METHODS OF INTERACTING BETWEEN MOBILE DEVICES AND VOICE RESPONSE SYSTEMS

• US 20100087175A1
• Filed: 01/07/2008
• Published: 04/08/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/05/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nuance Communications, Inc. (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Roundtree, Brian
• Granted Patent: US 8,744,414 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/414.100
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42178 by downloading data to substation equipment
• 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 system and method of facilitating communications between a mobile device and an interactive voice response system is described. In some cases, the mobile device determines a called number is associated with an IVR system, and performs an action in response to the determination. For example, the mobile device may present visual information to a user related to audio information received from the IVR system. In some cases, the mobile device sends DTMF tones to the IVR system in response to or without user input.

Claims

1. A method of communicating with a voice response system using a mobile device, the method comprising:

receiving an indication of a user-initiated voice call to a destination number over a voice channel;

automatically determining that the destination number is associated with the voice response system by comparing the destination number with numbers contained in a database; and

executing a script on the mobile device, wherein the script is configured to interact with the voice response system over the voice channel.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the script interacts with the voice response system using dual tone multiple frequency tones sent over the voice channel.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the database is stored locally within the mobile device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the script is configured to interact with the voice response system over a data channel.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying information to a user of the mobile device, wherein the displayed information relates to the interaction with the voice response system.

6. A method of interacting with a voice recognition system using a mobile device, comprising:

initiating a voice call from the mobile device to a destination number associated with the voice response system over a voice communications channel; and

launching an application to interact with the voice response system, wherein the application is configured to interact with the voice response system over the voice communications channel and a data communications channel.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein interacting with the voice response system over the voice communications channel includes transmitting dual tone multiple frequency tones to the voice response system.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein interacting with the voice response system over the voice communications channel includes:

receiving dual tone multiple frequency tones from the voice response system;

transmitting tones from the mobile device in response to the tones received from the voice response system.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein interacting with the voice response system over the data communications channel includes transmitting data related to data transmitted over the voice communications channel.

10. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

receiving input from a user of the mobile device related to the destination number; and

initiating the voice call in response to the received input.

11. The method of claim 6, wherein the application is launched before the voice call is initiated.

12. The method of claim 6, wherein the application is launched before the voice call is initiated and data related to the voice call is transmitted over the data communications channel to a workflow system associated with the voice response system before the application interacts with the voice response system over the voice communications channel.

13. A system in a mobile device for communicating with an interactive voice response system, comprising:

a voice communications component, wherein the voice communications component initiates a voice call to a number associated with the interactive voice response system, transmits audio information over a voice channel from the mobile device to the interactive voice response system, and receives audio information over the voice channel from the interactive voice response system; and

an action component, wherein the action component performs an action in response to the initiated voice call to the number associated with the interactive voice response component.

14. The system of claim 13, further comprising:

an identification component, wherein the identification component adds a unique identifier associated with the mobile device to the called number.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the performed action includes transmitting dual tone multiple frequency tones from the mobile device to the interactive voice response system.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein the performed action includes transmitting data related to the voice call to a workflow system associated with the interactive voice response system.

17. The system of claim 13, wherein the performed action includes displaying content received from the called number to a user of the mobile device.

18. The system of claim 13, wherein the performed action includes transmitting audio information to the interactive voice response system in response to input received by the mobile device from the user.

19. The system of claim 13, wherein the performed action includes transmitting digital information to the interactive voice response system in response to input received by the mobile device from the user.

20. The system of claim 13, wherein the performed action includes establishing a data communication connection between the mobile device and the interactive voice response system and disconnecting the voice call after the data communication connection is established.

21. A computer-readable medium whose contents cause a mobile device to perform a method of updating functionality of the mobile device, the method comprising:

launching a script used to navigate an interactive voice response system associated with a service provider related to the mobile device;

initiating a voice call to a number associated with the interactive voice response system;

transmitting to the interactive voice response system audio data generated by the launched script, and

receiving data from the service provider in response to the transmitted audio data, wherein the received data related to changing the functionality of the mobile device.

22. The computer-readable medium of claim 21, wherein the audio data is dual tone multiple frequency tones generated by the script.

23. The computer-readable medium of claim 21, wherein the data related to the function is received via a data communications channel.

24. The computer-readable medium of claim 21, wherein the voice call is disconnected after the audio data is transmitted.

25. The computer-readable medium of claim 21, wherein the functionality of the mobile device includes configuration of the mobile device.