Active Voice Patent Upheld.SEATTLE--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 13, 1997--Active Voice Corp. (Nasdaq: ACVC ACVC Ada Compiler Validation Capability ACVC Atlantic Coast Veterinary Conference ACVC Arms Control Verification Committee ACVC Army Commercial Vehicle Code ACVC Air-Cooled Vault Concept ), a world leader in PC-based voice processing The computerized handling of voice, which includes voice store and forward, voice response, voice recognition and text to speech technologies. systems and computer-telephone integration (CTI (Computer Telephone Integration) Combining data with voice systems in order to enhance telephone services. For example, automatic number identification (ANI) allows a caller's records to be retrieved from the database while the call is routed to the appropriate party. ) products, today announced that their U.S. Patent Number 5,327,493, granted July 5, 1994, which gives them the rights for visual message waiting devices that detect and identify call progress tones on telephone lines, has been upheld. The Patent Office has confirmed all of the original claims and has added new claims to the patent. The stutter stut·ter n. A phonatory or articulatory disorder characterized by difficult enunciation of words with frequent halting and repetition of the initial consonant or syllable. v. To utter with spasmodic repetition or prolongation of sounds. detect patent has been under examination since November 1995, when the Patent Office notified the company that someone had filed a request for reexamination re·ex·am·ine also re-ex·am·ine tr.v. re·ex·am·ined, re·ex·am·in·ing, re·ex·am·ines 1. To examine again or anew; review. 2. Law To question (a witness) again after cross-examination. . The challenge concerned some but not all of the major claims of the patent. The stutter dial tone is used to indicate waiting messages primarily in the residential telephone market by the Regional Bell Operating Companies (RBOCs) and other voice messaging Using voice mail as an alternative to electronic mail, in which voice messages are intentionally recorded, not because the recipient was not available. services. A drawback to using the stutter dial tone is that users must pick up their handsets to find out if they have a message. The Active Voice patent provides an inexpensive solution for both residential and corporate phones for a visual indication by means of a message waiting light. This technology, which can be built directly into the telephone or in a standalone device attached to it, checks for the stutter dial tone after the telephone has been used or after the telephone rings with no answer. If the tone exists, a blinking light will appear. If stutter dial tone is no longer present, the light will turn off. "We are pleased with the Patent Office's action regarding the stutter detect patent challenge," stated Robert L. Richmond, chairman and chief executive officer. "This action will allow us to continue our licensing program, and in addition, it has facilitated the defining of the claims, added more claims to the patent, and demonstrated our commitment to protecting our intellectual property." Founded in 1983, Seattle-based Active Voice Corp. has offices in Australia, Canada, China, India, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom. The company has more than 38,000 installations in virtually every type of business in 60 nations worldwide. Active Voice products are sold through a global network of independent telecommunications dealers and computer resellers. More information about Active Voice Corporation and its products is available at the company's web site, www.activevoice.com . -0- For more information, please contact the following: Financial: Jose S. David, 206/441-4700, ext. 105, jdavid@activevoice.com ; Investor Relations Investor relations The process by which the corporation communicates with its investors. : Carolyn Paola, 206/441-4700, ext. 197, ir@activevoice.com ; Marketing and public relations public relations, activities and policies used to create public interest in a person, idea, product, institution, or business establishment. By its nature, public relations is devoted to serving particular interests by presenting them to the public in the most : Diane M. Williams, 206/441-4700, ext. 132, dwilliams@activevoice.com CONTACT: Active Voice Jose David, 206/441-4700, ext. 105 ir@activevoice.com |
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