Gordon H. Matthews

Electronic audio communications system with voice authentication features

An advanced electronic telecommunication system is provided for the deposit, storage and delivery of audio messages. A Voice Message System (10) interconnects multiple private branch exchanges (12) of a subscriber with a central telephone office (22). Individual subscriber users may access the Voice Message System (10) through ON NET telephones (18) or OFF NET telephones (24). The Voice Message System (10) includes an administrative subsystem (60), call processor subsystem (62) and a data storage subsystem (64). The Voice Message System (10) enables the user to deposit a message in data storage subsystem (64) for automatic delivery to other addressees connected to the system. The Voice Message System (10) also enables a user to access the system to determine if any messages have been stored in the data storage subsystem (64) for the user by first entering an identification code and then speaking a password. The password is compared to a speaker dependent template stored in the system. Pre-recorded instructional messages are deposited in the data storage subsystem (64) for instructing a user on the users progress in using the system. A Universal Control Board is a programmable electronic digital signal processing means for controlling certain functions of the administrative subsystem (60), call processor subsystem (62) and data storage subsystem (64).