ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE ASSISTED LIVE AGENT CHAT SYSTEM

• US 20090245500A1
• Filed: 03/26/2008
• Published: 10/01/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/26/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: USI Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: USI Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Wampler, Christopher
• Application Number:
  US12/055,596
• Publication Number:
  US 20090245500A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/265.90
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42382 Text-based messaging services in telephone networks such as PSTN/ISDN, e.g. User-to-User Signalling or Short Message Service for fixed networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5191 interacting with the Internet
• 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

Abstract

An artificial intelligence (AI)-assisted live agent chat system allows a single live agent to handle an increased number of simultaneous chat sessions by having an AI system handle the bulk of common, repeat questions. The AI system will allow the live agent to focus his or her attention on the few chat sessions needing unique service and will effectively lower the cost of supporting chat sessions. The server-side technology uses an AI-engine as ell as a live agent backend interface for a site to deliver live-agent experience without the customer having to know whether the answer is from the AI system or from the live agent.

Claims

1. A method for assisting a live agent in interacting with customer inquiries through a network chat messaging system for a website comprising:

detecting a customer interaction with the website;

determining whether an automated response system is enabled to respond to the customer interaction, the automated response system being capable of interacting with the customer through the network chat messaging system using an artificial intelligence (AI) system; and

,

notifying the live agent regarding the customer interaction upon determining the automated response system is disabled.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising responding to the customer interaction upon determining the automated response system is enabled.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a response message from the live agent based on the customer interaction; and

sending the response message to the customer using the network chat messaging system.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the detected customer interaction is comprised of at least one of a chat message from the customer, a request to initiate a chat session, and a predetermined interaction between the customer and the website.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the AI system comprises a database and wherein the method further comprising performing a search in the database to determine a proposed response to the customer interaction.

6. The method of claim 5 further comprising:

providing the proposed response to the live agent, and

receiving a command from the live agent based on the proposed response wherein the command comprising at least one of editing the proposed response, and transmitting a live agent response based on the proposed response to the customer.

7. The method of claim 5, further comprising disabling the automatic automated response system based on a match with a predetermined condition during the search of the database.

8. The method of claim 5. Wherein the proposed response is a predetermined phrase relevant to the detected customer interaction.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising disabling the automated response system based on a command from the live agent.

10. A computer interface for a live agent to interact with a plurality of customers through a network chat messaging system having an artificial intelligence (AI) system for interacting with each customer in the plurality of customers, the computer interface comprising:

a list of live chat sessions being monitored by the live agent the list comprising a chat session status indicator; and

a chat session interface for monitoring the AI system and interacting with at least one customer in the plurality of customers comprising;

a live agent message input field;

a live agent message display; and

an AI system proposed response display, for displaying proposed responses generated by the AI system.

11. The computer interface of claim 10 the chat session status indicator comprises at least one of an attention needed status, a fully-automated status, and a timer measuring the elapsed time of an interaction between the customer and the live agent.

12. The computer interface of claim 10, further comprising an alert system for alerting the live agent when input from the live agent is needed during an interaction with a customer.

13. The computer interface of claim 10, further comprising an AI system toggle for manipulating an operation of the AI system from a full automated response mode, wherein the AI system will interact with a customer without the intervention of the live agent, to a manual response mode, wherein the live agent will participate in an interaction with the customer.

14. The computer interface of claim 10, wherein proposed responses are generated by the AI system using a search of a database for matches based on a customer input.

15. The computer interface of claim 10, further comprising a propose response selector for allowing the live agent to select at least one of the proposed responses.

16. The computer interface of claim 10, further comprising a chat session re-pool interface for re-pooling at least one live chat session in the list of live chat sessions.

17. A computer program product for assisting a live agent in interacting with customer inquiries through a network chat messaging system for a website comprising:

a computer readable medium comprising codes executable to;

detect a customer interaction with the website;

determine whether an automated response system is enabled to respond to the customer interaction, the automated response system being capable of interacting with the customer through the network chat messaging system using an artificial intelligence (AI) system; and

,

notify the live agent regarding the customer interaction upon determining the automated response system is disabled.

18. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein the computer readable medium further comprising codes executable to respond to the customer interaction upon determining the automated response system is enabled.

19. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein the computer readable medium further comprising codes executable to:

receive a response message from the live agent based on the customer interaction; and

send the response message to the customer using the network chat messaging system.

20. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein the detected customer interaction is comprised of at least one of a chat message from the customer, a request to initiate a chat session, and a predetermined interaction between the customer and the website.

21. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein the AI system comprises a database and wherein the computer readable medium further comprising codes executable to perform a search in the database to determine a proposed response to the customer interaction.

22. The computer program product of claim 21, wherein the computer readable medium further comprising codes executable to:

provide the proposed response to the live agent, and

receive a command from the live agent based on the proposed response, wherein the command comprising at least one of editing the proposed response, and transmitting a live agent response based on the proposed response to the customer.

23. The computer program product of claim 21, wherein the computer readable medium further comprising codes executable to disable the automatic automated response system based on a match with a predetermined condition during the search of the database.

24. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein the proposed response is a predetermined phrase relevant to the detected customer interaction.

25. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein the computer readable medium further comprising codes executable to disable the automated response system based on a command from the live agent.