HELP OPTION ENHANCEMENT FOR INTERACTIVE VOICE RESPONSE SYSTEMS

• US 20090100337A1
• Filed: 12/19/2008
• Published: 04/16/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/25/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Lewis, James R., Commarford, Patrick M., Sadowski, Wallace J., Kotan, Cheryl A.
• Granted Patent: US 8,136,026 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/708
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/453 Help systems

Abstract

A method for providing help within an interactive voice response application can include the step of determining an interactive voice response event corresponding to a help menu request. The event can be classified as a default help request or a user initiated help request. If the event is classified as a default help request, a time for receiving user input can be set to a default value. If, however, the event is classified as a user initiated help request, the time for receiving user input can be set to a value less than the default value. The interactive voice response application can take programmatic action upon expiration of the time for receiving user

Claims

1. A system for providing help within an interactive voice response application comprising:

means for determining an interactive voice response event;

means for classifying said event as a default help request if said event is one of a no-match event and a time-out event, wherein the no-match event occurs when said event does not correspond to a user option provided by the application, and wherein the time-out event occurs if a user fails to respond to an application prompt within a predetermined duration of time, and for classifying said event as a user initiated help request if said event is a user request for help and not a non-help request;

means for setting a time for receiving user input to a default value if said event is classified as said default help request;

means for setting said time for receiving user input to a value less than said default value if said event is classified as said user initiated help request, wherein said interactive voice response application takes programmatic action upon expiration of said time for receiving user input

means for repeating a previous presentment of a menu or other prompt if a first time-out event occurs subsequent to a no-match event;

means for presenting a predetermined help message if a second time-out event occurs after repeating the previous presentment of the menu or other prompt; and

,

means for presenting the predetermined help message such that the previous presentment of the menu or other prompt is not repeated if the first time-out event occurs subsequent to a no-response event.

2. A system for providing help within an Interactive Voice Response application comprising the steps of:

means for determining an interactive voice response event corresponding to a request for help;

means for classifying said event as a default help request if said event is one of a no-match event and a time-out event, wherein the no-match event occurs when said event does not correspond to a user option provided by the application, and wherein the time-out event occurs if a user fails to respond to an application prompt within a predetermined duration of time, and classifying said event as a user initiated help request if said event includes a user request for help;

means for setting a time-out threshold to a default time;

means for decreasing said time-out threshold if and only if said event includes a user request for help;

means for audibly presenting a first help message;

means for starting a no-response timer once said first help message has been presented;

means for audibly presenting a second help message if said no-response timer exceeds said time-out threshold

means for repeating a previous presentment of a menu or other prompt if a first time-out event occurs subsequent to a no-match event;

means for presenting a predetermined help message if a second time-out event occurs after repeating the previous presentment of the menu or other prompt; and

,

means for presenting the predetermined help message such that the previous presentment of the menu or other prompt is not repeated if the first time-out event occurs subsequent to a no-response event.

3. A machine-readable storage having stored thereon, a computer program having a plurality of code sections, said code sections executable by a machine for causing the machine to perform the steps of:

determining an interactive voice response event;

classifying said event as a default help request if said event is one of a no-match event and a time-out event, wherein the no-match event occurs when said event does not correspond to a user option provided by the application, and wherein the time-out event occurs if a user fails to respond to an application prompt within a predetermined duration of time;

classifying said event as a user initiated help request if said event is a user request for help and not a non-help request;

setting a time for receiving user input to a default value if said event is classified as said default help request;

setting said time for receiving user input to a value less than said default value if said event is classified as said user initiated help request, wherein said interactive voice response application takes programmatic action upon expiration of said time for receiving user input;

repeating a previous presentment of a menu or other prompt if a first time-out event occurs subsequent to a no-match event;

if a second time-out event occurs after repeating the previous presentment of the menu or other prompt, presenting a predetermined help message; and

,

if the first time-out event occurs subsequent to a no-response event, presenting the predetermined help message such that the previous presentment of the menu or other prompt is not repeated.

4. The machine-readable storage of claim 3, wherein said default value is at least six seconds and wherein said value less than said default value is at most three seconds.

5. A machine-readable storage having stored thereon, a computer program having a plurality of code sections, said code sections executable by a machine for causing the machine to perform the steps of:

determining an interactive voice response event corresponding to a help message request;

classifying said event as a default help request if said event is one of a no-match event and a time-out event, wherein the no-match event occurs when said event does not correspond to a user option provided by the application, and wherein the time-out event occurs if a user fails to respond to an application prompt within a predetermined duration of time, and classifying said event as a user initiated help request if said event includes a user request for help;

setting a time-out threshold to a default time;

if and only if said event includes a user request for help, decreasing said time-out threshold;

audibly presenting a first help message;

once said first help message has been presented, starting a no-response timer; and

if said no-response timer exceeds said time-out threshold, audibly presenting a second help message

repeating a previous presentment of a menu or other prompt if a first time-out event occurs subsequent to a no-match event;

if a second time-out event occurs after repeating the previous presentment of the menu or other prompt, presenting a predetermined help message; and

,

if the first time-out event occurs subsequent to a no-response event, presenting the predetermined help message such that the previous presentment of the menu or other prompt is not repeated.

6. The machine-readable storage of claim 5, further comprising the steps of:

once said second help message has been presented, starting a no-response timer; and

if said no-response timer for said second help message exceeds said time-out threshold, performing a previously established IVR operation.

7. The machine-readable storage of claim 6, wherein said previously established IVR operation includes resetting said time-out threshold to said default time.

8. The machine-readable storage of claim 6, wherein said previously established IVR operation includes audibly presenting a help message.

9. The machine-readable storage of claim 6, wherein said previously established IVR operation includes at least one of cycling back to an initial help message, establishing a connection with a human agent, and establishing a connection with an automated system.

10. The machine-readable storage of claim 5, wherein said action which initialized said first help message includes at least one from the group consisting of said explicit user selection action, a no-response event, and a no-match event.

11. The machine-readable storage of claim 5, further comprising the steps of:

after said presentation of said first help message has begun, receiving an explicit user request for help; and

if said non-response threshold equals said default time, decreasing said time-out threshold.

12. The machine-readable storage of claim 5, wherein said decreased time-out threshold is at most three seconds.

13. The machine-readable storage of claim 5, wherein said default time is at least six seconds.