Abstract: A method includes receiving speech of a call from a caller at a processor of a call routing system. The method includes using the processor to determine a first call destination for the call based on the speech. The method includes using the processor to determine whether the caller is in compliance with at least one business rule related to an account of the caller. The method includes routing the call to the first call destination when the caller is in compliance with the at least one business rule and routing the call to a second call destination when the caller is not in compliance with the at least one business rule.

Abstract: Systems and methods for processing speech are provided. A system may include a speech recognition interface and a processor. The processor may convert speech received from a call at the speech recognition interface to at least one word string. The processor may parse each word string of the at least one word string into first objects and first actions. The processor may access a synonym table to determine second objects and second actions based on the first objects and the first actions. The processor may also select a preferred object and a preferred action from the second objects and the second actions.

Abstract: Communications are routed to an agent. An agent model is selected for each of a group of agents, based upon an identified modality of an incoming communication from a requester. An agent is determined corresponding to one of the selected agent models best matched to a requester corresponding to the incoming communication. A communication connection is established between the requester and the best matched agent.

Abstract: A method of processing a call is disclosed. The method can transform speech input from a caller of a call into text and convert the text into an object and an action. The method determines a call destination based on the object and the action. The method can route the call to a destination when a caller is not in compliance with at least one business rule. The method can further route the call to the call destination when the caller is in compliance.

Abstract: A call routing system prompts a caller for information and receives a response from the caller. Based on the caller's response, a confidence value is assigned to the call. The confidence value can be assigned based on the likelihood that the received information is consistent with the prompt and other criteria. Additional prompts are provided to the caller based on the confidence value, and additional caller's responses are used to modify the confidence value. At least one threshold confidence level is set and when the confidence value of the call meets or exceeds the threshold (because of low confidence), the call is immediately routed to a human operator.

Abstract: Systems and methods for processing speech are provided. A system may include an acoustic model to transform speech input into one or more word strings. The system may also include a semantic model to convert each of the one or more word strings into a detected object and a detected action. The system may also include a synonym table to determine a preferred object based on the detected object and to determine a preferred action based on the detected action.

Abstract: A particular method of using a call routing system includes generating a first action object identifier associated with a task, a first result identifier associated with the task, and a first reason identifier at a first module in response to a call using a processor of the call routing system. The first result identifier has a value that indicates a status of the task. The first reason identifier includes information related to the first result identifier. The method also includes routing the call from the first module to a second module using the processor, based at least in part on the first action object identifier, the first result identifier, and the first reason identifier.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method is described for optimizing prompts for a speech-enabled application. The speech-enabled application is operable to receive communications from a number of users and communicate one or more prompts to each user to illicit a response from the user that indicates the purpose of the user's communication. The method includes determining a number of prompt alternatives (each including one or more prompts) to evaluate and determining an evaluation period for each prompt alternative. The method also includes automatically presenting each prompt alternative to users during the associated evaluation period and automatically recording the results of user responses to each prompt alternative. Furthermore, the method includes automatically analyzing the recorded results for each prompt alternative based on one or more performance criteria and automatically implementing one of the prompt alternatives based on the analysis of the recorded results.

Abstract: A system, method and software for implementing an automated call routing application in a speech enabled call center environment are provided. In operation, the invention provides for the identification of a call center transaction selection from a natural language user utterance and the invocation of one or more scripts operable to route the user to a call center service agent configured to service the selected transaction. In the event a transaction selection cannot be readily identified or can only be partially identified, the invention provides for the initiation of a dialog module or script directed to eliciting a discernable transaction selection and/or the presentation of one or more menus from which the user may select an available call center transaction.

Abstract: A system, method and software are described for facilitating transitions between speech-enabled applications employing action-object matrices. In an exemplary embodiment, an automatic call router determines a service agent destination by identifying an action-object combination included in a user utterance. In addition to forwarding the user to the service agent destination, the automatic call router sends one or more aspects of the user utterance to the service agent for use therewith. The service agent may then use aspects of the forwarded information to request further information from the user or to begin performance of a user desired transaction.

Abstract: A method and system of handling a call received at a call center is disclosed. The method includes determining that the call is a repeat call. The method also includes determining whether the repeat call is to receive a first treatment type. The method further includes servicing the repeat call with the first treatment type when the repeat call is determined to receive the first treatment type. The method includes servicing the repeat call with a second treatment type when the repeat call is determined to not receive the first treatment type. The second treatment type includes providing access to a self-service automated system.

Abstract: A system includes an acoustic input engine configured to accept a speech input, to recognize phonemes of the speech input, and to create word strings based on the recognized phonemes. The system includes a semantic engine coupled to the acoustic engine and operable to identify actions and to identify objects by parsing the word strings. The system also includes an action-object pairing system to identify a dominant entry from the identified actions and the identified objects, to select a complement to the dominant entry from the identified actions and the identified objects, and to form an action-object pair that includes the dominant entry and the complement. The system further includes an action-object routing table operable to provide a routing destination based on the action-object pair. The system also includes a call routing module to route a call to the routing destination.

Abstract: A call routing system can be used to route calls. An action object identifier, a result identifier, and a reason identifier can be generated in response at least in part to a call. The call can be routed by the call routing system based at least in part on the action object identifier, the result identifier, and the reason identifier. The routing can be performed automatically without requiring an attendant. In another embodiment, an attendant can be used, if desired. In still another embodiment, the processing of the call can be interrupted by the caller, a data processing system used within the call routing system, or an attendant. In a particular embodiment, the call routing system can be used when authenticating a caller or determining an account status of the caller.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method is described for optimizing prompts for a speech-enabled application. The speech-enabled application is operable to receive communications from a number of users and communicate one or more prompts to each user to illicit a response from the user that indicates the purpose of the user's communication. The method includes determining a number of prompt alternatives (each including one or more prompts) to evaluate and determining an evaluation period for each prompt alternative. The method also includes automatically presenting each prompt alternative to users during the associated evaluation period and automatically recording the results of user responses to each prompt alternative. Furthermore, the method includes automatically analyzing the recorded results for each prompt alternative based on one or more performance criteria and automatically implementing one of the prompt alternatives based on the analysis of the recorded results.

Abstract: A method and system of handling a call received at a call center is disclosed. The method includes determining that the call is a repeat call, determining whether the repeat call is to receive a first treatment type and servicing the repeat call with the first treatment type when the repeat call is determined to receive the first treatment type. The system includes an automated call processing system, a first computer readable memory including a repeat caller definition table, a second computer readable memory including a repeat caller action-object table, and a third computer readable memory including a special treatment resolution table. The automated call processing system has access to the repeat call definition table to identify a repeat call request and has access to the action-object table and the special treatment resolution table to determine whether the identified repeat call is to receive a first treatment type.

Abstract: A method for processing a call is disclosed. The method receives a speech input via a call and transforms at the speech input into a textual format. The method also creates a list of salient terms of actions and objects from the text, adjusts the confidence level of objects on the list if the dominant term is an action and selects a complimentary object from the list to combine with the action to form an action-object pair. The method further adjusts a confidence level of actions on the list if the dominant term is an object and selects a complementary action from the list to combine with the action to form the action-object pair, and routes the call based on the action-object pair.

Abstract: A system, method and software for implementing an automated call routing application in a speech enabled call center environment are provided. In operation, the invention provides for the identification of a call center transaction selection from a natural language user utterance and the invocation of one or more scripts operable to route the user to a call center service agent configured to service the selected transaction. In the event a transaction selection cannot be readily identified or can only be partially identified, the invention provides for the initiation of a dialog module or script directed to eliciting a discernable transaction selection and/or the presentation of one or more menus from which the user may select an available call center transaction.

Abstract: A system and method of targeted tuning of a speech recognition system are disclosed. In a particular embodiment, a method includes determining a frequency of occurrence of a particular type of utterance method and includes determining whether the frequency of occurrence exceeds a threshold. The method further includes tuning a speech recognition system to improve recognition of the particular type of utterance when the frequency of occurrence of the particular type of utterance exceeds the threshold.

Abstract: A system, method and software are described for facilitating transitions between speech-enabled applications employing action-object matrices. In an exemplary embodiment, an automatic call router determines a service agent destination by identifying an action-object combination included in a user utterance. In addition to forwarding the user to the service agent destination, the automatic call router sends one or more aspects of the user utterance to the service agent for use therewith. The service agent may then use aspects of the forwarded information to request further information from the user or to begin performance of a user desired transaction.

Abstract: A system and method are disclosed for targeted tuning of a speech recognition system. A method incorporating teachings of the present disclosure may include deploying a speech recognition module to apply an appropriate interpretation to a plurality of utterance types. The method may also include accessing information representing a collection of recorded utterances and assigned interpretation for each of the plurality of recorded utterances. The assigned interpretation for each of the plurality of recorded utterances may then be compared to an accurate interpretation for each of the plurality of utterance, and a separate accuracy value may be determined for each of the plurality of utterance types. With some implementations, if the separate accuracy value for a given type of utterance is too low, a selection of utterances having the given type may be used to tune the speech recognition module.