Conversation assistant

• US 9,160,844 B2
• Filed: 12/31/2012
• Issued: 10/13/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/06/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Genesys Cloud Services Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Angel.com, Inc. (Genesys Cloud Services Incorporated)
• Inventors: Bouzid, Ahmed Tewfik, Perera, Prasanna Sajeewa Naleen, Rennyson, David James, Saylor, Michael Jerry, Dulam, Ashwini Swaroop Reddy, Hotz, Jonathan
• Primary Examiner(s): BEZUAYEHU, SOLOMON G
• Application Number:
  US13/731,688
• Publication Number:
  US 20140038578A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,016 Days
• Field of Search: 379 8801- 8819, 455/414.1
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0631 Item recommendations
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/39 using speech synthesis
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/40 using speech recognition
• 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
• 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 service or a product that is likely to be of interest to the user is identified by the remote learning engine based on the accessed usage data. A recommended voice bundle application for the user is determined by the remote learning engine based on the accessed usage data, the 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 identified service or the identified product. A recommendation associated with the recommended voice bundle application is transmitted from the remote learning engine to the telephonic device. The recommendation is presented by the telephonic device to the user through voice communications. The user through voice communications has accepted the recommendation determining is determined by the telephonic device. In response to determining that the user has accepted the recommendation, the recommended voice bundle application on the telephonic device 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 for determining a recommended voice bundle application for the user;

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

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

transmitting a recommendation that is based on the usage data and associated with the recommended voice bundle application, from the remote learning engine to the telephonic device;

presenting through a voice communication, by the telephonic device to the user, the recommendation without executing the recommended voice bundle application;

determining, by the telephonic device, whether the user through a voice communication has accepted the recommendation;

in response to determining that the user has accepted the recommendation;

determining whether the recommended voice bundle application is installed on the telephonic device;

in response to determining that the recommended voice bundle application is installed on the telephonic device, executing, by the telephonic device, the recommended voice bundle application on the telephonic device; and

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

(i) transmitting, from the remote learning engine to the telephonic device, the recommended voice bundle application; and

(ii) executing, by the telephonic device, the recommended voice bundle application on the telephonic device; and

in response to determining that the user has not accepted the recommendation, not executing the recommended voice bundle application on the telephonic device.

2. The method of claim 1,

wherein the 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 2, 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 accepting the recommendation, is then followed by performance, by the telephonic device, of the call flow associated with the recommended voice bundle application to enable the user to receive the identified service or the identified product.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the communication occurs by visually displaying as 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 recommended voice bundle application.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising updating the usage data associated with the user in response to determining that the user has accepted the recommendation.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising presenting, on a display of the telephonic device, a transcription of the voice communications between the telephonic device and the user.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

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

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

11. 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.

12. 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.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein transmitting a recommendation associated with the 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.

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

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the recommendation is a communication that recommends to the user that the user authorize the launching of the recommended voice bundle application to facilitate the acquisition of the identified product or the identified service by the user.

16. 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 for determining a recommended voice bundle application for the user;

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

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

transmit a recommendation that is based on the usage data and associated with the recommended voice bundle application, to the telephonic device; and

the telephonic device configured to;

present through a voice communication to the user, the recommendation without executing the recommended voice bundle application;

determine whether the user through a voice communication has accepted the recommendation;

in response to determining that the user has accepted the recommendation;

determine whether the recommended voice bundle application is installed on the telephonic device;

in response to determining that the recommended voice bundle application is installed on the telephonic device, execute the recommended voice bundle application; and

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

(i) obtain from the remote learning engine, the recommended voice bundle application; and

(ii) execute, by the telephonic device, the recommended voice bundle application; and

in response to determining that the user has not accepted the recommendation, not execute the recommended voice bundle application; and

a voice bundle application data store for storing a plurality of voice bundle applications including the recommended voice bundle application.

17. The system of claim 16,

wherein the 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.

18. The system of claim 17, 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.

19. The system of claim 17, 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.

20. The system of claim 19, 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 accepting the recommendation, is then followed by performance, by the telephonic device, of the call flow associated with the recommended voice bundle application to enable the user to receive the identified service or the identified product.

21. The system of claim 16, further comprising:

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

receive the recommendation from the learning engine;

present through a voice communication to the user, the recommendation without executing the recommended voice bundle application;

determine that the user through voice communications has accepted the recommendation; and

in response to determining that the user has accepted the recommendation, execute the recommended voice bundle application on the telephonic device.

22. The system of claim 16, wherein the learning engine is configured to:

receive a response from the recommendation engine indicating that the user has accepted the recommendation; and

update the usage information associated with the user at the usage data store in response to receiving the response.

23. The system of claim 16, wherein accessing the usage data associated with the user of the telephonic device further comprises accessing usage data of one or more applications or usage data of one or more voice bundle applications stored at the telephonic device.

24. The system of claim 16, wherein determining, by the learning engine, the recommended voice bundle application comprises determining the recommended voice bundle application based on the service or the product identified as being likely to be of interest to the user.

25. The system of claim 16, 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.

29. The system of claim 22, wherein the recommendation is a communication that recommends to the user that the user authorize the launching of the recommended voice bundle application to facilitate the acquisition of the identified product or the identified service by the user.

26. 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 data associated with a user of a telephonic device for determining a recommended voice bundle application for the user;

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

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

transmitting a recommendation that is based on the usage data and associated with the recommended voice bundle application, to the telephonic device; and

the telephonic device configured to;

present through a voice communication to the user, the recommendation without executing the recommended voice bundle application;

determine whether the user through a voice communication has accepted the recommendation;

in response to determining that the user has accepted the recommendation;

determine whether the recommended voice bundle application is installed on the telephonic device;

in response to determining that the recommended voice bundle application is installed on the telephonic device, execute the recommended voice bundle application; and

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

(i) obtain, from the one or more computers, the recommended voice bundle application; and

(ii) execute, by the telephonic device, the recommended voice bundle application; and

in response to determining that the user has not accepted the recommendation, not execute the recommended voice bundle application.

27. The system of claim 26,

wherein the 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.

28. The system of claim 27, 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.