Method and apparatus of estimating optimum dialog state timeout settings in a spoken dialog system

• US 9,602,654 B1
• Filed: 02/02/2016
• Issued: 03/21/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 08/15/2011
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Open Invention Network LLC
• Original Assignee: West Corporation
• Inventors: Witt-ehsani, Silke
• Primary Examiner(s): SAINT CYR, LEONARD
• Application Number:
  US15/013,266
• Time in Patent Office: 413 Days
• Field of Search: 704/210, 704/231, 704/233, 704/246, 704/247, 704/251, 704/252
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 25/48 specially adapted for particular use
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/14 Delay circuits; Timers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/355 Interactive dialogue design tools, features or methods
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/2218 Call detail recording
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4936 Speech interaction details speech recognition per se G10L15/00

Abstract

Example embodiments of the present invention may include a method that includes collecting caller response timings to each of a plurality of dialog states conducted during a call, and estimating a plurality of parameters based on the caller response timings. The method may also include selecting a response completeness value responsive to the estimated plurality of parameters, the response completeness value is used to calculate at least one optimal timeout value. The method may also include selecting the at least one optimal timeout value, and setting the at least one optimal timeout value for each of the corresponding dialog states. The timeout value(s) may be used for subsequent calls to provide optimal user satisfaction and call success rates.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

collecting caller responses to each of a plurality of dialog states conducted during a call;

identifying caller response timings corresponding to the caller responses, wherein the caller response timings are a function of times when the plurality of dialog states are presented to the caller during the call and times when the caller responses to the plurality of dialog states were associated with timestamps;

selecting a response completeness value as a percentage of the total callers that have provided caller responses;

calculating at least one optimal timeout value associated with the call based on the selected response completeness value;

selecting the at least one optimal timeout value; and

setting the at least one optimal timeout value based on a majority of the caller responses at a call processing server for each of the corresponding plurality of dialog states to timeout during at least one of the call and a subsequent call.

2. The method of claim 1, comprising estimating a plurality of parameters based on the caller response timings.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein estimating the plurality of parameters comprises calculating a probability distribution based on the caller response timings.

4. The method of claim 2, comprising selecting the response completeness value as a percentage of the total callers that have provided caller responses responsive to the estimating of the plurality of parameters.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the caller response timings comprise instances in time when the callers responded to at least one of questions and prompts generated during the call.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein setting the at least one optimal timeout value for each of the corresponding plurality of dialog states comprises setting a plurality of different timeout values for the corresponding plurality of dialog states.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the response completeness value is equal to or greater than 95% of all caller response timings.

8. An apparatus, comprising:

a memory configured to store caller responses to each of a plurality of dialog states conducted during a call and caller response timings corresponding to the caller responses; and

a processor configured to;

identify caller response timings corresponding to the caller responses and store the caller response timings in the memory, wherein the caller response timings are a function of times when the plurality of dialog states are presented to the caller during the call and times when the caller responses to the plurality of dialog states were associated with timestamps,

select a response completeness value as a percentage of the total callers that have provided caller responses,

calculate at least one optimal timeout value associated with the call based on the selected response completeness value,

select the at least one optimal timeout value, and

set the at least one optimal timeout value based on a majority of the caller responses for each of the corresponding plurality of dialog states to timeout during at least one of the call and a subsequent call.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the processor is configured to estimate a plurality of parameters based on the caller response timings.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein to estimate the plurality of parameters a probability distribution is calculated based on the caller response timings.

11. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the response completeness value is selected as a percentage of the total callers that have provided caller responses responsive to the estimate of the plurality of parameters.

12. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the caller response timings comprise instances in time when the callers responded to at least one of questions and prompts generated during the call.

13. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the at least one optimal timeout value set for each of the corresponding plurality of dialog states comprises a plurality of different timeout values being set for the corresponding plurality of dialog states.

14. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the response completeness value is equal to or greater than 95% of all caller response timings.

15. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium configured to store instructions that when executed cause a processor to perform:

collecting caller responses to each of a plurality of dialog states conducted during a call;

identifying caller response timings corresponding to the caller responses, wherein the caller response timings are a function of times when the plurality of dialog states are presented to the caller during the call and times when the caller responses to the plurality of dialog states were associated with timestamps;

selecting a response completeness value as a percentage of the total callers that have provided caller responses;

calculating at least one optimal timeout value associated with the call based on the selected response completeness value;

selecting the at least one optimal timeout value; and

setting the at least one optimal timeout value based on a majority of the caller responses at a call processing server for each of the corresponding plurality of dialog states to timeout during at least one of the call and a subsequent call.

16. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 15, configured to store instructions that when executed cause the processor to perform estimating a plurality of parameters based on the caller response timings.

17. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein estimating the plurality of parameters comprises calculating a probability distribution based on the caller response timings.

18. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein the selecting the response completeness value as a percentage of the total callers that have provided caller responses is responsive to the estimated plurality of parameters.

19. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the caller response timings comprise instances in time when the callers responded to at least one of questions and prompts generated during the call.

20. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the setting the at least one optimal timeout value for each of the corresponding plurality of dialog states comprises setting a plurality of different timeout values for the corresponding plurality of dialog states.