Interactive audio validation/assistance system and methodologies

• US 10,372,804 B2
• Filed: 05/16/2017
• Issued: 08/06/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 05/17/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bruce Hassel
• Original Assignee: Bruce Hassel
• Inventors: Hassel, Bruce
• Primary Examiner(s): Ulrich, Nicholas
• Application Number:
  US15/596,701
• Publication Number:
  US 20170336933A1
• Time in Patent Office: 812 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0484 for the control of specific functions or operations, e.g. selecting or manipulating an object, an image or a displayed text element, setting a parameter value or selecting a range
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/167 Audio in a user interface, e.g. using voice commands for navigating, audio feedback
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/174 Form filling; Merging
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/226 Validation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/453 Help systems

Abstract

An interactive audio validation and assistance system and methodologies utilize a user interface to receive input to fill the one or more fields to perform a request, wherein the one or more fields contain required information. Validation of the input is performed to determine whether required information is complete for the one or more input fields. In response to the validation determining that required information is incomplete, a notification is output that required information is missing or in an incorrect format for at least one of the one or more input fields, wherein the notification includes audible explanatory instructions facilitating input of missing/incorrect format information. Additionally, systems and methodologies offer auto-fill, tips, suggestions, explanations, other information and a method to replace a website'"'"'s input error notification system by the user'"'"'s browser, offering audio and or text assistance to implement more efficient completion of website forms.

Claims

1. An interactive audio validation and assistance system for providing an assistive service for aiding a user in filling one or more fields of an online request form, the system comprising:

a user interface to receive user input to fill the one or more fields of the online request form;

an output unit to output a notification and audible explanatory instructions to a user;

a data storage to store at least one pre-recorded audio message that includes the audible explanatory instructions for output via the output unit;

an application or an extension which enables the interactive audio validation and assistance system to modify a volume of the output unit; and

a controller configured to;

determine whether the application or extension is installed;

request, in response to a determination that the application or extension is installed, permission to modify the volume of the output unit;

control the application or extension to modify, in response to permission being received from the user to modify the volume of the output unit, the volume of the output unit;

validate one or more fields of the online request form that require information for completing the online request form by determining whether user input in the one or more input fields of the online request form that require information for completing the online request form is complete and in a correct format; and

automatically control the output unit to, in response to a determination that user input is incomplete or in an incorrect format for at least one of the one or more input fields of the online request form that require information for completing the online request form, output a notification that the received user input is incomplete or in an incorrect format and output the audible explanatory instructions that facilitate input of user input that is complete or in a correct format for the at least one of the one or more input fields of the online request form that require information for completing the online request form.

2. The interactive audio validation and assistance system of claim 1, wherein the audible explanatory instructions comprise at least one of one or more explanations, one or more tips, one or more suggestions, specific descriptions of types of invalid data entry, or a screen description.

3. The interactive audio validation and assistance system of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to assign a variable to the one or more input fields and input to fill the one or more input fields to match required information that completes the one or more input fields to the one or more input fields to enable storage and auto fill of data that is browser independent.

4. The interactive audio validation and assistance system of claim 3, wherein the data storage stores the required information that completes the one or more input fields and the assigned variable for the required information.

5. The interactive audio validation and assistance system of claim 4, wherein the user interface is further configured to auto fill the one or more input fields that matches the assigned variable of the required information stored in the data storage in response to an initiation of a process of filling one or more input fields.

6. The interactive audio validation and assistance system of claim 1, wherein storage of the at least one pre-recorded audio that explains the one or more input fields in the data storage is performed in response to selection of audio from a library and associating that audio with one or more input fields.

7. The interactive audio validation and assistance system of claim 1, further comprising a screen reader to explain the one or more input fields, wherein the at least one pre-recorded audio is disabled in response to utilization of the screen reader.

8. The interactive audio validation and assistance system of claim 1, wherein the system is configured to work with a browser to identify a change in state on a displayed screen of the user interface, wherein the change in state is indicative of a text error message being displayed.

9. An interactive audio validation and assistance method for providing an assistive service for aiding a user in filling one or more fields of an online request form, the method comprising:

receiving, via a user interface, user input to fill the one or more fields of the online request form;

outputting, via an output unit, a notification and audible explanatory instructions to a user;

storing, in a data storage, at least one pre-recorded audio message that includes the audible explanatory instructions for output via the output unit;

enabling the interactive audio validation and assistance system to modify a volume of the output unit using an application or an extension;

determining whether the application or extension is installed;

requesting, in response to a determination that the application or extension is installed, permission to modify the volume of the output unit;

controlling the application or extension to modify, in response to permission being received from the user to modify the volume of the output unit, the volume of the output unit;

validating one or more fields of the online request form that require information for completing the online request form by determining whether user input in the one or more input fields of the online request form that require information for completing the online request form is complete and in a correct format; and

automatically controlling the output unit to, in response to a determination that user input is incomplete or in an incorrect format for at least one of the one or more input fields of the online request form that require information for completing the online request form, output a notification that the received user input is incomplete or in an incorrect format and output the audible explanatory instructions that facilitate input of user input that is complete or in a correct format for the at least one of the one or more input fields of the online request form that require information for completing the online request form.

10. The interactive audio validation and assistance method of claim 9, wherein the audible explanatory instructions comprise at least one of one or more explanations, one or more tips, one or more suggestions, specific descriptions of types of invalid data entry, or a screen description.

11. The interactive audio validation and assistance method of claim 10, further comprising assigning a variable to the one or more input fields and input to fill the one or more input fields to match required information that completes the one or more input fields to the one or more input fields to enable storage and auto fill of data that is browser independent.

12. The interactive audio validation and assistance method of claim 11, wherein the data storage stores the required information that completes the one or more input fields and the assigned variable for the required information.

13. The interactive audio validation and assistance method of claim 12, wherein the user interface is further configured to auto fill the one or more input fields that matches the assigned variable of the required information stored in the data storage in response to an initiation of a process of filling one or more input fields.

14. The interactive audio validation and assistance method of claim 9, wherein storage of the at least one pre-recorded audio that explains the one or more input fields in the data storage is performed in response to selection of audio from a library and associating that audio with one or more input fields.

15. The interactive audio validation and assistance method of claim 9, further comprising, explaining the one or more input fields with a screen reader, wherein the at least one pre-recorded audio is disabled in response to utilization of the screen reader.

16. The interactive audio validation and assistance method of claim 9, further comprising working with a browser to identify a change in state on a displayed screen of the user interface, wherein the change in state is indicative of a text error message being displayed.