System and method for programming portable devices from a remote computer system

• US 6,662,163 B1
• Filed: 03/30/2000
• Issued: 12/09/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Voxware, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Voxware, Inc.
• Inventors: Puterbaugh, John D., Vetter, David C., Albayrak, Ray, Stewart, Lee, Vanderborgh, Craig, Meade, Sherri L.
• Primary Examiner(s): ABEBE, DANIEL DEMELASH
• Application Number:
  US09/539,200
• Time in Patent Office: 1,349 Days
• Field of Search: 704/260, 704/275, 704/270, 704/235, 704/246, 704/277, 704/243, 379/88.01, 379/88.17, 379/88.22, 379/93, 379/93.12
• US Class Current: 704/275
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/18 wireless networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/40 terminals with audio html browser
• 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

Abstract

An interactive voice response system includes a server and a set of mobile clients. The server and clients include RF transceivers for exchanging messages over an RF channel. Each mobile client includes a microphone, a speaker or headset, a processor and a voice browser. The voice browser interprets voice pages received from the server. Upon receiving a particular voice page from the server, the voice browser outputs via the speaker voice prompts specified by the voice page. A speech recognition engine used by the voice browser converts voice responses from a user into a text response. The voice browser then performs an action based on the text response. The action taken may be to request a new voice page from the server, or to continue to interpret the current voice page.

Claims

1. A method of exchanging information with a plurality of mobile users, comprising:

exchanging messages between a server and a plurality of mobile client units, using wireless RF transmissions, each mobile client unit being used by a respective one of the mobile users;

at each mobile client unit;

receiving from the server a respective first voice page, and interpreting the respective first voice page by;

speaking via a speaker voice prompts specified by the respective first voice page, receiving and converting voice responses from the user of the mobile client unit into text responses, and performing an action based on at least one of the text responses;

wherein

the action performed is selected from the set consisting of requesting a new voice page from the server and continuing to interpret the respective first voice page;

the server executes a warehouse management application that generates application data in response to a request from any one of the mobile client units, and executes an interface module that converts the application data into the new voice page; and

executing the warehouse management application generates one or more voice pages that cause the one mobile client unit to perform the steps of;

playing an audio prompt-telling a user to go to a specified location;

waiting for the user to speak a check string corresponding to the specified location, thereby confirming the user is at the specified location;

playing an audio prompt instructing the user to perform a task;

waiting for the user to confirm the task is completed; and

repeating the telling, first waiting, playing and second waiting steps.

2. A method of exchanging information with a plurality of mobile users, comprising:

exchanging messages between a server and a plurality of mobile client units, using wireless RF transmissions, each mobile client unit being used by a respective one of the mobile users;

at each mobile client unit;

receiving from the server a respective first voice page, and interpreting the respective first voice page by;

speaking via a speaker voice prompts specified by the respective first voice page, receiving and converting voice responses from the user of the mobile client unit into text responses, and performing an action based on at least one of the text responses;

wherein

the action performed is selected from the set consisting of requesting a new voice page from the server and continuing to interpret the respective first voice page;

the server executes a manufacturing management application that generates manufacturing application data in response to a request from any one of the mobile client units, and executes an interface module that converts the manufacturing application data into the new voice page; and

executing the manufacturing application generates one or more voice pages that cause the one mobile client unit to perform the steps of;

playing an audio prompt telling a user to go to a specified location;

waiting for the user to speak a check string corresponding to the specified location, thereby confirming the user is at the specified location;

playing an audio prompt instructing the user to perform a task;

waiting for the user to confirm the task is completed; and

repeating the telling, first waiting, playing and second waiting steps.

3. A method of exchanging information with a plurality of mobile users, comprising:

exchanging messages between a server and a plurality of mobile client units, using wireless RF transmissions, each mobile client unit being used by a respective one of the mobile users;

at each mobile client unit;

receiving from the server a respective first voice page, and interpreting the respective first voice page by;

speaking via a speaker voice prompts specified by the respective first voice page, receiving and converting voice responses from the user of the mobile client unit into text responses, and performing an action based on at least one of the text responses;

wherein

the action performed is selected from the set consisting of requesting a new voice page from the server and continuing to interpret the respective first voice page;

the server executes an application that generates data in response to a request from any one of the mobile client units, and executes an interface module that converts the data into the new voice page; and

executing the application generates one or more voice pages that cause the one mobile client unit to perform the steps of;

playing an audio prompt instructing the user to perform a task;

waiting for the user to confirm the task is completed; and

repeating the playing and waiting steps.

4. An interactive voice response system, comprising:

a server having an RF transceiver; and

a plurality of mobile client units having RF transceivers for exchanging messages with the server, each mobile client unit including a microphone, a speaker, a processor, and a voice browser;

the voice browser for interpreting a first voice page received from the server, speaking via the speaker voice prompts specified by the first voice page, converting voice responses from a user into a text response and performing an action based on the text response;

wherein

the action performed is selected from the set consisting of requesting a new voice page from the server and continuing to interpret the first voice page;

the server is configured to execute a warehouse management application that generates application data in response to a request from any one of the mobile client units, and to execute an interface module that converts the application data into the new voice page; and

the warehouse management application includes instructions for generating one or more voice pages that cause a mobile client unit of the plurality of mobile client units to perform the steps of;

playing an audio prompt telling the user to go to a specified location;

waiting for the user to speak a check string corresponding to the specified location, thereby confirming the user is at the specified location;

playing an audio prompt instructing the user to perform a task;

wait for the user to confirm the task is completed; and

repeating the telling, first waiting, playing and second waiting steps.

5. An interactive voice response system, comprising:

a server having an RF transceiver; and

a plurality of mobile client units having RF transceivers for exchanging messages with the server, each mobile client unit including a microphone, a speaker, a processor, and a voice browser;

the voice browser for interpreting a first voice page received from the server, speaking via the speaker voice prompts specified by the first voice page, converting voice responses from a user into a text response and performing an action based on the text response;

wherein

the action performed is selected from the set consisting of requesting a new voice page from the server and continuing to interpret the first voice page;

the server is configured to execute a manufacturing management application that generates manufacturing application data in response to a request from any one of the mobile client units, and to execute an interface module that converts the manufacturing application data into the new voice page; and

the manufacturing application includes instructions for generating one or more voice pages that cause a mobile client unit of the plurality of mobile client units to perform the steps of;

playing an audio prompt telling the user to go to a specified location;

waiting for the user to speak a check string corresponding to the specified location, thereby confirming the user is at the specified location;

playing an audio prompt instructing the user to perform a task;

wait for the user to confirm the task is completed; and

repeating the telling, first waiting, playing and second waiting steps.

6. An interactive voice response system, comprising:

a server having an RF transceiver; and

a plurality of mobile client units having RF transceivers for exchanging messages with the server, each mobile client unit including a microphone, a speaker, a processor, and a voice browser;

the voice browser for interpreting a first voice page received from the server, speaking via the speaker voice prompts specified by the first voice page, converting voice responses from a user into a text response and performing an action based on the text response;

wherein

the action performed is selected from the set consisting of requesting a new voice page from the server and continuing to interpret the first voice page;

the server is configured to execute an application that generates data in response to a request from any one of the mobile client units, and to execute an interface module that converts the data into the new voice page; and

the application includes instructions for generating one or more voice pages that cause a mobile client unit of the plurality of mobile client units to perform the steps of;

playing an audio prompt instructing a user of the mobile client unit to perform a task;

wait for the user to confirm the task is completed; and

repeating the playing and waiting steps.