Apparatus and method for analyzing an automated response system

• US 6,823,054 B1
• Filed: 03/04/2002
• Issued: 11/23/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/05/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Cx360 Incorporated, Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: BBNT Solutions LLC (Rtx Corporation), Verizon Corporate Services Group Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Suhm, Bernhard, Peterson, Patrick
• Primary Examiner(s): Tsang, Fan
• Assistant Examiner(s): Anwah, Olisa
• Application Number:
  US10/090,369
• Time in Patent Office: 995 Days
• Field of Search: 379/88.04, 379/88.18, 379/112.01, 379/88.01, 379/266.1, 379/88.03, 379/134, 704/275, 704/200, 704/231, 704/251, 704/25
• US Class Current: 379/134
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/00 Arrangements for metering, time-control or time indication ; Metering, charging or billing arrangements for voice wireline or wireless communications, e.g. VoIP
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/41 Billing record details, i.e. parameters, identifiers, structure of call data record [CDR]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/43 Billing software details
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/58 based on statistics of usage or network monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0164 Billing record, e.g. Call Data Record [CDR], Toll Ticket[TT], Automatic Message Accounting [AMA], Call Line Identifier [CLI], details, i.e. parameters, identifiers, structure
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0188 Network monitoring; statistics on usage on called/calling number
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/2218 Call detail recording
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/36 Statistical metering, e.g. recording occasions when traffic exceeds capacity of trunks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42221 Conversation recording systems at the subscriber's set H04M1/656
• 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 3/51 Centralised call answering arrangements requiring operator intervention , e.g. call or contact centers for telemarketing
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5166 in combination with interactive voice response systems or voice portals, e.g. as front-ends
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5175 Call or contact centers supervision arrangements

Abstract

A system for analyzing an interactive voice response (IVR) system of a call processing center determines a complete sequence of events occurring within the IVR system. The IVR system being operable to automatically accept calls from callers and respond to input from the callers. The system models a call flow of the IVR system as a non-deterministic finite-state automaton. A recording of a plurality of calls to the call processing center is split, such that each of plural calls to the call center is in one audio file. For a plurality of calls, the system detects a complete sequence of DTMF and/or speech input to the IVR system, detects selected prompts issued by the IVR system, and inputs the detected sequence of DTMF and/or speech input as well as the detected prompts issued by the IVR system into the finite-state automaton to determine a call-event sequence for that call. The call-event sequence includes information regarding how that call left the IVR system.

Claims

1. A method of determining a complete sequence of events occurring within an interactive voice response (IVR) system of a call processing center, the IVR system able to automatically accept calls from callers and respond to input from callers, said method comprising the steps of:

modeling a call flow of the IVR system as a non-deterministic finite-state automaton;

splitting a recording of plural calls to the call processing center, such that each of the plural calls to the call center is in one audio file;

for a plurality of calls, detecting a complete sequence of DTMF and/or speech input to the IVR system;

for a plurality of calls, detecting selected prompts issued by the IVR system; and

for a plurality of calls, inputting the detected sequence of DTMF and/or speech input as well as the detected prompts issued by the IVR system into the finite-state automaton to infer using the complete sequence of DTMF and/or speech input prompts that were issued by the IVR system but not detected, and thereby determine a call-event sequence for that call,

wherein the call-event sequence includes information regarding how that call left the IVR system.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the selected prompts are prompts that immediately follow an ambiguous transition within the IVR system, an ambiguous transition occurring when a next state of the finite-state automaton depends on internal processing of the IVR system, when a timeout caused by an absence of caller input leads to a specific new path, and when a caller can respond to a prompt by speaking.

3. An apparatus for determining a complete sequence of events occurring within an interactive voice response (IVR) system of a call processing center, the IVR system able to automatically accept calls from callers and respond to input from callers, said apparatus comprising:

means for modeling a call flow of the IVR system as a non-deterministic finite-state automaton;

means for splitting a recording of plural calls to the call processing center, such that each of the plural calls to the call center is in one audio file;

means for, for a plurality of calls, detecting a complete sequence of DTMF and/or speech input to the IVR system;

means for, for a plurality of calls, detecting selected prompts issued by the IVR system; and

means for, for a plurality of calls, inputting the detected sequence of DTMF and/or speech input as well as the detected prompts issued by the IVR system into the finite-state automaton to infer using the complete sequence of DTMF and/or speech input prompts that were issued by the IVR system but not detected, and thereby determine a call-event sequence for that call,

wherein the call-event sequence includes information regarding how that call left the IVR system.

4. An apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the selected prompts are prompts that immediately follow an ambiguous transition within the IVR system, an ambiguous transition occurring when a next state of the finite-state automaton depends on internal processing of the IVR system, when a timeout caused by an absence of caller input leads to a specific new path, and when a caller can respond to a prompt by speaking.

5. A system for determining a complete sequence of events occurring within an interactive voice response (IVR) system of a call processing center, the IVR system able to automatically accept calls from callers and respond to input from callers, said system being operable to:

model a call flow of the IVR system as a non-deterministic finite-state automaton;

split a recording of plural calls to the call processing center, such that each of the plural calls to the call center is in one audio file;

for a plurality of calls, detect a complete sequence of DTMF and/or speech input to the IVR system;

for a plurality of calls, detect selected prompts issued by the IVR system; and

for a plurality of calls, input the detected sequence of DTMF and/or speech input as well as the detected prompts issued by the IVR system into the finite-state automaton to infer using the complete sequence of DTMF and/or speech input prompts that were issued by the IVR system but not detected, and thereby determine a call-event sequence for that call,

wherein the call-event sequence includes information regarding how that call left the IVR system.

6. A system according to claim 5, wherein the selected prompts are prompts that immediately follow an ambiguous transition within the IVR system, an ambiguous transition occurring when a next state of the finite-state automaton depends on internal processing of the IVR system, when a timeout caused by an absence of caller input leads to a specific new path, and when a caller can respond to a prompt by speaking.

7. A computer program product embodying a program for implementing a method of determining a complete sequence of events occurring within an interactive voice response (IVR) system of a call processing center, the IVR system able to automatically accept calls from callers and respond to input from callers, said computer program product comprising:

code for modeling a call flow of the IVR system as a non-determinatic finite-state automation;

code for splitting a recording of plural calls to the call processing center, such that each of the plural calls to the call center is in one audio file;

code for, for a plurality of calls, detecting a complete sequence of DTMF and/or speech input to the IVR system;

code for, for a plurality of calls, detecting selected prompts issued by the IVR system; and

code for, for a plurality of calls, inputting the detected sequence of DTMF and/or speech input as well as the detected prompts issued by the IVR system into the finite-state automaton to infer using the complete sequence of DTMF and/or speech input prompts that were issued by the IVR system but not detected, and thereby determine a call-event sequence for that call,

wherein the call-event sequence includes information regarding how that call left the IVR system.

8. A computer program product according to claim 7, wherein the selected prompts are prompts that immediately follow an ambiguous transition within the IVR system, an ambiguous transition occurring when a next state of the finite-state automaton depends on internal processing of the IVR system, when a timeout caused by an absence of caller input leads to a specific new path, and when a caller can respond to a prompt by speaking.