Speech recognition in automated information services systems

Abstract

The present invention allows feedback from operator workstations to be used to update databases used for providing automated information services. When an automated process fails, recorded speech of the caller is passed on to the operator for decision making. Based on the selections made by the operator in light of the speech or other interactions with the caller, a comparison is made between the speech and the selections made by the operator to arrive at information to update the databases in the information services automation system. Thus, when the operator inputs the words corresponding to the speech provided at the information services automation system, the speech may be associated with those words. The association between the speech and the words may be used to update different databases in the information services automation system.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method comprising:
 a) receiving speech in association with a request for information services;   b) forwarding the speech to an operator workstation;   c) forwarding failure indicia identifying a step in an automation process for providing the information services in which automation failed for the speech; and   d) receiving an update for a database used for providing information services based on operator input provided to the operator workstation when determining a response to the request for information services, wherein the update corresponds to the failure indicia.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising updating the database with the update. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the update is further based on the speech. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the update is a word to associate with a group of phonemes in the speech. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the update is an entry to associate with a word in the speech, the entry corresponding to the operator input. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the update is an entry to associate with a group of words in the speech, the entry corresponding to the operator input. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the update relates to effectively associating a group of phonemes with an entry, the entry corresponding to the operator input. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the database receiving the update is one of a plurality of databases based on a step in an automation process for providing the information services in which automation failed for the speech. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising:
 a) determining phonemes for the speech; 
 b) attempting to determine at least one word for the phonemes; and 
 c) if the at least one word is determined, attempting to determine an entry for the at least one word. 
 
     
     
         10 . A method comprising:
 a) receiving speech in association with a request for information services;   b) capturing the received speech;   c) initiating processing of the received speech;   d) detecting a failure in processing the received speech;   e) forwarding the captured received speech to an operator workstation;   f) receiving operator input from the operator workstation; and   g) updating a database used for providing the information services based on the operator input.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein capturing the received speech comprises storing information characterizing the received speech. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein capturing the received speech comprises associating phonemes with the received speech. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein updating the database comprises updating at least one record in the database associated with the captured speech. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein updating the database comprises associating a word with phonemes associated with the received speech 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising initiating delivery of a response to the request for information services. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 h) modifying the request for information services based on the operator input; and   i) sending the modified request for information services to an information service provider   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising;
 j) receiving an information service response from the information service provider; and   k) providing the information service response to an initiator of the request for information services