Introducing the VoiceXML Server

Transcription

1 Introducing the VoiceXML Server David Asher Product Manager, Platform Solutions, NMS July 2005 Webinar

2 Agenda Markets and introduction What is VoiceXML? System configurations Product description and features Performance and roadmap Slide 2

3 Markets and Introduction Slide 3

4 What s Driving The Market The Time Is Just Right for Servers Equipment makers transition to ISV Technology is not a competitive differentiator Web technologies being adopted for telco market Outsourcing components, driven by Reduced time-to-market Reduced cost and risk Faster technology absorption New industry standards and protocols Apps Services Hardware Apps Services Hardware Source: Frost & Sullivan Slide 4

5 Media Server Defined Software Reuse in Multiple Applications Prepaid Conferencing Self-Service Voice Mail Attendant Ringback VoiceXML + CCXML: Industry Standards Media Server The User Interface Slide 5

6 Separation of Media Processing from Scripting Complex Media IVR Transcoding Fax Conferencing Video Optional Signaling CAS, ISDN SS7 SIP VoiceXML VoiceXML Server SIP Media Server SS7 ISDN VOIP Voice UI Scripting Complex dialogs Prompt serving Text-to-speech Speech recognition Slide 6

7 What Is VoiceXML? Slide 7

8 What is VoiceXML? An XML-based Internet mark-up language used to design speech applications Uses the telephone to access the Internet Comm Network VoiceXML Gateway Internet Web Servers Slide 8

9 Business Benefits The migration of IVR systems to web technologies is natural The web offers forums for standardizing proprietary protocols and APIs The web offers solutions to distribution, scaling, security, and robustness Web deployment mechanisms reduce time and cost of service introduction The web is rich with tools and skilled developers VoiceXML is the natural voice user interface medium for bringing web-enabled services to telephony users Slide 9

10 VoiceXML's Place in the Market IVR replacement: cost savings through Reduced development and deployment costs Leveraging existing web-enabled customer services Efficient exploitation of costly speech processors Next-generation IVR Integrate with services that can only be web-enabled After a bad start, web and voice portals are re-emerging Multimodal services Treat voice access as one of a coherently handled set of customer-contact modes Asynchronous and simultaneous voice/visual modal services now possible Slide 10

11 Sample Code Dialog Design Source: Speech Objects, VoiceXML White Paper Nuance Communications, 2000 Slide 11

12 Sample Code VoiceXML Script VoiceXML Version VoiceXML Field Name Play Prompt Grammar to Load, and Type Load Next VoiceXML Document Source: Speech Objects, VoiceXML White Paper Nuance Communications, 2000 Slide 12

13 System Configuration Slide 13

14 VoiceXML In VOIP and PSTN Application Server VoiceXML over HTTP VoiceXML Server SIP & RTP LAN SIP & RTP SIP & RTP Gateway CAS, ISDN, ISUP SIP Phone IP-PBX PSTN Slide 14

15 With a Natural Access Application Application Server VoiceXML over HTTP VoiceXML Server SIP Natural Access PCI RTP NMS VOIP CG Board SIP Fusion T1/E1, ISDN PSTN Slide 15

16 Connecting to Media Resources ASR TTS Content RTP MRCP TCP HTTP or File VoiceXML Server SIP & RTP Slide 16

17 Product Description and Features Slide 17

18 Carrier-Grade VoiceXML SIP-based architecture Flexible, scalable, and robust Strict adherence to the VoiceXML standard Extension APIs do not violate the standard Extensive logging and error reporting Rapid debugging of VoiceXML programs Remote control and monitoring of the server through a web console VoiceXML interpreter has been hardened against a wide range of error conditions through 24/7 operation in a public VoiceXML service: Slide 18

19 VoiceXML Server Internal Functions VoiceXML Application Files and Content VoiceXML VoiceXMLServer HTTP HTTP VoiceXML VoiceXML Interpreter Interpreter Prompt Prompt Server Server (SSML) (SSML) SIP SIP RTP RTP MRCP MRCP SIP RTP RTP MRCP Media Server or Gateway Connection ASR and TTS Connections Slide 19

20 VoiceXML Server Feature Set Implements W3C VoiceXML 2.0, with support for SSML, SRGS, and SISR VoiceXML Interpreter certified compliant to VoiceXML 2.0 by the VoiceXML forum RTP/SIP connections to media server or gateway HTTP streaming of media files with caching and SSL MRCP interface for integration with speech recognition and text-tospeech servers Prompt Server uses SSML for improved speech synthesis Web console allows an administrator to view the current status and perform management activities Supports Windows and Linux operating systems Slide 20

21 VoiceXML Special Extensions Without Violating Standards VoiceXML <object> API C++ interface for enable custom implementations that may be invoked with the VoiceXML <object> tag Call-Placer API An XML/HTTP extension that allows applications to initiate outbound sessions Authorization API An XML/HTTP extension that enables access control over session establishment Usage Indication API An XML/HTTP extension that is typically used to gather information for call detail reports Slide 21

22 What Is SSML? Speech Synthesis Markup Language Sub component of VoiceXML Standard method to control TTS engines Empowers developers to control TTS Pronunciation, volume, pitch, emphasis W3C Recommendation SSML 1.0 (September 2004) Slide 22

23 What Is SRGS? Speech Recognition Grammar Spec For guiding the speech recognizers via grammars that describe the expected user responses A Grammar defines "acceptable input" Input = DTMF and/or speech Speech = words + patterns of words W3C Recommendation 2003 SISR defines the syntax and semantics of the contents of tags in SRGS Slide 23

24 Media File Processing and Formats Processing local and remote files FILE:// Access to files on NFS or NTFS shares Access to files on web servers with caching Formats Raw (headerless) G.711: μ-law and A-law WAV (RIFF header): 8 khz 8-bit μ-law and A-law, 16-bit linear Sun audio (AU): 8 khz 8-bit μ-law and A-law, 16-bit linear SPHERE (NIST header): 8 khz 8-bit μ-law and 16-bit linear Slide 24

25 Remote Management Web Console Start, stop processes Quiesce channels prior to server shutdown or restart Monitor usage statistics Logging Up to 5 levels Slide 25

26 Supported Speech Capability ASR TTS Currently Scansoft (RealSpeak) Scansoft Scansoft (Rhetorical) Nuance Acapela Roadmap Loquendo Telisma SVOX Loquendo Supported Operating Systems Red Hat Enterprise Linux v3, Enterprise Server Update 3 Microsoft Windows 2000 Server, Service Pack 4 Slide 26

27 Performance and Roadmap Slide 27

28 System Sizing and Performance Test Configuration Windows 2000 SP4 Dual 2.8 GHz Intel Xeon 2 GB memory 10 VoiceXML pages 9 recognitions DTMF only 12 prompts Audio files only Results 10 call answers per second (CAPS) 120 concurrent calls 33% CPU utilization 74 MB RAM consumed < 2% increase in call processing delays Slide 28

29 VoiceXML Server Roadmap Product Version Release Date June 2005 December 2005 Language Compliance Major Features VoiceXML 2.0 SIP network interface SSML prompt server MRCP for ASR servers APIs for dialing, authentication, and usage VoiceXML 2.1 CCXML Video media types SNMP MRCP for TTS servers Slide 29

30 Why NMS for VoiceXML Carrier-grade features Conformant to VoiceXML Forum tests Flexible SIP-based architecture Worldwide NMS product support Roadmap for advanced features Single vendor provides media processing and script processing Slide 30

31 For more information Contact David Asher, Product Manager, Platform Solutions, NMS ; Upcoming Events SpeechTEK August 1 4, 2005 New York, NY Booth 700 VoIP Developer Conference August 2 4, 2005 San Francisco, CA Booth 404 Slide 31

32 Full Speed Ahead: NMS Developer Conferences 2005 Are you looking for the best technologies to develop hot new applications for the telecom market? Join us at the NMS Developer Conferences, where you ll find the information, technologies, products and interaction that will get you moving Full Speed Ahead. Munich: September Boston: November 7 8 Bangkok: December 7 8 /devcon05 Slide 32

33 NMS COMMUNICATIONS