Method and apparatus for providing media-independent self-help modules within a multimedia communication-center customer interface

• US 20050147090A1
• Filed: 02/28/2005
• Published: 07/07/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/11/1998
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Alcatel-Lucent SA (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Charles Dazler Knuff, Christopher Clemmett Macleod Beck, James Karl Powers, Joel A. Johnstone, Jonathan Michael Berke, Mark Franklin Sidell, Robin Marie Mitchell
• Inventors: MacLeod Beck, Christopher Clemmett, Mitchell, Robin Marie, Sidell, Mark Franklin, Powers, James Karl, Knuff, Charles Dazler, Berke, Jonathan Michael, Johnstone, Joel A.
• Granted Patent: US 7,120,700 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/352
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/30 of unstructured textual data document management systems G06F16/93
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/44 Browsing; Visualisation therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/279 Recognition of textual entities
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/14 Routing performance; Theoretical aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/00 User-to-user messaging in packet-switching networks, transmitted according to store-and-forward or real-time protocols, e.g. e-mail
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/10 Multimedia information
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/401 wherein the services involve a main real-time session and one or more additional parallel real-time or time sensitive sessions, e.g. white board sharing or spawning of a subconference
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/00 Network arrangements or protocols for supporting network services or applications user-to-user messaging H04L51/00; network arrangements, protocols or services for supporting real-time applications in data packet communications networks H04L65/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1097 for distributed storage of data in networks, e.g. transport arrangements for network file system [NFS], storage area networks [SAN] or network attached storage [NAS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/14 Session management for real-time applications in data packet communications networks H04L65/1066
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/535 Tracking the activity of the user network monitoring arrangements H04L43/00; recording of computer activity G06F11/34
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 : Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/38 : Displays
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/40 : using speech recognition speech recognition per se G10L15/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/42 : Graphical user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/60 : Medium conversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/357 : Autocues for dialog assistance
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/402 : Agent or workforce management
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/404 : Collaboration among agents
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/4536 : Voicemail combined with text-based messaging
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/206 : composed of PSTN and wireless network
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/20 : with means for interrupting existing connections; with means for breaking-in on conversations
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/2218 : Call detail recording
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/2281 : Call monitoring, e.g. for law enforcement purposes; Call tracing; Detection or prevention of malicious calls
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/36 : Statistical metering, e.g. recording occasions when traffic exceeds capacity of trunks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42221 : Conversation recording systems at the subscriber's set H04M1/656
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42323 : PBX's with CTI arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4938 : comprising a voice browser which renders and interprets, e.g. VoiceXML
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/51 : Centralised call answering arrangements requiring operator intervention , e.g. call or contact centers for telemarketing
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5158 : in combination with automated outdialling systems devices for signalling identity of wanted subscriber H04M1/26
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5166 : in combination with interactive voice response systems or voice portals, e.g. as front-ends
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5175 : Call or contact centers supervision arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5183 : Call or contact centers with computer-telephony arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5191 : interacting with the Internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5231 : with call back arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5233 : Operator skill based call distribution
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5237 : Interconnection arrangements between ACD systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/56 : Arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities video conference systems H04N7/15
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/006 : Networks other than PSTN/ISDN providing telephone service, e.g. Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) , including next generation networks with a packet-switched transport layer H04L65/00 takes precedence; aspects not specific to the type of network H04M3/00; special services in those networks H04M3/42
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/12 : for working between exchanges having different types of switching equipment, e.g. power-driven and step by step or decimal and non-decimal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/02 : Communication route or path selection, e.g. power-based or shortest path routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 : Connection setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/042 : Public Land Mobile systems, e.g. cellular systems

Abstract

In a multimedia call center (MMCC) operating through an operating system, a client-specific self-help wizard is provided for active clients and updated periodically with information related to client transaction history with the MMCC. A connected client is presented by the wizard with a selective media function through which the client may a select a media type for interaction and help, and the MMCC will then re-contact the client through the selected media. The client, for example, may select IP or COST telephony, and the MMCC will place a call to the client to a number or IP address listed for the client, and interactivity will then be through an interactive voice response unit. Help information specific to a client is updated in the client'"'"'s wizard periodically according to ongoing transaction history with the MMCC. The wizard may also monitor client activity with the wizard and make reports available to various persons.

Claims

1. An operating system for managing transactions between internal and external transaction partners in a communication center, comprising;

an external media layer for managing media contact between the external transaction partners and the communication center;

a workflow layer for processing transactions and routing media events between the transaction partners;

an internal media layer for managing media contact between the internal transaction partners; and

a data store for storing extracted knowledge from transactions and relationships between transactions;

wherein the workflow layer captures at least one transaction, prepares and stores a text version of at least a portion of the transaction, associates the text version with the transaction, mines the text versions for knowledge which is stored in the data store, and uses the extracted knowledge at least for routing media events between transaction partners.