System and method for processing a spoken request from a user

• US 20090204400A1
• Filed: 07/16/2008
• Published: 08/13/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/08/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Bruno Philippe Marie Simon, John F. Guzolek, Shields T. Russell
• Original Assignee: Bruno Philippe Marie Simon, John F. Guzolek, Shields T. Russell
• Inventors: Simon, Bruno Philippe Marie, Shields, T. Russell, Guzolek, John F.
• Application Number:
  US12/218,686
• Publication Number:
  US 20090204400A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 704/246
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/26 Speech to text systems G10L15/08 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/40 using speech recognition speech recognition per se G10L15/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/2011 Service processing based on information specified by a party before or during a call, e.g. information, tone or routing selection
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4933 with operator assistance
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/523 with call distribution or queueing

Abstract

A system and method are described for processing a spoken request from a user. In one embodiment, a method is disclosed for attempting to recognize a spoken request from a user with a speech recognition engine above a predetermined level of accuracy. If the spoken request is not recognized above the predetermined level of accuracy, the spoken request is provided to a level one agent. If the level one agent does not recognize the request, a voice connection is established between the user and a level two agent. In another embodiment, a method is disclosed for determining whether a silent response system recognizes a spoken request from a user above a predetermined level of accuracy. A response is provided to the user if the silent response system recognizes the spoken request. Otherwise, a voice connection is established between the user and a call center.

Claims

1. A system for processing a spoken request from a user, the system comprising:

a speech recognition engine;

a directory gateway server in communication with the speech recognition engine; and

a task distribution engine in communication with the directory gateway server;

wherein, in response to the speech recognition engine failing to recognize a spoken request from a user above a predetermined level of accuracy, the directory gateway server is operative to provide the spoken request to a level one agent assigned by the task distribution engine, and in response to the level one agent failing to recognize the spoken request, the task distribution engine is operative to select a level two agent from a plurality of level two agents and the directory gateway server is operative to establish a voice connection between the user and the selected level two agent.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the task distribution engine is operative to select a level two agent by selecting a level two agent that is fluent in a language of the user.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the task distribution engine is operative to select a level two agent that shares a dialect with the user.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the dialect is a regional dialect.

5. The system of claim 3, wherein the dialect is a local dialect.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the task distribution engine is operative to select a level two agent by selecting a level two agent that has local knowledge relevant to a location of the user.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the directory gateway server is further operative to receive information about the location of the user.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the information about the location of the user is received from a telematics subsystem of a vehicle.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the information about the location of the user is identified by a phone number of a mobile device.

10. A method for processing a spoken request from a user, the method comprising:

attempting to recognize a spoken request from a user with a speech recognition engine;

determining whether the speech recognition engine recognizes the spoken request above a predetermined level of accuracy;

providing the spoken request to a level one agent when the speech recognition engine does not recognize the spoken request above the predetermined level of accuracy;

selecting a level two agent from a plurality of level two agents when the level one agent does not recognize the spoken request; and

establishing a voice connection between the user and the selected level two agent.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein selecting a level two agent comprises selecting a level two agent that is fluent in a language of the user.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein selecting a level two agent comprises selecting a level two agent that shares a dialect with the user.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the dialect is a regional dialect.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the dialect is a local dialect.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein selecting a level two agent comprises selecting a level two agent that has local knowledge relevant to a location of the user.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

receiving information about the location of the user.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the information about the location of the user is received from a telematics subsystem of a vehicle.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the information about the location of the user is identified by a phone number of a mobile device.

19. A method for processing a spoken request from a user, the method comprising:

attempting to recognize a spoken request from a user with a speech recognition engine;

determining whether the speech recognition engine recognizes the spoken request above a predetermined level of accuracy;

providing the spoken request to a level one agent when the speech recognition engine does not recognize the spoken request above the predetermined level of accuracy;

selecting a level two agent from a plurality of level two agents when the level one agent does not recognize the spoken request, wherein the selection is based on which of the plurality of level two agents share a dialect with the user; and

establishing a voice connection between the user and the selected level two agent.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the dialect is a regional dialect.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein the dialect is a local dialect.

22. A method for processing a spoken request from a user, the method comprising:

attempting to recognize a spoken request from a user with a speech recognition engine;

determining whether the speech recognition engine recognizes the spoken request above a predetermined level of accuracy;

providing the spoken request to a level one agent when the speech recognition engine does not recognize the spoken request above the predetermined level of accuracy;

selecting a level two agent from a plurality of level two agents when the level one agent does not recognize the spoken request, wherein the selection is based on which of the plurality of level two agents has local knowledge relevant to a location of the user; and

establishing a voice connection between the user and the selected level two agent.

23. The method of claim 22, further comprising:

receiving information about the location of the user.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the information about the location of the user is received from a telematics subsystem of a vehicle.

25. The method of claim 23, wherein the information about the location of the user is identified by a phone number of a mobile device.