CA2159250A1 - Method for transferring image information over a telecommunications network - Google Patents
Method for transferring image information over a telecommunications networkInfo
- Publication number
- CA2159250A1 CA2159250A1 CA002159250A CA2159250A CA2159250A1 CA 2159250 A1 CA2159250 A1 CA 2159250A1 CA 002159250 A CA002159250 A CA 002159250A CA 2159250 A CA2159250 A CA 2159250A CA 2159250 A1 CA2159250 A1 CA 2159250A1
- Authority
- CA
- Canada
- Prior art keywords
- image data
- customer
- telecommunications network
- signal path
- conversant
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Abandoned
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Abstract
A customer controls the transmission of image and/or audio information over a telecommunications network 10 using voice commands. The image data may representfacsimile images, video images or motion video images. Fig. 2
Description
J. W. Coble l~ 5 ~
METHOD FOR TRANSFERRING IMAGE INFORMATION OVER A
TELECOMMUNICATIONS NETWORK
Back~round of the Invention In the past, services such as shopping at home were conducted by mailing a catalog to the customer's premises, or by watching a shop-at-home television program where orders were placed over a telephone. Shopping by catalog allowed a customer to browse through pictures of products at the customer's convenience; however, catalogs could not be updated with the latest product offerings until a new catalog was mailed to lo the customer. Shop-at-home television programs offered the consumer up-to-date information on products being offered; however, the customer was forced to shop at the time a particular program was scheduled. In addition, the customer had no control over product images presented on the television screen. As a result, the customer was forced to observe products that were of no interest.
Summary of the Invenbon The present invention offers a solution to these problems by allowing a customerto use the telecommunications network to select product images that are communicated to the customer over the telecommunications network. In this way, the customer may shop at his or her convenience while selecting images of products that are of interest to the customer. The customer controls which images are presented and selects a product for purchase using voice commands.
Brief Descripbon of the Drawin~s FIG. 1 illustrates using a telecommunications network to provide image data to acustomer using multiple channels through a telecommunications network;
F~G. 2 illustrates using a single channel through the telecommunications networkto present image data to a customer; and FIG. 3 illustrates another embodiment using a single channel through the telecommunications network to present image data to a customer.
Detailed Descripbon of the Invention FIG. 1 illustrates telecommunications network 10 with communication channels 12, 14 and 16. Communication channel 12 carries f~csimile image data from Conversant~) Interactive Voice Response (IVR) System 18 (Conversant is a registered trademark of AT&T Corp.), over signal path 20, through telecommunications network 10, and over signal path 22 to facsimile terminal 24. (Conversant~ IVR Systems are available from AT&T Corp.) Telecommunications channel 14 is used to provide audio communication from telephone device 30, over signal path 32, through network 10, and 215~2~
J. W. Coble 1 - 1 -then over signal path 34 to Conversant@~ IVR System 18. Communication path 16 is used to provide video image data from Picasso(~) telephone 40 (Picasso is a registered trademark of AT&T Corp.), over signal path 42, through telecommunications network 10, and then over signal path 44 to Picasso(~ telephone 46. Picasso~ telephone 46 displays a 5 video image received from signal path 16 on television or video monitor 48. (Picasso(3 telephones are available from AT&T Corp.) A customer uses telephone device 30 and telecommunication channel 14 to contact Conversant@) IVR System 18. Conversant~ IVR System 18 uses automatic speech recognition to interpret commands provided by the customer over telecommunication 10 channel 14. The Conversant~ IVR System provides menus of options to the customer over communication channel 14, and the customer chooses from these menus using verbal commands over telecommunication channel 14. These menus may, for example, allow a customer to choose from several types of products before any images are tr~n~mitted. In this way, the customer can request only images of products in which the customer is 5 interested. In another example, a customer may review real estate remotely through the use of this system. The customer may verbally respond to menu options in order to select a particular town and price range for real estate to be viewed. The Conversant~ IVR
System then transmits video images of different pieces of real estate that satisfy the customer's requirements over communication channel 16. When the customer sees a piece 20 of real estate in which he or she is interested, the customer may use verbal commands to receive additional details such as video images of rooms within the piece of real estate.
These images may include things such as images of kitchens, living rooms, basements, etc.
The customer may also receive additional information on a product or a piece of real estate via a fact sheet that is faxed from the Conversant~ IVR System to the user's 2s f~c~imile terminal over communication channel 12.
As indicated earlier, a user initially contacts Conversant~) IVR System 18 usingtelephone device 30 over communication channel 14. Conversant(E~ IVR System 18 provides the user with a menu of selections, and responds to the customer choices using speech recognition equipment. The Conversant~ IVR System may have internal memory 30 that provides the scripts that are used to provide menus to the customer, or it may use external storage device 60 which communicates with Conversant~ IVR System 18 over signal path 62. Storage device 60 may be a hard disk, an optical disk, CD Rom, a tape unit or another type of storage such as memory on a host computer or server. Signal path 62 may include interfaces such as a SCSI interface, a standard bus interface, a LAN
35 interface, and/or an interface to a telecommunications network. After the Conversant IVR System has provided the customer with a menu of selections, and has used speech J.W.Coble 1-1 2 159~
recognition to interpret the customer's spoken commands or utterances, Conversant~ IVR
System 18 provides video images of the selections to the customer over communication channel 16. It is also possible for Conversant~ IVR System 18 to provide a series of images to the customer so that the customer can view motion video on television or monitor 48. The Conversant~ IVR System provides the video images by using internal memory storage or storage such as storage device 60 to access data representative of the selected image(s). This image is typically stored in digital form in a standard format such as ISO 10918-1/CCl~ JPEG standard format (JPEG). The Conversant(~ IVR System then provides the video image data in JPEG format over parallel communication path 64 0 to Picasso(~ telephone 40. The Picasso~ telephone then transfers image data provided by Conversant(g) IVR System 18 over signal path 42 through network 10 and over signal path 44 to receiving Picasso(~ telephone 46. Picasso~ telephone 46 then converts the JPEG
data file into a video image by providing a video signal such as a NTSP video signal to television or monitor 48. It is also possible to include audio information with the video image data. In this case, Conversant~ IVR System 18 obtains the audio data from its own memory or storage device such as storage device 60. The audio information ispassed over communication path 34 to telephone device 30.
It is also possible to transmit the audio information using Picasso(~) telephone 40.
Picasso~ telephone 40 transmits the JPEG video image data and the audio data over communication channel 16 to receiving Picasso~ telephone 46. Picasso~ telephone 46 then separates the audio and video image data so that the video image data produces an image on television 48, and the audio data is played through a speakerphone which is included in the Picasso~) telephone. Devices other than the Picasso(~ telephone may be used as long as the sending and receiving devices use the same or compatible formats for packaging or tr~n~mitting the video image and/or audio data. In the case of Picasso~) telephones, the image and/or audio data is transmitted in X.25 format (X.25 is a CCITT
standard).
If the customer uses communication channel 14 to request f~csimile image data, Conversant~) IVR System 18 accesses the stored f~c~imile image data from internal memory or a storage device such as storage device 60, and transfers the facsimile image data in standard facsimile format over signal path 20, through network 10, and then through signal path 22 to facsimile terminal 24.
The scripts used by the Conversant~ IVR System may be purchased from AT&T
Corp., or they may be developed/customized using Script Building software tools available from AT&T Corp. It should also be noted that in addition to voice commands, the customer may communicate commands to Conversant~ IVR System 18 through J. W. Coble l~
keypad inputs on telephone device 30. In the case of keypad inputs, Conversant~ IVR
System 18 decodes the DTMF signals provided by telephone device 30 in order to interpret customer commands.
FIG. 2 illustrates another embodiment of the present invention. This embodiment offers the advantage of using only a single communication channel to provide allcommunication between the customer and the Conversant~ IVR System. In this embodiment, both the customer utterances, and the video image andtor audio data supplied by Conversant~ IVR System 18 are passed over a single communication channel through network 10. In this embodiment, communication channel 80 is used to provide voice commands or utterances from the customer to Conversant~ IVR System 18, and to provide video image and audio information to the customer from Conversant(~ IVR
System 18. The customer enters verbal commands through telephone device 30 over signal path 82 to VoiceSpan~ modem 84. (VoiceSpan is a trademark of AT&T Corp.) (VoiceSpan~ modems are available from AT&T Corp.) Modem 84 combines analog information or data, such as the audio information from telephone device 30 on signal path 82, with digital data or information provided to modem 84 on signal path 86. (In this example, modem 84 does not receive digital information on signal path 86; however, digital data such as data representative of a credit card image or account number may be provided to modem 84 via computer 98 and signal path 86.) Modem 84 transmits theuser's utterances on signal path 88 through network 10 to signal path 90. VoiceSpan~
modem 92 receives the signal from network 10 on signal path 90, and splits it into an analog and digital output. An analog output is provided on signal path 94 to Conversant(~ IVR System 18, and a digital output is provided on signal path 96 to Conversant~ IVR System 18. (As mentioned earlier, in this example there is no digital 2s information passing from modem 84 to modem 92. As mentioned earlier, it is possible for PC 98 to pass information such as credit card information to Conversant(~ IVR System 18 using modems 84 and 92.) Conversant~ IVR System 18 passes the audio menu to the user at telephone device 30 via signal path 94 and modem 92, along channel 80, through modem 84 and signal path 82, The user then enters voice commands to select from the menu. The voice commands are interpreted by Conversant~ System 18, and are used to provide the user with additional menus or the selected images. Selected images, as mentioned with regard to FIG. 1, may include audio information. In addition, a series of video images may be provided so that the customer receives motion video. Conversant~) IVR System 18 provides the video image data andtor audio data selected by the customer by accessing audio files andtor video image files stored within Conversant(~ IVR System 18's memory, or within storage device 60. The audio data is provided in analog form via J.W.Coblel-l 21~2S~
signal path 94 to modem 92, and the video image data is provided via signal path 96 to modem 92. As mentioned earlier, the image data may be in any of the commonly used formats such as the JPEG format. Modem 92 combines the analog audio signal and the digital video image data, and simultaneously transmits the audio and image data over signal path 90 through network 10 to signal path 88 and to modem 84. Modem 84 separates the audio and image data and provides the audio signal on path 82 to telephone device 30 for listening by the customer. Modem 84 provides the video image data on signal path 86 to personal computer 98. Personal computer 98 uses the standard video image data file received from modem 84 to produce the transmitted video image ondisplay or monitor 100. It should be noted that in addition to sending JPEG-type image data to the customer, it is also possible to send facsimile image data to the customer over either signal path 94 or signal path 96. If the f~similP image data is sent over signal path 96, modem 84 will provide that information to PC 98 along signal path 86. PC 98 will then display the f~simile image data on display 100, or print the faccimil~ image using a printer. If the facsimile image data is sent in analog form along signal path 94, modem 84 will provide the facsimile image data output on signal path 82 in analog form where facsimile terminal 2A can produce the facsimile image. It should be noted that VoiceSpanTM modems simultaneously transmit the analog audio data and digital image data. For example, modem 92 simultaneously transmits the audio information from signal path 94 and the image data from signal path 96, while modem 84 simultaneously receives audio information and image data from signal path 88. It is also possible to use modems or similar devices that use time division multiplexing or frequency division multiplexing to send the audio and image data.
FIG. 3 illustrates another embodiment of the present invention. This embodiment also offers the advantage of using only a single communication channel to provide all communication between the customer and the Conversant~ IVR System. In this embodiment, both the customer utterances, and the video image and/or audio data supplied by Conversant~ IVR System 18 are passed over a single communication channel through network 10. In this embodiment, communication channel 100 is used to provide voice commands or utterances from the customer to Conversant(~ IVR System 18, and to provide video image and audio information to the customer from Conversant(~ IVR
System 18. The customer enters verbal commands through telephone device 30 over signal path 102 to VoiceView~ modem 104. (VoiceView is a registered trademark ofRadish Communications Systems, Inc.) (VoiceView~ modems are available from Radish Communications Systems, Inc.) Digital data from personal computer 98 is provided to modem 104 over signal path 106. (In this example, modem 104 does not receive digital J. W. Coble l~
information on signal path 106; however, digital data such as data representative of a credit card image or account number may be provided to modem 104 via computer 98 and signal path 106.) Modem 104 transmits the user's utterances on signal path 108 through network 10 to signal path 110. VoiceView~ modem 11 receives the signal from s network 10 on signal path 110, and splits it into an analog and digital output. An analog output is provided on signal path 114 to Conversant~ IVR System 18, and a digital output is provided on signal path 116 to Conversant~ IVR System 18. (As mentioned earlier, in this example there is no digital information passing from modem 114 to modem 112. As mentioned earlier, it is possible for PC 98 to pass information such as credit card lo information to Conversant~ IVR System 18 using modems 104 and 112.) Conversant~3 IVR System 18 passes the audio menu to the user at telephone device 30 via signal path 114 and modem 112, along channel 110, through modem 104 and signal path 102. Theuser then enters voice commands to select from the menu. The voice commands are interpreted by 5 Conversant~) System 18, and are used to provide the user with additional menus or the selected images. Selected images, as mentioned with regard to FIG. 1, may include audio information. In addition, a series of video images may be provided so that the customer receives motion video. Conversant~ IVR System 18 provides the video image data and/or audio data selected by the customer by accessing audio files and/or video image 20 files stored within Conversant~ IVR System 18's memory, or within storage device 60.
The audio data is provided in analog form via signal path 114 to modem 112, and the video image data is provided via signal path 116 to modem 112. As mentioned earlier, the image data may be in any of the commonly used formats such as the JPEG format.
Modem 112 transmits the audio information from signal path 114 to modem 104;
25 however, when image data is available on signal path 116, the image data is transmitted and tr~nsmic~ion of the audio information stops unti'l tr~n~mission of the image data is completed. Modem 104 separates the audio and image data and provides the audio signal on path 102 to telephone device 30 for listening by the customer. Modem 104 provides the video image data on signal path 106 to personal computer 98. Personal computer 98 30 uses the standard video image data file received from modem 104 to produce the tr~nsmi~ted video image on display or monitor 100. It should be noted that in addition to sending JPEG-type image data to the customer, it is also possible to send facsimile image data to the customer over signal path 116. If f~csimile image data is sent over signal path 116, modem 104 will provide that information to PC 98 along signal path 106. PC 98 will 35 then display the f~ccimile image data on display 100, or print the f~csimil~ image using a printer.
METHOD FOR TRANSFERRING IMAGE INFORMATION OVER A
TELECOMMUNICATIONS NETWORK
Back~round of the Invention In the past, services such as shopping at home were conducted by mailing a catalog to the customer's premises, or by watching a shop-at-home television program where orders were placed over a telephone. Shopping by catalog allowed a customer to browse through pictures of products at the customer's convenience; however, catalogs could not be updated with the latest product offerings until a new catalog was mailed to lo the customer. Shop-at-home television programs offered the consumer up-to-date information on products being offered; however, the customer was forced to shop at the time a particular program was scheduled. In addition, the customer had no control over product images presented on the television screen. As a result, the customer was forced to observe products that were of no interest.
Summary of the Invenbon The present invention offers a solution to these problems by allowing a customerto use the telecommunications network to select product images that are communicated to the customer over the telecommunications network. In this way, the customer may shop at his or her convenience while selecting images of products that are of interest to the customer. The customer controls which images are presented and selects a product for purchase using voice commands.
Brief Descripbon of the Drawin~s FIG. 1 illustrates using a telecommunications network to provide image data to acustomer using multiple channels through a telecommunications network;
F~G. 2 illustrates using a single channel through the telecommunications networkto present image data to a customer; and FIG. 3 illustrates another embodiment using a single channel through the telecommunications network to present image data to a customer.
Detailed Descripbon of the Invention FIG. 1 illustrates telecommunications network 10 with communication channels 12, 14 and 16. Communication channel 12 carries f~csimile image data from Conversant~) Interactive Voice Response (IVR) System 18 (Conversant is a registered trademark of AT&T Corp.), over signal path 20, through telecommunications network 10, and over signal path 22 to facsimile terminal 24. (Conversant~ IVR Systems are available from AT&T Corp.) Telecommunications channel 14 is used to provide audio communication from telephone device 30, over signal path 32, through network 10, and 215~2~
J. W. Coble 1 - 1 -then over signal path 34 to Conversant@~ IVR System 18. Communication path 16 is used to provide video image data from Picasso(~) telephone 40 (Picasso is a registered trademark of AT&T Corp.), over signal path 42, through telecommunications network 10, and then over signal path 44 to Picasso(~ telephone 46. Picasso~ telephone 46 displays a 5 video image received from signal path 16 on television or video monitor 48. (Picasso(3 telephones are available from AT&T Corp.) A customer uses telephone device 30 and telecommunication channel 14 to contact Conversant@) IVR System 18. Conversant~ IVR System 18 uses automatic speech recognition to interpret commands provided by the customer over telecommunication 10 channel 14. The Conversant~ IVR System provides menus of options to the customer over communication channel 14, and the customer chooses from these menus using verbal commands over telecommunication channel 14. These menus may, for example, allow a customer to choose from several types of products before any images are tr~n~mitted. In this way, the customer can request only images of products in which the customer is 5 interested. In another example, a customer may review real estate remotely through the use of this system. The customer may verbally respond to menu options in order to select a particular town and price range for real estate to be viewed. The Conversant~ IVR
System then transmits video images of different pieces of real estate that satisfy the customer's requirements over communication channel 16. When the customer sees a piece 20 of real estate in which he or she is interested, the customer may use verbal commands to receive additional details such as video images of rooms within the piece of real estate.
These images may include things such as images of kitchens, living rooms, basements, etc.
The customer may also receive additional information on a product or a piece of real estate via a fact sheet that is faxed from the Conversant~ IVR System to the user's 2s f~c~imile terminal over communication channel 12.
As indicated earlier, a user initially contacts Conversant~) IVR System 18 usingtelephone device 30 over communication channel 14. Conversant(E~ IVR System 18 provides the user with a menu of selections, and responds to the customer choices using speech recognition equipment. The Conversant~ IVR System may have internal memory 30 that provides the scripts that are used to provide menus to the customer, or it may use external storage device 60 which communicates with Conversant~ IVR System 18 over signal path 62. Storage device 60 may be a hard disk, an optical disk, CD Rom, a tape unit or another type of storage such as memory on a host computer or server. Signal path 62 may include interfaces such as a SCSI interface, a standard bus interface, a LAN
35 interface, and/or an interface to a telecommunications network. After the Conversant IVR System has provided the customer with a menu of selections, and has used speech J.W.Coble 1-1 2 159~
recognition to interpret the customer's spoken commands or utterances, Conversant~ IVR
System 18 provides video images of the selections to the customer over communication channel 16. It is also possible for Conversant~ IVR System 18 to provide a series of images to the customer so that the customer can view motion video on television or monitor 48. The Conversant~ IVR System provides the video images by using internal memory storage or storage such as storage device 60 to access data representative of the selected image(s). This image is typically stored in digital form in a standard format such as ISO 10918-1/CCl~ JPEG standard format (JPEG). The Conversant(~ IVR System then provides the video image data in JPEG format over parallel communication path 64 0 to Picasso(~ telephone 40. The Picasso~ telephone then transfers image data provided by Conversant(g) IVR System 18 over signal path 42 through network 10 and over signal path 44 to receiving Picasso(~ telephone 46. Picasso~ telephone 46 then converts the JPEG
data file into a video image by providing a video signal such as a NTSP video signal to television or monitor 48. It is also possible to include audio information with the video image data. In this case, Conversant~ IVR System 18 obtains the audio data from its own memory or storage device such as storage device 60. The audio information ispassed over communication path 34 to telephone device 30.
It is also possible to transmit the audio information using Picasso(~) telephone 40.
Picasso~ telephone 40 transmits the JPEG video image data and the audio data over communication channel 16 to receiving Picasso~ telephone 46. Picasso~ telephone 46 then separates the audio and video image data so that the video image data produces an image on television 48, and the audio data is played through a speakerphone which is included in the Picasso~) telephone. Devices other than the Picasso(~ telephone may be used as long as the sending and receiving devices use the same or compatible formats for packaging or tr~n~mitting the video image and/or audio data. In the case of Picasso~) telephones, the image and/or audio data is transmitted in X.25 format (X.25 is a CCITT
standard).
If the customer uses communication channel 14 to request f~csimile image data, Conversant~) IVR System 18 accesses the stored f~c~imile image data from internal memory or a storage device such as storage device 60, and transfers the facsimile image data in standard facsimile format over signal path 20, through network 10, and then through signal path 22 to facsimile terminal 24.
The scripts used by the Conversant~ IVR System may be purchased from AT&T
Corp., or they may be developed/customized using Script Building software tools available from AT&T Corp. It should also be noted that in addition to voice commands, the customer may communicate commands to Conversant~ IVR System 18 through J. W. Coble l~
keypad inputs on telephone device 30. In the case of keypad inputs, Conversant~ IVR
System 18 decodes the DTMF signals provided by telephone device 30 in order to interpret customer commands.
FIG. 2 illustrates another embodiment of the present invention. This embodiment offers the advantage of using only a single communication channel to provide allcommunication between the customer and the Conversant~ IVR System. In this embodiment, both the customer utterances, and the video image andtor audio data supplied by Conversant~ IVR System 18 are passed over a single communication channel through network 10. In this embodiment, communication channel 80 is used to provide voice commands or utterances from the customer to Conversant~ IVR System 18, and to provide video image and audio information to the customer from Conversant(~ IVR
System 18. The customer enters verbal commands through telephone device 30 over signal path 82 to VoiceSpan~ modem 84. (VoiceSpan is a trademark of AT&T Corp.) (VoiceSpan~ modems are available from AT&T Corp.) Modem 84 combines analog information or data, such as the audio information from telephone device 30 on signal path 82, with digital data or information provided to modem 84 on signal path 86. (In this example, modem 84 does not receive digital information on signal path 86; however, digital data such as data representative of a credit card image or account number may be provided to modem 84 via computer 98 and signal path 86.) Modem 84 transmits theuser's utterances on signal path 88 through network 10 to signal path 90. VoiceSpan~
modem 92 receives the signal from network 10 on signal path 90, and splits it into an analog and digital output. An analog output is provided on signal path 94 to Conversant(~ IVR System 18, and a digital output is provided on signal path 96 to Conversant~ IVR System 18. (As mentioned earlier, in this example there is no digital 2s information passing from modem 84 to modem 92. As mentioned earlier, it is possible for PC 98 to pass information such as credit card information to Conversant(~ IVR System 18 using modems 84 and 92.) Conversant~ IVR System 18 passes the audio menu to the user at telephone device 30 via signal path 94 and modem 92, along channel 80, through modem 84 and signal path 82, The user then enters voice commands to select from the menu. The voice commands are interpreted by Conversant~ System 18, and are used to provide the user with additional menus or the selected images. Selected images, as mentioned with regard to FIG. 1, may include audio information. In addition, a series of video images may be provided so that the customer receives motion video. Conversant~) IVR System 18 provides the video image data andtor audio data selected by the customer by accessing audio files andtor video image files stored within Conversant(~ IVR System 18's memory, or within storage device 60. The audio data is provided in analog form via J.W.Coblel-l 21~2S~
signal path 94 to modem 92, and the video image data is provided via signal path 96 to modem 92. As mentioned earlier, the image data may be in any of the commonly used formats such as the JPEG format. Modem 92 combines the analog audio signal and the digital video image data, and simultaneously transmits the audio and image data over signal path 90 through network 10 to signal path 88 and to modem 84. Modem 84 separates the audio and image data and provides the audio signal on path 82 to telephone device 30 for listening by the customer. Modem 84 provides the video image data on signal path 86 to personal computer 98. Personal computer 98 uses the standard video image data file received from modem 84 to produce the transmitted video image ondisplay or monitor 100. It should be noted that in addition to sending JPEG-type image data to the customer, it is also possible to send facsimile image data to the customer over either signal path 94 or signal path 96. If the f~similP image data is sent over signal path 96, modem 84 will provide that information to PC 98 along signal path 86. PC 98 will then display the f~simile image data on display 100, or print the faccimil~ image using a printer. If the facsimile image data is sent in analog form along signal path 94, modem 84 will provide the facsimile image data output on signal path 82 in analog form where facsimile terminal 2A can produce the facsimile image. It should be noted that VoiceSpanTM modems simultaneously transmit the analog audio data and digital image data. For example, modem 92 simultaneously transmits the audio information from signal path 94 and the image data from signal path 96, while modem 84 simultaneously receives audio information and image data from signal path 88. It is also possible to use modems or similar devices that use time division multiplexing or frequency division multiplexing to send the audio and image data.
FIG. 3 illustrates another embodiment of the present invention. This embodiment also offers the advantage of using only a single communication channel to provide all communication between the customer and the Conversant~ IVR System. In this embodiment, both the customer utterances, and the video image and/or audio data supplied by Conversant~ IVR System 18 are passed over a single communication channel through network 10. In this embodiment, communication channel 100 is used to provide voice commands or utterances from the customer to Conversant(~ IVR System 18, and to provide video image and audio information to the customer from Conversant(~ IVR
System 18. The customer enters verbal commands through telephone device 30 over signal path 102 to VoiceView~ modem 104. (VoiceView is a registered trademark ofRadish Communications Systems, Inc.) (VoiceView~ modems are available from Radish Communications Systems, Inc.) Digital data from personal computer 98 is provided to modem 104 over signal path 106. (In this example, modem 104 does not receive digital J. W. Coble l~
information on signal path 106; however, digital data such as data representative of a credit card image or account number may be provided to modem 104 via computer 98 and signal path 106.) Modem 104 transmits the user's utterances on signal path 108 through network 10 to signal path 110. VoiceView~ modem 11 receives the signal from s network 10 on signal path 110, and splits it into an analog and digital output. An analog output is provided on signal path 114 to Conversant~ IVR System 18, and a digital output is provided on signal path 116 to Conversant~ IVR System 18. (As mentioned earlier, in this example there is no digital information passing from modem 114 to modem 112. As mentioned earlier, it is possible for PC 98 to pass information such as credit card lo information to Conversant~ IVR System 18 using modems 104 and 112.) Conversant~3 IVR System 18 passes the audio menu to the user at telephone device 30 via signal path 114 and modem 112, along channel 110, through modem 104 and signal path 102. Theuser then enters voice commands to select from the menu. The voice commands are interpreted by 5 Conversant~) System 18, and are used to provide the user with additional menus or the selected images. Selected images, as mentioned with regard to FIG. 1, may include audio information. In addition, a series of video images may be provided so that the customer receives motion video. Conversant~ IVR System 18 provides the video image data and/or audio data selected by the customer by accessing audio files and/or video image 20 files stored within Conversant~ IVR System 18's memory, or within storage device 60.
The audio data is provided in analog form via signal path 114 to modem 112, and the video image data is provided via signal path 116 to modem 112. As mentioned earlier, the image data may be in any of the commonly used formats such as the JPEG format.
Modem 112 transmits the audio information from signal path 114 to modem 104;
25 however, when image data is available on signal path 116, the image data is transmitted and tr~nsmic~ion of the audio information stops unti'l tr~n~mission of the image data is completed. Modem 104 separates the audio and image data and provides the audio signal on path 102 to telephone device 30 for listening by the customer. Modem 104 provides the video image data on signal path 106 to personal computer 98. Personal computer 98 30 uses the standard video image data file received from modem 104 to produce the tr~nsmi~ted video image on display or monitor 100. It should be noted that in addition to sending JPEG-type image data to the customer, it is also possible to send facsimile image data to the customer over signal path 116. If f~csimile image data is sent over signal path 116, modem 104 will provide that information to PC 98 along signal path 106. PC 98 will 35 then display the f~ccimile image data on display 100, or print the f~csimil~ image using a printer.
Claims (9)
1. A method for transferring image data over a telecommunications network 10, CHACTERIZED by the steps of:
receiving an utterance from a calling party over the telecommunications network 10;
interpreting said utterance using speech recognition equipment 18;
retrieving image data from storage 60 in response to interpreting said utterance;
and transmitting said image data over the telecommunications network 10.
receiving an utterance from a calling party over the telecommunications network 10;
interpreting said utterance using speech recognition equipment 18;
retrieving image data from storage 60 in response to interpreting said utterance;
and transmitting said image data over the telecommunications network 10.
2. The method of claim 1, CHARACTERIZED in that said image data represents a facsimile.
3. The method of claim 1, CHARACTERIZED in that said utterance is communicated over a first communication channel of the telecommunications network 10, and said image data is communicated over a second communication channel of the telecommunications network 10.
4. The method of claim 1, CHARACTERIZED in that said utterance and said image data are communicated over a single communication channel of the telecommunications network 10.
5. The method of claim 1, CHARACTERIZED in that said step of retrieving comprises retrieving audio data, and said step of transmitting comprises transmitting audio data.
6. The method of claim 5, CHARACTERIZED in that said image and said audio data are transmitted simultaneously.
7. The method of claim 6, CHARACTERIZED in that said utterance is communicated over a first communication channel of the telecommunications network 10, and said image and audio data are communicated over a second communication channel of the telecommunications network 10.
8. The method of claim 5, CHARACTERIZED in that said image and said audio data are transmitted using time division multiplexing.
9. The method of claim 8, CHARACTERIZED in that said utterance is communicated over a first communication channel of the telecommunications network 10, and said image and audio data are communicated over a second communication channel of the telecommunications network 10.
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| US34567894A | 1994-11-28 | 1994-11-28 | |
| US345,678 | 1994-11-28 |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA2159250A1 true CA2159250A1 (en) | 1996-05-29 |
Family
ID=23356026
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA002159250A Abandoned CA2159250A1 (en) | 1994-11-28 | 1995-09-27 | Method for transferring image information over a telecommunications network |
Country Status (2)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| JP (1) | JPH08251572A (en) |
| CA (1) | CA2159250A1 (en) |
Families Citing this family (1)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CN106488332A (en) * | 2016-10-25 | 2017-03-08 | 华为软件技术有限公司 | TV shopping method and apparatus |
-
1995
- 1995-09-27 CA CA002159250A patent/CA2159250A1/en not_active Abandoned
- 1995-11-27 JP JP7329480A patent/JPH08251572A/en active Pending
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| JPH08251572A (en) | 1996-09-27 |
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Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| EEER | Examination request | ||
| FZDE | Discontinued | ||
| FZDE | Discontinued |
Effective date: 19980928 |