Client customizable interactive voice response system

• US 7,515,695 B1
• Filed: 12/15/2003
• Issued: 04/07/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avaya Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Avaya Incorporated
• Inventors: Smith, Melanie L., Chan, Kevin, Hepworth, Neil
• Primary Examiner(s): Gauthier; Gerald
• Application Number:
  US10/736,923
• Time in Patent Office: 1,940 Days
• Field of Search: 379/88.18, 379/88.23, 379/221.09, 219/132, 704/270.1, 709/227
• US Class Current: 379/88.18
• 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

An Interactive Voice Response unit (IVR) is provided that includes a menu structure comprising a plurality of menus, each menu comprising a plurality of options that are selectable by a user, wherein the plurality of menus and each menu'"'"'s respective plurality of options define a plurality of potential navigation paths for the user through the menu structure and a processor operable to receive, from the user, a request to change the menu structure; effect the requested change to the menu structure; and associate the changed menu structure with the requesting user.

Claims

1. A method for customizing an Interactive Voice Response unit, comprising:

providing an interactive voice response unit (IVR), the IVR comprising a menu structure comprising a plurality of menus, each menu comprising a plurality of options that are selectable by a user, wherein the plurality of menus and each menu'"'"'s respective plurality of options define a plurality of potential navigation paths for the user through the menu structure;

receiving, from the user, a request to change the menu structure wherein, the request to change the menu structure is one or more of a request to hide a portion of the plurality of menus and a request to require authentication for a portion of the plurality of menus;

effecting the requested change to the menu structure; and

associating the changed menu structure with the requesting user.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the IVR comprises resource cards to handle digit collection from dual tone multi-frequency telephones, automatic speech recognition resources to detect user voice responses, and voice processing resources to record the user'"'"'s prompts.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing the user with at least two of the following options;

creating a new navigation path;

hiding a menu option;

editing a new navigation path;

adding an authentication requirement to a selected menu; and

deleting an authentication requirement from a selected menu.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the requested change includes creation of new navigation path.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the effecting and associating steps comprise:

creating a new navigation path at a location selected by the user;

saving the new navigation path in a configuration file associated with the user; and

recording a prompt from the user to indicate the new navigation path.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the requested change is a change to a new navigation path configured by the user.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein, in the creating and saving steps, a current position vector of the user is saved and associated with the user.

8. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

playing the recorded prompt to the user the next time the user is serviced by the IVR.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the requested change is to hide at least one of a menu and an option.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the effecting and associating steps comprise:

adding the at least one of a menu and an option to a set of menus and/or options to hide in a selected navigation path; and

saving the modified set of menus and/or options in a configuration file associated with the user.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

receiving a request from the user to play the hidden at least one of a menu and an option; and

playing the at least one of a menu and an option to the user.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

determining whether the at least one of a menu and an option is eligible to be hidden;

when the at least one of a menu and an option is eligible to be hidden, performing the effecting and associating steps; and

when the at least one of a menu and an option is ineligible to be hidden, not performing the effecting and associating steps.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the requested change is to add an authentication requirement associated with at least one of a menu and an option.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

prompting the user to enter authentication information; and

prompting the user at least one of to attach a file, enter a pathname to the file; and

to record a message to play to an authenticated user.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the requested change is to delete an authentication requirement associated with at least one of a menu and an option.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

prompting the user to enter authentication information;

validating the entered authentication information;

when the authentication information is successfully validated, performing the effecting step; and

when the authentication information is unsuccessfully validated, not performing the effecting step.

17. The method of claim 3, wherein the user is provided with all of the options.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the menu structure is associated with a server-based account of the user and further comprising, before the receiving step:

prompting the user for authentication information;

receiving the authentication information;

validating the authentication information;

when the authentication information is successfully validated, performing the receiving step; and

when the authentication information is unsuccessfully validated, not performing the receiving step.

19. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

selecting a shortcut code and associating the shortcut code with the new navigation path, whereby the user selects the new navigation path by entering the shortcut code.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein the change request is received through at least one of an audio and visual interface.

21. The method of claim 1, wherein the requested change is an edit to a new navigation path previously configured by the user.

22. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

restoring the hidden at least one of a menu and an option.

23. The method of claim 1, wherein the IVR is associated with a plurality of user accounts, each user account corresponding to a unique user, wherein each user has a corresponding set of changes to the menu structure, and wherein the sets of changes are different from one another.

24. A computer readable medium comprising instructions capable of being executed by a computer to perform the steps of claim 1.

25. A logic circuit configured to perform the steps of claim 1.

26. An Interactive Voice Response unit (IVR), comprising:

a processor operable to;

a menu structure comprising a plurality of menus, each menu comprising a plurality of options that are selectable by a user, wherein the plurality of menus and each menu'"'"'s respective plurality of options define a plurality of potential navigation paths for the user through the menu structure;

receive, from the user, a request to change the menu wherein, the request to change the menu structure is one or more of a request to hide a portion of the plurality of menus and a request to require authentication for a portion of the plurality of menus;

effect the requested change to the menu structure; and

associate the changed menu structure with the requesting user.

27. The IVR of claim 26, further comprising:

resource cards to handle digit collection from dual tone multi-frequency telephones, automatic speech recognition resources to detect user voice responses, and voice processing resources to record the user'"'"'s prompts.

28. The IVR of claim 26, wherein the processor is further operable to provide the user with at least two of the following options:

creating a new navigation path;

hiding a menu option;

editing a new navigation path;

adding an authentication requirement to a selected menu; and

deleting an authentication requirement from a selected menu.

29. The IVR of claim 26, wherein the requested change includes creation of new navigation path.

30. The IVR of claim 28, wherein the effecting and associating functions comprise the operations of:

creating a new navigation path at a location selected by the user;

saving the new navigation path in a configuration file associated with the user; and

recording a prompt from the user to indicate the new navigation path.

31. The IVR of claim 26, wherein the requested change is a change to a new navigation path configured by the user.

32. The IVR of claim 30, wherein, in the creating and saving operations, a current position vector of the user is saved in a file associated with the user.

33. The IVR of claim 30, wherein the processor is further operable to play the recorded prompt to the user the next time the user is serviced by the IVR.

34. The IVR of claim 26, wherein the requested change is to hide at least one of a menu and an option.

35. The IVR of claim 34, wherein the effecting and associating functions comprise the operations of:

adding the at least one of a menu and an option to a set of menus and/or options to hide in a selected navigation path; and

saving the modified set of menus and/or options in a configuration file associated with the user.

36. The IVR of claim 34, wherein the processor is further operable to receive a request from the user to play the hidden at least one of a menu and an option and play the at least one of a menu and an option to the user.

37. The IVR of claim 36, wherein the processor is further operable to:

determine whether the at least one of a menu and an option is eligible to be hidden;

when the at least one of a menu and an option is eligible to be hidden, perform the effecting and associating functions; and

when the at least one of a menu and an option is ineligible to be hidden, not perform the effecting and associating functions.

38. The IVR of claim 26, wherein the requested change is to add an authentication requirement associated with at least one of a menu and an option.

39. The IVR of claim 38, wherein the processor is further operable to:

prompt the user to enter authentication information; and

prompt the user at least one of to attach a file, enter a pathname to the file; and

to record a message to play to an authenticated user.

40. The IVR of claim 26, wherein the requested change is to delete an authentication requirement associated with at least one of a menu and an option.

41. The IVR of claim 40, wherein the processor is further operable to:

prompt the user to enter authentication information;

validate the entered authentication information;

when the authentication information is successfully validated, perform the effecting function; and

when the authentication information is unsuccessfully validated, not perform the effecting function.

42. The IVR of claim 28, wherein the user is provided with all of the options.

43. The IVR of claim 26, wherein the menu structure is associated with a server-based account of the user and wherein the processor is further operable to perform, before the receiving function, the functions of:

prompting the user for authentication information;

receiving the authentication information;

validating the authentication information;

when the authentication information is successfully validated, performing the receiving function; and

when the authentication information is unsuccessfully validated, not performing the receiving function.

44. The IVR of claim 29, wherein the processor is further operable to select a shortcut code and associate the shortcut code with the new navigation path, whereby the user selects the new navigation path by entering the shortcut code.

45. The IVR of claim 26, further comprising:

at least one of an audio and visual interface.

46. The IVR of claim 26, wherein the requested change is an edit to a new navigation path previously configured by the user.

47. The IVR of claim 36, wherein the processor is further operable to restore the hidden at least one of a menu and an option.

48. The IVR of claim 26, wherein the IVR is associated with a plurality of user accounts, each user account corresponding to a unique user, wherein each user has a corresponding set of changes to the menu structure, and wherein the sets of changes are different from one another.

49. An electronic memory in a contact center, comprising:

first and second user identifiers;

a menu structure comprising a plurality of menus, each menu comprising a plurality of options that are selectable by a user, wherein the plurality of menus and each menu'"'"'s respective plurality of options define a plurality of potential navigation paths for the user through the menu structure;

a first set of changes to the menu structure associated with the first user identifier; and

a second set of changes to the menu structure associated with the second user identifier, wherein the first and second sets are different, and

wherein, one or more of the first and second set of changes to the menu structure include one or more of a request to hide a portion of a menu and a request to require authentication for a portion of a menu.