SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR ENABLING VOICE DRIVEN INTERACTIONS AMONG MULTIPLE IVR'S, CONSTITUTING A VOICE WORKFLOW

• US 20090138269A1
• Filed: 11/28/2007
• Published: 05/28/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/28/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Kumar, Arun, Nanavati, Amit A., Rajput, Nitendra, Chakraborty, Dipanjan, Agarwal, Sheetal K.
• Granted Patent: US 8,041,575 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 704/270.100
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/58 Arrangements for transferring received calls from one subscriber to another; Arrangements affording interim conversations between either the calling or the called party and a third party substation line holding circuits H04M1/80

Abstract

A method for enabling voice driven interactions among multiple interactive voice response (IVR) systems begins by receiving a telephone call from a user of a first IVR system to begin a transaction; and, automatically contacting, by the first IVR system, at least one additional IVR system. Specifically, the contacting of the additional IVR system includes assigning tasks to the additional IVR system. The tasks require input from the user and the additional IVR system is secure and separate from the first IVR system. Moreover, the tasks can include a transfer of currency and a transfer of local information.

Claims

1. A method for enabling voice driven interactions among multiple interactive voice response (IVR) systems, said method comprising:

receiving a telephone call from a user to a first IVR system to begin a transaction;

programmatically contacting, by said first IVR system, at least one additional IVR system, wherein said contacting comprises invoking tasks on said additional IVR system, and wherein said tasks require input from said user;

automatically transferring said telephone call from said first IVR system to said additional IVR system;

receiving, by said additional IVR system, said input from said user;

completing, by said additional IVR system, said tasks using said input from said user to create task results;

automatically sending said task results from said additional IVR system to said first IVR system;

automatically transferring said telephone call from said additional IVR system back to said first IVR system; and

completing said transaction between said user and said first IVR system.

2. The method according to claim 1, all the limitations of which are incorporated herein by reference, wherein said automatically transferring of said telephone call from said first IVR to said additional IVR system comprises automatically transferring an application context from said first IVR system to said additional IVR system through a network.

3. The method according to claim 2, all the limitations of which are incorporated herein by reference, wherein said automatically transferring of said application context from said first IVR system to said additional IVR system comprises:

creating a session identification number for said telephone call;

transferring said session identification number and context information from said first IVR system to said additional IVR system;

storing said context information in a store; and

sending a successful storage acknowledgment to said first IVR system.

4. The method according to claim 3, all the limitations of which are incorporated herein by reference, wherein said context information comprises at least one of user identification information, a user telephone number, menu options of said first IVR system, and menu options of said additional IVR system.

5. The method according to claim 3, all the limitations of which are incorporated herein by reference, wherein said programmatically contacting of said additional IVR system further comprises:

searching for said context information in said store using said session identification number;

if said context information is found, sending said context information from said store to said additional IVR system; and

if said context information is not found, sending a not-found code to said first IVR system.

6. The method according to claim 1, all the limitations of which are incorporated herein by reference, wherein said first IVR system does not require said input from said user, and wherein said input from said user comprises personal and financial information of said user.

7. The method according to claim 1, all the limitations of which are incorporated herein by reference, wherein said first IVR system and said additional IVR system each comprise an automated voice system for receiving at least one of voice input and touch tone input from said user and for playing one of pre-recorded audio messages and dynamically generated audio messages to said user.

8. A method for enabling voice driven interactions among multiple interactive voice response (IVR) systems, said method comprising:

receiving a telephone call from a user to a first IVR system to begin a transaction;

programmatically contacting, by said first IVR system, at least one additional IVR system, wherein said contacting comprises assigning tasks to said additional IVR system, wherein said tasks require input from said user, and wherein said additional IVR system is secure and separate from said first IVR system;

automatically transferring said telephone call from said first IVR system to said additional IVR system;

receiving, by said additional IVR system, said input from said user;

completing, by said additional IVR system, said tasks using said input from said user to create task results;

avoiding, by said additional IVR system, disclosure of said input from said user to said first IVR system;

automatically sending said task results from said additional IVR system to said first IVR system;

automatically transferring said telephone call from said additional IVR system back to said first IVR system; and

completing said transaction between said user and said first IVR system.

9. The method according to claim 8, all the limitations of which are incorporated herein by reference, wherein said automatically transferring of said telephone call from said first IVR system to said additional IVR system comprises:

creating a session identification number for said telephone call;

transferring said session identification number and context information from said first IVR system to said additional IVR system;

storing said context information in a store; and

sending a successful storage acknowledgment to said first IVR system.

10. The method according to claim 9, all the limitations of which are incorporated herein by reference, wherein said context information comprises at least one of user identification information, a user telephone number, menu options of said first IVR system, and menu options of said additional IVR system.

11. The method according to claim 9, all the limitations of which are incorporated herein by reference, wherein said programmatically contacting of said additional IVR system further comprises:

searching for said context information in said store using said session identification number;

if said context information is found, sending said context information from said store to said additional IVR system; and

if said context information is not found, sending a not-found code to said first IVR system.

12. The method according to claim 8, all the limitations of which are incorporated herein by reference, wherein said first IVR system does not require said input from said user, and wherein said input from said user comprises personal and financial information of said user.

13. The method according to claim 8, all the limitations of which are incorporated herein by reference, wherein said first IVR system and said additional IVR system each comprise an automated voice system for receiving at least one of voice messages and touch tone messages from said user and for sending one of pre-recorded audio messages and dynamically generated audio messages to said user.

14. The method according to claim 8, all the limitations of which are incorporated herein by reference, wherein said tasks comprise at least one of a transfer of currency and a transfer of local information, wherein said local information comprises at least one of entertainment schedules, public transportation schedules, electrical blackout schedules, weather information, and a list of local visitors.

15. A method for enabling voice driven interactions among multiple interactive voice response (IVR) systems, said method comprising:

receiving a telephone call from a user to a first IVR system to begin a transaction;

programmatically contacting, by said first IVR system, at least one additional IVR system, wherein said contacting comprises assigning tasks to said additional IVR system, wherein said tasks require input from said user, and wherein said additional IVR system is secure and separate from said first IVR system;

automatically transferring said telephone call from said first IVR system to said additional IVR system, wherein said transferring comprises

creating a session identification number for said telephone call,

transferring said session identification number and context information from said first IVR system to said additional IVR system,

storing said context information in a store, and

sending a successful storage acknowledgment to said first IVR system;

receiving, by said additional IVR system, said input from said user;

completing, by said additional IVR system, said tasks using said input from said user to create task results;

avoiding, by said additional IVR system, disclosure of said input from said user to said first IVR system, wherein said first IVR system does not require said input from said user, and wherein said input from said user comprises personal and financial information of said user;

automatically sending said task results from said additional IVR system to said first IVR system;

automatically transferring said telephone call from said additional IVR system back to said first IVR system; and

completing said transaction between said user and said first IVR system, wherein interactions between said first IVR system and said additional IVR system comprise a workflow.

16. The method according to claim 15, all the limitations of which are incorporated herein by reference, wherein said context information comprises at least one of user identification information, a user telephone number, menu options of said first IVR system, and menu options of said additional IVR system.

17. The method according to claim 15, all the limitations of which are incorporated herein by reference, wherein said programmatically contacting of said additional IVR system further comprises:

searching for said context information in said store using said session identification number;

if said context information is found, sending said context information from said store to said additional IVR system; and

if said context information is not found, sending a not-found code to said first IVR system.

18. The method according to claim 15, all the limitations of which are incorporated herein by reference, wherein said first IVR system and said additional IVR system each comprise an automated voice system for receiving at least one of voice messages and touch tone messages from said user and for sending one of pre-recorded audio messages and dynamically generated audio messages to said user.

19. The method according to claim 15, all the limitations of which are incorporated herein by reference, wherein said tasks comprise at least one of a transfer of currency and a transfer of local information, wherein said local information comprises at least one of entertainment schedules, public transportation schedules, electrical blackout schedules, weather information, and a list of local visitors.

20. A program storage device readable by machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform a method for enabling voice driven interactions among multiple interactive voice response (IVR) systems, said method comprising:

receiving a telephone call from a user to a first IVR system to begin a transaction;

programmatically contacting, by said first IVR system, at least one additional IVR system, wherein said contacting comprises assigning tasks to said additional IVR system, and wherein said tasks require input from said user;

automatically transferring said telephone call from said first IVR system to said additional IVR system;

receiving, by said additional IVR system, said input from said user;

completing, by said additional IVR system, said tasks using said input from said user to create task results;

automatically sending said task results from said additional IVR system to said first IVR system;

automatically transferring said telephone call from said additional IVR system back to said first IVR system; and

completing said transaction between said user and said first IVR system.