Apparatus and method for coordinating user responses to a call processing tree

• US 6,295,342 B1
• Filed: 02/25/1998
• Issued: 09/25/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 02/25/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Enterprise Systems Technologies S.a.r.l. (Atos SE)
• Original Assignee: Siemens Information And Communication Networks, Inc. (Siemens AG)
• Inventors: Kaminsky, Mark E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tsang, Fan
• Assistant Examiner(s): Foster, Roland G.
• Application Number:
  US09/030,728
• Time in Patent Office: 1,308 Days
• Field of Search: 379/71, 379/76, 379/88.16, 379/88.22, 379/88.23, 379/88.25, 379/90.01, 379/93.12, 379/93.25, 379/201, 379/67.1, 379/88.18, 704/270
• US Class Current: 379/88.23
• 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 3/533 Voice mail systems

Abstract

An apparatus and method for coordinating multiple user responses solicited from a user during a session with a call processing application includes receiving a first transmission from a user via a communication network, the transmission causing a voice channel control unit of an IVR unit to open a voice-form voice file. A first request is transmitted to the user, soliciting a first user response, the request being stored in a voice file database of the IVR unit. After receiving the first response, the first response is recorded into the voice-form voice file. A second request is transmitted to the user requesting a second user response. The second user response is appended to the voice-form voice file after it is received. A termination message is transmitted to the user informing the user that the current interaction with the IVR unit is complete. A system administrator configures the call processing application stored in an application database of the IVR unit. Voice files associated with mailboxes of the call processing application are stored in the voice file database accessible to the voice channel control unit.

Claims

1. A method for coordinating multiple user responses solicited from a user during a session with an interactive voice response (IVR) unit comprising the steps of:

receiving a first transmission from a user communication device via a communication network;

as a response to said first transmission, determining whether a system state is set to open voice-form, said open voice-form system state indicating the existence of a currently open voice-form source file;

opening a first voice-form voice file in response to receiving said first transmission and determining that said system state is not set to open voice-form, said first voice-form voice file having an unspecified size;

transmitting a first response request from said IVR unit to said user, thereby soliciting a first user response;

recording said first user response into said voice-form voice file after receiving said first user response from said user communication device;

transmitting at least one second response request from said IVR unit to said user, thereby soliciting at least one second user response;

appending each said second user response to said voice-form voice file after receiving each said second user response from said user communication device such that said voice-form voice file is a continuous file;

transmitting a termination greeting to said user, said termination greeting informing said user that a current session between said user and said IVR unit is complete; and

storing a single address of said voice-form voice file in an application database.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of storing an address of said voice-form voice file in local memory separate from said application database.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein said step of storing said address of said voice-form voice file in local memory includes storing said address in a non-volatile random access memory (NVRAM).

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of:

transmitting a menu selection request to said user with instructions to select from a menu of options;

receiving a menu selection from said user;

proceeding to a first voice-forms comment mailbox based upon said menu selection;

accessing a selection-indicator voice file in said first voice-forms comment mailbox, said voice-forms comment mailbox including a selection-indicator greeting indicative of said menu selection received from said user; and

appending said selection-indicator greeting to said voice-form voice file.

5. The method of claim 4 further comprising the steps of appending a separator tone into said voice-form voice file prior to said step of appending each said second user response, and appending said separator tone to said voice-form voice file prior to said step of appending said selection-indicator greeting to said voice-form voice file.

6. The method of claim 4 further comprising the steps of appending a separator tone to said voice-form voice file after said step of recording said first user response into said voice-form voice file, appending said separator tone to said voice-form voice file after said step of appending each said second user response, and appending said separator tone to said voice-form voice file after said step of appending said selection-indicator greeting to said voice-form voice file.

7. The method of claim 1 comprising the further steps of:

after said step of appending each said second user response, proceeding to a second voice-forms comment mailbox including a voice file containing a mailbox identity message;

accessing said mailbox identity greeting; and

appending said mailbox identity greeting to said voice-form voice file.

8. An IVR unit capable of coordinating multiple user responses solicited from a user during a session with said IVR unit comprising:

a user interface configured to transmit command signals in response to a transmission received from a remotely located user communication device, execution of instructions contained in said command signals enabling said user to traverse through a plurality of mailboxes of a call processing application supported by said IVR unit, said command signals including a create voice file command, an append voice information to voice file command, a play voice command, and a save voice file command;

a voice channel control unit configured to create a new voice-form voice file having an unspecified size in response to said create voice file command and to append user generated voice information into said voice-form voice file in response to said append voice information to voice file command such that said voice form voice file is a continuous file of a plurality of user responses submitted during a single call session, said control unit further being configured to play a voice file over the communication link in response to the play voice command, and to save said voice-form voice file in response to said save voice file command;

an application database connected to said user interface, said application database having memory storing said call processing application, said application database being configured to transmit mailbox information to said user interface including mailbox identity information and a single address of each voice file associated with said mailboxes of said call processing application; and

a voice file database connected to said voice channel control unit, said voice file database being configured to store said voice-form voice file in response to said save command signal from said voice channel control unit such that said voice-form voice file is associated with a single address.

9. The IVR unit of claim 8 further comprising a digital signal processor configured to convert signals received from said remotely located user communication device into digital signals formatted to be compatible for processing by said user interface.

10. The IVR unit of claim 8 wherein said voice file database includes a separator tone voice file, said call processing application further being configured to append a separator tone to an unstored voice-form voice file between recorded user responses in said voice-form voice file.

11. The IVR of claim 8 further comprising random access memory (RAM) connected to said voice channel control unit, said RAM being configured to temporarily store said voice-form voice file until said voice-form voice file is closed.

12. The IVR unit of claim 11 wherein said RAM is non-volatile random access memory (NVRAM).

13. The IVR unit of claim 11 wherein said voice channel control unit is configured to store voice-form status data in said RAM, said voice-form status data including an open voice-form state and a closed voice-form state, said open voice-form state indicating the presence of an unstored voice-form voice file, said closed voice-form state indicating the absence of an unstored voice-form voice file.

14. The IVR unit of claim 8 further comprising a system administration program configured to enable an operator of said IVR unit to configure said call processing application and store said call processing application in said application database to meet the requirements of said operator.

15. The IVR unit of claim 8 wherein said call processing application includes a voice-forms comment mailbox, said voice-forms comment mailbox including a greeting voice file storing a greeting descriptive of one of a menu selection and a voice-forms body mailbox identity, said call processing application being configured to direct said voice channel control unit to append said greeting in said greeting voice file into said voice-form voice file.

16. A method for coordinating multiple user responses solicited from a user during a session with an IVR unit comprising the steps of:

receiving a transmission from a remotely located user communication device;

determining whether a system state is set to open voice form indicating the presence of a first unstored voice-form voice file;

storing an address of said unstored voice-form voice file if said system state is set to open voice form;

accessing a first greeting to be transmitted to said user from a voice-forms head mailbox in a voice file database, said first greeting including a request for a first user response;

creating a second voice-form voice file;

recording said first user response to said request into said second voice-form voice file;

setting a system state to voice-form-open;

accessing a second greeting of a voice-forms body mailbox from said voice file database, said second greeting including a second request for a second response from said user;

appending said second response into said second voice-form voice file after receiving said second response from said user such that said second voice-form voice file is a continuous file;

accessing a third greeting in a voice-forms tail mailbox stored in said voice file database, said third greeting including a session termination message;

transmitting said session termination message to said user;

storing a single address of said second voice-form voice file in said voice-forms head mailbox; and

setting said system state to voice-form-closed.

17. The method of claim 16 further comprising the steps of appending a separator tone to said second voice-form voice file after said step of recording said first response and appending said separator tone to said second voice-form voice file after said step of appending said second response.

18. The method of claim 16 further comprising the steps of appending a separator tone to said voice-form voice file after said step of recording said first user response into said voice-form voice file, appending said separator tone to said voice-form voice file after said step of appending each said second user response, and appending said separator tone to said voice-form voice file after said step of appending said selection-indicator greeting to said voice-form voice file.

19. The method of claim 16 further comprising the steps of:

accessing a fourth greeting contained in a menu mailbox, said fourth greeting including a menu of options and directions to said user to select from said menu;

receiving a response from said user including a user selection from said menu;

accessing a fifth greeting in a voice-forms comment mailbox from said voice file database, said fifth greeting including an identification of said user selection; and

appending said fifth greeting to said second voice-form voice file.