Method and system for progressive database search termination and dynamic information presentation utilizing telephone keypad input

• US 5,337,347 A
• Filed: 06/25/1992
• Issued: 08/09/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 06/25/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Halstead-Nussloch, Richard H., Strickert, Mark D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dwyer, James L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): TSANG, FAN S
• Application Number:
  US07/904,415
• Time in Patent Office: 775 Days
• Field of Search: 379/67, 379/88, 379/89, 379/97, 379/213
• US Class Current: 379/88.14
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2425 Iterative querying; Query formulation based on the results of a preceding query
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/00 Telephonic communication systems specially adapted for combination with other electrical systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/40 using speech recognition speech recognition per se G10L15/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/60 Medium conversion
• 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 3/4931 Directory assistance systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4938 comprising a voice browser which renders and interprets, e.g. VoiceXML
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 1/45 using multi-frequency signalling H04Q1/46 takes precedence

Abstract

A method and system are disclosed for searching a remote database utilizing a telephone device in communication with a data processing system. The data processing system has access to the remote database and the telephone device includes transmitter components for transmitting dual-tone multifrequency signals, wherein the dual-tone multifrequency signals are generated manipulating a keypad associated with the telephone device. The keypad has individually depressible alpha-numeric keys that may be utilized to generate a query and to send commands to the data processing system. The method of the present invention includes prompting the user to enter a query utilizing the depressible alpha-numeric keys on the keypad. As the query is input from the user, the data processing system searches the database to locate entries within the database corresponding to current state of the query. As the user enters additional data to modify the query, the database is searched for entries corresponding to the each modification of the query entered by the user. The user might or might not be prompted for each modification of the query. These steps of modifying the query and performing a search based on the modified query are repeated until the entries found are less than some predetermined number. At any time, an early termination command generated by the user may be utilized to immediately terminate the steps. In response to the number of entries being less than to the predetermined number or receiving the early termination command, the entries may be presented to the user via the telephone device.

Claims

1. A method for searching a database utilizing a telephone device in communication with a data processing system, said data processing system having access to said database, said telephone device having transmitter components for transmitting dual-tone multifrequency signals, wherein said dual-tone multifrequency signals are generated by a user manipulating a keypad associated with said telephone device, said keypad having a plurality of individually depressible alpha-numeric keys to generate a query and to send commands to said data processing system, said method comprising:

(a) prompting said user to enter a query utilizing said plurality of individually depressible alpha-numeric keys on said keypad;

(b) searching said database to locate entries within said database corresponding to said query in response to receiving said query at said data processing system;

(c) prompting said user to enter additional data to modify said query;

(d) searching said database for entries corresponding to said query as modified by said additional data entered by said user, wherein a number of entries are located;

(e) repeating steps (c) through (d) until said number of entries is less than a predetermined number;

(f) in response to receiving an early termination command generated by said user, terminating steps (c) through (e); and

(g) in response to said number of entries being less than a predetermined number or receiving said early termination command, audibly presenting said entries to said user via said telephone device.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said step of audibly presenting said entries to said user via said telephone device includes converting the entries from text to speech.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein said step of prompting said user to enter additional data includes waiting for a selected period of time for additional data to be entered by said user and if additional data has not been entered, audibly prompting said user to enter additional data after said period of time.

3. A method for searching a database utilizing a telephone device in communication with a data processing system, said data processing system having access to said database, said telephone device having transmitter components for transmitting dual-tone multifrequency signals, wherein said dual-tone multifrequency signals are generated by a user manipulating a keypad associated with said telephone device, said keypad having a plurality of individually depressible alpha-numeric keys to generate a query and to send commands to said data processing system, said method comprising:

(a) prompting said user to enter a query utilizing said plurality of individually depressible alpha-numeric keys on said keypad;

(b) searching said database to locate entries within said database corresponding to said query in response to receiving said query at said data processing system;

(c) prompting said user to enter additional data to modify said query;

(d) searching said database for entries corresponding to said query as modified by said additional data entered by said user, wherein a number of entries are located;

(e) repeating steps (c) through (d) until said number of entries is less than 7;

(f) in response to receiving an early termination command generated by said user, terminating steps (c) through (e); and

(g) in response to said number of entries being less than 7 or receiving said early termination command, audibly presenting said entries to said user via said telephone device, wherein said step of audibly presenting said entries to said user via said telephone device includes converting the entries from text to speech.

5. A method for searching a database utilizing a telephone device in communication with a data processing system, said data processing system having access to said database, said telephone device having transmitter components for transmitting dual-tone multifrequency signals, wherein said dual-tone multifrequency signals are generated by a user manipulating a keypad associated with said telephone device, said keypad having a plurality of individually depressible alpha-numeric keys to generate a query and to send commands to said data processing system, said method comprising:

(a) prompting said user to enter a query utilizing said plurality of individually depressible alpha-numeric keys on said keypad;

(b) searching said database to locate entries within said database corresponding to said query in response to receiving said query at said data processing system;

(c) prompting said user to enter additional data to modify said query;

(d) searching said database for entries corresponding to said query as modified by said additional data entered by said user, wherein a number of entries are located;

(e) repeating steps (c) through (d) until said number of entries is less than a predetermined number;

(f) in response to receiving an early termination command generated by said user, terminating steps (c) through (e); and

(g) in response to said number of entries being less than a predetermined number or receiving said early termination command, audibly presenting said entries to said user via said telephone device, wherein said step of audibly presenting said entries to said user via said telephone device includes converting the entries from text to speech;

wherein each entry has a plurality of data fields contained therein, wherein each data field contains text, and said step of audibly presenting said entries to said user comprises dynamically creating a menu utilizing text from selected data fields in said entries found during said step of searching said database for entries corresponding to said query as modified, and audibly presenting said menu to said user by converting said text to speech.

6. A method for searching a database utilizing a telephone device in communication with a data processing system, said data processing system having access to said database, said telephone device having transmitter components for transmitting dual-tone multifrequency signals, wherein said dual-tone multifrequency signals are generated by a user manipulating a keypad associated with said telephone device, said keypad having a plurality of individually depressible alpha-numeric keys to generate a query and to send commands to said data processing system, said method comprising:

(a) prompting said user to enter a query utilizing said plurality of individually depressible alpha-numeric keys on said keypad;

(b) searching said database to locate entries within said database corresponding to said query in response to receiving said query at said data processing system;

(c) prompting said user to enter additional data to modify said query;

(d) searching said database for entries corresponding to said query as modified by said additional data entered by said user, wherein a number of entries are located;

(e) repeating steps (c) through (d) until said number of entries is less than a predetermined number;

(f) in response to receiving an early termination command generated by said user, terminating steps (c) through (e); and

(g) in response to said number of entries being less than a predetermined number or receiving said early termination command, audibly presenting said entries to said user via said telephone device, wherein said step of audibly presenting said entries to said user via said telephone device includes converting the entries from text to speech;

wherein each entry has a plurality of data fields contained therein, wherein each data field contains text, and wherein said presenting step comprises dynamically creating a menu utilizing text from selected data fields in said entries found during said searching step;

in response to a presence of identical data in said selected data fields for said entries in said menu, adding text from additional data fields from said entries that include identical data in said selected data fields to said menu to produce a modified menu that distinguishes said entries having identical data in said selected data fields in said menu; and

audibly presenting said modified menu to said user utilizing a text to speech conversion.

7. A method for searching a database utilizing a telephone device in communication with a data processing system, said data processing system having access to said database, said telephone device having transmitter components for transmitting dual-tone multifrequency signals, wherein said dual-tone multifrequency signals are generated by a user manipulating a keypad associated with said telephone device, said keypad having a plurality of individually depressible alpha-numeric keys to generate a query and to send commands to said data processing system, said method comprising:

(a) prompting said user to enter a query utilizing said plurality of individually depressible alpha-numeric keys on said keypad;

(b) searching said database to locate entries within said database corresponding to said query in response to receiving said query at said data processing system;

(c) prompting said user to enter additional data to modify said query;

(d) searching said database for entries corresponding to said query as modified by said additional data entered by said user, wherein a number of entries are located;

(e) repeating steps (c) through (d) until said number of entries is less than a predetermined number;

(f) in response to receiving an early termination command generated by said user, terminating steps (c) through (e); and

(g) in response to said number of entries being less than a predetermined number or receiving said early termination command, audibly presenting said entries to said user via said telephone device, wherein said step of audibly presenting said entries to said user via said telephone device includes converting the entries from text to speech;

wherein said step of prompting prompting said user to enter additional data includes dynamically creating a menu of choices based on entries found and presenting said menu of choices to said user utilizing a text to speech conversion.

8. A method for searching a database utilizing a telephone device in communication with a data processing system, said data processing system having access to said database, said telephone device having transmitter components for transmitting dual-tone multifrequency signals, wherein said dual-tone multifrequency signals are generated by a user manipulating a keypad associated with said telephone device, said keypad having a plurality of individually depressible alpha-numeric keys to generate a query and to send commands to said data processing system, said method comprising:

(a) prompting said user to enter a query utilizing said plurality of individually depressible alpha-numeric keys on said keypad;

(b) searching said database to locate entries within said database corresponding to said query in response to receiving said query at said data processing system;

(c) prompting said user to enter additional data to modify said query;

(d) searching said database for entries corresponding to said query as modified by said additional data entered by said user, wherein a number of entries are located;

(e) repeating steps (c) through (d) until said number of entries is less than a predetermined number, wherein said entries are audibly presented to said user via said telephone device; and

(f) in response to receiving an early termination command generated by said user, terminating steps (c) through (e) and audibly presenting said entries to said user.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprising:

in response to receiving said early termination command, audibly presenting said entries to said user via said telephone device.

10. A method for searching a database utilizing a telephone device in communication with a data processing system, said data processing system having access to said database, said telephone device having transmitter components for transmitting dual-tone multifrequency signals, wherein said dual-tone multifrequency signals are generated by a user manipulating a keypad associated with said telephone device, said keypad having a plurality of individually depressible alpha-numeric keys to generate a query and to send commands to said data processing system, said method comprising:

(a) prompting said user to enter a query utilizing said plurality of individually depressible alpha-numeric keys on said keypad;

(b) searching said database to locate entries within said database corresponding to said query in response to receiving said query at said data processing system;

(c) prompting said user to enter additional data to modify said query;

(d) searching said database for entries corresponding to said query as modified by said additional data entered by said user, wherein a number of entries are located;

(e) repeating steps (c) through (d) until said number of entries is less than a predetermined number, wherein said entries are audibly presented to said user via said telephone device;

(f) in response to receiving an early termination command generated by said user, terminating steps (c) through (e);

(g) in response to receiving said early termination command and if said number of entries is greater than or equal to said predetermined number, presenting said number of entries to said user and prompting said user to choose between modifying said query and audibly receiving said entries via said telephone device; and

(h) in response to receiving said early termination command and if said number of entries is less than said predetermined number, audibly presenting said entries to said user via said telephone device.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein said predetermined number is 7.

12. A data processing system for searching a database utilizing a telephone device in communication with a data processing system, said data processing system having access to said database, said telephone device having transmitter components for transmitting dual-tone multifrequency signals, wherein said dual-tone multifrequency signals are generated by a user manipulating a keypad associated with said telephone device, said keypad having a plurality of individually depressible alpha-numeric keys to generate a query and to send commands to said data processing system, said data processing system comprising:

means for prompting said user to enter a query utilizing said plurality of individually depressible alpha-numeric keys on said keypad;

first searching means for searching said database to locate entries within said database corresponding to said query in response to receiving said query at said data processing system, wherein a number of entries from within said database are located and said first search means may be terminated in response to receiving an early termination command generated by said user;

means for prompting said user to enter additional data to modify said query;

second searching means for searching said database for entries corresponding to said query as modified by said additional data entered by said user until said number of entries is less than a predetermined number;

means for terminating said second searching means in response receiving to an early termination command generated by said user; and

means for audibly presenting said number of entries to said user via said telephone device in response to said number of entries being less than a predetermined number or receiving said early termination command.

13. The data processing system of claim 12 wherein said means for audibly presenting said entries to said user via said telephone device includes means for converting said entries to audible speech.

15. The data processing system of claim 12, wherein said means for prompting includes means for waiting for a selected period of time for additional data to be entered by said user and if additional data has not been entered, means for audibly prompting said user to enter additional data after said period of time.

14. A data processing system for searching a database utilizing a telephone device in communication with a data processing system, said data processing system having access to said database, said telephone device having transmitter components for transmitting dual-tone multifrequency signals, wherein said dual-tone multifrequency signals are generated by a user manipulating a keypad associated with said telephone device, said keypad having a plurality of individually depressible alpha-numeric keys to generate a query and to send commands to said data processing system, said data processing system comprising:

means for prompting said user to enter a query utilizing said plurality of individually depressible alpha-numeric keys on said keypad;

first searching means for searching said database to locate entries within said database corresponding to said query in response to receiving said query at said data processing system, wherein a number of entries from within said database are located;

means for prompting said user to enter additional data to modify said query;

second searching means for searching said database for entries corresponding to said query as modified by said additional data entered by said user until said number of entries is less than 7;

means for terminating said first and second searching means in response receiving to an early termination command generated by said user; and

means for audibly presenting said number of entries to said user via said telephone device in response to said number of entries being less than 7 or receiving said early termination command, wherein said means for audibly presenting said entries to said user via said telephone device includes means for converting said entries to audible speech.

16. A data processing system for searching a database utilizing a telephone device in communication with a data processing system, said data processing system having access to said database, said telephone device having transmitter components for transmitting dual-tone multifrequency signals, wherein said dual-tone multifrequency signals are generated by a user manipulating a keypad associated with said telephone device, said keypad having a plurality of individually depressible alpha-numeric keys to generate a query and to send commands to said data processing system, said data processing system comprising:

means for prompting said user to enter a query utilizing said plurality of individually depressible alpha-numeric keys on said keypad;

first searching means for searching said database to locate entries within said database corresponding to said query in response to receiving said query at said data processing system, wherein a number of entries from within said database are located;

means for prompting said user to enter additional data to modify said query;

second searching means for searching said database for entries corresponding to said query as modified by said additional data entered by said user until said number of entries is less than a predetermined number;

means for terminating said first and second searching means in response receiving to an early termination command generated by said user; and

means for audibly presenting said number of entries to said user via said telephone device in response to said number of entries being less than a predetermined number or receiving said early termination command;

wherein each entry has a plurality of data fields contained therein, wherein each data field contains text, and said means for audibly presenting comprises means for dynamically creating a menu utilizing text from selected data fields in said entries found by said means for searching, and means for audibly presenting said menu to said user by converting said text to speech.

17. A data processing system for searching a database utilizing a telephone device in communication with a data processing system, said data processing system having access to said database, said telephone device having transmitter components for transmitting dual-tone multifrequency signals, wherein said dual-tone multifrequency signals are generated by a user manipulating a keypad associated with said telephone device, said keypad having a plurality of individually depressible alpha-numeric keys to generate a query and to send commands to said data processing system, said data processing system comprising:

means for prompting said user to enter a query utilizing said plurality of individually depressible alpha-numeric keys on said keypad;

first searching means for searching said database to locate entries within said database corresponding to said query in response to receiving said query at said data processing system, wherein a number of entries from within said database are located;

means for prompting said user to enter additional data to modify said query;

second searching means for searching said database for entries corresponding to said query as modified by said additional data entered by said user until said number of entries is less than a predetermined number;

means for terminating said first and second searching means in response receiving to an early termination command generated by said user; and

means for audibly presenting said number of entries to said user via said telephone device in response to said number of entries being less than a predetermined number or receiving said early termination command;

wherein each entry has a plurality of data fields contained therein, wherein each data field contains text, and wherein said means for presenting comprises means for dynamically creating a menu utilizing text from selected data fields in said entries found by said second searching means;

in response to a presence of identical data in said selected data fields in entries in said menu, means for adding text from additional data fields from said entries having identical data in said selected data fields to said menu to produce a modified menu that distinguishes said entries having identical data in said selected data fields in said menu; and

means for audibly presenting said modified menu to said user utilizing a text to speech conversion.

18. A data processing system for searching a database utilizing a telephone device in communication with a data processing system, said data processing system having access to said database, said telephone device having transmitter components for transmitting dual-tone multifrequency signals, wherein said dual-tone multifrequency signals are generated by a user manipulating a keypad associated with said telephone device, said keypad having a plurality of individually depressible alpha-numeric keys to generate a query and to send commands to said data processing system, said data processing system comprising:

means for prompting said user to enter a query utilizing said plurality of individually depressible alpha-numeric keys on said keypad;

means for searching said database to locate entries within said database corresponding to said query in response to receiving said query at said data processing system, wherein a number of entries are located;

means for prompting said user to enter additional data to modify said query;

means for searching said database for entries corresponding to said query as modified by said additional data entered by said user until said number of entries is less than a predetermined number, wherein said entries are audibly presented to said user via said telephone device; and

means for terminating either searching means in response to receiving an early termination command generated by said user and for audibly presenting said entries to said user.

19. The system of claim 18 further comprising:

means for audibly presenting said entries to said user via said telephone device, in response to receiving said early termination command.

20. A data processing system for searching a database utilizing a telephone device in communication with a data processing system, said data processing system having access to said database, said telephone device having transmitter components for transmitting dual-tone multifrequency signals, wherein said dual-tone multifrequency signals are generated by a user manipulating a keypad associated with said telephone device, said keypad having a plurality of individually depressible alpha-numeric keys to generate a query and to send commands to said data processing system, said data processing system comprising:

means for prompting said user to enter a query utilizing said plurality of individually depressible alpha-numeric keys on said keypad;

first searching means for searching said database to locate entries within said database corresponding to said query in response to receiving said query at said data processing system, wherein a number of entries are located;

means for prompting said user to enter additional data to modify said query;

second searching means for searching said database for entries corresponding to said query as modified by said additional data entered by said user until said number of entries is less than a predetermined number;

means for terminating said second searching means in response to receiving an early termination command generated by said user;

means for audibly presenting said number of entries to said user and prompting said user to choose between modifying said query and audibly receiving said entries via said telephone device, in response to receiving said early termination command and if said number of entries is greater than or equal to said predetermined number; and

means for audibly presenting said entries to said user via said telephone device in response to receiving said early termination command and if said number of entries is less than said predetermined number.