Visual options for audio menu

Abstract

Aspects of the disclosure provide replacement and/or augmentation of automated audio menus of automated communication platforms with interactive digital menus. A digital menu of options associated with an automated communication platform may be provided in response to a call from a communication device to the automated communication platform having an automated audio menu for interaction with such a platform. The digital menu can include options that correspond to options in the automated audio menu, and can be displayed at the communication device via interactive buttons or other actionable indicia. The digital menu also can include options representing shortcuts for specific responses to the automated communication platform and/or options for responses customized to the communication device and the automated communication platform. Shortcuts and/or customized options can be displayed at the communication device with indicia distinctive from other options corresponding to the automated audio menu.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method, comprising:
 calling, by a mobile telephone, an interactive voice response (IVR) system having a telephone number; 
 communicating the telephone number to a remote server; 
 receiving, from the remote server during the call to the IVR system, information used to display a digital menu of options for interaction with the IVR system, wherein each of the options is associated with one or more tones corresponding to a numeric code comprising one or more numerals from 0 to 9; 
 receiving, from the IVR system prior to displaying the digital menu, an audio input signal representative of a portion of an automated audio menu for interaction with the IVR system; 
 causing a speaker of the mobile telephone to generate audio corresponding to a first portion of the audio input signal; 
 determining that the digital menu is a valid representation of the automated audio menu by comparing at least a portion of the audio input signal to a reference audio signal; 
 displaying the digital menu at a display device of the mobile telephone, wherein the displayed digital menu comprises selectable display options, each of the selectable display options corresponding to an audible option in the automated audio menu, and wherein each of the selectable display options comprises a textual representation of the audible option; 
 receiving a selection from the selectable display options via a touch screen of the mobile telephone prior to a speaker of the mobile telephone generating audio corresponding to a second portion of the audio input signal; 
 generating numeric code information according to the received selection; and 
 communicating the numeric code information to the IVR system. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising parsing the information for a keyword or a phrase associated with a live attendant option to reach at least one of a representative or an operator, and
 determining second numeric code information associated with the live attendant option, 
 wherein displaying the digital menu further comprises highlighting at least one of the selectable display options to represent the live attendant option. 
 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , wherein displaying the digital menu comprises displaying a selectable display option representative of a customized option for the IVR system and a caller at the mobile telephone, and wherein the customized option is representative of historical selections for the caller. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising displaying indicia representative of a timer indicative of time remaining to transfer the call to a live attendant. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 identifying one or more historical options selected in a previous connection with the automated communication platform; and 
 generating second code information according to the one or more historical options. 
 
     
     
       6. A method, comprising:
 receiving a request to connect with an automated communication platform having an automated audio menu of options for interaction with the automated communication platform; 
 sending a communication address of the automated communication platform; 
 receiving option information indicative of a digital menu of options; 
 receiving an audio input signal representative of at least one option of the automated audio menu; 
 causing a speaker of the communication device to generate audio corresponding to at least a portion of the audio input signal, the audio input signal permits determining accuracy of the digital menu; 
 displaying a plurality of actionable indicia representative of the digital menu, a first actionable indicia of the plurality of actionable indicia corresponding to a first option in the automated audio menu; 
 receiving a selection of the first actionable indicia; 
 generating code information according to the selection; and 
 sending the code information generated tone or sequence of tones to the automated communication platform. 
 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 6 , further comprising parsing the option information for a keyword or a phrase indicative of a live attendant option to reach at least one of a representative or an operator, wherein displaying the plurality of actionable indicia comprises visually emphasizing at least one of the plurality of actionable indicia to represent the live attendant option. 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 6 , further comprising displaying indicia representative of a timer indicative of time remaining to transfer the call to a live attendant. 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 6 , wherein displaying the plurality of actionable indicia comprises displaying second actionable indicia representative of concatenated options in the digital menu, and wherein the second actionable indicia represents a tree structure of options having a first node associated with a first option and a second node associated with a second option, the second actionable indicia comprising one or more fillable fields to input information associated with the first option. 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 6 , wherein displaying the plurality of actionable indicia comprises displaying a second actionable indicia representative of a customized option for the automated communication platform, and wherein the customized option is representative of historical selections. 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 6 , wherein determining accuracy of the digital menu comprises receiving a reference audio signal corresponding to an expected audio signal from the automated communication platform,
 comparing a sequence of frequencies of the audio input signal with a sequence of frequencies of the reference audio signal, and 
 determining the accuracy of the digital menu using an outcome of the comparing. 
 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 6 , further comprising identifying one or more historical options selected in a previous connection with the automated communication platform, generating second code information according to the one or more historical options. 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 6 , further comprising displaying a form having one or more fields to input information associated with the received selection. 
     
     
       14. A device, comprising:
 at least one memory device having instructions encoded thereon; 
 at least one processor functionally coupled to the at least one memory device and configured, by the instructions, to at least:
 receive a request to connect with an automated communication platform having an automated audio menu of options for interaction with the automated communication platform; 
 send a communication address of the automated communication platform; 
 receive an audio input signal representative of at least one option of the automated audio menu; 
 cause a speaker of the communication device to generate audio corresponding to at least a portion of the audio input signal; 
 determine, using at least a portion of the audio input signal, that the digital menu is a valid representation of the automated audio menu 
 receive option information indicative of a digital menu of options for interaction with the automated communication platform; 
 display a plurality of actionable indicia representative of the digital menu, a first actionable indicia of the plurality of actionable indicia corresponds to a first audible option in the automated audio menu; 
 receive a selection of one of the plurality of actionable indicia; 
 generate code information according to the received selection; and 
 send the code information to the automated communication platform. 
 
 
     
     
       15. The device of  claim 14 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to cause the device to parse the option information for a keyword indicative of a live attendant option to reach at least one of a representative or an operator, and
 to display distinctively at least one of the plurality of actionable indicia to represent the live attendant option. 
 
     
     
       16. The device of  claim 14 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to display indicia representative of a timer indicative of time remaining to transfer the call to a live attendant. 
     
     
       17. The device of  claim 14 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to display a form having one or more fields to input information associated with the received selection. 
     
     
       18. The device of  claim 14 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to display an actionable indicia representative of a customized option for the automated communication platform. 
     
     
       19. The device of  claim 14 , wherein the automated communication platform comprises an interactive voice response system or an automated attendant. 
     
     
       20. The device of  claim 14 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:
 identify one or more historical options selected in a previous connection with the automated communication platform; and 
 generate second code information according to the one or more historical options.