Methods, systems, and products for processing responses in prompting systems

• US 20070220127A1
• Filed: 03/17/2006
• Published: 09/20/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/17/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Tischer, Steven, Koch, Robert, Adams, Valencia
• Granted Patent: US 8,050,392 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/223
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/36 Memories
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4938 comprising a voice browser which renders and interprets, e.g. VoiceXML

Abstract

Methods, systems, and products are disclosed for processing responses in a prompting system. Responses are monitored to a menu of prompts in the prompting system. A response to a prompt is tagged with a location identifier. The location identifier identifies subject matter that corresponds to the prompt. The location identifier is stored in a database. If the menu of prompts changes, then the location identifier permits navigation to the same subject matter, even though the prompt is reassigned to new subject matter.

Claims

1. A method for processing responses in a prompting system, comprising:

monitoring the responses to a menu of prompts;

tagging a response to a prompt with a location identifier, the location identifier identifying subject matter that corresponds to the prompt; and

storing the location identifier in a database,

wherein if the menu of prompts changes, the location identifier permits navigation to the same subject matter, even though the prompt is reassigned to new subject matter.

2. A method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of querying the database to determine whether a sender of a communication is recognized.

3. A method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of querying the database for a previous location identifier associated with a previous communication.

4. A method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of prompting a sender of a communication to return to the subject matter of a previous communication.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein when a subsequent communication is received from a sender, then further comprising returning to subject matter within the menu of prompts associated with the location identifier.

6. A method according to claim 1, wherein when a subsequent communication is received from a sender, then further comprising i) retrieving the location identifier associated with a previous communication and ii) presenting a modified prompt to the sender, the modified prompt prompting the sender to return to the subject matter that corresponds to the location identifier.

7. A method according to claim 1, further comprising at least one of i) searching the menu of prompts for the location identifier and ii) searching the menu of prompts for a superordinate location identifier.

8. A system, comprising:

a prompting application stored in memory; and

a processor communicating with the memory, the processor monitoring the responses to a menu of prompts in the prompting system,

the processor tagging a response to a prompt with a location identifier, the location identifier identifying subject matter that corresponds to the prompt, and

the processor storing the location identifier in a database,

wherein if the menu of prompts changes, the location identifier permits navigation to the same subject matter, even though the prompt is reassigned to new subject matter.

9. A system according to claim 8, wherein the processor queries the database to determine whether a sender of a communication is recognized.

10. A system according to claim 8, wherein the processor queries the database for a previous location identifier associated with a previous communication.

11. A system according to claim 8, wherein the processor prompts a sender of a communication to return to the subject matter of a previous communication.

12. A system according to claim 8, wherein when a subsequent communication is received from a sender, then the processor returns to the subject matter within the menu of prompts associated with the location identifier.

13. A system according to claim 8, wherein when a subsequent communication is received from a sender, then the processor i) retrieves the location identifier associated with a previous communication and ii) presents a modified prompt to the sender, the modified prompt prompting the sender to return to the subject matter that corresponds to the location identifier.

14. A system according to claim 8, wherein the processor searches the menu of prompts for at least one of i) the location identifier and ii) a superordinate location identifier.

15. A computer program product storing computer code for performing the steps:

monitoring responses to a menu of prompts in a prompting system;

tagging a response to a prompt with a location identifier, the location identifier identifying subject matter that corresponds to the prompt; and

storing the location identifier in a database,

wherein if the menu of prompts changes, the location identifier permits navigation to the same subject matter, even though the prompt is reassigned to new subject matter.

16. A computer program product according to claim 15, further comprising computer code for querying the database to determine whether a sender of a communication is recognized.

17. A computer program product according to claim 15, further comprising computer code for querying the database for a previous location identifier associated with a previous communication.

18. A computer program product according to claim 15, further comprising computer code for prompting a sender of a communication to return to a location within the menu of prompts associated with the location identifier.

19. A computer program product according to claim 15, wherein when a subsequent communication is received from a sender, then further comprising computer code for returning to a location within the menu of prompts associated with the location identifier.

20. A computer program product according to claim 15, further comprising computer code for searching the menu of prompts for the location identifier.