Multi-lingual prompt management system for a network applications platform

• US 5,493,606 A
• Filed: 05/31/1994
• Issued: 02/20/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Unisys Corporation
• Original Assignee: Unisys Corporation
• Inventors: Freiman, Alex C., Hogan, Timothy J., Osder, Barbara E., Elrod, Edwin M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hofsass, Jeffery
• Assistant Examiner(s): Dharia, Parag
• Application Number:
  US08/251,863
• Time in Patent Office: 630 Days
• Field of Search: 379/67, 379/88, 379/89, 364/419.01, 364/419.02, 364/419.05, 364/419.08, 381/43, 381/51, 434/156, 434/157, 434/308
• US Class Current: 379/88.05
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 13/00 Speech synthesis; Text to speech systems
• 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

In combination with the Network Application Platform (NAP), a Speech Interface to NAP (SPIN) creates or modifies a SPIN application for each language in which the prompts of a Network Application deployed on NAP are to be spoken. A prompt is mapped into a sequence of static and dynamic elements. Each SPIN application owns the prompt mappings, elements and element voice for the prompts to be played. The Network Application issues a PEP command to a Prompt Expansion Processor (PEP) to play an identified prompt in a language identified by a SPIN application ID. The command supplies the dynamic data to be played at the positions of the dynamic elements in the prompt definition PEP expands the command into a sequence of NAP Message IDs to play the sequence of NAP voice messages corresponding to the static and dynamic elements of the prompt mapping. The dynamic data is categorized into dynamic element types. A Dynamic Element Table contains an ordered list of logically grouped elements to support the dynamic data of a SPIN application. A Modular Dynamic Data Processor (MDDP) together with the Dynamic Element Table, in response to a dynamic element in a prompt and the dynamic data in the prompt command, expand the dynamic data in accordance with the dynamic element type. A user, to accommodate requirements of the SPIN application language, creates and deletes elements and voice therefor, reorders elements of prompt mappings, and varies the format in which the dynamic data is played utilizing the MDDP.

Claims

1. In combination with a Network Application Platform (NAP), a prompt management system for playing prompts comprised of elements, said NAP operative to play voice messages in response to NAP Message IDs, respectively, each element marking a position in a prompt for playing at least one of said voice messages, said NAP supporting at least one Network Application for execution thereby, comprising

a plurality of information sets, independent of said Network Application, containing information for playing said prompts in a plurality of languages, respectively, said information sets identified by a plurality of information set IDs, respectively,

said information of each of said information sets including a set of prompt definitions comprised of sequences of said elements, each said prompt definition identified by a prompt ID, said information of each of said information sets including NAP Message IDs corresponding to said elements of said prompt definitions, and

a Prompt Expansion Processor (PEP) having access to said information sets and responsive to a command from said Network Application to play a prompt, said command identifying a commanded prompt to be played and a language in which to play said commanded prompt by including said prompt ID and said information set ID, respectively, in said command,

said PEP operative, by accessing one of said information sets with information set ID identified by said command, to expand said commanded prompt into a sequence of NAP Message IDs corresponding to said elements of said prompt definition of said commanded prompt,

said sequence of NAP Message IDs being sent to said NAP to play said voice messages corresponding to said sequence of NAP Message IDs so as to play said commanded prompt in said language corresponding to said information set ID,

said command including dynamic data to be played in said commanded prompt,

said elements comprising static and dynamic elements,

said static elements marking positions in said prompts for playing predetermined ones of said voice messages,

said dynamic elements-marking positions in said prompts for playing said dynamic data,

said prompt definition of said commanded prompt comprising a sequence of said static and said dynamic elements,

said information of each said information set including NAP Message IDs corresponding to said static elements and said dynamic data,

said PEP being operative to expand said commanded prompt into said sequence of NAP Message IDs corresponding to said static elements of said prompt definition of said commanded prompt and to said dynamic data for said dynamic elements of said prompt definition of said commanded prompt,

said dynamic data of said command being categorized into predetermined dynamic element types,

each of said dynamic elements of said prompts having one of said dynamic element types associated therewith,

said PEP being operative to expand a dynamic element of a prompt into said NAP Message IDs corresponding to said dynamic data of said one of said dynamic element types associated with said dynamic element to be expanded,

each said information set having a Modular Dynamic Data Processor (MDDP) associated therewith, said MDDP containing procedures for expanding, in accordance with said language associated with said information set, dynamic data of said dynamic element types, respectively, into element references representative of said NAP Message IDs corresponding to said dynamic data.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein said information of each said information set includes a Dynamic Element Table containing an ordered list of logically grouped elements for correlating said element references provided by said MDDP of said information set associated therewith into corresponding NAP Message IDs in accordance with said logically grouped elements.

3. The system of claim 2 further including a Speech Interface to NAP program (SPIN) for interactively creating or modifying said information of each said information set in accordance with said language associated therewith.

4. The system of claim 3 further including a terminal having a display and information entry means,

said SPIN including screen management logic for generating screens on said display and information management logic for managing information entered by said information entry means by a user interacting with said screens for creating or modifying said information of said information sets,

said information management logic providing information to said screen management logic for displaying, on said screens, information entered by said information entry means.

5. The system of claim 4 further including a SPIN Data Base (SPINDB) responsive to said Information Management Logic, said SPINDB containing records for storing said information of said information sets,

said SPIN operative to create or modify said information stored in said records in accordance with said information entered by said information entry means.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein

said PEP includes cache table sets for storing said information of said information sets, respectively,

said PEP being operative to build said cache table sets from said records,

said PEP being operative to expand said command into said sequence of NAP Message IDs by accessing a cache table set storing said information of said information set identified by said information set ID in said command.

7. The system of claim 4 wherein said prompt definition includes an element order established by the sequence in which said static and dynamic elements are ordered in said prompt definition,

said screens including a prompt processing screen for creating or modifying said element order in accordance with requirements of said language associated with said information set that includes said prompt definition.

8. The system of claim 4 wherein

said command provides said dynamic data in a predetermined dynamic data order,

said prompt definition includes a dynamic data usage order in accordance with said positions marked by said dynamic elements in said sequence of static and dynamic elements, and

one of said screens includes Dynamic Data Location fields for modifying said dynamic data usage order with respect to said dynamic data order in accordance with requirements of said language associated with said information set that includes said prompt definition.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein said Dynamic Data Location fields are utilized to indicate that specified dynamic data from said command will not be used for said dynamic elements by entering, via said information entry means, an appropriate indication in said Dynamic Data Location fields.

10. The system of claim 4 wherein

one of said screens includes Dynamic Element Subtype fields for providing subtypes for said dynamic element types associated with said dynamic elements of said prompt definition, and

said MDDP includes procedures for processing said dynamic data for said dynamic elements pursuant to said subtypes in accordance with said language associated with said information set that includes said prompt definition.

11. The system of claim 4 wherein

said screens include at least one screen for adding elements for a new dynamic element type,

said MDDP including a procedure for expanding dynamic data pursuant to said new dynamic element type in accordance with said language associated with said information set that includes said MDDP.

12. The system of claim 4 wherein

said screens include a Dynamic Element Table screen for creating or modifying elements in said Dynamic Element Table,

said MDDP being enhanced in accordance with said created or modified elements in said Dynamic Element Table.

13. The system of claim 4 wherein said screens include a transfer screen for selectively transferring part or all of said information from a first of said information sets to a second of said information sets, said first information set having a first language associated therewith, and thereafter modifying said information in said second information set, using said screens, in accordance with a language different from said first language.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein said second information set has an MDDP associated therewith, said MDDP including a procedure created or modified in accordance with said information modified with respect to said second information set.

15. The system of claim 3 wherein said SPIN is deployed on said NAP.

16. The system of claim 1 wherein

said command comprises an Enhanced Multi-Send Prompt (EMSP) command including a field for said information set ID,

said EMSP command containing at least one Prompt Information Cluster, each Prompt Information Cluster containing a Prompt Information Type (PIT) field and a Prompt Information Data (PID) field,

said PIT field of a particular Prompt Information Cluster containing an indication that said PID field of said particular Prompt Information Cluster will either request a prompt or provide dynamic data for a requested prompt.

17. The system of claim 16 wherein said indication comprises an indication of dynamic element type when said PID field will provide said dynamic data.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein said PID field contains dynamic data of said dynamic element type indicated in said PIT field of said particular Prompt Information Cluster.

19. The system of claim 16 wherein said indication comprises an indication of a Prompt Index Value or a Prompt Name when said PID field will request a prompt.

20. The system of claim 19 wherein said PID field contains a Prompt Index Value or a Prompt Name in accordance with whether said PIT field of said particular Prompt Information Cluster indicates Prompt Index Value or Prompt Name.

21. The system of claim 16 wherein each said Prompt Information Cluster includes a Prompt Information Length (PIL) field designating the length of the Prompt Information Cluster including said PIL, PIT and PID fields.

22. For use with a prompt management system in combination with a Network Application Platform (NAP), said prompt management system for playing prompts comprised of elements, said NAP operative to play voice messages in response to NAP Message IDs, respectively, each element marking a position in a prompt for playing at least one of said voice messages, said NAP supporting at least one Network Application for execution thereby, said NAP operative to record voice messages and return NAP Message IDs, respectively, said prompt management system including a first information set containing information for playing said prompts in a first language, said first information set identified by a first information set ID, said information of said first information set including a set of prompt definitions comprised of sequences of said elements, each said prompt definition identified by a prompt ID, said information of said first information set including voice messages in said first language and NAP Message IDs corresponding to said elements of said prompt definitions, a method for selectively playing said prompts in said first language or in a second language comprising

creating a second information set identified by a second information set ID,

copying said information from said first information set to said second information set except for said voice messages and said NAP Message IDs,

creating recorded voice messages by recording voice through NAP in said second language for each element in said second information set and entering into said second information set said NAP Message IDs returned by NAP corresponding to said recorded voice messages,

reordering said elements of said prompt definitions of said second information set to accommodate any phrase ordering differences between said first language and said second language,

creating new elements for said information of said second information set or deleting elements therefrom as required for said second language,

issuing a command from said Network Application to play a prompt, said command identifying a commanded prompt to be played and the language in which to play said commanded prompt by including said prompt ID and said information set ID, respectively, in said command,

accessing one of said information sets with information set ID identified by said command to expand said commanded prompt into a sequence of NAP Message IDs corresponding to said elements of said prompt definition of said commanded prompt, and

sending said sequence of NAP Message IDs to said NAP to play said voice messages corresponding to said sequence of NAP Message IDs so as to play said commanded prompt in said first language or said second language corresponding to said information set ID.

23. The method of claim 22 wherein said command includes dynamic data to be played in said commanded prompt, said command providing said dynamic data in a predetermined dynamic data order;

said elements comprise static and dynamic elements, said static elements marking positions in said prompts for playing predetermined ones of said voice messages, said dynamic elements marking positions in said prompts for playing said dynamic data;

said prompt definition includes a dynamic data usage order in accordance with said positions marked by said dynamic elements in said sequence of static and dynamic elements;

said method further comprises

reordering, in said prompt definitions of said information of said second information set, said dynamic data usage order with respect to said dynamic data order to accommodate phrase ordering differences between said first and second languages.

24. The method of claim 23 wherein said dynamic data of said command is categorized into predetermined dynamic element types, each of said dynamic elements of said prompts having one of said dynamic element types associated therewith, said method further comprises

creating a Modular Dynamic Data Processor (MDDP) containing procedures for expanding, in accordance with said second language, dynamic data of said dynamic element types, respectively, into element references representative of NAP Message IDs corresponding to said dynamic data, said MDDP being created to accommodate language specific dynamic data formats for said second language.

25. The method of claim 24 wherein said information of said second information set includes a Dynamic Element Table copied from said first information set, said Dynamic Element Table containing an ordered list of logically grouped elements, said method further comprises

modifying said Dynamic Element Table in accordance with requirements of said second language, and

correlating said element references provided by said MDDP into corresponding NAP Message IDs in accordance with said logically grouped elements.