Method and system for operating interactive voice response systems tandem

• US 7,263,177 B1
• Filed: 07/09/2004
• Issued: 08/28/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/15/2003
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sprint Spectrum LP (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Original Assignee: Sprint Spectrum LP (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Inventors: Cope, Warren B., Paterik, Thomas L., Kreamer, Michael C., Brown, Lori Lynne
• Primary Examiner(s): Gauthier; Gerald
• Application Number:
  US10/888,201
• Time in Patent Office: 1,145 Days
• Field of Search: 379/93.17, 379/90.01, 379/88.17, 379/265.09, 379/88.18, 370/352, 370/353
• US Class Current: 379/88.18
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/39 using speech synthesis speech synthesis per se G10L13/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/40 using speech recognition speech recognition per se G10L15/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/2011 Service processing based on information specified by a party before or during a call, e.g. information, tone or routing selection
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/15 Information service where the information is dependent on the location of the subscriber
• 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 3/5166 in combination with interactive voice response systems or voice portals, e.g. as front-ends
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/54 Arrangements for diverting calls for one subscriber to another predetermined subscriber based on the calling party profile H04M3/42059; based on location H04M3/42348; based on presence H04M3/42365; to voice mail H04M3/53308

Abstract

First and second voice interactive response systems operate in tandem. The first voice response system receives a call from a caller and interacts with the caller to provide information to the caller and/or obtain information from the caller. To make additional media services (e.g., automatic speech recognition or text-to-speech conversion) available for the interaction with the caller, the first voice response system extends the call to a second voice response system that is able to provide the additional media services.

Claims

1. A distributed interactive media system, said system comprising:

a location server, said location server storing a location of an interactive application;

an application server, said application server storing, at said location, said interactive application in a predetermined format,

a first voice response system for interacting with a caller in a communication session; and

a second voice response system, said second voice response system including a browser and at least one media resource, wherein said browser obtains said location from said location server and obtains said application in said predetermined format from said application server, said browser interpreting said interactive application and responsively invoking said at least one media resource;

a telecommunications network communicatively coupled to said first and second voice response systems,

wherein said first voice response system involves said second voice response system in said communication session when a predetermined condition is met.

2. The distributed interactive media system of claim 1, wherein said telecommunications network includes a circuit-switched network.

3. The distributed interactive media system of claim 1, wherein said telecommunications network includes a packet-switched network.

4. The distributed interactive media system of claim 1, wherein said first voice response system involves said second voice response system by extending said communication session through said telecommunications network to said second voice response system and by providing said second voice response system with a call identifier.

5. The distributed interactive media system of claim 4, wherein said call identifier includes a dialed number identification service (DNIS) number.

6. The distributed interactive media system of claim 4, wherein extending said communication session through said telecommunications network to said second voice response system comprises:

originating a voice call to said second interactive voice system.

7. The distributed interactive media system of claim 1, wherein said at least one media resource includes at least one automatic speech recognition (ASR) engine.

8. The distributed interactive media system of claim 1, wherein said at least one media resource includes at least one text-to-speech (TTS) engine.

9. The distributed interactive media system of claim 1, wherein said browser is a voice browser and wherein said predetermined format is a voice extensible markup language (VXML).

10. The distributed interactive media system of claim 1, wherein said location server associates said location with said at least one call identifier.

11. The distributed interactive media system of claim 10, wherein said location server functions as a redirection server by identifying said location in response to a request identifying said at least one call identifier.

12. The distributed interactive media system of claim 1, wherein said first voice response system functions as said application server.

13. The distributed interactive media system of claim 1, further comprising:

a call center, communicatively coupled to said second voice response system via said telecommunications network, said call center including an audio system for communication between said caller and a live operator and a data terminal for displaying to said live operator information collected from said caller during said communication session.

14. A method of providing an interactive media service, said method comprising:

a first voice response system receiving a call from a caller;

said first voice response system forwarding said call and forwarding at least one call identifier to a second voice response system, said second voice response system including a browser and at least one media resource;

said second voice response system obtaining an interactive application based on said at least one call identifier; and

said second voice response system controlling said at least one media resource in accordance with said interactive application by said browser interpreting said interactive application and responsively invoking said at least one media resource.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein said at least one call identifier includes a dialed number identification service (DNIS) number.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein said at least one media resource includes at least one automatic speech recognition (ASR) engine.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein said at least one media resource includes at least one text-to-speech (TTS) engine.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein obtaining an interactive application based on said at least one call identifier comprises:

(a) said browser sending a first request to a location server, said first request identifying said at least one call identifier;

(b) said browser receiving a location from said location server in response to said first request;

(c) said browser sending a second request to an application server, said second request identifying said location; and

(d) said browser receiving said interactive application from said application server in response to said second request.

19. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

collecting information from said caller, in accordance with said interactive application.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

said second voice respond system originating an outbound call to a call center to enable said caller to speak to a live operator.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

generating a tracking identifier;

sending said information and said tracking identifier to a control point.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

providing said tracking number in signaling to originate said outbound call.

23. The method of claim 22, further comprising:

said live operator receiving said outbound call; and

displaying said information to said live operator.