Audio Menu Navigation via Visual Display Interface
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing automated voice menu systems require users to listen to extensive audio lists to select options, making interactions inefficient and time-consuming, especially when users need to revisit previous options.
Innovation Solution
A system that establishes a communication connection between an automated voice menu system and a user device, allowing the device to convert audio feedback into visual option selections, enabling users to select options via a display interface, reducing the need to listen to entire menus and facilitating rapid navigation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If users interact with automated voice menu systems by listening to audio options, then the system maintains simplicity and compatibility with traditional telephony, but user interaction efficiency deteriorates due to extensive listening time required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a visual dimension to the traditionally audio-only menu system. The user device displays visual representations of menu options on its screen, allowing users to interact with the automated menu system through both audio and visual channels simultaneously. This dimensional addition resolves the contradiction by maintaining audio compatibility while dramatically improving interaction efficiency through visual scanning and selection.
Solution Approach 2:
The user device acts as an intermediary between the automated voice menu system and the user. It receives audio feedback from the menu system, processes it into visual format, and presents options to the user. This intermediary function allows the system to maintain traditional audio-based menu structures while providing enhanced visual interaction capabilities, thus resolving the efficiency contradiction.
2Reliability
If users must listen to entire audio menus to select options, then the system maintains consistent audio presentation, but time consumption increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary action by converting audio menu options into visual format before the user needs to select them. The user device receives the audio feedback, processes it into visual representations, and displays all options simultaneously. This allows users to scan and identify options quickly without listening through the entire audio menu, significantly reducing time consumption while the audio presentation remains consistent for those who need it.
Solution Approach 2:
The system provides excessive action by presenting both audio and visual representations of menu options. Users can choose to interact with just the visual portion (partial action) for quick selection, or use both modalities if needed. This partial/excessive approach resolves the contradiction by allowing fast visual interaction while maintaining the complete audio presentation for reliability.
3Device complexity
If users need to re-hear previous options in audio menus, then the system maintains sequential audio playback structure, but user frustration increases due to having to listen to entire lists again
Solution Approach 1:
The system creates a visual copy of the audio menu options. Instead of requiring users to replay audio segments, the user device generates visual representations of all menu options and displays them on screen. Users can review these visual copies at their own pace, reducing frustration while the audio playback structure remains simple and sequential.
Solution Approach 2:
By adding the visual dimension, the system allows users to navigate and review options in a spatial layout rather than temporal audio sequence. Users can scroll, pause, and review visual options without replaying audio, eliminating the frustration of hearing entire lists again while maintaining the simple sequential audio structure for those who need it.
4Adaptability or versatility
If automated voice menu systems present extensive lists of options audibly, then the system maintains comprehensive option coverage, but user attention and comprehension deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent adds a visual dimension to menu option presentation. The user device displays visual representations of all menu options simultaneously on its screen, allowing users to scan, comprehend, and select options more easily. This visual presentation maintains comprehensive option coverage while significantly improving user attention and comprehension compared to audio-only presentation.
Solution Approach 2:
The system segments the menu options into visual units that can be individually displayed and reviewed. Instead of presenting a continuous audio stream that requires sustained attention, the visual interface breaks options into discrete, scannable elements. This segmentation improves comprehension while maintaining complete option coverage.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
A method, apparatus, and system for communications to support audio menu navigation and option selection via display device is described. To support audio menu navigation and option selection via display device, a communication connection between an automated voice menu system and a user device is established, one or more option selections corresponding to a menu of options are determined, a user interface including an arrangement of elements corresponding to the one or more option selections is generated at the user device, an input from a user is received via the user interface, and a response is transmitted from the user device to the automated voice menu system via the communication connection based at least in part on the received input from the user, wherein the response is responsive to the audio feedback and indicates a selection of the subset of the determined one or more option selections.