IP Library Granted Patent US 8,213,966
Granted Patent B1
US 8,213,966 · App. 11/684,720 · Granted Jul 3, 2012

Text messages provided as a complement to a voice session

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,213,966
App. No.
11/684,720
Granted
Jul 3, 2012
Kind
B1
Abstract

Information may be provided to a caller via text messages as a complement to information provided over a voice interface. In one implementation, a system may receive a request for information over a voice channel from a mobile terminal and respond to the request with text transmitted to the mobile terminal over a text channel.

Claims (47)

1. A method performed by a directory assistance application implemented by an interactive voice response component, the method, comprising:

receiving a request for directory listings over a voice channel from a mobile terminal;

transmitting, by a messaging component comprised in the interactive voice response component, to the mobile terminal, text including an option for the mobile terminal to receive additional directory listings;

wherein, the messaging component in the interactive voice response component transmits the text to communicate with a user of the mobile terminal to satisfy the request for directory listings;

determining which additional directory listings to send;

initially responding to the request for with audible information;

responding to the request with additional text information when the user of the mobile terminal indicates that the additional directory listings should be transmitted as text;

providing, by the messaging component, the additional directory listings to the mobile terminal.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising, responding to the request by:

audibly instructing, over the voice channel, the user of the mobile terminal to hang up; and

transmitting the text as a Short Message Service (SMS) text message in response to the user hanging up.

3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:

receiving a text message back from the user of the mobile terminal, the text message back from the user including a command from the user.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the additional information is stored in association with a phone number of the user.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the text is transmitted as an email.

6. A method performed by an interactive voice response (IVR) component, the method, comprising:

receiving a telephone call from a user;

providing audible information to the user as part of the telephone call through the interactive voice response (IVR) component;

audibly offering to provide, by a text message component comprised in the interactive voice response component, during the call, additional information to the user in a textual format;

wherein, the messaging component in the interactive voice response component transmits the text to communicate with a user of the mobile terminal to satisfy the request for the directory listings;

storing an indication including an identification of information that has been previously transmitted to the user;

determining which additional information to send next to the user by accessing the indication that has been stored;

initially responding to the request for with audible information;

responding to the request with additional text information when the user of the mobile terminal indicates that the additional information including the additional directory listings should be transmitted as text;

transmitting, by the text message component, the additional information as text to the user.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the text is transmitted to the user as a Short Message Service (SMS) text message.

8. The method of claim 6 , further comprising:

receiving a text message from the user that defines requests from the user for additional information relating to the telephone call.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the received telephone call includes a call for directory assistance.

10. A system for providing directory assistance, comprising:

an interactive voice response component comprising a processor which is configured to:

receive an audible request for directory listings from a user;

identifies a set of candidate recognition results and associated confidence scores based on the audible request;

initially responds to the request for with audible information;

responds to the request with additional text information when the user of the mobile terminal indicates that any additional information including additional directory listings should be transmitted as text;

the interactive voice response component further comprising a text message component,

wherein, the text message component transmits text to the mobile terminal over a text channel in response to the audible request for the directory listings;

wherein, the text presents directory listings from the set of candidate recognition results based on the associated confidence scores.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the text is transmitted to the user as a Short Message Service (SMS) text message.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein, the text further includes an option for the mobile terminal to receive additional directory listings by responding to the text.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein, the interactive voice response component:

stores an indication of information including an identification of directory listings that have been previously transmitted to the user;

determines which additional directory listings to send next to the user by accessing the indication of information that has been stored.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein the text is transmitted as a Short Message Service (SMS) text message.

15. The method of claim 1 , further comprising,

storing an indication of information including an identification of directory listings that have been previously transmitted to the user;

determining which additional directory listings to send next to the user by accessing the indication of information that has been stored.

Assignments (3)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 9, 2014
From: MICROSOFT CORPORATION
To: MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING, LLC
Reel/Frame 034542/0001 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 22, 2012
From: TELLME NETWORKS, INC.
To: MICROSOFT CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 027910/0585 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 12, 2007
From: TYPRIN, MARCELLO; MARINO, LAURA; BOYCE, SUSAN JEANNE; OPPENHEIM, KYLE
To: TELLME NETWORKS, INC.
Reel/Frame 018994/0322 →