Entries |
Document | Title | Date |
20080205601 | Systems and Techniques for Producing Spoken Voice Prompts - Methods and systems are described in which spoken voice prompts can be produced in a manner such that they will most likely have the desired effect, for example to indicate empathy, or produce a desired follow-up action from a call recipient. The prompts can be produced with specific optimized speech parameters, including duration, gender of speaker, and pitch, so as to encourage participation and promote comprehension among a wide range of patients or listeners. Upon hearing such voice prompts, patients/listeners can know immediately when they are being asked questions that they are expected to answer, and when they are being given information, as well as the information that considered sensitive. | 08-28-2008 |
20080226041 | Phone Number Extraction System for Voice Mail Messages - Methods, apparatuses, and media for extracting phone numbers from voice mail messages are disclosed. Embodiments may include a method for determining a phone number in a voice mail message that includes analyzing a message and determining phone number(s) associated with the message based on the analysis. Embodiments of the method may also include generating a macro based on the determined phone number(s) and performing a macro action for at least one generated macro. In some embodiments, analyzing the message and determining phone number(s) associated with the message may include detecting a trigger word and parsing words in the message after the detected trigger word. In other embodiments, analyzing the message and determining one or more phone numbers associated with the message may include analyzing a voice-to-number dictionary and determining phone number(s) based on the dictionary. The macro action may include dialing, storing, deleting, etc. a phone number. | 09-18-2008 |
20080232556 | Keyword Alerting in Conference Calls - A conferencing system is disclosed in which a participant to a conference call can program the embodiment to listen for one or more “keywords” in the conference call. The keywords might be a participant's name or words associated with him or her or words associated with his or her area of knowledge. The embodiments uses speech recognition technology to listen for those words. When the embodiments detects that those words have been spoken, the embodiment alerts the participant—using audible, visual, and/or tactile signals—that the participant's attention to the call is warranted. When the keywords are chosen wisely, the benefit can be great. | 09-25-2008 |
20080273672 | Automated attendant grammar tuning - A system provides speech-enabled automated attendant call processing. A database comprises words that are anticipated to be received in a voice input. Stored in relation to the words are actions to be taken upon receipt of a call comprising to particular words. A server receives a call, and after playing a prompt, receives a voice input. The server identifies whether words in the voice input correspond to words in the database. If so, the server takes an action stored in the database in relation to the words in the voice input. If words in the voice input do not correspond to words in the database, the server queues the voice input for analysis. In response to inputs, the server adds words from the voice input to the database. | 11-06-2008 |
20080310601 | VOICE BARGE-IN IN TELEPHONY SPEECH RECOGNITION - An interactive voice response system is described that supports full duplex data transfer to enable the playing of a voice prompt to a user of telephony system while the system listens for voice barge-in from the user. The system includes a speech detection module that may utilize various criteria such as frame energy magnitude and duration thresholds to detect speech. The system also includes an automatic speech recognition engine. When the automatic speech recognition engine recognizes a segment of speech, a feature extraction module may be used to subtract a prompt echo spectrum, which corresponds to the currently playing voice prompt, from an echo-dirtied speech spectrum recorded by the system. In order to improve spectrum subtraction, an estimation of the time delay between the echo-dirtied speech and the prompt echo may also be performed. | 12-18-2008 |
20080317219 | Method and apparatus for context based voice dialing - A telecommunications device including an address book including a plurality of entries of party names and addresses, the entries including user-defined party contexts; a voice recognition unit configured to receive user input, the user input including names, numbers, and contexts of address book entries; a user context control agent configured to receive context inputs from the voice recognition unit and identify corresponding names and numbers therefrom; and an autodialer configured to dial a number identified by the user context control agent. | 12-25-2008 |
20090003539 | Methods and Apparatus for Defending Against Telephone-Based Robotic Attacks Using Random Personal Codes - Methods and apparatus are provided for defending against telephone-based robotic attacks. An interactive voice response method is disclosed, comprising the steps of obtaining a script to present to a caller, the script including at least one menu option having at least one personal code; generating a random number for the personal code; and presenting the at least one menu option with the generated random number to the caller. The step of generating a random number for the personal code is optionally responsive to receipt of the call. The method is optionally performed only if one or more predefined criteria defining an attack are satisfied. The disclosed IVR system can optionally monitor the caller response to determine whether the caller enters the generated random number. | 01-01-2009 |
20090034693 | Automatic message management utilizing speech analytics - Embodiments are provided for utilizing speech analytics for automatically managing messages in a communications network. A message from a calling party to an unavailable called party is recorded in a messaging management module. The messaging management module automatically identifies a category for assigning to the content of the message based on information associated with the unavailable called party or a calling party and associates a language model with the message content based on the category. An analysis module utilizes the language model to identify grammar making up the message content. The messaging management module automatically performs a messaging management function on the message content based on a set of rules. The messaging management function may include automatically determining a priority for the message (enabling the message to be retrieved out of order) or automatically triggering an action in response to the message which is directed to the unavailable called party. | 02-05-2009 |
20090041210 | Method of and System for Optimizing Interactive Voice Response Unit Port Utilization - A method of and system for optimizing interactive voice response (IVR) unit port utilization starts each call of a plurality of calls on a separate IVR unit port. The method launches an IVR call flow for each call. Each IVR call flow includes a section that is common to all of the call flows. The method conferences together on a single IVR unit port at least some of the plurality of calls for the common section of the call flow by transferring calls to the single IVR unit port when each transferred call reaches the common section. The method synchronizes the calls conferenced together on the single port by inserting into the call flow on the single IVR unit port an on-hold treatment. The method starts the common section of the call flow when all calls have been transferred to the single IVR unit port. | 02-12-2009 |
20090052634 | PROVIDING SPEAKER IDENTIFYING INFORMATION WITHIN EMBEDDED DIGITAL INFORMATION - A method of providing identifying information over a voice communications link can include receiving, from a call participant, a personal identification code over the voice communications link, determining identifying information for the call participant using the personal identification code, and encoding the identifying information of the call participant within a voice stream carried by the voice communications link. The voice stream and identifying information can be sent to a subscriber. | 02-26-2009 |
20090086934 | Device for Modifying and Improving the Behaviour of Speech Recognition Systems - A speech recognition system comprises a controller application, a speech recogniser, and a modification apparatus disposed between them. The controller application has an output arranged to produce a speech signal, an input arranged to receive a recognised speech result signal and a control command output arranged to produce a command signal. The speech recogniser has a pattern matcher, a speech input arranged to receive the speech signal from the controller application, an output arranged to produce the recognised speech recognised signal and a control command input arranged to receive the command signal. The modification apparatus is disposed between the output of the controller application and the input of the speech recogniser; between the output of the speech recogniser and the input of the controller application; and between the control command output of the controller application and the control command input of the speech recogniser. The modification apparatus is arranged to modify at least one of the signals between the controller application and the speech recogniser. In this way speech recognition accuracy can be significantly improved. | 04-02-2009 |
20090202048 | System and Method for Communication - The present invention is a system and method for providing a connection to an entity from a request made to a general database, the system having a central contact and a list or database of word sequences purchased by entities; wherein the list or database has an associated telephone number contact information or address information and telephone or mail connection is made based on word sequence purchased by a particular entity. | 08-13-2009 |
20090290689 | MONITORING DEVICE, EVALUATION DATA SELECTING DEVICE, AGENT EVALUATION DEVICE, AGENT EVALUATION SYSTEM, AND PROGRAM - It is possible to efficiently evaluate utterance while ensuring the effectiveness of the result of the evaluation. A selection unit | 11-26-2009 |
20090304161 | SYSTEM AND METHOD UTILIZING VOICE SEARCH TO LOCATE A PRODUCT IN STORES FROM A PHONE - A system and method for providing automatic voice recognition and voice response product location information in a store while using a personal mobile phone or any phone connected to a telecommunications or data communications network such as and including the Internet and an automatic speech recognition system. The system | 12-10-2009 |
20090316862 | INFORMATION PROCESSING TERMINAL AND MUSIC INFORMATION GENERATING METHOD AND PROGRAM - An object of the present invention is to provide an information processing terminal that specifies emotions from a voice and audio outputs music suitable for the specified emotions to enable the emotions of a loudspeaker who uttered the voice to be recognized readily. | 12-24-2009 |
20100086107 | Voice-Recognition Based Advertising - An automated system and a method are provided for delivering and displaying targeted advertisements to users of an end-user device. The end-user device constitutes a dynamic/interactive display and allows users, among other applications, to verbally communicate with other users and/or with automated systems (such as an interactive voice response (IVR) or voice mail system). The end-user device may further be a mobile device (e.g., cellular phone), a static device (e.g., a stand inside a shopping mall) and/or a computing device (such as a personal computer and/or a laptop device). The end-user device allows various voice applications. The system processes the voice communications on the fly, performs speech recognition, and accesses an advertising system to retrieve ads from a server, based on a combination of keywords identified in the recognized speech, as well as additional targeting items, such as user past behavior, user's physical location and more. The ads are then displayed to the user on the end-user device's display. | 04-08-2010 |
20100119045 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR PROVIDING VOICEMAIL SERVICES INCLUDING CALLER IDENTIFICATION - A method for providing voicemail services includes receiving a voicemail message from a calling party and intended for a called party. The method further includes identifying a name associated with the calling party and storing the name associated with the calling party with the voicemail message. | 05-13-2010 |
20100158205 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DISPLAYING THE HISTORY OF A USER'S INTERACTION WITH A VOICE APPLICATION - As a user interacts with a voice application, a history of the prompts played to the user and the users responses are displayed to the user. The displayed prompts and displayed responses could be summaries of the prompts and responses, or they could be full transcriptions of the prompts and responses. A user may be able to select a prompt or response in the history to return to a certain point in the voice application. It may be possible for a user to save a history of the interactions that occurred when a voice application was performed, and to recall the history to continue on from a selected location in the history. | 06-24-2010 |
20100183125 | CUSTOMER MESSAGING SERVICE - A messaging and alerting service is described. An implementation includes enrolling a customer in the messaging and alert service, storing a list of businesses selected by the customer, storing a customer contact hierarchy list, and contacting the customer according to the contact hierarchy list. The messaging and alerting service enables real-time, interactive alerts to be delivered to customers in the customer's preferred media. In addition, customers may respond to the alerts to provide important directions to a business. | 07-22-2010 |
20100195806 | VOICE RECOGNITION SERVER, TELEPHONE EQUIPMENT, VOICE RECOGNITION SYSTEM, AND VOICE RECOGNITION METHOD - A voice recognition server | 08-05-2010 |
20100202596 | ESTABLISHING ELECTRONICALLY AUTHENTICATED INTERNET VOICE CONNECTIONS - An electronically authenticated internet voice connection can be initiated on an institution's website. Authentication of the customer's identity can be determined based upon already established credentials, such as a username and password. Upon verifying the identity of the customer, the institution's web server can generate and transmit a unique identifier to the customer's browser. The unique identifier can be an encrypted identifier used to authenticate the customer when establishing a subsequent voice connection. | 08-12-2010 |
20100202597 | Automated Communication Techniques - Various technologies and techniques are disclosed for providing an autoresponder that allows subscribers to opt-in to one or more autoresponder campaigns using their spoken voice. Voice input is received from a subscriber and converted to text. The subscriber is added to at least one campaign. A contact communication identifier is stored in a subscriber contact record from the text that was converted from the voice input. One or more messages are sent to the subscriber using the contact communication identifier, and according to a schedule specified in the campaign. A virtual seminar playback system is described that simulates a live virtual seminar and allows subscribers to access a playback of a media recording over a communication connection at a specified time. An autoresponder system is described that delivers messages to subscribers in multiple available formats, based upon selections received by the subscribers. | 08-12-2010 |
20100232580 | PERSONAL VOICE-BASED INFORMATION RETRIEVAL SYSTEM - The present invention relates to a system for retrieving information from a network such as the Internet. A user creates a user-defined record in a database that identifies an information source, such as a web site, containing information of interest to the user. This record identifies the location of the information source and also contains a recognition grammar based upon a speech command assigned by the user. Upon receiving the speech command from the user that is described within the recognition grammar, a network interface system accesses the information source and retrieves the information requested by the user. | 09-16-2010 |
20100239075 | System and Method for Providing Local Interactive Voice Response Services - A system and method for providing local interactive voice response (IVR) services is provided. A local computer system having associated telephony equipment and installed at a local facility (e.g., a retail store of a chain, etc.) receives telephone calls to the local facility. The local computer system generates IVR prompts locally, and is controlled by a central IVR server. Reduced bandwidth is required between the local computer system and the central IVR server since no voice traffic is communicated between the central IVR server and the local computer system. | 09-23-2010 |
20100278316 | SYNCHRONOUS AND ASYNCHRONOUS BROKERING OF IVR SESSIONS FOR OFFLINE INTERACTION AND RESPONSE - An IVR session brokering service provides as one core mechanism, a pool of intelligent software agents residing on a cluster-able software services platform. These agents could be designed to act as stateful and customized interaction brokers for interacting automatically and semi-automatically with existing IVR systems. Customers and users would use this brokering service as an IVR normalization and aggregation mechanism for centralizing and personalizing their user experience with a full range of IVR systems that are of interest to them. The service could consume, operate on and transform voice and touchtone communication information that is transmitted between IVR systems and the end-user customers that are currently using those IVR systems. | 11-04-2010 |
20100303214 | ONE-WAY VOICE DETECTION VOICEMAIL - A telephone answering system includes a receiver, a detector and a transmitter. The receiver is configured to receive a voice signal. The detector is adapted to detect voice activity on the signal. The transmitter is adapted to transmit an initial prompt. In the event that the detector detects a gap in the voice activity after the initial prompt, transmitter is configured to transmit a notice. | 12-02-2010 |
20110002449 | VOICE BROWSER WITH INTEGRATED TCAP AND ISUP INTERFACES - A voice browser configured to process voice markup language documents can include a voice processing application and an integrated communications interface for interacting with a voice processing system. The voice browser can be configured to load the voice processing application independently of a received telephone call. The integrated communications interface can include at least one of an integrated transaction capabilities application part component for receiving a transaction capabilities application part query and an integrated ISUP component for receiving a telephony control signal. | 01-06-2011 |
20110075818 | Unified Interface and Routing Module for Handling Audio Input - Methods, systems and articles for receiving, by a telecommunication device, audio input through a unified audio interface are disclosed herein. The telecommunication device is further configured to determine whether to handle the audio input as a command, as a request of a telecommunication device application, or as a network search request, the determining being based on one or more user-configurable rules or priorities. | 03-31-2011 |
20110123004 | System and Method to Search a Media Content Database Based on Voice Input Data - A computer implemented method includes initiating a call from an interactive voice response (IVR) system to a first device associated with a user in response to a user request. The computer implemented method includes receiving voice input data at the IVR system via the call. The computer implemented method also includes performing a search of a media content database based at least partially on the voice input data. The computer implemented method further includes sending search results identifying media content items based on the search of the media content database to a second device associated with the user. | 05-26-2011 |
20110142208 | INTERACTIVE ANSWERING SYSTEM AND METHOD - An answering system and method comprising a caller ID input; an outgoing message output; a memory for storage of a plurality of messages; a processor for selecting outgoing message; whereby the processor selects a message from memory dependent upon the caller ID input. | 06-16-2011 |
20110150191 | Method and apparatus for call handling - There is provided a system and method of call handling comprising a first communications device having an acceptor of call purpose from a first party for a call, a communications channel including a conveyor of call purpose and a second communications device coupled to the first communications device via the communications channel and having a presenter of call purpose to a second party. | 06-23-2011 |
20110158391 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR VOICE ACTIVATED SIGNALING - A system for facilitating communications with an automated response system includes a database for storing an address book entry. The address book entry includes a location name and contact number for a location that employs an automated response platform that does not accept voice commands. The address book entry also includes at least one stored voice command related to a navigation command of the automated response platform and one stored associated assigned keystroke for the command. A voice response signal digital signal processor receives a voice input from a user corresponding to the stored voice command. A telephonic signal generator is included, such that when the user utters the voice input corresponding to the stored voice command, the system recalls the stored associated assigned keystroke and delivers a signal corresponding to the keystroke as a telephonic signal to the automated response platform. | 06-30-2011 |
20110200179 | PROVIDING OF PRESENCE INFORMATION TO A TELEPHONY SERVICES SYSTEM - In support of an interactive telephony services system, a presence gateway provides presence information regarding availability of a called party to communicate using an instant communications client. | 08-18-2011 |
20110216888 | AUTOMATED ANSWERING PARTY IDENTIFICATION BY A VOICE OVER INTERNET PROTOCOL NETWORK - A server device transmits a call to a user device; receives a signal in response to the call; receives speech when the call is answered; performs an operation to determine a signal factor and another signal factor based on a signal duration; performs another operation to determine a speech factor and another speech factor based on a speech duration; determines whether the speech contains key words; performs an action to determine a confidence factor and another confidence factor based on the speech; computes a factor based on the signal factor, the speech factor, and the confidence factor; computes another factor based on the other signal factor, the other speech factor, and the other confidence factor; determines that the party is the user device when the total factor is less than the other total factor; and outputs a non-interactive message based on the determination that the party is the user device. | 09-08-2011 |
20110216889 | Selectable State Machine User Interface System - A system that concurrently provides multiple user interface (UI) mechanisms that facilitate control of an application state machine (e.g., unified message system). More particularly, the invention can create two relatively distinct user experiences, one via dual tone multi-frequency (DTMF) navigation and another through speech recognition navigation of a unified message system. In accordance therewith, one single underlying state machine can be used. Navigation and flow control (e.g., state transitions) in the state machine can be leveraged by multiple UI mechanisms that actively co-exist. The invention introduces speech recognition features together with other input mechanisms to drive the UI of an application state machine (e.g., unified messaging system). The speech recognition UI can be designed to provide a natural navigation through the application independent of a DTMF UI. | 09-08-2011 |
20110222672 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PROVIDING VOICE MESSAGING WITH DYNAMIC CONTENT - A system and method for creating and distributing messages including dynamic content is provided. In one form, an entity provides a plurality of content segments for use in building a dynamic message. The entity also provides a listing of end users to receive a message and information associated with the user, such as demographic or prior purchasing information. In an alternate form, the service connects to the user in a communication session and collects information from the user directly. The service then uses this information, whether provided by the entity or the end user, as the basis for selection of various content segments which will make up a dynamic message for presentation to the user. | 09-15-2011 |
20110243310 | SPEECH USAGE AND PERFORMANCE TOOL - A system may include a database configured to selectively store and retrieve data. The system may further include a call record parser configured to receive a plurality of call records, each call record being associated with a respective call, parse the plurality of call records to identify periods of resource usage and types of resource usage for the associated calls, create parsed data based on the identified periods of resource usage and the types of resource usage, and store the parsed data in the database indexed according to the type of the identified resource and including the start and end times for the identified periods of usage. | 10-06-2011 |
20110249811 | Method and System for Analyzing Separated Voice Data of a Telephonic Communication Between a Customer and a Contact Center by Applying a Psychological Behavioral Model Thereto - A method for analyzing a telephonic communication between a customer and a contact center is provided. According to the method, a telephonic communication is separated into at least first constituent voice data and second constituent voice data. One of the first and second constituent voice data is analyzed by mining the voice data and applying a predetermined linguistic-based psychological behavioral model to one of the separated first and second constituent voice data. Behavioral assessment data is generated which corresponds to the analyzed voice data. | 10-13-2011 |
20110255671 | PROVIDING CONTEXTUAL INFORMATION FOR SPOKEN INFORMATION - Techniques are described for providing relevant information to users (e.g., information that is at least potentially of interest to the users). Relevant information for a user may be automatically determined based on a determined context of the user and/or on a request for that information from the user. For example, voice-based information may be obtained from a user in one or more ways, and then analyzed to identify requests or other indications of information of interest and/or to otherwise determine a context of the user that corresponds to potential information of interest. Relevant information for a user may be provided to the user in various ways, such as via a voice-based response during a telephone call and/or via one or more electronic messages sent to the user (e.g., via emails, instant messages, paging messages, SMS or other text messages, etc.). | 10-20-2011 |
20110286583 | Enhanced Multiparty Conference Outdial - Methods are described for providing conference calls. Methods are performed in a conference call system and includes: receiving local contact information for a plurality of contacts stored in a local phone book of a user equipment associated with a caller; updating a contact database of the conference call system based on the local contact information; registering the caller with an interactive voice response system of the conference call system; receiving a spoken request from the caller; accessing the contact database with contact information and retrieving a phone number responsive to the spoken request; calling the retrieved phone number; and establishing contact between the caller and a person associated with the retrieved phone number. Systems and computer readable mediums are also described. | 11-24-2011 |
20110305325 | TEMPLATE-BASED ELECTRONIC MESSAGE GENERATION USING SOUND INPUT - A unified messaging system enables a subscriber to log into the system remotely and compose and send text messages, such as email messages, using predefined templates and sound input. The sound input may be DTMF or speech. After the subscriber selects an appropriate template, the system confirms the template, and asks the subscriber to provide values for prompted variables, such as dates and times. The system then generates an email message as defined by the selected template and the values of the prompted variables provided by the subscriber. The email message may also include automatic variables, such as the subscriber's name, and company name. The generated email message may be a new message, a reply message, or a forwarding message. The reply and forwarding messages may be generated in response to received email, or in response to other received messages, such as voice mail messages and facsimiles. | 12-15-2011 |
20120020465 | Highlighting of Voice Message Transcripts - A computer-implemented voice mail method includes obtaining an electronic audio file of a recorded user message directed to a telephone user, automatically generating a transcript of the recorded user message, and identifying locations in the transcript in coordination with timestamps in the recorded user message so that successive portions of the transcript can be highlighted in coordination with playing of the recorded user message. The method also include identifying one or characteristics of the message using meta data relating to the recorded user message, and storing the recorded user message and information about the identified locations of the recorded user message. | 01-26-2012 |
20120140904 | VISUAL INTERACTIVE VOICE RESPONSE - Information is provided by an interactive voice response system. The interactive voice response system receives an initial communication initiated by a remote requesting party and addressed to a numbered communications address. Based upon receipt at the interactive voice response system of the initial communication, visual data to provide to the remote requesting party as part of an integrated interactive script is determined. The visual data is provided to the remote requesting party during the initial communication as part of the integrated interactive script. | 06-07-2012 |
20120140905 | PERSONALIZED INTERACTIVE VOICE RESPONSE SYSTEM - An interactive voice response process that permits an intelligent interactive voice system to communicate with a caller includes receiving a call and connecting the caller with the system. The process also includes identifying the caller, determining if the caller is a first time caller or a repeat caller, and interactively communicating with the caller in accordance with an interactive script. For each first time caller, the process establishes a personal profile of the caller from information gathered from the caller. The process then develops a predictive personalized interactive communication dialog for future calls from the caller based on information gathered from the caller during the interactive communication and stored in the caller's personal profile. | 06-07-2012 |
20120155620 | Personal-Call and Feature Control System and Method for Controlling Telephones, Providing Extended Features for Such Telephones and Routing of Media-Rich Calls - A Personal-CFC system and method is described for controlling a multiplicity of telephones, for providing extended feature sets globally to all such telephones and for routing of media-rich calls between such telephones and multimedia equipment. The Personal-CFC is a software program that is easily embedded in various devices and it requires no hardware. For example, a mobile Personal-CFC system can be incorporated into a PDA or PC. The end user can use the Personal-CFC system to control other telephones, such as conference telephones, that do not belong to the end user. | 06-21-2012 |
20120163563 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR ROUTING CALLS BASED ON A LANGUAGE PREFERENCE - A method that processes and conditionally routes a call. The method includes receiving a call from a caller, determining a telephone number of the caller, and determining if the telephone number of the caller is a telephone number assigned to a specific individual. The method also includes accessing an electronic database to determine a stored language preference of the specific individual when the telephone number of the caller is determined to be assigned to a specific individual. The method further includes routing the call to a predetermined destination based on the stored language preference of the specific individual in the electronic database, and routing the call to a first default destination when the telephone number of the caller is determined to not be assigned to a specific individual. | 06-28-2012 |
20120189108 | VOICE COMMUNICATION APPARATUS - A voice communication apparatus includes an analysis unit to analyze an outgoing conversation signal transmitted from a user of the voice communication apparatus to another party in communication or an incoming conversation signal from the another party in communication received by the voice communication apparatus, a storage unit to store a voice message to be played back, a mixing unit to perform mixing of the voice message with the incoming conversation signal, and a control unit to control a start timing of the mixing so that the mixing of the voice message with the incoming conversation signal is started between utterances of the user on the basis of an analysis result of the analysis unit. | 07-26-2012 |
20120195411 | METHOD, COMPUTER PROGRAM PRODUCT, AND APPARATUS FOR TRANSFERRING A CALL AND ASSOCIATED DATA AND AN ASSOCIATED SYSTEM THEREOF - A method, computer program product, and an apparatus for transferring a telephone call and associated data from an IVR system to a live agent or other system are provided. An exemplary embodiment may include a voice portal of the IVR system requesting an access number for a live agent and sending data associated with the telephone call to a CTI system. The CTI system may request and receive a routing label from a router and then send the data associated with the telephone call and the request for an access number to a call center using the routing label provided by the router. The CTI system may receive the access number from the call center and send the access number back through the IVR system to an exchange carrier for transferring the caller to the call center. | 08-02-2012 |
20120201361 | Recording Identity Data to Enable on Demand Services in a Communications System - Recording identity data enables telecomm system to provide on-demand services such as Record-ON (RCD), index, bookmark, transcribe, translate and supplement the recording. Party identity uses sender metadata in telecomm data packets. At log-in the station assigns on-demand command (CMD) control tokens and control transfer tokens to each party based on the party's profile. One party has RCD-CMD enabled and, if both parties have a RCD-CMD Transfer Token, parties can transfer RCD-CMD to all. In the absence of RCD-CMD or Transfer, a party cannot activate On-Demand services nor accept control CMD tokens. A call table-database links sender metadata and CMD permissions. | 08-09-2012 |
20120201362 | POSTING TO SOCIAL NETWORKS BY VOICE - Methods, systems, and computer program products are provided for generating and posting messages to social networks based on voice input. One example method includes receiving an audio signal that corresponds to spoken content, generating one or more representations of the spoken content, and causing the one or more representations of the spoken content to be posted to a social network. | 08-09-2012 |
20120213341 | INTERACTIVE VOICE RESPONSE (IVR) SYSTEM CALL INTERRUPTION HANDLING - Embodiments of the present invention address deficiencies of the art in respect to interactive voice response (IVR) system session management and provide a method, system and computer program product for call interruption handling in an IVR data processing system. In an embodiment of the invention, a method for call interruption handling in an IVR data processing system can include detecting a call interruption of a telephone call between a caller and an IVR system during an established IVR session for the caller. The method also can include saving state information for the established IVR session in connection with the caller in response to detecting the call interruption. | 08-23-2012 |
20120213342 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PROPER ROUTING OF CUSTOMERS - A call routing system stores includes a processor that retrieves account information from a storage and identifies a previously provided telecommunications service that was provided to the party based on the account information. The processor restricts access to telecommunications services based on the identified previously provided telecommunications service and determines additional telecommunications services, distinct from the previously provided telecommunications service, desired by the party. The processor receives a selection from the party of the additional telecommunications services and processes a service request from the party based upon the selection by the party. A routing element suppresses routing of the call to a service center that provides the previously provided telecommunications service that was provided to the party, and routes the call to a service center that provides the additional telecommunications services selected by the party. | 08-23-2012 |
20120213343 | WEB INTEGRATED INTERACTIVE VOICE RESPONSE - Interactions with a user are coordinated upon receiving, at a networked interactive system, audible communication from a user and interacting with the user in the audible communication in accordance with an audible format menu. Whether to provide the user with a visual format menu that at least partially matches the audible format menu is determined during the audible communication. The user is provided with the visual format menu concurrent with the audible communication upon determining, based on the interaction with the user in the audible communication, to provide the user with the visual format menu. Interactions with the user are in accordance with the visual format menu. | 08-23-2012 |
20120230477 | System and Method for Voice Activated Dialing from a Home Phone - A system and method for remotely enabled voice activated dialing. Generation of a special dial tone indicating that a user may give the voice identifier is initiated. A voice identifier is received over a network from a wired telephone utilized by a user. Dialing information associated with the voice identifier is determined. One or more receiving parties associated with the voice identifier are dialed. The wired telephone is connected to the one or more receiving parties. | 09-13-2012 |
20120237006 | APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR PROVIDING CALLER INFORMATION - Provided are an apparatus and method for providing caller information, capable of automatically collecting identification information of a caller during a call with a caller not stored in an address book, and providing the identification information of the caller that is collected during the call to a user if the caller transmits a call again, thereby enabling the terminal user to select whether to answer the call. Accordingly, the identification information of the caller not stored in the address book is able to be collected without an additional operation performed by the terminal user, thereby enabling the terminal user to easily select whether to answer the call with the corresponding caller. | 09-20-2012 |
20120250838 | On-Demand Call Blocking Service - In a telecommunication system configured to provide a connection between a caller and a callee via a telephone network, wherein the telephone network is configured to connect the caller and the callee, a method for allowing the callee to prevent the caller from establishing the connection with the callee. The method includes receiving an instruction from the callee to prevent the caller from establishing the connection with the callee and identifying a first telephone number associated with the caller. The method also includes preventing one or more phone calls from the first telephone number from being forwarded to a second telephone number associated with the callee. | 10-04-2012 |
20120250839 | TELEPHONE-BASED COMMERCE SYSTEM - A speech application implements a telephone-based commerce system and method which complements a core payment processing business and influences banks and other key partners to conduct such electronic business and commerce. The speech application includes a speech driven telephone interface for consumer shopping and order placement of commodity items; a consumer registration interface and secure process that ties in a credit card, debit card, or bank account; and a build-your-own-voice-store web application which includes a voice user interface with interactive voice response tailoring each voice store within the speech framework of the present invention and an inventory database. Multi-currency services, permitting pricing or payment in any chosen currency, as well as multiple spoken language processing of voice inputs are supported for performing voice commerce over telephones. | 10-04-2012 |
20120257730 | DYNAMICALLY PUBLISHING DIRECTORY INFORMATION FOR A PLURALITY OF INTERACTIVE VOICE RESPONSE SYSTEMS - Some example embodiments include a method of dynamically publishing directory information for a plurality of interactive voice response (‘IVR’) systems. The method includes receiving, by the IVR directory service on behalf of one of the IVR systems, a web services update request. The method includes determining, by the IVR directory service in response to the web services update request, updated directory information for the IVR system. The method includes updating the IVR system directory with the updated directory information for the IVR system. The method includes generating an updated voice mode user interface to reflect the updated IVR system directory with the updated directory information for the IVR system. The generating includes creating one more voice dialogs in accordance with the directory information, the one or more voice dialogs specifying a call flow defining the interaction between a caller and the IVR directory service. | 10-11-2012 |
20120263281 | PERSONAL HOME VOICE PORTAL - A method of accessing voice services through a personal computing system can include receiving, in the personal computing system, a telephone call from a user registered with the personal computing system, wherein the user is remotely located from the personal computing system, receiving a user spoken utterance over the telephone call, and speech recognizing the user spoken utterance to determine a request for a voice service. The method further can include formatting an electronic message according to the request for a voice service and sending the electronic message over a communications network to a remote computing system in accordance with the request for a voice service. Also, the method can include processing and formatting a response received from the remote computing system and playing back audio to the user over the telephone call. | 10-18-2012 |
20120275577 | ALERTING A PARTICIPANT WHEN A TOPIC OF INTEREST IS BEING DISCUSSED AND/OR A SPEAKER OF INTEREST IS SPEAKING DURING A CONFERENCE CALL - A method, system and computer program product for alerting a participant when a topic of interest is being discussed and/or a speaker of interest is speaking during a conference call. A participant to a conference call identifies the topics and/or speakers of interest which is stored for future use along with the participant's contact information. When a participant's identified topic of interest is being discussed and/or a participant's identified speaker of interest is speaking during a conference call, the participant will be alerted to that fact, such as via the means specified in the participant's contact information. | 11-01-2012 |
20120288068 | Identifying Caller Preferences Based On Voice Print Analysis - A call directing system receives an incoming call from a caller. The caller is prompted to speak, thus enabling a prosody analyzer to generate an analysis of a prosody of the caller's voice. This analysis provides a basis for generating a caller profile that describes caller preferences of the caller. Based on the analysis of the prosody of the caller's voice and the generated caller profile, the call is directed to a particular call recipient. | 11-15-2012 |
20120288069 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR RECORDING AND DISTRIBUTING CUSTOMER INTERACTIONS - A system and method for recording and distributing calls are provided. A call may be associated with an information record. Parameters in the information record may be used to determine if the call is to be recorded. Parameters in the information record may be used to determine a method of providing a recording of the call. Other embodiments are described and claimed. | 11-15-2012 |
20120288070 | System and Apparatus for Processing a Communications Session - A system and apparatus for processing a communications session is disclosed. A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a communication device can have a controller element to establish a voice communication session with a second communication device, and initiate an action to record the voice communication session for translation into a text memo that is analyzed to identify one or more actionable fields. Additional embodiments are disclosed. | 11-15-2012 |
20120294430 | METHODS, SYSTEMS, AND COMPUTER PROGRAM PRODUCTS FOR PROVIDING HUMAN-ASSISTED NATURAL LANGUAGE CALL ROUTING - Exemplary embodiments relate to methods, systems, user devices and computer program products for providing human-assisted natural language call routing. Systems include a call interface device on an IVR system for receiving a telephone call from a caller. The system also includes a level one agent processing module for facilitating the handling of the telephone call when it is not directed by the IVR system after an initial interaction and a second interaction between the caller and the IVR system. The system further includes a level two agent processing module for facilitating the handling of the telephone call when it is not directed by the IVR system after the initial interaction and when a level two agent is available. In addition the system includes a level three agent processing module for facilitating the handling of the telephone call when a level three agent is available. | 11-22-2012 |
20120300913 | System and Method for Dynamic Call-Progress Analysis and Call Processing - A telephony application such as an interactive voice response (“IVR”) needs to identify quickly the nature of the call (e.g., whether it is a person or machine answering a call) in order to initiate an appropriate voice application. Conventionally, the call stream is sent to a call-progress analyzer (“CPA”) for analysis. Once a result is reached, the call stream is redirected to a call processing unit running the IVR according to the analyzed result. The present scheme feeds the call stream simultaneous to both the CPA and the IVR. The CPA is allowed to continue analyzing and outputting a series of analysis results until a predetermined result appears. In the meantime, the IVR can dynamically adapt itself to the latest analysis results and interact with the call with a minimum of delay. | 11-29-2012 |
20120314847 | OPTIMIZED METHOD TO SELECT AND RETRIEVE A CONTACT CENTER TRANSACTION FROM A SET OF TRANSACTIONS STORED IN A QUEUING MECHANISM - A system and method to select and retrieve contact center transactions from a set of transactions stored in a queuing mechanism. The system includes an interactive voice response system configured to accept at least one call and dynamically populate a web form with call data associated with the at least one call. The system also includes a queuing engine configured to allow a call agent to access the call data prior to the at least one call being connected to the call agent. | 12-13-2012 |
20120314848 | VOICE RESPONSE UNIT SHORTCUTTING - Call specific information input by a user and user information pre-stored in a database are mapped to a voice response unit (VRU) map associated with a targeted VRU. A call with the targeted VRU is initiated and the targeted VRU is navigated to an option associated with a user goal input by the user. The VRU map is displayed and progress of the navigation of the targeted VRU is displayed to the user during the call on the displayed VRU map as the VRU is navigated. | 12-13-2012 |
20120321055 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PLACING TELEPHONE CALLS USING A DISTRIBUTED VOICE APPLICATION EXECUTION SYSTEM ARCHITECTURE - A system and method for allowing a telemarketer to place a series of telephone calls to called parties utilizes a distributed processing architecture. This allows the telemarketer to utilize data stored at remote locations to help interact with called parties. In addition, the telemarketer can utilize telephone assets to quickly and easily place multiple simultaneous calls to different called parties. | 12-20-2012 |
20120328085 | REAL TIME AUTOMATIC CALLER SPEECH PROFILING - A computer-implemented method, system, and/or computer program product recognizes a voice input received by an interactive voice recognition system. An unintelligible voice input is received from a caller. The unintelligible voice input is unintelligible to a computer due to background noise at a caller environment of the caller. Upon determining that the unintelligible voice input does not match any entry from a lexicon of known voice inputs, the caller is prompted to transmit a non-verbal electronic input to clarify the unintelligible voice input. This non-verbal electronic input is used to match the unintelligible voice input with a specific known voice input from the lexicon of known voice inputs, which is updated with the unintelligible voice input. The updated lexicon is subsequently used in future phone calls from the user to match the unintelligible voice input to the user-requested activity for the caller. | 12-27-2012 |
20120328086 | FOR PERSONALIZING COMPUTERIZED CUSTOMER SERVICE - A method and system for improving user satisfaction with a computer system that includes a computer. The computer prompts a user at a user machine to select a language usage pattern preference from at least two language usage pattern preference choices respectively including at least two text passages, each text passage expressing different text. After the prompting, the computer receives from the user machine a language usage pattern preference selected by the user from the at least two language usage pattern preference choices. The computer stores, in a user profile of the user located in a database accessible to the computer, a flag indicative of the selected language usage pattern preference. | 12-27-2012 |
20130003943 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR SIMULTANEOUSLY MANAGING A PLURALITY OF SIMULATED REAL-TIME CONVERSATIONS - A method and system is disclosed for managing a plurality of simulated real-time conversations simultaneously with a plurality of callers. The disclosure includes personalizing a number of selectable audio responses associated with a call script in an agent-operator's own unique voice, interacting with a caller, and selecting an audio response for subsequent presentation to the caller, from the selectable audio responses when operating in the agent-operator assist mode. The call script includes a number of segments, including segments associated with the selectable audio responses. The interaction with the caller is selectable among an automated mode, an agent-operator assist mode, and an agent-operator mode. | 01-03-2013 |
20130003944 | Computer-Implemented System And Method For Processing Audio In A Voice Response Environment - A computer-implemented system and method for processing audio in a voice response environment is provided. A database of host scripts each comprising signature files of audio phrases and actions to take when one of the audio phrases is recognized is maintained. The host scripts are loaded and a call to a voice mail server is initiated. Incoming audio buffers are received during the call from voice messages stored on the voice mail server. The incoming audio buffers are processed. A signature data structure is created for each audio buffer. The signature data structure is compared with signatures of expected phrases in the host scripts. The actions stored in the host scripts are executed when the signature data structure matches the signature of the expected phrase. | 01-03-2013 |
20130003945 | Method and Device for Providing Speech-to-Text Encoding and Telephony Service - A machine-readable medium and a network device are provided for speech-to-text translation. Speech packets are received at a broadband telephony interface and stored in a buffer. The speech packets are processed and textual representations thereof are displayed as words on a display device. Speech processing is activated and deactivated in response to a command from a subscriber. | 01-03-2013 |
20130003946 | System and Method for a Visual Voicemail Interface - A system and method for receiving information for voicemail. A call is received from a caller. A voicemail message from the caller is recorded. A caller identifier is received from the caller in response to recording the voicemail message. The caller identifier is associated with one or more profiles. The voicemail message is filed utilizing the associated profile in response to receiving the caller identifier. | 01-03-2013 |
20130003947 | Customized Caller ID Based Upon Called Party Number - A “customized” caller ID service platform is utilized within a telecommunications network (which may be the PSTN, an IP network, or any other network for supporting voice communication) to allow for the caller ID information transmitted to a called party to be tailored to the specific called party. A database within the platform is configured to store a listing of registered subscribers and a set of “pre-defined called numbers” associated with each subscriber. For each listed number, the subscriber provides the specific customized information (for example, an account number) that is to be transmitted to that specific called number as the caller ID information. A registered subscriber is able to gain access to the platform and modify the entries as need be. | 01-03-2013 |
20130010934 | METHODS AND APPARATUS TO FACILITATE VOICEMAIL INTERACTION - Example methods and apparatus to facilitate voicemail interaction are disclosed. A disclosed example method involves, during a call session with a voicemail system, receiving an audio segment from the voicemail system. The example method also involves performing feature recognition on the audio segment and outputting a display element to a user interface based on a recognized feature in the audio segment. | 01-10-2013 |
20130010935 | APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR ENSURING A REAL-TIME CONNECTION BETWEEN USERS AND SELECTED SERVICE PROVIDER USING VOICE MAIL - A method and apparatus are described for ensuring a real-time connection between users and selected service providers using voice mail. The system enables seekers of a wide array of services to select, contact, converse, and pay for a service provider using a communications device such as the telephone. A seeker locates a service provider by providing the name of a profession, which is recognized by the system's software. Once a service provider is selected, the system connects the seeker with the service provider for a live conversation. However, during service provider unavailability, the system enables the seeker to leave a voice mail message for the service provider and reconnects the user and service provider once the message is reviewed by the service provider. The system automatically bills the seeker for the time spent conversing with the service provider and compensates the service provider. | 01-10-2013 |
20130010936 | CALL SCREENING REDUCTION SYSTEM - A system and a method for conducting a telephone survey, which reduce the number of calls that are not answered by survey participants, are provided. The system comprises means of making outbound telephone calls with a selected call display number, storing a call record for each outbound call, and routing inbound telephone calls to a voicemail or interactive phone system if the inbound calling number is identifiable from the stored call records. The method comprises the steps of making outbound calls to survey phone numbers with the call display set to a local phone number, storing a call record with each outbound call, and routing inbound calls to a voicemail or interactive phone system if the inbound call number is identifiable from the stored call records. | 01-10-2013 |
20130016815 | Computer-Implemented System And Method For Providing Recommendations Regarding Hiring Agents In An Automated Call Center Environment Based On User Traits - A computer-implemented system and method for providing recommendations for hiring agents within a call center environment is provided. A list of candidates for hire as agents within a call center is maintained. A voice recording from each of the candidates is analyzed by measuring voice characteristics within the voice recording and by calculating a score for the voice recording based on the measured voice characteristics. A threshold is applied to the voice recording score. One or more of the candidates on the list of candidates for hire is retained when the voice recording score for that candidate satisfies the threshold. One or more of the candidates from the list is removed when the voice recording score for that candidate fails to satisfy the threshold. | 01-17-2013 |
20130016816 | Computer-Implemented System And Method For Matching Agents With Callers In An Automated Call Center Environment Based On User Traits - A computer-implemented system and method for matching agents with callers within a call center environment is provided. A database of traits for agents within a call center is maintained. A call is received into the call center and a voice recording is obtained from a caller during the call. The voice recording from the caller is analyzed by measuring voice characteristics of the voice recording and by identifying traits of the caller based on the voice characteristics. The caller traits are compared with the traits for the agents. One or more of the agents similar to the user are identified based on the trait comparison. One of the similar agents is selected and the call is transferred to the selected agent. | 01-17-2013 |
20130016817 | Voice Response Apparatus and Method of Providing Automated Voice Responses with Silent Prompting - A voice response unit (VRU) includes a silent prompt feature in the form of an intentional delay inserted after a message is given to a caller, during which delay the caller may invoke alternative processing or interrupt current processing. If appropriate alternative or interrupt commands are not received during the delay period, then processing continues as provided in accordance with the previously played message. The duration of this silent prompt delay is carefully selected to provide sufficient response time for the caller to request alternative processing, while avoiding a perceptible or objectionable delay to the average caller not requiring alternative processing. | 01-17-2013 |
20130022179 | Method for Assembling a Business Process and for Orchestrating the Process Based on Process Beneficiary Information - A system for assembling a business process or a portion thereof includes a rules base containing executable rules and defined business process elements, a workflow orchestration engine, and at least one interface available to a process beneficiary. Information known about and or provided by a process beneficiary interacting with the at least one interface is used to execute one or more of the rules causing assembly of a new business process or a portion thereof according to workflow orchestration rules the new or modified process directing servicing of the process beneficiary accordingly. | 01-24-2013 |
20130028399 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR MONITORING A VOICE IN REAL TIME - The invention relates to a system and a method for real-time monitoring and analyses of a conversation of an agent by capturing and processing a plurality of features of the speech of the agent during the conversation with the caller. The system and method further provides a monitoring device for detecting a variation in the conversation, detecting location of the caller and suggesting location specific vocabulary. The system and method also provides an alert engine for transmitting an alert in real-time at the agent console. | 01-31-2013 |
20130051537 | CAMPAIGN MANAGER - A process identifies multiple campaign activation points associated with a voice-based menu hierarchy such that the voice-based menu hierarchy is accessed by multiple callers. The process continues by identifying a campaign associated with the voice-based menu hierarchy and determining a campaign value associated with the campaign. Additionally, the process determines an opt-in rate associated with the campaign and determines a likelihood that callers will reach each campaign activation point. A score associated with the campaign is then calculated for each campaign activation point. | 02-28-2013 |
20130058465 | Automatic Call Flow System and Related Methods - Systems and methods are provided for obtaining statistics from the use of a voice application. More particularly, the invention may comprise an interception engine that is configured to receive a document from an IVR application server and inject a marker(s) into the document, and pass the document on to an IVR browser. The interception engine is further configured to receive a response document from the IVR browser, remove the marker results, and pass the document on to the IVR application server. The marker results are used to create statistical information useful in the analysis of the operation of the voice application in the IVR system. In an exemplary embodiment, the markers are used in connection with a map of the call flow of the voice application. | 03-07-2013 |
20130064356 | System And Method For Storing Call Recordings In A Call Center - A system and method for storing call recordings in a call center is provided. Incoming calls to a call center are monitored. Retention criteria are obtained and ordered by importance. The retention criteria are applied to each of the calls. Those calls that match at least one of the retention criteria are identified. The identified calls that include one of a single highly important criteria and two or more less important criteria are selected for retaining in the call center. Recordings of the selected calls are stored in the call center. | 03-14-2013 |
20130070910 | Advanced Adaptive Communications System (ACS) - This invention allows a system to monitor how quickly and accurately the user is responding via the input device. The input device can be a mouse, a keyboard, their voice, a touch-screen, a tablet PC writing instrument, a light pen or any other commercially available device used to input information from the user to the PBCD. Information is displayed on the PBCD screen based on how quickly and accurately the user is navigating with the input device. | 03-21-2013 |
20130077767 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR OPTIMIZING CALL FLOWS OF A SPOKEN DIALOG SYSTEM - A dialog manager for a spoken dialog system. A decision module selects a path from a plurality of alternative paths for a given call, wherein each path implements one of a plurality of strategies for a call flow. A weighting module weights the path selection decision and is connected to a probability estimator for estimating the probability value that a given one of the plurality of paths is the best-performing path. | 03-28-2013 |
20130077768 | SYSTEM, METHOD, AND COMPUTER PROGRAM PRODUCT FOR CONTACT CENTER MANAGEMENT - A system, method, and computer program product for customer contact management via voice, chat, e-mail and social network contacts includes a balanced service process (BSP) for maximizing first contact resolution (FCR) and CSAT. The BSP is incorporated within a contact center (single center, multiple centers and/or work at home), which receives voice calls, SMS messages, email, chat, or social media communications from customers. The BSP in real-time determines dispositions of such contacts, monitors and manages the performance of individual resolvers. | 03-28-2013 |
20130077769 | ENHANCED VOICEMAIL USAGE THROUGH AUTOMATIC VOICEMAIL PREVIEW - Textual preview of a voicemail is generated and provided through email or similar media to users along with the audio version. Transcription of the textual version, as well as additional capabilities such as actionable terms, playback-jump, switching between text and audio versions, direct or metadata based searchability, and enhanced response capabilities are provided based on contextual data obtained from voicemail metadata and user associated data stores such as contact list, email history. | 03-28-2013 |
20130077770 | METHOD FOR DESIGNING AN AUTOMATED SPEECH RECOGNITION (ASR) INTERFACE FOR A CUSTOMER CALL CENTER - A method of designing a customer interface for a service center, such as an automated speech recognition (ASR) self-service center. Customer activity to an existing service center is monitored, providing customer model, which includes a collection of customer tasks. These tasks are assigned to action-object pairs, which are further assigned to routing destinations. Dialog modules are designed, based on the customer model data, including disambiguation dialogs. | 03-28-2013 |
20130077771 | System and Method of Dialog Trajectory Analysis - The invention comprises computer-readable media, methods and systems for performing a dialog analysis and using that analysis to release an updated spoken dialog system. The method embodiment of the invention comprises receiving data associated with dialogs, extracting turn by turn details of the dialog and generating from the extracted details an empirical call-flow representation of the dialog. The call data may be call-logs and user audio. The empirical call-flow representation may be a finite-state machine with nodes that represent call-states and the arcs between nodes represent user responses. Nodes may also represent sub-dialogs. The call-flow representation is presented graphically to a user for easier analysis and understanding. Significant changes in the dialog can be identified as hot-spots for improvement in the next release of the spoken dialog system. | 03-28-2013 |
20130094633 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR ENHANCING AN INTERACTIVE VOICE RESPONSE (IVR) SYSTEM - Current interactive voice response (IVR) systems only allow customers to interact with a company's database using a telephone keypad or by speech recognition. Such IVR systems require a customer to listen to and remember instructions or options presented by the IVR system. The instructions may be complicated, or there may be many options. An embodiment of the present invention enhances an IVR system by composing visual representations of states of the IVR system to display to the customer and enabling the customer to interact with the IVR via the visual representations. The use of the visual representations enables a user to interact with the IVR in a simplified and more expedient manner in part because a linear set of options is presented in a randomly-accessible list or tree structure format. | 04-18-2013 |
20130094634 | Method, System and Software for Implementing an Automated Call Routing Application in a Speech Enabled Call Center Environment - A system, method and software for implementing an automated call routing application in a speech enabled call center environment are provided. In operation, the invention provides for the identification of a call center transaction selection from a natural language user utterance and the invocation of one or more scripts operable to route the user to a call center service agent configured to service the selected transaction. In the event a transaction selection cannot be readily identified or can only be partially identified, the invention provides for the initiation of a dialog module or script directed to eliciting a discernable transaction selection and/or the presentation of one or more menus from which the user may select an available call center transaction. | 04-18-2013 |
20130108030 | System and Method for Creating Parallel Graphical Interface for Voice Menu | 05-02-2013 |
20130114800 | METHOD FOR RECORDING TELEPHONE CONVERSATIONS - In a method for recording telephone conversations between a subscriber to a service provider and a telephone conversation partner, the subscriber dials the number of the service provider and interacts with a menu-driven IVR user interface, entering his subscriber number as well as a corresponding PIN-number to authenticate himself. After the verification, the subscriber can chose one or more of the following options: (a) listen to one or more of his previously recorded telephone conversations, (b) delete one or more of his previously recorded telephone conversations, (c) arrange that all incoming and outgoing calls are to be automatically recorded, (d) deactivate the setting that all incoming and outgoing calls are automatically recorded, and/or (e) record the next telephone conversation. At the beginning of each conversation to be recorded, the service provider informs the telephone conversation partner, via a warning voice message, that the telephone conversation will be recorded. | 05-09-2013 |
20130129058 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS OF USING MACHINE TRANSLATION IN CONTACT HANDLING SYSTEMS - Methods and apparatus for facilitation communication between a customer requesting accommodation of a particular language and an available agent not proficient in the particular language through use of machine translation are disclosed. The method can include receiving a communication request from the customer, including a request that the communication accommodate the particular language. The method can include determining that the contact handling system is unlikely to accommodate the communication request via an agent proficient in the requested language within a threshold time period. The method can include beginning communication between the customer and an available agent not proficient in the particular language using machine translation to facilitate the communication. | 05-23-2013 |
20130142317 | VOICE OVER IP METHOD FOR DEVELOPING INTERACTIVE VOICE RESPONSE SYSTEM - A personal interactive voice response service node includes a memory that stores executable instructions, and a processor that executes the executable instructions. The personal interactive voice response service node accepts personalized instructions to define interactive voice response service node prompts on behalf of an individual assigned a communications address serviced by the personal interactive voice response service node. The personal interactive voice response service node accepts personalized instructions to define actions to take in response to selections of corresponding interactive voice response service node prompts. When executed by the processor, the executable instructions cause the personal interactive voice response service node to identify a selection of an interactive voice response service node prompt and execute an action associated with the selection identified. | 06-06-2013 |
20130148791 | METHODS AND DEVICES TO RETRIEVE VOICE MESSAGES - Methods and devices to retrieve voice messages are disclosed. An example device includes a network interface to access a voicemail server via a network, a message parser to remove a non-message portion of a voicemail access session from a voicemail access session, and a storage device to store the message portion of the voicemail access session. | 06-13-2013 |
20130148792 | IVR COMMUNICATION SESSION ROUTING AND RECORDING - A method may include receiving, by a computing device, a communication session invitation from a user device and determining, by the computing device, whether a communication session, corresponding to the communication session invitation, is to be recorded. The method may also include, when the communication session is to be recorded, identifying, by the computing device, a record mode, corresponding to the communication session, from a group of record modes. The method may further include establishing, by the computing device, recording services corresponding to the record mode, and establishing, by the computing device, the communication session with the user device. The method may also include, when the communication session is not to be recorded, establishing, by the computing device, the communication session with the user device. | 06-13-2013 |
20130148793 | IVR RECORDING CONTINUITY CONTROL - A computing device may establish a communication session with a user equipment device (UE). The computing device may interact with the UE via interactive voice response (IVR) services and enable a first portion of the communication session to be recorded using a first recording mode. The computing device may out-dial a second portion of the communication session and enable a second portion of the communication session to be recorded using a second recording mode. A recording mode may include recording a portion of a communication session locally, streaming a portion of the communication session to a recording system, or out-dialing a portion of the communication session to enable a communication session tap to be placed on the out-dialed portion of the communication session. | 06-13-2013 |
20130156165 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR SERVICING A CALL - A call from a caller to an interactive voice response (IVR) system may be serviced based on behavior by the caller in one or more prior calls to the IVR system. The call may be serviced by predicting information to be used in servicing the call. Predicting such information may include analyzing data reflecting behavior by the caller in one or more prior calls to the IVR system. | 06-20-2013 |
20130170631 | SYSTEM, METHOD, AND COMPUTER PROGRAM PRODUCT FOR DETECTING REDUNDANCIES IN INFORMATION PROVIDED BY CUSTOMERS IN A CUSTOMER SERVICE SYSTEM - The present invention provides a system, method, and computer program product for automatically detecting any unnecessary repetition by customers of specific types of information in a multi-channel (e.g., self-service application, IVR system, live agent center) customer service session. For each channel used in the customer service session, the information provided by the customer in the channel is recorded in a log, transcription, or other record. The record(s) for the customer service session are subsequently parsed for specific types of information provided by the customer. From the parsed records, specific types of information provided by the customer in two or more channels during the customer service session are identified. In one embodiment, the results are analyzed to determine if providing such information in two or more channels is redundant, and, if so, this is counted as a redundancy. | 07-04-2013 |
20130177139 | Dynamic Menu Framework - Systems, methods, and computer readable media for providing a customer service system are provided. In some examples, the customer service system may include a telephone interface and may recognize both speech responses (e.g., voice commands) and/or touch tone responses. The system may include one or more rules for identifying options based on received user input. In some examples, the options provided based on touch tone input may be different from those based on received speech input. In some examples, the speech responses may be determined to meet a confidence threshold in order to progress to the next menu level or set of options. The confidence threshold may be adjusted and/or may be different or customizable for different menu options, levels, etc. | 07-11-2013 |
20130195258 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR COORDINATED VOICE AND DATA COMMUNICATIONS - Systems and methods for processing calls and data are described. A user interface is displayed on a communication terminal associated with a user, wherein the user interface includes: a menu item enabling the user to initiate a voice call with a specified entity and a menu item or form via which the user can provide contextual information relating to the voice call. Contextual information provided by the user is transmitted to the specified entity, optionally prior to the voice call being established between the specified entity and the user. A data session is established. A call request is received from the user. Contextual information provided by the user is provided for display to the specified entity. A voice session is established, including the establishment of the voice call between the specified entity and the user, while the contextual information is displayed to the specified entity. | 08-01-2013 |
20130208874 | Multi-Channel End-to-End Hosted Call Recording System for IVR-Call Center Analytics - A telephone call is connected through a caller transfer point in a PSTN to a call recorder in a private hosted telephony network for making an audio recording of the telephone call. The telephone call is also connected from the caller transfer point through an IVR transfer point in the PTSN to a remote IVR server for dialog processing of the telephone call. At some point during the dialog process the connection between the call recorder and the IVR transfer point is placed on hold while maintaining a live connection between the call recorder and the caller transfer point. A human agent is then connected through the IVR transfer point to the telephone call for further handling of the telephone call, and the connection to between the IVR transfer point and the call recorder is restored to allow communication between the caller and the human agent. | 08-15-2013 |
20130216029 | SPEECH COMPARISON - Fraudulent callers that masquerade as legitimate callers in order to discover details of bank accounts or other accounts are an increasing problem. In order to detect possible fraudsters and preventing them from obtaining such details a method and system is proposed that transform the recorded speech of a batch of incoming calls to strings of phonemes or text. Thereafter similar speech patterns, such as distinct similar phrases or wording, in the recorded speech are determined and calls having similar speech patterns, and preferably also similar acoustic properties, are grouped together and identified as being from the same fraudulent caller. Transactions initiated by the fraudulent caller can as a result be stopped and preferably a voiceprint of the fraudulent caller's speech is generated and stored in a database for further use. | 08-22-2013 |
20130223600 | CUSTOMER SERVICE SYSTEM, METHOD, AND SOFTWARE PROGRAM PRODUCT FOR RESPONDING TO QUERIES USING NATURAL LANGUAGE UNDERSTANDING - The present invention uses natural language understanding to increase the ability of a customer service system to respond to a user's query in an automated manner. A customer service system receives a query from a user and offers the user the option of having the system contact the user at a later time with an answer. If the user accepts the offer, the customer service system processes the query offline, including providing the query to a natural language understanding interpreter. The system uses the natural language understanding interpretation to determine if the user's query is in a database of frequently-asked queries. For each query in the database of frequently-asked queries, there is a predetermined response protocol. If the user's query substantially matches a query in the database, the IVR system contacts the user with an automated response in accordance with the predetermined response protocol for the query. | 08-29-2013 |
20130230154 | AGENT CONFERENCED IVR - A system engages a live agent in a multi-party call type arrangement with the user and an Interactive Voice Response (IVR) unit when the user has difficulty with the IVR. The agent is provided with information about the IVR process being executed and the user's input. When the agent is introduced into the call, the agent does not take over the IVR session, but the agent helps direct the user to provide the correct input(s) to the IVR session. Once the issue is corrected, the agent can remove themself from the customer/IVR dialogue. As a consequence: the user continues their self-service transactions in the IVR, and the user is better educated on how to navigate the IVR in the future. Further, agent resources are spared from further interaction with the user, and the user is less likely to have a negative opinion of the IVR. | 09-05-2013 |
20130230155 | Systems and Methods to Redirect Incoming Contacts - Systems and methods are provided for contact channel redirection to improve agent routing/assignment efficiency and customer experience. For example, the system may redirect a customer, waiting in a queue for an agent for telephonic communications, to a chat agent for online chat. | 09-05-2013 |
20130230156 | Customized Caller ID Based Upon Called Party Number - A “customized” caller ID service platform is utilized within a telecommunications network (which may be the PSTN, an IP network, or any other network for supporting voice communication) to allow for the caller ID information transmitted to a called party to be tailored to the specific called party. A database within the platform is configured to store a listing of registered subscribers and a set of “pre-defined called numbers” associated with each subscriber. For each listed number, the subscriber provides the specific customized information (for example, an account number) that is to be transmitted to that specific called number as the caller ID information. A registered subscriber is able to gain access to the platform and modify the entries as need be. | 09-05-2013 |
20130235984 | Verification Method and System - Systems and methods for verifying and monitoring employees are provided. Employees call-in to the system at scheduled times. If an employee misses a scheduled call-in, an alert can be generated. An employer notification process can generate the alert, notifying a supervisor of the employee's missed call. The alert can include the employee's name, the location of the employee, and the time he/she was supposed to call. Such systems and methods can be used to verify that a worker is at the proper location at the proper time and awake and alert during the entire time period that he/she is supposed to be working | 09-12-2013 |
20130251117 | System and Method for the Automatic Selection of Interfaces - The automatic selection of interfaces can result in the optimization of interaction between entities. Such selection of interfaces can be applied specifically in the context of interactive voice response systems, and can allow the interface presented to a caller to be optimized based on factors including the caller's usage of the system. | 09-26-2013 |
20130251118 | Computer-Implemented System And Method For Processing Caller Responses - A computer-implemented system and method for processing caller responses is provided. Scripts each including at least one block of dialogue are stored. Information is received from a caller during a call with an agent. A selection of a least one of the scripts is received from the agent based on the received information from the caller. The selected script is presented to the caller. A response is received from the caller. A direction of the call is changed. A further selection of one of the scripts is received from the agent based on the response from the caller. The further selected script is presented to the caller. | 09-26-2013 |
20130259211 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR FINGERPRINTING DATASETS - Systems and methods for the matching of datasets, such as input audio segments, with known datasets in a database are disclosed. In an illustrative embodiment, the use of the presently disclosed systems and methods is described in conjunction with recognizing known network message recordings encountered during an outbound telephone call. The methodologies include creation of a ternary fingerprint bitmap to make the comparison process more efficient. Also disclosed are automated methodologies for creating the database of known datasets from a larger collection of datasets. | 10-03-2013 |
20130259212 | Computer-Implemented System And Method For Processing User Communications - A computer-implemented system and method for processing user communications is provided. Instructions are received within a call center from a user via a vehicle calling system. A determination as to whether the instructions are correctly received is confirmed by processing the instructions, by providing results of the processed instructions to the user, and by receiving confirmation that the results are correct. The instructions are converted from speech to text upon the confirmation and are subsequently provided to an agent. A communication is received from the agent in response to the instructions and the communication is provided to the user via the vehicle calling system. | 10-03-2013 |
20130266127 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR REMOVING SENSITIVE DATA FROM A RECORDING - Systems and methods for, among other things, removing sensitive data from an recording. The method, in certain embodiments, includes receiving an audio recording of a call and a text transcription of the audio recording, identifying events which occur during the call by detecting characteristic audio patterns in the audio recording and selected keywords and phrases in the text transcription, determining, from the identified events, a first event which precedes sensitive data in the call and a second event which occurs after sensitive data in the call, determining a portion of the call containing sensitive data with a start time at the first event and an end time at the second event, and removing the portion of the call between the start time and end time from the audio recording. | 10-10-2013 |
20130266128 | System And Method For Prompt Modification Based On Caller Hang Ups in IVRs - In a method for use in Interactive Voice Response (IVR) systems, an IVR is configured such that voice prompts provided to a caller vary systematically and caller hang-up activity is attributed to the particular version of a prompt played to the caller. Voice prompt modifications are chosen based on how long the caller willingly listens to the voice prompt. A relatively short time listening to a prompt before hang-up, indicates dissatisfaction with that prompt. The system compares caller hang-up rates for each of the phrases in a prompt and chooses the optimum solution, which is the variant of the prompt with the longest caller listening time. Optionally, the system compares hang up rates to a threshold and contingent on that comparison chooses an alternative version of the prompt. | 10-10-2013 |
20130272508 | Voice Input State Identification - A method for indicating voice input state for a call on a communications device. A processor unit identifies the state of voice input for the call. In response to the state of the voice input being a mute state, the processor unit identifies a mute setting for the mute state based on a user profile. Thereafter, first audio data specified by the mute setting is played with audio data from the call on the communications device. In response to the state of the voice input being an unmute state, the processor unit identifies an unmute setting for the unmute state based on the user profile. Thereafter, second audio data specified by the unmute setting is played with the audio data from the call on the communications device. | 10-17-2013 |
20130272509 | MULTI-MODE IVR - An interface prompts a user to enter a marker during a communications session, in which the user is able to later provide a subsequent version of the marker. Initially, a first version of the marker is received from the user. A processor associates the first version of the marker received from the user with a particular position in an information tree and stores the particular position in the information tree associated with the first version of the marker. A second version of the marker is received from the user and in response, the user is returned to the particular position in the information tree that has been stored and associated with the first version of the marker received from the user. | 10-17-2013 |
20130272510 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DATA CHANNEL AUGMENTED AUTO ATTENDED VOICE RESPONSE SYSTEMS - Method of using a computerized smart phone to navigate remote auto attendant telephony systems with a menu structure. The auto attendant's menu structure is put into an online computer database. When the caller uses the smart phone to call and establish a voice channel with remote auto attendant telephony system (using the telephone number of that system), software applications running on the caller's smart phone communication device intercept the telephone number and along with the voice channel, also establish a data channel with the online computer accessible database. The caller's smart phone can then retrieve at least some of the menu structure of the auto attendant telephony system through this data channel. This application software can then display at least some of the menu structure of the remote auto attendant telephony system on the graphical user interface of the user's smart phone synchronized with the audio delivery of the menu structure, facilitating interactions with the auto attendant system. | 10-17-2013 |
20130272511 | DYNAMIC SPEECH RESOURCE ALLOCATION - A call is received at an interactive voice response (IVR) system. A voice communications session is established between the IVR system and the telephonic device. A request from the IVR system to allocate a speech resource for processing voice data of the voice communications session is received by a dynamic speech allocation (DSA) engine. Configuration data associated with a current state of the voice communications session is accessed by the DSA engine. Dynamic characteristics associated with the caller are accessed by the DSA engine. A speech resource from among multiple speech resources is selected by the DSA engine based on the current state and the dynamic characteristics. The selected speech resource is allocated to the voice communications session by enabling the IVR system to use the selected speech resource to process voice data received from the caller during the current state of the voice communications session. | 10-17-2013 |
20130294587 | SPEAKER ADAPTATION - A method for speaker adaptation includes receiving a plurality of media files, each associated with a call center agent of a plurality of call center agents and receiving a plurality of terms. Speech processing is performed on at least some of the media files to identify putative instances of at least some of the plurality of terms. Each putative instance is associated with a hit quality that characterizes a quality of recognition of the corresponding term. One or more call center agents for performing speaker adaptation are determined, including identifying call center agents that are associated with at least one media file that includes one or more putative instances with a hit quality below a predetermined threshold. Speaker adaptation is performed for each identified call center agent based on the media files associated with the identified call center agent and the identified instances of the plurality of terms. | 11-07-2013 |
20130294588 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CORRELATING USER CALL RESPONSE TO ELECTRONIC MESSAGES - A method of correlating voice calls with received electronic messages includes sending an electronic message associated with a second party to a first party; subsequently receiving a voice call from the first party by the second party; automatically determining whether the voice call resulted from the electronic message, based on electronically stored information about the sending of the electronic message and about the subsequently received voice call; and if it is determined that the voice call resulted from the electronic message, flagging the voice call to have a different status from voice calls not determined to have resulted from an electronic message. | 11-07-2013 |
20130294589 | SYSTEM, METHOD AND SOFTWARE FOR A SPEECH-ENABLED CALL ROUTING APPLICATION USING AN ACTION-OBJECT MATRIX - A system, method and software for facilitating a speech-enabled call routing application using an action-object matrix is disclosed. In operation, a natural language user utterance may be evaluated to identify an action and object available in an action-object matrix indicating transactions or operations available to a user. Depending upon the contents of the natural language user utterance, additional prompts and/or a disambiguation dialogue may be effected to elicit an available action-object combination selection from the user. Following identification of an action-object combination from the natural language user utterance, the action-object matrix may cooperate with a look-up table to identify an appropriate use routing destination. Following identification of an appropriate routing destination, the user connection may be routed to a service agent or module configured to facilitate the user selected transaction as indicated by the action-object combination. | 11-07-2013 |
20130301813 | METHOD AND APPARATUS TO PROCESS AN INCOMING MESSAGE - A method and apparatus to process an incoming message is described. The method may comprise, at a recipient system, receiving an incoming message from a message communicator and automatically analyzing message content to identify a keyword included in the message content. Thereafter, a predefined action associated with the keyword may be identified and the action may be performed. In an example embodiment, the predefined action may be a priority with the message, alerting an intended recipient of the message, routing the message to the intended recipient, paging the intended recipient, emailing the message to the intended recipient, sending an SMS message to the intended recipient, or the like. In an example embodiment, a user/owner of a mailbox may search a message database to identify incoming messages which includes the search term in the message content. | 11-14-2013 |
20130301814 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR EXTERNALLY MAPPING AN INTERACTIVE VOICE RESPONSE MENU - Interactive voice response mapping used in a transaction between a waiting party and a queuing party includes the queuing party having a queuing calling system (QCS), and communications with the QCS to extract navigational information from the QCS and generating an IVR map. An editor corrects mistakes and removes text that is not relevant to navigational information. Audio communications from the QCS is processed and converted to text or graphical representation. The audio communications from the QCS is compared with an existing IVR map to validate and/or modify the existing IVR map. | 11-14-2013 |
20130301815 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR EXTERNALLY MAPPING AN INTERACTIVE VOICE RESPONSE MENU - An interactive voice response (IVR) mapping system (IVRMS) is used in a transaction between a waiting party and a queuing party, wherein the queuing party has a queuing calling system (QCS). The IVRMS communicates with the QCS for extracting navigational information from the QCS and generates an IVR map of the QCS. The IVRMS performs map validation by comparing the IVR map with extracted navigational information, and determines if a certain threshold of matching is not met. Optionally, a primary IVR map and a supplementary IVR map of the QCS are created. An editor corrects mistakes in an automated speech-to-text conversion process, removes text that is not relevant for visual navigation, corrects structure of an IVR map via adding, removes or changes commands, or a combination thereof. | 11-14-2013 |
20130315385 | SPEECH RECOGNITION BASED QUERY METHOD AND APPARATUS - Embodiments of the present invention provide a speech recognition based query method and apparatus, relating to the communication field and capable of increasing the accuracy of speech recognition and improving the working efficiency. The method includes: when determining that a received customer speech is a non-standard speech, forwarding the speech of the customer to an agent to prompt the agent to make a standard speech; extracting a keyword of the received standard speech of the agent; and querying according to the keyword of the standard speech of the agent, and obtaining a query result, so that the agent provides a service for the customer according to the query result. The embodiments of the present invention are applied in a customer service system. | 11-28-2013 |
20130322608 | MULTI-CHANNEL INTERACTIVE MESSAGE RESPONSE SYSTEM - The current application is directed to a multi-channel interactive message response system that allows for interaction between users and the multi-channel interactive message response system through many different types of devices, communications protocols, and communications media. The multi-channel interactive message response system, in one implementation, is implemented within an automated communications system that organizes and facilitates information exchange between members of organizations and between organizations and individuals outside the organizations. | 12-05-2013 |
20130329865 | Customer-Centric Network-Based Conferencing - A communication system has a network-connected server comprising a processor and a coupled data repository and software executing on the processor from a non-transitory medium. The software provides a first function establishing a communication session between an initiator and an agent of an enterprise hosting the system, a second function gathering information about persons other than the initiator and the agent as potential conference participants, a third function generating and sending invitations to a conference to include the initiator and the agent to individual ones of the potential conference participants, and a fourth function connecting those accepting invitations to the conference. | 12-12-2013 |
20130329866 | MONITORING AND NOTIFICATION MECHANISM FOR PARTICIPANTS IN A BREAKOUT SESSION IN AN ONLINE MEETING - In an example embodiment, a method for monitoring a conference call and notifying members of a breakout session to return to the conference call. The method comprises mixing input streams received from participants of a conference call and distributing mixed streams to the participants, a first stream is provided to participants attending the breakout session and a second stream is provided to remaining participants of the conference call. Speech from the second stream is converted to text and the text is searched for predefined keywords. An alert is sent to at least one participant in the breakout session responsive to detecting one of the predefined keywords. | 12-12-2013 |
20130336464 | VOICE COMMUNICATIONS METHOD - A first electronic device makes a phone call to a second electronic device. The second electronic device issues an incoming call notification to a third electronic device. The third electronic device sends a response to the second electronic device. The second electronic device answers the phone call. The first electronic device sends first voice to the second electronic device. The second electronic device transfers the first voice to the third electronic device. The third electronic device plays the first voice. The third electronic device transfers second voice to the second electronic device. The second electronic device sends the second voice to the first electronic device. | 12-19-2013 |
20130336465 | ENHANCED CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE THROUGH SPEECH DETECTION AND ANALYSIS - A method and system for enhancing problem resolution at a call center based on speech recognition of a caller includes, receiving an incoming call and generating call data based on speech recognition of the incoming call using a computer. The method generates and associates annotated metadata about the call data. A historical record is created which includes the call data and the annotated metadata. The historical record may be stored in a storage medium communicating with the computer. Context data is generated for the incoming call by analyzing the historical record to identify: a caller, a topic, a date and a stress level of the caller. The method compares the context data to historical records of previous calls. A topic probabilities analysis is conducted by comparing the context data to the historical records of previous calls, and a solution is determined for the topic based on the probabilities analysis. | 12-19-2013 |
20130336466 | Dynamically-Changing IVR Tree - Methods, systems, and products dynamically change an interactive response system. Responses to a menu of prompts are monitored. A presentation order of the menu of prompts is automatically updated according to a set of rules. The set of rules describe qualifications for membership in a tier. | 12-19-2013 |
20130336467 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR STRUCTURED VOICE INTERACTION FACILITATED BY DATA CHANNEL - A voice channel connection and a data channel connection are established with a structured voice interaction system. Navigation information for and provided by the structured voice interaction system is received over the data channel connection. The data channel navigation information is coordinated with navigation information provided by the structured voice interaction system over the voice channel connection. | 12-19-2013 |
20140016760 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR MULTI-MODAL PERSONAL COMMUNICATION SERVICES - A system for personalizing interactive services provided to users of voice and data enabled communications devices, including users of SMS, MMS and WAP enabled communications devices. The system is designed to access source information associated with a particular requester for a service and to map the source information to personalization information associated with a user of the system. The source information is extracted in various embodiments from different types of communications channels. The personalization information is employed by the system to influence the behavior of the system while providing an interactive service to the user. | 01-16-2014 |
20140023182 | System and Method for Providing Advertisement Based on Speech Recognition - This invention relates to a system and method for providing dedicated television advertisements based on speech recognition of telephone conversations. The home user makes telephone calls using a landline, cellular phone or VoIP phone. The user may also be watching TV. While doing so, the user is able to see advertisements on part or all of his TV screen, based on words and phrases he may have used during his telephone conversation(s). The system and method may be provided by a triple play or quad play service provider which associates its users' telephone calls with TV advertising. Once the user sees the advertisement he can get more information concerning the advertisement by clicking on it with a pointing device, e.g., a mouse or TV remote control, or by using any other navigation method the TV system provides, to see additional details concerning the advertisements. | 01-23-2014 |
20140029733 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR TONE DETECTION - A speech server and methods provide audio stream analysis for tone detection in addition to speech recognition to implement an accurate and efficient answering machine detection strategy. By performing both tone detection and speech recognition in a single component, such as the speech server, the number of components for digital signal processing may be reduced. The speech server communicates tone events detected at the telephony level and enables voice applications to detect tone events consistently and provide consistent support and accuracy of both inbound and outbound voice applications independent of the hardware or geographical location of the telephony network. In addition, an improved opportunity for signaling of an appropriate moment for an application to leave a message is provided, thereby supporting automation. | 01-30-2014 |
20140029734 | ELECTRONIC DEVICE AND METHOD OF CONTROLLING THE SAME - To achieve the objects of the present invention, according to an aspect of the present invention, an electronic device is provided which includes a communication unit, an output unit, and a controller that connects a call received through the communication unit, performs an automatic conversation operation to conduct an automatic conversation with a calling party, and selectively performs one of a first operation to terminate the call and a second operation to generate recognition information on the automatic conversation and to output the recognition information based on the automatic conversation. | 01-30-2014 |
20140037074 | DETECTING MAN-IN-THE-MIDDLE ATTACKS IN ELECTRONIC TRANSACTIONS USING PROMPTS - Aspects of the invention provide a solution for detecting man-in-the-middle attacks in electronic transactions using prompts. One embodiment includes a method for authenticating an electronic transaction. The method includes: receiving an electronic transaction request from a user, determining an IP address associated with a client system from which the electronic transaction request originates, providing the user with a password associated with the electronic transaction request, receiving a telephonic communication from a telephonic device associated with the user, prompting the user, via a voice response unit, to input the password using the telephonic device, authenticating the user by comparing the inputted password and the provided password, determining a probable location of the user based on the determined IP address of the client system, communicating to the user the probable location of the user based on the determined IP address, and prompting the user to confirm the probable location of the user. | 02-06-2014 |
20140044243 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR INTENT PREDICTION AND PROACTIVE SERVICE OFFERING - An intelligent IVR system identifies a customer based on previous customer interactions. Customer intent is predicted for an ongoing interaction and personalized services are proactively offered to the customer. A self-optimizing algorithm improves intent prediction, customer identity, and customer willingness to engage and use IVR. | 02-13-2014 |
20140050309 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR REAL-TIME CUSTOMIZED AGENT TRAINING - A system, device and method is provided for handling customer-agent interactions. An unsuccessful interaction may be detected between a customer and a first agent unable to resolve a problem. A successful interaction may be detected between the customer and a second agent that resolves the problem. The first agent may be sent a report summarizing the successful interaction by the second agent. | 02-20-2014 |
20140056418 | SYSTEM AND METHOD PROVIDING MULTI-MODALITY INTERACTION OVER VOICE CHANNEL BETWEEN COMMUNICATION DEVICES - The present disclosure relates generally to interactive response systems, and more particularly to systems and methods for providing multi-modality interaction between communication devices. In one embodiment, a multi-modality interactive system is disclosed, comprising: a processor; and a memory storing processor-executable instructions comprising instructions to: obtain a request to initiate an interactive session with a communication device; obtain interactive session data for communication to the communication device; select a modality for the interactive session data, by analyzing one or more parameters associated with the interactive session data and the communication device; convert a format of the interactive session data according to the selected modality; and transmit the interactive session data in the converted format to the communication device. | 02-27-2014 |
20140064463 | VISUAL SELECTION OF CALL PATH THROUGH AN INTERACTIVE VOICE RESPONSE MAP - In an example embodiment, a visual map of an Interactive voice response (IVR) system is provided to a client device such as a smartphone. The IVR map includes destinations and/or paths. When a user selects a destination and/or path, a client running on the client device generates the appropriate dual-tone multi-frequency (DTMF) tones for the selected destination and/or path, and sends the DTMF tones to the IVR system. | 03-06-2014 |
20140064464 | Real Time Automatic Caller Speech Profiling - A computer-implemented method, system, and/or computer program product recognizes a voice input received by an interactive voice recognition system. An unintelligible voice input, which is unintelligible due to background noise at the caller's location, is received from a caller. Upon determining that the unintelligible voice input does not match any entry from a lexicon of known voice inputs, the unintelligible voice input is stored in a no-match-based user profiles database, and the caller is prompted to transmit a non-verbal electronic input to clarify the unintelligible voice input. This non-verbal electronic input is used to match the unintelligible voice input with a specific known voice input from the lexicon of known voice inputs, which is updated with the unintelligible voice input. The updated lexicon is subsequently used in future phone calls from the user to match the unintelligible voice input to the user-requested activity for the caller. | 03-06-2014 |
20140079193 | INCORPORATING INTERACTIVE VOICE RESPONSE FUNCTIONS INTO A WORK ASSIGNMENT ENGINE SCRIPT - A contact center is described along with various methods and mechanisms for administering the same. In general, methods and mechanisms are disclosed that are configured to provide interactive voice response (IVR) functionality as one or more distributed resources capable of being assigned work items via a work assignment engine. Assigning work items may be performed via the work assignment engine running an IVR script. This IVR script may be configured to determine information associated with a work item such that an efficient work assignment can be made. In some cases, business rules and the information associated with the work item can affect the work assignment. | 03-20-2014 |
20140079194 | TERMINAL AND METHOD FOR MANAGING CALL FUNCTION - Provided are a terminal and a method for managing a call function of a terminal, including a call termination and call retransmission function based on a state of a terminal using a voice recognition or a sensor. The method for managing a call function of a terminal includes sequentially acquiring at least one input voice during a phone call, extracting a finally acquired voice from the at least one voice when call termination is requested, and storing information about the finally acquired voice in a database under a call termination command. | 03-20-2014 |
20140079195 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PREDICTING INTENT IN IVR USING NATURAL LANGUAGE QUERIES - An IVR system is disclosed in which customer experience is enhanced by improving the accuracy and intent prediction capabilities of an interactive voice response system. Customers are allowed to make a natural language queries to specify their intent, while the accuracy of traditional IVR systems is maintained by using key features in language along with the customer's past transactions, CRM attributes, and customer segment attributes to identify customer intent. | 03-20-2014 |
20140086395 | METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR NAME PRONUNCIATION - In an embodiment, a system maintains a database of a plurality of persons. The database includes an audio clip of a pronunciation of a name of a first person in the database. The system determines from a calendar database that a second person has an event in common with the first person, and transmits to a device associated with the second person an indication that the database includes the pronunciation of the name of the first person. | 03-27-2014 |
20140105371 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR DIRECTING A CALL TO A MATCHING SERVICE - An approach for directing a call to a matching service of a call destination is described. A call matching manager determines that a call is to be redirected from a first voice response unit based on service data about a service and caller data about a caller. The call matching manager also queries, during the call, one or more databases corresponding to a plurality of other services to identify a matching service based on the caller data. Still further, the call matching manager initiates transfer of the call for processing by a second voice response unit via out-of-band telephony signaling using a generated reference value. | 04-17-2014 |
20140112459 | STOPPING ROBOCALLS - A robocall is prevented from reaching a telephone subscriber, by an automated calling screening system that tests for presence of a human caller on the line, and disconnects calls absent a predetermined response indicating presence of a human caller. | 04-24-2014 |
20140112460 | Apparatus and Method for Processing Service Interactions - An interactive voice and data response system that directs input to a voice, text, and web-capable software-based router, which is able to intelligently respond to the input by drawing on a combination of human agents, advanced speech recognition and expert systems, connected to the router via a TCP/IP network. The digitized input is broken down into components so that the customer interaction is managed as a series of small tasks performed by a pool of human agents, rather than one ongoing conversation between the customer and a single agent. The router manages the interactions and keeps pace with a real-time conversation. The system utilizes both speech recognition and human intelligence for purposes of interpreting customer utterances or customer text, where the role of the human agent(s) is to input the intent of caller utterances, and where the computer system—not the human agent—determines which response to provide given the customer's stated intent (as interpreted/captured by the human agents). The system may use more than one human agent, or both human agents and speech recognition software, to interpret simultaneously the same component for error-checking and interpretation accuracy. | 04-24-2014 |
20140112461 | ANALYZING SPEECH APPLICATION PERFORMANCE - A method of analyzing speech application performance can include determining a call path for each of a plurality of calls from a log of an interactive voice response system having a speech application. Each call path can be defined by an ordered set of dialog nodes of the speech application. A number of occurrences of at least one selected type of event for the dialog nodes of the plurality of calls can be counted. At least one call path from the plurality of call paths can be indicated according, at least in part, to the number of occurrences of the selected type of event within the at least one indicated call path. | 04-24-2014 |
20140126706 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR INTERACTIVE ADVERTISEMENT AUGMENTATION VIA A CALLED VOICE CONNECTION - Disclosed herein are systems, methods, and computer-readable storage devices for streaming data. The method includes presenting a data stream including an interactive communication and detecting feedback from the user in response to the interactive communication. If the feedback indicates a request to receive data associated with the interactive communication, the method includes buffering the data stream from a point in time associated with the feedback to yield a buffered data stream, connecting the user device to a commerce presence associated with the interactive communication temporarily and resuming playback of the buffered data stream to the user device following completion of the temporary communication between the user device and commerce presence. | 05-08-2014 |
20140140489 | Telephonic-Based Engagements - Described are techniques for providing broker services to consumers and service providers based on telephonic call-back engagements. The techniques include receiving a telephonic-based communication from a consumer to consult with a service provider and determining a suitable service provider to reply to the telephonic-based communication from the consumer. The techniques add an entry corresponding to the consumer to a queue maintained for the suitable service provider, and when the consumer in the queue is at the top of the queue, initiate a call-back to a device used by the consumer. | 05-22-2014 |
20140153703 | CONTACT CENTER CALL BACK - A method may include receiving a call from a caller and determining whether the call has been queued for at least a predetermined period of time. The method may also include interacting with the customer via an interactive voice response unit, in response to determining that the call has been queued for at least the predetermined period of time, to offer a call back service to the customer. The call back service may include a scheduled call back or an immediate type call back when an agent is available. The method may further include receiving, from the customer and via the interactive voice response unit, an indication that the customer would like a call back and queuing the call back. | 06-05-2014 |
20140233711 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR ESTABLISHING VOICE AND DATA CONNECTION - A system and method for improved voice and data communication is described. One embodiment includes a method for data communication with an end user, the method comprising connecting to an agent device; receiving a data session request from the agent device, wherein the data session request comprises a target telephone number; establishing a data session with an end-user device associated with the target telephone number; and transmitting data messages between the end-user device and the agent device using the data session. | 08-21-2014 |
20140233712 | Prioritized Prompt Ordering and Call Processing in Interactive Voice Response Systems - A system and method for processing a call to a destination associated with multiple group members in a unified messaging system by determining a prioritized order of the group members for presentation to caller and receiving a selection from the caller. The order of the group members can be determined based on call histories, address books, and distribution lists of the calling party and the group members of the destination. A weighted score is computed for each group member, and the group members are sorted based on the weighted scores. The sorted list of group members is then presented to the calling party for selection. Based on the calling party's selection the unified messaging system can further process the call. | 08-21-2014 |
20140241513 | Method and Apparatus for Providing Enhanced Communications - Call service centers typically require a user to confirm its identity by manually entering identification. An embodiment of the present invention uses a client device's identification to identify a user securely without requiring a user to enter identification manually. The client device's automatic numbering identification (ANI) number is an example of identification of the user, and the client device's media access control address is an example of information used, as an encryption key, to verify that the ANI number is not spoofed. In one embodiment, the client device provides the ANI number to a data server prior to a call, and the data server provides information to enable enhancement of the call either by sending the information to the call center directly or via the client device. Benefits of embodiments of the present invention include a reduced load on call service centers, reduced call time, and increased user satisfaction. | 08-28-2014 |
20140247926 | MULTI-PARTY CONVERSATION ANALYZER & LOGGER - In one aspect, the present invention facilitates the investigation of networks of criminals, by gathering associations between phone numbers, the names of persons reached at those phone numbers, and voice print data. In another aspect the invention automatically detects phone calls from a prison where the voiceprint of the person called matches the voiceprint of a past inmate. In another aspect the invention detects identity scams in prisons, by monitoring for known voice characteristics of likely imposters on phone calls made by prisoners. In another aspect, the invention automatically does speech-to-text conversion of phone numbers spoken within a predetermined time of detecting data indicative of a three-way call event while monitoring a phone call from a prison inmate. In another aspect, the invention automatically thwarts attempts of prison inmates to use re-dialing services. In another aspect, the invention automatically tags audio data retrieved from a database, by steganographically encoding into the audio data the identity of the official retrieving the audio data. | 09-04-2014 |
20140247927 | DYNAMIC SPEECH RESOURCE ALLOCATION - A call is received at an interactive voice response (IVR) system. A voice communications session is established between the IVR system and the telephonic device. A request from the IVR system to allocate a speech resource for processing voice data of the voice communications session is received by a dynamic speech allocation (DSA) engine. Configuration data associated with a current state of the voice communications session is accessed by the DSA engine. Dynamic characteristics associated with the caller are accessed by the DSA engine. A speech resource from among multiple speech resources is selected by the DSA engine based on the current state and the dynamic characteristics. The selected speech resource is allocated to the voice communications session by enabling the IVR system to use the selected speech resource to process voice data received from the caller during the current state of the voice communications session. | 09-04-2014 |
20140254776 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR MANAGING A CONTACT CENTER - A service level controlling system for a contact center is provided. The service level controlling system includes a monitoring module for monitoring predetermined operation statistics, such as call traffic, in the contact center. The service level controlling system further includes a publishing module for publishing pre-configured solutions to each of agents in the contact center based upon at least one of the monitored predetermined operation statistics falling outside a predetermined range. The service level controlling system further includes a controlling module for automatically bringing the at least one of the monitored predetermined operation statistics within the predetermined range based upon execution of the pre-configured solutions selected by the agents. | 09-11-2014 |
20140254777 | System and Method for Multi-Modal Audio Mining of Telephone Conversations - A system and method for the automated monitoring of inmate telephone calls as well as multi-modal search, retrieval and playback capabilities for said calls. A general term for such capabilities is multi-modal audio mining. The invention is designed to provide an efficient means for organizations such as correctional facilities to identify and monitor the contents of telephone conversations and to provide evidence of possible inappropriate conduct and/or criminal activity of inmates by analyzing monitored telephone conversations for events, including, but not limited to, the addition of third parties, the discussion of particular topics, and the mention of certain entities. | 09-11-2014 |
20140270106 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR INTERACTIVE TELEPHONE WAITING - A customizable interactive voice response system and method. The customizable interactive voice response system and method can include a menu presented after a phone number associated with an interactive voice response (IVR) system is dialed; an introductory message; a prompt for a personal identification number (PIN); a communication link that transmits and receives data associated with the PIN between the IVR and a remotely located server after a successful PIN entry; and a customized experience presented after the IVR receives data associated with the PIN. | 09-18-2014 |
20140270107 | REPEAT CONTACT ENGINE - Systems and methods of handling customer contacts at a customer care system that streamline the handling of such customer contacts based on information about previous contacts received from the same customers. The system includes a repeat contact engine, which is connectable to at least one data/communications network. The repeat contact engine includes a controller, at least one database communicably connected to the controller, and a data extractor communicably connected between the data/communications network and the database. The controller includes a server, a rule processor communicably connected to the server, and a policy engine associated with the rule processor. Based on information about at least one previous contact, the system can derive a rule that, in response to its application, would cause a predetermined response, representative of the predicted purpose of an incoming contact, to be provided over a corresponding channel through the data/communications network. | 09-18-2014 |
20140270108 | INTELLIGENT AUTOMATED AGENT AND INTERACTIVE VOICE RESPONSE FOR A CONTACT CENTER - A system for a contact center includes: a processor; an interactive voice response (IVR) node configured to engage in an incoming interaction from a customer to the contact center by presenting set scripts to the customer and receiving corresponding responses; an intelligent automated agent including an artificial intelligence engine; a call server node configured to route the interaction and the responses to one of a pool of live agents or to the automated agent; and a non-transitory storage device coupled to the processor and configured to store customer profile data built from previous interactions. The automated agent is further configured to retrieve a profile of the customer from the customer profile data during the interaction and to update the retrieved profile on the storage device to reflect the interaction. The artificial intelligence engine is configured to learn knowledge from the interaction and to apply the learned knowledge to future interactions. | 09-18-2014 |
20140270109 | CUSTOMER PORTAL OF AN INTELLIGENT AUTOMATED AGENT FOR A CONTACT CENTER - A customer portal of an intelligent automated agent for a contact center is provided. The customer portal is configured to run on a processor coupled to a non-transitory storage device. The customer portal includes a customer profile module configured to access a profile for a customer from a customer profile database stored on the storage device, and a customer emotion and mood detection module configured to detect emotions and moods of the customer during an interaction between the customer and the contact center. The intelligent automated agent is configured to run on the processor, take part in the interaction between the customer and the contact center, adjust its behavior in the interaction by factoring in the accessed profile for the customer and the detected emotions and moods of the customer during the interaction, and update the accessed profile on the storage device to reflect the interaction. | 09-18-2014 |
20140270110 | Systems and Methods for Cloud VoiceMail and Two Way Communication - Systems and methods for cloud voicemail and two way communication. In some embodiments a method for providing answering service via an answering device comprises associating an answering service for a telephone number of a user with the answering device; enabling the answering device to receive at least one call targeted to the telephone number originating from a caller device; starting a call secession between the caller device and the answering device; responding to the call by sending to the caller device through the call session an answering message; detecting information related to an alternative communication channel different from the call session; and sending or receiving information via the alternative communication channel. | 09-18-2014 |
20140270111 | IMPLEMENTING A NETWORK OF INTELLIGENT VIRTUAL SERVICE AGENTS TO PROVIDE PERSONALIZED AUTOMATED RESPONSES - An intelligent virtual service agent implemented on a computer platform with a processor and a memory is assigned a responsibility to automatically interact with different users via different mediums across a communication network when a predetermined characteristic of content provided by the users is identified. Content provided by a user is received over the communication network. The content provided by the user is analyzed to determine whether the content provided by the user possesses the predetermined characteristic. A determined is made, based on the analyzing, that the content possesses the predetermined characteristic. The intelligent virtual service agent is assigned to automatically interact with the user based on determining that the content possesses the predetermined characteristic. | 09-18-2014 |
20140294162 | INTERACTIVE VOICE RESPONSE SYSTEM AND METHOD WITH COMMON INTERFACE AND INTELLIGENT AGENT MONITORING - A modular interactive voice recognition (“IVR”) overlay system and a method of processing calls. The system provides an application server, a plurality of agent workstations and a gaphical user interface (“GUI”) to allow a hybrid approach to processing calls using an automated IVR and live agents. The system and method allow a single agent to process multiple calls simultaneously and is compatible with existing IVR systems and can be implemented as an add-on to existing IVR systems. | 10-02-2014 |
20140314214 | COMMUNICATION BETWEEN USERS OF A TELEPHONE SYSTEM - Each user of a telecommunications system may speak and record their own name, in their own voice, and a recording of their spoken name may subsequently be accessed by or delivered to other users of the system, thereby facilitating communication between users by enabling users to better know how to pronounce the names of other users. A user may listen to the recorded spoken name of another user before placing a call to another user. When a user joins a conference call, their spoken name may be announced to other users (attendees) already in the call. A user joining a conference call may listen to the recorded spoken names of attendees in the call. A button on users' phones may invoke these features. | 10-23-2014 |
20140314215 | METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR PROCESSING AND MANAGING COMMUNICATIONS - An online and offline communication processing and tracking using data processing and data/voice networks is described. A phone address from a phone address number pool is automatically assigned to a first entity. A call quality rating is determined and recorded. A call from a caller directed to the phone address is received at a call bridging system coupled to at least one network, wherein the call is associated with call signaling information. Based at least in part on the call quality associated with the caller call, the caller call is assigned to a first location in a call queue. An outbound call is generated from the call bridging system and the inbound and the outbound calls are bridged. One or more parameters of the bridged call are compared to the call quality rating. An indication is recorded regarding the successful bridging of the calls in association with an entity identifier. | 10-23-2014 |
20140334612 | LIVE PERSON DETECTION IN AN AUTOMATED CALLING SYSTEM - A method of operating a telephony system for determining whether a telephone call made to a call destination terminal is a live call which is answered by a live person and not by an answering machine, the system performing steps comprising detecting that the telephone call has been answered and that the call is in progress transmitting one or more voice messages in a transmitted signal to the call destination terminal analyzing a received signal from the call destination terminal to detect voice signals, and determining whether or not the telephone call is a live call by applying test criteria to relative timing of events in the received signal and transmitted signal, the test criteria being based on an expected pattern of speech and silence representative of normal conversation. | 11-13-2014 |
20140334613 | PERSONALIZED INTERACTIVE VOICE RESPONSE SYSTEM - An interactive voice response method permits an intelligent interactive voice system to communicate with a caller. The method includes determining that a caller is a first time caller, interactively communicating with the first time caller, and routing a call to a particular destination based upon information received from the caller. The method also includes establishing a caller personal profile based on the information received from the first time caller, developing a predictive personalized interactive communication dialog for a repeat call by the first time caller, and storing the caller personal profile and the predictive personalized interactive communication dialog. | 11-13-2014 |
20140334614 | Voice Response Processing - A method for transmitting choices to a caller has steps of (a) interacting by voice with a caller using a communication device; (b) encountering a point in the interaction that a choice between two or more options is to be provided to the caller; (c) determining if the caller's communication device is capable of receiving a text message; (d) selecting a compatible text message comprising the options; (e) associating with the text message a text message destination address to the caller's device; and (f) transmitting the text message to the caller's device. The interaction may be by IVR or by a live agent. | 11-13-2014 |
20140341361 | METHOD FOR SELECTING INTERACTIVE VOICE RESPONSE MODES USING HUMAN VOICE DETECTION ANALYSIS - In an interactive voice response system, a method is provided for selective enhancement of voice recognition capability during an interaction. The method includes the acts (a) taking a call and prompting for a voice response from the caller, (b) failing to recognize the response, (c) executing a routine to detect and isolate the captured word or phrase in the response, and (d) attempting to recognize the response a second time. | 11-20-2014 |
20140348307 | Apparatus and Method for Audio Data Processing - A communication terminal, system and method utilize a communication device that activates a speech to text application so that subsequent audio that is received from a caller is converted into text. A caller may then provide audio in response to a question. A caller may send input by pressing a button on a communication device for example, to activate the speech to text application, speak an answer, and then press a button to indicate that an answer to a question is complete. The spoken answer may be converted into text and may then be stored, parsed, and then assigned to an object representing the question posed to a caller. The stored text assigned to the object representing the question may then be used to populate different forms or databases for subsequent use or for displaying to a user via a display device of that person's computer device. | 11-27-2014 |
20140369479 | System and Method for Live Voice and Voicemail Detection - A computer system for processing audio on a call having a processor in communication with non-volatile memory having code for converting recorded audio into a vector, comparing the recorded audio vector with a plurality of audio vectors and generating a comparative match number for each comparison, identifying a closest audio vector having a highest comparative match number above a predetermined threshold match number, connecting the call to an agent when the closest audio vector is designated as live-voice. | 12-18-2014 |
20150010134 | PREDICTION INTERACTIVE VOCLA RESPONSE - A method for responding to calls in an Interactive Voice Response system (IVR) of an organization, the method comprising receiving in an IVR a call from a customer of the organization, activating a response in the IVR based at least on former interactions with the organization, and wherein the IVR is a computerized system comprising at least one processor, and an apparatus for performing the same. | 01-08-2015 |
20150010135 | PROVIDING MISSED CALL AND MESSAGE INFORMATION - Information associated with messages and/or missed calls is provided to a subscriber. Calls received but not answered by the subscriber may be monitored. Each monitored call is classified as one of a missed call and a message. The monitored calls may be summarized based on a customizable rule set to create a summary. The summary is provided to the subscriber via, for example, a voice notification. | 01-08-2015 |
20150023479 | Advertisement Based on Speech Recognition - This invention relates to a system and method for providing dedicated television advertisements based on speech recognition of telephone conversations. The home user makes telephone calls using a landline, cellular phone or VoIP phone. The user may also be watching TV. While doing so, the user is able to see advertisements on part or all of his TV screen, based on words and phrases he may have used during his telephone conversation(s). The system and method may be provided by a triple play or quad play service provider which associates its users' telephone calls with TV advertising. Once the user sees the advertisement he can get more information concerning the advertisement by clicking on it with a pointing device, e.g., a mouse or TV remote control, or by using any other navigation method the TV system provides, to see additional details concerning the advertisements. | 01-22-2015 |
20150023480 | VOICE INTERACTIVE SERVICE SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PROVIDING DIFFERENT SPEECH-BASED SERVICES - Systems and method are provided for rendering different speech-based services to a plurality of users. A service-providing system may be accessed via a plurality of connectivity ports. Each of the connectivity ports may be associated with at least one of a plurality of different speech-related services. The connectivity ports may be associated with the different speech-related services may be performed before receiving user service requests. The service-providing system may comprise a plurality of processing components, each of which may be configurable to provide one or more of a plurality of different speech-related services. The service-providing system may further comprise a connection component, which may be operable to establish a connection between the respective connectivity port and a processing component having a configuration of suitable for performing a service requested through the respective connectivity port. | 01-22-2015 |
20150030140 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR INTERACTIVE VOICE RESPONSE UNIT TABLE-BASED PROGRAMMING - An embodiment provides a modular framework for managing multiple router applications in an interactive voice response (IVR) system. In an embodiment, a single table-driven framework approach is taken in which multiple IVR router applications, including menu/response type call routing applications and/or frequently asked question (FAQ)/response applications, may be managed in a more streamlined fashion. In an embodiment, a menu is presented to the caller. The menu is part of the router application which references information stored in a database, e.g., voice files and grammars, defined in a format, e.g., in table format. An embodiment analyzes the caller's responses against the menu's information to determine the appropriate actions to take and the appropriate data to retrieve. An embodiment also provides a centralized authentication process that may be used for all self-service router applications that require or somehow make use of authentication. | 01-29-2015 |
20150030141 | AUTOMATED RESPONSE SYSTEM - Automated response processing includes receiving a first audible prompt from a called system and a response to the first audible prompt from a calling system during a first phone call. Automated response processing further includes determining, using a processor, a semantic identifier for the first audible prompt using semantic analysis and storing the semantic identifier of the first audible prompt in association with the response. The stored response is played responsive to determining that a semantic identifier for a second audible prompt played to the calling system matches the semantic identifier of the first audible prompt. | 01-29-2015 |
20150049866 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DEEP DIALING PHONE SYSTEMS - An independent communication system (ICS) used in a transaction between a waiting party and a queuing party is adapted to connect to a particular node in an interactive voice response (IVR), wherein the queuing party has the IVR and the IVR has a plurality of nodes. | 02-19-2015 |
20150055762 | GENERATION OF NATIVELY IMPLEMENTABLE INSTRUCTIONS BASED ON INTERACTIVE VOICE RESPONSE INSTRUCTIONS - Instructions that are natively implementable by an application on an end user device are generated from interactive voice instructions that are not natively interpreted by the application. Generating natively implementable instructions in this manner allows for faster and cheaper deployment of voice, video, and/or data services by allowing legacy services based on interactive voice instructions to function seamlessly within an all data network. | 02-26-2015 |
20150071418 | TECHNIQUES FOR TOPICAL CUSTOMER SERVICE MENU RECONFIGURATION BASED ON SOCIAL MEDIA - Techniques for topical customer service menu reconfiguration based on social media are claimed. In one embodiment, for example, an apparatus may comprise a social media gateway and an adjustment component. The social media gateway may be operative to receive social media information from one or more social media networks. The adjustment component may be operative to data mine the social media information to extract one or more characteristics, infer a trend from the extracted one or more characteristics, and adjust a customer service menu tree based upon the inferred trend. Other embodiments are described and claimed. | 03-12-2015 |
20150078538 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS TO CUSTOMIZE INTERACTIVE VOICE RESPONSE (IVR) PROMPTS BASED ON INFORMATION ABOUT A CALLER - A smart interactive voice response (IVR) system of the connection server configured to allow customized customer handling based on information known/gathered about individual customers. For example, based on matching the parameters of the current call from a mobile device with previous calls from the mobile device, the system may identify the identity of the caller, the identity of the callee, the language preference of the caller, the payment information for settling the cost of the current call, etc. IVR prompts can be customized based on the preference of the caller and known information about the call. | 03-19-2015 |
20150078539 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS TO PROVIDE CONNECTIONS TO USERS IN DIFFERENT GEOGRAPHIC REGIONS - Systems and methods to provide anonymous communication connections between customers in different countries/regions and service providers. Different call-in references are configured for customers residing in different regions and/or having different language preferences. Different prices are computed for foreign customers based on a single price of a service provider and the call-in references used by the customers to initiate the anonymous connections to take into account of the international/long distance call charges. Currency conversion is performed based on exchange rates in backend payment management. Location information of service providers and customers is provided in a configurable way, based on preference, service category, without compromising privacy. Comments, feedback, and/or ratings of the service providers can be filtered for presentation to the customers, based on the location information of the service providers and/or the customer, or based on the location selection of the customers, to increase relevancy to the respective customers. | 03-19-2015 |
20150085998 | BIDIRECTIONAL REMOTE USER INTERFACE FOR HMI/SCADA USING INTERACTIVE VOICE PHONE CALLS - A two-way voice interface allows communication by telephone between a supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) system and a human operator. A phone-HMI gateway communicates with the SCADA system through an application programming interface (API), composes messages to the operator in text format and interprets text derived from voice commands from the operator. A cloud telephone service is used to convert from voice to text and from text to voice, and to set up the telephone connection with the human operator. | 03-26-2015 |
20150092929 | DYNAMIC MODIFICATION OF AUTOMATED COMMUNICATION SYSTEMS - A script for an interactive communication is dynamically adjusted during the interactive communication. The interactive communication is monitored over a communication network using a computer with a processor and memory for input during the interactive communication. Input incompatible with a script for the interactive communication is detected for the interactive communication. The incompatible input is categorized. The script is dynamically adjusted during the interactive communication into a dynamically updated script in accordance with the categorizing. Information is provided over the communication network to the initiator in accordance with the dynamically updated script. | 04-02-2015 |
20150092930 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR ROUTING A COMMUNICATION UTILIZING SCORING - A system and method are presented for routing a communication through monitoring one or more of words and voice characteristics of a communicant during an interaction. A communication may be handled based on a score. A score may be calculated based on several factors that are analyzed during an interaction, such as, amplitude, word usage, call metrics, etc. Previous interactions of communicants may also be factored into a score. Such handling may include specialized routing of the communication to a designated handler, for example. A communication may be continually evaluated during its occurrence and said evaluation data stored for future use. | 04-02-2015 |
20150092931 | Methods and Systems for Obtaining Profile Information from Individuals Using Automation - Methods and systems obtain profile information from individuals using automation to select and provide the questions that are given to the individual. The answers the individuals provide to the questions can then be used to generate the profile information. Subsequent questions are selected and presented according to analysis of the previous answers. The exchange of the questions and answers occurs over a communications network and may take the form of emails, web page interfaces, wireless data messages, or verbal communication over a voiced call. The answers are analyzed to determine certain characteristics, such as the personality type, mood, and gender of the individual. The subsequent questions are selected based on the characteristics that are found from the answers to facilitate the information exchange between the automated system and the individual. | 04-02-2015 |
20150098555 | VOICEMAIL PREVIEW AND EDITING SYSTEM - A voicemail computer system transcribes a voicemail message into text that is presented to a calling party for approval. A calling party is able to approve, disapprove or edit a voicemail message prior to delivery to one or more called parties. The voicemail computer system may analyze a voicemail message to detect errors, omissions, or potentially offensive words. The voicemail computer may analyze a voicemail message to make suggestions as to tone, content or information contained within the voicemail message. The calling party can edit the voicemail message or approve it prior to providing a notification to one or more called parties that they have received the voicemail message. | 04-09-2015 |
20150103983 | PERSONAL TELEPHONE RECEPTIONIST - An application and process for a mobile electronic device having a speaker, a visual display and a keypad, comprising a receptionist routine to screen an incoming call from a calling party to a receiving party, said routine functioning to receive said incoming call, inquire of and receive information from the calling party, transmit the information to the receiving party, and provide multiple, user-selectable options to the receiving party for handling the incoming call. | 04-16-2015 |
20150103984 | SYSTEM FOR CLOSED LOOP DECISIONMAKING IN AN AUTOMATED CARE SYSTEM - There is disclosed a system functional for operating and updating an interactive voice response self care system which utilizes various types of models. The system is capable of improving the performance of the self care system through updating the models used in that system in a closed loop manner. The system is also potentially configured to utilize input from a human agent, such as a customer service representative, to which a customer call is transferred by a self care system. | 04-16-2015 |
20150117621 | VOICE OVER IP METHOD FOR DEVELOPING INTERACTIVE VOICE RESPONSE SYSTEM - A process performed by a personal interactive voice response service node includes setting interactive voice response service node prompts for a communications address to which communications are answered by the personal interactive voice response service node. The process includes mapping, in response to individualized instructions, actions to correspond to selections of set interactive voice response service node prompts. The process also includes identifying a selection of an interactive voice response service node prompt and executing a mapped action corresponding to the selection identified. Voice communications to and from the personal interactive voice response service node are packetized and transmitted over the internet via a network server that coordinates communications for personal interactive voice response service nodes. | 04-30-2015 |
20150124944 | Interactive Device Registration, Setup and Use - Methods and apparatuses for interactive device operation are disclosed. In one example, a method for user device operation includes retrieving from a user device memory a user device identifying data, dialing a remote computing device having an interactive voice response (IVR) system, and transmitting the user device identifying data to the remote computing device. The method includes outputting one or more voice messages from the interactive voice response system to a user of the user device, the one or more voice messages associated with a usage of the user device. The method further includes transmitting a user action to the remote computing device made responsive to the one or more voice messages. | 05-07-2015 |
20150131787 | INTERCONNECTED VOICE RESPONSE UNITS - A method and system of collecting confidential data by means of initiating a bridge call with a caller and a vendor. The bridge call allows an interconnection between a merchant's Interactive Voice Response unit (IVR) and a vendor's Interactive Voice Response unit (IVR) without the need to loop the caller back to the merchant after the confidential data is collected. An Automatic Number Identification field is present on each call to identify the caller. A caller enters confidential data into a vendor's IVR using the telephone. Once the confidential data is validated and stored, the vendor updates a call management repository record and terminates the bridge call. | 05-14-2015 |
20150131788 | MULTI-PARTY CONVERSATION ANALYZER & LOGGER - In one aspect, the present invention facilitates the investigation of networks of criminals, by gathering associations between phone numbers, the names of persons reached at those phone numbers, and voice print data. In another aspect the invention automatically detects phone calls from a prison where the voiceprint of the person called matches the voiceprint of a past inmate. In another aspect the invention detects identity scams in prisons, by monitoring for known voice characteristics of likely imposters on phone calls made by prisoners. In another aspect, the invention automatically does speech-to-text conversion of phone numbers spoken within a predetermined time of detecting data indicative of a three-way call event while monitoring a phone call from a prison inmate. In another aspect, the invention automatically thwarts attempts of prison inmates to use re-dialing services. In another aspect, the invention automatically tags audio data retrieved from a database, by steganographically encoding into the audio data the identity of the official retrieving the audio data. | 05-14-2015 |
20150139409 | CONTACT ADVOCATE - A contact center work assignment engine communication system hosts a multi-functional contact advocate to manage communications and history for customers, including the ability to report issues, provide updates, identify and solve problems, store history, interface with contact center components, including agents and experts, creating a proactive automatic assistant for contact center customers. | 05-21-2015 |
20150139410 | Preloading Contextual Information for Applications Using a Conversation Assistant - Usage data associated with a user of a telephonic device is accessed by a remote learning engine. A service or a product is identified by the remote learning engine based on the accessed usage data. A recommended voice bundle application is determined by the remote learning engine. A recommendation associated with the recommended voice bundle application is transmitted to the telephonic device. The recommendation is presented to the user through voice communications. One or more input parameters associated with the recommended voice bundle application is collected by the telephonic device. The user through voice communications has accepted the recommendation determining is determined. In response to determining that the user has accepted the recommendation, the one or more input parameters to the recommended voice bundle application are loaded by the telephonic device, and the recommended voice bundle application is executed by the telephonic device. | 05-21-2015 |
20150312411 | METHOD FOR DIRECTING A PHONE CALL TO A WEB-BASED MENU ACCESS POINT VIA A PASSIVE TELEPHONE ACCESS POINT - A method for providing interactive voice response (IVR) includes providing, by an IVR telephone system, to a telephone caller connected to the IVR telephone system, an auditory prompt informing the user of the availability of a visual menu system useable in lieu of the IVR telephone system. The caller is forwarded, by the IVR telephone system, to a passive telephone access point (PTAP). A notification is sent, by the PTAP, to the caller via a communication channel distinct from the voice communication channel via which the caller connected to the IVR telephone system. The notification includes information for directing the caller to connect to the visual menu system. The caller connects to the visual menu system using the information provided in the notification. | 10-29-2015 |
20150334214 | Telephonic-Based Engagements - Described are techniques for providing broker services to consumers and service providers based on telephonic call-back engagements. The techniques include receiving a telephonic-based communication from a consumer to consult with a service provider and determining a suitable service provider to reply to the telephonic-based communication from the consumer. The techniques add an entry corresponding to the consumer to a queue maintained for the suitable service provider, and when the consumer in the queue is at the top of the queue, initiate a call-back to a device used by the consumer. | 11-19-2015 |
20150341495 | ANSWERING MACHINE DETECTION - A call is placed to a communications device. A response to the call is received from a call recipient associated with the communications device. The received response is processed based on a set of parameters. Based on processing the received response, a determination is made whether the call recipient is a human or an answering machine. If the call recipient is determined to be a human, the call is handled in a first manner. If the call recipient is determined to be an answering machine, the call is handled in a second manner that is different from the first manner. | 11-26-2015 |
20150350427 | Interactive Voice Response (IVR) Routing System - An interactive voice response method and system is described. A computerized IVR dialer signals to an IVR system that it is capable of high speed operations. The IVR system completes the high speed operations handshake with the IVR dialer. The two IVR components then continue processing of the IVR call at speeds higher than likely obtainable in a conventional IVR call, e.g., one in which the IVR dialer is performed by a human caller. The IVR system and the IVR dialer may employ a high speed IVR script that eliminates many of the instructional messages provided to human IVR callers and also eliminates or reduces the duration of pauses between the communication of information. | 12-03-2015 |
20150350428 | PUSHING WEB AND APPLICATION PAGES DURING VIDEO/AUDIO CALLS - A method and system for pushing web pages to a web client during a video/audio call. The method involves assigning a correlation ID to a web client to which a web page is served. The same correlation ID value is communicated by the web client to a VIVR/context web server computer. The VIVR/context web server computer is arranged to serve at least one web page to the web client. A voice/video call is established between the web client and a contact center agent computer responsive to a request from the web client. As part of initiating such call, the correlation ID is communicated to the contact center agent computer. Thereafter, during the voice/video call, at least one command is generated which causes the VIVR web server to serve at least one web page to the web client using the correlation ID. | 12-03-2015 |
20150350429 | CUSTOM GRAMMARS BUILDER PLATFORM - A request to execute an interaction site associated with a custom grammars file is received from a user device and by a communications system. An interaction flow document to execute the interaction site is accessed by the communications system. The custom grammars file is accessed by the communications system, the custom grammars file being configured to enable the communications system to identify executable commands corresponding to utterances spoken by users of user devices. An utterance spoken by a user of the user device is received from the user device and by the communications system. The utterance is stored by the communications system. The custom grammars file is updated by a grammar generation system to include a representation of the stored utterance for processing utterances in subsequent communications with users. | 12-03-2015 |
20150350438 | SPEECH ANALYTICS SYSTEM AND METHODOLOGY WITH ACCURATE STATISTICS - The present invention relates to implementing new ways of automatically and robustly evaluating agent performance, customer satisfaction, campaign and competitor analysis in a call-center and it is comprising; analysis consumer server, call pre-processing module, speech-to-text module, emotion recognition module, gender identification module and fraud detection module. | 12-03-2015 |
20150358460 | Method and Apparatus for Intent Prediction and Proactive Service Offering - An intelligent IVR system identifies a customer based on previous customer interactions. Customer intent is predicted for an ongoing interaction and personalized services are proactively offered to the customer. A self-optimizing algorithm improves intent prediction, customer identity, and customer willingness to engage and use IVR. | 12-10-2015 |
20150358464 | METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR MANAGING SIMULATED REAL-TIME CONVERSATIONS - Methods and systems for managing real-time conversations include are disclosed. In one or more examples, voice communications may be received from a caller and converted into textual elements. The textual elements may be analyzed to identify key concepts or expressions. A segment of a call script associated with the identified key concepts or expressions can be identified, and a plurality of selectable audio responses to present to the caller based upon the identified segment of the call script and the identified key concepts or expressions may be provided to the agent-operator. An audio response selected by the agent-operator from the selectable audio responses may be communicated to the caller. Other aspects, embodiments, and features are also included. | 12-10-2015 |
20150365530 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR ANALYZING AND CLASSIFYING CALLS WITHOUT TRANSCRIPTION - A facility and method for analyzing and classifying calls without transcription. The facility analyzes individual frames of an audio to identify speech and measure the amount of time spent in speech for each channel (e.g., caller channel, agent channel). Additional telephony metrics such as R-factor or MOS score and other metadata may be factored in as audio analysis inputs. The facility then analyzes the frames together as a whole and formulates a clustered-frame representation of a conversation to further identify dialogue patterns and characterize call classification. Based on the data in the clustered-frame representation, the facility is able to make estimations of call classification. The correlation of dialogue patterns to call classification may be utilized to develop targeted solutions for call classification issues, target certain advertising channels over others, evaluate advertising placements at scale, score callers, and to identify spammers. | 12-17-2015 |
20150381801 | SYSTEMS, METHODS, AND MEDIA FOR DISAMBIGUATING CALL DATA TO DETERMINE FRAUD - Systems, methods, and media for disambiguating call data are provided herein. Some exemplary methods include receiving notification of a fraud event including a customer account identifier and a fraud time stamp; determining a time frame that is proximate the fraud time stamp; collecting call events associated with the customer account identifier that occur during the determined time frame, each call event including a unique call event identifier, a voice sample, and a call event time stamp; identifying a first call event belonging to a first speaker and a second call event belonging to a second speaker; and generating a timeline presentation that includes the first call event and call event timestamp and an identification of a first voice sample as belonging to the first speaker, the second call event and call event timestamp and an identification of a second voice sample as belonging to the second speaker. | 12-31-2015 |
20160021250 | ROUTING USER COMMUNICATIONS TO AGENTS - A call handling platform receives a call placed by a caller to a calling number. The call handling platform computes an experience score for the caller using measurements of a subset of data points based on an interaction of the caller with an interactive voice response (IVR) module during the call. The experience score reflects a numerical measure of a level of satisfaction of the caller in interacting with the IVR module. The call handling platform compares the experience score to a predetermined threshold that indicates a minimum level of caller satisfaction, and determines that the experience score indicates that the caller has a lower level of satisfaction than the minimum level of satisfaction. Conditioned on this determination, the call handling platform routes the call to a human agent at a call center, along with enabling the agent to perceive a representation of the experience score. | 01-21-2016 |
20160028891 | MEDIA CHANNEL MANAGEMENT APPARATUS FOR NETWORK COMMUNICATIONS SESSIONS - A system includes: a computerized appliance having a processor; and software executing on the computerized appliance from a non-transitory physical medium, the software providing: establishment of a communication session over a network between two or more end communications appliances; detection and recording of at least media channel capabilities on individual end communications appliances connected in the session; service of media channel toggle options to end communications appliances; detection of media channel toggle option selections made by users operating the end communications appliances; and implementation of the media channel toggle option or options selected for individual communications sessions. | 01-28-2016 |
20160050317 | AUTOMATED TESTING OF INTERACTIVE VOICE RESPONSE SYSTEMS - A device may receive an indication to test a call flow associated with an interactive voice response (IVR) system. The device may identify an input associated with the call flow, and may identify a first response associated with the call flow. The first response may be determined based on providing the input to the IVR system on a previous call. The device may initiate a test call with the IVR system. The test call may be initiated after the previous call, and may cause the input to be provided to the IVR system and a second response to be received from the IVR system. The device may identify the second response, and may compare first audio information, associated with the first response, and second audio information associated with the second response. The device may determine a test result based on the comparison, and may provide the test result. | 02-18-2016 |
20160065739 | ENTERPRISE-WIDE SPLIT FUNCTION IVR CALLBACK SYSTEM - A system related to connecting customers to agents of a business includes an inbound (INB) interactive voice response (IVR) computer, an outbound (OUTB) IVR, and a computer telephony interface (CTI) computer. The INB IVR computer receives an inbound call from a customer and determines that there is a delay in a call queue of a call center. The OUTB IVR places an agent outbound call (on behalf of the customer) to the INB IVR which is then placed into the queue of the call center in response to the customer selecting a call-back option. The CTI computer then monitors the call center, and sends a notification to the OUTB IVR processor in response to the agent outbound call connecting to the available agent. Responsive to the notification, the OUTB IVR computer places a customer outbound call to the customer to connect the customer to the available agent. | 03-03-2016 |
20160072945 | CALL RECORDING TEST SUITE - A call recording test suite comprising a call recording test manager stored and operating on a network-connected computing device and a test database, wherein the call recording test manager connects over a network to a call recording system and verifies the existence of an expected call recording and stores the results of the query in the database, and a method for call recording testing for a specific call recording, and a method for call recording testing using a synthetic test call. | 03-10-2016 |
20160080567 | ACTIVE RECORDS FOR INTERACTIVE SYSTEMS - A personalized interactive service is provided by setting a profile of an individual for use by an entity that provides the interactive service. At least a portion of the profile is set independent of any network communication session between the individual and the entity. A personalized interactive script is personalized for the individual in the event that the individual initiates a communication with the entity to obtain the interactive service. The personalized interactive service is provided to the individual when the personalized interactive script is executed based on the individual initiating a communication session between the individual and the entity. | 03-17-2016 |
20160080571 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR THE AUTOMATIC VALIDATION OF DIALOG RUN TIME SYSTEMS - A method, system and module for automatically validating dialogs associated with a spoken dialog service. The method comprises extracting key data from a dialog call detail record associated with a spoken dialog service, transmitting the key data as a dialog to a state-based representation (such as a finite-state machine) associated with a call-flow for the spoken dialog service and determining whether the dialog associated with the key data is a valid dialog for the call-flow. | 03-17-2016 |
20160094712 | Method and System for Automatic Transmission of Status Information - A method for automatic transmission of status information from a first communications terminal set up for speech communication to a second communications terminal set up for text communication is provided. The speech communication between communications terminals is processed over a speech communications server and the text communication between communications terminals over a text communications server. The speech communications server and the text communications server exchange messages over at least one converter device. The status information will be transmitted from the first communications terminal over the speech communications server, the converter device, and the text communications server to the second communications terminal. | 03-31-2016 |
20160105546 | Providing Enhanced User Authentication Functionalities - Methods, systems, apparatuses, and computer-readable media for providing enhanced user authentication functionalities are presented. In one or more embodiments, a server computing device may authenticate a user of a user computing device to a customer portal. Subsequently, the server computing device may receive a click-to-call request from the user computing device. In response to receiving the click-to-call request, the server computing device may generate a one-time passcode for the user. Then, the server computing device may provide the one-time passcode to the user. Thereafter, the server computing device may receive one-time-passcode input from an interactive voice response (IVR) server, and such input may be received from a caller. The server computing device then may validate the one-time-passcode input based on the one-time passcode provided to the user. In response to validating the one-time-passcode input, the server computing device may cause the IVR server to authenticate the caller as the user. | 04-14-2016 |
20160105565 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR AUTOMATICALLY ROUTING A TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION - A method for automatically routing a telephonic communication is provided, and includes receiving a customer identifier and communicating with a customer history database storing historic data and determining whether the received customer identifier corresponds to a stored customer identifier in the customer history database, wherein the customer profile included in the stored historic data is based on a portion of a customer's demographic identity. Historic data corresponding to the stored customer number is identified based on the comparison of the received customer identifier and the stored customer identifier. The telephonic communication is associated with a predetermined communication destination based on the identified historic data. The method and systems additionally generate a customer routing record for the customer that includes the analyzed historic data, and associate the customer routing record with each customer identifier and store the customer routing record in the customer history database to facilitate future customer call routing. | 04-14-2016 |
20160112561 | Computer-Implemented System And Method For Efficiently Reducing Transcription Error During A Call - A computer-implemented system and method for efficiently reducing transcription error during a call is provided. A group of similar questionable utterances is monitored. Each questionable utterance is assigned a transcribed value and is selected from a different call. A sample of the similar questionable utterances is selected from the group and provided to a human transcriber. A further transcribed value for each of the similar questionable utterances in the sample is received from the human transcriber. The further transcribed values for the similar questionable utterances in the sample are compared. Each of the remaining similar questionable utterances in the group are provided to the human transcriber when the compared further transcribed values of the similar questionable utterances in the sample are different. | 04-21-2016 |
20160112564 | System and Method for Indexing Automated Telephone Systems - A telephone subnet crawler is used to access automated telephone response systems and index the information, contents and structure contained therein. A database of the information, contents and structure of a plurality of automated telephone response systems is created by the telephone subnet crawler. A user interface provides callers with direct access to the information, contents and structure of the automated telephone response systems contained in the database. Where an automated telephone response system requires user input, the user interface calls the automated telephone response system and navigates to the node requiring user input, provides the user input and displays the results to the user. Where an automated telephone response system connects to an operator, the user interface calls the automated telephone response system, navigates to the node for an operator, and when an operator is detected, calls the user at a user provided callback number. | 04-21-2016 |
20160112567 | SPEECH ANALYTICS: CONVERSATION TIMING AND ADJUSTMENT - Agents of a contact center often encounter conversational delays when speaking with a customer. These delays may be introduced by transmission delays, which include the distance between the agent and the customer, and processing delays, such as those introduced by systems and processes within a contact center. By providing an agent with information based on the amount of the delay, the agent can be prompted to overtalk the customer by a target amount. As a result, the customer may experience a more natural conversation with the agent. Furthermore, if a customer prefers more or less of a delay, such as based on their cultural norms, the delay may be modified to account for those cultural norms and better accommodate the conversational preferences of a diverse customer base. | 04-21-2016 |
20160134752 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR FACILITATING SPEECH APPLICATION TESTING - A computer-implemented method and an apparatus for facilitating speech application testing generate a plurality of test scripts. A test script is generated by initiating a voice call interaction with a speech application including a network of interaction nodes, and repeatedly performing, until a stopping condition is encountered, the steps of, executing the voice call interaction by traversing through interaction nodes until an interaction node requiring a response is encountered, selecting an utterance generation mode, determining a response to be provided corresponding to the interaction node, and providing the response to the speech application. The test script comprises instructions for traversing interaction nodes and for provisioning one or more responses during the course of the voice call interaction. One or more test scripts from among the plurality of test scripts are identified based on a pre-determined objective and provided to a user for facilitating testing of the speech application. | 05-12-2016 |
20160142546 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR KEYWORD-BASED NOTIFICATION AND DELIVERY OF CONTENT - Providing keyword-based notification and content includes monitoring, a communication interface, the communication interface configured to transport a communication between an agent communication device and a user communication device; recognizing an occurrence of a keyword in the communication; wherein the keyword is stored in a database; and retrieving from the database, an information related to the keyword, wherein the database comprises: a first memory area configured to store a mapping of keywords to keyword information; and a second memory area configured to store a mapping of a user identifier associated with a user to information related to how keyword information should be delivered to the user associated with the user identifier. Ultimately the information related to the keyword is transmitted to one of the agent communication device or the user communication device. | 05-19-2016 |
20160150073 | INTELLIGENT CONTENT RECOGNITION SYSTEM - Arrangements described herein relate to electronic communications and, more particularly, to the exchange of information over a telephonic communication channel. For example, during a telephone call session established over a telephonic communication channel between a user communicating using a first communication device and a customer service system, a content recognition system can receive media content or a digital signature, transmitted by the first communication device during the telephone call session. The media content or digital signature can be communicated over the telephonic communication channel used to support audio communication between the first communication device and the customer service system in the telephone call session. The digital signature can be processed to authenticate an identity of the user. | 05-26-2016 |
20160173688 | METHOD FOR VISUALIZING AN IVR SYSTEM | 06-16-2016 |
20160198045 | INTERACTIVE VOICE RESPONSE SYSTEM CRAWLER | 07-07-2016 |
20160205249 | System And Method For Processing Call Data | 07-14-2016 |
20160381220 | Personal Voice-Based Information Retrieval System - The present invention relates to a system for retrieving information from a network such as the Internet. A user creates a user-defined record in a database that identifies an information source, such as a web site, containing information of interest to the user. This record identifies the location of the information source and also contains a recognition grammar based upon a speech command assigned by the user. Upon receiving the speech command from the user that is described within the recognition grammar, a network interface system accesses the information source and retrieves the information requested by the user. | 12-29-2016 |