Call-flow verification method and apparatus

• US 6,914,962 B2
• Filed: 12/14/2000
• Issued: 07/05/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/14/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Avaya Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Nortel Networks Limited (Nortel Networks Corporation)
• Inventors: Neary, Thomas S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tsang, Fan
• Assistant Examiner(s): Elahee, S
• Application Number:
  US09/736,914
• Publication Number:
  US 20020076008A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,664 Days
• Field of Search: 379/10.03, 379/88.01, 379/10.02, 379/22.02, 379/27.02, 379/67.1, 379/88.04, 370/352, 704/270, 705/43, 455/423, 455/572, 702/119
• US Class Current: 379/10.02
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/24 with provision for checking the normal operation
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/323 for the arrangements providing the connection (test connection, test call, call simulation)
• 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

After implementation of an interactive voice response (IVR) system providing voice prompts (i.e., utterances) to aid a telephone caller, it is desirable to provide call-flow verification to validate system accuracy, particularly under high-volume or saturation calling conditions. An IVR system has a call-flow verification (CFV) mode which can be activated for this purpose. In the CFV mode, the IVR system provides prompt signals which include coded signals representing the content of utterances. An automated call generator (ACG) unit places simulated user calls to the IVR system. The content of utterances is represented by coded signals included in prompt signals sent by the IVR system during the course of the simulated call and stored by the ACG unit. Verification can be applied for all possible paths an application might take (to check all possible go-right and error paths). By comparing content of received utterances represented by such coded signals with previously stored data representative of correct utterances, discrepancies are identified for call-flow verification. DTMF signals can be used to represent characters of an utterance in a coded format.

Claims

1. A call-flow verification method, for use with an interactive audio system having a call-flow verification (CFV) mode in which content of utterances responsive to an incoming call is represented by coded signals included in prompt signals, comprising:

(a) storing predetermined prompt data representative of content of correct utterances to be provided by the interactive audio system in response to specific data inputs;

(b) sending a first data input responsive to a first prompt signal received from the interactive audio system;

(c) receiving a second prompt signal responsive to said first data input and including coded signals representing content of an utterance label; and

(d) comparing content of said utterance label, as represented by such coded signals included in the second prompt signal, against content of an expected utterance label, as represented by the predetermined prompt data, to provide call-flow verification and identify call-flow discrepancies.

2. A call-flow verification method as in claim 1, for use with an interactive audio system having a selectable CFV mode activatable by a CFV sequence code, additionally comprising preceding step (b):

(x) via a call connection to the interactive audio system, activating the CFV mode by sending the CFV sequence code.

3. A call-flow verification method as in claim 1, additionally comprising:

e) providing a record of discrepancies identified by comparing content in step (d), said discrepancies comprising one or more of an inaccurate utterance, a missing utterance and an out of order utterance.

4. A call-flow verification method as in claim 1, additionally comprising:

e) sending a second data input responsive to the second prompt signal received from the interactive audio system;

f) receiving a third prompt signal responsive to said second data signal; and

g) comparing content of an utterance label represented by coded signals included in said third prompt signal against the predetermined prompt data.

5. A call-flow verification method as in claim 1, wherein said coded signals comprise DTMF signals representing utterance label characters in ASCII format.

6. A call-flow verification method as in claim 1, wherein the interactive audio system is adapted to enable activation of the CFV mode by transmission of a CFV mode activation command remotely to the interactive audio system.

7. A call-flow verification method as in claim 1, wherein the interactive audio system is adapted to enable activation of the CFV mode on one of:

a per call basis;

or a basis covering a plurality of calls received while the CFV mode is activated.

8. A call-flow verification method as in claim 1, wherein the interactive audio system is responsive to a CFV sequence code to activate the CFV mode when said mode is currently deactivated.

9. A call-flow verification method as in claim 1, wherein the interactive audio system is an interactive voice response telephone system.

10. A call-flow verification method as in claim 1, wherein steps (b), (c), and (d) are implemented by an automated call generator having access to said predetermined prompt data, to script data for calls placed to the interactive audio system, and to stored received prompt signals.

11. A call-flow verification method, for use with an interactive audio system having a call-flow verification (CFV) mode in which content of utterances responsive to an incoming call is represented by coded signals included in prompt signals, comprising:

(a) via a call to the interactive audio system, sending a first data input responsive to a first prompt signal received from the interactive audio system;

(b) via said call, receiving from the interactive audio system a second prompt signal responsive to said first data input; and

(c) comparing content of an utterance label as represented by coded signals included in said second prompt signal with predetermined content of a correct utterance label and identifying call-flow discrepancies to provide call-flow verification.

12. A call-flow verification method as in claim 11, for use with an interactive audio system having a selectable CFV mode activatable by CFV sequence code, additionally comprising preceding step (a):

(x) via a call to the interactive audio system, activating the CFV mode by sending the CFV sequence code.

13. A call-flow verification method as in claim 11, wherein said coded signals comprise DTMF tones representing utterance label characters in ASCII format.

14. A call-flow verification method comprising:

(a) providing an interactive voice response (IVR) system having a selectable call-flow verification (CFV) mode in which content of utterances responsive to an incoming call is represented by coded signals included in prompt signals, the CFV mode selectable by a CFV sequence code;

(b) storing predetermined prompt data representative of content of correct utterances to be provided by the IVR system in response to specific data inputs during incoming calls;

(c) activating the CFV mode by sending the CFV sequence code;

(d) sending a first data input responsive to a first prompt signal received from the IVR system;

(e) receiving from the IVR system a second prompt signal responsive to said first data input; and

(f) comparing content of an utterance label, as represented by coded signals included in said second prompt signal, against content of a correct utterance label as represented by predetermined prompt data, to provide call-flow verification and identify call-flow discrepancies.

15. A call-flow verification method as in claim 14, wherein said coded signals comprise DTMF tones representing utterance label characters in ASCII format.

16. A call-flow verification method as in claim 14, additionally comprising:

g) providing a record of discrepancies identified in step (F) said discrepancies comprising one or more of an inaccurate utterance, a missing utterance and an out of order utterance.

17. A call-flow verification (CFV) sequence code, for use with an interactive audio system providing audio signals including utterances, to activate a call-flow verification (CFV) mode, comprising:

at least one identification digit indicating the CFV mode is to be activated;

at least one frame digit indicating whether to include or exclude the utterance when providing an audio signal which includes DTMF signals representing the content of such utterance; and

at least one extent digit identifying the number of characters of an utterance which are to be represented by the DTMF signals representing content of that utterance.

18. A CFV sequence code as in claim 17, wherein said at least one extent digit identifies one of:

a specific number of alphanumeric characters; and

all of such characters of said utterance.

19. A CFV sequence code as in claim 17, wherein said at least one identification digit indicates both activation of an inactive CFV mode and deactivation of a previously activated CFV mode.

20. A CFV sequence code as in claim 17, wherein said code includes two identification digits to control activation of the CFV mode.

21. Call-flow verification apparatus, for use in an interactive audio system arranged to provide prompt signals including utterances to guide data entry by a user, comprising:

an encoding circuit to provide coded signals representative of content of utterances in coded format for inclusion in prompt signals; and

an activation circuit to enable activation of the encoding circuit so that prompt signals provided by the system include such coded signals in a form usable for call-flow verification purposes.

22. Call-flow verification apparatus as in claim 21, wherein the activation circuit permits selection of prompt signals comprising one of:

a combination of an utterance and coded signals representative of content thereof; and

coded signals representative of an utterance, without inclusion of such utterance.

23. Call-flow verification apparatus as in claim 21, wherein the activation circuit enables activation of the encoder to cause the coded signals included in a prompt signal to represent all characters of an utterance label represented by such coded signals.

24. Call-flow verification apparatus as in claim 21, wherein the encoding circuit provides coded signals comprising DTMF signals representing utterance characters in ASCII format.