Heuristic interactive voice response system

Abstract

A method is described comprising: providing a first interactive voice response (“IVR”) menu structure usable over a telephony communication channel by one or more users; evaluating usage patterns of the IVR menu structure by a first of the one or more users; automatically modifying the first IVR menu structure based on the evaluation of first user's usage patterns to produce a second IVR menu structure; and employing the second IVR menu structure in a subsequent IVR session with the first user.

1 . A method comprising: 
 providing a first interactive voice response (“IVR”) menu structure usable over a telephony communication channel by one or more users;    evaluating usage patterns of the IVR menu structure by a first of the one or more users;    automatically modifying the first IVR menu structure based on the evaluation of first user's usage patterns to produce a second IVR menu structure; and    employing the second IVR menu structure in a subsequent IVR session with the first user.    
   
   
       2 . The method as in  claim 1  wherein evaluating usage comprises determining how frequently the user accesses menu items in the menu structure and wherein automatically modifying comprises adjusting the position of the menu items based on the evaluated frequency of usage.  
   
   
       3 . The method as in  claim 2  wherein menu items which are accessed relatively more frequently are placed ahead of menu items which are accessed relatively less frequently within the second IVR menu structure.  
   
   
       4 . The method as in  claim 2  wherein menu items which are accessed less than a specified threshold amount are hidden from the second IVR menu structure.  
   
   
       5 . The method as in  claim 1  further comprising: 
 evaluating content associated with one or more menu items of the menu structure; and    automatically modifying the first IVR menu structure based on the evaluation of the content associated with the one or more menu items as well as the evaluation of first user's usage patterns to produce the second IVR menu structure.    
   
   
       6 . The method as in  claim 5  wherein the evaluation of the content comprises determining whether content with certain specified characteristics and/or associated with one or more menu items exists.  
   
   
       7 . The method as in  claim 6  wherein content associated with a first menu item comprises email messages.  
   
   
       8 . The method as in  claim 7  wherein content associated with a second menu item comprises fax messages.  
   
   
       9 . The method as in  claim 8  wherein content associated with a third menu item comprises voicemail messages.  
   
   
       10 . The method as in  claim 9  wherein content associated with a fourth menu item comprises text messages.  
   
   
       11 . The method as in  claim 10  wherein content associated with a fifth menu item comprises video messages.  
   
   
       12 . The method as in  claim 1  further comprising: 
 evaluating usage patterns of the IVR menu structure by a second of the one or more users;    automatically modifying the first IVR menu structure based on the evaluation of second user's usage patterns to produce a third IVR menu structure; and    employing the third IVR menu structure in a subsequent IVR session with the second user.    
   
   
       13 . A method comprising: 
 providing a first interactive voice response (“IVR”) menu structure usable over a telephony communication channel by one or more users;    evaluating content associated with one or more menu items of the menu structure;    automatically modifying the first IVR menu structure based on the evaluation of the content associated with the one or more menu items; and    establishing a new IVR session to the first user employing the second IVR menu structure.    
   
   
       14 . The method as in  claim 13  wherein evaluating content comprises determining whether content with certain specified characteristics and associated with the one or more menu items exists and wherein automatically modifying comprises adjusting the relative position of the menu items based on whether or not such content exists.  
   
   
       15 . The method as in  claim 14  wherein menu items which contain content with certain specified characteristics and are placed ahead of menu items which do not contain such content.  
   
   
       16 . The method as in  claim 14  wherein menu items which do not contain content with certain specified characteristics are hidden from the second IVR menu structure.  
   
   
       17 . The method as in  claim 14  wherein content associated with a first menu item comprises email messages.  
   
   
       18 . The method as in  claim 17  wherein content associated with a second menu item comprises fax messages.  
   
   
       19 . The method as in  claim 18  wherein content associated with a third menu item comprises voicemail messages.  
   
   
       20 . A machine-readable medium having program code stored thereon which, when executed by a machine, cause the machine to perform the operations of: 
 providing a first interactive voice response (“IVR”) menu structure usable over a telephony communication channel by one or more users;    evaluating usage patterns of the IVR menu structure by a first of the one or more users;    automatically modifying the first IVR menu structure based on the evaluation of first user's usage patterns to produce a second IVR menu structure; and    employing the second IVR menu structure in a subsequent IVR session with the first user.    
   
   
       21 . The machine-readable medium as in  claim 20  wherein evaluating comprises determining how frequently the user accesses menu items in the menu structure and wherein automatically modifying comprises adjusting the position of the menu items based on the evaluated frequency of usage.  
   
   
       22 . The machine-readable medium as in  claim 20  wherein menu items which are accessed relatively more frequently are placed ahead of menu items which are accessed relatively less frequently within the second IVR menu structure.  
   
   
       23 . The machine-readable medium as in  claim 20  wherein menu items which are accessed less than a specified threshold amount are hidden from the second IVR menu structure.  
   
   
       24 . The machine-readable medium as in  claim 20  comprising additional program code to cause the machine to perform the operations of: 
 evaluating content associated with one or more menu items of the menu structure; and    automatically modifying the first IVR menu structure based on the evaluation of the content associated with the one or more menu items as well as the evaluation of first user's usage patterns to produce the second IVR menu structure.    
   
   
       25 . The machine-readable medium as in  claim 24  wherein the evaluation of the content comprises determining whether content with certain specified characteristics and associated with the one or more menu items exists.  
   
   
       26 . The machine-readable medium as in  claim 24  wherein content associated with a first menu item comprises email messages.  
   
   
       27 . The machine-readable medium as in  claim 26  wherein content associated with a second menu item comprises fax messages.  
   
   
       28 . The machine-readable medium as in  claim 27  wherein content associated with a third menu item comprises voicemail messages.  
   
   
       29 . The machine-readable medium as in  claim 28  wherein content associated with a fourth menu item comprises text messages.  
   
   
       30 . The machine-readable medium as in  claim 29  wherein content associated with a fifth menu item comprises video messages.  
   
   
       31 . The machine-readable medium as in  claim 20  comprising additional program code to cause the machine to perform the operations of: 
 evaluating usage patterns of the IVR menu structure by a second of the one or more users;    automatically modifying the first IVR menu structure based on the evaluation of second user's usage patterns to produce a third IVR menu structure; and    employing the third IVR menu structure in a subsequent IVR session with the second user.    
   
   
       32 . A system comprising: 
 means for providing a first interactive voice response (“IVR”) menu structure usable over a telephony communication channel by one or more users;    means for evaluating usage patterns of the IVR menu structure by a first of the one or more users;    means for automatically modifying the first IVR menu structure based on the evaluation of first user's usage patterns to produce a second IVR menu structure; and    means for employing the second IVR menu structure in a subsequent IVR session with the first user.