Method and apparatus for creating specialized multimedia threads in a multimedia communication center

• US 6,167,395 A
• Filed: 10/29/1998
• Issued: 12/26/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 09/11/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Alcatel-Lucent SA (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Genesys Telecommunications Laboratories Incorporated (Genesys Cloud Services Incorporated)
• Inventors: Beck, Christopher Clemmett Macleod, Mitchell, Robin Marie, Sidell, Mark Franklin, Powers, James Karl, Knuff, Charles Dazler, Berke, Jonathan Michael, Johnstone, Joel A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Coulter, Kenneth R.
• Application Number:
  US09/183,390
• Time in Patent Office: 789 Days
• Field of Search: 707/6, 707/3, 707/1
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/40 of multimedia data, e.g. slideshows comprising image and additional audio data retrieval of still image data G06F16/50; retrieval of audio data G06F16/60; retrieval of video data G06F16/70
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/00 Network arrangements or protocols for supporting network services or applications user-to-user messaging H04L51/00; network arrangements, protocols or services for supporting real-time applications in data packet communications networks H04L65/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/14 Session management for real-time applications in data packet communications networks H04L65/1066
• 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: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/38 Displays
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/40 using speech recognition speech recognition per se G10L15/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/42 Graphical user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/60 Medium conversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/2218 Call detail recording
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42221 Conversation recording systems at the subscriber's set H04M1/656
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42323 PBX's with CTI arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4938 comprising a voice browser which renders and interprets, e.g. VoiceXML
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/51 Centralised call answering arrangements requiring operator intervention , e.g. call or contact centers for telemarketing
• 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 3/5175 Call or contact centers supervision arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5183 : Call or contact centers with computer-telephony arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5191 : interacting with the Internet
• 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 7/12 : for working between exchanges having different types of switching equipment, e.g. power-driven and step by step or decimal and non-decimal
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/80 : Management or planning
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 : Query processing, i.e. searching

Abstract

In a multimedia call center (MMCC) supporting multiple channels and forms of communication and storing call center transactions in a data repository, a threading software application has a programming input for a user to enter association criteria, an access function that accesses at least stored data in the data repository, a search function that searches accessed data for association criteria, and notes those data entities that meet the association criteria; and a display function that display at least indicators of data entities meeting the association criteria. The threading application serves as a research toll for mining data repositories of the call center for information pertinent to business goals of the enterprise hosting the call center. IN some embodiments the application is capable of associating transactions occurring real time as well as stored data.

Claims

1. In a multimedia call center (MMCC) supporting multiple channels and forms of communication and storing call center transactions in a data repository, a threading software application, comprising:

a programming input for a user to enter association criteria;

an access function that accesses at least stored data in the data repository;

a search function that searches accessed data for association criteria, and notes those data entities that meet the association criteria; and

a display function that displays at least indicators of data entities meeting the association criteria.

2. The application of claim 1 wherein the display function displays icons for data entities, the icons arranged in threads or tree structures.

3. The application of claim 2 wherein the icons are interactive icons that, being selected, invoke and render the data associated with the icon.

4. The application of claim 1 wherein the association criteria comprises individual and combinations of key words, phrases, text strings, date of occurrence, time of occurrence, media type, participant characteristics, duration of interaction, and participant initiation.

5. The application of claim 1 wherein the access function allows access to stored data and also an ability to monitor transactions occurring in real time.

6. The application of claim 5 wherein the real time transactions comprise connection-oriented switched telephony (COST) calls, data network telephony (DNT) calls, including Internet Protocol (IP) calls, facsimiles, e-mails, voice mails, and WEB document interactions.

7. The application of claim 1 further comprising a programmable alert function that alerts one or more of persons associated with the MMCC according to programmed alert criteria.

8. In a multimedia call center (MMCC) supporting multiple channels and forms of communication and storing call center transactions in a data repository, a method for conducting data research, comprising steps of:

(a) determining association criteria for relating data entities according to a research need;

(b) accessing the data repository to search stored data for conformance to the determined association criteria;

(c) searching the accessed data entities for match to the association criteria; and

(d) displaying indicators of data entities that match the association criteria.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein in step (d) the display function displays icons for data entities, the icons arranged in threads or tree structures.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein in step (d) the icons displayed are interactive icons that, being selected, invoke and render the data associated with the icon.

11. The method of claim 8 wherein in step (a) the association criteria comprises individual and combinations of key words, phrases, text strings, date of occurrence, time of occurrence, media type, participant characteristics, duration of interaction, and participant initiation.

12. The method of claim 8 wherein in step (b) the access function allows access to stored data and also an ability to monitor transactions occurring in real time.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein in step (b) the real time transactions comprise connection-oriented switched telephony (COST) calls, data network telephony (DNT) calls, including Internet Protocol (IP) calls, facsimiles, e-mails, voice mails, and WEB document interactions.

14. The method of claim 8 further comprising a step for alerting one or more of persons associated with the MMCC according to programmed alert criteria.