IVR Language Selection via Stored Preference Retrieval
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing IVR systems require callers to repeatedly select their preferred language, which can be burdensome, especially for frequent users, and do not efficiently share language preferences across multiple systems.
Innovation Solution
An IVR system automatically selects a caller's preferred language using stored or shared language preference information, which can be retrieved from the caller's device, local databases, or a third-party service, allowing for seamless language selection across multiple IVR systems.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a caller selects a preferred language at the beginning of each call, then the IVR system can provide menu options in the caller's preferred language, but the caller experiences repeated language selection burden
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs language preference selection in advance by storing the caller's language preference after initial selection. This preliminary action eliminates the need for repeated language selection in subsequent calls, resolving the contradiction between providing language preference accommodation and reducing operational burden.
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables self-service by automatically retrieving and applying the caller's stored language preference without requiring active participation from the caller. The IVR system serves itself by autonomously selecting the appropriate language based on previously stored preferences, thereby eliminating the repeated selection burden while maintaining language adaptability.
2Reliability
If language preference information is stored locally in each IVR system, then language selection is fast and reliable, but language preferences cannot be shared across multiple IVR systems
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a universal language preference storage mechanism that allows the same language preference information to be accessed across multiple IVR systems. By storing language preferences in a centralized or shareable format that can be retrieved by any IVR system in the network, the solution enables cross-system language sharing while maintaining reliable retrieval through standardized access protocols.
Solution Approach 2:
The system introduces an intermediary mechanism (such as a centralized database or profile service) that mediates between multiple IVR systems and the caller's language preference information. This intermediary enables reliable retrieval by providing a single source of truth while simultaneously enabling cross-system sharing by making the preference data accessible to multiple systems through standardized interfaces.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the IVR system requests language preference from a third-party service, then language preferences can be shared across multiple systems, but the interaction time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary action by caching or pre-loading language preference information locally before it is needed. By anticipating the need for language preferences and retrieving them in advance (or maintaining local copies), the system enables cross-system sharing through centralized storage while minimizing interaction time during actual calls through efficient local retrieval or pre-established connections.
Data Source
AI summary
An interactive voice response (IVR) system performs automatic language selection without requiring the caller to provide a manual language selection input. The IVR system receives an incoming call along with appropriate caller identification. The IVR system sends a request for the caller's language preference information either to the caller's device or to a service provider that hosts the caller's account. After receiving the caller's language preference information, the IVR system selects a language for the caller and provides an IVR menu tree using the selected language. The selected language is persisted as the caller's preferred language at either the IVR system or at a service provider for future use.