System and method for developing VRU voice dialogue

• US 5,913,195 A
• Filed: 12/27/1996
• Issued: 06/15/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 12/27/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Intervoice Limited Partnership
• Original Assignee: Intervoice Limited Partnership
• Inventors: Hambleton, Myra, Weeren, Eric
• Primary Examiner(s): Hudspeth, David R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chawan, Vijay B.
• Application Number:
  US08/774,234
• Time in Patent Office: 900 Days
• Field of Search: 395/671, 395/701, 395/702, 395/703, 395/680, 395/682, 345/333-335, 345/348-349, 345/967, 379/112, 379/67, 379/114, 379/88, 707/200, 704/270
• US Class Current: 704/270
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/34 Graphical or visual programming
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99952 Coherency, e.g. same view to multiple users

Abstract

A system and method for developing a VRU program accomplished in two parts is disclosed. A prototype of the customer'"'"'s desired conversation is created which is a summary of the customer'"'"'s VRU requirements. This summary is used to verify customer satisfaction with the verbal conversations as well as the sufficiency of information for host interaction prior to any actual VRU programming being commenced. Thereafter, a framework of the VRU program to be completed as a functioning program by the developer may be generated from this summary. Links are maintained between the summary and a VRU program created through use of the framework to aid in development and maintaining synchronization between the VRU program and the summary. The linked summary and program provide easier modification as changes by the customer with only reference to the summary may be easily incorporated into the linked program.

Claims

1. A computer program product having a computer readable medium on which computer program logic is recorded for developing a VRU application, said computer program product comprising:

a computer readable storage medium;

a computer program stored in said storage medium comprising;

means for graphically representing a call flow summary as a plurality of icons; and

means for inputting information associated with particular icons of said plurality of icons, said information comprising specific examples of a VRU dialogue associated with said call flow summary at particular icons of said plurality of icons.

2. The computer program product set forth in claim 1, further comprising:

means for outputting said specific examples substantially exclusive of other information.

3. The computer program product set forth in claim 2, wherein said outputting means operates to output said specific examples audibly.

4. The computer program product set forth in claim 2, wherein said outputting means operates substantially contemporaneously with said inputting means.

5. The computer program product set forth in claim 1, further comprising:

means for generating a flow chart from said call flow summary, said flow chart being suitable for use in developing a VRU application conforming to said call flow summary.

6. The computer program product set forth in claim 5, wherein said generating means operates substantially automatically.

7. The computer program product set forth in claim 5 wherein said flow chart is output in human readable form.

8. The computer program product set forth in claim 5, wherein said flow chart is machine readable by a computer process utilized in developing a VRU application.

9. The computer program product set forth in claim 1, further comprising:

means for cross referencing said call flow summary with a VRU application conforming to said call flow summary, wherein a cross reference is established by said cross referencing means, said cross reference identifying particular ones of said plurality of icons of said call flow summary with a portion of said VRU application.

10. A method for developing a VRU application in at least two steps, said method comprising the steps of:

summarizing a call flow, said summarizing step comprising the substeps of;

graphically representing a call flow summary as a plurality of summary icons representing call flow functions connected by at least one line on a display means; and

inputting call flow summary information associated with ones of said plurality of summary icons, said summary information comprising representative messages of a dialogue to be provided by said VRU application; and

detailing said call flow, said detailing step comprising utilization of said call flow summary information in conjunction with additional information associated with said VRU application to result in a call flow detail.

11. The method set forth in claim 10, wherein said summarizing step further comprises the substep of:

outputting ones of said representative messages, said outputting step audibly presenting said ones of said representative messages in an order determined by said call flow summary.

12. The method set forth in claim 11, wherein said outputting substep operates substantially contemporaneously with said inputting step.

13. The method set forth in claim 10, wherein said summarizing step further comprises the substep of:

outputting said representative messages in a textual report containing substantially only said representative messages.

14. The method set forth in claim 10, wherein said detailing step further comprises the substep of:

graphically representing said detailed call flow as a plurality of detail icons representing detailed call flow functions connected by at least one line on the display means, said graphical representation of said detailed call flow being generated at least in part by said call flow summary.

15. The method set forth in claim 14, wherein said detailing step comprises at least one first form associated with a summary icon of said plurality of summary icons, said at least one first form corresponding to a second form associated with said detailed call flow representation.

16. The method set forth in claim 10, further comprising the step of:

generating a flow chart from said call flow summary, said flow chart being suitable for use in developing a VRU application conforming to said call flow summary.

17. The method set forth in claim 16, wherein said flow chart is generated exclusively from information input in said summarizing step.

18. The method set forth in claim 16, wherein said generating step comprises the substep of outputting said flow chart in human readable form.

19. The method set forth in claim 16, wherein said flow chart is machine readable by a computer process operable to accomplish said detailing step.

20. The method set forth in claim 10, further comprising the step of:

cross referencing said call flow summary with a VRU application conforming to said call flow summary, wherein a cross reference is established by said cross referencing identifying a particular portion of said call flow summary with a particular portion of said VRU application.

21. The method set forth in claim 20 wherein said cross referencing step is performed substantially automatically in conjunction with performing said detailing step.

22. The method set forth in claim 20, wherein said cross referencing of said call flow summary and said VRU application is updated upon a change to either said call flow summary or said VRU application.

23. A system for developing an automated information interaction algorithm, said system comprising:

means for graphically representing an initial summary of said interaction algorithm as a plurality of concept icons representing interaction algorithm concepts graphically connected on a display means; and

means for inputting interaction algorithm concept information associated with ones of said plurality of concept icons, said interaction algorithm concept information comprising a plurality of example messages to be presented by said interaction algorithm at particular points in said interaction algorithm represented by said plurality of concept icons.

24. The system set forth in claim 23, further comprising:

means for outputting ones of said plurality of example messages means audibly in an order determined by said algorithm summary.

25. The system set forth in claim 24, wherein said outputting means operates substantially contemporaneously with said inputting means.

26. The system set forth in claim 23, further comprising:

means for outputting ones of said plurality of example messages in a textual report containing substantially only said plurality of example messages.

27. The system set forth in claim 23, further comprising:

means for graphically representing said algorithm as a plurality of detail icons representing detailed algorithm functions graphically connected on the display means, said graphical representation of said algorithm being generated at least in part by said algorithm summary.

28. The system set forth in claim 27, further comprising:

means for linking said graphical representation of said algorithm and said graphical representation of said algorithm summary, wherein a link between said graphical representation of said algorithm and said graphical representation of said algorithm summary is established by said linking means providing a reference between particular portions of said graphical representations.

29. The system set forth in claim 28 wherein said link is established substantially automatically upon generation of said graphical representation of said algorithm.

30. The system set forth in claim 28, wherein said link is updated upon revision of either said graphical representation.

31. The system set forth in claim 27, wherein said inputting means comprises at least one first form associated with a concept icon of said plurality of concept icons, said at least one first form corresponding to a second form associated with said means for representing said algorithm as a plurality of detail icons.

32. The system set forth in claim 23, wherein ones of said plurality of concept icons include a view suitable for graphical representation by said representing means associated therewith, said view comprising at least a portion of said concept information associated with said one of said plurality of concept icons.

33. The system set forth in claim 32, wherein said view comprises a representation of functionality of a particular concept icon it is associated with.

34. The system set forth in claim 33, wherein said concept information associated with said particular concept icon of said plurality of concept icons is operable to change said view associated therewith.

35. A system for linking an algorithm and a summary of said algorithm, said system comprising:

first means for graphically representing said summary of said algorithm as a plurality of summary icons having a plurality of summary forms associated therewith;

second means for graphically representing said algorithm as a plurality of detail icons distinct from said summary icons, said plurality of detail icons having a plurality of detail forms associated therewith; and

means for correlating ones of said plurality of summary icons with ones of said detail icons.

36. The system set forth in claim 35, wherein said correlating means comprises correlating each summary form of said plurality of summary forms to at least one detail form of said plurality of detail forms.

37. The system set forth in claim 35, wherein the representation of said algorithm graphically represented by said second means is generated at least in part by said summary of said algorithm graphically represented by said first means.

38. The system set forth in claim 35, wherein ones of said plurality of summary icons include a graphical indication of correlation to a detail icon of said plurality of detail icons.

39. The system set forth in claim 35, wherein ones of said plurality of detail icons include a graphical indication of correlation to a summary icon of said plurality of summary icons.

40. A system for developing an automated information interaction algorithm, said system comprising:

means for graphically representing an initial summary of said algorithm as a plurality of concept icons representing a plurality of algorithm concepts connected on a display means;

means for inputting algorithm concept information associated with ones of said plurality of concept icons, said algorithm concept information comprising a plurality of example messages to be presented by said algorithm at particular points in said algorithm represented by particular concept icons of said plurality of concept icons;

means for outputting ones of said plurality of example messages substantially contemporaneously with input of said concept information, said outputting means audibly presenting said ones of said plurality of example messages in an order determined by said algorithm summary;

means for graphically representing said algorithm as a plurality of detail icons representing detailed algorithm functions connected on the display means, wherein a graphical representation of said algorithm represented by said means for representing said algorithm is generated at least in part by said algorithm summary; and

means for linking said algorithm summary and said algorithm.

41. The system set forth in claim 40, wherein said inputting means comprises at least one first form associated with a concept icon of said plurality of concept icons.

42. The system set forth in claim 40, wherein said linking means comprises said at least one first form corresponding to a second form associated with said algorithm.

43. The system set forth in claim 40, wherein ones of said plurality of concept icons comprise a graphical illustration associated therewith, each said graphical illustration illustrating a function of said algorithm concept associated therewith.

44. The system set forth in claim 43, wherein ones of said graphical illustrations comprise at least a portion of said concept information associated with said one of said plurality of concept icons.

45. The system set forth in claim 44, wherein said concept information is operable to alter ones of said graphical illustrations.

46. A method for prototyping a VRU dialogue comprising the steps of:

selecting particular icons from a palette of call flow icons;

inputting modular units of sample substantive language associated with ones of said particular icons;

inputting call flow information associated with said particular icons wherein connections are formed between said icons, thereby composing at least a portion of the call flow summary.

47. The method of claim 46 further comprising the step of outputting information comprising said modular units of sample substantive language according to the logic contained in said call flow information.

48. The method of claim 46 further comprising the step of adjusting the call flow by relocating said modular units of sample substantive language within the call flow.

49. The method of claim 47 wherein said step of outputting consists of one or more steps selected from the group consisting of:

printing, speaking, and transmitting via electrical communication lines.

50. The method of claim 48 wherein said sample substantive language comprises text phrases or numbers or both text phrases and numbers.