PERSONALIZING COMMUNICATIONS SERVICES USING ENVIRONMENTAL DATA

• US 20160119476A1
• Filed: 01/06/2016
• Published: 04/28/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.), AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.), AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: STINE, Ted, SPEENEY, Joseph Anthony
• Granted Patent: US 9,560,201 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/02 using automatic reactions or user delegation, e.g. automatic replies or chatbot-generated messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• 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: H04M 2203/357 Autocues for dialog assistance
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/551 Call history recording a computer conference H04L12/1831
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/555 Statistics, e.g. about subscribers but not being call statistics
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42068 where the identifier is used to access a profile
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42357 where the information is provided to a monitoring entity such as a potential calling party or a call processing server
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/493 Interactive information services, e.g. directory enquiries ; Arrangements therefor, e.g. interactive voice response [IVR] systems or voice portals
• 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 3/5183 Call or contact centers with computer-telephony arrangements

Abstract

A method for personalizing communication services includes setting a series of selectable options as a default for a system that provides personalized communication services. When a communication from an initiating party is received, a computer of the system automatically determines, based on environmental data provided for the communication independent of information provided by the initiating party during the communication, predictive information that predicts potential objectives potentially sought by the initiating party in initiating the communication. Probabilities are assigned, based on the predictive information, that selectable options will address the potential objectives. The default series of selectable options are dynamically updated based on the assigned probabilities. Communications with the initiating party are in accordance with a script that includes the dynamically updated series of selectable options.

Claims

1. A method for personalizing communication services, comprising:

setting, from a plurality of selectable options, a series of selectable options as a default for a system that provides personalized communication services;

receiving a communication from an initiating party;

automatically determining, by a computer of the system and based on environmental data provided for the communication independent of information provided by the initiating party during the communication, predictive information that predicts potential objectives potentially sought by the initiating party in initiating the communication;

assigning, based on the predictive information, probabilities that selectable options will address the potential objectives; and

dynamically updating the default series of selectable options to an updated series of selectable options based on the assigned probabilities,

wherein communications with the initiating party are in accordance with a script that includes the dynamically updated series of selectable options.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

obtaining, based on information provided during the communication, party data identifying the initiating party, and

obtaining, based on the party data, supplemental party data comprising information provided by the initiating party previous to the communication,

wherein the environmental data is determined based on the supplemental party data.

3. The method of claim 1,

wherein the environmental data includes data of a location of the initiating party, and

wherein the script is updated based on information known for the location.

4. The method of claim 3,

wherein the information known for the location is information obtained by a previous communication from another initiating party.

5. The method of claim 1,

wherein the checking environmental data comprises checking a purchase history for the initiating party, and

wherein the environmental data includes data of an item of the initiating party known from the purchase history

6. The method of claim 1,

wherein the dynamic updating is based on information known for the item known from the purchase history.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

assigning, based on the predictive information, probabilities that currently available agents will successfully address the potential objectives.

8. The method of claim 1,

wherein the communication with the initiating party is presented to the initiating party visually.

9. The method of claim 1,

wherein the dynamically updating comprises removing at least one selectable option from the script and adding at least one selectable option to the script.

10. The method of claim 1,

wherein the dynamically updating comprises changing a presentation order of at least one selectable option.

11. The method of claim 1,

wherein the script is updated also based on information obtained from a social media account of the initiating party, and

wherein the social media account is updated based on the communication.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

after the updated series of selectable options are presented to the initiating party and the initiating party makes a selection among the updated series of selectable options, again assigning, based on the predictive information, probabilities that selectable options will address the potential objectives; and

and dynamically updating the script to include selectable options based on the selection by the initiating party and the again assigned probabilities,

wherein communications with the initiating party are in accordance with a script that includes the dynamically updated series of selectable options.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing to the initiating party a profile of an agent that communicates with the initiating party in the communication.

14. The method of claim 1,

wherein the environmental data is obtained is obtained without any input from the initiating party in the communication, and comprises information obtained by a previous communication from another initiating party.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

automatically receiving, from a device used by the initiating party to initiate the communication, party data identifying the initiating party, and

obtaining supplemental party data comprising information provided by the initiating party previous to the communication.

16. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing the initiating party profiles of each of a plurality of agents that can communicate with the initiating party, and

providing the initiating party times when each of the plurality of agents will be available and an option to select any of the agents to schedule a communication.

17. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing the initiating party profiles of each of a plurality of agents that can communicate with the initiating party.

wherein a profile of each agent includes a subject matter specialization of the agent.

18. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing the initiating party profiles of each of a plurality of agents that can communicate with the initiating party,

wherein the profiles includes a profile of an agent with whom the initiating party has previously communicated.

19. A non-transitory computer readable medium that stores a set of executable instructions for personalizing communication services, the executable instructions, when executed by a processor, causing a computer to perform operations comprising:

setting, from a plurality of selectable options, a series of selectable options as a default for a system that provides personalized communication services;

receiving a communication from an initiating party;

automatically determining, by a computer of the system and based on environmental data provided for the communication independent of information provided by the initiating party during the communication, predictive information that predicts potential objectives potentially sought by the initiating party in initiating the communication;

assigning, based on the predictive information, probabilities that selectable options will address the potential objectives; and

dynamically updating the default series of selectable options to an updated series of selectable options based on the assigned probabilities,

wherein communications with the initiating party are in accordance with a script that includes the dynamically updated series of selectable options.

20. A computer platform of a system that executes executable instructions for personalizing communication services, the computer platform comprising:

memory; and

a processor,

wherein the processor executes the executable instructions, and the instructions, when executed, cause the computer platform to perform operations comprising;

setting, from a plurality of selectable options, a series of selectable options as a default for a system that provides personalized communication services;

receiving a communication from an initiating party;

automatically determining, by a computer of the system and based on environmental data provided for the communication independent of information provided by the initiating party during the communication, predictive information that predicts potential objectives potentially sought by the initiating party in initiating the communication;

assigning, based on the predictive information, probabilities that selectable options will address the potential objectives; and

dynamically updating the default series of selectable options to an updated series of selectable options based on the assigned probabilities,

wherein communications with the initiating party are in accordance with a script that includes the dynamically updated series of selectable options.