Method and system for interjecting comments to improve information presentation in spoken user interfaces

• US 7,903,792 B2
• Filed: 07/08/2009
• Issued: 03/08/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/18/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Shadow Prompt Technology AG
• Original Assignee: Enterprise Integration Group, Inc. (Perspecta, Inc.)
• Inventors: Stringham, Rex, Balentine, Bruce, Munroc, Justin
• Primary Examiner(s): Anwah; Olisa
• Application Number:
  US12/499,478
• Publication Number:
  US 20090268886A1
• Time in Patent Office: 608 Days
• Field of Search: 379/88.16, 379/201, 379/68, 379/72, 379/76, 704/257, 704/270, 704/275, 704/255
• US Class Current: 379/76
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]

Abstract

A method and an apparatus for providing audio information to a user. The method and apparatus provide information in multiple modes that represent various pieces of information and/or alternatives.

Claims

1. A method of providing an audio menu to a user of an IVR, the method comprising the steps of:

determining whether a secondary prompt is required to be played to the user of the IVR;

upon a determination that the secondary prompt is required to be played, determining whether the audio menu is a speech-foreground menu;

upon a determination that the menu is a speech-foreground menu, playing the secondary prompt in a second mode, the secondary prompt being in a grammatical form corresponding to the grammatical form of the audio menu, wherein the grammatical form comprises at least one of a declarative form, an imperative form, and an other form, and wherein the secondary prompt is played in a speech-foreground mode; and

upon a determination that the audio menu is not a speech-foreground menu, playing the secondary prompt in a second mode, wherein the secondary prompt is played in a DTMF-foreground mode.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said secondary prompt is provided in one of:

a different voice than the interjecting comment, a different volume than the interjecting comment, or with a different speed than the interjecting comment.

2. A method of providing an audio menu to a user of an IVR, the method comprising the steps of:

playing a primary prompt to the user by the IVR;

determining whether an secondary prompt has been played previously to the user by the IVR;

upon a determination that the secondary prompt has not been played previously, determining whether the menu is a speech-foreground menu;

upon a determination that the audio menu is a speech-foreground menu, playing the secondary prompt in a second mode, the secondary prompt being in a grammatical form corresponding to the grammatical form of the audio menu, wherein the grammatical form comprises at least one of a declarative form, an imperative form, and an other form, and wherein the secondary prompt is played in a speech-foreground mode; and

upon a determination that the audio menu is not a speech-foreground menu, playing the secondary prompt in a second mode, wherein the secondary interjecting comment is played in a DTMF-foreground mode.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein said secondary prompt is provided in one of:

a different voice than the interjecting comment, a different volume than the interjecting comment, or with a different speed than the interjecting comment.

5. A computer program product for providing an audio menu to a user of an IVR, the computer program product having a medium with a computer program embodied thereon, the computer program comprising instructions to:

determining whether an secondary prompt is required to be played;

upon a determination that the secondary prompt is required to be played, determining whether the audio menu is a speech-foreground menu;

upon a determination that the audio menu is a speech-foreground menu, playing said secondary prompt in a second mode, the secondary prompt being in a grammatical form corresponding to the grammatical form of the audio menu, wherein the grammatical form comprises at least one of a declarative form, an imperative form, and an other form, and wherein the secondary prompt is played in a speech-foreground mode; and

upon a determination that the audio menu is not a speech-foreground menu, playing a secondary prompt in a second mode, wherein the interjecting comment is played in a DTMF-foreground mode.

6. The computer program product of claim 5 wherein said secondary prompt is provided in one of:

a different voice than the interjecting comment, a different volume than the interjecting comment, or with a different speed than the interjecting comment.

7. A computer program product for providing an audio menu to a user of an IVR, the computer program product having a medium with a computer program embodied thereon, the computer program comprising instructions to:

play a primary prompt;

determine whether an secondary prompt has been played previously;

upon a determination that the secondary prompt has not been played previously, determining whether the audio menu is a speech-foreground menu;

upon a determination that the audio menu is a speech-foreground menu, play the secondary prompt in a second mode, the secondary prompt being in a grammatical form corresponding to the grammatical form of the audio menu, wherein the grammatical form comprises at least one of a declarative form, an imperative form, and an other form, and wherein the secondary prompt is played in a speech-foreground mode; and

upon a determination that the audio menu is not a speech-foreground menu, play the secondary prompt in a second mode, wherein the secondary prompt is played in a DTMF-foreground mode.

8. The computer program product of claim 7 wherein said secondary prompt is provided in one of:

a different voice than the interjecting comment, a different volume than the interjecting comment, or with a different speed than the interjecting comment.