Method and apparatus for providing a virtual assistant to a communication participant

• US 20060067352A1
• Filed: 11/15/2004
• Published: 03/30/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avaya Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Avaya Incorporated
• Inventors: Klemm, Reinhard P., John, Ajita, Seligmann, Doree D.
• Granted Patent: US 8,107,401 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/431
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]

Abstract

Methods and apparatus are disclosed for providing a virtual assistant to at least one party of a communication. The virtual assistant is injected into the communication, for example, by a VXML engine. The operation of the virtual assistant is controlled by one or more software modules that are obtained from a proxy node. The software modules allow commands received from or destined for the party to be interpreted. The virtual assistant may optionally be customized based on a selection of the one or more supported external applications. The proxy node provides at least one method for the party that allows the party to access functionality provided by at least one external application. The proxy node interprets signals from the virtual assistant; converts the signals from the virtual assistant into commands for the external application; and converts one or more of commands, messages and data from the external application into signals understood by the virtual assistant.

Claims

1. A method for providing a virtual assistant to at least one party of a communication, comprising:

injecting said virtual assistant into said communication; and

accessing one or more virtual assistant software modules for said at least one party from a proxy node.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said virtual assistant enables two-way in-band signaling between said at least one party and said proxy node.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said virtual assistant allows said at least one party to communicate with another user having an associated virtual assistant.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said virtual assistant provides a user interface between at least one external application and said at least one party.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said one or more virtual assistant software modules allow commands received from said at least one party to be interpreted.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said one or more virtual assistant software modules invoke at least one subdialog provided by said proxy node.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said proxy node provides at least one method for said at least one party that allows said at least one party to access functionality provided by at least one external application.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein said at least one method is a derived proxy Enterprise Java Bean method.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein said virtual assistant is customized based on a selection of one or more supported external applications.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein said proxy node allows one or more functions to be selectively included in said virtual assistant of a given user or set of users.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of accessing one or more virtual assistant software modules further comprises the step of providing one or more configurable parameters to said proxy node to identify the appropriate software modules for a given communication.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of polling for information from a user.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein said information from a user comprises one or more of string, audio and signal objects.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step ensuring that one or more of string, audio and signal objects are not lost.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step ensuring that one or more of string, audio and signal objects are not duplicated.

16. A system for providing a virtual assistant to at least one party of a communication, comprising:

a memory; and

at least one processor, coupled to the memory, operative to;

inject said virtual assistant into said communication; and

access one or more virtual assistant software modules for said at least one party from a proxy node.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein said processor is further configured to enable two-way in-band signaling between said at least one party and said proxy node.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein said processor is further configured to allow said at least one party to communicate with another user having an associated virtual assistant.

19. The system of claim 16, wherein said processor is further configured to provide a user interface between at least one external application and said at least one party.

20. The system of claim 16, wherein said proxy node allows one or more functions to be selectively included in said virtual assistant of a given user or set of users.

21. A method for providing a virtual assistant to allow at least one party of a communication to access an external application, comprising:

interpreting signals from said virtual assistant;

converting said signals from said virtual assistant into commands for said external application; and

converting one or more of commands, messages and data from said external application into signals understood by said virtual assistant.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein said step of interpreting signals from said virtual assistant is performed based on one or more virtual assistant software modules.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein at least one of said steps is performed by an assistant servlet.

24. The method of claim 21, further comprising the step of providing at least one method for said at least one party that allows said at least one party to access functionality provided by said external application.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein said at least one method is a derived proxy Enterprise Java Bean method.

26. The method of claim 21, further comprising the step of customizing said virtual assistant based on a selection of one or more supported external applications.

27. The method of claim 21, further comprising the step of allowing one or more functions to be selectively included in said virtual assistant of a given user or set of users.

28. A system for providing a virtual assistant to allow at least one party of a communication to access an external application, comprising:

a memory; and

at least one processor, coupled to the memory, operative to;

interpret signals from said virtual assistant;

convert said signals from said virtual assistant into commands for said external application; and

convert one or more of commands, messages and data from said external application into signals understood by said virtual assistant.

29. The system of claim 28, wherein said processor interprets signals from said virtual assistant based on one or more virtual assistant software modules.

30. The system of claim 28, wherein said processor is further configured to provide at least one method for said at least one party that allows said at least one party to access functionality provided by said external application.

31. The system of claim 30, wherein said at least one method is a derived proxy Enterprise Java Bean system.

32. The system of claim 28, wherein said processor is further configured to customize said virtual assistant based on a selection of one or more supported external applications.

33. The system of claim 28, wherein said processor is further configured to allow one or more functions to be selectively included in said virtual assistant of a given user or set of users.