System and method for generating a dynamic interface via a communications network

• US 20030225730A1
• Filed: 06/03/2002
• Published: 12/04/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/03/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Oracle OTC Subsidiary LLC (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: RightNow Technologies Incorporated (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Myer, Mike, Warner, Doug, Abshire, Tom
• Granted Patent: US 6,850,949 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/12 Counting circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/16 Sequence circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/355 Interactive dialogue design tools, features or methods
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/551 Call history recording a computer conference H04L12/1831
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/2218 Call detail recording
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/36 Statistical metering, e.g. recording occasions when traffic exceeds capacity of trunks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/493 Interactive information services, e.g. directory enquiries ; Arrangements therefor, e.g. interactive voice response [IVR] systems or voice portals
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4936 Speech interaction details speech recognition per se G10L15/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5166 in combination with interactive voice response systems or voice portals, e.g. as front-ends
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99942 Manipulating data structure, e.g. compression, compaction, compilation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface

Abstract

A system, method, and computer program product for dynamically adapting selections in an automatic phone support system is described. The invention may integrate a dynamic knowledge base of responses with the menu selections on an automated phone system or other response system to present the most frequently used items earlier in the option list, or otherwise order options and information. Call data may be captured from single callers or historical ensembles of callers. An automatically generated similarity relationship may be used to initialize the system without historical call data, based on textual similarity or other techniques. Prioritization of options provides a more enjoyable, efficient experience for callers without increasing administrative overhead.

Claims

1. A system for configuring an interactive voice menu, comprising:

a first interface configured to communicate with at least one caller via a telecommunications network; and

a processor, communicating with the first interface, the processor generating a voice menu according to at least one of an automatically generated similarity relationship, historical call data, and input received via the first interface during a current call.

2. A system according to claim 1, wherein the first interface comprises at least one of a wired telephone connection, a wireless telephone connection and a networked data connection.

3. A system according to claim 1, wherein the processor comprises a voice response unit, the voice response unit generating the voice menu and receiving the input received via the first interface to select at least one item in the voice menu.

4. A system according to claim 3, wherein the voice menu comprises at least two items having an ordering therebetween.

5. A system according to claim 4, wherein the processor adjusts the ordering according to at least one of the automatically generated similarity relationship, the historical call data and the input received via the first interface.

6. A system according to claim 5, wherein each item has at least one associated score.

7. A system according to claim 6, wherein the score comprises at least one of a usefulness score, a visitation score and a relatedness score, the relatedness score reflecting a measure of relatedness between each item and at least one other item.

8. A system according to claim 6, wherein a point at which an item is presented in the voice menu is changed according to the score.

9. A system according to claim 7, wherein the score comprises at least a relatedness score, and the relatedness score is calculated based on at least one of the automatically generated similarity relationship and historical frequency of the item being selected before or after selection of another item.

10. A system according to claim 1, wherein the input received via the first input comprises at least one of voice input, keypad input and keyboard input.

11. A system according to claim 1, wherein the processor generates a clustering of items within the voice menu according to at least one clustering rule.

21. A method according to claim 11, wherein the input comprises at least one of voice input, keypad input and keyboard input.

22. A method according to claim 11, further comprising a step of generating a clustering of items within the voice menu according to at least one clustering rule.

12. A method for configuring an interactive voice menu, comprising:

communicating with at least one caller via a telecommunications network; and

generating a voice menu according to at least one of an automatically generated similarity relationship, historical call data and input received during the step of communicating.

13. A method according to claim 12, wherein the step of communicating comprises communicating via at least one of a wired telephone connection, a wireless telephone connection and a networked data connection.

14. A method according to claim 12, wherein the step of generating comprises a step of generating the voice menu using a voice response unit, further comprising a step receiving the input to select at least one item in the voice menu.

15. A method according to claim 14, wherein the voice menu comprises at least two items having an ordering therebetween.

16. A method according to claim 15, further comprising a step of adjusting the ordering according to at least one of the automatically generated similarity relationship, the historical call data and the input.

17. A method according to claim 16, wherein each item has at least one associated score.

18. A method according to claim 17, wherein the score comprises at least one of a usefulness score, a visitation score and a relatedness score, the relatedness score reflecting a measure of relatedness between each item and at least one other item.

19. A method according to claim 17, further comprising a step of changing a point at which an item is presented in the voice menu according to the score.

20. A method according to claim 18, wherein the score comprises at least a relatedness score, and the relatedness score is calculated based on at least one of the automatically generated similarity relationship and the historical frequency of the item being selected before or after selection of another item.