System and method for speech-enabled call routing

• US 8,824,659 B2
• Filed: 07/03/2013
• Issued: 09/02/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/10/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Bushey, Robert R., Knott, Benjamin Anthony, Korth, Sarah
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, QUYNH H
• Application Number:
  US13/934,674
• Publication Number:
  US 20130294596A1
• Time in Patent Office: 426 Days
• Field of Search: 379/265.02, 379/265.07, 704/231, 704/251, 704/255, 704/257
• US Class Current: 379/265.02
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/26 Speech to text systems G10L15/08 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 19/0204 using subband decomposition
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 19/265 Pre-filtering, e.g. high frequency emphasis prior to encoding
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/60 Medium conversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4936 Speech interaction details speech recognition per se G10L15/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/523 with call distribution or queueing

Abstract

In a particular embodiment, a method includes receiving a communication from a source. The communication is associated with an account of the source. The method further includes determining, at a processor, whether a time period satisfies a threshold time period. The time period is associated with a voice message box having a particular status. The method further includes routing the communication to a first destination based on a determination that the time period satisfies the threshold time period.

Claims

1. A method comprising;

receiving a communication from a source, wherein the communication is associated with an account, and wherein the account is associated with the source;

determining, at a processor, whether a time period satisfies a threshold time period, wherein the time period is associated with a voice message box, wherein the voice message box is associated with the account, wherein the voice message box is associated with a particular status, and wherein the particular status is associated with an available capacity of the voice message box; and

routing the communication to a first destination based on a determination that the time period satisfies the threshold time period.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the particular status indicates that the voice message box is full.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising identifying the first destination based on an audio input signal received during the communication.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the communication is a voice over internet protocol call or a public telephone network call.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising routing the communication to a second destination based on a determination that the time period does not satisfy the threshold time period.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising, after routing the communication to the second destination:

setting a first value of a first variable, wherein the first value is based on the second destination; and

setting a second value of a second variable, wherein the second value is based on the first destination.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising, after determining that the time period satisfies the threshold time period, determining a payment status associated with the account.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising routing the communication based on the payment status associated with the account.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the communication is routed to a second destination when the payment status is an unpaid status.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising, in response to a change in the payment status, routing the communication from the second destination to the first destination.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the second destination is a billing department destination.

12. A method comprising:

determining, at a processor, a first destination based on a communication from a source,

wherein the communication is associated with an account, and wherein the account is associated with the source;

determining a time period that a voice message box is associated with a particular status,

wherein the voice message box is associated with the account, and wherein the particular status is associated with an available capacity of the voice message box;

and

routing the communication based on a comparison of the time period to a threshold time period.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising routing the communication to the first destination when the time period satisfies the threshold time period.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the time period satisfies the threshold time period when the time period is greater than the threshold time period.

15. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

determining text based on the communication, wherein the text is associated with the communication;

converting the text into an object and an action; and

determining the first destination based on the object and the action.

16. The method of claim 12, further comprising transforming speech communicated during the communication to generate text.

17. A system comprising:

a network interface configured to receive a communication from a source, wherein the communication is associated with an account, and wherein the account is associated with the source;

a processor; and

a memory that includes instructions that are executable by the processor to perform operations including;

determining a time period that a voice message box is associated with a particular status, wherein the voice message box is associated with the account, and wherein the particular status is associated with an available capacity of the voice message box; and

routing the communication based on a comparison of the time period to a threshold time period.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the memory includes an action-object routing module executable by the processor to determine a routing destination based on speech received during the communication.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein a synonym table and a routing table are accessible to the action-object routing module.