Abstract: The present solution can include a method for using dialog contracts for contact center interactions. The method can include a step of determining a context that applies to a caller who is communicating with a contact center. A dialog contract can be identified that corresponds to the determined context. The dialog contract can specify requirements for a real-time contact center session. The contact center can transfer the caller to a contact center agent. The real-time communication session can be conducted. A software program, referred to as an agent monitor, can analyze input of the caller and the contact center agent during the communication session and can automatically update a session file as requirements of the dialog contract are satisfied. The session file can be used as a quality measurement of the communication session.

Abstract: Determining and storing at least one validated results set in a global ontology database for future use by an entity that subscribes to the global ontology database. If global ontology data is stored in a global ontology database, attempt to determine a mapping between first and second ontologies. If a mapping between the first and second ontologies can be determined from the global ontology data, the mapping is validated and the validated mapping is defined as a validated results set. If global ontology data is not stored in a global ontology database or a mapping between the first and second ontologies can not be determined from global ontology data stored in the global ontology database, the first and second ontologies are unified by determining a mapping between the first and second ontologies, the mapping is validated and the validated mapping is defined as a validated results set.

Abstract: Determining and storing at least one validated results set in a global ontology database for future use by an entity that subscribes to the global ontology database. If global ontology data is stored in a global ontology database, attempt to determine a mapping between first and second ontologies. If a mapping between the first and second ontologies can be determined from the global ontology data, the mapping is validated and the validated mapping is defined as a validated results set. If global ontology data is not stored in a global ontology database or a mapping between the first and second ontologies can not be determined from global ontology data stored in the global ontology database, the first and second ontologies are unified by determining a mapping between the first and second ontologies, the mapping is validated and the validated mapping is defined as a validated results set.

Abstract: A method of automatically conducting a conference can include determining availability for each of a plurality of conference participants and selecting a date and time for the conference based upon the availability of each of the plurality of conference participants. The method further can include automatically initiating the conference among the conference participants on the date and at approximately the time for the conference.

Abstract: A system and method for authoring a voice application is provided. The voice recognition process uses a dynamic grammar which obtains data from a backend data source based upon an input in order to create expected results that a speech engine can recognize. The process can retrieve data from at least one of a plurality of back-end data sources and can build a grammar based on the data using at least in part a dynamic grammar builder. The grammar is loaded into the voice recognition application using at least in part the reusable dialog component. A data access service, XSLT processor, or other data accessing framework can be used to facilitate access and manipulation of data in heterogeneous environments.

Abstract: A method of tuning reusable dialog components within a speech application can include detecting speech recognition events generated from a plurality of recognitions performed for a field of a reusable dialog component. The speech recognition events can be generated over a plurality of interactive voice response sessions. The method also can include automatically computing a suggested value for a tuning parameter corresponding to the field of the reusable dialog component according, at least in part, to the speech recognition events.

Abstract: The disclosed solution includes a method for dynamically switching modalities based upon inferred conditions in a dialogue session involving a speech application. The method establishes a dialogue session between a user and the speech application. During the dialogue session, the user interacts using an original modality and a second modality. The speech application interacts using a speech modality only. A set of conditions indicative of interaction problems using the original modality can be inferred. Responsive to the inferring step, the original modality can be changed to the second modality. A modality transition to the second modality can be transparent the speech application and can occur without interrupting the dialogue session. The original modality and the second modality can be different modalities; one including a text exchange modality and another including a speech modality.

Abstract: The present invention discloses an open contact center formed from multiple contact center components that conform to open standards and that intercommunicate utilizing open standards. The open contact center can provide automated interactive communications with callers, can provide queue management for callers waiting to communicate with live agents, can provide skills based routing for assigning live agents to callers based upon skills of the live agents and skills needed by the callers, and can provide tooling for provisioning and monitoring the live agents. In one configuration, the contact center components can execute within a middleware solution, such as WEBSPHERE, that has IP Multimedia Subsystem capability. Additionally, the contact center components can be implemented as service oriented architecture (SOA) components that communicate over an enterprise service bus (ESB).

Abstract: The present invention discloses an open contact center formed from multiple contact center components that conform to open standards and that intercommunicate utilizing open standards. The open contact center can provide automated interactive communications with callers, can provide queue management for callers waiting to communicate with live agents, can provide skills based routing for assigning live agents to callers based upon skills of the live agents and skills needed by the callers, and can provide tooling for provisioning and monitoring the live agents. In one configuration, the contact center components can execute within a middleware solution, such as WEBSPHERE, that has IP Multimedia Subsystem capability. Additionally, the contact center components can be implemented as service oriented architecture (SOA) components that communicate over an enterprise service bus (ESB).

Abstract: The disclosed solution includes a method for dynamically switching modalities based upon inferred conditions in a dialogue session involving a speech application. The method establishes a dialogue session between a user and the speech application. During the dialogue session, the user interacts using an original modality and a second modality. The speech application interacts using a speech modality only. A set of conditions indicative of interaction problems using the original modality can be inferred. Responsive to the inferring step, the original modality can be changed to the second modality. A modality transition to the second modality can be transparent the speech application and can occur without interrupting the dialogue session. The original modality and the second modality can be different modalities; one including a text exchange modality and another including a speech modality.

Abstract: The present solution includes a real-time automated communication method. In the method, a real-time communication session can be established between a text exchange client and a speech application. A translation table can be identified that includes multiple entries, each entry including a text exchange item and a corresponding conversational translation item. A text exchange message can be received that was entered into a text exchange client. Content in the text exchange message that matches a text exchange item in the translation table can be substituted with a corresponding conversational item. The translated text exchange message can be sent as input to a voice server. Output from the voice server can be used by the speech application, which performs an automatic programmatic action based upon the output.

Abstract: The present solution includes a real-time automated communication method. In the method, a real-time communication session can be established between a text exchange client and a speech application. A translation table can be identified that includes multiple entries, each entry including a text exchange item and a corresponding conversational translation item. A text exchange message can be received that was entered into a text exchange client. Content in the text exchange message that matches a text exchange item in the translation table can be substituted with a corresponding conversational item. The translated text exchange message can be sent as input to a voice server. Output from the voice server can be used by the speech application, which performs an automatic programmatic action based upon the output.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide a method, system and computer program product for deploying and delivering composite services in an NGN network. In one embodiment of the invention, a view coordination method for callers in a composite services enablement environment can include establishing for a single session, a first channel of access to a composite service providing a view to a first end point for the first channel of access associated with a first caller in a public switched telephone network (PSTN). The method further can include receiving a network address for second end point associated with a second caller in the PSTN telephonically coupled to the first caller over the PSTN. Responsive to receiving the network address, a second channel of access can be established to the composite service for the single session in order to provide the view to the second end point. Finally, changes of state can be synchronized for the view for each of the channels of access.

Abstract: A method of managing systems in a managed network can include storing configuration information corresponding to at least one managed system and automatically generating a grammar and a speech dialog for each managed system using the configuration information. User speech selecting a managed system can be received over a telephone call. The user speech can be recognized to identify the selected managed system. A grammar and speech dialog for the selected managed system can be loaded. Accordingly, the user can interact with one or more managed systems using the speech dialog. The user speech can be processed using the grammar.

Abstract: A method for providing Interactive Voice Response functionality within a multi-tiered telephony environment can identify an enterprise archive file that contains an Interactive Voice Response (IVR) application. The enterprise archive file can contain multiple interpreters for different markup languages. The enterprise archive file can also include a servlet that maps the interpreters to telephony sessions. The enterprise archive file can be deployed within a J2EE compliant application server having a SIP interface. The deployed IVR application can be utilized to provide IVR functions for SIP based telephony sessions.

Abstract: The disclosed solution includes a method for dynamically switching modalities based upon inferred conditions in a dialogue session involving a speech application. The method establishes a dialogue session between a user and the speech application. During the dialogue session, the user interacts using an original modality and a second modality. The speech application interacts using a speech modality only. A set of conditions indicative of interaction problems using the original modality can be inferred. Responsive to the inferring step, the original modality can be changed to the second modality. A modality transition to the second modality can be transparent the speech application and can occur without interrupting the dialogue session. The original modality and the second modality can be different modalities; one including a text exchange modality and another including a speech modality.

Abstract: The present solution includes an automated response method. The method can receive user interactions entered through a real-time text exchange interface. These user interactions with the speech application can be dynamically and automatically converted as necessary into a format consumable by a voice server. A text input API of a voice server can be used to allow the voice server to directly accept text input. Further, automated interactions can be received from the voice server, which are dynamically and automatically converted into a format accepted by the text exchange interface. The text exchange interface can be an off-the-shelf unmodified interface. The speech application can be a VoiceXML based application that lacks an inherent text exchange capability.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide a method, system and computer program product for deploying and delivering composite services in an NGN network. In one embodiment of the invention, a channel presence detection method for a composite services enablement environment can include establishing multiple channels of access to a common session for a composite service, synchronizing changes of state for a model for the common session in the views for the channels of access to the composite service, and periodically indicating in at least one of the views, a listing of the established channels of access. In one aspect of the invention, periodically indicating a listing of the established channels of access can include detecting an update to the model indicating a change in established channels of access to the common session.

Abstract: The disclosed solution includes a method for dynamically switching modalities based upon inferred conditions in a dialogue session involving a speech application. The method establishes a dialogue session between a user and the speech application. During the dialogue session, the user interacts using an original modality and a second modality. The speech application interacts using a speech modality only. A set of conditions indicative of interaction problems using the original modality can be inferred. Responsive to the inferring step, the original modality can be changed to the second modality. A modality transition to the second modality can be transparent the speech application and can occur without interrupting the dialogue session. The original modality and the second modality can be different modalities; one including a text exchange modality and another including a speech modality.

Abstract: The present solution includes a method for dynamically switching modalities in a dialogue session involving a voice server. In the method, a dialogue session can be established between a user and a speech application. During the dialogue session, the user can interact using an original modality, which is either a speech modality, a text exchange modality, or a multi mode modality that includes a text exchange modality. The speech application can interact using a speech modality. A modality switch trigger can be detected that changes the original modality to a different modality. The modality transition to the second modality can be transparent to the speech application. The speech application can be a standard VoiceXML based speech application that lacks an inherent text exchange capability.