Implementations are directed to using an automated assistant to initiate an assisted call on behalf of a given user. The assistant can, during the assisted call, receiving a request, from an additional user on the assisted call, for information that is not known to the assistant. In response, the assistant can render a prompt for the information and, while awaiting responsive input from the given user, continue the assisted call using already resolved value(s) for the assisted call. If responsive input is received within a threshold duration of time, synthesized speech, corresponding to the responsive input, is rendered as part of the assisted call. Implementations are additionally or alternatively directed to using the automated assistant to provide, during an ongoing call between a given user and an additional user, output that is based on a value requested by the additional user during the ongoing call.

A method of accessing a dial-up service is disclosed. An example method of providing access to a service includes receiving a first speech signal from a user to form a first utterance; recognizing the first utterance using speaker independent speaker recognition; requesting the user to enter a personal identification number; and when the personal identification number is valid, receiving a second speech signal to form a second utterance and providing access to the service.

A method and a user terminal for performing a call using voice recognition are disclosed. The method and the user terminal include receiving a call request, obtaining a voice signal from a user in response to the call request, and determining whether the obtained voice signal is a call reception command to receive the call. The method and the user terminal perform the call in a handsfree mode based on the call request in response to the voice signal being the call reception command.

A land-based or mobile phone and methods are provided for receiving inbound communications as either voice or text, and then based on the user's configuration settings, the inbound communication is provided to the user as it was received or is automatically converted into a format that is desired by the user. The phone also takes voice or text that is input by the user of the phone and converts the user's input to either voice or text based on the configuration settings stored in the user's contact list or otherwise. The outbound communication is configured according to how the intended recipient wants to receive a communication based on the configuration settings stored in the user's contact list or otherwise. The phone includes a controller that determines how the phone will handle and process inbound and outbound communications. The controller includes a speech recognition engine.

A method and system are disclosed herein for accepting multimodal inputs and deriving synchronized and processed information. A reusable multimodal application is provided on the mobile device. A user transmits a multimodal command to the multimodal platform via the mobile network. The one or more modes of communication that are inputted are transmitted to the multimodal platform(s) via the mobile network(s) and thereafter synchronized and processed at the multimodal platform. The synchronized and processed information is transmitted to the multimodal application. If required, the user verifies and appropriately modifies the synchronized and processed information. The verified and modified information are transferred from the multimodal application to the visual application. The final result(s) are derived by inputting the verified and modified results into the visual application.

Techniques for notifying multiple recipient devices of a communication request are described. The system may determine a score corresponding to each of the recipient devices and may notify the devices based on the score. The system may cause a first recipient device to output a notification for the communication request for a duration of time. After the duration of time elapses, the system may cause a second recipient device to output a notification for the communication request.

A system incorporating volume activated communications. A system with local devices linked to a remote server that is capable of processing voice commands is capable of linking local devices in a communications link where the link is initiated upon high volume speech being detected by a receiving device. A target device is determined based on an estimated connection between users at the respective devices. Audio is then sent from the receiving device to the target device resulting in a communication link between the two devices, allowing communication between the users.

Implementations are directed to using an assistant to initiate automated telephone calls with entities. Some implementations identify an item of interest, identify a group of entities associated with the item, and initiate the calls with the entities. During a given call with a given entity, the assistant can request a status update regarding the item, and determine a temporal delay before initiating another call with the given entity to request a further status update regarding the item based on information received responsive to the request. Other implementations receive a request to perform an action on behalf of a user, identify a group of entities that can perform the action, and initiate a given call with a given entity. During the given call, the assistant can initiate an additional call with an additional entity, and generate notification(s), for the user, based on result(s) of the given call and/or the additional call.

A network, communications unit, and method employed for wakeword-less speech communication are disclosed, where a user's intent to talk with another user in a group may be accomplished without the use of a wakeword. These could include a network platform; and a plurality of communication units, each being comprised of a microphone, a speaker, and a processor, the latter being configured to receive speech data representative of audio spoken by the user; buffer the speech data; apply intent recognition of the buffered speech data including the use of natural language processing (NLP); open one or more audio communication channels based upon the application of intent recognition; receive speech data through one or more audio communication channels responsive to the buffered speech data; apply intent recognition to the received speech data; and close one or more audio communication channels based upon the application of second intent recognition.

A system and method of providing caller identification (ID) over a public switched telephone network (PSTN). For outbound calls, the system and method enable a caller to provide a caller ID that differs from the native caller ID of their mobile phone. The system and method enable multiple phones tied to a single account to display the same caller ID for outbound calls. For forwarded inbound calls, such as calls being forwarded from an office, the system and method inform the recipient of the identification of the call as well as that the call is being forwarded. The system and method enable the recipient to have calls forwarded from more than one number and identify the identity of the caller as well as the specific number the call is being forwarded from.