Using voice input at a mobile point of sale

• US 9,710,800 B2
• Filed: 05/03/2013
• Issued: 07/18/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 05/03/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Oracle International Corporation (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Oracle International Corporation (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Yopp, John E., Pilon, Charles T., Dorf, David L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Frenel, Vanel
• Application Number:
  US13/886,747
• Publication Number:
  US 20140330659A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,537 Days
• Field of Search: 705 21, 705 16, 705 39, 705 37, 705 80, 235379
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/202 Interconnection or interaction of plural electronic cash registers [ECR] or to host computer, e.g. network details, transfer of information from host to ECR or from ECR to ECR
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/322 Aspects of commerce using mobile devices [M-devices]

Abstract

A method, system, and computer-readable storage medium for using voice input at a mobile point-of-sale (POS) are disclosed. For example, one method involves receiving a voice input, where the receiving is performed by a mobile POS (MPOS) device. The method also involves determining, based on the voice input, whether to use voice-based processing. In response to a determination to use the voice-based processing, performing voice-based processing, including selecting a first workflow based on the voice input, and performing a first portion of the first workflow based on the voice input. The first portion of the first workflow is performed by the MPOS device. The method also includes determining whether to perform a second portion of the first workflow based on another voice input.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method performed by a mobile Point-of-Sale device that includes at least one processor, the method comprising:

in response to receiving an electronic audio input to control processing of a transaction, digitizing, in the mobile Point-of-Sale (MPOS) device, the electronic audio input to convert the electronic audio input into digital audio that represents speech of a user embodied within the electronic audio input;

converting, by the processor, the digital audio into digital text, and parsing the digital text to identify one or more phrases and one or more values;

determining, by the processor, if the one or more phrases correspond to at least one command from a plurality of commands;

if the one or more phrases do not correspond to at least one command, then generating an indication on the mobile Point-of-Sale device that the electronic audio input is not recognized;

if the one or more phrases are determined to correspond to at least one command, then;

(i) generating, by the processor, the at least one command that corresponds to the one or more phrases identified;

(ii) selecting, by the processor, one or more workflow steps, from a plurality of stored workflow steps, that correspond to the at least one command;

(iii) executing, by the processor, the one or more workflow steps to perform at least automatic input of entry fields in screen menus on the mobile Point-of-Sale device using the one or more values from the digital text of the digital audio, wherein the executing causes to the processor to bypass one or more manual prompts in a series of prompts within the one or more workflow steps.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein converting includes automatically identifying at least one alternative command in a series of commands that include the at least one command by interpolating the at least one alternative command according to at least the separate words of the digital text that satisfy a confidence interval.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the at least one command automates selecting electronic inputs to the one or more workflow steps that are executed to automate processing of at least a portion of the transaction by modifying electronic data structures of the transaction according to the workflow steps and the electronic inputs to avoid manual entry of values for the portion of the transaction.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein executing the one or more workflow steps comprises generating a set of graphical user interfaces (GUIs) that include embedded electronic commands for serializing input for portions of the transaction by displaying the set of GUIs in a defined order to control when elements of an electronic data structure of the transaction are modified.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the at least one command identified from the electronic audio input automates at least a portion of the workflow steps for the transaction by controlling a point-of-sale device to perform the portion of the workflow without receiving manual electronic inputs from a user.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the executing includes selecting a secondary workflow according to a context of the one or more workflow steps and the at least one command to cause further modifications of the transaction.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein converting includes validating that the at least one command is valid by determining whether bypassing the one or more manual prompts of the workflow according to the command is permitted.

8. A computing system, comprising:

one or more processors;

a memory connected with the one or processors, wherein the memory stores;

an audio module including instructions that when executed by the one or more processors cause the computing system to perform at least;

in response to receiving an electronic audio input to control processing of a transaction, digitizing, in a mobile Point-of-Sale (MPOS) device, the electronic audio input to convert the electronic audio input into digital audio that represents speech of a user embodied within the electronic audio input,

a control module including instructions that when executed by the one or more processors cause the computing system to perform at least;

converting, by the processor, the digital audio into digital text, and parsing the digital text to identify one or more phrases and one or more values;

determining, by the processor, if the one or more phrases correspond to at least one command from a plurality of commands;

if the one or more phrases do not correspond to at least one command, then generating an indication on the mobile Point-of-Sale device that the electronic audio input is not recognized;

if the one or more phrases are determined to correspond to at least one command, then;

(i) generating, by the processor, the at least one command that corresponds to the one or more phrases identified;

(ii) selecting, by the processor, one or more workflow steps, from a plurality of stored workflow steps, that correspond to the at least one command;

(iii) executing, by the processor, the one or more workflow steps to perform at least automatic input of entry fields in screen menus on the mobile Point-of-Sale device using the one or more values from the digital text of the digital audio, wherein the executing causes to the processor to bypass one or more manual prompts in a series of prompts within the one or more workflow steps.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the control module includes instructions to perform converting that include instructions for automatically identifying at least one alternative command in a series of commands that include the at least one command by interpolating the at least one alternative command according to at least the separate words of the digital text that satisfy a confidence interval.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the control module uses the at least one command to automate selecting electronic inputs to the one or more workflow steps that are executed to automate processing of at least a portion of the transaction by modifying electronic data structures of the transaction according to the workflow steps and the electronic inputs to avoid manual entry of values for the portion of the transaction.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the control module includes instructions for executing the one or more workflow steps including instructions for generating a set of graphical user interfaces (GUIs) that include embedded electronic commands for serializing input for portions of the transaction by displaying the set of GUIs in a defined order to control when elements of an electronic data structure of the transaction are modified.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the control module includes instructions that use the at least one command identified from the electronic audio input to automate at least a portion of the workflow steps for the transaction by controlling point-of-sale device to perform the portion of the workflow without receiving manual electronic inputs from a user.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein the control module includes instructions that when executed cause the processor to select a secondary workflow according to a context of the one or more workflow steps and the at least one command to cause further modifications of the transaction.

14. The system of claim 8, wherein the control module includes instructions that when executed cause the processor to perform the converting by validating that the at least one command is valid by determining whether bypassing the one or more manual prompts of the workflow according to the command is permitted.

15. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions that when executed by one or more processors cause the one or more processors of a computing device to perform at least:

in response to receiving an electronic audio input to control processing of a transaction, digitizing, in a mobile Point-of-Sale (MPOS) device, the electronic audio input to convert the electronic audio input into digital audio that represents speech of a user embodied within the electronic audio input;

converting, by the processor, the digital audio into digital text, and parsing the digital text to identify one or more phrases and one or more values;

determining, by the processor, if the one or more phrases correspond to at least one command from a plurality of commands;

if the one or more phrases do not correspond to at least one command, then generating an indication on the mobile Point-of-Sale device that the electronic audio input is not recognized;

if the one or more phrases are determined to correspond to at least one command, then;

(i) generating, by the processor, the at least one command that corresponds to the one or more phrases identified;

(ii) selecting, by the processor, one or more workflow steps, from a plurality of stored workflow steps, that correspond to the at least one command;

(iii) executing, by the processor, the one or more workflow steps to perform at least automatic input of entry fields in screen menus on the mobile Point-of-Sale device using the one or more values from the digital text of the digital audio, wherein the executing causes to the processor to bypass one or more manual prompts in a series of prompts within the one or more workflow steps.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the instructions for converting includes instructions for automatically identifying at least one alternative command in a series of commands that include the at least one command by interpolating the at least one alternative command according to at least the separate words of the digital text that satisfy a confidence interval.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the at least one command automates selecting electronic inputs to the one or more workflow steps that are executed to automate processing of at least a portion of the transaction by modifying electronic data structures of the transaction according to the workflow steps and the electronic inputs to avoid manual entry of values for the portion of the transaction.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the instructions for executing the one or more workflow steps comprise instructions for generating a set of graphical user interfaces (GUIs) that include embedded electronic commands for serializing input for portions of the transaction by displaying the set of GUIs in a defined order to control when elements of an electronic data structure of the transaction are modified.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the at least one command identified from the electronic audio input automates at least a portion of the workflow steps for the transaction by controlling a point-of-sale device to perform the portion of the workflow steps without receiving manual electronic inputs from a user.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the instructions for executing includes instructions for selecting a secondary workflow according to a context and the at least one command to cause further modifications of the transaction, and wherein converting includes validating that the at least one command is valid by determining whether bypassing the one or more manual prompts of the workflow steps according to the command is permitted.