Richard J Piereth

48993751, Feb 6, 1990

Sep 23, 1988

7/248459

Thomas M. Bauer - Belle Mead NJ
Richard W. Hemmeter - Naperville IL
Robert Petrelli - Naperville IL
Richard J. Piereth - Naperville IL
Cyrenus M. Rubald - Naperville IL

American Telephone & Telegraph Company, AT&T Bell Laboratories - Murray Hill NJ
American Telephone & Telegraph Company - New York NY

H04M 360

379264

A method and apparatus for processing operator assistance calls with minimum expenditure of operator work time. For collect and person-to-person calls, a first operator at a first operator position determines the type of call and, optionally, the name(s) of the calling and called parties. These are recorded in the memory of a program controlled processor system for controlling an operator assistance switching system. The first operator then disconnects from the call while the call is being set up and the call party being alerted. When the called party answers, a second operator position and second operator, having a display of the call information previously recorded, are unattached to the call to determine whether a connection between the calling and called parties should be established and, if so, to cause that connection to be so established. Advantageously, no operator position and operator need be attached to the call while the called party is being alterted; even more operator work time is saved if the called party never answers.

46776095, Jun 30, 1987

May 8, 1985

6/731885

Richard J. Piereth - Naperville IL
Robert L. Potter - Naperville IL
John R. Williams - Naperville IL

American Telephone and Telegraph Company, AT&T Bell Laboratories - Murray Hill NJ

H04Q 1104

370 60

A semi-automatic directory assistance system uses a directory assistance computer to help an operator at an operator position terminal find the requested directory number. The control processor, a module control unit, of a module of the system controls the establishment of part of the connection from a subscriber requesting operator assistance to the operator position. The operator at the operator position communicates with the directory assistance computer to find the requested number. After the requested number has been found, the computer sends a message to the control processor. In response to that message, the control processor causes an audio response unit to generate a directory assistance message corresponding to the desired number and causes the response unit to be connected to the subscriber.

51857812, Feb 9, 1993

Mar 27, 1991

7/675783

Douglas C. Dowden - Naperville IL
Richard W. Hemmeter - Naperville IL
Diane E. Herr - Warrenville IL
William K. McCormick - Chester NJ
Robert Petrelli - East Brunswick NJ
Richard J. Piereth - Naperville IL
Samuel M. Salchenberger - Elmhurst IL
Chander S. Sehgal - Naperville IL
Mahendra K. Verma - Marlboro NJ

AT&T Bell Laboratories - Murray Hill NJ

H04M 350
H04M 1100

379 67

This invention relates to methods and apparatus for automatically processing operator assistance calls. A caller is connected to an automated operator position. The automated position has speech recognition facilities to replace those of an operator, has announcement capabilities to replace those of an operator, and has control apparatus for transmitting and receiving the same set of messages transmitted and received by an operator position. Advantageously, the operator assistance switch has the same interface to an automated position as to an operator position and interacts with the two identically. Since the capabilities of the automated position are limited by its program, the automated position switches a call to an automated position when a situation occurs for which it has not been programmed. Advantageously, a switch need not be specially programmed to communicate with an automated position. Advantageously, new operator assistance services can be provided automatically without rewriting the complex control software of the switch.

51812371, Jan 19, 1993

Mar 27, 1991

7/675779

Douglas C. Dowden - Naperville IL
Richard W. Hemmeter - Naperville IL
Diane E. Herr - Warrenville IL
William K. McCormick - Chester NJ
Robert Petrelli - East Brunswick NJ
Richard J. Piereth - Naperville IL
Samuel M. Salchenberger - Elmhurst IL
Chander S. Sehgal - Naperville IL
Mahendra K. Verma - Marlboro NJ

AT&T Bell Laboratories - Murray Hill NJ

H04M 350
H04M 700
H04Q 372

379 88

This invention relates to methods and apparatus for automatically processing operator assistance calls. A caller is connected to an automated operator position. The automated position has speech recognition facilities to replace those of an operator, has announcement capabilities to replace those of an operator, and has control apparatus for transmitting and receiving the same set of messages transmitted and received by an operator position. Advantageously, the operator assistance switch has the same interface to an automated position as to an operator position and interacts with the two identically. Since the capabilities of the automated position are limited by its program, the automated position switches a call to an automated position when a situation occurs for which it has not been programmed. Advantageously, a switch need not be specially programmed to communicate with an automated position. Advantageously, new operator assistance services can be provided automatically without rewriting the complex control software of the switch.

51630834, Nov 10, 1992

Oct 12, 1990

7/596809

Douglas C. Dowden - Naperville IL
Richard W. Hemmeter - Naperville IL
Diane E. Herr - Warrenville IL
Richard J. Piereth - Naperville IL
Samuel M. Salchenberger - Elmhurst IL
Chander S. Sehgal - Naperville IL
Mahendra K. Verma - Marlboro NJ

AT&T Bell Laboratories - Murray Hill NJ

H04M 350
H04M 700

379 88

This invention relates to methods and apparatus for automatically processing operator assistance calls. A caller is connected to an automated operator position. The automated position has speech recognition facilities to replace those of an operator, has announcement capabilities to replace those of an operator, and has control apparatus for transmitting and receiving the same set of messages transmitted and received by an operator position. Advantageously, the operator assistance switch has the same interface to an automated position as to an operator position and interacts with the two identically. Since the capabilities of the automated position are limited by its program, the automated position switches a call to an automated position when a situation occurs for which it has not been programmed. Advantageously, a switch need not be specially programmed to communicate with an automated position. Advantageously, new operator assistance services can be provided automatically without rewriting the complex control software of the switch.