Transaction implementation in video dial tone network

Claims

We claim:

1. A method of implementing transactions in an integrated communication system, which includes:

a plurality of telephone stations;

a plurality of separately located central office switching systems interconnected via trunk circuits for selectively providing switched telephone call communications between at least two of said telephone stations;

a service control point, separate from said central office switching systems, comprising a database storing call processing data associated with a plurality of said telephone stations for control of call processing through one or more of said central office switching systems;

a peripheral platform connected to at least one of said central office switching systems via a telephone call connection channel, said peripheral platform comprising means for providing at least one auxiliary telephone call processing capability via said telephone call connection channel including a database of personal speech identification templates pro-established by subscribing users;

a signaling communication system separate from said trunk circuits for two-way communications of data messages between said central office switching systems said central office switching systems and said service control point, and between said peripheral platform and said service control point;

a plurality of broadband information service provider systems, each service provider system being capable of transmitting broadband digital information;

a plurality of terminals for transmitting control signals upstream in response to user inputs and for providing displays in response to received digital information; and

a broadband communication network selectively providing broadband digital communications from said service provider systems to said terminals; wherein

said peripheral platform receives at least some of said control signals from said terminals,

said method comprising the steps of:

(a) receiving from one of said terminals a control signal comprising instructions to initiate a transaction at said peripheral platform;

(b) in response to said control signal received pursuant to (a), retrieving from said template database one of said pre-established identification templates which is identified by said control signal;

(c) sending to said one of said terminals from which originated said control signal which identified said retrieved template a request for a user to speak an utterance associated with said template retrieved pursuant to (b);

(d) receiving at said peripheral platform a signal resulting from said user speaking said utterance;

(e) comparing said received signal resulting from said utterance with said retrieved template and responsive to establishing a match completing said transaction.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein generation of said control signal by said one terminal includes the steps of:

(a) said user having viewed a display identifying a possible transaction, (b) initiating through said integrated communication system, a signal requesting the transaction identified.

3. A method according to claim 2, wherein said user initiates said request by establishing connection to said integrated communication system through one of said central office switching systems.

4. A method according to claim 3, wherein said connection is established by dialing a directory number which appeared in said display identifying said transaction.

5. A method according to claim 4, wherein said dialing is accomplished through remote wave communication with a remote terminal with which said dialing is accomplished.

6. A method according to claim 5, wherein said wave communication comprises sonic communication.

7. A method according to claim 5, wherein said wave communication comprises radio wave communication.

8. A method according to claim 5, wherein said wave communication comprises light wave communication.

9. A method according to claim 4, wherein said dialing of said directory number is accomplished through the use of a telephone station associated with said one terminal which terminal is connected to a central office in one of said central office switching systems through a twisted pair wire connection.

10. A method according to claim 1 wherein said signaling communication system used in said method includes:

a first signaling communication network for two-way communications of data messages, said first signaling communication network interconnecting said central office switching systems and connecting said central office switching systems to said service control point;

a second signaling communication network, separate from said first signaling communication network and said central office switching systems, for providing two-way communications of data messages between said peripheral platform and said service control point.

11. A method according to claim 10, wherein said peripheral platform used in said method includes:

a storage means enabling a user to store and retrieve messages via a voice connection to said one of said central office switching systems; and

an internal data communication system connected to the second signaling network to permit communications with the service control point.

12. A method of implementing transactions in an integrated communication system which includes:

a plurality of telephone stations:

a plurality of separately located central office switching systems interconnected via trunk circuits for selectively providing switched telephone call communications between at least two of said telephone stations;

a service control point, separate from said central office switching systems, comprising a database storing call processing data associated with a plurality of said telephone stations for control of call processing through one or more of said central office switching systems;

a peripheral platform connected to at least one of said central office switching systems via a telephone call connection channel, said peripheral platform comprising means for providing at least one auxiliary telephone call processing capabilities via said telephone call connection channel and including a storage for data;

a signaling communication system separate from said trunk circuits for two-way communications of data messages between said central office switching systems, between said central office switching systems and said service control point, and between said peripheral platform and said service control point;

a plurality of broadband information service provider systems, each service provider system being capable of transmitting broadband digital information;

a plurality of terminals for transmitting control signals upstream in response to user inputs and for providing displays in response to received digital information; and

a broadband communication network selectively providing broadband digital communications from said service provider systems to said terminals; wherein

said peripheral platform receives at least some of said control signals from said terminals and controls at least some broadband operations of said integrated communication system in response to said control signals,

said method comprising the steps of:

(a) inputting a voice signal of a subscriber at one of said telephone stations to create a voice template and storing said template at said data storage at said peripheral platform at a specific address;

(b) storing at said service control point data cross referencing said address with said inputting telephone station;

(c) receiving control signals representing instructions responsive to a user request from said telephone station to initiate a transaction at said peripheral platform;

(d) responsive to said received control signals retrieving said template from said data storage at such peripheral platform wherein said template is stored;

(e) sending to the user who originated said request a signal to speak the audio utterance associated with the retrieved template at the time that the template was created;

(f) receiving at said peripheral platform a signal resulting from said