Method and system for interjecting comments to improve information presentation in spoken user interfaces

• US 20030016793A1
• Filed: 07/18/2001
• Published: 01/23/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 07/18/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Shadow Prompt Technology AG
• Original Assignee: Enterprise Integration Group, Inc. (Perspecta, Inc.)
• Inventors: Stringham, Rex, Balentine, Bruce, Munroe, Justin
• Granted Patent: US 7,573,986 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/88.16
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]

Abstract

A method and an apparatus for providing audio information to a user. The method and apparatus provide information in multiple modes that represent various pieces of information and/or alternatives.

Claims

1. A method of providing audio information to a user, the method comprising the steps of:

presenting a first prompt in a first mode indicating to the user a first selection means for an available option; and

presenting a second prompt in a second mode indicating to the user a second selection means for the available option.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the second mode differs from the first mode in at least one of the recorded voice, the volume, the inflection, the tone, and the pace.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first prompt is presented in at least one of verbally and visually.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the second prompt is presented in at least one of visually and verbally.

14. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second mode differs from the first mode in at least one of the recorded voice, the volume, the inflection, the tone, and the pace.

15. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first prompt is presented in at least one of verbally and visually.

16. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second prompt is presented in at least one of visually and verbally.

5. A method of providing audio information to a user, the method comprising the steps of:

playing one or more prompts in a first mode corresponding to one or more menu items; and

playing one or more alternative prompts in a second mode indicating to the user an available option, wherein the second mode differs from the first mode in at least one of the recorded voice, the volume, the inflection, the tone, and the pace.

6. A method of providing audio information to a user, the method comprising the steps of:

playing a primary prompt in a first mode indicating to the user a first selection means for an available option;

determining whether the primary prompt is a DTMF-foreground prompt or a speech-foreground prompt;

upon a determination that the primary prompt is a DTMF-foreground prompt, playing a secondary prompt in a second mode indicating to the user a second selection means for the available option, the second prompt being a speech-foreground prompt; and

upon a determination that the primary prompt is a speech-foreground prompt, playing a secondary prompt in a second mode indicating to the user a second selection means for the available option, the second prompt being a DTMF-foreground prompt.

7. A method of providing audio information to a user, the method comprising the steps of:

playing a primary prompt in a first mode indicating to the user a first selection means for an available option;

determining whether a secondary prompt is to be played to the user; and

upon a determination that a secondary prompt is to be played to the user, playing the secondary prompt in a second mode indicating to the user a second selection means for the available option.

8. A method of providing audio information to a user, the method comprising the steps of:

determining whether a primary prompt is to be played;

upon a determination that a primary prompt is to be played, playing a primary prompt in a first mode indicating to the user a first selection means for an available option;

determining whether a secondary prompt is to be played; and

upon a determination that a secondary prompt is to be played, playing the secondary prompt in a second mode indicating to the user a second selection means for the available option.

9. A method of providing a menu to a user, the method comprising the steps of:

playing a primary prompt in a first mode indicating to the user a first selection means for an available option; and

playing the secondary prompt in a second mode indicating to the user a second selection means for the available option, the secondary prompt being tapered for at least one of the number of occurrences the available option has been presented to the user and the position of secondary prompt within the menu.

10. A method of providing a menu to a user, the method comprising the steps of:

determining whether a secondary prompt for a menu item of the menu has been played a predetermined number of times; and

upon a determination that the secondary prompt has not been played a predetermined number of times, playing a secondary prompt in a second mode.

11. A method of providing a menu to a user, the method comprising the steps of:

determining whether a secondary prompt is required to be played;

upon a determination that the secondary prompt is required to be played, determining whether the menu is a speech-foreground menu;

upon a determination that the menu is a speech-foreground menu, playing a secondary prompt in a second mode, the secondary prompt being in a grammatical form corresponding to the grammatical form of the menu, wherein the grammatical form comprises at least one of a declarative form, an imperative form, and an other form, and wherein the secondary prompt is played in a speech-foreground mode; and

upon a determination that the menu is not a speech-foreground menu, playing a secondary prompt in a second mode, wherein the secondary prompt is played in a DTMF-foreground mode.

12. A method of providing a menu to a user, the method comprising the steps of:

determining whether a secondary prompt has been played previously;

upon a determination that the secondary prompt has not been played previously, determining whether the menu is a speech-foreground menu;

upon a determination that the menu is a speech-foreground menu, playing a secondary prompt in a second mode, the secondary prompt being in a grammatical form corresponding to the grammatical form of the menu, wherein the grammatical form comprises at least one of a declarative form, an imperative form, and an other form, and wherein the secondary prompt is played in a speech-foreground mode; and

upon a determination that the menu is not a speech-foreground menu, playing a secondary prompt in a second mode, wherein the secondary prompt is played in a DTMF-foreground mode.

13. An apparatus for providing audio information to a user, the apparatus comprising:

means for presenting a first prompt in a first mode indicating to the user a first selection means for an available option; and

means for presenting a second prompt in a second mode indicating to the user a second selection means for the available option.

17. An apparatus for providing audio information to a user, the apparatus comprising:

means for playing one or more prompts in a first mode corresponding to one or more menu items; and

means for playing one or more alternative prompts in a second mode indicating to the user an available option, wherein the second mode differs from the first mode in at least one of the recorded voice, the volume, the inflection, the tone, and the pace.

18. An apparatus for providing audio information to a user, the apparatus comprising:

means for playing a primary prompt in a first mode indicating to the user a first selection means for an available option;

means for determining whether the primary prompt is a DTMF-foreground prompt or a speech-foreground prompt;

upon a determination that the primary prompt is a DTMF-foreground prompt, means for playing a secondary prompt in a second mode indicating to the user a second selection means for the available option, the second prompt being a speech-foreground prompt; and

upon a determination that the primary prompt is a speech-foreground prompt, means for playing a secondary prompt in a second mode indicating to the user a second selection means for the available option, the second prompt being a DTMF-foreground prompt.

19. An apparatus for providing audio information to a user, the apparatus comprising:

means for playing a primary prompt in a first mode indicating to the user a first selection means for an available option;

means for determining whether a secondary prompt is to be played to the user; and

upon a determination that a secondary prompt is to be played to the user, means for playing the secondary prompt in a second mode indicating to the user a second selection means for the available option.

20. An apparatus for providing audio information to a user, the apparatus comprising:

means for determining whether a primary prompt is to be played;

upon a determination that a primary prompt is to be played, means for playing a primary prompt in a first mode indicating to the user a first selection means for an available option;

means for determining whether a secondary prompt is to be played; and

upon a determination that a secondary prompt is to be played, means for playing the secondary prompt in a second mode indicating to the user a second selection means for the available option.

21. An apparatus for providing a menu to a user, the apparatus comprising:

means for playing a primary prompt in a first mode indicating to the user a first selection means for an available option; and

means for playing the secondary prompt in a second mode indicating to the user a second selection means for the available option, the secondary prompt being tapered for at least one of the number of occurrences the available option has been presented to the user and the position of secondary prompt within the menu.

22. An apparatus for providing a menu to a user, the apparatus comprising:

means for determining whether a secondary prompt for a menu item of the menu has been played a predetermined number of times; and

upon a determination that the secondary prompt has not been played a predetermined number of times, means for playing a secondary prompt in a second mode.

23. An apparatus for providing a menu to a user, the apparatus comprising:

means for determining whether a secondary prompt is required to be played;

upon a determination that the secondary prompt is required to be played, means for determining whether the menu is a speech-foreground menu;

upon a determination that the menu is a speech-foreground menu, means for playing a secondary prompt in a second mode, the secondary prompt being in a grammatical form corresponding to the grammatical form of the menu, wherein the grammatical form comprises at least one of a declarative form, an imperative form, and an other form, and wherein the secondary prompt is played in a speech-foreground mode; and

upon a determination that the menu is not a speech-foreground menu, means for playing a secondary prompt in a second mode, wherein the secondary prompt is played in a DTMF-foreground mode.

24. An apparatus for providing a menu to a user, the apparatus comprising:

means for determining whether a secondary prompt has been played previously;

upon a determination that the secondary prompt has not been played previously, means for determining whether the menu is a speech-foreground menu;

upon a determination that the menu is a speech-foreground menu, means for playing a secondary prompt in a second mode, the secondary prompt being in a grammatical form corresponding to the grammatical form of the menu, wherein the grammatical form comprises at least one of a declarative form, an imperative form, and an other form, and wherein the secondary prompt is played in a speech-foreground mode; and

upon a determination that the menu is not a speech-foreground menu, means for playing a secondary prompt in a second mode, wherein the secondary prompt is played in a DTMF-foreground mode.

25. A computer program product for providing audio information to a user, the computer program product having a medium with a computer program embodied thereon, the computer program comprising:

computer program code for playing a primary prompt in a first mode indicating to the user a first selection means for an available option;

computer program code for determining whether the primary prompt is a DTMF-foreground prompt or a speech-foreground prompt;

upon a determination that the primary prompt is a DTMF-foreground prompt, computer program code for playing a secondary prompt in a second mode indicating to the user a second selection means for the available option, the second prompt being a speech-foreground prompt; and

upon a determination that the primary prompt is a speech-foreground prompt, computer program code for playing a secondary prompt in a second mode indicating to the user a second selection means for the available option, the second prompt being a DTMF-foreground prompt.

26. A computer program product for providing audio information to a user, the computer program product having a medium with a computer program embodied thereon, the computer program comprising:

computer program code for playing a primary prompt in a first mode indicating to the user a first selection means for an available option;

computer program code for determining whether a secondary prompt is to be played to the user; and

upon a determination that a secondary prompt is to be played to the user, computer program code for playing the secondary prompt in a second mode indicating to the user a second selection means for the available option.

27. A computer program product for providing audio information to a user, the computer program product having a medium with a computer program embodied thereon, the computer program comprising:

computer program code for determining whether a primary prompt is to be played;

upon a determination that a primary prompt is to be played, computer program code for playing a primary prompt in a first mode indicating to the user a first selection means for an available option;

computer program code for determining whether a secondary prompt is to be played; and

upon a determination that a secondary prompt is to be played, computer program code for playing the secondary prompt in a second mode indicating to the user a second selection means for the available option.

28. A computer program product for providing a menu to a user, the computer program product having a medium with a computer program embodied thereon, the computer program comprising:

computer program code for playing a primary prompt in a first mode indicating to the user a first selection means for an available option; and

computer program code for playing the secondary prompt in a second mode indicating to the user a second selection means for the available option, the secondary prompt being tapered for at least one of the number of occurrences the available option has been presented to the user and the position of secondary prompt within the menu.

29. A computer program product for providing a menu to a user, the computer program product having a medium with a computer program embodied thereon, the computer program comprising:

computer program code for determining whether a secondary prompt for a menu item of the menu has been played a predetermined number of times; and

upon a determination that the secondary prompt has not been played a predetermined number of times, computer program code for playing a secondary prompt in a second mode.

30. A computer program product for providing a menu to a user, the computer program product having a medium with a computer program embodied thereon, the computer program comprising:

computer program code for determining whether a secondary prompt is required to be played;

upon a determination that the secondary prompt is required to be played, computer program code for determining whether the menu is a speech-foreground menu;

upon a determination that the menu is a speech-foreground menu, computer program code for playing a secondary prompt in a second mode, the secondary prompt being in a grammatical form corresponding to the grammatical form of the menu, wherein the grammatical form comprises at least one of a declarative form, an imperative form, and an other form, and wherein the secondary prompt is played in a speech-foreground mode; and

upon a determination that the menu is not a speech-foreground menu, computer program code for playing a secondary prompt in a second mode, wherein the secondary prompt is played in a DTMF-foreground mode.

31. A computer program product for providing a menu to a user, the computer program product having a medium with a computer program embodied thereon, the computer program comprising:

computer program code for determining whether a secondary prompt has been played previously;

upon a determination that the secondary prompt has not been played previously, computer program code for determining whether the menu is a speech-foreground menu;

upon a determination that the menu is a speech-foreground menu, computer program code for playing a secondary prompt in a second mode, the secondary prompt being in a grammatical form corresponding to the grammatical form of the menu, wherein the grammatical form comprises at least one of a declarative form, an imperative form, and an other form, and wherein the secondary prompt is played in a speech-foreground mode; and

upon a determination that the menu is not a speech-foreground menu, computer program code for playing a secondary prompt in a second mode, wherein the secondary prompt is played in a DTMF-foreground mode.