Method of approximately matching an input character string with a key word and vocally outputting data

• US 5,255,310 A
• Filed: 08/17/1992
• Issued: 10/19/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 08/11/1989
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Korea Telecommunication Authority
• Original Assignee: Korea Telecommunication Authority
• Inventors: Kim, Eung I., Kim, Jae I., Lee, Jong R.
• Primary Examiner(s): BROWN, THOMAS
• Application Number:
  US07/931,135
• Time in Patent Office: 428 Days
• Field of Search: 379/97, 379/88, 379/67, 379/52, 379/201, 379/91
• US Class Current: 379/88.01
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/066 Telephone sets adapted for data transmision
• 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: H04Q 1/45 using multi-frequency signalling H04Q1/46 takes precedence

Abstract

A method for approximately matching a DTMF input character string with a key word and for vocally outputting information in response to the input character string. A telephone apparatus is provided to transmit a dual tone multi-frequency (DTMF) signal by utilizing a character panel including a plurality of DTMF buttons which are arranged in order therein. An exchange apparatus intermediates the DTMF signal. A DTMF receiver apparatus converts the DTMF signal into a corresponding digital signal. A service provider terminal apparatus inputs a plurality of key words corresponding to each service name and information data to be provided. A key word storage apparatus includes a service name file unit for storing a service name file, and a key word dictionary unit for storing a key word dictionary. A text information storage apparatus stores a plurality of information data corresponding to each service name. A central processing unit converts a digital signal outputted from the DTMF receiver apparatus into an input character string to match the input character string with the key words stored in the key word storage apparatus in order to provide information data. A voice output apparatus is connected from the central processing unit for converting a digital voice data signal into a voice signal to thereby provide the desired information service to the user.

Claims

1. A method for approximately matching an input character string having a first character through a last character input by a user having a telephone with DTMF buttons with a key word and for vocally outputting information data in response to the input character string to the telephone, said method comprising:

providing a character panel for the telephone with DTMF buttons with an alphabetic-numeric character display orderly arranged on the character panel for transmitting DTMF signals by pressing two different DTMF buttons in an orderly sequence thereby specifically designating a single character of the display of alphabetic and numeric characters;

A. inputting the character string to a voice information service system with a central processing unit (CPU) for syllabicating the inputted character string into character units a1, a2, a3 . . . aN without distinguishing between the component units of the character string;

B. discriminating whether all the character units match with all characters of any one of a plurality of service names stored at a service name file unit in a key word storage apparatus and if matched, vocally outputting the corresponding service name to the telephone thereby ending matching procedures, and if not matched;

C. comparing the first character unit of the input character string with the first character of key words stored at a key word dictionary unit in the key word storage apparatus, and if matched;

D. sequentially comparing the next character unit of the input character string by continuously and individually matching with the second character, third character, . . . Nth character, of the key word in the key word dictionary unit and if the key word is matched to the Nth character unit of the input character string;

E. storing service numbers with respect to the matched key word and with respect to the input character string representing a corresponding character sequence of the input character string with respect to the matched key word in a matching result file, and if the key word is not matched to the Nth character unit of the input character string;

F. sequentially adding the next character unit to the first character unit of the input character string which is not matched to the first character unit as step C or adding the next character unit of the input string to the input string which is not matched to the Nth character unit at step D to the key word; and

G. identifying whether matching has been performed to the last character unit (aN) of the input character string, and if the matching between all the characters of the input character string and those of the key word is not completed at step F, returning to step C to re-match the input character string of step F, and if completed, reviewing the stored matching result file and selecting the optimum service names by determining a number of prospective services to be finally selected, where one optimum service name is selected and outputted to the telephone in vocal form, and where the number of optimum service names selected is none or more than two, the input character string is input again as in step A, and where the number of the optimum service names selected is two, the two selected optimum service names are vocally output through the telephone to the user to allow the user to select one of the optimum service names thereby completing the selecting procedure of the optimum service name and outputting information data corresponding to the service name selected in vocal form through the telephone.

2. A method for approximately matching an input character string having a first character through a last character input by a user having a telephone with a character panel with an alphabetic-numeric character display and a plurality of DTMF buttons which are orderly arranged on the character panel for transmitting DTMF signals by pressing two different buttons of the plurality of buttons in an ordered sequence thereby specifically designating a single character of the display of alphabetic and numeric characters with a key word and for vocally outputting information data in response to the input character string to the telephone, said method comprising:

A. inputting the character string to a voice information service system with a central processing unit (CPU) for syllabicating the inputted character string into character units a1, a2, a3 . . . aN without distinguishing between the component units of the character string;

B. discriminating whether all the character units match with all characters of any one of a plurality of service names stored at a service name file unit in a key word storage apparatus and if matched, vocally outputting the corresponding service name to the telephone thereby ending matching procedures, and if not matched;

C. comparing the first character unit of the input character string with the first character of key words stored at a key word dictionary unit in the key word storage apparatus, and if matched;

D. sequentially comparing the next character unit of the input character string by continuously and individually matching with the second character, third character, . . . Nth character, of the key word in the key word dictionary unit and if the key word is matched to the Nth character unit of the input character string;

E. storing service numbers with respect to the matched key word and with respect to the input character string representing a corresponding character sequence of the input character string with respect to the matched key word in a matching result file, and if the key word id not matched to the Nth character unit of the input character string;

F. sequentially adding the next character unit to the first character unit of the input character string which is not matched to the first character unit at step C or adding the next character unit of the input string to the input string which is not matched to the Nth character unit at step D to the key word; and

G. identifying whether matching has been performed to the last character unit (aN) of the input character string, and if the matching between all the characters of the input character string and those of the key word is not completed at step F, returning to step C to re-match the input character string of step F, and if completed, reviewing the stored matching result file and selecting the optimum service names by determining a number of prospective services to be finally selected, where one optimum service name is selected and outputted to the telephone in vocal form, and where the number of optimum service names selected is none or more than two, the input character string is input again as in step A, and where the number of the optimum service names selected is two, the two selected optimum service names are vocally output through the telephone to the user to allow the user to select one of the optimum service names thereby completing the selecting procedure of the optimum service name and outputting information data corresponding to the service name selected in vocal form through the telephone.