Voice recognition and apparatus using model number lookup

• US 7,729,923 B2
• Filed: 10/10/2001
• Issued: 06/01/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/10/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: e2Interactive Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Nintendo of America, Inc. (Nintendo Company Limited)
• Inventors: O'Connor, Dean
• Primary Examiner(s): Hayes; John W
• Assistant Examiner(s): JOSEPH, TONYA S
• Application Number:
  US10/398,556
• Publication Number:
  US 20050100144A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,156 Days
• Field of Search: 705/1
• US Class Current: 705/1.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0837 Return transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/012 Providing warranty services
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/12 Accounting
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/40 using speech recognition speech recognition per se G10L15/00
• 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 3/4936 Speech interaction details speech recognition per se G10L15/00

Abstract

A voice response system for use in obtaining return qualification information for a product using a non-unique product identifier, including: a dial-in voice system operable to prompt a caller for the non-unique product identifier, wherein the non-unique product identifies the product as a member of a defined product group; a product registration database including a plurality of different, non-unique product identifiers; a return policy storage that defines return policies for each of the non-unique product identifiers; and an arrangement that looks up a specific return policy for the non-unique product identified entered by the caller and provides information to the caller regarding return qualification for the product identified by the non-unique product identifier.

Claims

1. A voice response system for use in obtaining return qualification information for a product using a non-unique product identifier, the voice response system comprising:

a dial-in system operable to prompt a caller for the non-unique product identifier, wherein the non-unique product identifier identifies the product as a member of a defined product group;

a product registration database including a plurality of different, non-unique product identifiers;

a return policy storage that defines return policies for each of the non-unique product identifiers, one or more of said return policies being at least partially dependent on a last date associated with at least one of the products identified by the non-unique product identifier; and

an arrangement that looks up a specific return policy for the non-unique product identifier entered by the caller and provides information to the caller regarding return qualification for the product identified by the non-unique product identifier, wherein the system is configured to make a return qualification of a first product having a non-unique identifier based at least in part on a last date associated with a second product having the same non-unique identifier, wherein the last date associated with the second product is a last ship date from a manufacturer to a retailer or a last sell-through date at a retailer.

2. The voice response system of claim 1, wherein the non-unique product identifier is a product model number.

3. The voice response system of claim 1, wherein the non-unique product identifier is a Universal Product Code (UPC).

4. The voice response system of claim 1, wherein the non-unique identifier is a Stock Keeping Unit (SKU).

5. The voice response system of claim 1, further including a watchdog process that periodically tests the operation of the system.

6. The voice response system of claim 1, wherein the database includes return qualification information for purchased products.

7. The voice response system of claim 1, wherein the first product is different from the second product.

8. A method of operating a voice response system, comprising:

storing different non-unique product identifiers into a system;

storing a return policy in the system for each of the non-unique product identifiers, wherein the return policy defines criteria under which products having the non-unique product identifier associated with the policy can be returned, one or more of the return policies being at least partially dependent on at least a last date associated with at least one of the products having the non-unique product identifier;

prompting a caller, using a dial-in voice system for a non-unique identifier associated with a product for which a return is desired;

determining, via the system, whether the entered non-unique product identifier corresponds to one of the stored non-unique product identifiers in the system;

obtaining a stored return policy for the non-unique product identifier based on the determination that the entered non-unique product identifier corresponds to one of the stored non-unique product identifiers in the system, wherein the system is configured to qualify a first product having a non-unique identifier for return based at least in part on a last date associated with a second product having the same non-unique identifier,

wherein the last date associated with the second product is a last shin date from a manufacturer to a retailer, or a last sell-through date at a retailer; and

communicating return qualification information based on the stored return policy back to the caller through the voice system.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the voice system prompts the user for a product model number as the non-unique product identifier.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the system is a product registration database.

11. The method of claim 8, further including using a watchdog process that periodically tests the operation of the system.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the first product is different from the second product.