System, method and software for a speech-enabled call routing application using an action-object matrix

1. A method for identifying a routing destination in a service center, the method comprising:

prompting a caller to convey a request;

receiving the request as a natural language utterance from the caller;

comparing the natural language utterance to an action-object matrix, wherein the natural language utterance is searched for actions and objects in the action-object matrix;

when results of the comparing indicate that an action-object matrix pair was detected in the natural language utterance:

identifying a routing destination based upon the action-object matrix pair detected; and

routing the caller to the routing destination; and

when results of the comparing indicate that an action-object matrix pair was not detected and an action was detected in the natural language utterance:

querying the action-object matrix to identify objects related to the action detected; and

enabling the caller to select an identified related object.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

when results of the comparing indicate that an action-object matrix pair was not detected, initiating a disambiguation dialog with the caller.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the comparing further comprises:

using a statistical language modeling speech recognition utility to identify at least one of an action, an object and an action-object matrix pair.

4. A system for routing a caller to a service center based on a natural language request, the system comprising:

a processor having access to a memory media storing program instructions, executable by the processor, wherein the program instructions, when executed by the processor, perform a method comprising:

searching a natural language utterance indicative of a caller request for an action and an object;

responsive to identifying the action and the object:

identifying a task to be performed based on a task matrix, wherein the task matrix includes a plurality of action-object pairs including an action-object pair corresponding to the action identified and the object identified; and

directing the caller to a service center agent to perform the task;

responsive to identifying the object, but not identifying the action:

identifying, from the task matrix, a set of actions related to the object identified; and

directing the caller to indicate a selected action from the set of actions; and

responsive to identifying the action, but not identifying the object:

identifying from the task matrix a set of objects related to the action identified; and

directing the caller to indicate a selected object from the set of objects.

5. The system of claim 4 , wherein the method includes:

responsive to the caller indicating the selected action, locating the service center agent based an action-object pair, in the task matrix, corresponding to the selected action and the object identified.

6. The system of claim 4 , wherein the method includes providing, by the service center agent, automated assistance to the caller.

7. The system of claim 4 , wherein the method includes providing, by the service center agent, technician assistance to the caller.

8. The system of claim 4 , wherein directing the caller to the service center agent includes:

determining a routing destination for the service center agent using a look-up table containing service center agent routing destinations.

9. The system of claim 4 , wherein the method includes:

indicating the task to the caller; and

prompting the caller to confirm the task indicated as the task identified.

10. The system of claim 4 , wherein the searching of the natural language utterance includes:

identifying at least one of an action, an object, and an action-object pair with a statistical language modeling speech recognition utility.

11. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing program instructions, executable by a processor, for routing callers to a service center destination, the program instructions, when executed by the processor, performing a method comprising:

searching a natural language utterance associated with a natural language caller request for an action and an object;

responsive to identifying the action and the object:

identifying, from a task matrix that includes action-object pairs, a task to be performed; and

directing the caller to a service center agent to perform the task;

responsive to identifying the object, but not identifying the action:

identifying, from the action-object matrix, a set of actions related to the object identified; and

directing the caller to indicate a selected action; and

responsive to identifying the action, but not identifying the object:

identifying, from the task matrix, a set of objects related to the action identified; and

directing the caller to indicate a selected object from the set of objects.

12. The computer readable medium of claim 11 , wherein the method includes:

responsive to the caller indicating the selected action, locating the service center agent based on an action-object pair, in the task matrix, corresponding to the selected action and the object identified.

13. The computer readable medium of claim 11 , wherein the method includes providing, by the service center agent, automated assistance to the caller.

14. The computer readable medium of claim 11 , wherein the method includes providing, by the service center agent, technician assistance to the caller.

15. The computer readable medium of claim 11 , wherein directing the caller to the service center agent includes:

determining a routing destination for the service center agent using a look-up table containing service center agent routing destinations.