Dynamic adjustment of recommendations using a conversation assistant

• US 8,953,764 B2
• Filed: 12/31/2012
• Issued: 02/10/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/06/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Genesys Telecommunications Laboratories Incorporated (Genesys Cloud Services Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Angel.com, Inc. (Genesys Cloud Services Incorporated)
• Inventors: Bouzid, Ahmed Tewfik, Rennyson, David James, Saylor, Michael Jerry, Dulam, Ashwini Swaroop Reddy, Hotz, Jonathan
• Primary Examiner(s): Teshale, Akelaw
• Application Number:
  US13/731,740
• Publication Number:
  US 20140037076A1
• Time in Patent Office: 771 Days
• Field of Search: 379/88.01, 379/88.03, 379/88.13, 379/201.05, 455/414, 705/14.49, 705/26.3, 705/26.7, 705/347
• US Class Current: 379/201.05
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0631 Item recommendations
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/39 using speech synthesis speech synthesis per se G10L13/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/40 using speech recognition speech recognition per se G10L15/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/252 where a voice mode is enhanced with visual information
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/253 where a visual mode is used instead of a voice mode
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/355 Interactive dialogue design tools, features or methods
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/74 with voice recognition means voice activated dialling H04M1/271; voice recognition algorithms G10L15/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42153 by subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42178 by downloading data to substation equipment
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42204 Arrangements at the exchange for service or number selection by voice at the terminal H04M1/27
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4936 Speech interaction details speech recognition per se G10L15/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/18 Information format or content conversion, e.g. adaptation by the network of the transmitted or received information for the purpose of wireless delivery to users or terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/60 Subscription-based services using application servers or record carriers, e.g. SIM application toolkits

Abstract

Usage data associated with a user of a telephonic device is accessed by a remote learning engine. A first service or a first product is identified by the remote learning engine based on the accessed usage data. A first recommended voice bundle application is determined by the remote learning engine. A recommendation associated with the first recommended voice bundle application is transmitted to the telephonic device. The recommendation is presented by the telephonic device to the user through voice communications. A response from the user associated with the recommendation is received. In response to determining that the user has not accepted the recommendation, a second service or a second product is determined based on the received response. A second recommended voice bundle application is determined based on the second service. The second recommended voice bundle application is executed by the telephonic device.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

accessing, by a remote learning engine, usage data associated with a user of a telephonic device;

identifying, by the remote learning engine based on the accessed usage data, a first service or a first product that is likely to be of interest to the user;

determining, by the remote learning engine based on the accessed usage data, a first recommended voice bundle application for the user, the first recommended voice bundle application being a voice application that, when executed by the telephonic device, results in a simulated multi-step spoken conversation between the telephonic device and the user to enable the user to receive the first service or the first product;

transmitting a recommendation associated with the first recommended voice bundle application from the remote learning engine to the telephonic device;

presenting through voice communications, by the telephonic device to the user, the recommendation;

receiving a response from the user associated with the recommendation;

determining, by the telephonic device and based on the received response, whether the user through voice communications has accepted the recommendation; and

in response to determining that the user has not accepted the recommendation;

identifying, based on the received response, a second service or a second product that is of interest to the user;

determining, by the remote learning engine, a second recommended voice bundle application based on the second service or the second product, the second recommended voice bundle application being a voice application that is different from the first recommended voice bundle application, and that, when executed by the telephonic device, results in a simulated multi-step spoken conversation between the telephonic device and the user to enable the user to receive the second service or the second product;

installing, by the telephonic device, the second recommended voice bundle application on the telephonic device; and

executing, by the telephonic device, the second recommended voice bundle application on the telephonic device.

2. The method of claim 1,

wherein the second recommended voice bundle application comprises a software application that includes instructions executable by the telephonic device to perform a call flow, and

wherein the call flow comprises a sequence of at least two prompt instructions and at least two grammar instructions executable to result in the simulated multi-step spoken conversation between the telephonic device and the user, each of the at least two prompt instructions being executable to ask for information from the user and each of the at least two grammar instructions being executable to interpret information spoken to the telephonic device by the user.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein each of the at least two prompt instructions is executable by the telephonic device to ask for information from the user and each of the at least two grammar instructions is executable by the telephonic device to interpret information spoken to the telephonic device by the user.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein transmitting a recommendation comprises transmitting a signal that, when received by the telephonic device, initiates a communication to the user that audibly or visually presents the recommendation to the user.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the communication occurs through execution of an initial call flow performed by the telephonic device to simulate an initial multi-step spoken conversation between the telephonic device and the user that audibly presents the recommendation to the user, that solicits user acceptance or rejection of the recommendation, and that, conditioned on the user rejecting the recommendation, is then followed by determining the second recommended voice bundle application to enable the user to receive the second service or the second product.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the communication occurs by visually displaying text to the user.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the text is displayed during performance of an initial call flow by the telephonic device to simulate an initial multi-step spoken conversation between the telephonic device and the user that is distinct from the simulated multi-step spoken conversation corresponding to the second recommended voice bundle application.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein accessing usage data further comprises accessing usage data of one or more applications or usage data of one or more voice bundle applications installed on the telephonic device.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein accessing usage data further comprises accessing compiled usage data of a particular group of users associated with the user.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein transmitting a recommendation associated with the first recommended voice bundle application further comprises:

determining a contextual condition, wherein the contextual condition includes a time and a location for transmitting the recommendation; and

transmitting the recommendation that satisfies the determined contextual condition.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the first recommended voice bundle application comprises determining the first recommended voice bundle application based on the first service or the first product identified as being likely to be of interest to the user.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

after determining the second recommended voice bundle application, transmitting a second recommendation associated with the second recommended voice bundle application from the remote learning engine to the telephonic device;

presenting through voice communications, by the telephonic device to the user, the second recommendation; and

determining, by the telephonic device, that the user through voice communications has accepted the second recommendation.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the second recommendation is a communication that recommends to the user that the user authorize the launching of the second voice bundle application to facilitate the acquisition of the second product or the second service identified by the received response.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

in response to determining the second recommendation, determining that the second recommended voice bundle application is not installed on the telephonic device; and

transmitting, from the remote learning engine to the telephonic device, the second recommended voice bundle application.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising updating the usage data associated with the user in response to determining that the user has not accepted the recommendation.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the second recommended voice bundle application comprises determining the second recommended voice bundle application based on the second service or the second product that is identified based on the received response.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the second service or the second product is identified by the telephonic device based on the received response.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the second service or the second product is identified by the remote learning engine based on the received response.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein the first recommended voice bundle application or the second recommended voice bundle application is implemented using State Chart Extensible Markup Language (SCXML).

20. A system comprising:

a usage data store configured to store usage information;

a learning engine including one or more computer processors, the learning engine configured to;

access usage information associated with a user of a telephonic device from the usage data store;

identify a first service or a first product that is likely to be of interest to the user based on the accessed usage information;

determine a first recommended voice bundle application based on the accessed usage information for the user, the first recommended voice bundle application being a voice application that, when executed by the telephonic device, results in a simulated multi-step spoken conversation between the telephonic device and the user to enable the user to receive the first service or the first product;

transmit a recommendation associated with the recommended voice bundle application to the telephonic device;

receive a feedback from the telephonic device indicating a second service or a second product that is of interest to the user; and

determine a second recommended voice bundle application based on the second service or the second product, the second recommended voice bundle application being a voice application that is different from the first recommended voice bundle application, and that, when executed by the telephonic device, results in a simulated multi-step spoken conversation between the telephonic device and the user to enable the user to receive the second service or the second product;

a voice bundle application data store for storing a plurality of voice bundle applications including the first recommended voice bundle application and the second recommended voice bundle application; and

a recommendation engine executable by the telephonic device, wherein the recommendation engine is configured to;

receive the recommendation from the learning engine;

present through voice communications to the user, the recommendation;

receive a response from the user associated with the recommendation;

determine, based on the received response, whether the user through voice communications has accepted the recommendation;

in response to determining that the user has not accepted the recommendation;

identify, based on the received response, the second service or the second product that is of interest to the user;

send the feedback to the learning engine;

receive the second recommended voice bundle application from the learning engine;

install the second recommended voice bundle application on the telephonic device; and

execute the second recommended voice bundle application.

21. The system of claim 20,

wherein the second recommended voice bundle application comprises a software application that includes instructions executable by the telephonic device to perform a call flow, and

wherein the call flow comprises a sequence of at least two prompt instructions and at least two grammar instructions executable to result in the simulated multi-step spoken conversation between the telephonic device and the user, each of the at least two prompt instructions being executable to ask for information from the user and each of the at least two grammar instructions being executable to interpret information spoken to the telephonic device by the user.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein each of the at least two prompt instructions is executable by the telephonic device to ask for information from the user and each of the at least two grammar instructions is executable by the telephonic device to interpret information spoken to the telephonic device by the user.

23. The system of claim 20, wherein transmitting a recommendation comprises transmitting a signal that, when received by the telephonic device, initiates a communication to the user that audibly or visually presents the recommendation to the user.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the communication occurs through execution of an initial call flow performed by the telephonic device to simulate an initial multi-step spoken conversation between the telephonic device and the user that audibly presents the recommendation to the user, that solicits user acceptance or rejection of the recommendation, and that, conditioned on the user rejecting the recommendation, is then followed by determining the second recommended voice bundle application to enable the user to receive the second service or the second product.

25. The system of claim 20, wherein determining the first recommended voice bundle application comprises determining the first recommended voice bundle application based on the first service or the first product identified as being likely to be of interest to the user.

26. The system of claim 20, wherein the recommendation engine is further configured to:

present, through voice communications, a second recommendation associated with the second recommended voice bundle application to the user; and

determine that the user through voice communications has accepted the second recommendation.

27. The system of claim 26, wherein the second recommendation is a communication that recommends to the user that the user authorize the launching of the second voice bundle application to facilitate the acquisition of the second product or the second service identified by the received response.

28. The system of claim 20, wherein the learning engine is further configured to update the usage data associated with the user in response to determining that the user has not accepted the recommendation.

29. A system comprising:

one or more computers and one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage devices storing instructions that when executed by the one or more computers cause the one or more computers to perform operations comprising;

accessing usage information associated with a user of a telephonic device;

identifying a first service or a first product that is likely to be of interest to the user based on the accessed usage information;

determining a first recommended voice bundle application based on the accessed usage information for the user, the first recommended voice bundle application being a voice application that, when executed by the telephonic device, results in a simulated multi-step spoken conversation between the telephonic device and the user to enable the user to receive the first service or the first product;

transmitting a recommendation associated with the recommended voice bundle application to the telephonic device;

receiving a feedback from the telephonic device indicating a second service or a second product that is of interest to the user; and

determining a second recommended voice bundle application based on the feedback, the second recommended voice bundle application being a voice application that is different from the first recommended voice bundle application, and that, when executed by the telephonic device, results in a simulated multi-step spoken conversation between the telephonic device and the user to enable the user to receive the second service or the second product;

installing the second recommended voice bundle application on the telephonic device; and

executing the second recommended voice bundle application on the telephonic device.

30. The system of claim 29,

wherein the second recommended voice bundle application comprises a software application that includes instructions executable by the telephonic device to perform a call flow,

wherein the call flow comprises a sequence of at least two prompt instructions and at least two grammar instructions executable to result in the simulated multi-step spoken conversation between the telephonic device and the user, each of the at least two prompt instructions being executable to ask for information from the user and each of the at least two grammar instructions being executable to interpret information spoken to the telephonic device by the user, and

wherein each of the at least two prompt instructions is executable by the telephonic device to ask for information from the user and each of the at least two grammar instructions is executable by the telephonic device to interpret information spoken to the telephonic device by the user.