Patent Publication Number: US-8976942-B2

Title: Method, system and software for implementing an automated call routing application in a speech enabled call center environment

Description:
The present patent application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/621,362, filed Nov. 18, 2009, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/926,813, filed Aug. 26, 2004, the entirety of which are both hereby incorporated by reference. 
    
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates generally to speech recognition and, more particularly, to speech recognition enabled automatic call routing service systems. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Developments in speech recognition technologies support more natural language interaction between services systems and customers than that previously supported. One of the most promising applications of these new technologies is Automatic Call Routing (ACR). The goal of an ACR application is to determine why a customer is calling the service center and to route the customer to the most appropriate agent for servicing a customer request. Speech recognition technology generally allows an ACR application to recognize natural language statements so the application does not have to rely on a menu system. This allows the customer to state the purpose of their call “in their own words”. In order for an ACR application to properly route calls, the ACR must generally interpret the intent of the customer, identify the type or category of customer call, and then identify the correct routing destination for the call type. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       A more complete understanding of the present embodiments and advantages thereof may be acquired by referring to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference numbers indicate like features, and wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a schematic diagram depicting one embodiment of a telecommunications system incorporating teachings of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a schematic diagram depicting an alternate embodiment of a telecommunications system incorporating teachings of the present invention; 
         FIG. 3  is a schematic diagram depicting a further embodiment of a telecommunications system incorporating teachings of the present invention; 
         FIG. 4  is a block diagram depicting one embodiment of a speech enabled automated call routing call center incorporating teachings of the present invention; 
         FIG. 5  is a flow diagram depicting one embodiment of a portion of a method for implementing an automated call routing application in a speech enabled call center environment incorporating teachings of the present invention; 
         FIG. 6  is a flow diagram depicting one embodiment of a portion of a method for implementing an automated call routing application in a speech enabled call center environment incorporating teachings of the present invention; 
         FIG. 7  is a flow diagram depicting one embodiment of a portion of a method for implementing an automated call routing application in a speech enabled call center environment incorporating teachings of the present invention; and 
         FIG. 8  is a flow diagram depicting one embodiment of a portion of a method for implementing an automated call routing application in a speech enabled call center environment incorporating teachings of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Preferred embodiments and their advantages are best understood by reference to  FIGS. 1 through 8 , wherein like numbers are used to indicate like and corresponding parts. 
     Referring first to  FIG. 1 , a schematic diagram of an exemplary embodiment of a telecommunications system, indicated generally at  10  is shown. Telecommunication system  10  may include communication network  12  in communication with one or more gateway devices  14  and  16 . Input/output (I/O) devices  18  and  20  are each preferably in communication with respective gateway devices  14  and  16 . Accordingly, I/O devices  18  and  20  may be in selective communication with each other via gateway devices  14  and  16 , and communication network  12 . 
     In one embodiment, communication network  12  may be a public switched telephone network (PSTN). In alternate embodiments, communication network  12  may include a cable telephony network, an IP (Internet Protocol) telephony network, a wireless network, a hybrid Cable/PSTN network, a hybrid IP/PSTN network, a hybrid wireless/PSTN network or any other suitable communication network or combination of communication networks. 
     Gateways  14  and  16  preferably provide I/O devices  18  and  20  with an entrance to communication network  12  and may include software and hardware components to manage traffic entering and exiting communication network  12  and conversion between the communication protocols used by I/O devices  18  and  20  and communication network  12 . In some embodiments, gateways  14  and  16  may function as a proxy server and a firewall server for I/O devices  18  and  20 . In some embodiments, gateways  14  and  16  may be associated with a router (not expressly shown), operable to direct a given packet of data that arrives at gateway  14  or  16 , and a switch (not expressly shown), operable to provide a communication path in and out of gateway  14  or  16 . 
     In the present embodiment, I/O devices  18  and  20  may include a variety of forms of equipment connected to communication network  12  and accessible to a user. I/O devices  18  and  20  may be telephones (wireline or wireless), dial-up modems, cable modems, DSL (digital subscriber line) modems, phone sets, fax equipment, answering machines, set-top boxes, televisions, POS (point-of-sale) equipment, PBX (private branch exchange) systems, personal computers, laptop computers, personal digital assistants (PDAs), SDRs, other nascent technologies, or any other appropriate type or combination of communication equipment available to a user. I/O devices  18  and  20  may be equipped for connectivity to communication network  12  via a PSTN, DSLs, a cable network, a wireless network, or any other appropriate communications channel. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 2 , a block diagram of an exemplary embodiment of a telecommunication system  22  is shown. In the exemplary embodiment shown, system  22  preferably includes a PSTN  24  and cable head-end  26  in communication with cable distribution network  28 . PSTN  24  may be in operable communication with host digital terminal (HDT)  30  and function to convert signals received from PSTN  24  for transmission over cable networks. Host digital terminal  30  and cable head-end  26  may be in communication with combiner  32 . Combiner  32  may communicate data received from cable head-end  26  and/or PSTN  24  to cable distribution network  28 . Cable distribution network  28  may further communicate data to network interface device  34  to a user via telephone  36 , computer  38 , television  40  or any other suitable I/O device. Cable head-end  26  may provide cable television programming and cable modem communications. Cable head-end  26  typically includes a cable modem termination system (not expressly shown) for sending and receiving digital cable modem signals. 
     Referring next to  FIG. 3 , a block diagram of an exemplary embodiment of a telecommunication system  42  is shown. This exemplary embodiment generally includes interconnected IP network  44 , PSTN  46 , and cable distribution networks  48  and  50 . IP network  44  may include media gateway controller  52 , media gateway  54 , and signaling gateway  56 . Media gateway  54  and signaling gateway  56  may be in operative communication with PSTN  46  and facilitate communication of information therebetween. IP network  44  may further communicate with cable distribution networks  48  and  50  via cable modem termination systems (CMTS)  58  and  60 , respectively. CMTS  58  and  60  may convert IP packets received from IP Network  44  for transmission on cable distribution networks  48  and  50  and convert signals received from cable distribution networks  48  and  50  into IP Packets for transmission to IP Network  44 . Cable distribution networks  48  and  50  may communicate information with users via network interface terminals  62  and  64 . Network interface terminals  62  and  64  may provide data services to users through I/O devices such as, telephones  66  and  68 , computers  70  and  72 , and televisions  74  and  76 . One or more data services may also be provided to a user through PSTN  46  and one or more I/O devices such as telephone  65 . 
     Telecommunication system  42  of  FIG. 3  preferably allows transmission of services to be delivered to users where such services include, without limitation, voice over Internet protocol (“VoIP”), video over Internet, video-on-demand over broadband connections, and the ability to view television and film images as well as broadcasts. In addition, one of ordinary skill will appreciate that other embodiments can be deployed with many variations in the number and type of I/O devices, communication networks, the communication protocols, system topologies, and myriad other details without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 4 , a block diagram illustrating one embodiment of a call center incorporating teachings of the present invention is shown. While reference herein is made primarily to a customer service call center, alternate implementations of teachings of the present invention may be employed without departing from the spirit and scope thereof. 
     Illustrated generally at  100  is one embodiment of a system operable to permit a user to perform one or more transactions via a plurality of service agents available from a service center. As illustrated in  FIG. 4 , system  100  preferably includes call center  102 . Call center  102  may include one or more computing apparatuses  104  operably coupled to one or more transaction processing service solutions or agents  106 . 
     Preferably included in communication apparatus  104  is processor  108 . Operably coupled to processor  108  of computing apparatus  104  is memory  110 . Computing apparatus  104  preferably employs processor  108  and memory  110  to execute and store, respectively, one or more instructions of a program of instructions. 
     Also preferably included in computing apparatus  104 , as illustrated in  FIG. 4 , is communication interface  112 . Communication interface  112  is preferably operable to couple computing apparatus  104  and/or service or call center  102  to an external communication network  114 . According to teachings of the present disclosure, communication network  114  may be implemented as a PSTN, a cable telephony network, an IP telephony network, a wireless network, a hybrid cable/PSTN network, a hybrid IP/PSTN network, a hybrid wireless/PSTN network, or any other suitable communication network or combination of communication networks. 
     Communication interface  112  preferably cooperates with communication network  114  and user communication device  116  to permit a user or customer to perform one or more transactions using transaction processing scripts or agents  106  preferably included in call center  102 . As described above, user communication device  116  may be a wireless or wireline telephone, dial-up modem, cable modem, DSL modem, or any other appropriate type or combination of communication equipment available to a user. 
     In operation, call center  102  preferably permits a user, in their natural language, to request processing or performance of one or more transactions available from service solution scripts or agents  106 . To enable such transaction processing, computing apparatus  104  may include or have access to one or more storage devices  118  including one or more programs of instructions substantially operable to interpret the intent of a user, identify a solution sought by the user and route the user to an appropriate service solution script or agent. 
     To aid in the interpretation, identification and routing operations of call center  102 , storage  118  preferably includes action-object matrix  120 , look-up table  122 , utterance storage  124 , prompt library  126 , as well as one or more speech recognition capabilities, such as statistical language modeling engine  128 . Additional detail regarding the operation and cooperation of the various components preferably included in storage  118  is discussed below. 
     In one embodiment of the present invention, computing apparatus  104  is preferably communicatively coupled to one or more connection switches or redirect devices  130 . Connection switch or redirect device  130  preferably enables computing apparatus  104 , upon determining an appropriate routing destination for the processing of a selected transaction, to route the user via communication network  132  and, optionally, one or more switches  134 , to an appropriate script, agent or module of transaction processing service solution  106 . 
     Transaction processing service solution scripts or agents  106  preferably includes a plurality of agents or modules operable to perform one or more operations in association with the processing of a selected transaction. For example, transaction processing service solution  106  may include one or more scripts, agents or modules operable to perform billing service solutions  136 , repair service solutions  138 , option service solutions  140 , basic service solutions  142 , as well as other service solutions. In addition, the scripts, agents or modules implemented in or in association with transaction processing service solution  106  may include, but are not limited to, automated or self-service data processing apparatuses, live technician support (human support), as well as combinations thereof. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 5 , a flow diagram depicting one embodiment of a portion of a method for implementing an automated call routing (ACR) application in a speech enabled call center environment is shown according to teachings of the present invention. In one embodiment, method  150  of  FIG. 5  may be used in conjunction with one or more components of the ACR application system depicted generally at  100  in  FIG. 4 . 
     After beginning at  152 , method  150  preferably proceeds to  154  where a system greeting or welcome prompt may be communicated to a user. For example, a user contacting call center  102  via user communication device  116  over communication network  114  may be presented with one or more system greetings or welcome prompts preferably notifying the user of contact with a specific area of call center  102  and potentially with other information. In one embodiment, computing apparatus  104  may select the prompt to be communicated to the user from prompt library  126 . In alternate embodiments, the prompt communicated to the user may be predetermined or generated in response to one or more circumstances associated with a user communication connection. 
     Following communication of a welcome prompt or greeting at  154 , method  150  preferably proceeds to  156 . At  156 , the user may be presented with a language selection prompt. For example, call center  102  may be implemented in a region where the population which is served by the call center speaks a variety of languages, such as English, Spanish, Chinese, Japanese, German, etc. 
     After prompting the user for selection of a language with which the user prefers to proceed through a call center transaction at  156 , method  150  preferably proceeds to  158  where a response may be awaited and a determination as to the language selection of the user may be made. If at  158  it is determined that the user prefers a language other than a call center  102  default language, e.g., English, method  150  preferably proceeds to  160  where the user may be transferred to an alternate language selection module or secondary language call center  102  implementation. Alternatively, if at  158  it is determined that the user prefers to proceed through one or more available call center transactions using a call center  102  default language selection, method  150  preferably proceeds to  162 . In one embodiment of the present invention, following transfer of a user to a language selection model or a secondary language call center  102  implementation, such as at  160  of method  150 , the user electing to proceed in a non-default language may proceed through such operations in a manner as generally discussed herein but using their language selection preference. 
     At  162  of method  150 , one or more default conditions of call center  102  may be evaluated against selected circumstances to determine whether a default condition is met or presently exists. For example, call center  102  may be configured to operate during certain hours of each day and on certain days of the week. If a user contact is received during those hours which call center  102  is scheduled to be unavailable, method  150  may proceed from  162  to  164  where a condition message indicating the call center&#39;s business hours may be communicated to the user. Following communication of a condition message, method  150  may proceed to  166  where the user may be transferred to an alternate module such as a messaging module or system where the user may leave a message for return service via a live agent or automated system available from call center  102 . Alternatively, or in addition to providing a messaging service, the communication connection between the current user and call center  102  may be severed following communication of a condition message. Alternative embodiments of conditions which may suggest or require a user be transferred and/or disconnected are contemplated within the spirit and scope of the teachings of the present disclosure. 
     If at  162  it is determined that one or more default call center conditions are not met, method  150  preferably proceeds to  168 . At  168 , an account or customer telephone number is sought and obtained. In one embodiment, the customer telephone number preferably sought and obtained at  168  may be the telephone number from which the user is presently contacting call center  102 . In an alternate embodiment, the account or customer telephone number preferably sought and obtained at  168  may be the telephone number which has prompted the current user call center  102  contact. In one embodiment, the customer telephone number preferably sought and obtained at  168  may be acquired verbally, via DTMF input, by extracting the customer telephone number from the current user-to-call center communication connection, such as via one or more caller ID services, as well as by other means. 
     At  170  of method  150 , a determination may be made as to whether an account or customer telephone number has been obtained. If an account or customer telephone number has been obtained, method  150  preferably proceeds to  172 . At  172 , one or more aspects of customer account information may be reviewed based on the provided account or customer telephone number. For example, information reviewed at  172  and associated with the obtained account or customer telephone number may include, but is not limited to, a customer type, such as whether the customer is a preferred customer, a business customer, or an individual customer, an account status, the level of service to be provided to the contacting customer, as well as other available information. 
     At  174 , results of the customer information review preferably performed at  172  may be evaluated for a determination as to whether the present customer should be rerouted according to one or more conditions. For example, if it is determined at  174  that the present customer is delinquent on one or more accounts, method  150  may proceed to  176  where a rerouting message may be communicated to the user at  178  before transferring the user to an appropriate service agent or live support available from call center  102 . If at  174  it is determined that the present customer is not to be rerouted, method  150  preferably proceeds to  180 . Method  150  may also proceed to  180  from  170  in the event an account or customer telephone number has not or cannot be obtained or acquired, e.g., the current user seeks to establish a new account or service. 
     At  180 , a speak freely dialogue module is preferably initiated. According to teachings of the present invention, a speak freely dialogue module preferably enables a user to request information or assistance in the performance of one or more transactions available from call center  102  using natural language utterances. Additional detail regarding a speak freely dialogue module concept and/or user requests for information or the performance of one or more transactions via natural language utterances is discussed below. Following the initiation of the speak freely dialogue module at  180 , method  150  preferably proceeds to method  182  of  FIG. 6 . 
     Referring now to  FIG. 6 , a flow diagram depicting one embodiment of a portion of a method for implementing an automated call routing application in a speech enabled call center environment is shown according to teachings of the present invention. As illustrated in  FIGS. 5 and 6 , method  182 , in one embodiment, may be a continuation of method  150  from  FIG. 5 . In an alternate embodiment, operations preferably performed in association with method  182  may be developed and implemented independent of those operations preferably performed in association with method  150  of  FIG. 5 . 
     Following initiation of a speak freely dialogue module at  180  of method  150 , method  182 , at  184 , preferably communicates a request for a natural language user utterance indicating a transaction selection. As mentioned above, the speak freely dialogue module initiated at  180  of method  150  is preferably operable to receive and interpret transaction requests from natural language user utterances. 
     After prompting a user for a transaction selection via a natural language user utterance at  184 , method  182  preferably proceeds to  186  where a response to the natural language utterance transaction request prompt may be awaited. If after a predetermined time a response is not detected, method  182  may return to  184  where an additional request for a natural language user utterance transaction selection may be communicated. If, however, a response is detected to the request for a natural language user transaction selection at  186 , method  182  preferably proceeds to  188 . At  188 , the contents of a natural language user utterance response to the request for a transaction selection are preferably evaluated. 
     As discussed in greater detail below, the evaluation of response contents preferably performed at  188  may be implemented in a variety of manners. In one embodiment, action-object matrix  120  and speech recognition engine  128  may cooperate to ascertain the transaction selected indicated in natural language user utterance. In an alternate embodiment, DTMF input in association with or in lieu of natural language user utterances may be employed in the indication or identification of user transaction selections. 
     In one aspect of operations preferably performed at  188 , it may be determined that a user response to the natural language transaction selection request preferably communicated at  184  includes a vague response. In response to detection of a vague natural language utterance response  190  at  188 , method  182  preferably proceeds to  192  where it may be determined whether the current vague natural language user response is the first such vague response or a repeated vague natural language user response from the current user. 
     If at  192  it is determined that the current natural language response from the user is the first vague natural language response from the present user, method  182  preferably proceeds to  194 . At  194 , method  182  preferably provides notification to the user of the system&#39;s inability to understand the present user natural language transaction selection utterance. Additional operations performed at  194  may include communicating a second request for a user natural language transaction selection, such as that communicated at  184 . Following reprompting of the user for entry of a natural language transaction selection, method  182  preferably returns to  188  where subsequent natural language responses to the reprompting may be evaluated. 
     Alternatively, if at  192  it is determined that the present user has communicated more than one vague natural language response to a request for a user transaction selection, method  182  preferably proceeds to  196 . At  196 , an alternate transaction selection option may be initiated. In one embodiment, method  182  at  196  preferably provides for a menu communication option enabling a user to perform transaction selection from a presented transaction menu. One embodiment of a menu driven transaction selection option is discussed below with respect to  FIG. 7 . 
     In the evaluation of natural language user utterance response contents, it may be determined that the natural language user utterance response includes contents not in the default or currently employed system language. As such, at  198 , in response to a determination that a natural language user response includes non-default language contents, method  182  preferably proceeds to  200  where a transfer message informing the user that they are being transferred to a non-default language or secondary language transaction selection or processing module is preferably communicated to the user prior to a transfer of the user to an alternative script, module or agent at  202 . 
     In another aspect, evaluation of natural language user response contents at  188  may indicate user selection of or a request for service from live technical support or an “Agent”  204 . In response to a detected request for an “Agent”  204 , method  182  preferably proceeds to  206 . At  206 , it may be determined whether the current user or customer request for an “Agent” is the first such request or a repeated request. If at  206  it is determined that the current “Agent” request is the first such request, method  182  preferably returns to  184  where the user may again be prompted for a natural language transaction selection. Alternatively, if at  206  it is determined that the current “Agent” request from the user is a repeated “Agent” request, method  182  preferably proceeds to  208  where the user may be informed that the system is transferring the user to live support prior to actual transfer of the user at  210 . 
     As mentioned above, one embodiment of the present invention includes the use of an action-object matrix  120  for identifying transaction selections from natural language user utterances. In general, an action-object matrix  120  employed in the present invention may include a plurality of available call center  102  actions cross referenced to a plurality of available objects. Further, in one embodiment, where an action and an object meet within an action-object matrix  120 , a selected service solution, script or automated service agent  106 , such as an automated service system and/or live technical support, is preferably indicated by an address or routing destination in a look-up table  122  associated with action-object matrix  120 . Greater detail regarding the utilization of an action-object matrix  120  in association with teachings of the present invention is discussed below. 
     Another possible result of the evaluation preferably performed at  188  concerning a user natural language transaction selection response is the identification of a known action-object combination  212 . As such, if at  188  it is determined that a natural language user utterance response to the prompt preferably communicated at  184  includes a known action-object combination  212 , method  182  may proceed to  214  where method  182  preferably provides for the initiation of an action-object known option, script or module. Greater detail concerning the process associated with a known action-object combination is discussed below, particularly with respect to  FIG. 8 . 
     Indicated at  216  is yet another possible determination from the response evaluation preferably performed at  188 . As indicated at  216 , the evaluation of a natural language user utterance response preferably performed at  188  may indicate a response including a known action and an unknown object or a partially identifiable transaction selection. For example, a natural language user response to the transaction selection request preferably communicated at  184  may include an action identifiable from an associated action-object matrix  120 , however, an identifiable object associated with the identified action may be missing or may not be discernible. In such an event, method  182  preferably proceeds to  218  where a get known action-unknown object script, module or option may be initiated. 
     In one embodiment, operations performed in association with get known action-unknown object script  218  may include identifying the available objects associated with the identified action from an action-object matrix  120 . Once the available objects associated with the known action have been identified and/or obtained, a menu listing the available objects may be communicated to the user for their selection therefrom. Following communication of the available objects associated with the identified action, method  182  may return to  188  where response contents to the menu communication may be evaluated. Selection of an available object from the communicated menu may be facilitated from verbal user responses, DTMF input, as well as by other means. 
     Similar to operations discussed above with respect to  216 , it may be determined at  188  that a natural language user utterance response to the transaction selection request preferably communicated at  184  includes a known object-unknown action combination, also a partially identifiable transaction selection. For example, it may be determined at  188  that a natural language user response to a transaction selection request includes an object identifiable in and available from an associated action-object matrix  120 , but fails to include an identifiable action associated with the known object. In the event a known object-unknown action combination  220  is determined in the user response at  188 , method  182  preferably proceeds to  222  where a known object-unknown action option, script or module may be initiated. 
     As described above with respect to  218 , one embodiment of the known object-unknown action option module preferably initiated at  222  may include identification of one or more actions available and associated with the known object from action-object matrix  120 . Following the identification of one or more actions available and associated with the known object, a menu listing such actions may be communicated to the user for selection therefrom. Following communication of the available actions associated with the known object, method  182  may return to  188  where a user response to the menu prompt may be evaluated for its contents. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 7 , a flow diagram depicting a portion of one embodiment of a method for implementing an automated call routing application in a speech enabled call center environment is shown according to teachings of the present invention. In one embodiment, method  224  of  FIG. 7  may be implemented as a continuance of method  182  in  FIG. 6 . In an alternate embodiment, method  224  of  FIG. 7  may be implemented separate and distinct from method  182  without departing from the spirit and scope of teachings of the present invention. 
     As described above with reference to  FIG. 6 , method  224  of  FIG. 7  may be entered for operation in response to repeated vague natural language user transaction selection utterances. In one aspect, operations performed in association with method  224  preferably enable a user, in cooperation with one or more service agents or scripts available from call center  102 , to drill down and select from a plurality of available transactions. 
     As described above, in response to repeated vague natural language user utterances, method  182  of  FIG. 6 , at  196 , may request initiation of a menu communication option module. From  196  of  FIG. 6 , method  224  of  FIG. 7  preferably begins at  226  with the initiation of a transaction menu communication module. Following initiation of a transaction menu communication module at  226 , method  224  preferably proceeds to  228  where the user may be prompted for selection of a transaction from a menu or main menu of available options. For example, a main menu of available options may include such options as “Billing and Payments”, “Add, Change or Cancel Service”, “How to Use” and “Cost Information.” 
     Following communication of a main transaction menu at  228 , method  224  preferably proceeds to  230  where a response from the user to the main transaction menu option listing may be awaited. Upon detection of a user response at  230 , method  224  preferably proceeds to  232  where contents of a user response may be evaluated. In one aspect, the user may respond to the communication of one or more main menu transaction options verbally, via DTMF input, as well as by other means. The main menu transaction options presented at  228  may also be presented with a pause between each enabling the user or customer to select an option during the pause via one or more option selection means. 
     In one embodiment, the user response contents evaluated at  232  may include selection of Billing and Payments selection  234 , Change or Cancel Service selection  236 , How To selection  238 , as well as other transaction selections  240 . Following identification of a user selection from main menu options  234 ,  236 ,  238  and  240  at  232 , method  224  may proceed to  242 ,  244 ,  246  or  248 , respectively. 
     At  242 ,  244 ,  246  or  248 , a sub-menu associated with the option selected by the user is preferably communicated. For example, if a user selects Billing and Payment selection  234 , method  224  preferably proceeds to  242  where a sub-menu of options associated with Billing and Payment selection  234  may be communicated for user selection. At  250 , a user response to the sub-menu communication may be awaited. Upon detection of a user response to the sub-menu communication, method  224  may proceed to  252  where contents of the user response may be evaluated. 
     In the present example, Billing and Payment selection  234  may have associated with it such sub-menu options as “DSL or Dial-Up” option  254 , “Other Billing” option  256 , “Equipment Purchase” option  258 , and “Long Distance” option  260 . Continuing with the present example, if a user responds to a prompt of sub-menu options with selection of Long Distance option  260 , method  224  preferably proceeds to  262  where one or more “sub-menu” or “sub-sub-menu” options associated with Long Distance option  260  may be communicated to the user. 
     The presentation, selection and communication of main menus, sub-menus, sub-sub-menus, etc., may continue in an effort to drill down in the available transactions and permit precise user transaction selection. For example, if at  252  it is determined that the user or customer is calling for Billing and Payment selection  234  associated with DSL or Dial-Up service  254 , method  224  may then transfer the user to an appropriate agent available to service one or more transactions associated with DSL or Dial-Up option  254 . Accordingly, once a customer or user has made a transaction selection, method  224  preferably proceeds to  264  where an agent transfer message may be communicated to the user prior to transferring the user at  266 , e.g., to Billing Agent  136  available from service solution scripts or agents  106 . 
     As suggested above and in  FIG. 7 , main menu options  236 ,  238  and  240  may proceed in a manner similar to that described above with reference to Billing and Payments main menu selection  234 . Alternate embodiments of presenting a menu based transaction selection system to a user may be implemented without departing from the spirit and scope of the teachings of the present invention. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 8 , a flow diagram depicting a portion of one embodiment of a method for implementing on automated call routing application in a speech enabled call center environment is shown according to teachings of the present invention. Method  268  of  FIG. 8  preferably enables processing of a user transaction selection identified from a known action-object combination identified from an associated action-object matrix  120  available from call center  102 , for example. Method  268  of  FIG. 8  may be implemented and effected separate and apart from method  182  of  FIG. 6  without departing from the spirit and scope of the teachings of the present invention. 
     As discussed above, in one embodiment of the present invention, method  268  of  FIG. 8  may be initiated in response to the identification of a known action-object combination  212  in a natural language user utterance response to a request for a transaction selection. Following identification of a known action-object combination  212 , method  182  of  FIG. 6  preferably proceeds to  214  where a get known action-object script is preferably initiated, then progresses to  270  of method  268  where a known action-object combination script module may be initiated. 
     Following initiation of a known action-object combination script or module at  270 , method  268  preferably proceeds to  272 . At  272 , a determination may be made as to whether the known action-object combination includes clear or vague routing. Clear routing may be generally defined as a single automated service agent address or routing destination available in look-up table  122  and associated with an action-object combination included in action-object matrix  120 . Vague routing may be generally defined as a plurality of applicable automated service agent addresses available in look-up table  122  and associated with an identified action-object combination of action-object matrix  120 . Alternative scenarios or definitions of clear and/or vague routing are also contemplated. 
     If it is determined at  272  that the identified or known action-object combination includes clear routing, method  268  preferably proceeds to  274  where an automated service agent transfer message may be communicated to the user prior to transferring the user at  276  to a designated automated or live technician service agent associated with the known action-object combination. Alternatively, if at  272  it is determined that the known action-object combination has associated with it vague routing, method  268  preferably proceeds to  278 . 
     At  278 , a known action-object combination dialogue module may be initiated for purposes of clarifying the vague routing condition. Following initiation of a known action-object combination dialogue script or module at  278 , method  268  preferably proceeds to  280  where it may be determined whether the known action-object combination has associated with it binary or more complex routing options. If at  280  it is determined that the known action-object combination includes binary options, method  268  preferably proceeds to  282  where the binary options associated with the known action-object combination may be communicated to the user for selection. 
     For example, if a user contacts call center  102  concerning billing and payments associated with their long distance telephone service, one set of binary options available and associated with available long distance billing and payment transactions may include such binary options as whether the user&#39;s long distance is provided by the operator of call center  102  or another long distance provider. Following communication of the binary prompt associated with the known action-object combination at  282 , a user response may be awaited at  284 . Upon detection of a user response at  284 , method  268  preferably proceeds to  286  where the contents of the user response may be evaluated for a selection from the binary prompt. 
     As the prompt in the present instance is binary, method  268  preferably proceeds to  288  where an agent transfer message associated with user selection of the first of the binary prompts is preferably communicated to the user prior to transferring the user to a designated service script, agent or module at  290 . Similarly, if at  286  it is determined that the user selected the second of the binary options presented at  282 , method  268  preferably proceeds to  292  where an agent transfer message may be communicated to the user prior to transferring the user to a designated service agent associated with the second binary option at  294 . 
     In an alternate embodiment, presentation of the binary options available with a known action-object combination may entail presenting the user only with a most frequently selected option. Following communication of a most frequently selected option of the available binary options associated with the known action-object combination, the user may be requested to respond with a verbal “yes” or “no” or to enter one or more DTMF responses to accept transfer to a service agent associated with the most frequently selected binary option. Following the presentation of the most frequently selected option, method  268  may proceed to  284  where a user response may be awaited and, upon detection of a user response, proceed to  286  where the user response may be evaluated. 
     If at  286  it is determined the user accepted selection of the most frequently selected binary option, method  268  may communicate an associated agent transfer message to the user prior to transferring the user to a designated service agent. However, if at  286  it is determined that the user or customer rejected the most frequently selected option of the available binary options associated with the known action-object combination, method  268  may communicate an agent transfer message associated with the least frequently selected option associated with the known action-object combination prior to transferring the user to a service agent associated with the least frequently selected binary option. 
     If at  280  it is determined that the identified action-object combination has associated with it complex transaction options, method  268  may proceed to one or more of  296 ,  298 ,  300 ,  302  and/or  304 . Depending on the number of options available in a complex transaction option associated with the identified action-object combination, method  280  may proceed to its associated number option choice dialogue module. For exemplary purposes, four-choice dialogue module  300  will be discussed herein. It should be noted that teachings associated with four-choice dialog module  300  may be adapted for other dialogue module variants. 
     If at  280  it is determined that the identified action-object combination includes four-choice transaction option selection  300 , method  268  may proceed to  306 . At  306 , presentation of the four (4) choices available from four-choice dialogue module  300  and associated with the identified action-object combination may begin. In one embodiment of the prompting preferably performed at  306 , a user may be presented with a preferred option selected from the multiple options associated with the identified action-object combination. In one implementation of such an embodiment, the preferred option presented to the user may be the option among the multiple available options that has been most frequently selected. 
     Following prompting at  306 , method  268  may proceed to  308  to await a user response to the presentation of the preferred option. Once a response is detected, method  268  may proceed to  310  where a determination may be made as to whether the user selected the preferred option presented or whether the user desires to make a selection from the remaining options associated with the identified action-object combination. 
     If at  310  it is determined the user selected the preferred option of the four (4) options available from four-choice dialogue module  300 , method  268  preferably proceeds to  312  where an agent transfer message may be communicated or presented to the user prior to transferring the user or customer to a service agent associated with servicing the preferred option. Alternatively, if at  310  it is determined that the user does not select the preferred option presented at  306 , method  268  preferably proceeds to  316  where the user may be presented with the remaining options available from a multiple option dialogue module. In the present example, prompting with remaining options at  316  may include prompting the user with the remaining three (3) options available from four-choice dialogue module  300 . Following prompting of the user or customer with the remaining options at  316 , method  268  may proceed to  318  where a user selection or response may be awaited. 
     In response to detection of a user response at  318 , method  268  preferably proceeds to  320 . At  320 , the user response may be evaluated to determine which option presented at  316  the user selected. Depending on the option selected, the user is preferably presented with an agent transfer message associated with the call center service agent enabled to facilitate processing of the user selected transaction prior to transferring the user to such service agent. 
     As illustrated in  FIG. 8 , of the three (3) remaining options preferably presented to a user at  316 , the contents of a user response preferably evaluated at  320  may indicate user selection of first choice  322 . Following a determination of user selection of first choice  322 , the user is preferably presented with an agent transfer message at  324  prior to transfer of the user to a designated service agent at  326 . Similarly, if a user indicates selection of second choice  328 , a transfer message may be communicated at  330  prior to actual transfer of the user or customer at  332 . Finally, if the user were to select third choice  334  from the options at  316 , method  268  preferably proceeds to  336  where an agent transfer message associated with third choice  334  communicated prior to transferring the user to designated service agent at  338 . 
     Although the disclosed embodiments have been described in detail, it should be understood that various changes, substitutions and alterations can be made to the embodiments without departing from their spirit and scope.