Directory assistance dialog with configuration switches to switch from automated speech recognition to operator-assisted dialog

• US 20060008071A1
• Filed: 09/09/2005
• Published: 01/12/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/11/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nuance Communications, Inc. (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Labs Incorporated (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Bushey, Robert R., Chang, Hisao M., Martin, John M.
• Granted Patent: US 7,136,476 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/265.110
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/26 Speech to text systems G10L15/08 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/18 Comparators
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/40 using speech recognition speech recognition per se G10L15/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/355 Interactive dialogue design tools, features or methods
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4931 Directory assistance systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4933 with operator assistance
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4936 Speech interaction details speech recognition per se G10L15/00

Abstract

A method of providing a caller with a directory assistance dialog. The dialog is configurable, at any level of the dialog, from an automated speech recognition (ASR) dialog to an operator-assisted (OP) dialog. The dialog is handed off to an operator if any level of the speech recognition dialog fails. Also, a configuration switch may be set to cause the dialog to be handed off to an operator even if a response at some level of the ASR dialog is successfully recognized.

Claims

1-12. -12. (canceled)

13. A method of providing a caller with a directory assistance dialog, the dialog being switchable from an automated speech recognition (ASR) path to an operator-assisted (OP) path, comprising:

providing a first configuration switch that can be set to cause the dialog to branch to the OP path prior to any ASR dialog;

providing a series of one or more ASR sub-dialogs, each sub-dialog including a prompt requesting information from the caller and a response from the caller;

performing an ASR analysis of each received response, wherein each ASR analysis may be successful or unsuccessful;

after each ASR sub-dialog, branching the dialog to the OP path if the ASR analysis for that sub-dialog is not successful; and

providing a second configuration switch after a particular ASR sub-dialog that can be set to branch the dialog to the OP path for one or more subsequent ASR sub-dialogs even if the ASR analysis for the caller'"'"'s response in the particular ASR sub-dialog is successful.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising controlling the second configuration switch based at least on a success rate of ASR analyses of previously received caller responses for an ASR sub-dialog that follows the particular ASR sub-dialog in the series of ASR sub-dialogs.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the second configuration switch is controlled automatically.

16. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

forwarding at least one response to a speech recognition tuning process; and

tuning an ASR analysis based at least on the forwarded responses.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein the one or more ASR sub-dialogs include a first sub-dialog prompting the caller for a location response and applying an ASR analysis to the caller'"'"'s location response and a second sub-dialog prompting the caller for a listing response and applying an ASR analysis to the caller'"'"'s listing response.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the particular configuration switch follows the caller'"'"'s listing response.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the particular configuration switch follows the caller'"'"'s location response.

20. The method of claim 13, wherein one of the ASR sub-dialogs prompts the caller to respond whether the listing is for a residence.

21. A method of providing a caller with a directory assistance dialog, the dialog being switchable from an automated speech recognition (ASR) path to an operator-assisted (OP) path, comprising:

determining whether a first configuration switch is set to branch the dialog to the OP path prior to any ASR dialog;

if the first configuration switch is not set to branch the dialog to the OP path prior to any ASR dialog, facilitating a first ASR sub-dialog with a caller and performing a first ASR analysis of a response received from the caller during the first ASR sub-dialog;

if the first ASR analysis is unsuccessful, automatically branching the dialog to the OP path;

determining whether a second configuration switch is set to branch the dialog to the OP path after the first ASR analysis even if the first ASR analysis is successful;

if the first ASR analysis is successful, and if the second configuration switch is set to branch the dialog to the OP path, branching the dialog to the OP path prior to a second ASR sub-dialog; and

if the first ASR analysis is successful, and if the second configuration switch is not set to branch the dialog to the OP path, proceeding to the second ASR sub-dialog.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

determining a success rate of ASR analyses for the second ASR sub-dialog; and

controlling the second configuration switch based at least on determined success rate of ASR analyses for the second ASR sub-dialog.

23. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

forwarding multiple responses, including the response received from the caller during the first ASR sub-dialog, to a speech recognition tuning process; and

tuning the first ASR analysis based at least on the forwarded responses.

24. The method of claim 21, wherein the directory assistance dialog includes one or more ASR sub-dialog preceding the first ASR sub-dialog.

25. The method of claim 21, wherein the first ASR sub-dialog includes prompting the caller for a location response.

26. The method of claim 21, wherein the first ASR sub-dialog includes prompting the caller for a listing response.

27. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for providing a caller with a directory assistance dialog, the dialog being switchable from an automated speech recognition (ASR) path to an operator-assisted (OP) path, comprising:

instructions for providing an initial configuration switch that can be set to cause the dialog to branch to the OP path prior to any ASR dialog;

instructions for facilitating a series of one or more ASR sub-dialogs, each sub-dialog including a prompt requesting information from the caller and a response from the caller;

instructions for performing an ASR analysis of each received response, wherein each ASR analysis may be successful or unsuccessful;

instructions for branching the dialog to the OP path if the ASR analysis for a particular ASR sub-dialog is not successful; and

instructions for providing a second configuration switch after a particular ASR sub-dialog that can be set to branch the dialog to the OP path for one or more subsequent ASR sub-dialogs even if the ASR analysis for the caller'"'"'s response in the particular ASR sub-dialog is successful.

28. The computer-readable medium of claim 27, further comprising instructions for controlling the second configuration switch based at least on a success rate of ASR analyses of previously received caller responses for an ASR sub-dialog that follows the particular ASR sub-dialog in the series of ASR sub-dialogs.

29. The computer-readable medium of claim 27, further comprising instructions for:

forwarding at least one response to a speech recognition tuning process; and

tuning an ASR analysis based at least on the forwarded responses.

30. The computer-readable medium of claim 27, wherein the one or more ASR sub-dialogs include a first sub-dialog prompting the caller for a location response and applying an ASR analysis to the caller'"'"'s location response and a second sub-dialog prompting the caller for a listing response and applying an ASR analysis to the caller'"'"'s listing response.

31. The computer-readable medium of claim 30, wherein the particular configuration switch follows the caller'"'"'s listing response.

32. The computer-readable medium of claim 30, wherein the particular configuration switch follows the caller'"'"'s location response.