US 7,623,632 B2Granted

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

AssigneeAT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.

InventorsRobert R. Bushey, Benjamin A. Knott, Marc Goldstein, Sarah Korth

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Abstract

A system, method and software for implementing an automated call routing application in a speech enabled call center environment are provided. In operation, the invention provides for the identification of a call center transaction selection from a natural language user utterance and the invocation of one or more scripts operable to route the user to a call center service agent configured to service the selected transaction. In the event a transaction selection cannot be readily identified or can only be partially identified, the invention provides for the initiation of a dialog module or script directed to eliciting a discernable transaction selection and/or the presentation of one or more menus from which the user may select an available call center transaction.

Claims12

Dependent claims

A method for implementing an automated call routing application in a speech enabled call center environment, comprising:

maintaining a communication connection with a user;
comparing one or more characteristics of the user communication connection with a set of call center conditions;
communicating a condition message to the user in response to a match between a characteristic of the user communication connection and at least one of the set of call center conditions;
initiating a speak freely dialog module operable to receive and interpret natural language utterances from the user;
eliciting a natural language utterance from the user indicating user selection of an available call center transaction;
evaluating the natural language user utterance to identify its contents;
if the natural language user utterance includes a second indication of an agent request, presenting to the user a transfer to agent message and transferring the user communication connection to a selected agent;
if the natural language user utterance includes a first vague call center transaction selection, prompting for an additional natural language user utterance indicating selection of a call center transaction;
if the natural language user utterance includes a second vague call center transaction selection, presenting a menu of options to the user to which the user may respond with a natural language utterance selection of a transaction from the menu of options;
if the natural language user utterance includes a known action unknown object combination, initiating a dialog module operable to elicit from the user identification of an object associated with the known action;
if the natural language user utterance includes a known object unknown action combination, initiating a dialog module operable to elicit from the user identification of an action associated with the known object;
and
upon identification of a known action-object combination, accessing a look-up table including routing destinations for service agents operable to service selected action-object combinations and routing the user to a destination associated with the known action-object combination.

10 more elements

A system for delivering an automated call routing application in a call center environment, comprising:

at least one processor;
memory operably associated with the processor;
and
a program of instructions storable in the memory and executable by the processor, the program of instructions operable to
prompt a user for entry of a natural language transaction selection,
in response to receipt of a natural language response, evaluate the response to determine whether the response includes an unidentifiable transaction selection, a partially identifiable transaction selection or an identifiable transaction selection,
determine whether an identifiable transaction selection includes an agent service request,
if the identifiable transaction selection is a request for agent services, determine whether the request for agent services is a first request or a repeated request,
if the request for agent services is the first request, prompting the user for entry of a natural language transaction selection,
if the request for agent services is the repeated request, facilitate routing of the user to a service provider,
if the identifiable transaction selection is not a request for agent services, determine whether the identifiable transaction selection has an associated clear routing option,
if the identifiable transaction selection has a clear routing option, facilitate routing of the user in accordance with the clear routing option otherwise present to the user a plurality of selectable options associated with the identifiable transaction selection,
if the user response is a partially identifiable transaction selection, initiate dialog with the user to elicit an identifiable transaction selection,
if the user response is an unidentifiable transaction selection, determine whether the user provided the previous unidentifiable transaction selection response, and
if the user provided the previous unidentifiable transaction selection response, present a menu of options selectable by the user otherwise prompt the user for entry of a natural language transaction selection.

12 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 10/926,813Filed 26 Aug 2004
Published: US 2006/0045241 A12 Mar 2006
Granted: 24 Nov 2009
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification4 codes

H04M 3/493
Arrangements for providing information services, e.g. recorded voice services or time announcements: interactive information services, e.g.…
H04M 3/5166
Centralised call answering arrangements requiring operator intervention , e.g. call or contact centers for telemarketing: in combination with…
H04M 2203/2011
Related to features of supplementary services: service processing based on information specified by a party before or during a call, e.g.…
H04M
Telephonic communication