Web-based generation of telephony-based interactive voice response applications

• US 6,456,699 B1
• Filed: 11/30/1998
• Issued: 09/24/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: AT&T Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: DeSimone, Joseph, Burg, Frederick Murray
• Primary Examiner(s): Hoosain, Allan
• Application Number:
  US09/201,180
• Time in Patent Office: 1,394 Days
• Field of Search: 379/67.1, 379/76, 379/88.01, 379/88.04, 379/88.13, 379/88.14, 379/88-5-, 379/88.18, 379/88.22, 379/88.23, 379/88.24, 379/88.25, 379/93.09, 379/93.11, 379/93-2-, 379/100.01, 379/100.13, 379/102.03, 379/201, 379/213, 379/216, 379/900, 379/902, 379/908, 379/265.09, 379/265.02, 379/266.07, 379/201.01, 379/201.03, 379/201.12, 704/270, 704/271, 704/260, 704/290, 704/275, 707/218, 707/501, 709/513, 709/531
• US Class Current: 379/88.17
• 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
• 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 2203/2061 Language aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/254 where the visual mode comprises menus
• 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 3/4936 Speech interaction details speech recognition per se G10L15/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4938 comprising a voice browser which renders and interprets, e.g. VoiceXML
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 379/908 Multimedia

Abstract

A computer system and method for analysis and translation of Web on-line menu architectures to Interactive Voice Response (IVR) menu architectures. The system analyzes Uniform Resource Location (URL) links in HyperText Markup Language (HTML) documents that comprise the Web menus and develops corresponding IVR menus. Once the system has developed a validated IVR menu architecture, the system supports both on-line Web users and IVR users with a common set of structured information databases. The system and method also supports analysis and translation of IVR menu architectures to support Web on-line users. The common information databases contain the IVR and Web menu architectures as well as product specifications and prices.

Claims

1. A method comprising the steps of:

analyzing a menu structure that supports interactive voice response users;

creating a web page which embodies a graphic representation of prompts contained in the menu structure;

generating links to the menu structure based on the analysis, the links being usable for on-line users;

receiving inputs from an on-line user which correspond to selection of one or more of the prompts;

linking the on-line selection of prompts to corresponding interactive voice response prompts;

connecting the on-line user to a choice of the menu structure based on the selected prompts; and

selecting a representative to communicate with the on-line user based on the execution of the selected prompts.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of connecting the on-line user to a choice of the menu structure is by a telephone connection.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the telephone connection is a TAPI connection.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the telephone connection is an internet telephony connection.

5. The method of claim 2, the connection replicating interactive voice response prompts.

6. The method of claim 2, the connection by-passing interactive voice response prompts.

7. A method comprising:

analyzing a menu structure that supports interactive voice response users;

generating a representation of the menu structure using the analysis, the representation being usable for on-line users;

connecting an on-line user to a choice on the representation of the menu structure by a telephone connection, wherein the telephone connection is a TAPI connection.

8. The method of claim 7, the connection replicating interactive voice response prompts.

9. The method of claim 7, the connection by-passing interactive voice response prompts.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the telephone connection is an internet telephony connection.