Dynamic IVR Call Flow Adaptation via Context Gathering
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing IVR systems have predetermined call flows that are not modifiable based on user-specific situations, limiting their ability to provide context-aware and personalized interactions.
Innovation Solution
A method that collects context-specific information without user prompting, determines the user's situation, and dynamically modifies the call flow using a context-gathering component, situation-generating component, and call flow-modifying component, generating voice markup language pages or dialog snippets based on context-sensitive logic to adapt voice prompts to the user's circumstances.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If call flows are predetermined and fixed in IVR systems, then system simplicity and ease of operation are maintained, but adaptability to user-specific situations deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic call flows that can be modified in real-time based on user situation. The system transitions from static predetermined call flows to dynamic ones that adapt to user context such as location, time, and behavioral patterns. This is achieved through situation generators that create context-aware call flow variations without requiring complete reprogramming of the IVR system.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary actions by collecting context-specific information about users in advance and generating situation profiles before actual interactions occur. Context gatherers continuously monitor and store user data, enabling the system to anticipate user needs and pre-generate appropriate call flow variations, reducing the need for complex real-time decision-making.
2Ease of operation
If context-specific information is collected without user prompting, then user experience and personalization are improved, but system complexity and information processing requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements self-service by enabling context gatherers to automatically collect information about users without requiring user initiation or explicit requests. The context gatherers autonomously monitor user behavior, location, and other contextual factors, and the situation generators automatically process this data to create user profiles, eliminating the need for users to manually provide information.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces situation generators as intermediary components that bridge the gap between raw context data and call flow modifications. These intermediaries process and interpret context-specific information, transforming it into actionable situation profiles that guide call flow adjustments, thereby simplifying the overall system architecture by creating a dedicated processing layer.
3Adaptability or versatility
If call flows are modified based on user situation, then personalization and user experience are enhanced, but processing time and computational resources increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary processing by continuously gathering context information and generating situation profiles in advance, during idle periods or background operations. This pre-processing enables the system to have user situation data ready before actual call interactions occur, minimizing the time required to modify call flows during live interactions and reducing computational overhead during critical user-facing operations.
Data Source
AI summary
The call flow of a user is modified based on the user's situation. A set of context-specific information regarding a user is collected, without prompting the user for this context-specific information within a call with the user. For instance, the context-specific information can include locational information regarding the user, weather information at the current location of the user, traffic information at the user's current location, proximity information of the user to a given transportation mode (airport, train station, and so on), as well as user preferences information. The situation of the user is determined based on the set of context-specific information collected, and the call flow of voice prompts to the user within the call is modified based on the situation determined.