menges@menges.cs.unc.edu (John Menges) (04/23/89)
I'm looking for a box to do the following: - Initiate and receive voice telephone calls (one at a time is ok). - Speak messages (from arbitrary text, not pre-recorded) well enough for a small number of experienced users to understand. Better speech preferable, of course. - Interact with user by speaking messages, receiving responses via DTMF tones, and determining its sequence of actions accordingly. - Interact with a computer (preferably via TCP/IP, but serial line or file system (TOPS or NFS) is ok). Can send call progress and DTMF responses to computer, can receive call initiation info (phone numbers, arbitrary messages, interaction scripts, etc.) from computer. Preferably can do so during a conversation and determine its sequence of actions accordingly. Can notify computer when it is busy. Immediate application is network/host monitoring by computer (UNIX), which notifies operations personnel via email, syslog, and/or telephone of abnormal events and receives authorization code and "what to do" commands via DTMF. Alternatively, operator can call in to request certain status or that certain actions be taken. The more direct the connection between the controlling computer and the voice line, the better. E.g., it would be best if the box only speaks and decodes DTMF tones, and the computer makes decisions, tells the box what to speak, etc. Does anybody have experience with such a box? How about the Teleflex from Information Systems International Inc.? A big disadvantage of this box is that the connection to UNIX is less than direct, as it communicates with a MacIntosh. Ideas? Is there a better newsgroup for this? I'm interested in all such systems, regardless of cost, but what I put together will probably have to be < $10K. Primary consideration is how easy it will be to put together.
richw@sauron.columbia.ncr.com (richw) (04/28/89)
In article <telecom-v09i0143m04@vector.dallas.tx.us> menges@menges.cs.unc.edu (John Menges) writes: > X-TELECOM-Digest: volume 9, issue 143, message 4 of 7 > I am looking for a box to do the following -- [Moderator's Note: Description was repeated; is edited out here; see prior message. PT] When I worked at UNISYS(SPERRY) a few years back they had a system called VIPS which may provide the functionality you are looking for. We developed an application which ran on a UNIX box to interface via a tty port to this VIPS box. The UNIX box acted as a server and a dialogue manager between the VIPS system and an IBM host. The VIPS system is a pc based system which digitizes your recorded message and stores the message by number. It allows for answering the phone, speaking the messages, decoding the DTMF tones, phone transfer. The VIPS system has an RS232 serial connection and a Sperry Terminal interface. There are other systems out there you could try AT&T, ROLM. If I can be of more help please use email. -- -Rich Wescott ncrcae.Columbia.NCR.COM
edell%garnet.Berkeley.EDU@ucbvax.berkeley.edu (Richard Edell) (04/29/89)
In article <telecom-v09i0143m04@vector.dallas.tx.us> menges@menges.cs.unc.edu (John Menges) writes: >I'm looking for a box to do the following: >- Initiate and receive voice telephone calls (one at a time is ok). >- Speak messages (from arbitrary text, not pre-recorded) well enough > for a small number of experienced users to understand. Better speech > preferable, of course. >- Interact with user by speaking messages, receiving responses via > DTMF tones, and determining its sequence of actions accordingly. >- Interact with a computer (preferably via TCP/IP, but serial line > or file system (TOPS or NFS) is ok). Can send call progress > and DTMF responses to computer, can receive call initiation info > (phone numbers, arbitrary messages, interaction scripts, etc.) > from computer. Preferably can do so during a conversation and > determine its sequence of actions accordingly. Can notify computer > when it is busy. >Immediate application is network/host monitoring by computer (UNIX), >which notifies operations personnel via email, syslog, and/or telephone >of abnormal events and receives authorization code and "what to do" >commands via DTMF. Alternatively, operator can call in to request >certain status or that certain actions be taken. >The more direct the connection between the controlling computer and >the voice line, the better. E.g., it would be best if the box >only speaks and decodes DTMF tones, and the computer makes decisions, >tells the box what to speak, etc. >Does anybody have experience with such a box? How about the Teleflex >from Information Systems International Inc.? A big disadvantage >of this box is that the connection to UNIX is less than direct, as >it communicates with a MacIntosh. Ideas? Is there a better newsgroup >for this? >I'm interested in all such systems, regardless of cost, but what I put >together will probably have to be < $10K. Primary consideration is >how easy it will be to put together. (Sorry, couldn't cut much out of the original posting, so I decided to include it in its entirity) Digital Equipment Corporation sells two products, DECtalk and DECvoice. These may meet your requirements. DECtalk sits between a telephone line and an async port, sending status messages to the host computer for things like phone line ringing, DTMF received, etc. The host can send control commands for things like dial a phone number, hang-up, etc. The host can also send text to DECtalk and DECtalk will *READ* this text to the caller. Several voices are available and the speech is pretty good. You may call it for a demonstration at (508) 493-0645. Cost is about $4000 per port (phone line). DECvoice connects to a MircoVAX II. In addition to what DECtalk does, DECvoice is capable of speaker independent voice recognition (Yes & No, maybe more?) and of digitizing (recording in digital form) the caller's voice, saving this recording on disk, and playing the recorded voice at a later time. DECvoice requires VAX/VMX Version 5.0 - I don't know if this supports TCP-IP in the way you're thinking. I've called the demonstration number for DECvoice and the speech quality is better than that of DECtalk's but this is because they digitized (recorded) the speech you'll hear. DECvoice demonstration number is (508) 493-TALK. I don't know the price, but it sounds expensive. If you're interested you may contact DEC at (800) 832-6277. Disclaimer: I'm not affiliated with DEC, most of this information comes from some sales litature they sent me a few months ago, but the copyright dates range from 1984 to 1988. Richard J. Edell edell@garnet.berkeley.edu (415) 882-7133