Voice response unit mapping

• US 8,615,396 B2
• Filed: 09/02/2008
• Issued: 12/24/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/02/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Grigsby, Travis M., Jania, Frank L., Miller, Steven M., Seacat, Lisa A.
• Primary Examiner(s): ALBERTALLI, BRIAN LOUIS
• Application Number:
  US12/202,691
• Publication Number:
  US 20100057456A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,939 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 704/235
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/22 Procedures used during a speech recognition process, e.g. man-machine dialogue

Abstract

A system, method and program product for mapping voice response units (VRUs). A system is provided that includes: an interrogation system for interrogating a VRU and gathering a hierarchical set of options associated with the VRU; a map building system for converting the hierarchical set of options into a VRU map suitable for display; and a user interface for displaying the VRU map to an end user.

Claims

1. A system for providing voice response unit (VRU) maps, comprising:

an interrogation system for interrogating a VRU and gathering a hierarchical set of options associated with the VRU;

a map building system for converting the hierarchical set of options into a VRU map suitable for display; and

a user interface for displaying the VRU map to an end user;

wherein the interrogation system includes a profile system for providing a set of starter templates for mapping the hierarchical set of options.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the interrogation system includes a system for automatically calling the VRU and navigating the hierarchical set of options.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the interrogation system includes a speech recognition system for converting spoken options broadcast from the VRU to text.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein the interrogation system includes the profile system for resolving ambiguous options spoken by the VRU.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the VRU map comprises a tree.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the user interface comprises a web page.

7. A computer readable medium having a program product stored thereon for providing voice response unit (VRU) maps, comprising:

program code for interrogating a VRU and gathering a hierarchical set of options associated with the VRU;

program code for converting the hierarchical set of options into a VRU map suitable for display; and

program code for displaying the VRU map to an end user;

wherein the program code for interrogating includes a set of starter templates for mapping the hierarchical set of options.

8. The computer readable medium of claim 7, wherein the program code for interrogating automatically calls the VRU and navigates the hierarchical set of options.

9. The computer readable medium of claim 8, wherein the program code for interrogating includes a speech recognition system for converting spoken options broadcast from the VRU to text.

10. The computer readable medium of claim 8, wherein the program code for interrogating includes a profile database for resolving ambiguous options spoken by the VRU.

11. The computer readable medium of claim 7, wherein the VRU map comprises a tree.

12. The computer readable medium of claim 7, wherein the user interface comprises a web page.

13. A method of providing voice response unit (VRU) maps, comprising:

interrogating a VRU and gathering a hierarchical set of options associated with the VRU;

converting the hierarchical set of options into a VRU map suitable for display; and

displaying, by a processor, the VRU map to an end user;

wherein the interrogating includes utilizing a set of starter templates for mapping the hierarchical set of options.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the interrogating automatically calls the VRU and navigates the hierarchical set of options.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the interrogating includes converting spoken options broadcast from the VRU to text.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the interrogating includes providing a profile database for resolving ambiguous options spoken by the VRU.

17. A method for deploying a system for providing voice response unit (VRU) maps, comprising:

providing a computer infrastructure being operable to;

interrogate a VRU and gathering a hierarchical set of options associated with the VRU;

convert the hierarchical set of options into a VRU map suitable for display; and

display, by a processor, the VRU map to an end user;

wherein the interrogating includes utilizing a set of starter templates for mapping the hierarchical set of options.