Method and system for processing telephone technical support

• US 20070127438A1
• Filed: 12/01/2005
• Published: 06/07/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/01/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Paden, Jonathan, Newman, Scott, Bearden, Eric, Roadman, John-Paul
• Application Number:
  US11/291,499
• Publication Number:
  US 20070127438A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/352
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42068 where the identifier is used to access a profile
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/487 Arrangements for providing information services, e.g. recorded voice services or time announcements
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0024 Services and arrangements where telephone services are combined with data services arrangements which combine a telephonic equipment and a computer H04M7/0012

Abstract

A system and method for processing telephone technical support is disclosed. The method and system monitor an authentication record comprising previous authentication attempts at a service provider, identify a user having at least one failed login attempt based upon the authentication record, monitor incoming telephone calls for a call from the user, and provide a response to the user related to an alternate login mechanism.

Claims

1. A method of processing support calls comprising:

monitoring an authentication record comprising previous authentication attempts at a service provider;

identifying a user having at least one failed login attempt based upon the authentication record;

monitoring incoming telephone calls for a call from the user; and

providing a response to the user related to an alternate login mechanism.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

accessing a user information record;

determining if the user is a current customer based upon the user information record; and

wherein providing the response further comprises the step of providing a response to the user based upon the determination of if the user is a current customer.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

placing a customer service representative in contact with the user; and

providing the authentication record and the user information record to the customer service representative.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of providing a pre-recorded message to the user based upon the authentication record and the user information record.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying the user further comprises the step of obtaining the user'"'"'s telephone number.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the step of obtaining the user'"'"'s telephone number further comprises the step of obtaining the user'"'"'s telephone number via a caller ID system.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein obtaining the user'"'"'s telephone number further comprises the step of obtaining the user'"'"'s telephone number by having the user manually enter the user'"'"'s telephone number.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the authentication record is a remote authentication dial-in user service (“

RADIUS”

) log.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the user information record is a lightweight directory access protocol (“

LDAP”

) record.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the service provider is an Internet service provider

12. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a a second storage device in communication with the processor, the second storage device having a user information record; and

the instructions further configure the processor access a user information record, determine if the user is a current customer based upon the user information record and providing a second response to the user based upon the determination of if the user is a current customer.

11. A system comprising:

a processor, the processor having instructions executable by the processor;

a first storage device in communication with the processor, the first storage device having an authentication record;

the instructions configuring the processor to monitor an authentication record comprising previous authentication attempts at a service provider, identify a user having at least one failed login attempt based upon the authentication record, monitor incoming telephone calls for a call from the user, and provide a response to the user related to an alternate login mechanism.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the authentication record is a remote authentication dial-in user service (“

RADIUS”

) log.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the user information record is a lightweight directory access protocol (“

LDAP”

) record.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein the service provider is an Internet service provider.

16. A computer readable medium storing a computer program, the computer readable medium comprising:

an authentication monitoring code segment that monitors an authentication record comprising previous authentication attempts at a service provider;

an identifying code segment that identifies a user having at least one failed login attempt based upon the authentication record;

a telephone monitoring code segment that monitors incoming telephone calls for a call from the user; and

a providing a response code segment that provides a response to the user related to an alternate login mechanism.

17. The computer readable medium of claim 16, further comprising a current customer code segment that determines if the user is a current customer based upon a user information record.

18. The computer readable medium of claim 16, wherein the authentication record is a remote authentication dial-in user service (“

RADIUS”

) log.

19. The computer readable medium of claim 16, wherein the user information record is a lightweight directory access protocol (“

LDAP”

) record.

20. The computer readable medium of claim 16, wherein the service provider is an Internet service provider.

21. A method for assisting a user, the method comprising:

providing a failed login attempt by a user to a service provider;

detecting a failed login attempt;

contacting the service provider via a telephone call by the user;

monitoring incoming telephone calls for the telephone call by the user; and

providing a response related to an alternate login mechanism.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising the steps of:

connecting a customer service representative to the user; and

providing an authentication record and a user information record to the customer service representative.

23. The method of claim 21, further comprising the step of providing a pre-recorded message to the user.

24. The method of claim 21, wherein the authentication record is a remote authentication dial-in user service (“

RADIUS”

) log.

25. The method of claim 21, wherein the user information record is a lightweight directory access protocol (“

LDAP”

) record.

26. The method of claim 21, wherein the service provider is an Internet service provider