Signal detection and blocking for voice processing equipment

Abstract

A telephone call processor for processing telephone calls comprising voice signals and data signals, the call processor comprising a first telephone interface and a second telephone interface, the call processor being operable in a first mode and in a second mode. In the first mode, the call processor is adapted to receive voice signals and data signals at the first telephone interface and to transmit voice signals and data signals via the second telephone interface. In the second mode, the call processor is adapted to receive voice signals and data signals at the first telephone interface, to block data signals from being transmitted via the second telephone interface and optionally to transmit voice signals via the second telephone interface.

1 . A method of processing a telephone call comprising voice signals and data signals between a caller and an agent, the method comprising:
 receiving a trigger signal indicating that sensitive information is about to be received from the caller;   receiving from the caller at a first telephone interface data signals comprising sensitive information; and   in response to having received the trigger signal, masking at least some of the data signals to prevent at least some of the sensitive information from being transmitted via a second telephone interface to the agent.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising forwarding the voice signals between the first and second telephone interfaces thereby maintaining voice communication between caller and agent. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising transmitting at least some of the data signals received via the second telephone interface to the agent or to an agent computer. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising determining whether the data signals comprise sensitive information before blocking at least some of the sensitive information from being transmitted via a second telephone interface, preferably wherein the determination is implied from the context of preceding data signals received by the call processor. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising receiving the trigger signal at the first or second telephone interface. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the trigger signal is received from an application installed on an agent computer, preferably in response to an agent interaction. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the sensitive data is stored in temporary storage, preferably in encrypted form, and securely deleted after transmission to an external system. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the masking of the data signals occurs in real-time during ongoing input of further data signals. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein, for a data signal comprising an audio tone, masking comprises one or more of: converting from audible to inaudible, replacing with a different tone. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising providing a visual indicator to the agent to indicate receipt of sensitive information from the caller. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising blocking at least some of the voice signals between the first and second telephone interfaces, preferably during receipt of the sensitive information. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the data signals comprise audio tones, preferably dual-tone multi-frequency DTMF signals. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1  implemented in a Session Initiation Protocol SIP or Voice-over-IP VoIP telephone system. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising forwarding the sensitive data to an external entity, for example a payment processor. 
     
     
         15 . An apparatus for processing a telephone call comprising voice signals and data signals between a caller and an agent, the apparatus comprising a call processor adapted to:
 receive a trigger signal indicating that sensitive information is about to be received from the caller;   receive from the caller at a first telephone interface data signals comprising sensitive information; and   in response to having received the trigger signal, block at least some of the sensitive information from being transmitted via a second telephone interface to the agent.   
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , adapted to forward the voice signals between the first and second telephone interfaces thereby to maintain voice communication between caller and agent. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the data signals comprise audio tones, preferably dual-tone multi-frequency DTMF signals. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , implemented in a Session Initiation Protocol SIP or Voice-over-IP VoIP telephone system. 
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , further comprising forwarding the sensitive data to an external entity, for example a payment processor. 
     
     
         20 . A computer program and a computer program product comprising software code adapted, when executed on a data processing apparatus, to perform a method according to  claim 1 .