System for enabling personal computer access to an interactive voice response system

• US 6,173,042 B1
• Filed: 02/25/1998
• Issued: 01/09/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 02/25/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Avaya Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Lucent Technologies, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Wu, Charles C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Weaver, Scott L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hoosain, Allan
• Application Number:
  US09/030,142
• Time in Patent Office: 1,049 Days
• Field of Search: 379/67.1, 379/68, 379/74, 379/76, 379/81, 379/88.01, 379/88.04, 379/88.13, 379/88.17, 379/88.18, 379/92.01, 379/93.21, 379/93.25, 379/88.25, 379/900, 379/908, 704/220, 704/222, 704/233, 704/275, 455/417, 455/445, 455/461, 709/201, 709/202, 709/206, 709/219
• US Class Current: 379/88.04
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/64 Automatic arrangements for answering calls; Automatic arrangements for recording messages for absent subscribers; Arrangements for recording conversations centralised dictation systems H04M11/10

Abstract

A personal computer is typically equipped with a modem that enables the user to dial through the Public Telephone Switched Network (PTSN) to access an Interactive Voice Response system. Once connected to the Interactive Voice Response System, the present system for providing personal computer access to an interactive voice response system uses the touch-tone generation capability of the personal computer to implement a predefined script to navigate through the Interactive Voice Response System. The navigation path is defined by the selections provided by the Interactive Voice Response System to enable a user to reach a computer interaction site that represents one of the back-end selections served by the Interactive Voice Response System. Thus, once the Interactive Voice Response System is traversed, the user can interact with the computer to perform the desired tasks.

Claims

1. A system, resident in a personal computer, for enabling a subscriber at said personal computer selected access to a desired service destination from a hierachy of service destination that is served by an interactive voice response system, comprising:

means for storing a predefined voice response script that has at least one signaling step included therein; and

means, responsive to the establishment of a connection from said personal computer to an interactive voice response system, for seriatim executing each signaling step of said predefined voice response script exclusive of said subscriber having to execute said voice response script for correction through said hierachy of service destinations.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein said means for seriatim executing comprises:

modem means, connected to a communication line, for establishing a communication connection from said personal computer to said interactive voice response system; and

means for activating said modem means to output touch tone signals over said communication connection.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein said means for activating comprises:

means for determining presence of an audio signal from said interactive voice response system on said communication connection; and

means, responsive to said means for determining, for executing a next unexecuted one of said at least one signalling step.

4. The system of claim 3 wherein said means for activating further comprises:

means for disabling operation of said means for executing after execution of a one of said at least one signalling step until said means for determining detects an absence of said audio signal from said interactive voice response system on said communication connection.

5. The system of claim 3 wherein said means for activating further comprises:

means, responsive to signals present on said communication connection indicative of connection to said desired destination, for executing at least one of said at least one signalling step to implement a data communication session with said desired destination.

6. The system of claim 2 further comprising:

means for storing data indicative of a user defined time at which said used desires said establishment of said connection to be initiated; and

means, responsive to a present time corresponding to said user defined time, for enabling operation of said means for activating.

7. The system of claim 1 further comprising:

means, responsive to said predefined voice response script being executed in its entirety, for terminating operation of said system for enabling personal computer access to a desired destination that is served by said interactive voice response system.

8. A method of operating a system, resident in a personal computer, for enabling a subscriber at said personal computer selected access to a desired service destination from a hierarchy of service destinations that is served by a voice response system, comprising the steps of:

storing in said personal computer a predefined voice response script that has at least one signaling step included therein; and

seratim executing, in response to the establishment of a connection from said personal computer to a voice response system, each signaling step of said predefined voice response script exclusive of said subscriber having to execute said voice response script, wherein said excuting step establishes said connection through said hierarchy of service destinations.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein said step of seriatim executing comprises:

establishing, via a modem that is connected to a communication line, a communication connection from said personal computer to said voice response system; and

activating said modem to output touch tone signals over said communication connection.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein said step of activating comprises:

determining presence of an audio signal from said voice response system on said communication connection; and

executing, in response to said step of determining, a next unexecuted one of said at least one signalling step.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein said step of activating further comprises:

disabling operation of said step of executing after execution of a one of said at least one signalling step until said step of determining detects an absence of said audio signal from said voice response system on said communication connection.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein said step of activating further comprises:

executing, in response to signals present on said communication connection indicative of connection to said desired destination, at least one of said at least one signalling step to implement a data communication session with said desired destination.

13. The method of claim 9 further comprising the steps of:

storing data indicative of a user defined time at which said used desires said establishment of said connection to be initiated; and

activating, in response to a present time corresponding to said user defined time, for enabling operation of said step of activating.

14. The method of claim 8 further comprising the step of:

terminating, in response to said predefined voice response script being executed in its entirety, operation of said system for enabling personal computer access to a desired destination that is served by said interactive voice response system.