Visual Call Menu Navigation From Spoken IVR Options
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing automated telephone menus impose significant cognitive load on users due to their reliance on audio-only navigation, leading to inefficient call durations and resource wastage as users struggle to find desired options amidst lengthy spoken messages.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a system that recognizes audio data from call menus, converts it into text, and displays corresponding visual options on the call device, allowing users to navigate menus more efficiently by selecting options directly on a touchscreen.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If audio-only automated voice menus are used, then system simplicity is maintained, but user cognitive load increases and call duration increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions the menu interface from one-dimensional audio only to two-dimensional visual-audio integration. Visual menu options are displayed on the device screen while audio continues to provide spoken instructions, allowing users to see and hear menu options simultaneously. This dimensional addition reduces cognitive load by providing visual anchors for audio information.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces visual display as an intermediary between the audio menu system and the user. Instead of users processing only audio information, the visual display serves as an intermediate representation that complements audio instructions, making menu options more easily identifiable and selectable.
2Power
If audio-only menus are used, then processing resources are consumed, but call duration increases leading to resource wastage
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary action by displaying visual menu options before users need to make selections. The visual interface is prepared in advance and updated dynamically as audio menu options are presented, allowing users to quickly scan and identify desired options without waiting through lengthy audio descriptions.
Solution Approach 2:
The system provides feedback by displaying on-screen indicators that correspond to the currently spoken audio options. This visual feedback loop allows users to confirm they are following the audio instructions correctly and to quickly locate desired options, reducing the time needed to complete menu navigation.
3Productivity
If visual options are displayed during calls, then user selection speed increases, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies universality by leveraging the existing display capabilities of mobile devices for menu navigation. Instead of requiring specialized hardware, the solution uses the universal display function already present in smartphones and tablets, adding visual menu options without requiring dedicated visual menu hardware.
Solution Approach 2:
The system creates a visual copy of the audio menu options on the device display. Text representations of the spoken menu options are generated and displayed alongside audio playback, providing a parallel visual channel that enhances navigation speed without requiring separate physical menu systems.
4Ease of manufacture
If audio-only navigation is used, then implementation simplicity is maintained, but user cognitive load increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent adds a visual dimension to the audio-only menu system, displaying menu options on the device screen while maintaining audio playback. This dual-channel information delivery reduces cognitive load by providing visual anchors that make audio information easier to process and remember.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the information delivery parameters by adding visual output to the existing audio output. The display shows text representations of menu options, changing the information mode from purely auditory to both visual and auditory, thereby reducing the cognitive processing required to understand and navigate the menu.
Data Source
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AI summary
Determination and visual display of spoken menus for calls. Receiving audio data output in a call between a call device and a device associated with a target entity. The audio data includes speech indicating one or more selection options for a user of the call device to navigate through a call menu provided by the target entity in the call. Text is determined by programmatically analyzing the audio data, the text representing the speech. The selection options are determined based on programmatically analyzing at least one of the text or the audio data. At least a portion of the text is displayed by the call device during the call, as one or more visual options that correspond to the selection options. The visual options are each selectable as actionable item via user input to cause corresponding navigation through the call menu.