Directory assistance dialog with configuration switches to switch from automated speech recognition to operator-assisted dialog

• US 20050027535A1
• Filed: 08/27/2004
• Published: 02/03/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/11/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nuance Communications, Inc. (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: SBC Technology Resources, Inc. (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Bushey, Robert R., Chang, Hisao M., Martin, John M.
• Granted Patent: US 7,050,560 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 704/270
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/26 Speech to text systems G10L15/08 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/18 Comparators
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/40 using speech recognition speech recognition per se G10L15/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/355 Interactive dialogue design tools, features or methods
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4931 Directory assistance systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4933 with operator assistance
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4936 Speech interaction details speech recognition per se G10L15/00

Abstract

A method of providing a caller with a directory assistance dialog. The dialog is configurable, at any level of the dialog, from an automated speech recognition (ASR) dialog to an operator-assisted (OP) dialog. The dialog is handed off to an operator if any level of the speech recognition dialog fails. Also, a configuration switch may be set to cause the dialog to be handed off to an operator even if a response at some level of the ASR dialog is successfully recognized.

Claims

1. A method of providing a caller with a directory assistance dialog, the dialog being switchable from an automated speech recognition (ASR) path to an operator-assisted (OP) path, comprising:

providing a series of ASR sub-dialogs, the sub-dialogs including at least a sub-dialog operable to perform each of the following tasks;

prompting the caller for a location response and applying ASR to the location response, and prompting the caller for a listing response and applying ASR to the listing response;

after each ASR sub-dialog, branching to the OP path if the recognition is not successful; and

after at least one ASR sub-dialog, providing a configuration switch that could be set to cause the remaining dialog to branch to the OP path even if the ASR is successful and based on ASR success rates to the responses of a following prompt;

such that after at least one step of applying of ASR to a response, and before any remaining prompting step, there are both a conditional decision based on the success or failure of the applying step, and the configuration switch that follows the conditional decision.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of providing an initial configuration switch that could be set to cause the dialog to branch to the OP path prior to any ASR dialog.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of performing a database search for dialogs in which the responses have been successfully recognized.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the OP path uses store and forward techniques.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein in one of the ASR sub-dialogs prompts the caller to respond whether the listing is for a residence.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein one of the ASR sub-dialogs prompts the caller to respond with a goal.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the method is performed to obtain a residential listing, and further comprising the step of providing a configuration switch that may be set to cause the dialog to branch to an OP path to obtain the residential listing.

8. The method of claim 1, whether the configuration switch follows the listing response.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the configuration switch follows the location response.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein one of the ASR sub-dialogs determines whether the caller desires reverse directory assistance, and further comprising the step of providing a configuration switch to determine whether the RDA is performed using ASR or is operator-assisted.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of forwarding at least one response to a speech recognition tuning process.

12. A computer-implemented directory assistance system for providing a caller with a directory assistance dialog, the dialog being switchable from an automated speech recognition (ASR) path to an operator-assisted (OP) path, comprising:

a series of ASR sub-dialog processes, the sub-dialogs including at least a sub-dialog operable to perform each of the following tasks;

prompting the caller for a location response and applying ASR to the location response, and prompting the caller for a listing response and applying ASR to the listing response;

a conditional decision process after each ASR sub-dialog, operable to branch the dialog to the OP path if the ASR is not successful;

after at least one ASR sub-dialog, a configuration switch that could be set to cause the remaining dialog to branch to the OP path even if the ASR is successful and based on ASR success rates to the responses of a following prompt;

such that after at least one step of applying of ASR to a response, and before any remaining prompting step, there are both a conditional decision based on the success or failure of the applying step, and the configuration switch that follows the conditional decision.