Multimodal solution with Kirusa
A solution brief from HP
Network and Service Provider Solutions
Today’s mobile services are limited by user interfaces
that allow for voice or visual interaction, rather than
an integrated voice and visual interface. Usability
problems unique to mobile devices have prevented
operators from realizing a larger return on their service
investments. Voice interfaces allow for simplified service
input and interaction, but are not practical for conveying
graphics or memory-straining information such as
long lists, complex instructions or numbers. Conversely,
Voice and visual interfaces for today’s
mobile devices
visual interfaces are cumbersome to use, but excellent
for information output.
By combining both voice and visual interfaces, applications
can exploit the strengths of each and minimize the
weaknesses of both modes. This integration, known
as multimodality, seamlessly combines speech, text and
touch input with graphics, text and audio output to deliver
enhanced end-user mobile applications and services.
Multimodality enhances service usability resulting in
improved customer satisfaction and usage, while increasing
revenues and reducing service provider churn.
Multimodality gives end users the option to move from
visual to voice mode and vice versa, or to use both modes
simultaneously using a mobile device. For example, an
end user might visually access e-mail using a mobile
phone or PDA, but decide to respond to a message using
voice. Likewise, the end-user might use voice to request
directions to a specific destination but choose to retrieve
a visual map to reach the final destination. Multimodal
technology makes mobile devices and applications more
user-friendly by allowing users to choose which mode is
most appropriate for their specific circumstances.
The HP Multimodal Solution, with Kirusa, is a carriergrade offering that provides network service providers
with a complete multimodal solution comprising Kirusa’s
multimodal client and platform, the HP OpenCall Media
Platform (OCMP) deployed on carrier-grade server hardware,
and devices, which may vary depending on the type of
multimodal service a carrier would like to deploy. HP OCMP
gives carriers the scalability, flexibility and investment
protection they need for deploying enhanced voice services
within the network. Together with Kirusa’s robust application
environment, the HP OpenCall Media Platform ensures a
multimodal solution that meets a carrier’s needs today, as
well as accommodating future functionality and features.
HP U/X servers, the number one choice for customers who
demand quality, reliability, manageability and reasonable
total cost of ownership (TCO) of their servers, power the
HP Multimodal Solutions.
Overview
Kirusa has developed three forms of multimodality,
simultaneous, sequential and Short Message Service
(SMS). By offering each type, operators can offer
multimodal services to their entire subscriber base,
regardless of the technical capabilities of their
mobile device.
Simultaneous multimodality, where the device has both
modes active, empowers the user to use voice and visual
communication simultaneously. For example, in a mapping
situation, a user can point to a street on the map and say,
“Plan route, avoiding this street.” In a retail banking
application, with “from account,” “to account,” and “amount”
boxes on the screen, the user may simply speak “Transfer
$5000 from account 123 to account 456,” and all three
form entry boxes will be populated correctly as a result
of speech commands. Results can be delivered in voice
mode, visual or both, giving positive confirmation of the
transaction. Simultaneous multimodality is available for
wirelessly enabled personal digital assistant (PDA) and
Smart Phone devices, which use the PocketPC operating
system, Microsoft® SmartPhone architecture, or Symbian
operating system.
Sequential multimodality allows users to move between
visual and voice modes, and offers real value when
different steps of a single application are more effective
or efficient in one mode than the other. For example, in a
navigation application, it may be easier to speak the name
of the place (voice mode) than to type it, yet it may be
preferable to view a map (visual mode) than to listen to
directions that may involve a half dozen turns. The swap
between visual and voice modes may be initiated by the
application or by the user. This type of service is available
on wireless application protocol (WAP) phones, in addition
to those devices mentioned for simultaneous service.
SMS multimodality allows users to leverage SMS as the
compelling visual component of a multimodal application.
Imagine asking in voice for three-star hotels within one
mile of Paris’ Porte Maillot district, seeing that list in a
SMS message and asking in voice for more information
about a selected property. This service type is available
on any phone supporting short messages.
Deployed in the customer’s network, the HP Multimodal
Solution, with Kirusa, connects to both the customer’s
voice and data networks to perform multimodal delivery.
The platform functions as a gateway between each
environment to enhance services.
The solution supports all major mobile networks,
including global system for mobile communications
(GSM), general packet radio service (GPRS), universal
2
Kirusa Product Architecture
Voice Network
Speech Resources
(ASR/TTS)
Multimodal Application
Provider (1)
Voice
XML/MRCP
Kirusa Platform
(KMMP)
Multimodal Markup
Data Network
Kirusa
Simultaneous
Multimodal
Client
HP Hardware/
Enabling Software
Multimodal Application
Provider (2)
Wireless Infrastructure
Kirusa Multimodal Platform (KMMP)
WAP
Interface
DB
Interface
Voice Browser Interface/Speech Interface
User Database
Simultaneous
Module
(Client Handler)
Device Database
Sequential
Module
SMS
Module
Markup Content Handler
(X+V, SALT, M3L)
GGSN/IWF
Interface
SMS-C
Interface
Billing
Interface
mobile telecommunications system (UMTS), code division
multiple access (CDMA) One/1x/3x, 802.11x, integrated
digital enhanced network (iDEN) and others. Kirusa Multimodal Platform (KMMP) is backwards compatible with
2G networks, handles the broadest array of devices in
the industry and supports emerging multimodal standards
such as speech applications language tags (SALT) and
X+V (XHTML+VoiceXML).
HP and Kirusa can multimodalize existing carrier
applications by wrapping today’s popular standards,
such as wireless markup language (WML), SMS, voice
extensible markup language (VoiceXML) and hypertext
markup language (HTML), in simple extensible markup
language (XML)-based multimodal markup languages.
For operators wishing to create their own services, Kirusa
supports a development environment that simplifies service
development by shielding the enormous complexity of
multiple network protocols such as GSM, time division
multiple access (TDMA), CDMA, GPRS and UMTS from
the developer. No specialized wireless knowledge is
required to develop multimodal applications, making it
much easier and less expensive for operators to create
new applications on their own.
The Kirusa Multimodal Platform is tightly integrated
with HP OpenCall Media Platform, the industry’s only
carrier-grade, software-based media platform that scales
from tens to thousands of ports for the interactive voice
market. It offers an open, highly scalable, easy-to-manage,
Multimodal Engine (State Manager)
carrier-grade media platform for multimodal applications.
The application and HP OpenCall-enabling software are
deployed on carrier-grade HP hardware, and delivered
and supported by HP Services.
The service developed on the Kirusa Multimodal Platform
integrates easily into network and operational support/
business support system (OSS/BSS) environments by using
existing network capabilities such as GPRS, WAP and/or
SMS. Kirusa does not require specialized support by the
operator, network changes or new carrier network
equipment and/or services.
Benefits
• Enables new applications, improves the usability
of existing applications and broadens the scope of
mobile applications.
• Simple-to-use multimodal services drive subscriber
service usage, increasing revenues.
• Multimodal services power faster return on investment.
• Existing services can be integrated and enhanced with
multimodal platform.
• Various multimodal offerings (simultaneous, sequential,
and SMS) enable service providers to address their
entire subscriber base.
• Development environment allows for simple and efficient
service creation.
3
Features
HP advantage
• Extensive device support, with a form of multimodality
suitable for every user and device.
Communications solutions are highly complex, and
service providers must deliver even more innovative
services to the market while keeping customers loyal
and insulated from the complexities behind the services.
In order to achieve this, service providers need strategic
partners who can do more. HP offers a range of targeted,
seamless solutions, integrated with partners, delivered
quickly and efficiently. HP systems and solutions are open
and flexible, empowering customers to customize or create
value-added services. Our service capabilities provide
the expertise to develop, integrate, test, install and
support the most complex service launches. This one-stop
shopping approach lets service providers focus on their
customers—not their suppliers.
• Use of well-known, high-level languages such as HTML,
VoiceXML, SALT, XML, and WML enables faster
creation of applications and eliminates the need for
developers to have specialized wireless or device
knowledge. This allows service providers to leverage
a larger development community.
• Supports the two emerging multimodal standards,
SALT and X+V, effectively future-proofing
technology investment.
Partners
Kirusa, Inc. is a multimodal infrastructure company that
develops industry-leading multimodal technology (with
several patents pending) for the delivery of voice and
visual applications. This next generation of wireless
technology allows users to customize the presentation
of information on wireless devices by either alternating,
or simultaneously receiving data through visual and
voice interfaces. The company is headquartered in Edison,
New Jersey, and has been founded by telecom and
Internet industry veterans from leading
telecommunications organizations.
HP focuses more than 25 years of expertise into a
powerful integrated team, the Network Service Provider
Business Unit (NSPBU). The NSPBU, along with 500 valued
solutions partners, assists the world’s top 200 service and
equipment providers, as well as media, entertainment and
cable operators, in meeting their subscriber needs.
With solutions, technologies and services including:
HP OpenCall and HP OpenView telecommunication
capabilities arrayed across network infrastructure, network
services, operations and business support, mobile and
rich-media solutions, and end-user access, the HP NSPBU
is a major player that is leading change in the network
and service provider industry.
For more information, go to www.hp.com/communications
September 2003.
© 2003 Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. The information contained herein is subject to change without notice. The
only warranties for HP products and services are set forth in the express warranty statements accompanying such products and
services. Nothing herein should be construed as constituting an additional warranty. HP shall not be liable for technical or editorial errors or omissions contained herein.
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Printed in the U.S.A. 09.2003 P/N 5982-1542EN