Mobile Telephony App for IVR Keypad and Authentication

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Solution Overview

Problem

Users face frustration when interacting with call centers due to difficulties with IVR systems, particularly with non-standard keypads and in noisy environments, and human agents often ask unnecessary questions, leading to inefficiencies and security risks.

Innovation Solution

A computer-telephony system that facilitates interactions between mobile devices and call centers by providing availability information, scheduling calls, routing to specific agents, and displaying authentication data on the agent's terminal, reducing the need for repetitive questioning and enhancing security.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If IVR systems use standard keypad mapping, then compatibility with standard phones is improved, but users with nonstandard keypads experience difficulty

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvekeypad compatibilityVSAvoiduser interaction difficulty

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary actions by detecting the mobile device type and keypad configuration before the interaction begins. The mobile device application identifies whether the device has a standard or nonstandard keypad mapping, and pre-configures the appropriate mapping scheme. This allows users with nonstandard keypads to interact seamlessly with the IVR system without experiencing difficulty during the actual interaction.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Ease of operation

If users interact orally with IVR in noisy environments, then hands-free operation is achieved, but background noise overwhelms verbal responses

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvehands-free interactionVSAvoidvoice recognition accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The mobile device application serves as an intermediary between the user and the IVR system. Instead of directly transmitting oral responses from noisy environments to the IVR, the application captures the user's input through the device's microphone, processes it locally, and then transmits the processed data to the IVR system. This intermediary role allows the system to mitigate the effects of background noise while maintaining hands-free operation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Ease of operation

If human agents are employed for customer service, then personalized assistance is improved, but operational costs increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepersonalized service qualityVSAvoidoperational cost

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The system segments customer service interactions into different types and routes them appropriately. Routine inquiries are handled by the IVR system, which provides automated service at low cost. More complex or personalized requests are routed to human agents. This segmentation allows the organization to provide personalized assistance where needed while minimizing operational costs by automating routine tasks.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

4Loss of information

If IVR systems ask predetermined questions, then information gathering is achieved, but user time is wasted on irrelevant queries

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveinformation collectionVSAvoiduser waiting time

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of informationVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The mobile device application performs preliminary actions by gathering device information, context data, and user preferences before the IVR interaction begins. This pre-collected information is transmitted to the IVR system, which then skips irrelevant predetermined questions and focuses only on the necessary information gathering. This eliminates user time waste while ensuring complete information collection.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

5Reliability

If authentication information is collected orally, then security verification is achieved, but security risks increase due to overhearing or misuse

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveauthentication capabilityVSAvoidsecurity risk

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The system replaces the mechanical/oral authentication method with a digital/electronic system. Instead of collecting authentication information orally through the voice channel, the mobile device application captures authentication data through the device's secure input mechanisms (keyboard, touchscreen, or biometric sensors). This substitution eliminates the security risks associated with oral authentication, such as overhearing by third parties or agent misuse, while maintaining authentication capability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Data Source

PatentUS8838081B2Mobile device applications for computer-telephony systems

Publication Date: 2014.09.16 MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING LLC

AI summary

On a mobile telecommunications device, computer-executable code executes to facilitate interactions between the user of the mobile telecommunications device and a call center or other computer-telephony integration equipment. The computer-executable code includes instructions that request at least one operation to be performed at a call center, where the call center includes a call center controller, an interactive voice response system component, and at least one agent. At least in part, a wireless network transmits the request from the mobile telecommunications device to the call center controller.