Abstract: A method for automating an input process during a testing of a voice-enabled application so that a tester is not required to manually respond to each prompt of the voice-enabled application. The method including the step of identifying a session input store that includes input data associated with voice-enabled application prompts and the step of executing the voice-enabled application. The voice-enabled application can prompt for user input that is to be used when performing a speech processing task. Input data from the session input store can be automatically extracted responsive to the prompting and used in place of manually entered input. The speech processing service can perform the speech processing task based upon the extracted data.

Abstract: A computer implemented method for updating initialization parameters for application software from within a software development environment. The method involves changing a value of at least one initialization parameter contained in a configuration file of a developer computer system. The method also involves starting application software deployed on an application server in response to the value change. Thereafter, the configuration file including the changed value of the initialization parameter is communicated from the developer computer system to the application server. Once the configuration file is received at the application server, the application software is initialized using the configuration file.

Abstract: A visual toolkit for prioritizing speech transcription is provided. The toolkit can include a logger (102) for capturing information from a speech recognition system, a processor (104) for determining an accuracy rating of the information, and a visual display (106) for categorizing the information and prioritizing a transcription of the information based on the accuracy rating. The prioritizing identifies spoken utterances having a transcription priority in view of the recognized result. The visual display can include a transcription category (156) having a modifiable textbox entry with a text entry initially corresponding to a text of the recognized result, and an accept button (157) for validating a transcription of the recognized result. The categories can be automatically ranked by the accuracy rating in an ordered priority for increasing an efficiency of transcription.

Abstract: A prompt collecting tool (190) for an interactive voice response system (100) includes a voice enabled application server (150), a voice simulator coupled to the voice enabled application server, and a processor coupled to the voice simulator. The processor can be programmed to execute (202) a voice application having a plurality of audio prompts, play (206) audio if a pre-stored audio is available for a particular prompt, capture (208) text when no pre-stored audio is available and forward (210) the captured text to the prompt collecting tool. The voice simulator can include a VoiceXML browser (160), a text to speech text service (170), and a text based recognition service (180) for example.

Abstract: A secure, layered logout of a user session is implemented in a web-based management tool, such as a middleware appliance. A logout strategy is provided to include a set of security levels of varying sensitivity, with each security level having a set of permissions associated therewith and that are enforced upon occurrence of an event. A succeeding security level in the set of security levels is reached upon occurrence of an event associated with that level, in which case the set of permissions associated with the security level are then enforced against at least one managed object while the user session continues. As each next security level is reached, the set of permissions associated with the security level are then enforced (with respect to the managed object or against one or more other managed objects), once again while the user session continues.

Abstract: A prompt collecting tool (190) for an interactive voice response system (100) includes a voice enabled application server (150), a voice simulator coupled to the voice enabled application server, and a processor coupled to the voice simulator. The processor can be programmed to execute (202) a voice application having a plurality of audio prompts, play (206) audio if a pre-stored audio is available for a particular prompt, capture (208) text when no pre-stored audio is available and forward (210) the captured text to the prompt collecting tool. The voice simulator can include a VoiceXML browser (160), a text to speech text service (170), and a text based recognition service (180) for example.

Abstract: A visual toolkit for prioritizing speech transcription from a plurality of speech recognition tasks is provided. The toolkit can include a logger (102) for capturing information from a speech recognition system, a processor (104) for determining an accuracy rating based at least in part on information that is independent of a confidence score associated with a recognized phrase and independent of confidence scores associated with a plurality of phrases in an N-best match, and a visual display (106) for categorizing the information and prioritizing a transcription of the information based on the accuracy rating. The prioritizing identifies spoken utterances having a transcription priority in view of the recognized result. The visual display can include a transcription category (156) having a modifiable textbox entry with a text entry initially corresponding to a text of the recognized result, and an accept button (157) for validating a transcription of the recognized result.

Abstract: A secure, layered logout of a user session is implemented in a web-based management tool, such as a middleware appliance. A logout strategy is provided to include a set of security levels of varying sensitivity, with each security level having a set of permissions associated therewith and that are enforced upon a timeout. Preferably, each succeeding security level in the set of security levels is reached as time increases from an idle time associated with the user session. Upon expiration of a timeout associated with a security level, the set of permissions associated with the security level are then enforced against at least one managed object while the user session continues. As each next security level is reached, the set of permissions associated with the security level are then enforced (with respect to the managed object or against one or more other managed objects), once again while the user session continues.

Abstract: The need for realtime password resetting is providing by using a converged HTTP/SIP container. The container allows interaction between the different protocols of HTTP and SIP. When a user needs to reset a password that would normally require sending a new temporary password through the mail, the user can be appropriately authenticated and provided with a temporary key. After a temporary key is created and sent electronically to the user via the computer system which initiated the request, a telephony application calls the user. The user is prompted for authentication information and then enters the temporary key. The temporary key entered is compared with the temporary key created, and if matched, the user can reset the password in realtime.

Abstract: A computer implemented method for updating initialization parameters for application software from within a software development environment. The method involves changing a value of at least one initialization parameter contained in a configuration file of a developer computer system. The method also involves starting application software deployed on an application server in response to the value change. Thereafter, the configuration file including the changed value of the initialization parameter is communicated from the developer computer system to the application server. Once the configuration file is received at the application server, the application software is initialized using the configuration file.

Abstract: A method of phone messaging includes encoding a data packet into an audio stream, said data packet comprising a message addressed to a mobile device operating in a wireless network, placing a call to said mobile device using a voice channel of said wireless network, transmitting said audio stream over said voice channel to said mobile device, and reconstructing said data packet from said audio stream.

Abstract: A method for execution on a server for serving presence information, the method for providing dynamically loaded speech recognition parameters to a speech recognition engine, can be provided. The method can include storing at least one rule for selecting speech recognition parameters, wherein a rule comprises an if-portion including criteria and a then-portion specifying speech recognition parameters that must be used when the criteria is met. The method can further include receiving notice that a speech recognition session has been initiated between a user and the speech recognition engine. The method can further include selecting a first set of speech recognition parameters responsive to executing the at least one rule and providing to the speech recognition engine the first set of speech recognition parameters for performing speech recognition of the user.

Abstract: A method for testing computer programs includes the steps of identifying at least one code subsection of a computer program to be tested, ascertaining one or more other code subsections required for executing the identified subsection, determining one or more input arguments required for executing the identified subsection and the other subsections, prompting a developer to provide at least one of the input arguments, and executing the identified subsection using the provided input arguments.

Abstract: A computerized method for diagnosing deployed voice-enabled application issues within a maintenance environment. The method can identify a recognition log file that includes details of previously occurring interactions of a voice-enabled application executing programmatic actions in an operational environment. The voice-enabled application can utilize a speech recognition service to convert utterances to text. Previously occurring interactions of the operational environment can be simulated in a maintenance environment. The maintenance environment can include a maintenance voice-enabled application component used in place of the voice-enabled application and can include a text-based speech recognition service used in place of the speech recognition service.

Abstract: A software development environment including a set of SIP tools and a set of Web tools. The SIP tools are configured to create software able to execute upon a SIP server. The Web tools are configured to create software able to execute upon a Web server. The software development environment can also include a common development interface configured to develop converged projects including objects created with the SIP tools and the Web tools able to execute upon an Application Server which supports Converged SIP/HTTP applications. The common development interface can be a graphical development interface including a development canvas and a palette including elements which are able to be added to the canvas. The elements can include at least one SIP element corresponding to one of the SIP tools and at least one Web element corresponding to one of the Web tools.

Abstract: A method of analyzing speech application performance can include determining a call path for each of a plurality of calls from a log of an interactive voice response system having a speech application. Each call path can be defined by an ordered set of dialog nodes of the speech application. A number of occurrences of at least one selected type of event for the dialog nodes of the plurality of calls can be counted. At least one call path from the plurality of call paths can be indicated according, at least in part, to the number of occurrences of the selected type of event within the at least one indicated call path.

Abstract: A method of handling calls within an interactive voice response system. The method can include conducting a dialog with a calling party over an established call and, during the dialog, determining that an agent is available. The method further can include interrupting the dialog and, based upon a response from the calling party, selectively terminating the dialog and transferring the call to the agent.

Abstract: A method and system for interactively synthesizing responses to a caller's queries includes using a text to speech synthesizer in a call center environment. A telephone network capable of receiving one or more telephone calls distributes calls to at least one or more call handlers. An interactive voice recognition platform having at least one database identifies an phone number associated with an incoming call and matches the phone number with the local language of the caller and provides this information in a signal to a media splitter. The call handler responds to the caller's queries by typing response information to the caller through a graphical unit interface at a workstation. A voice server receives the response information sends a signal to a text to speech synthesizer for conversion into speech. The produced speech from the text to speech synthesizer is sent back to the caller via the network and the caller is able to hear the answer to the caller's queries in the caller's local language.

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 present invention permits a speech application design tool to dynamically acquire information for runtime components, such as Reusable Dialog Components (RDCs). More specifically, a user can identify a library available to the runtime environment that includes runtime speech components. Runtime components can be imported into an integrated development environment (IDE) that includes the software design tool. The tool can discover configuration grammars, audio, and data models associated with the imported components. When previously developed application code has been loaded into the tool, versions of components associated with the previously developed application will be compared and synchronized with the library components. Differences can be flagged by the tool, which facilitates a component upgrading process. Otherwise, a palette within the tool will be populated with the imparted components, which can be used when authoring a new application.