Interview automation system for providing technical support

• US 20040054693A1
• Filed: 09/03/2003
• Published: 03/18/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/03/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Himanshu Bhatnagar
• Original Assignee: Himanshu Bhatnagar
• Inventors: Bhatnagar, Himanshu
• Granted Patent: US 7,734,699 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/104.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising

Abstract

A new and improved system for providing highly automated technical support to the customer while simultaneously capturing the knowledge base associated with recurring customer questions.

Claims

1. A system for providing response-structured chat between a first entity and a second entity, comprising:

a media through which the first entity and the second entity communicate with one another; and

a software component disposed between the first entity and the media and adapted to convert a question and at least one proposed response into a response structure that constrains the response sent back into the media by the second entity.

2. A system according to claim 1 wherein said first entity comprises a human being.

3. A system according to claim 1 wherein said first entity comprises a computer.

4. A system according to claim 1 wherein said media comprises an Instant Messaging (IM) system.

5. A system according to claim 4 wherein the response structure is configured to accept a response from the second entity through the clicking of a button.

6. A system according to claim 1 wherein said media comprises a telephone system.

7. A system according to claim 6 wherein the response structure is configured to accept a response from the second entity through the pressing of a key.

8. A system according to claim 1 wherein said media comprises one from the group consisting of a touchscreen computer, a kiosk, a tablet PC, a PDA and a mobile data terminal.

9. A system according to claim 8 wherein the response structure is configured to accept a response from the second entity through the pressing or clicking of a simulated key on the screen.

10. A system according to claim 1 wherein said software component introduces an additional proposed response into the response structure.

11. A system according to claim 1 wherein said response structure comprises a multiple choice structure.

12. A system according to claim 1 wherein said system further comprises a component for recording the dialogue between the first entity and the second entity.

13. A system according to claim 1 wherein said system further comprises a component for extracting the branching logic from the dialogue.

14. A system for providing response-structured chat between a first entity and a second entity, comprising:

an Instant Messaging (IM) system through which the first entity and the second entity communicate with one another, wherein the Instant Messaging (IM) system is configured to (i) transmit a question and at least one proposed response from the first entity to the second entity, and (ii) constrain the response made by the second entity to the proposed responses received by the second entity.

15. A system according to claim 14 wherein said first entity comprises a human being.

16. A system according to claim 14 wherein said first entity comprises a computer.

17. A system according to claim 14 wherein the response structure is configured to accept a response from the second entity through the clicking of a button.

18. A system according to claim 14 wherein said Instant Messaging (IM) system introduces an additional proposed response into the response structure.

19. A system according to claim 14 wherein said response structure comprises a multiple-choice structure.

20. A system according to claim 14 wherein said system further comprises a component for recording the dialogue between the first entity and the second entity.

21. A system according to claim 14 wherein said system further comprises a component for extracting the branching logic from the dialogue.

22. A method for establishing response-structured chat between a first entity and a second entity, comprising:

generating a question and at least one proposed response at a first entity;

converting the question and the at least one proposed response into a response structure that constrains the response;

transmitting the response structure to the second entity;

generating a response at the second entity using the response structure; and

transmitting the response to the first entity.

23. A technical support system comprising:

an interview database; and

a dialogue mechanism for (i) presenting a question from the interview database to a user;

(ii) obtaining a response to the question from the user;

(iii) determining if the response is within the domain of the existing interview database;

(iv) if the response is within the domain of the interview database, presenting a follow-on question from the interview database to the user;

(v) if the response is outside the domain of the existing interview database, escalating the dialogue from the interview database to a human expert, where the human expert presents a question to the user;

(vi) obtaining a response to the question from the user;

(vii) recording the dialogue between the human expert and the user; and

(viii) inserting the dialogue between the human expert and the user back into the interview database at the point of escalation so as to expand the interview database.

24. A system according to claim 23 wherein the question is presented to the user in a form that constrains the response made by the user.

25. A system according to claim 23 wherein the question is presented to the user in the form of a multiple choice question.

26. A system according to claim 23 wherein the dialogue mechanism comprises an Instant Messaging (IM) system.

27. A system according to claim 23 wherein the dialogue mechanism is configured to accept a response from the user through the clicking of a button.

28. A system according to claim 23 wherein the dialogue mechanism comprises a telephone system.

29. A system according to claim 23 wherein the response is entered on one from the group consisting of a touchscreen computer, a kiosk, a tablet PC, a PDA and a mobile data terminal.

30. A system according to claim 29 wherein the response structure is configured to accept a response from the second entity through the pressing or clicking of a simulated key on the screen.

31. A system according to claim 23 wherein the dialogue mechanism is configured to accept a response from the user through the pressing of a key.

32. A method for providing technical support comprising:

presenting a question from an interview database to a user;

obtaining a response to the question from the user;

determining if the response is within the domain of the existing interview database;

if the response is within the domain of the interview database, presenting a follow-on question from the interview database to the user;

if the response is outside the domain of the existing interview database, escalating the dialogue from the interview database to a human expert, where the human expert presents a question to the user;

obtaining a response to the question from the user;

recording the dialogue between the human expert and the user; and

inserting the dialogue between the human expert and the user back into the interview database at the point of escalation so as to expand the interview database.