Methods, systems, and products for searching interactive menu prompting systems

• US 8,713,013 B2
• Filed: 07/10/2009
• Issued: 04/29/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/16/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Malik, Dale
• Primary Examiner(s): Yen, Syling
• Application Number:
  US12/500,660
• Publication Number:
  US 20090276441A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,754 Days
• Field of Search: 707/736, 707/758, 707/781, 707/791, 707/802, 707/999.003, 707/999.1, 725/37, 715/700
• US Class Current: 707/736
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/245 Query processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/951 Indexing; Web crawling techniques
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching

Abstract

Methods, systems, and products are disclosed for searching a searchable listing of an interactive menu prompting system. A search request is received, and the search request includes a search term. A query is sent to determine whether the search term occurs within in the searchable listing. A search result is received and communicated to a client.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

converting an interactive voice response menu of prompts into a web page comprising a graphical version of the interactive voice response menu of prompts;

storing the web page in memory;

receiving, at a server, a search request sent from a requesting device, the search request comprising a communications address as a search term;

searching the web page for the communications address;

determining a match between the communications address and a portion of the web page;

receiving a tag in response to the match that is assigned to the portion of the web page, the tag describing a category and a subcategory associated with a hierarchical tree branch of the interactive voice response menu of prompts;

retrieving a quick code of sequential responses to the hierarchical tree branch of the interactive voice response menu of prompts;

sending the quick code and the tag as a response to the search request;

receiving a call at the interactive voice response menu of prompts;

receiving the quick code as inputs to the interactive voice response menu of prompts; and

navigating to the hierarchical tree branch represented by the quick code.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising receiving an index to a point of origin for the graphical version of the interactive voice response menu of prompts.

3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising sending the quick code and the tag to a client device.

4. The method according to claim 1, further comprising tagging the hierarchical tree branch with the communications address.

5. The method according to claim 1, further comprising sending the graphical version of the hierarchical tree branch as the response to the search request.

6. The method according to claim 1, further comprising sending a graphical icon with the quick code, the icon when selected causing the inputs that navigate to the hierarchical tree branch represented by the quick code.

7. The method according to claim 1, further comprising storing a database of searchable listings that associates different communications addresses to different graphical versions of interactive voice response menus of prompts.

8. A system, comprising:

a processor; and

memory storing code stored that when executed causes the processor to;

convert an interactive voice response menu of prompts into a web page comprising a graphical version of the interactive voice response menu of prompts;

store the webpage in the memory;

receive a search request sent from a requesting device, the search request comprising a communications address as a search term;

search the web page for the communications address;

determine a match between the communications address and a portion of the web page;

receive a tag in response to the match that is assigned to the portion of the web page, the tag describing a category and a subcategory associated with a hierarchical tree branch of the interactive voice response menu of prompts;

retrieve a quick code of sequential responses to the hierarchical tree branch of the interactive voice response menu of prompts;

send the quick code and the tag as a response to the search request;

receive a call at the interactive voice response menu of prompts;

receive the quick code as inputs to the interactive voice response menu of prompts; and

navigate to the hierarchical tree branch represented by the quick code.

9. The system according to claim 8, further comprising code that causes the processor to receive an index to a point of origin for the graphical version of the interactive voice response menu of prompts.

10. The system according to claim 8, further comprising code that causes the processor to send the quick code and the tag to a client device.

11. The system according to claim 8, further comprising code that causes the processor to tag the hierarchical tree branch with the communications address.

12. The system according to claim 11, further comprising code that causes the processor to send the graphical version of the hierarchical tree branch as the response to the search request.

13. The system according to claim 11, further comprising code that causes the processor to send a graphical icon with the quick code, the icon when selected causing the inputs that navigate to the hierarchical tree branch represented by the quick code.

14. The system according to claim 8, further comprising code that causes the processor to store a database of searchable listings that associates different communications addresses to different graphical versions of interactive voice response menus of prompts.

15. A memory storing code that when executed causes a processor to perform a method, the method comprising:

converting an interactive voice response menu of prompts into at least one a web page comprising graphical branches of a graphical version of the interactive voice response menu of prompts;

storing the web page in the memory;

receiving a search request sent from a requesting device, the search request comprising a communications address as a search term;

searching the web page for the communications address;

determining a match between the communications address and a portion of the web page;

receiving a tag in response to the match that is assigned to the portion of the web page, the tag describing a category and a subcategory associated with a hierarchical tree branch of the interactive voice response menu of prompts;

retrieving a quick code of sequential responses to the hierarchical tree branch of the interactive voice response menu of prompts;

sending the quick code and the tag as a response to the search request;

receiving a call at the interactive voice response menu of prompts;

receiving the quick code as inputs to the interactive voice response menu of prompts; and

navigating to the hierarchical tree branch represented by the quick code.

16. The memory according to claim 15, further comprising code that causes the processor to receive an index to a point of origin for the graphical version of the interactive voice response menu of prompts.

17. The memory according to claim 15, further comprising code that causes the processor to tag the hierarchical tree branch with the communications address.

18. The memory according to claim 15, further comprising code that causes the processor to send a graphical icon with the quick code, the icon when selected causing the inputs that navigate to the hierarchical tree branch represented by the quick code.

19. The memory according to claim 15, further comprising code that causes the processor to store a database of searchable listings that associates different communications addresses to different graphical versions of interactive voice response menus of prompts.