VOICE RESPONSE APPARATUS AND METHOD OF PROVIDING AUTOMATED VOICE RESPONSES WITH SILENT PROMPTING

• US 20070258572A1
• Filed: 06/25/2007
• Published: 11/08/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/11/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Verizon Services Corporation (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: McAllister, Alexander
• Granted Patent: US 8,379,803 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/211.20
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/14 Delay circuits; Timers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/40 using speech recognition
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/493 Interactive information services, e.g. directory enquiries ; Arrangements therefor, e.g. interactive voice response [IVR] systems or voice portals

Abstract

A voice response unit (VRU) includes a silent prompt feature in the form of an intentional delay inserted after a message is given to a caller, during which delay the caller may invoke alternative processing or interrupt current processing. If appropriate alternative or interrupt commands are not received during the delay period, then processing continues as provided in accordance with the previously played message. The duration of this silent prompt delay is carefully selected to provide sufficient response time for the caller to request alternative processing, while avoiding a perceptible or objectionable delay to the average caller not requiring alternative processing. Optimally, this delay period should be within a range of one to two and one-half seconds and, preferably, within a range of 1.2 to 2.3 seconds, an optimal time being 1.8 seconds. The VRU may be included as part of a voice activated dialing system which recognizes a name of a party to be called, identifies the associated telephone number from a telephone directory, and reads the name found back to the caller. The system then uses a silent prompt, waiting for the described 1.8 seconds to allow the user to invoke alternative processing, such as requesting the listing, voice mail options, or a next closest match. If no alternative processing is requested during the 1.8 seconds, processing continues and the named party is called.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving a first audio transmission from a calling party, the first audio transmission including speech audio intended to identify a called party;

using said speech audio to identify a first matching entry in a directory, said first matching entry in the directory including a first identifier;

providing a first outgoing audio message including an audio representation of the first identifier;

providing a first silent delay period of a predetermined duration immediately subsequent to a completion of providing said first outgoing audio message;

initiating a call to said called party in response to an absence of a receipt of a second audio transmission prior to the end of said first silent delay period, said initiating including using a telephone number associated with the first identifier to establish a call to the called party; and

initiating alternate processing in response to a receipt of said second audio transmission prior to the end of said silent delay period, said alternate processing selected from at least one of (a) providing a second outgoing audio message including an audio representation of a second identifier from a second matching entry in the directory, (b) receiving and recording an incoming voice message for said called party, and (c) forwarding said calling party to a voice mail system associated with said calling party.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said first identifier includes at least one of a first name and the telephone number associated with the first identifier.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said second identifier includes at least one of a second name and a telephone number associated with the second identifier.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing a second silent delay period of a predetermined duration immediately subsequent to a completion of providing said second outgoing voice message;

initiating a call to said called party in response to an absence of receipt of a third audio transmission prior to the end of said second silent delay period.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein said initiation uses a telephone number associated with said second identifier.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein the audio representation of the first identifier is one of prerecorded audio associated with the first identifier and synthesized speech generated from the first identifier.

6. A method comprising:

receiving a first audio transmission from a calling party;

associating said first audio transmission with a party to be called;

selecting a first processing option in response to said first audio transmission;

providing a first outgoing audio message indicative of said first processing option selected including a proposed identification of said party to be called;

providing a silent delay period of a predetermined duration immediately subsequent to a completion of providing said first outgoing voice message;

initiating alternate processing in response to a receipt of a second audio transmission prior to the end of said silent delay period, said alternate processing selected from at least one of (a) providing in audio format listing information associated with said party to be called, (b) providing in audio format an alternate proposed identification for said party to be called, (c) receiving and recording an incoming voice message for said party to be called, and (d) forwarding said calling party to a voice mail system associated with said calling party; and

initiating a call to said party to be called in response to an absence of the receipt of said second audio transmission prior to the end of said silent delay period.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein said duration of said silent delay period is in a range of 1.2 to 2.3 seconds.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein said duration of said silent delay period is in a range of 1.5 to 2.0 seconds.

9. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

pseudorandomly selecting one of a group of equivalent messages; and

playing the selected message as at least a portion of said first outgoing audio message.

10. The method of claim 6, wherein said first audio transmission comprises a speech audio signal.

11. The method of claim 6, wherein said second audio transmission comprises one of a predetermined spoken command and a DTMF audio signal.

12. The method of claim 6, wherein associating the first audio transmission with said

party to be called includes:

recognizing a content of said first audio transmissions; and

comparing said content with a directory of potential called parties.

13. The method of claim 6, wherein providing said first outgoing audio message includes retrieving audio data corresponding to said proposed identification and transmitting said audio data to said calling party.

14. The method of claim 6, wherein providing said first outgoing audio message includes converting said proposed identification of said party to be called into synthesized speech audio.

15. The method of claim 6, wherein said proposed identification of the said party to be called includes at least one of a name and a telephone number.

16. The method of claim 6, wherein said alternate proposed identification includes at least one of a name and a telephone number.

17. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

providing a second silent delay period of a predetermined duration immediately subsequent to a completion of providing said second outgoing voice message;

initiating a call to said party to be called in response to an absence of the receipt of a third audio transmission prior to the end of said second silent delay period.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein said call uses a telephone number associated with said alternate proposed identification.

19. The method of claim 6, wherein initiating said call uses a telephone number associated with said proposed identification.