System, method and software program for enabling communications between customer service agents and users of communication devices

• US 20090164214A1
• Filed: 12/21/2007
• Published: 06/25/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nuance Communications, Inc. (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Baciu, Assaf, Stone, Kevin M., Winarsky, David A.
• Granted Patent: US 9,386,154 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 704/235
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 13/00 Speech synthesis; Text to speech systems
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/26 Speech to text systems G10L15/08 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/39 using speech synthesis speech synthesis per se G10L13/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/40 using speech recognition speech recognition per se G10L15/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/60 Medium conversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/2061 Language aspects
• 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 3/5191 interacting with the Internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5322 for recording text messages

Abstract

The present invention provides a system, method and software application for enabling a customer service agent to efficiently communicate with users of a communication device. When a user enters speech input into his communication device, the speech is converted to text, and the text is displayed to the customer service agent on the agent'"'"'s computer screen. Alternately, the user'"'"'s speech input is provided to the customer service agent in the form of an audio file. The agent types a response, and the agent'"'"'s response is provided to the user on the user'"'"'s communication device. The agent'"'"'s response may be converted to speech and played to the user, and/or the agent'"'"'s response may be displayed as text on the display screen of the user'"'"'s communication device.

Claims

1. A method for enabling communication between a user of a communication device and a customer service agent, the method comprising:

receiving speech input on a communication device from a user for a customer service agent;

converting the speech input into text;

sending the text to a customer service agent;

receiving a text response from the customer service agent; and

converting the text from the customer service agent to speech and playing the speech to the user.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

in addition to playing the speech to the user, displaying the text from the customer service agent to the user on the user'"'"'s communication device.

3. A method for enabling a customer service agent to engage in simultaneous communication sessions with a plurality of users, wherein each user is using a communication device, the method comprising:

receiving a plurality of requests to open a communication session with a customer service agent, wherein each request comes from a different user desiring to communicate with a customer service agent;

for each eligible user requesting to open a communication session with a customer service agent, identifying a customer service agent that is available to engage in a communication session with the user, wherein a single customer service agent may engage in multiple communication sessions simultaneously;

for each eligible user requesting to open a communication session with a customer service agent, opening up a communication session between the user and an available customer service agent;

during each communication session between a user and a customer service agent, enabling the user to enter speech input for the customer service agent, wherein the speech is then converted to text and provided to the customer service agent in the form of text; and

during each communication session between a user and a customer service agent, receiving a response from the customer service agent, and providing the response to the user.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the response from the customer service agent is provided to the user in the form of speech.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the response from the customer service agent is provided to the user in the form of text.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein the response from the customer service agent is provided in the form of speech and text.

7. A method for enabling communication between a user of a communication device and a customer service agent, the method comprising:

receiving speech input on a communication device from a user for a customer service agent;

determining whether an automated response can be provided to the user;

in response to determining that an automated response can be provided to the user, providing an automated response to the user;

in response to determining that an automated response cannot be provided to the user, performing the following;

converting the speech input into text;

sending the text to a customer service agent;

receiving a text response from the customer service agent; and

converting the text from the customer service agent to speech and playing the speech to the user.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

in addition to playing the speech to the user, displaying the text from the customer service agent to the user on the user'"'"'s communication device.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the automated response is provided to the user in the form of speech.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the automated response is provided to the user in the form of text.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein the automated response is provided to the user in the form of text and speech.

12. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing a method for enabling a customer service agent to engage in simultaneous communication sessions with a plurality of users, wherein each user is using a communication device, the method comprising:

receiving a plurality of requests to open a communication session with a customer service agent, wherein each request comes from a different user desiring to communicate with a customer service agent;

for each eligible user requesting to open a communication session with a customer service agent, identifying a customer service agent that is available to engage in a communication session with the user, wherein a single customer service agent may engage in multiple communication sessions simultaneously;

for each eligible user requesting to open a communication session with a customer service agent, opening up a communication session between the user and an available customer service agent;

during each communication session between a user and a customer service agent, receiving a text translation of a user'"'"'s speech input and providing the text translation to the customer service agent; and

during each communication session between a user and a customer service agent, receiving a response from the customer service agent, and providing the response to the user'"'"'s communication device.

13. The computer-readable medium of claim 12, wherein the customer service agent provides a text response and the communication device converts the text response to speech and plays the speech to the user.

14. The computer-readable medium of claim 13, wherein the communication device also displays the text response to the user.

15. The computer-readable medium of claim 12, wherein the customer service agent records a speech response in an audio file, and communication device plays the audio file to the user.

16. The computer-readable medium of claim 12, further comprising also providing the customer service agent with an audio file of the user'"'"'s speech input.

17. The computer-readable of claim 12, wherein, during a communication session, a user can communicate with a plurality of customer service agents.

18. A method for enabling communication between a user of a communication device and a customer service agent, the method comprising:

receiving speech input on a communication device from a user for a customer service agent;

recording the speech input as an audio file;

providing the audio file a customer service agent;

receiving a text response from the customer service agent; and

displaying the text response on the user'"'"'s communication device.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

converting the agent'"'"'s text response to speech and playing the speech to the user in addition to displaying the text on the user'"'"'s communication device.

20. A method for enabling communication between a user of a communication device and a customer service agent, the method comprising:

receiving speech input on a communication device from a user for a customer service agent;

converting the speech input into text;

providing the text to a customer service agent;

recording a speech response from the customer service agent in an audio file;

sending the audio file to the user'"'"'s communication device; and

playing the customer service agent'"'"'s speech response to the user.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

converting the customer service agent'"'"'s speech response to text and displaying the text to the user in addition to playing the customer service agent'"'"'s speech response.