INTUITIVE VOICE NAVIGATION

• US 20100098225A1
• Filed: 10/16/2009
• Published: 04/22/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/17/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Commonwealth Intellectual Property Holdings Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Commonwealth Intellectual Property Holdings Incorporated
• Inventors: Hopprich, John P., Ghbeish, Tarik J., Ashton, Jason A., Henton, Caroline G.
• Granted Patent: US 8,411,828 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/88.18
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/39 using speech synthesis speech synthesis per se G10L13/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/355 Interactive dialogue design tools, features or methods
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4938 comprising a voice browser which renders and interprets, e.g. VoiceXML

Abstract

Call flow information can build ‘intent’ into call flows having a series of intended steps and one or more alternative steps for selected intended steps. Users can advance in the call flow based on any response other than one or more alternative valid responses for the one intended step that lead in the call flow to one or more alternative steps to the one intended step because every action in the call flow motivates the user to follow the predetermined ordering. A user can proceed from a first intended step in the series of intended steps to a second intended step in the series of intended steps based on a user'"'"'s response or information known or discovered about the user.

Claims

1. A method for enhancing user experiences with Interactive Voice Response systems, the method comprising:

receiving, at a computer system, call flow information establishing a call flow having a predetermined ordering of a series of intended steps and one or more alternative steps for selected intended steps in the series of intended steps, wherein users in the call flow advance from one intended step in the series of intended steps to another intended step in the series of intended steps based on any response other than one or more alternative valid responses for the one intended step that lead in the call flow to one or more alternative steps to the one intended step;

determining, at the computer system, whether to allow a user to proceed from a first intended step in the series of intended steps to a second intended step in the series of intended steps; and

based on a determination to allow the user to proceed from a first intended step in the series of intended steps to a second intended step in the series of intended steps,

determining a first set of one or more messages for the second intended step based on the call flow information, and

communicating the first set of one or more messages to the user.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

based on a determination not to allow the user to proceed from a first intended step in the series of intended steps to a second intended step in the series of intended steps,

determining a second set of one or more messages for an alternative step to the first intended step based on the call flow information, and

communicating the second set of one or more messages to the user.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising:

determining, at the computer system, whether to allow the user to proceed from the alternative step to a third intended step in the series of intended steps.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein determining, at the computer system, whether to allow the user to proceed from a first intended step in the series of intended steps to a second intended step in the series of intended steps comprises determining whether the user provided any response other than one or more alternative valid responses to the first intended step that lead in the call flow to one or more alternative steps to the first intended step.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein determining, at the computer system, whether to allow the user to proceed from a first intended step in the series of intended steps to a second intended step in the series of intended steps comprises determining whether a predetermined period of time has elapsed.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein determining, at the computer system, whether to allow the user to proceed from a first intended step in the series of intended steps to a second intended step in the series of intended steps comprises determining whether the user provided an alternative valid response to the first intended step that leads in the call flow to an alternative step to the first intended step.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein determining, at the computer system, whether to allow the user to proceed from a first intended step in the series of intended steps to a second intended step in the series of intended steps comprises determining whether a response required by the second intended step is provided by information known or discovered about the user.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the information known or discovered about the user comprises a user profile.

9. The method of claim 7 wherein the information known or discovered about the user comprises one or more user preferences.

10. The method of claim 7 wherein the information known or discovered about the user comprises location information.

11. The method of claim 7 wherein the information known or discovered about the user comprises caller identification information.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein determining, at the computer system, whether to allow the user to proceed from a first intended step in the series of intended steps to a second intended step in the series of intended steps comprises determining whether a response required by the second intended step is provided by one or more templates.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the one or more templates are populated by the user with information about travel itineraries, hotels, car rentals, or bookings.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein determining, at the computer system, whether to allow the user to proceed from a first intended step in the series of intended steps to a second intended step in the series of intended steps comprises:

determining that a first response provided by the user is unrecognizable; and

instead of re-communicating one or more messages to the user for the first intended step, communicating a third set of one or more messages to the user, the third set of one or more messages alerting the user that the first response is unrecognizable and that the user may continue in the call flow by providing a second response.

15. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

communicating a second set of one or more messages to the user based on the call flow information, the second set of one or more messages presenting at least a first option and a second option to the user;

determining to proceed in the call flow with the first option;

determining whether a response provided by the user is indicative of a recognition error; and

based on a determination that the response is indicative of a recognition error, communicating a third set of one or more messages to the user based on the call flow information, the second set of one or more messages presenting at least the second option to the user without presenting the first option.

16. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

storing tuning and accuracy data for the user during a first call;

recognizing the user as a repeat caller during a second call; and

adjusting one or more user response recognition mechanisms based on the stored tuning and accuracy data for the user.

17. A computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program product having computer-executable code for Interactive Voice Response systems, the computer readable storage medium comprising:

code for receiving call flow information establishing a call flow having a predetermined ordering of a series of intended steps and one or more alternative steps for selected intended steps in the series of intended steps, wherein users in the call flow advance from one intended step in the series of intended steps to another intended step in the series of intended steps based on any response other than one or more alternative valid responses for the one intended step that lead in the call flow to one or more alternative steps to the one intended step;

code for determining whether to allow a user to proceed from a first intended step in the series of intended steps to a second intended step in the series of intended steps; and

code for, based on a determination to allow the user to proceed from a first intended step in the series of intended steps to a second intended step in the series of intended steps, determining a first set of one or more messages for the second intended step based on the call flow information; and

code for communicating the first set of one or more messages to the user.

18. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 17 further comprising:

code for, based on a determination not to allow the user to proceed from a first intended step in the series of intended steps to a second intended step in the series of intended steps, determining a second set of one or more messages for an alternative step to the first intended step based on the call flow information; and

code for communicating the second set of one or more messages to the user.

19. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 18 further comprising:

code for determining whether to allow the user to proceed from the alternative step to a third intended step in the series of intended steps.

20. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 17 wherein the code for determining whether to allow the user to proceed from a first intended step in the series of intended steps to a second intended step in the series of intended steps comprises code for determining whether the user provided any response other than one or more alternative valid responses to the first intended step that lead in the call flow to one or more alternative steps to the first intended step.

21. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 17 wherein the code for determining whether to allow the user to proceed from a first intended step in the series of intended steps to a second intended step in the series of intended steps comprises code for determining whether a predetermined period of time has elapsed.

22. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 17 wherein the code for determining whether to allow the user to proceed from a first intended step in the series of intended steps to a second intended step in the series of intended steps comprises code for determining whether the user provided an alternative valid response to the first intended step that leads in the call flow to an alternative step to the first intended step.

23. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 17 wherein the code for determining whether to allow the user to proceed from a first intended step in the series of intended steps to a second intended step in the series of intended steps comprises code for determining whether a response required by the second intended step is provided by information known or discovered about the user.

24. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 17 wherein the code for determining whether to allow the user to proceed from a first intended step in the series of intended steps to a second intended step in the series of intended steps comprises code for determining whether a response required by the second intended step is provided by one or more templates.

25. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 24 further comprising code for allowing the user to populate the one or more templates with information about travel itineraries, hotels, car rentals, or bookings.

26. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 17 wherein the code for determining whether to allow the user to proceed from a first intended step in the series of intended steps to a second intended step in the series of intended steps comprises:

code for determining that a first response provided by the user is unrecognizable; and

code for, instead of re-communicating one or more messages to the user for the first intended step, communicating a third set of one or more messages to the user, the third set of one or more messages alerting the user that the first response is unrecognizable and that the user may continue in the call flow by providing a second response.

27. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 17 further comprising:

code for communicating a second set of one or more messages to the user based on the call flow information, the second set of one or more messages presenting at least a first option and a second option to the user;

code for determining to proceed in the call flow with the first option;

code for determining whether a response provided by the user is indicative of a recognition error; and

code for based on a determination that the response is indicative of a recognition error, communicating a third set of one or more messages to the user based on the call flow information, the second set of one or more messages presenting at least the second option to the user without presenting the first option.

28. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 17 further comprising:

code for storing tuning and accuracy data for the user during a first call;

code for recognizing the user as a repeat caller during a second call; and

code for adjusting one or more user response recognition mechanisms based on the stored tuning and accuracy data for the user;

29. An Interactive Voice Response system having a set of one or more computer systems, the system comprising:

means for receiving call flow information establishing a call flow having a predetermined ordering of a series of intended steps and one or more alternative steps for selected intended steps in the series of intended steps, wherein users in the call flow advance from one intended step in the series of intended steps to another intended step in the series of intended steps based on any response other than one or more alternative valid responses for the one intended step that lead in the call flow to one or more alternative steps to the one intended step;

means for determining whether to allow a user to proceed from a first intended step in the series of intended steps to a second intended step in the series of intended steps; and

means for, based on a determination to allow the user to proceed from a first intended step in the series of intended steps to a second intended step in the series of intended steps, determining a first set of one or more messages for the second intended step based on the call flow information; and

means for communicating the first set of one or more messages to the user.