Intelligent Voice Assistant for Call Context and Stress Detection

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Solution Overview

Problem

Users face frustration when trying to understand complex documents from service providers, such as financial disclosure forms and insurance claim forms, due to lengthy legal jargon and limited phone-based interactions with service representatives, which often lack context about the user's environment and technological capabilities.

Innovation Solution

An intelligent voice assistant that monitors calls between users and service representatives, providing audible summaries of documents, detecting user stress and sentiment, and offering suggested actions, while also navigating electronic documents and initiating direct connections to representatives to bypass phone trees.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of information

If users review complex documents with legal jargon, then they can understand the complete content, but the process becomes confusing and tedious

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedocument understandingVSAvoiddocument review process
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of informationVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the document review process into multiple components: automated voice summary generation, selective document navigation, and targeted information extraction. Instead of requiring users to read entire complex documents, the system divides the content into key summary sections that can be presented audibly, making the review process less tedious while maintaining understanding of critical information.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces an intermediary system - the automated voice assistant - that mediates between the complex document content and the user. This intermediary generates simplified verbal summaries and guides users through document sections, acting as a translator that converts dense legal jargon into accessible language without losing essential information.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If users navigate automated phone trees to reach representatives, then they can be directed to correct departments, but time is lost waiting and answering predetermined questions

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecall routing accuracyVSAvoidcall setup time
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by having the voice assistant collect and prepare user information before the representative becomes available. The system proactively gathers necessary details about the user's issue, documents, and preferences in advance, so that when the representative picks up, the information is already organized and ready, eliminating the need to answer predetermined routing questions and reducing wait time.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The voice assistant performs self-service functions by autonomously navigating the phone tree system, collecting user information, and preparing contextual data without requiring user participation in the routing process. This automation allows the system to serve itself in the call setup phase, freeing the user from the time-consuming automated menu navigation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

3Loss of information

If representatives explain documents verbally, then they can convey information, but the interaction becomes frustrating and time-consuming

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveinformation conveyanceVSAvoidcall efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of informationVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent ensures continuity of useful action by having the voice assistant continuously process and present document information throughout the call without interruption. Instead of the representative having to pause and think about how to explain each section, the system continuously provides structured summaries and highlights relevant portions, maintaining a steady flow of useful information that reduces call duration and improves efficiency.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #20Continuity of useful action

Solution Approach 2:

The voice assistant serves as an intermediary information delivery system that works alongside the representative. Rather than the representative alone bearing the burden of explaining complex documents, the voice assistant mediates by providing real-time summaries, highlighting key sections, and presenting structured information that complements the representative's explanations, thereby reducing the time and frustration associated with verbal documentation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

4Adaptability or versatility

If representatives lack context about user state and environment, then they can maintain neutral interaction, but the conversation becomes difficult and less effective

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveinteraction adaptabilityVSAvoidconversation effectiveness
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements feedback mechanisms where the voice assistant continuously monitors the call interaction, user responses, and document content, then feeds this contextual information back to the representative. This feedback loop enables the representative to adapt their communication style and content delivery based on real-time observations of user state and environmental factors, significantly improving conversation effectiveness without requiring the representative to guess about user conditions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentUS10972607B1System and method for providing audible support to a service representative during a call
Publication Date: 2021.04.06 UNITED SERVICES AUTOMOBILE ASSOCIATION (USAA)
  • US10972607B1 patent drawing
  • US10972607B1 patent drawing
  • US10972607B1 patent drawing

AI summary

A system and method for supporting a service representative during a call with a user is disclosed. The system and method include using an intelligent voice assistant to monitor the call between the user and representative. The intelligent voice assistant may provide suggested actions when detecting a request from the user or service representative. The intelligent voice assistant can provide transcripts, call logs and/or call summary information to the service representative or user. The intelligent voice assistant can monitor a user's environment and speech to determine a stress level and/or user sentiment.