Systems and methods for visual presentation and selection of IVR menu

• US 8,594,280 B1
• Filed: 02/03/2010
• Issued: 11/26/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/03/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tal Lavian, Zvi Or-Bach
• Original Assignee: Tal Lavian, Zvi Or-Bach
• Inventors: Or-Bach, Zvi, Lavian, Tal
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, QUYNH H
• Application Number:
  US12/699,618
• Time in Patent Office: 1,392 Days
• Field of Search: 379/88.01, 379/88.03, 379/88.04, 379/88.17, 379/88.18, 379/88.19, 379/88.23
• US Class Current: 379/88.01
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/64 Automatic arrangements for answering calls; Automatic arrangements for recording messages for absent subscribers; Arrangements for recording conversations centralised dictation systems H04M11/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/254 where the visual mode comprises menus
• 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

Abstract

Embodiments of the invention provide an enhanced telephone system. The telephone system comprises a database that comprises phone numbers and menus corresponding to the phone numbers. Further, the menus comprise options for selection. The telephone system comprises means for comparing a dialed number to the phone numbers in the database, displaying a menu based on a result of the comparison, enabling selection of the options from the displayed menu, and establishing a connection with a destination of the dialed number based on the selection of the options.

Claims

1. A system comprising a processor, connection via a gateway to Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN), connection to internet and a memory, wherein

said memory comprises instructions to:

(i) communicate with at least one interactive voice response (IVR) destination using said gateway;

(ii) communicate with a visual menu database, wherein the visual menu database comprises one or more visual menus of one or more Interactive Voice Response (IVR) destinations associated by their phone numbers;

(iii) use the internet to transfer a visual menu corresponding to the at least one IVR destination to be displayed to at least one user, wherein said visual menu relates to multiplicity of internal destinations of said at least one IVR destination; and

(iv) convert information received from said user to tone coded information to be transmitted to said interactive voice response (IVR) destination using the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN).

2. A system according to claim 1 wherein said visual menu comprises at least one icon.

3. A system according to claim 1, wherein said transfer comprises also transferring an advertisement, wherein said advertisement is related to said destination.

4. A system according to claim 1 wherein said visual menu comprises indication of prior choices made by said at least one user.

5. A system according to claim 1 wherein said system comprises also a voice channel connection to said at least one user.

6. A system according to claim 1 wherein said system comprises database, wherein said database comprises menu information of plurality of interactive voice response (IVR) destinations.

7. A system according to claim 1 wherein said memory comprises instructions to synthesis voice to make selection between said multiplicity of internal destinations.

8. A system comprising a processor, connection to Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN), connection to internet and a memory, wherein

said memory comprises instructions to:

(i) communicate with at least one interactive voice response (IVR) destination using the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN);

(ii) communicate with a visual menu database, wherein the visual menu database comprises one or more visual menus of one or more Interactive Voice Response (IVR) destinations associated by their phone numbers;

(iii) use the internet to transfer a visual menu corresponding to the at least one IVR destination to be displayed to at least one user, wherein said visual menu relates to multiplicity of internal destinations of said at least one IVR destination; and

(iv) convert information received from said user to tone coded information to be transmitted to said interactive voice response (IVR) destination using the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN).

9. A system according to claim 8 wherein said menu comprises at least one icon.

10. A system according to claim 8 wherein said transfer comprises also transferring an advertisement, wherein said advertisement is related to said destination.

11. A system according to claim 8 wherein said menu comprises indication of prior choices made by said at least one user.

12. A system according to claim 8 wherein said system comprises also a voice channel connection to said at least one user.

13. A system according to claim 8 wherein said system comprises database, wherein said database comprises menu information of plurality of interactive voice response (IVR) destinations.

14. A system according to claim 8 wherein said memory comprises instructions to synthesis voice to make selection between said multiplicity of internal destinations.

15. A system comprising a processor, connection to Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN), connection to internet and a memory, wherein

said memory comprises instructions to:

(i) communicate with a visual menu database, wherein the visual menu database comprises one or more visual menus of one or more Interactive Voice Response (IVR) destinations associated by their phone numbers;

(ii) communicate with at least one IVR destination using the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN);

(iii) use the Internet to transfer a visual menu from the visual menu database corresponding to the at least one IVR destination to be displayed to at least one user, wherein said visual menu relates to multiplicity of internal destinations of said at least one IVR destination; and

(iv) convert information received from said user to tone coded information to be transmitted to said interactive voice response (IVR) destination using the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN).

16. A system according to claim 15 wherein said memory comprises instructions to convert information received from said destination to a digital information and transferring said digital information to said user.

17. A system according to claim 15 wherein said system comprises also a voice channel connection to said at least one user.

18. A system according to claim 15 wherein said visual menu database comprises menu information related to plurality of interactive voice response (IVR) destinations.

19. A system according to claim 15 wherein said memory comprises instructions to synthesis voice to make selection between said multiplicity of internal destinations.