Dynamically-changing IVR tree

• US 9,258,416 B2
• Filed: 02/09/2013
• Issued: 02/09/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/14/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Malik, Dale, Anderson, Richard A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Phan, Joseph T
• Application Number:
  US13/763,628
• Publication Number:
  US 20130336466A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,095 Days
• Field of Search: 379/76
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/254 where the visual mode comprises menus
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/355 Interactive dialogue design tools, features or methods
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/493 Interactive information services, e.g. directory enquiries ; Arrangements therefor, e.g. interactive voice response [IVR] systems or voice portals

Abstract

Methods, systems, and products dynamically change an interactive response system. Responses to a menu of prompts are monitored. A presentation order of the menu of prompts is automatically updated according to a set of rules. The set of rules describe qualifications for membership in a tier.

Claims

1. A method for dynamically changing an interactive response system, comprising:

monitoring, by a processor, cumulative responses input by different users to a single prompt associated with a lower tier in a hierarchical menu of prompts for the interactive response system;

retrieving, from a memory operatively coupled to the processor, a threshold value associated with a higher tier in the hierarchical menu of prompts;

comparing, by the processor, a number of the cumulative responses input by the different users to the threshold value associated with the higher tier;

determining, by the processor, the number of the cumulative responses input by the different users exceeds the threshold value associated with the higher tier; and

promoting, by the processor, the single prompt from the lower tier to the higher tier in the hierarchical menu of prompts in response to a popularity of the single prompt.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising retrieving a boundary that limits a number of tiers in the hierarchical menu of prompts.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising presenting the prompt as an audible message.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising presenting the prompt as a text message.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising demoting the prompt from the higher tier to the lower tier within the hierarchical menu of prompts.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising demoting the prompt in the hierarchical menu of prompts in response to the number of the cumulative responses input by the different users being less than the threshold value associated with the higher tier.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising retrieving a rule describing how many prompts may be associated with the higher tier.

8. A system, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory storing code that when executed causes the processor to perform operations, the operations comprising;

monitoring a number of cumulative responses from different callers to a single prompt associated with a lower tier in a hierarchical menu of prompts for an interactive voice response system;

retrieving a threshold value associated with a higher tier in the hierarchical menu of prompts;

comparing the number of the cumulative responses from the different callers to the threshold value associated with the higher tier;

determining the number of the cumulative responses from the different users exceeds the threshold value associated with the higher tier; and

promoting the single prompt from the lower tier to the higher tier in the hierarchical menu of prompts in response to a popularity of the single prompt.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the operations further comprise retrieving a boundary that limits an amount of tiers in the hierarchical menu of prompts.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the operations further comprise presenting the prompt as an audible message.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the operations further comprise presenting the prompt as a text message.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the operations further comprise demoting the prompt from the higher tier to the lower tier.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein the operations further comprise demoting the prompt in the hierarchical menu of prompts in response to the number of the cumulative responses being less than the threshold value associated with the higher tier.

14. The system of claim 8, wherein the operations further comprise retrieving a rule describing how many prompts may be associated with the higher tier.

18. The memory device of claim 8, wherein the operations further comprise presenting the prompt as a text message.

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

monitoring a number of cumulative responses from different callers to a single prompt associated with a lower tier in a hierarchical menu of prompts for an interactive voice response system;

retrieving a threshold value associated with a higher tier in the hierarchical menu of prompts;

comparing the number of the cumulative responses from the different users to the threshold value associated with the higher tier;

determining the number of the cumulative responses from the different users exceeds the threshold value associated with the higher tier; and

promoting the single prompt from the lower tier to the higher tier in the hierarchical menu of prompts in response to a popularity of the single prompt.

16. The memory device of claim 15, wherein the operations further comprise retrieving a boundary that limits an amount of tiers in the hierarchical menu of prompts.

17. The memory device of claim 15, wherein the operations further comprise presenting the prompt as an audible message.

19. The memory device of claim 15, wherein the operations further comprise demoting the prompt from the higher tier to the lower tier within the hierarchical menu of prompts.

20. The memory device of claim 15, wherein the operations further comprise demoting the prompt in the hierarchical menu of prompts in response to the number of cumulative responses being less than the threshold value associated with the tier.