System and method for identifying telephone callers

• US 20060093097A1
• Filed: 11/02/2004
• Published: 05/04/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/02/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: SBC Knowledge Ventures LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Chang, Hisao M.
• Granted Patent: US 7,657,005 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/88.01
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/41 using speaker recognition
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42068 where the identifier is used to access a profile
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5183 Call or contact centers with computer-telephony arrangements

Abstract

A method of processing calls received at an interactive voice response (IVR) server is provided and includes receiving a telephone call at the IVR. Caller identity data that is associated with the telephone call is received and a customer profile that includes a list of individual names associated with the caller identity data is received. Each of the individual names is mapped to a speech recognition grammar pattern. Further, a caller of the telephone call is prompted to speak their name. A spoken name from the caller is received and recorded. Moreover, the spoken name is converted into a speech recognition grammar pattern. Thereafter, the speech recognition grammar pattern associated with the spoken name is compared to each of the speech recognition grammar patterns associated with the individual names retrieved from the customer profile.

Claims

1. A method of processing calls received at an interactive voice response (IVR) server, the method comprising

receiving a telephone call at the IVR;

receiving caller identity data associated with the telephone call and receiving a customer profile including a list of individual names associated with the caller identity data;

mapping each of the individual names to a speech recognition grammar pattern;

prompting a caller of the telephone call to speak their name;

receiving and recording a spoken name from the caller;

converting the spoken name into a speech recognition grammar pattern;

comparing the speech recognition grammar pattern associated with the spoken name to each of the speech recognition grammar patterns associated with the individual names retrieved from the customer profile;

determining a title of the caller at least partially based on the spoken name and a pitch of a voice of the caller, the pitch derived from a recorded spoken name.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the caller identity data includes a telephone number.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

identifying a caller name at least partially based on a result of comparing the speech recognition grammar associated with the spoken name with each of the speech recognition grammar patterns associated with the individual names retrieved from the customer profile.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining whether a probability that the title and the caller name are correct is above a predetermined threshold.

7. The method of claim 6, farther comprising forwarding the telephone call to a service agent terminal via a whisper transfer when the probability is below the predetermined threshold.

8. The method of claim 6, further comprising automatically populating a name field at a graphical user interface of an agent terminal with the caller name.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising automatically populating a title field at the graphical user interface with the title of the caller.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising forwarding the telephone call to a live customer service agent when the probability is above the predetermined threshold.

4. (canceled)

5. (canceled)

11. A method of processing calls received at an interactive voice response (IVR) server, the method comprising:

receiving a telephone call at the IVR;

prompting a caller to speak their name;

receiving a spoken name from the caller;

at least partially based on the spoken name from the caller, identifying a name of the caller;

determining a title associated with the caller; and

wherein the title associated with the caller is determined at least partially based on a vocal pitch derived from the spoken name.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising determining a spelling of the name associated with the caller.

13. The method of claim 12, forwarding the telephone call to a customer service agent computer.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising automatically populating a name field at a graphical user interface displayed at the customer service agent computer with the identified name of the caller.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising automatically populating a title field at the graphical user interface with the title.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein the identified of the caller is recognized at least partially based on a name recognition grammar.

17. (canceled)

18. A system for identifying a telephone caller, the system comprising:

an interactive voice response server including a processor;

a memory accessible to the processor; and

a computer program embedded within the memory, the computer program comprising;

instructions to identify a name associated with a telephone caller in response to analyzing a recorded spoken name from the telephone caller; and

instructions to determine a title associated with the caller at least partially based on the spoken name and a pitch of a voice of the telephone caller.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the computer program further comprises instructions to determine a spelling of the name associated with the caller.

20. The system of claim 19, further comprising a customer service agent computer coupled to the interactive voice response server.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the computer program further comprises instructions to forward the telephone call to the customer service agent computer.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the computer program further comprises instructions to automatically populate a name field at a graphical user interface displayed at the customer service agent computer with a name associated with the caller.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the computer program filter comprises instructions to automatically populate a title field at the graphical user interface with the title.

24. The system of claim 19, wherein the identified name associated with the caller is recognized at least partially based on a name recognition grammar comparison.

25. (canceled)

26. A graphical user interface of a customer service agent computer, the graphical user interface comprising a title field, wherein the title field is automatically populated with a title of a telephone caller when a call is received at an interactive voice response server coupled to the customer service agent computer and forwarded to a customer service agent, wherein the title of the telephone caller is determined based at least partially on a pitch of a voice of the telephone caller.

27. The graphical user interface of claim 26, fine comprising a name field, wherein the name field is automatically populated with a name of the telephone caller when the call is forwarded to the customer service agent computer.

28. The graphical user interface of claim 27, further comprising an address field, wherein the address field is automatically populated with an address of the telephone caller when the call is forwarded to the customer service agent computer.

29. The graphical user interface of claim 28, further comprising an account number field, wherein the account number field is automatically populated with an account number for the telephone caller when the call is forwarded to the customer service agent computer.

30. The graphical user interface of claim 29, further comprising an account type field, wherein the account type field is automatically populated with a type of an account of the telephone caller when the call is forwarded to the customer service agent computer.