Systems, Methods and Computer Program Products for Designing, Deploying and Managing Interactive Voice Response (IVR) Systems

Abstract

An IVR system may be designed by accepting designer inputs to generate, on a display screen, a flowchart of interconnected flowchart processing blocks and flowchart decision blocks that represent a process flow of processing steps and branches, respectively, in the IVR system. By allowing the designer to generate a flowchart of interconnected flowchart processing blocks and flowchart decision blocks on a single display screen, a potentially simplified graphical user interface may be provided for designing an IVR system. The flowchart of interconnected flowchart processing blocks and flowchart decision blocks may be executed, based on at least one designer input on a keypad image, to simulate or test the IVR system. A self-documenting audit trail may be provided during the design of the IVR system. These audit trails may be associated with a version of the IVR system, so that multiple versions of the system may be managed. When deploying the IVR system, caller inputs may be sequentially stored in an order in which they were provided by the caller, to provide call logging. Regulatory compliance thereby may be facilitated.

1 . A method of designing an Interactive Voice Response (IVR) system, comprising: 
 accepting a plurality of designer inputs to generate, on a single display screen, a flowchart of interconnected flowchart processing blocks and flowchart decision blocks that represent a process flow of processing steps and branches, respectively, in the IVR system, wherein the flowchart processing blocks display, on the single display screen, a respective processing step that takes place in a respective processing block, and the flowchart decision blocks display, on the single display screen, a respective decision that is made in a respective decision block and at least two branches that result from a respective decision.    
   
   
       2 . A method according to  claim 1  wherein the accepting comprises: 
 displaying at least one flowchart processing block on the single display screen to indicate at least one designer-specified processing step of the IVR system;    displaying at least one flowchart decision block on the single display screen to indicate at least one designer-specified branch in the IVR system; and    displaying at least one link between the at least one flowchart processing block and the at least one decision block on the single display screen to indicate at least one designer-specified interconnection.    
   
   
       3 . A method according to  claim 1  further comprising executing the flowchart of interconnected flowchart processing blocks and flowchart decision blocks based on at least one input from a caller to deploy the IVR system.  
   
   
       4 . A method according to  claim 1  further comprising executing the flowchart of interconnected flowchart processing blocks and flowchart decision blocks that are displayed on a single display screen, based on at least one designer input to test the IVR system.  
   
   
       5 . A method according to  claim 4  wherein the single display screen includes a keypad image and wherein the executing comprises executing the flowchart of interconnected flowchart processing blocks and flowchart decision blocks based on at least one designer input on the keypad image to test the IVR system.  
   
   
       6 . A method according to  claim 2  further comprising sequentially logging indications of the at least one designer-specified processing step, the at least one designer-specified branch and the at least one designer-specified link in an order in which they were designer-specified, to create a self-documenting audit trail of the method of designing an IVR system.  
   
   
       7 . A method according to  claim 2  further comprising sequentially logging, as a version of the IVR system, the indications of the at least one designer-specified processing step, the at least one designer-specified branch and the at least one designer-specified link in an order in which they were designer-specified, to create a self-documenting audit trail of the method of designing the version of the IVR system.  
   
   
       8 . A method according to  claim 3  further comprising sequentially logging the at least one input from the caller while deploying the IVR system, in an order in which they were provided by the caller.  
   
   
       9 . A method according to  claim 2  further comprising storing processing logic that is performed for the at least one designer-specified processing step.  
   
   
       10 . A method according to  claim 9  wherein the processing logic comprises a database access.  
   
   
       11 . A method according to  claim 9  wherein the processing logic comprises outbound messaging via email, a printer. facsimile and/or pager.  
   
   
       12 . A method according to  claim 9  wherein the processing logic comprises language identifying.  
   
   
       13 . A method according to  claim 1  wherein the accepting is preceded by automatically indicating to a provider of the IVR system, that the IVR system has been installed.  
   
   
       14 . A method of designing an Interactive Voice Response (IVR) system, comprising: 
 obtaining a process flow of processing steps and branches in the IVR system; and    executing the process flow of processing steps and branches based on at least one designer input to test the IVR system, while displaying the process flow of processing steps and branches on a single display screen, wherein the respective processing steps display, on the single display screen, the processing that takes place in the respective processing step, and the respective branches display, on the single display screen, a respective decision that is made and at least two branches that result from the respective decision.    
   
   
       15 . A method according to  claim 14  wherein the executing comprises executing the process flow of processing steps and branches based on at least one designer input on a keypad image on the single display screen, to test the IVR system.  
   
   
       16 . A method according to  claim 14  wherein the obtaining comprises accepting a plurality of designer inputs to generate the process flow of processing steps and branches in the IVR system.  
   
   
       17 . An Interactive Voice Response (IVR) system, comprising: 
 means for accepting designer inputs; and    means for generating, on a single display screen, a flowchart of interconnected flowchart processing blocks and flowchart decision blocks that represent a process flow of processing steps and branches, respectively, in the IVR system, in response to a plurality of designer inputs at the means for accepting, wherein the flowchart processing blocks display, on the single display screen, a respective processing step that takes place in a respective processing block, and the flowchart decision blocks display, on the single display screen, a respective decision that is made in a respective decision block and at least two branches that result from a respective decision.    
   
   
       18 . A system according to  claim 17  wherein the means for generating comprises: 
 means for displaying at least one flowchart processing block on the single display screen to indicate at least one designer-specified processing step of the IVR system;    means for displaying at least one flowchart decision block on the single display screen to indicate at least one designer-specified branch in the IVR system; and    means for displaying at least one link between the at least one flowchart processing block and the at least one decision block on the single display screen to indicate at least one designer-specified interconnection.    
   
   
       19 . A system according to  claim 17  further comprising means for executing the flowchart of interconnected flowchart processing blocks and flowchart decision blocks based on at least one input from a caller to deploy the IVR system.  
   
   
       20 . A system according to  claim 17  further comprising means for executing the flowchart of interconnected flowchart processing blocks and flowchart decision blocks that are displayed on a single display screen, based on at least one designer input to test the IVR system.  
   
   
       21 . A system according to  claim 20  wherein the single display screen includes a keypad image and wherein the means for executing comprises means for executing the flowchart of interconnected flowchart processing blocks and flowchart decision blocks based on at least one designer input on the keypad image to test the IVR system.  
   
   
       22 . A system according to  claim 18  further comprising means for sequentially logging indications of the at least one designer-specified processing step, the at least one designer-specified branch and the at least one designer-specified link in an order in which they were designer-specified, to create a self-documenting audit trail of the IVR system.  
   
   
       23 . A system according to  claim 18  further comprising means for sequentially logging, as a version of the IVR system, the indications of the at least one designer-specified processing step, the at least one designer-specified branch and the at least one designer-specified link in an order in which they were designer-specified, to create a self-documenting audit trail of the version of the IVR system.  
   
   
       24 . A system according to  claim 19  further comprising means for sequentially logging the at least one input from the caller while deploying the IVR system, in an order in which they were provided by the caller.  
   
   
       25 . A system according to  claim 18  further comprising means for storing processing logic that is performed for the at least one designer-specified processing step.  
   
   
       26 . A system according to  claim 25  wherein the processing logic comprises a database access.  
   
   
       27 . A system according to  claim 25  wherein the processing logic comprises outbound messaging via email, a printer, facsimile and/or pager.  
   
   
       28 . A system according to  claim 25  wherein the processing logic comprises language identifying.  
   
   
       29 . A system according to  claim 17  farther comprising means for automatically indicating to a provider of the IVR system, that the IVR system has been installed.  
   
   
       30 . An Interactive Voice Response (IVR) system, comprising: 
 means for obtaining a process flow of processing steps and branches in the IVR system; and    means for executing the process flow of processing steps and branches based on at least one designer input to test the IVR system, while displaying the process flow of processing steps and branches on a single display screen, wherein the respective processing steps display, on the single display screen, the processing that takes place in the respective processing step, and the respective branches display, on the single display screen, a respective decision that is made and at least two branches that result from the respective decision.    
   
   
       31 . A system according to  claim 30  wherein the means for executing comprises means for executing the process flow of processing steps and branches based on at least one designer input on a keypad image on the single display screen, to test the IVR system.  
   
   
       32 . A system according to  claim 30  wherein the means for obtaining comprises means for accepting a plurality of designer inputs to generate the process flow of processing steps and branches in the IVR system.  
   
   
       33 . A computer program product that is configured to provide an Interactive Voice Response (IVR) system, the computer program product comprising a computer usable storage medium having computer-readable program code embodied in the medium, the computer-readable program code comprising: 
 computer-readable program code that is configured to accept a plurality of designer inputs to generate, on a single display screen, a flowchart of interconnected flowchart processing blocks and flowchart decision blocks that represent a process flow of processing steps and branches, respectively, in the IVR system, wherein the flowchart processing blocks display, on the single display screen, a respective processing step that takes place in a respective processing block, and the flowchart decision blocks display, on the single display screen, a respective decision that is made in a respective decision block and at least two branches that result from a respective decision.    
   
   
       34 . A computer program product according to  claim 33  wherein the computer-readable program code that is configured to accept comprises, computer-readable program code that is configured to display at least one flowchart processing block on the single display screen to indicate at least one designer-specified processing step of the IVR system; 
 computer-readable program code that is configured to display at least one flowchart decision block on the single display screen to indicate at least one designer-specified branch in the IVR system; and    computer-readable program code that is configured to display at least one link between the at least one flowchart processing block and the at least one decision block on the single display screen to indicate at least one designer-specified interconnection.    
   
   
       35 . A computer program product according to  claim 33  further comprising computer-readable program code that is configured to execute the flowchart of interconnected flowchart processing blocks and flowchart decision blocks based on at least one input from a caller to deploy the IVR system.  
   
   
       36 . A computer program product according to  claim 33  further comprising computer-readable program code that is configured to execute the flowchart of interconnected flowchart processing blocks and flowchart decision blocks that are displayed on a single display screen, based on at least one designer input to test the IVR system.  
   
   
       37 . A computer program product according to  claim 33  wherein the single display screen includes a keypad image and wherein the computer-readable program code that is configured to execute comprises computer-readable program code that is configured to execute the flowchart of interconnected flowchart processing blocks and flowchart decision blocks based on at least one designer input on the keypad image to test the IVR system.  
   
   
       38 . A computer program product according to  claim 34  further comprising computer-readable program code that is configured to sequentially log indications of the at least one designer-specified processing step, the at least one designer-specified branch and the at least one designer-specified link in an order in which they were designer-specified, to create a self-documenting audit trail of the method of designing an IVR system.  
   
   
       39 . A computer program product according to  claim 34  further comprising computer-readable program code that is configured to sequentially log, as a version of the IVR system, the indications of the at least one designer-specified processing step, the at least one designer-specified branch and the at least one designer-specified link in an order in which they were designer-specified, to create a self-documenting audit trail of the method of designing the version of the IVR system.  
   
   
       40 . A computer program product according to  claim 35  further comprising computer-readable program code that is configured to sequentially log the at least one input from the caller while deploying the IVR system, in an order in which they were provided by the caller.  
   
   
       41 . A computer program product according to  claim 34  further comprising computer-readable program code that is configured to store processing logic that is performed for the at least one designer-specified processing step.  
   
   
       42 . A computer program product according to  claim 41  wherein the processing logic comprises a database access.  
   
   
       43 . A computer program product according to  claim 41  wherein the processing logic comprises outbound messaging via email, a printer, facsimile and/or pager.  
   
   
       44 . A computer program product according to  claim 41  wherein the processing logic comprises language identifying.  
   
   
       45 . A computer program product according to  claim 33  further comprising computer-readable program code that is configured to automatically indicate to a provider of the IVR system that the IVR system has been installed.  
   
   
       46 . A computer program product that is configured to provide an Interactive Voice Response (IVR) system, the computer program product comprising a computer usable storage medium having computer-readable program code embodied in the medium, the computer-readable program code comprising: 
 computer-readable program code that is configured to obtain a process flow of processing steps and branches in the IVR system; and    computer-readable program code that is configured to execute the process flow of processing steps and branches based on at least one designer input to test the IVR system, while displaying the process flow of processing steps and branches on a single display screen, wherein the respective processing steps display, on the single display screen, the processing that takes place in the respective processing step, and the respective branches display, on the single display screen, a respective decision that is made and at least two branches that result from the respective decision.    
   
   
       47 . A computer program product according to  claim 46  wherein the computer-readable program code that is configured to execute comprises computer-readable program code that is configured to execute the process flow of processing steps and branches based on at least one designer input on a keypad image on the single display screen, to test the IVR system.  
   
   
       48 . A computer program product according to  claim 46  wherein the computer-readable program code that is configured to obtain comprises computer-readable program code that is configured to accept a plurality of designer inputs to generate the process flow of processing steps and branches in the IVR system.