System and method for the creation and automatic deployment of personalized dynamic and interactive voice services

• US 6,850,603 B1
• Filed: 12/07/1999
• Issued: 02/01/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/13/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Microstrategy Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Microstrategy Incorporated
• Inventors: Zirngibl, Michael, Patnaik, Anurag, Maass, Bodo, Eberle, Hannes, Mosle, Wolf, Reyes, Benjamin, Santa Ana, Alberto, Leon, Christopher S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hoosain, Allan
• Application Number:
  US09/454,602
• Time in Patent Office: 1,883 Days
• Field of Search: 379/67.1, 379/88.13, 379/88.14, 379/88.15, 379/88.16, 379/88.17, 379/265.09, 379/900, 379/901, 379/908, 379/265.01, 379/266.07, 379/88.18, 379/88.12
• US Class Current: 379/88.16
• 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: Y10S 379/908 Multimedia

Abstract

This invention relates to a system and method for creation and automatic deployment of personalized, dynamic and interactive voice services, including information derived from on-line analytical processing (OLAP) systems and other data repositories. More specifically, the invention relates to a system and method that enable personalized delivery of information in real-time, via natural language voice communication with a voice-enabled terminal device. The system and method combines personalized information broadcast technology with an active voice page. An active voice page is created by the system, stored in a call database and used to generate dynamic voice menus. A call server retrieves the AVP from the call database and delivers the content of the service by dialing a subscriber'"'"'s telephone number, speaking message text to the subscriber and recording the subscriber'"'"'s input in response to the call menus. A unique AVP is generated for each subscriber scheduled to receive voice service content.

Claims

1. A method for providing interactive, real-time, voice transmission of personalized information to at least one user comprising the steps of:

enabling the at least one user to subscribe to at least one service that can output personalized content;

generating personalized content for the at least one user;

generating a call structure to deliver the personalized content to the at least one user, the call structure comprising at least one active voice page having one or more personalized menus to enable the at least one user to navigate through the personalized content;

determining a set of style properties associated with the at least one user;

enabling the at least one service to initiate an interactive voice-enabled communication session between the at least one user and a call server;

generating speech output from the call structure using the style properties; and

,

transmitting the speech output to the at least one user using the style properties.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein generating personalized content comprises generating content from text.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein generating personalized content comprises generating the one or more personalized menus from output from an on-line analytical processing system.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein generating call structure comprises associating the output from an on-line analytical processing system with a style sheet.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein generating call structure comprises generating static call structure.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein generating call structure comprises generating dynamic call structure.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the dynamic call structure depends on output from an on-line analytical processing system.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the style properties are determined based on user preferences of the at least one user.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the style properties are determined based on hardware of the at least one user.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the call server comprises a remotely located call server and initiating the interactive voice-enabled communication session comprises:

transmitting a call request to the remotely located call server, the call request comprising the call structure and the style properties; and

,

initiating the interactive voice-enabled communication session between the remotely located call server and the at least one user.

11. A system for providing interactive, real-time, voice transmission of personalized information to at least one user comprising:

a subscription interface for enabling the at least one user to subscribe to at least one service that can output personalized content;

a server for generating personalized content and generating a call structure to deliver the personalized content to the at least one user, the call structure comprising at least one active voice page having one or more personalized menus to enable the at least one user to navigate through the personalized content;

a personalization engine for determining a set of style properties associated with the at least one user;

a call server for enabling the at least one service to initiate an interactive voice-enabled communication session with the at least one user;

a text to speech engine for generating speech output from the call structure using the style properties; and

,

a voice network for transmitting the speech output to the at least one user using the style properties.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein the server generates personalized content from text.

13. The system of claim 11 wherein the server generates the one or more personalized menus from output from an on-line analytical processing system.

14. The system of claim 11 wherein the server generates call structure by associating the output from an on-line analytical processing system with a style sheet.

15. The system of claim 11 wherein the server generates static call structure.

16. The system of claim 11 wherein the server generates dynamic call structure.

17. The system of claim 16 wherein the dynamic call structure depends on the output from an on-line analytical processing system.

18. The system of claim 11 wherein the personalization engine determines style properties based on user preferences of the at least one user.

19. The system of claim 11 wherein the personalization engine determines style properties based on hardware of the at least one user.

20. The system of claim 11 wherein the call server comprises a remotely located call server, the system further comprising:

means for transmitting a call request to the remotely located call server, the call request comprising the call structure and the style properties.

21. A method for providing interactive, real-time, voice transmission of personalized information to at least one user comprising the steps of:

enabling the at least one user to subscribe to at least one service that can output personalized content;

generating personalized content for the at least one user;

generating a call structure to deliver the personalized content to the at least one user, the call structure comprising at least one active voice page having one or more personalized menus to enable the at least one user to navigate through the personalized content;

determining a set of style properties associated with the at least one user;

enabling the at least one service to initiate an interactive voice-enabled communication session between the at least one user and a call server;

generating speech output from the call structure using the style properties;

transmitting the speech output to the at least one user using the style properties; and

enabling the at least one user to interact with the voice-enabled communication in real-time during the interactive voice-enabled communication session.

22. A system for providing interactive, real-time, voice transmission of personalized information to at least one user comprising:

a subscription interface for enabling the at least one user to subscribe to at least one service that can output personalized content;

a server for generating personalized content and generating a call structure to deliver the personalized content to the at least one user, the call structure comprising at least one active voice page having one or more personalized menus to enable the at least one user to navigate through the personalized content;

a personalization engine for determining a set of style properties associated with the at least one user;

a call server for enabling the at least one service to initiate an interactive voice-enabled communication session with the at least one user;

a text to speech engine for generating speech output from the call structure using the style properties;

a voice network for transmitting the speech output to the at least one user using the style properties; and

a user response module that enables the at least one user to interact with the voice-enabled communication in real-time during the interactive voice-enabled communication session.