Multimodal interactive voice response system

• US 8,654,934 B2
• Filed: 04/21/2011
• Issued: 02/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/21/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Genesys Cloud Services Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Angel.com, Inc. (Genesys Cloud Services Incorporated)
• Inventors: Saylor, Michael Jerry, Bouzid, Ahmed Tewfik, Durgani, Prakash Bhagwan, Rennyson, David James, Perera, Prasanna Sajeewa Naleen
• Primary Examiner(s): Gauthier, Gerald
• Assistant Examiner(s): King, Simon
• Application Number:
  US13/092,090
• Publication Number:
  US 20110286586A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,034 Days
• Field of Search: 379/88.01, 379/88.18, 379/265.09, 704/270
• US Class Current: 379/88.01
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72436 for text messaging, e.g. short messaging services [SMS] or e-mails
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/2066 Call type detection of indication, e.g. voice or fax, mobile of fixed, PSTN or IP
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/252 where a voice mode is enhanced with visual information
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42059 Making use of the calling party identifier
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/493 Interactive information services, e.g. directory enquiries ; Arrangements therefor, e.g. interactive voice response [IVR] systems or voice portals
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4938 comprising a voice browser which renders and interprets, e.g. VoiceXML
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0036 where the data service is an information service
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/006 Networks other than PSTN/ISDN providing telephone service, e.g. Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) , including next generation networks with a packet-switched transport layer H04L65/00 takes precedence; aspects not specific to the type of network H04M3/00; special services in those networks H04M3/42
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/16 Communication-related supplementary services, e.g. call-transfer or call-hold

Abstract

Multi-modal interaction with a telephonic device using a call handling system is enabled by receiving a call at an interactive voice response (IVR) system of the call handling system, the call being received from a telephonic device of a caller. A voice communications session between the IVR and the telephonic device is established in response to the call. Whether the telephonic device is capable of processing multi-modal communications is determined. Based on determining that the telephonic device is not capable of processing multi-modal communications, the IVR is enabled to access and audibly deliver voice page content to the caller via the voice communications session. Alternatively, based on determining that the telephonic device is capable of processing multi-modal communications, the call handling system is configured to exchange multi-modal communications with the telephonic device during the call.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving a call at an interactive voice response (IVR) system of a call handling system, the call being received from a telephonic device of a caller;

establishing a voice communications session between the IVR and the telephonic device in response to the call;

determining whether the telephonic device is capable of processing multi-modal communications;

based on determining that the telephonic device is not capable of processing multi-modal communications, enabling the IVR to access and audibly deliver voice page content to the caller via the voice communications session; and

based on determining that the telephonic device is capable of processing multi-modal communications, configuring the call handling system to exchange multi-modal communications with the telephonic device during the call, wherein configuring the call handling system to exchange multi-modal communications with the telephonic device includes;

establishing a data communications session between an application server associated with the call handling system and the telephonic device for communication of data during the call,

enabling the IVR to execute content of one or more voice pages to exchange voice information with the caller via the voice communications session, and

enabling the application server associated with the call handling system to execute content of one or more multimedia pages linked to the one or more voice pages to communicate text, image or video information to the caller via the data communications session.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein enabling the application server to execute content of one or more multimedia pages linked to the one or more voice pages further includes enabling the application server to execute content of one or more multimedia pages linked to the one or more voice pages to communicate text and image information to the caller via the data communications session.

3. The method of claim 1, the method further comprising configuring an application in the telephonic device such that the telephonic device is enabled to exchange text, image, or video data with a voice site via the data communications session with the application server and exchange voice information with the voice site via the voice communications session with the IVR.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the exchange of voice information with the caller via the voice communications session and communication of text, image or video information to the caller via the data communications session occur such that the caller is able to exchange voice information while at the same time perceiving or providing the text, image or video information during the call.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein configuring the call handling system to exchange multi-modal communications with the telephonic device further includes:

allocating shared memory in the call handling system for interacting with the telephonic device, and

enabling the application server and the IVR to read from and write to the shared memory during interaction with the telephonic device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein enabling the application server to execute the content of one or more multimedia pages includes enabling the application server to execute content of a particular multimedia page that is linked to a particular voice page based on a reference to the particular multimedia page included in the particular voice page.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein enabling the application server to execute the content of the particular multimedia page comprises enabling the IVR to send an instruction to the application server based on encountering the reference to the particular multimedia page during execution of the content of the particular voice page by the IVR.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein enabling the IVR to send an instruction to the application server comprises enabling the IVR to send an instruction that instructs the application server to execute scripts or programming modules corresponding to the content of the particular multimedia page.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein enabling the IVR to execute the content of one or more voice pages includes enabling the IVR to execute the content of a particular voice page that is linked to a particular multimedia page based on a reference to the particular voice page included in the particular multimedia page.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein enabling the IVR to execute the content of one or more voice pages comprises enabling the IVR to execute the content of the particular voice page based on the reference to the particular voice page being encountered during processing of the content of the particular multimedia page, the executing of the particular voice page occurring upon completion of execution of the content of the multimedia page by the application server.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein enabling the IVR to execute content of one or more voice pages further includes enabling the IVR to execute scripts that were generated based on the content of the one or more voice pages.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein enabling the application server to execute content of one or more multimedia pages further includes enabling the application server to execute scripts that were generated based on the content of the one or more multimedia pages.

13. A system comprising:

one or more processors;

one or more instructions encoded in non-transitory machine-readable storage media for execution by the one or more processors and when executed by the one or more processors operable to;

receive a call at an interactive voice response (IVR) system of a call handling system, the call being received from a telephonic device of a caller;

establish a voice communications session between the IVR and the telephonic device in response to the call;

determine whether the telephonic device is capable of processing multi-modal communications;

based on determining that the telephonic device is not capable of processing multi-modal communications, enable the IVR to access and audibly deliver voice page content to the caller via the voice communications session; and

based on determining that the telephonic device is capable of processing multi-modal communications, configure the call handling system to exchange multi-modal communications with the telephonic device during the call, wherein configuring the call handling system to exchange multi-modal communications with the telephonic device includes;

establishing a data communications session between an application server associated with the call handling system and the telephonic device for communication of data during the call,

enabling the IVR to execute content of one or more voice pages to exchange voice information with the caller via the voice communications session, and

enabling the application server associated with the call handling system to execute content of one or more multimedia pages linked to the one or more voice pages to communicate text, image or video information to the caller via the data communications session.