System and method for dynamic call-progress analysis and call processing

摘要

A telephony application such as an interactive voice response (“IVR”) needs to identify quickly the nature of the call (e.g., whether it is a person or machine answering a call) in order to initiate an appropriate voice application. Conventionally, the call stream is sent to a call-progress analyzer (“CPA”) for analysis. Once a result is reached, the call stream is redirected to a call processing unit running the IVR according to the analyzed result. The present scheme feeds the call stream simultaneous to both the CPA and the IVR. The CPA is allowed to continue analyzing and outputting a series of analysis results until a predetermined result appears. In the meantime, the IVR can dynamically adapt itself to the latest analysis results and interact with the call with a minimum of delay.

主权项

1. A method of processing a telephone call having a media stream, comprising:
a) directing the media stream to a call progress analysis (“CPA”) module to obtain a series of analysis results over time, each analysis result belonging to one of a number of predefined sets including a first predefined set associated with a live person and a second predefined set associated with a machine; b) concurrently directing the series of analysis results and the media stream to a call processing module; c) initiating a voice application session in the call processing module independent of analysis results to process the media stream appropriate for the first defined set; d) subsequent to initiating the voice application session, whenever an analysis result belonging to the second predefined set is received by the call processing module, modifying the voice application session in the call processing module to process the media stream appropriate for the second defined set; and e) operating the voice application session as modified.