Communication Platform Automating IVR Interaction

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing IVR systems require users to convey fundamental information, leading to resource-intensive interactions and potential misinterpretation, resulting in increased usage of resources and repeated calls due to incorrect information or misconnection.

Innovation Solution

A communication platform that automatically conveys fundamental information to IVR or agent devices, reducing user device resource usage and misinterpretation by initiating and managing communication sessions, using natural language processing and machine learning to navigate menu trees and respond to queries.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If users manually convey fundamental information to IVR systems, then the system can process the information, but the interaction becomes resource-intensive and time-consuming

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveinteraction efficiencyVSAvoidtime for information conveyance

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The communication platform performs preliminary actions by automatically obtaining communication requests, determining user information, and initiating communication sessions with IVR systems before the user needs to interact. This pre-processing of information gathering and session setup eliminates the need for users to manually convey fundamental information, thereby reducing interaction time and improving efficiency.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Reliability

If users manually provide information to IVR systems, then the system can process queries, but misinterpretation occurs leading to incorrect information and repeated calls

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveinformation accuracyVSAvoidtime for repeated calls

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The communication platform acts as an intermediary between the user and the IVR system. It automatically obtains communication requests, determines user information, and manages the communication session, thereby mediating the interaction. This intermediary role eliminates misinterpretation by ensuring accurate information transmission and processing, preventing incorrect information from reaching the user and eliminating the need for repeated calls.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The communication platform implements feedback mechanisms by monitoring the communication session, determining when the user should interact with the IVR system, and managing the session accordingly. This feedback loop ensures that information is accurately transmitted and processed, allowing the system to adjust its behavior based on the interaction state and prevent misinterpretation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

3Productivity

If the IVR system processes fundamental information manually, then the system can respond to queries, but resource usage increases significantly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvequery processing capabilityVSAvoidprocessing resources consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The communication platform performs self-service by automatically obtaining communication requests, determining user information, and initiating communication sessions without requiring manual user input for these preliminary tasks. This self-service approach handles the resource-intensive tasks of information gathering and session management, freeing the IVR system to focus on query processing and reducing overall resource consumption.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

4Use of energy by moving object

If the communication platform automatically conveys information, then resource usage is reduced, but the system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprocessing resources consumptionVSAvoidcommunication platform complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Use of energy by moving objectVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The communication platform segments the interaction process into distinct phases: obtaining communication requests, determining user information, determining menu structures, initiating communication sessions, and managing user interaction timing. This segmentation allows each phase to be handled independently and optimized, reducing the overall complexity by breaking down the automated information conveyance process into manageable components.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentEP3684040B1Interacting with an interactive voice response system device or agent device of an organization

Publication Date: 2023.03.01 CAPITAL ONE SERVICES LLC

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AI summary

A device receives, from a user device, a communication request that includes information identifying a user of the user device, an organization, and at least one reason for the communication request. The device determines, based on the communication request, information concerning the user, a telephone number associated with the organization, and a menu of an interactive voice response (IVR) system device associated with the telephone number. The device communicates, based on the information concerning the user, the menu of the IVR system device, and the at least one reason for the communication request, with the IVR system device via a communication session initiated based on the telephone number. The device determines, based on communicating with the IVR system device, a time that the user is to interact with the IVR system device via the communication session, and causes the user device to join the communication session at the time.