Systems and methods for availing multiple input channels in a voice application

• US 10,104,230 B2
• Filed: 02/25/2011
• Issued: 10/16/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 02/25/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Kumar, Arun, Agarwal, Sheetal K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Matar, Ahmad F
• Assistant Examiner(s): Pope, Kharye
• Application Number:
  US13/035,033
• Publication Number:
  US 20120219135A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,790 Days
• Field of Search: 370315, 370352, 370353, 370354, 370355, 370356, 370357, 709217, 709224, 455466, 455420, 4554121, 455556, 455414, 37920102
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/252 where a voice mode is enhanced with visual information
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4936 Speech interaction details speech recognition per se G10L15/00

Abstract

Methods and arrangements for according multiple input media to a voice-based application. A voice application is accessed and a voice application template which supports a voice input mode is selected. At least one voice application template which supports at least one input mode other than voice and telephone touch tone is also selected, and a capability is accorded to selectively access the voice application via the voice input mode and the at least one input mode other than voice and telephone touch tone.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

initiating a communication session between a telecommunications user and a voice application site hosted at a server of a telecommunications network, wherein the telecommunications user comprises a user of a voice-capable telephone and wherein the voice application site comprises a voice driven application running on telecommunications infrastructure and accessible using a non-Internet access point;

accepting, at the voice application site, content input comprising at least one input type other than voice input, wherein the at least one input type other than voice input is selected from the group consisting of;

text message using short message service communications, mobile communication using unstructured supplementary service data communications, and mobile communication using general packet radio service communications;

the voice application site being associated with a synchronization module connecting a plurality of input channels, wherein each of the plurality of input channels is of a type selected from the group consisting of;

a voice input channel associated with accepted voice inputs, a text messaging input channel associated with accepted text messages, and a mobile communication input channel associated with accepted mobile communications;

wherein the plurality of input channels connect to a plurality of voice managers, wherein each of the plurality of voice managers corresponds to one of the types of input channels and wherein each of the plurality of voice managers transmits the accepted input to the voice application site through the synchronization module by converting the accepted input to an input type readable by the voice application site;

wherein the synchronization module synchronizes the plurality of inputs received through the plurality of voice managers and stores and manages data relating to the communication session and provides the synchronized input to the voice application site; and

communicating information from the voice application site back to the telecommunications user in an output type that is the same as the accepted input type using the synchronization module, wherein the synchronization module receives output from the voice application site and transmits the output to the telecommunications user through the voice manager corresponding to the channel having the same type of channel as the input channel.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the initiating comprises accessing the voice application site through voice interface over a phone call.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the text messaging input channel comprises a Short Message Service input channel.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein the Short Message Service input channel includes at least one taken from the group consisting of:

text input and graphical user interface input.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the mobile communication channel comprises an Unstructured Supplementary Service Data input channel.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein the Unstructured Supplementary Service Data input channel includes at least one taken from the group consisting of:

text input and graphical user interface input.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the mobile communication channel comprises a General Packet Radio Service input channel.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein the General Packet Radio Service input includes text input.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the voice manager corresponding to the channel having the same type of channel as the input channel comprises a receiver which accepts at least one input taken from the group consisting of:

control input and content input.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein the voice manager corresponding to the channel having the same type of channel as the input channel comprises an output manager which communicates with the voice application site.

20. The method according to claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of voice managers communicates with a gateway that corresponds to one of the types of input channels.

11. An apparatus comprising:

at least one processor; and

a computer readable storage medium having computer readable program code embodied therewith and executable by the at least one processor, the computer readable program code comprising;

computer readable program code configured to initiate a communication session between a telecommunication user and a voice application site hosted at a server of a telecommunications network, wherein the telecommunications user comprises a user of a voice-capable telephone and wherein the voice application site comprises a voice driven application running on telecommunications infrastructure and accessible using a non-Internet access point;

computer readable program code configured to accept, at the voice application site, content input comprising at least one input type other than voice input, wherein the at least one input type other than voice input is selected from the group consisting of;

text message using short message service communications, mobile communication using unstructured supplementary service data communications, and mobile communication using general packet radio service communications;

the voice application site being associated with a synchronization module connecting a plurality of input channels, wherein each of the plurality of input channels is of a type selected from the group consisting of;

a voice input channel associated with accepted voice inputs, a text messaging input channel associated with accepted text messages, and a mobile communication input channel associated with accepted mobile communications;

wherein the plurality of input channels connect to a plurality of voice managers, wherein each of the plurality of voice managers corresponds to one of the types of input channels and wherein each of the plurality of voice managers transmits the accepted input to the voice application site through the synchronization module by converting the accepted input to an input type readable by the voice application site;

wherein the synchronization module synchronizes the plurality of inputs received through the plurality of voice managers and stores and manages data relating to the communication session and provides the synchronized input to the voice application site; and

computer readable program code configured to communicate information from the voice application site back to the telecommunications user in an output type that is the same as the accepted input type using the synchronization module, wherein the synchronization module receives output from the voice application site and transmits the output to the telecommunications user through the voice manager corresponding to the channel having the same type of channel as the input channel.

12. A computer program product comprising:

at least one processor; and

a computer readable storage medium having computer readable program code embodied therewith and executable by the at least one processor, the computer readable program code comprising;

computer readable program code configured to initiate a communication session between a telecommunication user and a voice application site hosted at a server of a telecommunications network, wherein the telecommunications user comprises a user of a voice-capable telephone and wherein the voice application site comprises a voice driven application running on telecommunications infrastructure and accessible using a non-Internet access point;

computer readable program code configured to initiate a communication session between a telecommunication user and a voice application site hosted at a server of a telecommunications network, wherein the telecommunications user comprises a user of a voice-capable telephone and wherein the voice application site comprises a voice driven application running on telecommunications infrastructure and accessible using a non-Internet access point;

computer readable program code configured to accept, at the voice application site, content input comprising at least one input type other than voice input, wherein the at least one input type other than voice input is selected from the group consisting of;

text message using short message service communications, mobile communication using unstructured supplementary service data communications, and mobile communication using general packet radio service communications;

the voice application site being associated with a synchronization module connecting a plurality of input channels, wherein each of the plurality of input channels is of a type selected from the group consisting of;

a voice input channel associated with accepted voice inputs, a text messaging input channel associated with accepted text messages, and a mobile communication input channel associated with accepted mobile communications;

wherein the plurality of input channels connect to a plurality of voice managers, wherein each of the plurality of voice managers corresponds to one of the types of input channels and wherein each of the plurality of voice managers transmits the accepted input to the voice application site through the synchronization module by converting the accepted input to an input type readable by the voice application site;

wherein the synchronization module synchronizes the plurality of inputs received through the plurality of voice managers and stores and manages data relating to the communication session and provides the synchronized input to the voice application site; and

computer readable program code configured to communicate information from the voice application site back to the telecommunications user in an output type that is the same as the accepted input type using the synchronization module, wherein the synchronization module receives output from the voice application site and transmits the output to the telecommunications user through the voice manager corresponding to the channel having the same type of channel as the input channel.

13. The computer program product according to claim 12, wherein the computer readable program code is configured to initiate the accessing of the voice application site through voice interface over a phone call.

14. The computer program product according to claim 12, wherein the text messaging input channel comprises Short Message Service input channel.

15. The computer program product according to claim 14, wherein the Short Message Service input channel includes at least one taken from the group consisting of:

text input and graphical user interface input.

16. The computer program product according to claim 12, wherein the mobile communication channel comprises. Unstructured Supplementary Service Data input channel.

17. The computer program product according to claim 16, wherein the Unstructured Supplementary Service Data input channel includes at least one taken from the group consisting of:

text input and graphical user interface input.

18. The computer program product according to claim 12, wherein the mobile communication channel comprises General Packet Radio Service input channel.

19. The computer program product according to claim 18, wherein the General Packet Radio Service input includes text input.