Testing voice message applications

• US 6,516,051 B2
• Filed: 11/29/2000
• Issued: 02/04/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/01/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Sanders, Jeremy Guy
• Primary Examiner(s): Tieu, Binh
• Application Number:
  US09/725,615
• Publication Number:
  US 20020006186A1
• Time in Patent Office: 797 Days
• Field of Search: 379/1.01, 379/1.02, 379/9.01, 379/9.03, 379/9.06, 379/10.01, 379/10.02, 379/10.03, 379/15.01, 379/22.02, 379/24, 379/27.01, 379/29.01, 379/29.02, 379/27.04, 702/119, 702/122
• US Class Current: 379/10.03
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/24 Arrangements for testing
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/08 Indicating faults in circuits or apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/24 with provision for checking the normal operation
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/533 Voice mail systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/006 Networks other than PSTN/ISDN providing telephone service, e.g. Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) , including next generation networks with a packet-switched transport layer H04L65/00 takes precedence; aspects not specific to the type of network H04M3/00; special services in those networks H04M3/42

Abstract

This invention relates to bulk testing of voice messaging applications by playing back an interaction from a recorded script. During development of a voice response system and application it is necessary to simulate a plurality of calls to the system so that the performance under strain can be monitored. Such a simulation can be performed by a bulk call generator which makes real telephone calls to the IVR through a private branch switch. However with bulk call testing some problems occur which rigorous functional and/or performance testing does not find. This is because real callers behave in unpredictable ways which were not expected or assumed by the creators of the functional and/or performance tests. Accordingly there is provided a test system, method and computer program product for testing a voice application in an interactive voice response (IVR) system, said method comprising: acquiring user interactions from a first voice response application dialogue between the IVR system and a user; mapping user interactions from the first voice response application dialogue into machine readable user interaction data such as a script; reproducing user interactions based on the machine readable user interaction data; and sending the simulated user interactions to a second voice response application under test. This solution addresses the problem by providing actual customer data for recreating customer reported problems in the laboratory instead of relying on a programmed bulk call generator.

Claims

1. A system for generating a test script for an interactive voice response (IVR) test system comprising:

recording means for acquiring user input data and IVR input data from a first voice response application dialogue between the IVR system and a user;

mapping means for mapping the user input data into a machine readable test script;

simulation means for producing user input interactions based on said mapped machine readable test script; and

output means for sending the simulated interactions to a voice response application under test.

2. A system as in claim 1 whereby the recording means acquires user interactions directly from voice input channels in the IVR durinq a live user interaction.

3. A system as in claim 2 whereby the machine readable test script comprises at least one event with at least one associated property.

4. A system as in claim 3 wherein the machine readable test script further comprises a tone event with at least one associated tone property.

5. A system as in claim 4 wherein the machine readable test script further comprises an indication of voiced or silence event periods with timing and duration properties.

6. A system as in claim 5 wherein the machine readable test script further comprises actual voice data of a voiced period with timing and duration periods.

7. A system as in claim 6 further comprising an indication of a hang up event and the timing of such an event when it occurs in a voice response application.

8. A system as in claim 7 further comprising backup means for recording the original state of the first telephony application including associated data, variables and registers.

9. A system as in claim 8 further comprises a call editing tool for manipulating the machine readable test script.

10. A method of generating a test script for an interactive voice response (IVR) system comprising:

acquiring user interactions from a first voice response application dialogue between the IVR system and a user;

mapping user interactions from the first voice response application dialogue into a machine readable test script;

reproducing user interactions based on said mapped machine readable test script; and

sending the simulated user interactions to a voice response application under test.

11. A method as in claim 10 further comprising acquiring user interactions directly from the voice input channels during a live user interaction.

12. A method as in claim 11 whereby the machine readable test script comprises at least one event with at least one associated property.

13. A method as in claim 12 wherein the machine readable test script further comprises a tone event.

14. A method as in claim 13 wherein the machine readable test script further comprises an indication of voiced or silence event periods with timing and duration properties.

15. A method as in claim 14 wherein the machine readable test script further comprises actual voice data of a voiced period with timing and duration periods.

16. A method as in claim 15 wherein the machine readable test script further comprises an indication of a hang up event and the timing of such an event when it occurs in a voice response application.

17. A method as in claim 16 further comprising recording the original state of the first telephony application including associated data, variables and registers as a backup file.

18. A method as in claim 17 further comprising manipulating the machine readable test script using an editing tool.

19. A computer product comprising a computer readable medium for use in generating a test script for an interactive voice response (IVR) system, the medium having recorded thereon computer code for instructing the steps of:

acquiring user interactions from a first voice response application dialogue between the IVR system and a user;

mapping user interactions from the first voice response application dialogue into machine readable test script;

reproducing user interactions based on said mapped machine readable test script; and

sending the simulated user interactions to a voice response application under test.

20. A computer product as in claim 19 further comprising program code for acquiring user interactions directly from the voice input channels during a live user interaction.

21. A computer product as in claim 20 whereby the machine readable test script comprises at least one event with at least one associated property.

22. A computer product as in claim 21 wherein the machine readable test script further comprises a tone event.

23. A computer product as in claim 22 wherein the machine readable test script further comprises an indication of voiced or silence event periods with timing and duration properties.

24. A computer product as in claim 23 wherein the machine readable test script further comprises actual voice data of a voiced period with timing and duration periods.

25. A computer product as in claim 24 wherein the machine readable test script further comprising an indication of a hang up event and the timing of such an event when it occurs in a voice response application.

26. A computer product as in claim 25 further comprising program code for recording the original state of the first telephony application including associated data, variables and registers as a backup file.

27. A computer product as in claim 26 further comprising program code for manipulating the machine readable test script.