System and method for seamlessly integrating an interactive visual menu with an voice menu provided in an interactive voice response system

• US 20060285662A1
• Filed: 05/26/2005
• Published: 12/21/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/26/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LinkedIn Corporation (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Zhai, Shumin, Yin, Min
• Granted Patent: US 7,813,485 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/88.160
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/085 using a television receiver, e.g. viewdata system
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/38 Displays
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/42 Graphical user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/254 where the visual mode comprises menus
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42382 Text-based messaging services in telephone networks such as PSTN/ISDN, e.g. User-to-User Signalling or Short Message Service for fixed networks
• 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 7/0045 where the text-based messaging service is an instant messaging service

Abstract

An interactive visual menu system seamlessly integrates an interactive visual menu with an audio menu provided in an interactive voice response system. The system augments a voice menu by displaying the content of the voice menu to a caller. The system assumes that the caller is placing a call near an interactive device such as a computer and the user is logged onto the interactive device using, for example, instant messaging. The system “pushes” a graphical menu through the Internet onto the interactive device. Display of the graphical menu is synchronized with the audio menu. The caller selects the desired choices either by pressing the phone keypad or by clicking on graphical menus on the interactive device; both voice and visual information are updated accordingly.

Claims

1. A method of integrating a visual menu with an audio menu, comprising:

initiating an interactive session;

mapping a user identification of a user with a virtual location of the user, to correlate the user with an accessible interactive device;

transmitting a session initialization message to the virtual location of the user, wherein the session initialization message comprises an instruction for receiving the visual menu;

executing the instruction to receive the visual menu;

providing the visual menu to the user; and

updating the visual menu with the audio menu as the user selects a menu option presented by at least one of the visual menu or the audio menu.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein mapping the virtual location comprises mapping any one or more of a user'"'"'s instant messaging address or an SIP address.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising storing the virtual location and the user identifications in a mapping database.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the audio menu comprises a telephone menu.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein transmitting the session initialization message to the virtual location of the user comprises transmitting the session initialization message over a network.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the session initialization message comprises a session identifier that uniquely represents the interactive session;

and

wherein concurrently synchronizing the visual menu with the audio menu comprises using the session identifier.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the instruction comprises any one of:

an IP address and a port number, or a URL of an interactive visual menu service from which the visual menu is transmitted.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein performing the instruction comprises any one of:

following a link to the in session initialization message, or open a connection with the IP address and port number for the in session initialization message.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein synchronizing the visual menu with the audio menu comprises using time stamp and user input.

10. The method of claim 9, comprising inputting the user input by any one or more of:

pressing a keypad of a telephone to generate dual-tone multi-frequency input;

speaking a command into a telephone microphone;

pressing a key on a keyboard associated with the interactive device;

clicking on a mouse associated with the interactive device;

using a virtual keyboard; and

using a touch screen with the interactive device.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein executing the instruction to receive the visual menu comprises using any one or more of:

an instant messaging client on the interactive device;

a web browser on the interactive device;

a SIP user agent;

a customized client on the interactive device; and

a graphical display.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the visual menu comprises any one or more of:

menu options at a current level of a hierarchical menu tree corresponding to the audio menu;

menu options at additional levels of the hierarchical menu tree;

additional information to augment the audio menu;

links to additional information to augment the audio menu.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the additional information comprises any one or more of:

a frequently asked questions web page, shortcuts of recent selections, and text or image resources.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising dynamically changing the visual menu with an input from the user.

17. The computer program product of claim 1, further comprising a mapping data store for storing the virtual location and the user identifications.

15. A computer program product comprising a plurality of executable instruction codes stored on a computer-readable medium, for integrating a visual menu with an audio menu, the computer program product comprising:

a first set of instruction codes for initiating an interactive session;

a second set of instruction codes for mapping a user identification of a user with a virtual location of the user, to correlate the user with an accessible interactive device;

a third set of instruction codes for transmitting a session initialization message to the virtual location of the user, wherein the session initialization message comprises an instruction for receiving the visual menu;

a fourth set of instruction codes for executing the instruction to receive the visual menu;

a fifth set of instruction codes for providing the visual menu to the user; and

a sixth set of instruction codes for concurrently synchronizing the visual menu with the audio menu as the user selects a menu option presented by at least one of the visual menu or the audio menu.

16. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the second set of instruction codes maps the virtual location of the user by mapping any one or more of a user'"'"'s instant messaging address or an SIP address.

18. A system for integrating a visual menu with an audio menu, comprising:

an identification registration module for creating and storing a mapping of a user identification with a virtual location of the user;

a session initialization module for mapping a user identification of a user with a virtual location of the user, to correlate the user with an accessible interactive device;

the session initialization module transmitting a session initialization message to the virtual location of the user, wherein the session initialization message comprises an instruction for receiving the visual menu;

a menu display for executing the instruction to receive the visual menu;

a visual control module for providing the visual menu to the user; and

an audio-visual synchronization module for concurrently synchronizing the visual menu with the audio menu as the user selects a menu option presented by at least one of the visual menu or the audio menu.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the session initialization module maps the virtual location of the user by mapping any one or more of a user'"'"'s instant messaging address or an SIP address.

20. A service for integrating a visual menu with an audio menu during an interactive session, comprising:

automatically mapping a user identification of a user with a virtual location of the user, to correlate the user with an accessible interactive device;

automatically transmitting a session initialization message to the virtual location of the user, wherein the session initialization message comprises an instruction for receiving the visual menu;

automatically executing the instruction to receive the visual menu;

providing the visual menu to the user; and

updating the visual menu with the audio menu as the user selects a menu option presented by at least one of the visual menu or the audio menu.