Methods and system for creating voice files using a VoiceXML application

• US 20040254792A1
• Filed: 06/10/2003
• Published: 12/16/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/10/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Busayapongchai, Senis, Chintrakulchai, Pichet
• Granted Patent: US 7,577,568 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 704/260
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4938 comprising a voice browser which renders and interprets, e.g. VoiceXML

Abstract

Methods and systems for automating the assembly or creation of audio files for providing to listeners or for use in voice interactive services are provided. A voice application script is prepared and text associated with a desired audio file statement is inserted in the voice application in place of an audio file name. A recording manager software program passes the voice application script to an Extensible Markup Language (XML) parser that locates audio file tags in the voice application script. The XML parser extracts voice properties, if any, for each found audio tag, such as age and gender properties. The XML parser extracts the text string, and the recording manager software module passes the text string and associated properties in a database query to an audio file recording library database for locating an audio file matching the text string and properties. If a matching audio file or combination of audio files is located, a file name for the located file or files may be populated into the voice application script so that upon execution of the voice application script, the located audio file will be called by the script for presentation to a user or for use in a voice interactive services system.

Claims

1. A method of automating the preparation of a voice application, comprising:

writing a voice software application for providing an audio announcement;

applying markup language elements to the application;

annotating the application with markup language audio tags;

associating a first text string with a first audio tag wherein the first text string is a text representation of a desired audio file content;

parsing the application to locate the first audio tag;

passing the first text string associated with the first audio tag to a database of audio files; and

if an audio file or a combination of audio files having content matching the first text string is located in the database of audio files, replacing the text string within the first audio tag with a file name of the located audio file or a reference to the combination.

2. A method of claim 1 whereby the step of annotating the application with markup language audio tags include annotating the application with Voice Extensible Markup Language (VoiceXML) audio tags.

3. The method of claim 1 whereby the step of associating a first text string with a first audio tag includes inserting the first text string within the first audio tag.

4. The method of claim 3 further comprising the step of annotating the first audio tag with a first voice property.

5. The method of claim 4 whereby the step of passing the first text string to a database of audio files includes passing the first text string and the first voice property to the database of audio files.

6. The method of claim 5 whereby the step of replacing the text string within the first audio tag with a file name of the located audio file includes replacing the text string within the first audio tag with a file name of the located audio file if the audio file has content matching the first text string and matching the first voice property.

7. The method of claim 6 prior to step of parsing the application to locate the first audio tag, further comprising passing the application to an application parser for locating the first audio tag and for locating the first text string.

8. The method of claim 7 whereby the application parser includes a VoiceXML parsing application.

9. The method of claim 8 whereby the step of parsing the application to locate the first audio tag includes extracting the first text string associated with the first audio tag from the application.

10. The method of claim 9 further comprising extracting the first voice property associated with the first audio tag from the application.

11. The method of claim 10 whereby if no voice property is associated with the first audio tag, selecting a default voice property.

12. The method of claim 7 whereby the step of passing the application to an application parser includes passing the application to a recording manager application for locating the desired audio file content.

13. The method of claim 5 whereby the step of passing the first text string and the first voice property to the database of audio files includes passing the first text string and the first voice property to the database of audio files via a database query.

14. The method of claim 13 whereby the database of audio files includes a recording library having a plurality of pre-recorded audio files.

15. The method of claim 5 after the step of passing the first text string and the first voice property to the database of audio files, searching the database of audio files for one or more audio files having content matching the first voice property and matching all or part of the text string.

16. The method of claim 5 prior to the step of replacing the text string within the first audio tag with a file name of the located audio file, passing the located audio file to an audio file developer for review.

17. The method of claim 5 whereby if an audio file having content matching the first text string and matching the first voice property is not located in the database of audio files, determining whether one or more audio files are located in the database of audio files that match the first voice property and that partially match the first text string.

18. The method of claim 17 whereby if one of the one or more audio files is acceptable, replacing the text string within the first audio tag with a file name of the acceptable one of the one or more audio files.

19. The method of claim 17 whereby if a combination of the one or more audio files is acceptable, replacing the text string within the first audio tag with a file name representing the combination of the one or more audio files.

20. The method of claim 18 prior to replacing the text string within the first audio tag with a file name of the acceptable one of the one or more audio files, passing the one or more audio files to an audio file developer for review.

21. The method of claim 1 whereby the step of writing a voice software application includes writing the voice software application using a text editor.

22. The method of claim 1 whereby writing a voice software application includes writing the voice software application using a graphical user interface-based software application editor.

23. A system for automating the preparation of a voice application, comprising:

an XML parser operative

to parse a voice software application to locate a first audio tag;

to passing a first text string associated with the first audio tag to a recording manager application

the recording manager application operative

to pass the first text string associated with the first audio tag to a database of audio files;

to determine if an audio file having content matching the first text string is located in the database of audio files; and

to replace the text string associated with the first audio tag with a file name of the located audio file.

24. The system of claim 23 whereby the recording manager application is further operative

to determine whether one or more audio files are located in the database of audio files that partially match the first text string, if an audio file having content matching the first text string is not located in the database of audio files.

25. The system of claim 24 whereby the recording manager application is further operative

to replace the text string within the first audio tag with a file name representing a combination of one or more audio files, if a combination of the one or more audio files is located in the database of audio files having content matching the first text string.

26. The system of claim 23 further comprising a text editor operative to write a voice software application.

27. A method of automating the preparation of a voice application, comprising:

annotating a Voice Extensible Markup Language (VoiceXML) application with one or more audio tags;

associating a first text string with a first audio tag wherein the first text string is a text representation of a desired audio file content;

parsing the application to locate the first audio tag;

passing the first text string associated with the first audio tag to a database of audio files; and

if an audio file having content matching the first text string is located in the database of audio files, replacing the text string associated with the first audio tag with a file name of the located audio file.

28. The method of claim 27 further comprising the step of annotating the first audio tag with a first voice property.

29. The method of claim 28 whereby the step of passing the first text string to a database of audio files includes passing the first text string and the first voice property to the database of audio files.

30. The method of claim 29 whereby the step of replacing the text string within the first audio tag with a file name of the located audio file includes replacing the text string within the first audio tag with a file name of the located audio file if the audio file has content matching the first text string and matching the first voice property.

31. The method of claim 30 after the step of passing the first text string and the first voice property to the database of audio files, searching the database of audio files for one or more audio files having content matching the first voice property and matching all or part of the text string.

32. The method of claim 31 whereby if an audio file having content matching the first text string and matching the first voice property is not located in the database of audio files, determining whether one or more audio files are located in the database of audio files that match the first voice property and that partially match the first text string.

33. The method of claim 32 whereby if a combination of a plurality of audio files located in the database of audio files has content matching the first text string and matching the first voice property, replacing the text string within the first audio tag with a file name representing the combination of the plurality of audio files.