Voice integration platform

Abstract

A voice integration platform and method provide for integration of a voice interface with a data system that includes stored data. The voice integration platform comprises one or more generic software components, the generic software components being configured to enable development of a specific voice user interface that is designed to interact with the data system in order to present the stored data to a user.

1 . A system comprising: 
 a data system; and    a voice user interface adapted to permit a user to conduct commercial transactions via the data system;    wherein the voice user interface comprises an inferencing engine adapted to analyze data relating to previous commercial transactions made by a user, to identify products and/or services of interest to the user based on the analysis, and to provide voice content to the user that relates to the identified products and/or services.    
   
   
       2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the inferencing engine is further adapted to generate a list of recommended products and/or services for a particular user and to provide the list to the user in a voice format.  
   
   
       3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the data relating to previous commercial transactions made by a user is stored in the data system.  
   
   
       4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the data system comprises a Web application server.  
   
   
       5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the data system comprises a system that supports a customer call center application.  
   
   
       6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the data system comprises an automated banking system.  
   
   
       7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the voice user interface is implemented in part on a device that is local with respect to a user and in part on a system that is remote with respect to the user.  
   
   
       8 . A voice integration platform for developing a voice user interface to a data system, the voice integration platform comprising: 
 a voice gateway adapted to permit voice interaction with a user;    one or more voice applications that allow a user to conduct commercial transactions via the data system; and    an inferencing engine adapted to analyze data stored in the data system relating to previous commercial transactions made by a user, to identify products and/or services of interest to the user based on the analysis, and to provide voice content to the user that relates to the identified products and/or services.    
   
   
       9 . The voice integration platform of  claim 8 , wherein the inferencing engine is further adapted to generate a list of recommended products and/or services for a particular user and to provide the list to the user in a voice format.  
   
   
       10 . A system comprising: 
 a data system;    content management software adapted to receive a stream of audio content and to selectively store portions of the audio content stream in the data system; and    a voice user interface adapted to permit a user to selectively access one of the portions of the audio content stream stored in the data system for playback.    
   
   
       11 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the content management software is adapted to receive a stream of audio content comprising news and/or sports information.  
   
   
       12 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the content management software is adapted to receive a stream of audio content comprising one or more voicemail messages.  
   
   
       13 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the content management software is adapted to receive a stream of audio content comprising weather information.  
   
   
       14 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the content management software is adapted to receive a stream of audio content comprising stock quotes.  
   
   
       15 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the content management software is adapted to receive a stream of audio content comprising one or more e-mail messages that have been converted to speech.  
   
   
       16 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the content management software is adapted to selectively store portions of the audio content stream in the data system in one of a plurality of domains, wherein each of the plurality of domains is associated with a corresponding audio content type.  
   
   
       17 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the voice user interface is adapted to permit a user to selectively access one of the portions of the audio content stream by navigating the plurality of domains.  
   
   
       18 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the voice user interface is implemented in part on a device that is local with respect to a user and in part on a system that is remote with respect to the user.  
   
   
       19 . A voice integration platform for developing a voice user interface to a data system, the voice integration platform comprising: 
 a voice gateway adapted to permit voice interaction with a user;    content management software adapted to receive a stream of audio content and to selectively store portions of the audio content stream in the data system; and    one or more voice applications adapted to allow a user to selectively access, via the voice gateway, one of the portions of the audio content stream stored in the data system for playback.    
   
   
       20 . The voice integration platform of  claim 19 , wherein the content management software is adapted to receive a stream of audio content comprising news and/or sports information.  
   
   
       21 . The voice integration platform of  claim 19 , wherein the content management software is adapted to receive a stream of audio content comprising one or more voicemail messages.  
   
   
       22 . The voice integration platform of  claim 19 , wherein the content management software is adapted to receive a stream of audio content comprising weather information.  
   
   
       23 . The voice integration platform of  claim 19 , wherein the content management software is adapted to receive a stream of audio content comprising stock quotes.  
   
   
       24 . The voice integration platform of  claim 19 , wherein the content management software is adapted to receive a stream of audio content comprising one or more e-mail messages that have been converted to speech.  
   
   
       25 . The voice integration platform of  claim 19 , wherein the content management software is adapted to selectively store portions of the audio content stream in the data system in one of a plurality of domains, wherein each of the plurality of domains is associated with a corresponding audio content type.  
   
   
       26 . The voice integration platform of  claim 25 , wherein the one or more voice applications are adapted to allow a user to selectively access one of the portions of the audio content stream by navigating the plurality of domains.