System and method for creating and controlling interactive voice response applications

• US 6,718,017 B1
• Filed: 04/09/1999
• Issued: 04/06/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/09/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Concentrix CVG Customer Management Group, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Convergys Customer Management Group Incorporated (Convergys Corporation)
• Inventors: Price, Timothy M., Ramsay, John R., Unger, Nicholas K., Gray, Joshua T., Markle, David E.
• Primary Examiner(s): WEAVER, SCOTT LOUIS
• Application Number:
  US09/288,677
• Time in Patent Office: 1,824 Days
• Field of Search: 379/67.1, 379/76, 379/88.11, 379/88.16, 379/88.17, 379/88.22, 379/88.23, 379/201.01, 379/201.03
• US Class Current: 379/88.22
• 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

A system and method allows a customer company to create, modify and control interactive voice response (IVR) applications from a remote location. In one embodiment, a first IVR application is used to develop, modify and/or control a second IVR application. The first IVR application could be accessed by telephone or by computer using any type of data communications network. In alternate embodiments, a customer can use a computer at the customer'"'"'s location to develop a new IVR application which is then downloaded to an IVR service provider'"'"'s equipment. Alternatively, a customer could use a computer to access an IVR system, and a graphical or audio/graphical interface can be used to develop a new IVR application, or to modify and/or control pre-existing IVR applications.

Claims

1. A system for generating an interactive voice response application, comprising:

a memory device; and

a processor connected to the memory device and to a communications interface, wherein the processor is configured to pose a series of questions to a customer through the communications interface, wherein the processor is configured to receive customer responses to the series of questions through the communications interface, and wherein the processor is configured to generate a new interactive voice response application based on the customer responses.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the customer'"'"'s responses comprise pushing a key of a keypad, wherein response signals indicative of the key pushed by the customer are received by the processor via the communications interface, and wherein the processor is configured to interpret the response signals.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the customer'"'"'s responses comprise verbal responses that are received by the processor via the communications interface, and wherein the processor is configured to interpret the verbal responses using voice recognition techniques.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is also configured to record voice prompts generated by the customer and received through the communications interface, and wherein the processor is configured to integrate the recorded voice prompts into the generated interactive voice response application.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the customer'"'"'s responses comprise pushing keys of a customer'"'"'s telephone, and wherein the processor is configured to interpret DTMF tones generated by the customer'"'"'s telephone.

6. The system of claim 1, further comprising a sound recording device for recording audio responses from the customer.

7. The system of claim 6, herein the sound recording device is configured to record a customer response as a voice prompt, and wherein the processor is configured to integrate recorded voice prompts into the generated interactive voice response application.

8. The system of claim 1, further comprising a report generator for generating reports of information regarding an interactive voice response application.

9. A method of creating an interactive voice response application, comprising the steps of:

accessing a first interactive voice response (IVR) application;

said first IVR application posing a series of questions to a customer with an automated interrogation system;

said first IVR application receiving the customer'"'"' responses to the series of questions;

said first IVR application interpreting the customer'"'"'s responses; and

said first IVR application generating a new interactive voice response application based on the customer responses.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising the step of recording at least one voice prompt generated by the customer in response to one of the series of questions.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the step of generating an interactive voice response application comprises integrating the at least one recorded voice prompt into the interactive voice response application.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the customer responses comprise verbal responses, and wherein the interpreting step comprises interpreting the verbal responses using voice recognition techniques.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the customer responses comprise pushing keys of a keypad of a customer'"'"'s telephone, and wherein the interpreting step comprises interpreting DTMF tones generated by the customer'"'"'s telephone.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein the customer responses comprise pushing keys of a keyboard of a customer'"'"'s computer or selecting an option using a pointing device of the customer'"'"'s computer.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the receiving step comprises receiving response signals generated by the customer'"'"'s computer via a communications network.

16. A computer readable medium storing a set of instructions, wherein the instructions enable a computer to perform a plurality of program steps as a first interactive voice response application, comprising:

posing a series of questions to a customer with an automated interrogation system;

receiving the customer'"'"'s responses to the series of questions;

interpreting the customer'"'"'s responses; and

generating a new interactive voice response application based on the customer responses.