Web-based platform for interactive voice response (IVR)

• US 6,587,822 B2
• Filed: 10/06/1998
• Issued: 07/01/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/06/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: RPX Corporation
• Original Assignee: Lucent Technologies, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Tuckey, Curtis Duane, Brown, Michael Kenneth, Rehor, Kenneth G., Schmult, Brian Carl
• Primary Examiner(s): ABEBE, DANIEL DEMELASH
• Application Number:
  US09/168,405
• Publication Number:
  US 20010013001A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,729 Days
• Field of Search: 379/88.17, 704/275, 704/260, 704/251, 704/246, 704/256, 704/258
• US Class Current: 704/275
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/167 Audio in a user interface, e.g. using voice commands for navigating, audio feedback
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/40 using speech recognition speech recognition per se G10L15/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/20 hybrid systems
• 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 7/12 for working between exchanges having different types of switching equipment, e.g. power-driven and step by step or decimal and non-decimal

Abstract

A platform for implementing interactive voice response (IVR) applications over the Internet or other type of network includes a speech synthesizer, a grammar generator and a speech recognizer. The speech synthesizer generates speech which characterizes the structure and content of a web page retrieved over the network. The speech is delivered to a user via a telephone or other type of audio interface device. The grammar generator utilizes textual information parsed from the retrieved web page to produce a grammar. The grammar is supplied to the speech recognizer and used to interpret voice commands and other speech input generated by the user. The platform may also include a voice processor which determines which of a number of predefined models best characterized a given retrieved page, such that the process of generating an appropriate verbal description of the page is considerably simplified. The speech synthesizer, grammar generator, speech recognizer and other elements of the IVR platform may be operated by a Internet Service Provider (ISP), thereby allowing the general Internet population to create interactive voice response applications without acquiring their own IVR equipment.

Claims

1. An apparatus for implementing an interactive voice response application over a network, the apparatus comprising:

a speech synthesizer operative to generate speech output characterizing at least a portion of a web page retrieved over the network;

a grammar generator operative to process information in the retrieved web page to produce at least a portion of at least one grammar; and

a speech recognizer having an input coupled to an output of the grammar generator, wherein the speech recognizer is operative to utilize the at least one grammar produced by the grammar generator to recognize speech input;

wherein the at least one grammar produced by the grammar generator is utilized by the speech synthesizer to create phoneme information, such that similar phonemes are used in both the speech recognizer and the speech synthesizer.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the apparatus further includes a processor operative to implement a function of at least one of the speech synthesizer, the grammar generator and the speech recognizer.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 further including a parser which identifies textual information in the retrieved web page, and delivers the textual information to the grammar generator.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 further including a voice processor which is operative to determine which of a set of predetermined models best characterizes the retrieved web page.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the voice processor utilizes a default top-down description process if the retrieved web page is not adequately characterized by any of the predetermined models.

6. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the models characterize structure in the web page including at least one of a section heading, a table, a frame, and a form.

7. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the voice processor applies a plurality of different sets of models to the retrieved web page, each of the sets including at least one model.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the speech synthesizer, the grammar generator and the speech recognizer are elements of an interactive voice response system associated with a service provider.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the speech synthesizer operates in a description mode, in which, unless interrupted by user input, the synthesizer provides a complete description of the retrieved web page to a user via the audio interface device, and an inspection mode, in which the synthesizer provides an abbreviated description of the retrieved web page and then awaits inspection command input from the user.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the speech synthesizer, grammar generator and speech recognizer are used to implement a dialog system in which a dialog is conducted with a user via the audio interface device in order to control the output of the web page information to the user.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the web page includes at least one of (i) text to be read to the user by the speech synthesizer, (ii) a program script for executing operations on a host processor, and (iii) a hyperlink for each of a set of designated spoken responses which may be received from the user.

12. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the web page includes at least one hyperlink that is to be utilized when the speech recognizer rejects a given spoken user input as unrecognizable.

13. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein at least a portion of the grammar produced by the grammar generator is precompiled.

14. A method for implementing an interactive voice response application over a network, the method comprising the steps of:

generating speech output characterizing at least a portion of a web page retrieved over the network;

processing information in the web page to produce at least a portion of at least one grammar;

utilizing the grammar to recognize speech input; and

utilizing the grammar to create phoneme information, such that similar phonemes are used in both the recognizing and generating steps.

15. The method of claim 14 further including the step of determining which of a set of predetermined models best characterizes the retrieved web page.

16. The method of claim 15 further including the step of utilizing a default top-down description process if the retrieved web page is not adequately characterized by any of the predetermined models.

17. The method of claim 15 further including the step of applying a plurality of different sets of models to the retrieved web page, each of the sets including at least one model.

18. The method of claim 14 wherein the generating, processing and utilizing steps include implementing a dialog system in which a dialog is conducted with a user in order to control the output of the web page information to the user.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein the web page includes at least one of (i) text to be read to the user, (ii) a program script for executing operations on a host processor, and (iii) a hyperlink for each of a set of designated spoken responses which may be received from the user.

20. The method of claim 18 wherein the web page includes at least one hyperlink that is to be utilized when a given spoken user input is rejected as unrecognizable.

21. The method of claim 14 wherein at least a portion of the grammar produced in the utilizing step is precompiled.

22. A machine-readable medium for storing one or more programs for implementing an interactive voice response application over a network, wherein the one or more programs when executed by a machine carry out the steps of:

generating speech output characterizing at least a portion of a web page retrieved over the network;

processing information in the web page to produce at least a portion of at least one grammar;

utilizing the grammar to recognize speech input; and

utilizing the grammar to create phoneme information, such that similar phonemes are used in both the recognizing and generating steps.

23. An interactive voice response system for communicating information between a network and an audio interface device, the system comprising:

at least one computer for implementing at least a portion of an interactive voice response platform, the platform including;

(i) a speech synthesizer operative to generate speech output characterizing at least a portion of a web page retrieved over the network;

(ii) a grammar generator operative to process information in the retrieved web page to produce at least a portion of at least one grammar; and

(iii) a speech recognizer operative to utilize the at least one grammar produced by the grammar generator to recognize speech input;

wherein the at least one grammar produced by the grammar generator is utilized by the speech synthesizer to create phoneme information, such that similar phonemes are used in both the speech recognizer and the speech synthesizer.

24. The system of claim 23 wherein the interactive voice response platform is associated with a service provider.

25. The system of claim 23 wherein the interactive voice response platform implements a dialog system in which a dialog is conducted with a user in order to control the output of the web page information to the user.

26. An apparatus for implementing an interactive voice response application over a network, the apparatus comprising:

a speech synthesizer operative to generate speech output characterizing at least a portion of a web page retrieved over the network;

a grammar generator operative to process information in the retrieved web page to produce at least a portion of at least one grammar; and

a speech recognizer having an input coupled to an output of the grammar generator, wherein the speech recognizer is operative to utilize the at least one grammar produced by the grammar generator to recognize speech input;

wherein the speech synthesizer operates in a description mode, in which, unless interrupted by user input, the synthesizer provides a complete description of the retrieved web page deliverable to a user via an audio interface device, and an inspection mode, in which the synthesizer provides an abbreviated description of the retrieved web page and then awaits inspection command input from the user.

27. A method for implementing an interactive voice response application over a network, the method comprising the steps of:

generating speech output characterizing at least a portion of a web page retrieved over the network;

processing information in the web page to produce at least a portion of at least one grammar; and

utilizing the grammar to recognize speech input;

wherein a speech synthesizer used in the generating step generates one or more phonetic transcriptions, and the phonetic transcriptions are used in the utilizing step to recognize the speech input.

28. A machine-readable medium for storing one or more programs for implementing an interactive voice response application over a network, wherein the one or more programs when executed by a machine carry out the steps of:

generating speech output characterizing at least a portion of a web page retrieved over the network;

processing information in the web page to produce at least a portion of at least one grammar; and

utilizing the grammar to recognize speech input;

wherein a speech synthesizer used in the generating step generates one or more phonetic transcriptions, and the phonetic transcriptions are used in the utilizing step to recognize the speech input.

29. An interactive voice response system for communicating information between a network and an audio interface device, the system comprising:

at least one computer for implementing at least a portion of an interactive voice response platform, the platform including;

(i) a speech synthesizer operative to generate speech output characterizing at least a portion of a web page retrieved over the network;

(ii) a grammar generator operative to process information in the retrieved web page to produce at least a portion of at least one grammar; and

(iii) a speech recognizer operative to utilize the at least one grammar produced by the grammar generator to recognize speech input;

wherein the speech synthesizer operates in a description mode, in which, unless interrupted by user input, the synthesizer provides a complete description of the retrieved web page deliverable to a user via the audio interface device, and an inspection mode, in which the synthesizer provides an abbreviated description of the retrieved web page and then awaits inspection command input from the user.