Method and system for providing menu tree assistance

• US 7,783,305 B2
• Filed: 03/08/2006
• Issued: 08/24/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/08/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: General Motors LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: General Motors LLC (General Motors Company)
• Inventors: Ross, Steven J., Johnson, Richard A.
• Primary Examiner(s): PATEL, HEMANT SHANTILAL
• Application Number:
  US11/370,684
• Publication Number:
  US 20070211880A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,630 Days
• Field of Search: 34042618-4262, 340/989, 370351-356, 379 8801- 8808, 4554041-4042, 455/414.1, 4554563-4566, 7042701-275, 709201-203
• US Class Current: 455/456.3
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/26 Speech to text systems G10L15/08 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/002 with telemetering systems telemetering in general G08C
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/405 involving speaker-dependent recognition
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/254 where the visual mode comprises menus
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4936 Speech interaction details speech recognition per se G10L15/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/51 Centralised call answering arrangements requiring operator intervention , e.g. call or contact centers for telemarketing

Abstract

A method for providing menu tree assistance includes receiving a voice request from a user via a telematics unit and a wireless network and determining a voice menu tree based on the voice request. The method further includes receiving at least one response based on the voice menu tree, determining a failure or confirmation based on the at least one response and converting the response to data based on the determined confirmation. The method further includes recording the response based on the determined failure and providing the recorded response and data to an advisor at a call center. A system and a computer readable medium including computer program code are also disclosed.

Claims

1. A method for providing menu tree assistance, the method comprising:

receiving a voice request from a user via a telematics unit;

determining a voice menu tree based on the voice request;

receiving at least one voice response from the user based on the voice menu tree;

attempting speech recognition on the voice response;

determining a speech recognition failure based on the voice response; and

thereafter;

sending the received voice response as an audio file to a call center via a wireless carrier system;

playing the voice response to an advisor at the call center; and

providing assistance to the user from the call center in response to the playing of the voice response.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises, after the step of determining a voice menu tree and prior to the step of receiving at least one voice response, carrying out at least one iteration of the following steps (i) through (iii):

(i) receiving a voice input from the user;

(ii) carrying out speech recognition on the voice input; and

(iii) prompting the user for subsequent input based on a successful confirmation of the speech recognition; and

wherein the step of receiving at least one voice response further comprises receiving the voice response after prompting the user for subsequent input.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising the step of obtaining data concerning usage of the voice menu tree, and wherein the sending step further comprises sending the data to the call center, and wherein the method further comprises the step of providing a screen display to the advisor using the data.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the step of providing a screen display further comprises providing a script for use by the advisor in providing assistance to the user.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the steps of playing the voice response and providing a screen display together further comprise the step of providing the screen display while playing the voice response to the advisor.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the playing step further comprises playing the voice response to a live advisor at the call center.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of sending vehicle-related information to the call center.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the vehicle-related information further comprises the location of a vehicle.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining and attempting steps are carried out at a vehicle using a speech recognition engine.

10. A method for providing menu tree assistance, the method comprising:

(a) receiving a voice request from a user via a vehicle telematics unit;

(b) providing at least one voice menu tree of user-selectable options in response to the voice request;

(c) receiving from the user a voice response to the provided voice menu tree of user-selectable options;

(d) attempting speech recognition on the voice response received from the user;

(e) storing a previous usage of at least one voice menu tree by the user; and

(f) if the attempted speech recognition is unable to recognize the voice response, then sending the voice response and the stored previous usage to a call center via a wireless carrier system.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising the step of receiving the voice request from a user at a vehicle telematics unit.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising the step of displaying the stored previous usage of at least one voice menu tree by the user on a display at the call center.

13. The method of claim 10, further comprising the step of audibly playing the sent voice response at the call center.

14. The method of claim 10, further comprising the step of generating a suggested script for an advisor to recite to the user.

15. The method of claim 10, further comprising the step of sending vehicle-related information to the call center.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein vehicle-related information further comprises the location of a vehicle.

17. The method of claim 10, further comprising recording the voice response based on the inability of the attempted speech recognition to recognize the verbal response.

18. A method for providing menu tree assistance, the method comprising:

(a) receiving a voice request from a user at a vehicle telematics unit;

(b) providing at least one voice menu tree of user-selectable options in response to the voice request;

(c) receiving from the user a voice response to the provided voice menu tree of options;

(d) attempting speech recognition on the received voice response;

(e) storing a previous usage of at least one voice menu tree by the user; and

(f) if the attempted speech recognition is unable to recognize the voice response,

(i) sending the voice response and the stored previous usage to a call center via a wireless carrier system;

(ii) audibly playing the voice response for an advisor; and

(iii) displaying the previous usage of at least one voice menu tree by the user on a screen display in the call center.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising the step of generating a suggested script for an advisor to recite to the user.

20. The method of claim 18, further comprising the step of displaying the reason a performed speech recognition is unable to recognize the voice response.

21. The method of claim 18, further comprising the step of sending vehicle-related information to the call center.