Correlating information between Internet and call center environments

• US 20070011337A1
• Filed: 09/14/2006
• Published: 01/11/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/23/1996
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Brown, Sanford, Grippa, Ronald, Danyluk, Oleh
• Granted Patent: US 8,019,876 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/227
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• 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 67/55 Push-based network services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/20 hybrid systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42102 Making use of the called party identifier
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42195 Arrangements for calling back a calling subscriber when the wanted subscriber ceases to be busy H04M3/48
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5191 interacting with the Internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5231 with call back arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/003 Click to dial services
• 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: H04Q 2213/13072 Sequence circuits for call signaling, ACD systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13091 CLI, identification of calling line
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13093 Personal computer, PC
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13152 Callback
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13175 Graphical user interface [GUI], WWW interface, visual indication
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13389 LAN, internet

Abstract

Coordination of information at the network-based level between call centers connectable over a telecommunications network, such as the telephone network, and a packet network, such as the Internet, creates improved integration of and bonding between a customer'"'"'s interaction with a Web site and with a call center. Information about the customer and the customer'"'"'s Web interaction are delivered to the call center agent along with the call, leading to increased productivity and efficiency in call handling as well as improved call routing. Calls may be routed to existing call centers based upon information from the Web experience, and information from the user'"'"'s Web interaction is shared with the call center. Web interaction information is passed to existing call centers using known call center external control methods, such as DNIS signaling. Information about the Web experience may also be “whispered” to the call center agent, and an agent may “push” Web pages for review by the customer. As a result, customer acquisition and sales tools more powerful than a mere click-to-callback tool can be made available with a combined marketing approach using the Web and call centers.

Claims

1-52. -52. (canceled)

53. A network services platform coupled to both a packet network and a telecommunications network for correlating information between a call center associated with a subscriber and a packet network linked to an on-going interactive Web-based communication session with a user, the network services platform comprising

a processing unit for translating the packet network-based information into call set-up information associated with the subscriber'"'"'s call center and for translating DTMF tone sequences from the call center into “

page push”

commands to be forwarded over packet network to the subscriber'"'"'s Web site; and

a telecommunications unit coupled to the telecommunications network for transmitting the received information to the call center and establishing a telecommunications session between the user and the call center over the telecommunication network, the network services platform maintaining a continued association between the user and the packet network through the on-going interactive Web-based communication session during the telecommunications session and pushing the at least one of the plurality of web pages corresponding to the page push command during the telecommunications communication session.

54. The network services platform as defined in claim 53 wherein the processing unit further comprises

a database including a call set-up translation table associating a plurality of different characteristics of on-going interactive Web-based communications with a plurality of different call set-up DTMF tone sequences for different subscribers.

55. The system as defined in claim 54 wherein the database further comprises a page push translation table associating a plurality of different DTMF tone sequences with a plurality of Web pages to be pushed to different users over the packet network.