Method for accessing data via voice

• US 8,185,394 B2
• Filed: 10/30/2008
• Issued: 05/22/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/04/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Siebel Systems Inc. (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Siebel Systems Inc. (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Jones, Shannon, Gorman, Richard, Ambrose, Jesse, Harb, Joseph, Haven, Chris
• Primary Examiner(s): Vo, Huyen X.
• Application Number:
  US12/261,550
• Publication Number:
  US 20090052635A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,300 Days
• Field of Search: 704/231, 704/251, 704/257, 704/270, 704/270.1, 704/275, 704 1- 10, 704/235, 379/88.16, 740/257, 740/270, 740/270.1
• US Class Current: 704/257
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/332 Query formulation
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4936 Speech interaction details speech recognition per se G10L15/00

Abstract

A method for providing access to data via a voice interface. In one embodiment, the system includes a voice recognition unit and a speech processing server that work together to enable users to interact with the system using voice commands guided by navigation context sensitive voice prompts, and provide user-requested data in a verbalized format back to the users. Digitized voice waveform data are processed to determine the voice commands of the user. The system also uses a “grammar” that enables users to retrieve data using intuitive natural language speech queries. In response to such a query, a corresponding data query is generated by the system to retrieve one or more data sets corresponding to the query. The user is then enabled to browse the data that are returned through voice command navigation, wherein the system “reads” the data back to the user using text-to-speech (TTS) conversion and system prompts.

Claims

1. A method for accessing an enterprise data system via telephone using a voice access system, comprising:

defining a set of grammars comprising a language and syntax in which data are stored as phonetic representations of the data;

retrieving selected data from the enterprise data system, wherein

a local database comprises header data that identify objects,

the local database is apart from the enterprise data system, and

the enterprise data system comprises detail data corresponding to the objects;

pre-compiling at least a portion of the selected data into predefined forms corresponding to the set of grammars;

storing the pre-compiled data in the local database;

receiving a request for a query, wherein the request comprises a spoken language query;

converting, using a processor, the spoken language query into a data request;

determining whether pre-compiled data corresponding to the data request is stored in the local database;

if pre-compiled data corresponding to the data request is stored in the local database, retrieving data corresponding to the query from the local database;

if pre-compiled data corresponding to the data request is not stored in the local database, retrieving data corresponding to the query from the enterprise data system; and

providing, in a verbal format, feedback data corresponding to the retrieved data.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

defining a set of objects for which data from the enterprise data system are to be pre-compiled;

defining a schedule identifying when data corresponding to the set of objects are to be pre-compiled; and

pre-compiling, based on the schedule, the data corresponding to the set of objects.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

enabling access to a domain of the enterprise data system, wherein each of a plurality of domains of the enterprise data system corresponds to a respective object or type of data.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

determining a navigation context;

receiving a navigation command;

updating the navigation context in response to the navigation command; and

providing a system prompt based on the navigation context, wherein

the spoken language query corresponds to the navigation context, and

the spoken language query is to be performed against data stored in the accessed domain.

5. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

enabling navigation in the accessed domain through spoken navigation commands.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

verifying a user identifier and a personal identification number (PIN) received via the voice access system.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the enterprise data system includes an object manager and data manager that enable access to data stored in the enterprise data system.

8. A system comprising:

a grammar definition circuit configured for defining a set of grammars, wherein the set of set of grammars comprises a language and syntax in which data are stored as phonetic representations of the data;

a first retrieval circuit configured to retrieve selected data from the enterprise data system, wherein

a local database comprises header data that identify objects,

the local database is apart from the enterprise data system, and

the enterprise data system comprises detail data corresponding to the objects;

a pre-compilation circuit configured to pre-compile at least a portion of the selected data into predefined forms corresponding to the set of grammars;

a memory configured to store the pre-compiled data in the local database;

a receiver module configured to receive a request for a query, wherein the request comprises a spoken language query;

a conversion circuit configured to convert the spoken language query into a data request;

a second retrieval circuit configured to;

if pre-compiled data corresponding to the data request is stored in the local database, retrieve data corresponding to the query from the local database; and

if pre-compiled data corresponding to the data request is not stored in the local database, retrieve data corresponding to the query from the enterprise data system;

a navigation circuit configured to enable navigation of the enterprise data system, wherein the navigation is based at least in part on spoken navigation commands; and

a responder circuit configured to provide, in a verbal format, feedback data corresponding to the retrieved data.

9. The system of claim 8, further comprising:

a definition circuit configured to define a set of objects for which data from the enterprise data system are to be pre-compiled;

a scheduling circuit configured to identify when data corresponding to the set of objects are to be pre-compiled; and

a pre-compilation circuit configured for pre-compiling, based on the schedule, the data corresponding to the set of objects.

10. The system of claim 8, further comprising:

an enabling circuit configured to enable access to a domain of the enterprise data system, wherein each of a plurality of domains of the enterprise data system corresponds to a respective object or type of data.

11. The system of claim 10, further comprising:

a navigation circuit configured to

determine a navigation context;

receive a navigation command;

update the navigation context in response to the navigation command; and

provide a system prompt based on the navigation context, wherein

the spoken language query corresponds to the navigation context, and

the spoken language query is to be performed against data stored in the accessed domain.

12. The system of claim 10, further comprising:

an enabling circuit configured to enable navigation in the accessed domain through spoken navigation commands.

13. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising instructions executable on a processor, wherein the instructions are operable to implement each of:

defining a set of grammars comprising a language and syntax in which data are stored as phonetic representations of the data;

retrieving selected data from an enterprise data system, wherein

a local database comprises header data that identify objects,

the local database is apart from the enterprise data system, and

the enterprise data system comprises detail data corresponding to the objects;

pre-compiling at least a portion of the selected data into predefined forms corresponding to the set of grammars;

storing the pre-compiled data in the local database;

receiving a request for a query, wherein the request comprises a spoken language query;

converting the spoken language query into a data request;

determining whether pre-compiled data corresponding to the data request is stored in the local database;

if pre-compiled data corresponding to the data request is stored in the local database, retrieving data corresponding to the query from the local database; and

if pre-compiled data corresponding to the data request is not stored in the local database, retrieving data corresponding to the query from the enterprise data system;

enabling user navigation of the enterprise data system, wherein the navigation is based at least in part on spoken navigation commands; and

providing, in a verbal format, feedback data corresponding to the retrieved data.

14. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 13, wherein the instructions are further operable to implement each of:

defining a set of objects for which data from the enterprise data system are to be pre-compiled;

defining a schedule identifying when data corresponding to the set of objects are to be pre-compiled; and

pre-compiling, based on the schedule, the data corresponding to the set of objects.

15. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 13, wherein the instructions are further operable to implement each of:

enabling access to a domain of the enterprise data system, wherein each of a plurality of domains of the enterprise data system corresponds to a respective object or type of data.

16. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein the instructions are further operable to implement each of:

determining a navigation context;

receiving a navigation command;

updating the navigation context in response to the navigation command;

providing a system prompt based on the navigation context, wherein

the spoken language query corresponds to the navigation context, and

the spoken language query is to be performed against data stored in the accessed domain.

17. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein the instructions are further operable to implement each of:

enabling navigation in the accessed domain through spoken navigation commands.