Telephony signals containing an IVR decision tree

• US 7,215,743 B2
• Filed: 12/20/2002
• Issued: 05/08/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Creamer, Thomas E., Moore, Victor S., Katz, Neil A., Jaiswal, Peeyush
• Primary Examiner(s): Gauthier; Gerald
• Application Number:
  US10/324,917
• Publication Number:
  US 20040120479A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,600 Days
• Field of Search: 379/88.18, 379/202, 379/257, 379/374, 379/67.1, 379/88.23, 370/352, 370/401, 370/338, 705/6, 705/26, 705/43
• US Class Current: 379/88.18
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/254 where the visual mode comprises menus
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/355 Interactive dialogue design tools, features or methods
• 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 method for receiving and presenting interactive voice response data can include sending a telephony connectivity request for establishing a voice channel connection between an originating device and a interactive voice response system. Prior to establishing the voice channel connection, an interactive voice response menu associated with said interactive voice response system can be received via a ringback channel. At least a portion the interactive voice response menu can be presented to a user of the originating device.

Claims

1. A method for receiving and presenting interactive voice response data, the method comprising the steps of:

sending a telephony connectivity request for establishing a voice channel connection between an originating device and an interactive voice response system;

prior to establishing said voice channel connection, receiving an interactive voice response menu associated with said interactive voice response system via a ringback channel, said interactive voice response menu including a plurality of user-selectable navigation nodes for navigating said interactive voice response menu;

downloading and storing said interactive voice response menu at said originating device;

presenting prior to establishing said voice channel connection at least a portion of said interactive voice response menu to a user of said originating device; and

conveying a user-selected navigation node selected by a user from the plurality of user-selectable navigation nodes to said interactive voice response system, said user-selected node being conveyed to said interactive voice response system prior to establishing said voice channel connection.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

conveying said interactive voice response menu from said originating device to a presenting device communicatively linked said originating device;

presenting said interactive voice response menu with said presenting device and;

interactively navigating said interactive voice response menu using said presenting device.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising disconnecting said originating device from said ringback channel after downloading and storing said interactive voice response menu and before said voice channel connection is established.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein said presenting step occurs after downloading and storing said interactive voice response menu and after disconnecting said originating device from said ringback channel and before said voice channel connection is established by utilizing said presenting device communicatively linked to said originating device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said conveying step comprises transmitting said user-selected node to said interactive voice response system via a calling tone (CNG) channel.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising the step of:

establishing said voice channel connection with said interactive voice response system, wherein said user-selected node is received via the CNG channel before said establishing step.

7. The method of claim 5, further comprising the step of:

establishing said voice channel connection with said interactive voice response system;

conveying at least one additional user-selected node after said establishing step; and

,

navigating to a location within said interactive voice response system specified by said additional user-selected node.

8. A method for providing interactive voice response data to a telephony device comprising the steps of:

receiving a telephony connectivity request for establishing a voice channel connection between an originating device and an interactive voice response system, wherein said interactive voice response system contains an internal interactive voice response decision tree having a plurality of user-selectable navigation nodes for navigating said interactive voice response system;

prior to establishing said voice channel connection, transmitting an interactive voice response menu specifying at least a portion of said interactive voice response decision tree to said originating device via a ringback channel;

downloading and storing said interactive voice response menu to said originating device

prior to establishing said voice channel connection, presenting at least a portion of said interactive voice response menu to a user of said originating device; and

conveying a user-selected navigation node selected by a user from the plurality of user-selectable navigation nodes to said interactive voice response system, said user-selected node being conveyed to said interactive voice response system prior to establishing said voice channel connection.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising the step of:

dynamically generating said at least a portion of said interactive voice response menu.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising the steps of:

accessing specific information based upon said originating device; and

,

modifying at least a portion of said interactive voice response menu based upon said specific information.

11. The method of claim 8, further comprising the step of:

prior to establishing said voice channel connection, terminating a connection with said originating device.

12. The method of claim 8, further comprising the steps of:

conveying said user-selected node specifying a node within said interactive voice response menu via a calling tone (CNG) channel; and

,

responsively navigating to a location within said interactive voice response system specified by said user-selected node.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising the step of:

establishing said voice channel connection between said originating device and said interactive voice response system, wherein said user-selected node is received via the CNG channel before said establishing step.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising the steps of:

establishing said voice channel connection between said originating device and said interactive voice response system; and

conveying at least one additional user-selected node is received after said establishing step.

15. The method of claim 8, further comprising the steps of:

prior to establishing said voice channel connection, receiving an interactive voice response option via a calling tone (CNG) channel.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising the steps of:

responsive to information contained within said interactive voice response option, generating an option response; and

,

transmitting said option response to said originating device via a ringback channel prior to establishing said voice channel connection.

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

sending a telephony connectivity request for establishing a voice channel connection between an originating device and an interactive voice response system;

prior to establishing said voice channel connection, receiving an interactive voice response menu associated with said interactive voice response system via a ringback channel, said interactive voice response menu including a plurality of user-selectable navigation nodes for navigating said interactive voice response menu;

downloading and storing said interactive voice response menu at said originating device;

presenting prior to establishing said voice channel connection at least a portion of said interactive voice response menu to a user of said originating device; and

conveying a user-selected navigation node selected by a user from the plurality of user-selectable navigation nodes to said interactive voice response system, said user-selected node being conveyed to said interactive voice response system prior to establishing said voice channel connection.

18. The computer readable storage medium of claim 17, further comprising the steps of:

conveying said interactive voice response menu from said originating device to a presenting device communicatively linked to said originating device;

presenting said interactive voice response menu with said presenting device and;

interactively navigating said interactive voice response menu using said presenting device.

19. The computer readable storage medium of claim 18, further comprising disconnecting said originating device from said ringback channel after downloading and storing said interactive voice response menu and before said voice channel connection is established.

20. The computer readable storage medium of claim 18, wherein said presenting step occurs after downloading and storing said interactive voice response menu and after disconnecting said originating device from said ringback channel and before said voice channel connection is established by utilizing said presenting device communicatively linked to said originating device.

21. The computer readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein said conveying step comprises transmitting said user-selected node to said interactive voice response system via a calling tone (CNG) channel.

22. The computer readable storage medium of claim 21, further comprising the step of:

establishing said voice channel connection with said interactive voice response system, wherein said user-selected node is received via the CNG channel before said establishing step.

23. The computer readable storage medium of claim 21, further comprising the step of:

establishing said voice channel connection with said interactive voice response system;

conveying at least one additional user-selected node after said establishing step; and

,

navigating to a location within said interactive voice response system specified by said additional user-selected node.

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

receiving a telephony connectivity request for establishing a voice channel connection between an originating device and an interactive voice response system, wherein said interactive voice response system contains an internal interactive voice response decision tree having a plurality of user-selectable navigation nodes for navigating said interactive voice response system;

prior to establishing said voice channel connection, transmitting an interactive voice response menu specifying at least a portion of said interactive voice response decision tree to said originating device via a ringback channel;

downloading and storing said interactive voice response menu to said originating device

prior to establishing said voice channel connection, presenting at least a portion of said interactive voice response menu to a user of said originating device; and

conveying a user-selected navigation node selected by a user from the plurality of user-selectable navigation nodes to said interactive voice response system, said user-selected node being conveyed to said interactive voice response system prior to establishing said voice channel connection.

25. The computer readable storage medium of claim 24, further comprising the step of:

dynamically generating said at least a portion of said interactive voice response menu.

26. The computer readable storage medium of claim 24, further comprising the steps of:

accessing specific information based upon said originating device; and

,

modifying at least a portion of said interactive voice response menu based upon said specific information.

27. The computer readable storage medium of claim 24, further comprising the step of:

prior to establishing said voice channel connection, terminating a connection with said originating device.

28. The computer readable storage medium of claim 24, further comprising the steps of:

conveying said user-selected node specifying a node within said interactive voice response menu via a calling tone (CNG) channel; and

,

responsively navigating to a location within said interactive voice response system specified by said user-selected node.

29. The computer readable storage medium of claim 28, further comprising the step of:

establishing said voice channel connection between said originating device and said interactive voice response system, wherein said user-selected node is received via the CNG channel before said establishing step.

30. The computer readable storage medium of claim 28, further comprising the steps of:

establishing said voice channel connection between said originating device and said interactive voice response system; and

conveying at least one additional user-selected node after said establishing step.

31. The computer readable storage medium of claim 24, further comprising the steps of:

prior to establishing said voice channel connection, receiving an interactive voice response option via a calling tone (CNG) channel.

32. The computer readable storage medium of claim 31, further comprising the steps of:

responsive to information contained within said interactive voice response option, generating an option response; and

,

transmitting said option response to said originating device via a ringback channel prior to establishing said voice channel connection.