US 5,493,608 A · Caller adaptive voice response system

Abstract

A interactive voice response system that automatically adapts to suit the speed at which the caller interacts with the system. The caller interacts with the system utilizing the keypad buttons on a DTMF-type telephone or by speaking verbal instructions over any type of telephone, and hears spoken instructions and information over the telephone in response to those entries. The system is programmed to measure the response times of the caller and adjust the playing speed of the application dialogue's voice messages accordingly using a caller adaptive response algorithm incorporated into the application software of the voice response system. If the caller is responding relatively fast and without error to the voice message prompts, the caller adaptive response algorithm software will gradually speed up subsequent voice message prompts to a preset, reasonable maximum speech rate. If the caller is responding more slowly to the voice message prompts or is making errors in their responses, the caller adaptive response algorithm software will slow down subsequent voice message prompts to a reasonable, preset minimum speech rate. This process continues throughout the application dialogue such that said system is always closely approximating the natural conversational pace of the caller.

Claims39

Dependent claims

A caller adaptive voice response system which adapts to a conversational pace of a caller, comprising:

(a) means for measuring an amount of time indicative of the time required for said caller to respond to a voice message spoken by said system at a predetermined speaking rate;
and
(b) means for adjusting a subsequent speaking rate of a subsequent voice message to be spoken by said system, said adjusting means being responsive to said measuring means so as to increase said subsequent speaking rate of said subsequent voice message if said amount of time was shorter in duration than a first predetermined amount of time.

A caller adaptive telephonic voice response system capable of interacting via a telephone line with a caller by generating voice messages recognizable by said caller as audible speech spoken at a predetermined speaking rate and by detecting a response from said caller to said voice message within a variable response time interval, the system comprising:

(a) means for generating over said telephone line at least one voice message recognizable by said caller as audible speech spoken at an initial predetermined speaking rate and for generating over said telephone line at least one subsequent voice message recognizable by said caller as audible speech spoken at a subsequent predetermined speaking rate, said subsequent voice message being generated by said system subsequent to said voice message;
(b) means for detecting over said telephone line a response from said caller;
(c) means for measuring said variable response time interval, said variable response time interval being indicative of the elapsed time between the end of a voice message most recently spoken by said system and the detection of said response from said caller to said most recently spoken voice message;
and
(d) means for adjusting said initial predetermined speaking rate to said subsequent predetermined speaking rate, said adjusting means being responsive to said measuring means so as to adjust said subsequent predetermined speaking rate to a rate higher than said initial predetermined speaking rate if said variable response time interval is shorter in duration than a first predetermined amount of time.

2 more elements

A method of adapting a caller adaptive telephonic voice response system capable of interacting via a telephone line with a caller by generating voice messages recognizable by the caller as audible speech spoken at a predetermined speaking rate and by detecting a response from said caller to said voice message within a variable response time interval, the method comprising:

(a) generating over said telephone line a first voice message recognizable by said caller as audible speech spoken at an initial predetermined speaking rate;
(b) detecting over said telephone line a response from said caller to said first voice message;
(c) measuring as said variable response time interval a time interval indicative of the elapsed time between the end of said first voice message generated in step (a) and the detection of step (b);
(d) generating over said telephone line at least one subsequent voice message recognizable by said caller as audible speech spoken at a subsequent predetermined speaking rate, said subsequent voice message being generated by said system subsequent to said first voice message;
and
(e) adjusting said initial predetermined speaking rate to said subsequent predetermined speaking rate in response to said variable response time interval measured in step (c) so as to adjust said subsequent predetermined speaking rate to a rate higher than said initial predetermined speaking rate if said variable response time interval is shorter in duration than a first predetermined amount of time.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Caller adaptive voice response system

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Caller adaptive voice response system

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims39