INTERACTIVE RESPONSE SYSTEM FOR GIVING A USER ACCESS TO INFORMATION

• US 20070165793A1
• Filed: 12/20/2006
• Published: 07/19/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: RPX Corporation
• Original Assignee: Alcatel-Lucent SA (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Coppens, Toon, Van Wonterghem, Geert, Van Doorselaer, Bart, Hemmeryckx-Deleersnijder, Bart
• Granted Patent: US 8,379,805 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/80
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2543 Billing , e.g. for subscription services payment schemes, architectures or protocols G06Q20/00; e-commerce G06Q30/00; arrangements for billing for the use of broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/21
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4622 Retrieving content or additional data from different sources, e.g. from a broadcast channel and the Internet web site content organization and management for information retrieval from the Internet G06F16/958; transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82; stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services including data channel over packet-switching network H04L12/1859
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47202 for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4782 Web browsing , e.g. WebTV
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/482 End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8586 by using a URL processing chained hypermedia data for information retrieval G06F16/94; information retrieval from the Internet by using URLs G06F16/955; URL in broadcast information H04H20/93; Web-based protocols H04L67/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

Interactive response systems (1) of call centers for giving users access to information comprise means (11, 31) for receiving activation signals via audio or video or audio/video calls from the users and means (12, 32) for transmitting menu signals to the users and means (13, 21, 33) for receiving selection signals from the users are provided with means (22, 34) for transmitting video signals to the users for providing video to the user. This video may have entertaining, explaining, supporting and/or commercial functions and makes the interactive response systems more-sided and user friendly. The users either use two different devices (4, 5) or use one device (6) for exchanging audio and for receiving video. The interactive response systems (1) further comprise means (14, 35) for receiving link signals that provide direct or indirect links from the interactive response systems (1) to the devices (5) or to video or audio/video calls with the devices (6). The devices (4-6) comprise means (43, 52, 65) for transmitting selection signals to the interactive response systems (1) for making selections within menus.

Claims

1. Interactive response system (1) for giving a user access to information and comprising means (11, 31) for receiving an activation signal via a call from the user for in response to a reception of the activation signal activating the interactive response system (1) and comprising means (12, 32) for in response to an activation of the interactive response system (1) transmitting a menu signal to the user for providing a menu to the user and comprising means (13, 21, 33) for receiving a selection signal from the user for in response to a reception of the selection signal making a selection in the menu, characterized in that the interactive response system (1) comprises means (22, 34) for transmitting a video signal to the user for providing video to the user.

2. Interactive response system (1) as defined in claim 1, characterized in that the video signal forms part of a further call different from the call, which call comprises an audio call or a video call or an audio/video call and which further call comprises a video call or an audio/video call.

3. Interactive response system (1) as defined in claim 1, characterized in that a first device (4) at a user location comprises means (41) for transmitting the activation signal to the interactive response system (1) and a second device (5) at the user location comprises means (51) for receiving the video signal, which first and second devices (4, 5) are different devices.

4. Interactive response system (1) as defined in claim 3, characterized in that the first device (4) comprises means (42) for transmitting a link signal to the interactive response system (1) and the interactive response system (1) comprises means (14, 35) for receiving the link signal for providing a direct or indirect link from the interactive response system (1) to the second device.

5. Interactive response system (1) as defined in claim 3, characterized in that at least one of the first and second devices (4, 5) comprises means (43, 52) for transmitting the selection signal to the interactive response system (1).

6. Interactive response system (1) as defined in claim 1, characterized in that a device (6) at a user location comprises means (61) for transmitting the activation signal to the interactive response system (1) and comprises means (64) for receiving the video signal.

7. Interactive response system (1) as defined in claim 6, characterized in that the device (6) comprises means (63) for transmitting a link signal to the interactive response system (1) and the interactive response system (1) comprises means (35) for receiving the link signal for providing a direct or indirect link from the interactive response system (1) to the device (6).

8. Interactive response system (1) as defined in claim 6, characterized in that the device (6) comprises means (65) for transmitting the selection signal to the interactive response system (1).

9. Device (4, 5, 6) for use in combination with the interactive response system (1) as defined in claim 3.

10. Method for giving a user access to information via an interactive response system (1) and comprising a first method step of receiving an activation signal via a call from the user for in response to a reception of the activation signal activating the interactive response system (1) and comprising a second method step of in response to an activation of the interactive response system (1) transmitting a menu signal to the user for providing a menu to the user and comprising a third method step of receiving a selection signal from the user for in response to a reception of the selection signal making a selection in the menu, characterized in that the method comprises a fourth method step of transmitting a video signal to the user for providing video to the user.

11. Computer program product for performing at least the fourth method step of the method as defined in claim 10.

12. Medium comprising the computer program product as defined in claim 11.