The records and administration processor  110  communicates with the centralized recorded announcement unit  120  via a suitable network, e.g., local area network (LAN), wide area network (WAN), etc. An exemplary switch  125  comprises a layer  2  or layer  3  switch according to open systems interconnection (OSI) standards and connects the centralized recorded announcement unit  120  to the IP network  128 . For example, an exemplary switch used for the switch  125  includes a Black Diamond available from Extreme Networks. The IP network may include any network capable of routing IP packets via transmission control protocol/internet protocol (TCP/IP), such as a WAN. 
         [0058]    The end office switches  130 ,  150 ,  170 , also referred to as central office switches, include switches or service switching points (SSPs), and specifically, class 5 switches. It is noted that the terms end office and end office switch will be used interchangeably herein. Exemplary switches include, for example, 1AESS or 5ESS switches manufactured by Lucent Technologies, Inc.(Lucent); DMS-100 or DMS-250 switches manufactured by Nortel Networks Corporation (Nortel); AXE-10 switches manufactured by Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson, or EWSD switches available from Siemens Information and Communication Networks, Inc. If the end offices include SSPs in an advanced intelligent network (AIN) environment, then the switches may utilize an AIN Release 0.2 protocol or a Carrier AIN (CAIN) protocol. The end offices  130 ,  150 , and  170  are connected to the centralized recorded announcement unit  120  via the IP network  128  through IP routers  131 ,  151  and  171  and media gateways in the IPADs  140 ,  160 ,  180 , respectively. An exemplary IP router includes the RS Platform available from Riverstone Networks. 
         [0059]    The IP routers  131 ,  151 , and  171  route and deliver IP packets between the centralized recorded announcement unit  120  and the IPADs  140 ,  160 , and  180  over the IP network  128 . An exemplary IPAD includes the Convedia Corporation CMS-1000 announcement server, having a telephony interface and application software. The telephony interface recognizes the signaling across the particular interface employed for communications between end offices and respective IPADs. For instance, the telephony interface would recognize the D-channel if primary rate interface (PRI ISDN) (as will be discussed later) is used. Similar recognition functionality is provided with other interfaces that will be discussed later. The application software uses the signaling to recognize an announcement ID to thereby select and play the appropriate announcement. 
         [0060]    Media gateways in the IPADs  140 ,  160 ,  180  operate the media gateway control protocol or session initiation protocol (SIP) and bridge the circuit-based public switched telephone network (PSTN) used by the end offices  130 ,  150 , and  170  and the IP based-network used by the centralized recorded announcement unit  120 . An exemplary media gateway includes the Cisco 3660 router available from Cisco Systems, Inc. 
         [0061]    The end office  130  serves calling stations  136 ,  137 , and  138 ; the end office  150  serves calling stations  146 ,  147 , and  148 ; and the end office  170  serves calling stations  176 ,  177 , and  178 . Each end office  130 ,  150 ,  170  is connected to IPADs  140 ,  160 ,  180 , respectively, via interface lines or trunks. In one embodiment, the IPADs  140 ,  160 ,  180  are located in the central office facility where the switches reside. 
         [0062]    While only three end offices are shown for the sake of illustration, it is clear that additional end offices may be included. Further, the following description will discuss the arrangement with respect to only one end office; however, the arrangement applies to the other end offices as well. 
         [0063]    When a caller places a telephone call from the calling station  136 , the call is received at the end office  130 . A determination is made as to whether an announcement is required to be played to the caller calling from the calling station  136 . It is clear that in some instances a set of announcements is required to be played to a caller. Thus, by referring to an announcement it is assumed that a set of announcements may be included. For example, some announcements requiring interaction with the caller include nested messages or sub-menus. 
         [0064]    In one embodiment, the end office  130  employs switch translations that define the conditions under which an announcement is to be played to caller, as well as which announcement is to be played to the caller, based upon call processing instructions at the switch  130 . That is, if the switch  130  recognizes that a particular announcement is to be played to a caller, then the switch will seize a line interface or trunk channel and send the request to play the announcement to the IPAD  140  using appropriate signaling (as will be discussed below). In one embodiment, the switch  130  sends the request to a telephone number at the IPAD  140  associated with the desired announcement. 
         [0065]    The IPAD  140  recognizes the seizure by the switch  130  and recognizes which announcement is to be played based on the signaling sent by the switch  130 . At this point, the IPAD  140  determines whether the requested announcement is stored locally. That is, if the IPAD  140  has the announcement in its own memory, it will play the announcement to the caller at calling station  136  over the line interface or announcement trunk. However, if the IPAD  140  determines that it does not have the required announcement in memory, then a request, in the form of an IP message for example, is sent to the centralized recorded announcement unit  120  via the IP router  131 , over the IP network  128 . The request sent by the IPAD  140  includes an announcement ID to identify the appropriate announcement and a source address corresponding to the switch  130  and/or IPAD  140 . 
         [0066]    Upon receiving a request for a specific announcement from the IPAD  140  via the IP network  128  and the switch  125 , the centralized recorded announcement unit  120  obtains the required announcement from its database and sends the announcement file to the IPAD  140  via the IP network  128  and the IP router  131 . The transmission of the announcement file is sent from the centralized recorded announcement unit  120  to the IPAD  140 , for example, as an IP message or as an attachment to an IP message. Upon receipt of the file, the IPAD  140  converts the file into a standard telephony format such as the G.711 format, the standard for encoding telephone audio on a 64 kbps channel, if it does not already reside in that format. Then the announcement file would be played to the caller over a line interface or announcement trunk interfacing the IPAD  140  to the end office  130 . 
         [0067]    In an alternative embodiment, the IPAD  140  sends an IP message to the centralized recorded announcement unit  120  requesting the desired announcement. In response, the centralized recorded announcement unit  120  converts the announcement file to voice over IP (VoIP) packets and sends the VoIP packets across the network  128  to the IPAD  140 . Then, the IPAD  140  converts the VoIP packets to time division multiplexing (TDM) voice and the announcement is played to the calling station  136 . 
         [0068]    It is noted that the end office  130  may also connect a dual tone multi-frequency (DTMF) receiver to the caller at the calling station  136  to collect a caller response, when such response is expected, as in response to an interactive announcement. The DTMF receiver may be a stand alone unit, or may be integrated with the IPAD  140 . It is further noted that the end office  130  may retain announcement playing functionality with respect to some announcements, e.g., tones, busy signals, “call cannot be completed as dialed” announcements, etc. 
         [0069]    As mentioned, the IPAD  140  may store announcement files in an internal or external memory, including a cache memory. For example, the IPAD  140  may store recently played announcements in a cache memory in order to reduce the number of announcement retrievals from the centralized recorded announcement unit  120 . In another alternative arrangement, the IPAD  140  may store all announcements required for serving the calling stations  136 ,  137 ,  138  associated with the switch  130 . With this arrangement, the announcements stored at the IPAD  140  would be provisioned and updated from the centralized recorded announcement unit  120  using the records and administration processor  110  as necessary. 
         [0070]    As mentioned, the end office  130  communicates with the IPAD  140  via a line interface or announcement trunk. The communications with a line interface include DTMF signaling, or D-channel signaling over a basic rate interface (BRI) integrated services digital network (ISDN). The communications via announcement trunk includes multi-frequency in-band signaling, signaling system 7 (SS7) signaling, or D-channel signaling over PRI ISDN. 
         [0071]    In an alternative embodiment, a suitable software bridging arrangement may be provisioned between the end office  130  and the IPAD  140 , while still leaving the end office  130  in control of the call. This arrangement may be implemented via a network facility access (NFA) generic interface. For example, speech activated intelligent dialing (SAID) may be used with Nortel DMS-100 switches and AIProxy may be used with Lucent 5ESS switches. 
         [0072]    Rather than relying upon the aforementioned switch translations, an AIN configuration may be used such that when a call is received at the end office  130 , an AIN trigger in the switch  130  causes the call to be suspended and a query to be sent to a service control point (SCP) requesting instructions on the handling of the call. As a result, the SCP sends a message to the end office  130  with instructions that an announcement is required for the particular call, including at least one parameter identifying the required announcement, e.g., an announcement ID. Then, the end office  130  seizes a line or trunk channel and sends the request to the IPAD  140  using appropriate signaling. Once the IPAD  140  recognizes the seizure and announcement required to be played from the end office  130 , the processing is the same as discussed with respect to the switch translations embodiment. The AIN interface utilizes, for example, GR-1129 signaling over PRI ISDN. 
         [0073]      FIG. 2  is an exemplary flow diagram, according to one aspect of the present invention. At step S 202 , a call is received at the end office  130  from the calling station  136 . At step S 204 , the end office  130  determines that a particular announcement, or set of announcements, is required to be played to the caller at the calling station  136 . For example, this determination is made using switch translations or AIN SCP processing. At step S 206 , the end office  130  sends an instruction to the IPAD  140  to play a particular announcement to the caller at calling station  136 . This instruction is sent via a line interface or an announcement trunk as discussed with respect to  FIG. 1 . At step S 208 , the IPAD  140  determines whether the announcement resides in memory at the IPAD  140 . If it is determined that the announcement is stored or cached at the IPAD  140 , then the IPAD  140  begins playing the announcement to the caller at step S 210 . Thereafter, the call may be routed or disconnected as appropriate. 
         [0074]    If it is determined at step S 208  that the announcement is not stored in a memory at the IPAD  140 , then the IPAD  140  sends a request to the centralized recorded announcement unit  120  at step S 212  over the IP network  128 . This request is sent via the router  131  and the switch  125 . In response, the centralized recorded announcement unit  120  retrieves the requested announcement and transmits the announcement to the IPAD  140  as an IP message or as an attachment to an IP message. Then, at step S 214  the IPAD  140  receives the requested announcement file from the centralized recorded announcement unit  120  and plays the announcement to the caller. If the announcement file is received, for example as a WAV or an MP3 file, then the IPAD  140  may convert the file into a standard telephony format such as the G.711 format. This conversion process would also take place at step S 214 , prior to playing the announcement to the caller. After step S 214 , the call may be routed or disconnected as appropriate. 
         [0075]    The process of provisioning a voice announcement will now be discussed with respect to  FIG. 3 .  FIG. 3  is an exemplary flow diagram, according to an aspect of the present invention. At step S 300 , a representative of the service provider stores announcement files on the centralized recorded announcement unit  120  through an announcement management interface residing on the records and administration processor  110 . This function may be accomplished by any known process. As a result, the centralized recorded announcement unit  120  is provisioned with a database of recorded voice announcements stored in a format such as a WAV, MP3, G.711, G.726, or suitable equivalents. Each recorded voice announcement has an associated identifier, such as announcement ID, by which it is identified. At step S 302 , using the announcement management interface on the records and administration processor  110 , the representative selects the particular announcement file that is to be stored on the IPAD  140 . This selection is accomplished via a known process such as entering the announcement ID or highlighting the announcement ID from a group of announcement IDs, using a mouse, keyboard or other technique. At step S 304 , the representative instructs that the desired announcement be sent to the IPAD  140  over the IP network  128 . It is noted that certain announcements may be applicable only to certain end offices, in which case only those announcements will the respective IPADs as determined by the representative. 
         [0076]    In any event, the announcement file is sent from the centralized recorded announcement unit  120  to the IPAD  140  over the IP network  128 . At step S 306 , the IPAD  140  receives and stores the announcement file. If necessary, the IPAD  140  converts the file into a standard telephone format. 
         [0077]    In an alternative arrangement, the network over which the announcement files are transmitted between the centralized recorded announcement unit  120  and the IPADs may be an ATM network.  FIG. 4  is a block diagram showing an exemplary telecommunications network, according to an aspect of the present invention. A discussion of similar elements from  FIG. 1  will not be repeated. 
         [0078]    As shown, an ATM network  428  is provided to transfer announcement files from the centralized recorded announcement unit  120  to the IPAD  440 . As is known, ATM is a networking technology that contains a flexible multiplexing and switching technique that provides high bandwidth over LANs and WANs using packets in the form of cells. As shown in  FIG. 4 , an ATM edge switch  425  provides access from the centralized recorded announcement unit  420  to the ATM network  428 , while ATM edge switches  431 ,  451 ,  471  provide access from each of the IPADs  440 ,  460 ,  480  to the ATM network  428 . An exemplary ATM edge switch includes the CBX 500 switch available from Lucent Technologies, Inc. 
         [0079]    An ATM gateway (ATMG) resides within each of the IPADs  440 ,  460 ,  480  and bridges the circuit-based PSTN used by the end offices  430 ,  450 , and  470  and the ATM-based network used by the centralized recorded announcement unit  420 . An exemplary ATM gateway includes the G6 available from General Bandwidth, Inc. 
         [0080]    Further, the present invention is not limited to IP networks or ATM networks. For instance, known elements inherent to frame relay transport (e.g., a frame relay access device) that use packets in the form of frames made be readily substituted if a frame relay network is employed in lieu of an IP network or an ATM network. In any event, a method and system are provided that facilitate quick and inexpensive provisioning of voice announcements. 
         [0081]    Although the invention has been described with reference to several exemplary embodiments, it is understood that the words that have been used are words of description and illustration, rather than words of limitation. Changes may be made within the purview of the appended claims, as presently stated and as amended, without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention in its aspects. Although the invention has been described with reference to particular means, materials and embodiments, the invention is not intended to be limited to the particulars disclosed; rather, the invention extends to all functionally equivalent structures, methods, and uses such as are within the scope of the appended claims. 
         [0082]    In accordance with various embodiments of the present invention, the methods described herein are intended for operation as software programs running on a computer processor. Dedicated hardware implementations including, but not limited to, application specific integrated circuits, programmable logic arrays and other hardware devices can likewise be constructed to implement the methods described herein. Furthermore, alternative software implementations including, but not limited to, distributed processing or component/object distributed processing, parallel processing, or virtual machine processing can also be constructed to implement the methods described herein. 
         [0083]    It should also be noted that the software implementations of the present invention as described herein are optionally stored on a tangible storage medium, such as: a magnetic medium such as a disk or tape; a magneto-optical or optical medium such as a disk; or a solid state medium such as a memory card or other package that houses one or more read-only (non-volatile) memories, random access memories, or other re-writable (volatile) memories. A digital file attachment to email or other self-contained information archive or set of archives is considered a distribution medium equivalent to a tangible storage medium. Accordingly, the invention is considered to include a tangible storage medium or distribution medium, as listed herein and including art-recognized equivalents and successor media, in which the software implementations herein are stored. 
         [0084]    Although the present specification describes components and functions implemented in the embodiments with reference to particular standards and protocols, the invention is not limited to such standards and protocols. Each of the standards for Internet and other packet-switched network transmission (e.g., IP, ATM, frame relay) and public telephone networks (e.g., AIN, SS7) represent examples of the state of the art. Such standards are periodically superseded by faster or more efficient equivalents having essentially the same functions. Accordingly, replacement standards and protocols having the same functions are considered equivalents.