Voice controlled business scheduling system and method

• US 20040001575A1
• Filed: 05/22/2003
• Published: 01/01/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/27/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Yi Tang
• Original Assignee: Yi Tang
• Inventors: Tang, Yi
• Granted Patent: US 7,200,210 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/88.04
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/109 Time management, e.g. calendars, reminders, meetings or time accounting
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/2072 Schedules, e.g. personal calendars
• 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 3/493 Interactive information services, e.g. directory enquiries ; Arrangements therefor, e.g. interactive voice response [IVR] systems or voice portals
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4938 comprising a voice browser which renders and interprets, e.g. VoiceXML

Abstract

A fully automated, voice controlled business appointment/reservation system is provided. The system has a natural language voice user interface that emulates a live office administrator for appointment/reservation bookkeeping. It includes an efficient availability searching mechanism which enables a telephone user to quickly search and reserve available time slot based on his preference. Other described novel features and implementation improvements include method and system for voice controlled appointment/reservation cancellation, method and system for voice controlled appointment/reservation waiting list, method and system for new user service sign-up and account creation, method and system enabling sequential selective dialing of a telephone user list by voice command, and method and system for scheduling data administration by voice commands.

Claims

1. A method of automating business scheduling using a natural language voice user interface through which a user accesses a scheduling database to search availability and reserve a time slot based on preferences of said user, said method comprising:

(a) through said natural language voice user interface providing to said user at least one available search range for said user selection thereof;

(b) through said natural language voice user interface providing to said user a plurality of search options for said user selection thereof, said plurality of search options including search on preferred date, preferred time of day, and earliest available time slots;

(c) through said natural language voice user interface obtaining said user'"'"'s preferences as required by a selected one of said plurality of search options selected in step (b);

(d) searching said scheduling database for available time slots by applying said selected one of said plurality of search options within a selected one of said at least one available search range selected in step (a) in order to produce a search result;

(e) selecting a plurality of available time slots from said search result, said plurality of available time slots being closest in time to said user'"'"'s preference, a total number of said plurality of available time slots not exceeding a predetermined value;

(f) through said natural language voice user interface providing to said user said plurality of available time slots for said user selection of a chosen time slot;

(g) reserving said chosen time slot in said scheduling database for said user; and

(h) repeating steps (a) through (h),

if said search result from step (d) contains no available time slot or if no said plurality of available time slots is chosen by said user in step (f);

and only if a predetermined number of repetitions of steps (a) through (h) has not been exceeded.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of sending schedule reminder to said user via system initiated automated communication.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said natural language voice user interface is implemented with VoiceXML.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein said natural language voice user interface is coupled with a touch tone based user interface capable of collecting said user'"'"'s input through a telephone keypad.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein said natural language voice user interface is coupled with a plurality of predetermined call transfer trigger conditions, said plurality of predetermined call transfer trigger conditions causing said user to be connected to a predetermined service telephone number for live office personnel assistance.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of placing said user into a waiting list when no available time slot is found, and the step of assigning a newly available time slot to a user of said waiting list on a first come first serve basis.

7. A system of automating business scheduling using a natural language voice user interface through which a user accesses a scheduling database to search availability and reserves a time slot based on preferences of said user, said system comprising:

(a) first means, using said natural language voice user interface, for providing to said user at least one available search range for said user selection thereof;

(b) second means, using said natural language voice user interface, for providing to said user a plurality of search options for said user selection thereof, said plurality of search options including search on preferred date, preferred time of day, and earliest available time slots;

(c) third means, using said natural language voice user interface, for obtaining said user'"'"'s preferences as required by a selected one of said plurality of search options selected by said second means;

(d) fourth means for searching said scheduling database for available time slots by applying said selected one of said plurality of search options within a selected one of said at least one available search range selected by said first means in order to produce a search result;

(e) fifth means for selecting a plurality of available time slots from said search result, said plurality of available time slots being closest in time to said user'"'"'s preference, a total number of said plurality of available time slots not exceeding a predetermined value;

(f) sixth means, using said natural language voice user interface, for providing to said user said plurality of available time slots selected by said fifth means for said user selection of a chosen time slot;

(g) seventh means for reserving said chosen time slot in said scheduling database for said user.

8. The system of claim 7, further comprising a means for sending schedule reminder to said user via system initiated automated communication.

9. The system of claim 7 wherein said natural language voice user interface is implemented with VoiceXML.

10. The system of claim 7 wherein said natural language voice user interface is coupled with a touch tone based user interface capable of collecting said user'"'"'s input through a telephone keypad.

11. The system of claim 7 wherein said natural language voice user interface is coupled with a plurality of predetermined call transfer trigger conditions, said plurality of call transfer trigger conditions causing said user to be connected to a predetermined service telephone number for live office personnel assistance.

12. The system of claim 7, further comprising a means for placing said user into a waiting list, and a means for assigning a newly available time slot to a user of said waiting list on a first come first serve basis.

13. A method of automating cancellation of business schedule using a natural language voice user interface through which a user accesses a scheduling database to cancel an appointment or reservation made for said user, comprising:

(a) through said natural language voice user interface obtaining an identity from said user;

(b) validating said identity for authorizing access by said user to said scheduling database,

(c) searching said scheduling database for an appointment or reservation associated with said identity,

(d) through said natural language voice user interface presenting to said user said appointment or reservation for confirmation by said user on cancellation thereof,

(e) canceling in said scheduling database said appointment or reservation associated with said identity upon said confirmation.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein said natural language voice user interface is implemented with VoiceXML.

15. A method, using a natural language voice user interface, for a user to dial selectively a list of telephone numbers by voice command in one call, comprising:

(a) selecting a telephone number with an identity from a list of telephone numbers,

(b) through said natural language voice user interface presenting to said user said identity or said telephone number for a confirmation by said user on dialing said telephone number,

(c) setting up a call from said user to said telephone number upon said confirmation,

(d) upon termination of said call repeating step (a) through (d) until all numbers in said list of telephone numbers have been processed.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein said natural language voice user interface is implemented with VoiceXML.

17. A system for business schedule administration using a natural language voice user interface through which an administrator accesses a scheduling database to check schedule, to unblock/block schedule, to cancel schedule, and to fax a schedule listing, comprising:

(a) first means, using said natural language voice user interface, for obtaining an identity from said administrator and for validating said identity for authorizing access by said administrator to said scheduling database,

(b) second means, using said natural language voice user interface, for presenting to said administrator a plurality of administration tasks for selection thereof, said plurality of administration tasks including checking schedule, schedule blocking, schedule unblocking, schedule cancellation, and sending fax of scheduling list,

(c) third means, using said natural language voice user interface, for obtaining said administrator'"'"'s input specifying a time range in which a selected one of said plurality of administration tasks selected by said second means will be performed,

(d) fourth means, using said natural language voice user interface, for presenting to said administrator scheduling status information for said specified time range,

(e) fifth means, using said natural language voice user interface, for accessing said scheduling database and for unblocking all time slots within said specified time range,

(f) sixth means, using said natural language voice user interface, for accessing said scheduling database to cancel all appointments or reservations found within said specified time range,

(g) seventh means, using said natural language voice user interface, for accessing said scheduling database to block all time slots within said specified time range,

(h) eighth means, using said natural language voice user interface, for accessing said scheduling database to compile and send a fax of scheduling information of said specified time range, said fax being sent to either a predetermined fax number or a fax number provided by said administrator via said natural language voice user interface.

18. The system of claim 17, further comprising a means for sending notices, via system initiated automated communications, to users whose schedules are changed by said administrator.

19. The system of claim 17 wherein said natural language voice user interface is implemented with VoiceXML.

20. The system of claim 17 wherein said natural language voice user interface is coupled with a touch tone based user interface capable of collecting said administrator'"'"'s input through a telephone keypad.