13 Audio tex and Video tex

P. Jaisridhar

1. Introduction

Audiotex is a voice response application that allows users to enter and retrieve information over telephone. Example Interactive Voice Response System (IVRS). Audiotex is a generic name for interactive voice response equipment and service. Audiotex connected with a telephone is like a data processor connected to a data terminal. They are passive service which provides through appropriate access by standardised procedure for the user of Audiotex service to communicate with database via telecom network (i.e.) a subscriber can retrieve the information at any time by interacting with the audio service equipment by using the existing telephone line.

Audiotex is essentially a content provider. It enables the subscribers to record their message in a computer memory area called a “Mail Box”. The recorded message can be retrieved by the recipient by dialling a telephone number. Audiotex service is a telecommunication system which enables a caller, by dialling a designated telephone numbering beginning with ‘1800’ to receive a recorded announcement or to interact with a programme whereby he/she may communicate by means of a dual tone multi frequency telephone key pad, a touch tone telephone or other similar device with a value added network connected to the public switched telephone system for purposes of sending or receiving information. However, there are differing views across the world on what constitutes “Audiotex service”. European Telecommunications Standards Institute in its ETSI technical report 131 (June 1994) on “Terminal Equipment(TE); An investigation into the need for standardization in the area of stored voice services” has commented that “ It can be seen that there are many differing views as to what constitutes an Audiotex service and, in formal usage (e.g. in lectures or articles on the subject), a distinction is always drawn between voice messaging and the other services (information, consultation, transaction, etc.). It is thus misleading to use the word Audiotex without a previous definition. Therefore, in many countries the term “stored voice service” is used to describe Audiotex and each separate application and service is distinguished by a more precise definition.

Audiotex service involves the automatic answering of calls and the subsequent provision of audio information to the callers. Audiotex service can be either passive – where the caller simply listens to a fixed service format or can be interactive where the caller can choose various information by interacting with the database computer via telecom network. A subscriber can retrieve the information at any time by interacting with the main data base computer by using the existing telephone line.The Audiotex service accessibility shall be provided through IN (Identification No.) or password allotted by the licensee to his subscribers. However, for free service no identification number is required.Information provided through audiotex computer has variety of fields such as financial information, entertainment, sports information, health information, travel information etc.The Audiotex equipment shall provide a range of interactive facilities to enable callers to respond to audio prompts within the service.

Compared to audiotex, the terminologies viz., broadcasting or telecasting offers relatively large degree of compatibility. Recent developments in microelectronics, information processing and telecommunication and the demand for personal information services paved the way for the provision of a wide range of services to be used in home, office, school etc. Most of these services can be provided by upgrading facilities already existing in many business premises schools and homes such as personal computers, computer terminals, telephones and television sets. One of the most dramatic developments in information provision in recent times is a technology that enables the dissemination of textual and graphic information by wholly electronic means for visual display using a computer or a television receiver under the controlled used. The generic term for the information service provider is videotex. Videotex is any system that provides interactive content and displays it on a video monitor such as television, typically using modems to send data in both direction. Example Bulletin Board system, Display monitor at the railway station and airport etc. Videotex interworking allows a Videotex terminal in a given country to interact in real time with Videotex application located in a different country. A Videotex page in the interworking data syntax (IDS) is a sequence of presentation commands expressed in amanner independent of any of the terminal data syntaxes. This formulation of the presentation information which composes a Videotex page is intended to aid interworking between basically different terminal data syntaxes. It does this by isolating the unique and common elements between each of the data syntaxes. The interworking data syntax is not meant to be used as a terminal data syntax in its own right.

2. Interactive Voice Response System

IVRS is an automated telephone information system that speaks to the caller with a combination of fixed voice menus and data extracted from databases in real time. The caller responds by pressing digits on the telephone or speaking words or short phrases. Applications include bank-by-phone, flight-scheduling information and automated order entry and tracking. IVRS allows callers to get needed information 24 hours a day. They are also used as a front end to call centres in order to route as many calls as possible away from costly human agents. In such cases, IVRS does not replace the agent, but keeps them from constantly having to answer the same simple questions.

Features of Interactive Voice Response Feature

Simple to use graphical system design interface
Multiple telephone line support both on analog and digital
Advanced call screening and call switching options
Can be integrated with any type of database. Playback data retrieved for database
Text to speech
Call transfer to other extension, optionally announcing the caller ID allowing the recipient to accept or decline the call
Full logging of callers details and all the selections made during the call
Multi-language support
Dialled number identification service
Automatic number identification

Applications of IVRS:

Schools, colleges and educational institutions
Bank and stock account balances and transfers
Surveys and polls
Call centres
Simple order entry transactions
Selective information lookup
Ticketing and reservation
IT enabled services
Hotels, airlines and train ticket enquiry and booking centres
Entertainment industry
Compliant booking and customer support centres
Finance and credit corporations
Tele-marketing industry etc

2.2. Voice Portals

Voice Portals are automated multi-lingual interactive voice response (IVR) telephone system utilizing high-end speech recognition and text to speech (TTS) technologies. It is especially designed to help students obtain the information they seek in a timely manner and is reliable, scalable, intelligent and user-friendly operating on a 24X7 basis. With Voice Portal, students can obtain real-time information using just their telephone set or mobile phone via a simple voice call, even in situations where no Internet connection or PC is available to get this information.

Voice Portals are based on a dialogue between the student and the system. The system, without the need of an agent, recognizes the words or phrases “spoken” by the student and immediately serves their requests without having them wait physically in line for hours at the administration offices or trying to find an Internet access point. In addition, routine information calls are handled by the system, saving valuable time for the administrative staff.

Services of Voice Portals

Voice Portals can provide automated voice services over the phone to the students such as,

Information about their grades
Teaching and examination schedules
Class registrations
Certificate requests
Library services
General information
Directory services
SMS messaging
SMS alerts and notifications
Voicemail
Fax on demand and
Email on demand.

Optional and additional facilities of audiotex includes

Voice detection (Detecting whether or not the caller is speaking)
Voice interrupt (Detecting that the caller is speaking while the service is playing the caller audio
Conferencing (enabling two or more callers to speak to each other or to listen to other speaking)
Fax on demand
Access to multiple session in the same call should be possible

The Audiotex equipment may provide facilities for multiple live audio feeds to be distributed across the system and to be accessible to callers. (e.g. live sports commentary).The Governmental or Private Service Agencies, offering Public utility services, such as Railways, Broadcasting, News & Media, Cooking Gas Agency or even Restaurants etc., are permitted to provide services such as Audiotex (providing information on automatic basis like News, Weather Forecast, Commentary, Railway/Air Timings etc.), Tele-marketing (receiving purchase orders automatically over phone or host-computer), Tele-complaint (Service Agency providing automatic booking of service complaints through IVRS system etc.) and Tele-Booking (agencies like Cooking Gas, Restaurants for booking of orders using IVRS or host-computer etc.), freely without need for obtaining any licence or taking any permission.

3. Videotex

Many different types of videotex systems exist. Some basic services are simply data bases in standard computer format that have been opened to professional users. Other videotex systems take data bases which already exist, e.g. Times of India data base, or United Press International data base, and provide a software interface which allows an unsophisticated user to access information from the data base without needing complex computer knowledge. Technically, the term videotex is applied to any transactional service by which a user can access a data base and produce information on his personal terminal. In practice, the term videotex has been applied to a complete service which, in addition to allowing the traditional data base access, adds color, graphics and a simplified access scheme. Videotex is thus a group of different technologies joined together to form a complete service. A complete videotex system consists of a data source, a computer head-end, a transmission network (most often thetelephone network) a decoder/terminal and a display device, normally the user’s own home television set. These different elements are connected to each other by means of standard computer protocols. The data transferred from one information machine to another is coded into a common language known as a videotex standard. The organization of the data base is also a characteristic of videotex systems. While there are no standards for data base management, there is a consensus that the data base has to be organized in a fashion that allows the uninitiated user the easiest path to the information requested. Because the expertise of the various users varies dramatically, the videotex data base has to provide simultaneously simple and sophisticated access capabilities. Videotex systems charge the user for the privilege of using the system; thus, videotex systems must also be able to identify numerous users and bill them for the usage.

3.1. Teletext

Teletext is originally designed for captioning for the hearing impaired and is generally controlled by TV networks. Teletext allows its subscribers to view the data at any time. The information to be transmitted is assembled in a data base by the service provider. The information which may be news, sports, results, weather, information, financial data or consumer reports is formatted into numbered pages of text and graphic representations enhanced by colour. These pages are then coded in binary digital form and are broadcasted cyclically over regular television network.

3.2. Bulletin board

The bulletin board is a kind of display board which can be adapted to every teaching process-tutorial, lecture assignment or group work. These boards are generally made of wool with thick flannel cloth on it and a wooden frame running around with glass set inside. The bulletin board display can be integral participant in the life of the class-room.It provides a natural outlet for pupil’s artistic and creative tastes. It enriches the textual atmosphere of the class-room. It provides suitable place for displaying current news items from the newspapers. School news connected with students’ outstanding achievements in studies, co-curricular activities, sports, hobbies etc. can also be displayed on such board. Some important school announcements can also be conveniently displayed on the bulletin boards.

The following guide-lines should kept in mind while using the bulletin-board as a device:

The bulletin board should be placed at the most frequently visited place. It should be placed where it can easily be seen by all the students.
The teacher should capitalize on all bulletin board space in class-room.
Various articles for display on the bulletin board should be arranged in an attractive and artistic manner. Use coloured tape for division and underlining’s.
Reference to the bulletin boards displays should be made during the instruction periods. This will draw the children towards the boards.
Do not overcrowd the board.
The bulletin board is primarily a mirror of students’ activities. Encourage them to actively take part in bulletin- board activity. A Students’ Committee under the guidance of a teacher should be constituted to keep feeding the board. The material should be frequently changed and carefully edited every time.
Make the bulletin board tell a story.
Where there are a bulletin board on display such eye catching sign boards as “Stop, Look, Read and Think”, “Tomorrow’s News Today,” etc. should be put.
In short, make the bulletin board as interesting an affair and as useful a device as possible.
The models are three-dimensional representation or real thing models of things too small like atom and too large like the earth can be conveniently used. These can take us to places that the physically inaccessible.
The models can demonstrate processes and structures. For example, the model of human heart, human eye etc., can conveniently depict their interior structures. Model of a steam engine can demonstrate its working in a very interesting manner. Making of models itself is an interesting activity for the students.

Advantage of Videotex

Videotex are highly advantageous in three areas.

Cost are low,
The techniques was designed for mass communication and
Genuinely anyone can use it and finally the colour character and graphics enable real communication – the transfer of meaning.

Videotex terminals have dramatically changed in the last few years and are being increasingly used as a gateway to other networks and other computing systems.

Advantages of Audiotex

Advantages of Audiotex are,

It can collect necessary information relating to the call from the customer and handles the situation in a professional manner.
The number of missed calls will be very much less as the calls are attended by the system Instead of waiting for a customer care executive the customer can get the necessary details directly from the system very easily by just pressing necessary keys. The company can provide consistent replies for all routine enquires. This enhances the quality of customer service. Customer can obtain the requested information, products and service at any time, 24X7.
Customer service cost can be significantly reduced through automated customer service and it reduces human resource inefficiencies. Also the increase in customer satisfaction promotes repeat business with existing customers thus generating more revenue without much expenditure. Many clients often realize a full return on investment within a year of implementation.
There is no entry point for hackers as they commonly do in Videotex tools.
The speech recognition capabilities in interactive voice response system of Audiotex help the owners derive more benefits from their investment in existing resources.

Conclusion

Tools of Audiotex and Videotex has been the latest technology in providing the foundation with reduced operational cost, improved customer satisfaction and retention, increased return on investment and a stronger market presence for the service providers. In Audiotex, a speech interface gives caller more flexible navigation outputs that are less complex and more rigidly hierarchical touch tone menu options. Both audio and video tex are intelligent for interaction and will suitably provide good response to the accessors. It will be truly a responsible system for mankind that allows digital access to strong database in low cost. Future, will have his tools equipped by almost all the organisations no matter what field it is. The usage of Audiotex and Videotex would be inevitable.

you can view video on Audio tex and Video tex

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