System and method for automating voice checklists

• US 9,196,260 B1
• Filed: 10/01/2008
• Issued: 11/24/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/01/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Arlington Technologies, LLC (Dominion Harbor Enterprises, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Avaya Incorporated
• Inventors: Bentley, Jon, Krishnakumar, Anjur Sundaresan, Weiss, David
• Primary Examiner(s): Opsasnick, Michael N
• Application Number:
  US12/243,065
• Time in Patent Office: 2,610 Days
• Field of Search: 704/270.1, 704/275
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 21/00 Speech or voice signal processing techniques to produce another audible or non-audible signal, e.g. visual or tactile, in order to modify its quality or its intelligibility G10L19/00 takes precedence

Abstract

The system and method generate a voice checklist template that contains at least one item. A revised voice checklist is generated from the voice checklist template. A request for input for an item in the revised voice checklist is sent. After receiving a response to the request the revised voice checklist is updated with the response. If the revised voice checklist is not complete, the process repeats until the revised voice checklist is complete. Once the process is complete, the revised voice checklist is stored.

Claims

1. A non-transitory computer readable medium having program instructions stored thereon for automating voice checklists, the program instructions comprising:

a. a checklist manager configured to generate at least one voice checklist template, to generate a revised voice checklist from the voice checklist template, and to store the revised voice checklist; and

b. a controller configured to send a request for input for an item in the revised voice checklist to a first device, to receive a response to the request for input from the first device wherein the response indicates a command, to send a request for verification of the command to a second device, to receive verification of the command from the second device, to update the revised voice checklist based on the verification, to determine if the revised voice checklist is complete, to send a request for input for a second item in the revised voice checklist to the first device in response to determining that the revised voice checklist is not complete, and to direct the checklist manager to store the revised voice checklist in response to determining that the revised voice checklist is complete.

2. The computer readable medium of claim 1, wherein the response to the request for input is generated in an input device selected from the group comprising:

a microphone, a button, a key, and an accelerometer.

3. The computer readable medium of claim 1, wherein the checklist manager is configured to generate the voice checklist template using a Domain Specific Language.

4. The computer readable medium of claim 1, wherein the checklist manager is configured to compare the revised voice checklist with one or more additional revised voice checklists, to analyze the revised voice checklist in relation to the one or more additional revised voice checklists, and to identify an item in the voice checklist template that needs to be modified.

5. The computer readable medium of claim 1, wherein the command indicates whether the item has been completed or has not yet been completed.

6. The computer readable medium of claim 1, wherein the first device comprises a headset and the second device comprises a checklist device.

7. The computer readable medium of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to send a progress indicator.

8. The computer readable medium of claim 1, wherein the response to the request for input contains at least one exception selected from the group comprising:

a request to skip the item, an indication that the item is not necessary, an indication that help is needed, an indication that the item is wrong, adding comments, and a request to reactivate the revised voice checklist.

9. The computer readable medium of claim 1, wherein the item has an item policy.

10. The computer readable medium of claim 9, wherein the item policy is at least one item selected from the group comprising:

sending a notification, calling a person, noting an exception, not allowing an exception, and querying a checklist device.

11. The computer readable medium of claim 1, wherein the voice checklist template has a checklist policy.

12. The computer readable medium of claim 1, wherein the revised voice checklist is generated upon receipt of a call.

13. The computer readable medium of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to determine if an item is complete.

14. A computer-implemented method for automating voice checklists, comprising:

in a computer system;

a. generating at least one voice checklist template, wherein the voice checklist template contains at least one item;

b. generating a revised voice checklist from the voice checklist template;

c. sending a request for input to a first device for one of the items in the revised voice checklist;

d. receiving a response to the request for input from the first device wherein the response indicates a command;

e. sending a request for verification of the command to a second device;

f. receiving verification of the command from the second device;

g. updating the revised voice checklist based on the verification;

h. determining if the revised voice checklist is complete;

i. responsive to the revised voice checklist not being complete, going to step (c); and

j. responsive to the revised voice checklist being complete, storing the revised voice checklist.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the response to the request for input is generated in an input device selected from the group comprising:

a microphone, a button, a key, and an accelerometer.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein generating at least one voice checklist template further comprises the step of:

using a Domain Specific Language to generate the voice checklist template.

17. The method of claim 14, further comprising the steps of:

comparing the revised voice checklist with one or more additional revised voice checklists, analyzing the revised voice checklist in relation to the one or more additional revised voice checklists, and identifying an item in the voice checklist template that needs to be modified.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein the command indicates whether the item has been completed or has not yet been completed.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein the first device comprises a headset and the second device comprises a checklist device.

20. The method of claim 14, further comprising the step of:

sending a progress indicator.

21. The method of claim 14, wherein the response to the request for input contains at least one exception selected from the group comprising:

a request to skip the item, an indication that the item is not necessary, an indication that help is needed, an indication that the item is wrong, adding comments, and a request to reactivate the revised checklist.

22. The method of claim 14, wherein the item has an item policy.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the item policy is at least one item selected from the group comprising:

sending a notification, calling a person, noting an exception, not allowing an exception, and querying a checklist device.

24. The method of claim 14, wherein the voice checklist template has a checklist policy.

25. The method of claim 14, wherein the revised voice checklist is generated upon receipt of a call.

26. The method of claim 14, wherein the step of determining if the revised voice checklist is complete further comprises the step of determining if an item is complete.

27. An apparatus for performing the method of one of claims 14-26.

28. An apparatus for automating voice checklists comprising:

a. means for generating at least one voice checklist template, wherein the voice checklist template contains at least one item;

b. means for generating a revised voice checklist from the voice checklist template;

c. means for determining if the revised voice checklist is complete;

d. means, responsive to the revised voice checklist not being complete, for sending a request for input to a first device for one of the items in the revised voice checklist;

e. means for receiving a response to the request for input from the first device wherein the response indicates a command;

f. means for sending a request for verification of the command to a second device;

g. means for receiving verification of the command from the second device;

h. means for updating the revised voice checklist based on the verification; and

i. means, responsive to the revised voice checklist being complete, for storing the revised voice checklist.