Speech driven data selection in a voice-enabled program

• US 6,832,196 B2
• Filed: 03/30/2001
• Issued: 12/14/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Nuance Communications, Inc. (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Reich, David E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dorvil, Richemond
• Assistant Examiner(s): NOLAN, DANIEL A
• Application Number:
  US09/822,657
• Publication Number:
  US 20020173964A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,355 Days
• Field of Search: 704/270.1, 704/270, 704/275, 704/251, 704/260
• US Class Current: 704/270.1
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 2015/228 of application context
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4938 comprising a voice browser which renders and interprets, e.g. VoiceXML

Abstract

A method of dynamically formatting a speech menu construct can include a series of steps. A markup language document containing a reference to a server-side program can be provided. The server-side program can be programmed to dynamically format data using a voice-enabled markup language. A database can be accessed using the server-side program. The database can have a plurality of data items. Using the voice-enabled markup language, the selected data items can be formatted thereby creating speech menu items. The speech menu items can specify a speech menu construct resulting in a menu interface that is dynamically generated from data in data store, rather than being written by a programmer, and allows the user to “speak to the data.”

Claims

1. A method of dynamically formatting a speech menu construct comprising:

providing a markup language document containing a reference to a server-side program, said server-side program programmed to dynamically format data using a voice-enabled markup language;

accessing a database using said server-side program, said database having a plurality of data items;

selecting particular ones of said plurality of data items; and

formatting said selected data items using said voice-enabled markup language thereby creating speech menu items specifying a speech menu construct, wherein said selected data items from said database are used as said speech menu items.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

generating a speech grammar using said selected particular ones of said plurality of data items, wherein said speech grammar can be used to voice-process menu choices corresponding to said speech menu items in said speech menu construct.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said generated markup language specifying said speech menu is voice extensible markup language.

4. A system for generating a speech menu construct comprising:

a voice-enabled markup language document;

a server-side program accessible by a reference to said server-side program contained within said voice-enabled markup language document, wherein said server-side program is programmed to access a database of data items and format selected data items for inclusion within said speech menu construct using a voice-enabled markup language, wherein said selected data items from said database are used as said speech menu items.

5. A VoiceXML formatted machine readable storage, having stored thereon a computer program having a plurality of code sections executable by a machine for causing the machine to perform the steps of:

providing a markup language document containing a reference to a server-side program, said server-side program programmed to dynamically format data using VoiceXML;

accessing a database using said server-side program, said database having a plurality of data items;

selecting particular ones of said plurality of data items; and

formatting said selected data items using said voice-enabled markup language thereby creating speech menu items specifying a speech menu construct, wherein said selected data items from said database are used as said speech menus items.

6. A machine readable storage, having stored thereon a computer program having a plurality of code sections executable by a machine for causing the machine to perform the steps of:

providing a markup language document containing a reference to a server-side program, said server-side program programmed to dynamically format data using a voice-enabled markup language;

accessing a database using said server-side program, said database having a plurality of data items;

selecting particular ones of said plurality of data items; and

formatting said selected data items using said voice-enabled markup language thereby creating speech menu items specifying a speech menu construct, wherein said selected data items from said database are used as said speech menu items.

7. The machine readable storage of claim 6, further comprising:

generating a speech grammar using said selected particular ones of said plurality of data items, wherein said speech grammar can be used to voice-process menu choices corresponding to said speech menu items in said speech menu construct.

8. The machine readable storage of claim 6, wherein said generated markup language specifying said speech menu is voice extensible markup language.