Method and apparatus for enabling interaction between callers with calls positioned in a queue

• US 6,125,178 A
• Filed: 09/22/1999
• Issued: 09/26/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 04/11/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Inventor Holdings LLC (Walker Innovation Inc. (f/k/a Patent Properties, Inc.))
• Original Assignee: Walker Digital LLC (Walker Innovation Inc. (f/k/a Patent Properties, Inc.))
• Inventors: Sparico, Thomas M., Jorasch, James A., Walker, Jay S.
• Primary Examiner(s): SMITH, CREIGHTON H
• Application Number:
  US09/401,471
• Time in Patent Office: 370 Days
• Field of Search: 379/265, 379/266, 379/309, 379/67.1, 379/201, 379/202
• US Class Current: 379/211.01
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/2011 Service processing based on information specified by a party before or during a call, e.g. information, tone or routing selection
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/20 with means for interrupting existing connections; with means for breaking-in on conversations
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42221 Conversation recording systems at the subscriber's set H04M1/656
• 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 3/523 with call distribution or queueing
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/56 Arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities video conference systems H04N7/15
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/569 using the instant speaker's algorithm speech detection per se G10L25/78

Abstract

The call handling system incorporating the invention is directed at: queuing a call when no agent is available to service the call; giving the caller an option to monitor (but not participate in) other caller conversations with similar queries, or to listen to recorded calls involving similar queries; querying a database using collected initial information as a search key(s) to retrieve a similar call currently being serviced or a recorded call; and connecting the caller to a communication channel to allow the monitoring of a call while not losing place in the queue for a next available agent. In a further embodiment of the invention, the caller is given a further option to enter a "chat room" where callers having like problems can converse until an agent becomes available.

Claims

1. A method of processing a telephone call from a first caller to a call center, the telephone call from the first caller being placed in a telephone call queue, comprising:

offering the first caller an option to participate in a conversation involving a second caller, the second caller having also placed a telephone call to the call center; and

arranging for the first caller to participate in the conversation involving the second caller.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first caller participates in the conversation by listening to the conversation.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the conversation comprises an in-progress call between the second caller and an agent associated with the call center.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the conversation comprises a recorded call between the second caller and an agent associated with the call center.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the conversation comprises a conversation between the first caller and the second caller.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining a subject associated with the telephone call from the first caller,

wherein said arranging comprises arranging for the first caller to participate in a conversation associated with the subject.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein said determination is performed by at least one of:

(i) an agent associated with the call center;

(ii) a voice response unit; and

(iii) an interactive voice response unit.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

when an agent associated with the call center becomes available, arranging for the first caller to be connected to the agent.

9. A call center device for processing a telephone call from a first caller to a call center, the telephone call from the first caller being placed in a telephone call queue, comprising:

a processor; and

a storage device coupled to said processor and storing instructions adapted to be executed by said processor to;

offer the first caller an option to participate in a conversation involving a second caller, the second caller having also placed a telephone call to the call center; and

arrange for the first caller to participate in the conversation involving the second caller.

10. The call center device of claim 9, wherein the first caller participates in the conversation by listening to the conversation.

11. The call center device of claim 9, wherein the conversation comprises an in-progress call between the second caller and an agent associated with the call center.

12. The call center device of claim 9, wherein the conversation comprises a recorded call between the second caller and an agent associated with the call center.

13. The call center device of claim 9, wherein the conversation comprises a conversation between the first caller and t he second caller.

14. The call center device of claim 9, wherein said storage device further stores instructions adapted to be executed by said processor to:

determine a subject associated with the telephone call from the first caller,

wherein said processor arranges for the first caller to participate in a conversation associated with the subject.

15. The call center device of claim 14, wherein the determination is performed by at least one of:

(i) an agent associated with the call center;

(ii) a voice response unit; and

(iii) an interactive voice response unit.

16. The call center device of claim 9, wherein said storage device further stores instructions adapted to be executed by said processor to:

when an agent associated with the call center becomes available, arrange for the first caller to be connected to the agent.

17. The call center device of claim 9, wherein said storage device further stores a call database.

18. The call center device of claim 9, wherein said storage device further stores an agent database.

19. The call center device of claim 9, wherein said storage device further stores a recorded call archives database.

20. The call center device of claim 9, wherein said storage device further stores a routing database.

21. A medium storing instructions adapted to be executed by a processor to perform a method of processing a telephone call from a first caller to a call center, the telephone call from the first caller being placed in a telephone call queue, said method comprising:

offering the first caller an option to participate in a conversation involving a second caller, the second caller having also placed a telephone call to the call center; and

arranging for the first caller to participate in the conversation involving the second caller.

22. The medium of claim 21, wherein the first caller participates in the conversation by listening to the conversation.

23. The medium of claim 21, wherein the conversation comprises an in-progress call between the second caller and an agent associated with the call center.

24. The medium of claim 21, wherein the conversation comprises a recorded call between the second caller and an agent associated with the call center.

25. The medium of claim 21, wherein the conversation comprises a conversation between the first caller and the second caller.

26. The medium of claim 21, said method further comprising:

determining a subject associated with the telephone call from the first caller,

wherein said arranging comprises arranging for the first caller to participate in a conversation associated with the subject.

27. The medium of claim 26, wherein said determination is performed by at least one of:

(i) an agent associated with the call center;

(ii) a voice response unit; and

(iii) an interactive voice response unit.

28. The medium of claim 21, said method further comprising:

when an agent associated with the call center becomes available, arranging for the first caller to be connected to the agent.

29. A computer-readable medium that stores data accessible by a program executable on a data processing system, the data being organized according to a data structure that includes:

a first caller data object representing a first caller who placed a telephone call to a call center, the telephone call being placed in a telephone call queue; and

a conversation data object representing a conversation involving a second caller,

wherein an option to participate in the conversation is offered to the first caller and an arrangement is made for the first caller to participate in the conversation.

30. A call center system for processing a telephone call from a first caller to a call center, the telephone call from the first caller being placed in a telephone call queue, comprising:

means for offering the first caller an option to participate in a conversation involving a second caller, the second caller having also placed a telephone call to the call center; and

means for arranging for the first caller to participate in the conversation involving the second caller.

31. A method of processing a telephone call from a first caller to a call center, the telephone call from the first caller being placed in a telephone call queue, comprising:

a step for offering the first caller an option to participate in a conversation involving a second caller, the second caller having also placed a telephone call to the call center; and

a step for arranging for the first caller to participate in the conversation involving the second caller.

32. A method of processing a telephone call from a first caller to a call center, the telephone call from the first caller being placed in a telephone call queue, comprising:

offering the first caller an option to participate in a conversation involving a second caller;

receiving an identifier from the first caller;

selecting, based on the received identifier, a conversation involving a second caller;

arranging for the first caller to participate in the selected conversation;

receiving an indication from the first caller of a desire to participate in a different conversation; and

arranging for the first caller to participate in the different conversation.