Interactive voice response system and a method for use in interactive voice response system

• US 20040037401A1
• Filed: 12/12/2002
• Published: 02/26/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 07/11/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Dow, Barry Neil, Smith, Samuel Jonathan, Renshaw, David Seager, Poultney, Timothy David
• Application Number:
  US10/317,465
• Publication Number:
  US 20040037401A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/88.18
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/66 Arrangements for connecting between networks having differing types of switching systems, e.g. gateways

Abstract

An interactive voice response system (103) and a method for use in an interactive voice response system are provided. The interactive voice response system (103) has means for receiving telephone calls via a telephone network (102). The interactive voice response system (103) has means for accessing an application server (105) via a computer network (104) to obtain information in response to an audio input from a telephone call. A cookie (112) sent from an application server (105) relating to the access of the application server (105) in response to an audio input from a telephone call is linked to a telephone calling line identifier (110) and the cookie (112) is stored for use during subsequent telephone calls from the same telephone calling line.

Claims

1. An interactive voice response system comprising:

means for receiving telephone calls via a telephone network;

means for accessing an application server via a computer network to obtain information in response to an audio input from a telephone call;

means for receiving a cookie from an application server relating to the access of the application server in response to an audio input from a telephone call;

linking means for linking the cookie to a telephone calling line identifier; and

storage means for storing the cookie for use during subsequent telephone calls from the same telephone calling line.

2. An interactive voice response system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the application server controls access to documents which are enabled for use with audio input and output.

3. An interactive voice response system as claimed in claim 2, wherein the documents are VoiceXML documents.

4. An interactive voice response system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the audio input from a telephone call is one of voice input, recorded audio input, dual-tone multiple frequency input, fax signal input.

5. An interactive voice response system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the system includes a telephony server which runs browser software with user interaction provided via a telephone.

6. An interactive voice response system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the system includes a voice server for translating data commands to and from audio input using one of speech recognition and text to speech applications.

7. An interactive voice response system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the computer network is the Internet and the application server is a web server.

8. An interactive voice response system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the storage means is a database.

9. A method for use in an interactive voice response system, comprising:

receiving telephone calls via a telephone network;

accessing an application server via a computer network to obtain information in response to an audio input from a telephone call;

receiving a cookie from an application server relating to the access of the application server in response to an audio input from a telephone call;

linking the cookie to a telephone calling line identifier; and

storing the cookie for use during subsequent telephone calls from the same telephone calling line.

10. A method as claimed in claim 9, wherein the application server controls access to documents which are enabled for use with audio input and output.

11. A method as claimed in claim 10, wherein the documents are VoiceXML documents.

12. A method as claimed in claim 9, wherein the audio input from a telephone call is one of voice input, recorded audio input, dual-tone multiple frequency input, fax signal input.

13. A method as claimed in claim 9, wherein the system includes a telephony server which runs browser software with user interaction provided via a telephone.

14. A method as claimed in claim 9, wherein the system includes a voice server for translating data commands to and from audio input using one of speech recognition and text to speech applications.

15. A method as claimed in claim 9, wherein the computer network is the Internet and the application server is a web server.

16. A computer program product stored on a computer readable storage medium, comprising computer readable program code means for performing the steps of:

receiving telephone calls via a telephone network;

accessing an application server via a computer network to obtain information in response to an audio input from a telephone call;

receiving a cookie from an application server relating to the access of the application server in response to an audio input from a telephone call;

linking the cookie to a telephone calling line identifier; and

storing the cookie for use during subsequent telephone calls from the same telephone calling line.