Method and system for dynamic conditional interaction in a VoiceXML run-time simulation environment

• US 7,890,594 B2
• Filed: 08/25/2008
• Issued: 02/15/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/12/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Nuance Communications, Inc. (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nuance Communications, Inc. (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Gavagni, Brett J., Hartley, Matthew W., Muschett, Brien H., Da Palma, William V.
• Primary Examiner(s): Chawan; Vijay B
• Application Number:
  US12/197,659
• Publication Number:
  US 20090012795A1
• Time in Patent Office: 904 Days
• Field of Search: 704/270, 704/270.1, 704/275, 709/206, 709/227, 709/237, 379/88.01
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/22 Procedures used during a speech recognition process, e.g. man-machine dialogue

Abstract

A method and system for testing voice applications, such as VoiceXML applications, is provided. The system provides a run-time simulation environment for voice applications that simulates and automates user interaction. A user simulation script is provided in a customized mark-up language. The voice application is processed to derive a nominal output of the voice application. The user simulation script is processed to generate a simulated output for the voice application corresponding to the nominal output. Conditional logic may be applied to the nominal output to generate a simulated input in response thereto. The user simulation script is specified in a customized mark-up language having a set of one or more conditional tags and an internal variable for the nominal output of the voice application.

Claims

1. A method for simulating a run-time user interaction with a voice application, said method comprising acts of:

loading a user simulation script programmed to specify simulated voice interactions with the voice application;

deriving from the voice application a nominal output;

generating a simulated output for the voice application corresponding to the nominal output; and

conditionally producing a first simulated input for the voice application if and only if the nominal output satisfies a first condition.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein deriving from the voice application the nominal output comprises deriving an audible nominal output.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein generating the simulated output for the voice application corresponding to the nominal output comprises generating a simulated output that is text based.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein conditionally producing the first simulated input comprises conditionally producing a simulated input that is audible.

5. A machine readable storage having stored thereon a computer program for simulating a dynamic run-time user interaction with a voice application, said computer program comprising a routine set of instructions which when executed by a machine cause the machine to perform the steps of:

loading a user simulation script programmed to specify simulated voice interactions with the voice application;

deriving from the voice application a nominal output;

generating a simulated output for the voice application corresponding to the nominal output;

generating a first simulated input for the voice application corresponding to a first pre-determined user input to the voice application, if the nominal output satisfies a first condition; and

generating a second simulated input for the voice application corresponding to a second pre-determined user input to the voice application, if the nominal output satisfies a second condition different from the first condition.

6. The machine readable storage of claim 5,

wherein the user simulation script is specified in a customized mark-up language, the customized mark-up language having a set of one or more conditional tags.

7. The machine readable storage claim 6,

wherein the customized mark-up language includes an internal variable for nominal output of the voice application.

8. The machine readable storage claim 7, further causing said machine to perform the steps of:

setting the internal variable to equal the nominal output of the voice application;

resolving a first conditional statement using a first conditional tag to generate the first simulated input if the internal variable equals a first nominal output of the voice application; and

resolving a second conditional statement using a second conditional tag to generate the second simulated input if the internal variable equals a second nominal output of the voice application.

9. A simulation tool for simulating a dynamic run-time user interaction with a voice application running on an application server, said tool being configured to load a user simulation script programmed to specify simulated voice interactions with the voice application, and to:

(i) process the voice application to derive a nominal output of the voice application;

(ii) process the user simulation script to generate a simulated output for the voice application corresponding to the nominal output;

(iii) process the user simulation script to generate a first simulated input for the voice application corresponding to a first pre-determined user input to the voice application, if the nominal output satisfies a first condition; and

(iv) process the user simulation script to generate a second simulated input for the voice application corresponding to a second predetermined user input to the voice application, if the nominal output satisfies a second condition different from the first condition.

10. The simulation tool of claim 9,

wherein the user simulation script is specified in a customized mark-up language, the customized mark-up language having a set of one or more conditional tags.

11. The simulation tool of claim 10,

wherein the customized mark-up language includes an internal variable for nominal output of the voice application.

12. The simulation tool of claim 11,

wherein the simulation tool is further configured to:

(i) set the internal variable to equal the nominal output of the voice application;

(ii) resolve a first conditional statement using a first conditional tag to generate the first simulated input if the internal variable equals a first nominal output of the voice application; and

(iii) resolve a second conditional statement using a second conditional tag to generate the second simulated input if the internal variable equals a second nominal output of the voice application.