Picture Phone Interactive Voice Response System and Method

• US 20100246782A1
• Filed: 03/26/2009
• Published: 09/30/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/26/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Avaya Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Avaya Incorporated
• Inventors: Grover, Douglas M.
• Application Number:
  US12/411,955
• Publication Number:
  US 20100246782A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/88.40
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/38 Displays
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/10 including a GPS signal receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/52 including functional features of a camera constructional features concerning the integration of cameras in portable phones H04M1/0264
• 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 3/53383 Message registering commands or announcements; Greetings

Abstract

Disclosed is a simplified interactive solution for providing access to back-end services. A communication is established from a communication device to a processing system. The processing system receives a picture from the communication device. The user is presented with tasks (services to perform on the picture) on an IVR menu in an Interactive Voice Response (IVR) system. The user responds by choosing a task to perform on the picture. The task is then performed on the picture. Some of the tasks that can be performed are to generate postcards/greeting cards based on pictures. These can be combined with other services such as photo processing services/delivery services to provide a rich set of services to the user.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a. a processing system configured to establish a voice communication between a communication device and the processing system, to receive a picture from the communication device, and to perform a task on the picture;

b. an Interactive Voice Response (IVR) system configured to present the task on an IVR menu and to receive a response from the communication device that indicates the task to perform on the picture.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the response is a voice response, and further comprising a photo processing service configured to convert the voice response to text, process the picture into a photograph, and print the text on the photograph.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the response is a voice response and further comprising a postcard/greeting card service configured to convert the voice response to text, print the picture as a postcard, print the text on the postcard, print a mailing address on the postcard, and mail the postcard.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the postcard/greeting card service is further configured to print an addressee name and/or postage on the postcard.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the response is a voice response and further comprising a postcard/greeting card service configured to record at least a portion of the voice response and store the recorded portion of the voice response on a device associated with a greeting card.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the interactive voice response system is part of at least one device selected from the group comprising:

the communication device, a contact center, a server, and a Private Branch Exchange (PBX).

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the task is at least one or more of the following:

creating a postcard, adding text to the picture, adding the response to a greeting card that contains the picture, adding the picture to the greeting card, mailing the postcard, mailing the greeting card, and adding a signature to the picture.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the task is further associated with a service selected from the following:

a photo processing service, a postcard/greeting card service, and a delivery service.

9. The system of claim 1, further comprising a communication device that takes the picture and establishes the communication.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the communication is established by one of the following:

automatically upon taking the picture, automatically based on taking a defined number of pictures, based on a user profile, and based on a user selection.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the processing system further comprises a user profile containing information for determining at least one of the following tasks:

where to send the picture, who to send the picture to, how to process the picture, additional tasks to do to the picture, other services to use in conjunction with the picture, which processing service to use based on a location of the communication device, where to send the picture based on the location of the communication device, and who to send the picture to based on the location of the communication device.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the processing system is further configured to detect a location of the communication device, and select a service and/or task based on the location of the communication device and/or select the service and/or task based on a preference in a user profile.

13. A method comprising:

a. establishing a voice communication between a communication device and a processing system;

b. receiving a picture from the communication device;

c. presenting a task on an IVR menu on an Interactive Voice Response (IVR) system;

d. receiving a response from the communication device that indicates the task to perform on the picture; and

e. performing the task on the picture.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein at least a portion of the response is a voice response and further comprising the steps of:

f. converting the voice response to text;

g. processing the picture into a photograph; and

h. printing the text on the photograph.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the photograph is a postcard and further comprising the steps of:

i. printing a mailing address on the postcard; and

j. mailing the postcard.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising the steps of:

k. printing an addressee name and/or postage on the postcard.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein at least a portion of the response is a voice response and further comprising the steps of:

f. recording at least a portion of the voice response; and

g. storing the recorded portion of the voice response on a device associated with a greeting card.

18. The method of claim 13, wherein the interactive voice response system is part of at least one device selected from the group comprising:

the communication device, a contact center, a server, and a Private Branch Exchange (PBX).

19. The method of claim 13, wherein the task is at least one or more of the following:

creating a post card, adding text to the picture, adding an audio message to a greeting card that contains the picture, adding the picture to the greeting card, mailing the postcard, mailing the greeting card, and adding a signature to the picture.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the task is further associated with a service selected from the following:

a photo processing service, a postcard/greeting card service, and a delivery service.

21. The method of claim 13, further comprising the steps of:

f. taking the picture at the communication device; and

g. establishing the communication from the communication device.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the communication is established by one of the following steps:

automatically upon taking the picture, automatically based on taking a defined number of pictures, based on a user profile, and based on a user selection.

23. The method of claim 13, wherein the interactive voice response system further comprises a user profile, wherein the user profile contains information to determine at least one of the following tasks:

where to send the picture, who to send the picture to, how to process the picture, additional tasks to do to the picture, other services to use in conjunction with the picture, which processing service to use based on presence, where to send the picture based on presence, and who to send the picture to based on presence.

24. The method of claim 13, further comprising the steps of:

f. detecting a location of the communication device; and

g. selecting a service and/or task based on the location of the communication device and/or selecting the service and/or task based on a preference in a user profile.

25. An apparatus comprising:

a. means for establishing a voice communication between a communication device and a processing system;

b. means for receiving a picture from the communication device;

c. means for presenting a task on an IVR menu on an Interactive Voice Response (IVR) system;

d. means for receiving a response from the communication device that indicates the task to perform on the picture; and

e. means for performing the task on the picture.