IP Library Granted Patent US 8,396,195
Granted Patent B2
US 8,396,195 · App. 12/829,453 · Granted Mar 12, 2013

Methods, systems, and products for dynamically-changing IVR architectures

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,396,195
App. No.
12/829,453
Granted
Mar 12, 2013
Kind
B2
Abstract

Methods, systems, and products are disclosed for dynamically changing an Interactive Voice Response (IVR) 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 dynamically changing the menu of prompts.

Claims (35)

1. A method for dynamically changing an interactive voice response system, comprising:

monitoring cumulative responses from callers to a hierarchical menu of prompts in the interactive voice response system;

retrieving thresholds associated with tiers in the hierarchical menu of prompts, each threshold representing a minimum number of responses to a prompt that is required for occupying one of the tiers within the hierarchical menu of prompts;

promoting the prompt from a lower tier to a higher tier within the hierarchical menu of prompts when a cumulative number of responses to the prompt at least equals a threshold associated with the higher tier; and

dynamically rearranging the hierarchical menu of prompts.

2. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising demoting the prompt from the higher tier to the lower tier within the hierarchical menu of prompts when the cumulative number of responses to the prompt is less than the threshold associated with the higher tier.

3. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising demoting the prompt from the higher tier to the lower tier within the hierarchical menu of prompts when the cumulative number of responses to the prompt is less than the minimum number of responses that are required to occupy the higher tier.

4. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising retrieving a rule describing how many prompts may be grouped within the one tier.

5. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising retrieving a rule describing how many prompts may be grouped within a hierarchical level of the menu of prompts.

6. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising retrieving a compression threshold representing the minimum number of responses that is required to occupy a position within the one tier.

7. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising compressing prompts into a sub-tier within the hierarchical level of the menu of prompts.

8. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising retrieving an intra-tier compression threshold that determines which prompts are compressed under a generic grouping within the menu of prompts.

9. A system, comprising:

a processor; and

memory

for storing code that when executed causes the processor to perform operations, the operations comprising:

monitoring cumulative responses from callers to a hierarchical menu of prompts in an interactive voice response system;

retrieving thresholds associated with tiers in the hierarchical menu of prompts, each threshold representing a minimum number of responses to a prompt that is required for occupying one of the tiers within the hierarchical menu of prompts;

promoting the prompt from a lower tier to a higher tier within the hierarchical menu of prompts when a cumulative number of responses to the prompt at least equals a threshold associated with the higher tier; and

dynamically rearranging the hierarchical menu of prompts.

10. The system according to claim 9 , wherein the operations further comprise demoting the prompt from the higher tier to the lower tier within the hierarchical menu of prompts when the cumulative number of responses to the prompt is less than the threshold associated with the higher tier.

11. The system according to claim 9 , wherein the operations further comprise demoting the prompt from the higher tier to the lower tier within the hierarchical menu of prompts when the cumulative number of responses to the prompt is less than a minimum number of responses that are required to occupy the higher tier.

12. The system according to claim 9 , wherein the operations further comprise retrieving a rule describing how many prompts may be grouped within the one tier.

13. The system according to claim 9 , wherein the operations further comprise retrieving a rule describing how many prompts may be grouped within a hierarchical level of the menu of prompts.

14. The system according to claim 9 , wherein the operations further comprise retrieving a compression threshold representing the minimum number of responses that is required to occupy a position within the one tier.

15. The system according to claim 9 , wherein the operations further comprise compressing prompts into a sub-tier within the hierarchical level of the menu of prompts.

16. The system according to claim 9 , wherein the operations further comprise retrieving an intra-tier compression threshold that determines which prompts are compressed under a generic grouping within the menu of prompts.

17. A computer readable memory storing code that when executed by a processor causes the processor to perform operations, the operations comprising:

monitoring cumulative responses from callers to a hierarchical menu of prompts in the interactive voice response system;

retrieving thresholds associated with tiers in the hierarchical menu of prompts, each threshold representing a minimum number of responses to a prompt that is required for occupying one of the tiers within the hierarchical menu of prompts;

promoting the prompt from a lower tier to a higher tier within the hierarchical menu of prompts when a cumulative number of responses to the prompt at least equals a threshold associated with the higher tier; and

dynamically rearranging the hierarchical menu of prompts.

18. The computer readable memory according to claim 17 , further comprising code for demoting the prompt from the higher tier to the lower tier within the hierarchical menu of prompts when the cumulative number of responses to the prompt is less than the threshold associated with the higher tier.

19. The computer readable memory according to claim 17 , further comprising code for demoting the prompt from the higher tier to the lower tier within the hierarchical menu of prompts when the cumulative number of responses to the prompt is less than a minimum number of responses that are required to occupy the higher tier.

20. The computer readable memory according to claim 17 , further comprising code for retrieving a rule describing how many prompts may be grouped within the one tier.

Assignments (8)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 9, 2023
From: NUANCE COMMUNICATIONS, INC.
To: MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING, LLC
Reel/Frame 065533/0389 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 26, 2017
From: AT&T INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY I, L.P.
To: NUANCE COMMUNICATIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 041498/0113 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 22, 2016
From: AT&T DELAWARE INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY, INC.
To: AT&T INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY I, L.P.
Reel/Frame 038985/0026 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE ASSIGNEE NAME PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 024712 FRAME 0553. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE ASSIGNMENT. Recorded Jun 22, 2016
From: MALIK, DALE; ANDERSON, RICHARD A.
To: BELLSOUTH INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 039114/0981 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Jun 22, 2016
From: AT&T INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY, INC.
To: AT&T BLS INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY, INC.
Reel/Frame 039115/0041 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Jun 22, 2016
From: BELLSOUTH INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY CORPORATION
To: AT&T INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY, INC.
Reel/Frame 039115/0047 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Jun 22, 2016
From: AT&T BLS INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY, INC.
To: AT&T DELAWARE INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY, INC.
Reel/Frame 039116/0009 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 20, 2010
From: MALIK, DALE; ANDERSON, RICHARD A.
To: BELLSOUTH INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY CORPORATION (NOW AT&T INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY I, L.P.)
Reel/Frame 024712/0553 →