Message delivery system

• US 6,430,271 B1
• Filed: 02/20/1998
• Issued: 08/06/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 02/20/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Aspect Communications Corporation (Alvaria Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Aspect Communications Corporation (Alvaria Incorporated)
• Inventors: DeJesus, Jose Antonio, Hoskin, Elizabeth Anne, Hagan, Gerard T. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): WEAVER, SCOTT LOUIS
• Application Number:
  US09/026,863
• Time in Patent Office: 1,628 Days
• Field of Search: 379/127, 379/142, 379/265, 379/266, 379/309, 379/88.19, 379/88.2, 379/88.21, 379/88.22, 379/88.29, 379/265.13, 379/265.01, 379/265.02, 379/265.12, 379/265.07, 379/127.01, 379/127.06, 379/142.01, 379/142.06, 379/142.07
• US Class Current: 379/88.22
• 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 and apparatus is disclosed that generates a message in response to an inquiry. The present invention generates such a message by applying the inquiry to a data table contained within a receiving device, wherein a call identifier is associated with the inquiry. An agent is then selected from an agent group corresponding to the call identifier. The call identifier is then supplied to an interface message device, wherein an agent message associated with the selected agent is chosen from an agent message database based upon the call identifier. The agent message is then supplied to the source of the inquiry.

Claims

1. A method of generating a message in response to an inquiry, said method including:

applying said inquiry to a data table contained within a receiving device and associating a call identifier with said inquiry;

selecting an agent from an agent group corresponding to said call identifier;

supplying said call identifier to an interface message device, and selecting an agent message, associated with said selected agent, from an agent message database based upon said call identifier; and

supplying said selected agent message to a source of said inquiry,

wherein said agent message database contains a plurality of individual message sets associated with a plurality of individual agents, respectively, at a centralized location, each individual message set being recorded in a voice of an associated agent, and wherein said selected agent message is selected at said centralized location from an individual message set associated with said selected agent and wherein said call identifier is associated with said inquiry based upon a determined inquiry type.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said selecting of said agent is based upon a correlation between said call identifier and at least one attribute associated with said agent.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said interface message device is external to said receiving device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein any message in said individual message sets can be altered at said central location.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said agent message database is accessible only by select authorization.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said selected agent is connected to said source of inquiry after said selecting of an agent from an agent group corresponding to said call identifier.

7. A method of generating a message in response to an inquiry, said method including:

applying said message to a data table contained within a receiving device, and associating a call identifier with said message;

selecting a communication port corresponding to said call identifier;

determining an agent associated with said communication port;

supplying said call identifier to an interface message device, and selecting an agent message, associated with said determined agent, from an agent message database based upon said call identifier; and

,

supplying said agent message to a source of said inquiry,

wherein said agent message database contains a plurality of individual message sets associated with a plurality of individual agents, respectively, at a centralized location, each individual message set being recorded in a voice of an associated agent, and wherein said selected agent message is selected at said centralized location from an individual message set associated with said determined agent and wherein said call identifier is associated with said inquiry based upon a determined inquiry type.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein said selecting of said communication port is based upon a correlation between said call identifier and at least one attribute associated with said communication port.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein said interface message device is external to said receiving device.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein said agent message database is accessible only by select authorization.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein any message in said individual message sets can be altered at said central location.

12. The method of claim 7, wherein said determined agent connected to said source of inquiry after said determining of an agent associated with said communication port.

13. The method of claim 7, wherein different agents may be interchangeably associated with said communication ports.

14. A method of selecting a message in response to an inquiry, said method including:

receiving a call identifier associated with said inquiry, wherein said call identifier contains an agent identifier and indicates an inquiry type associated with said inquiry;

selecting an agent message associated with said agent identifier from an agent message database based upon said call identifier, wherein said agent message database contains a plurality of agent messages (1) associated with said agent identifier and (2) recorded in a voice of an agent associated with said agent identifier; and

providing said selected agent message from said agent message database to a transaction processing system,

wherein said agent message database contains a plurality of individual message sets associated with a plurality of individual agent identifiers at a centralized location.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein said selecting of said agent message is based upon a correlation between said call identifier and at least one attribute associated with said agent identifier.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein any message in said individual message sets can be altered at said centralized location.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein said agent message database is accessible only by select authorization.

19. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein any message is said message database can be altered at said central location.

18. A message selection apparatus comprising:

a message database to contain a plurality of messages associated with a plurality of agents, wherein each message is recorded in a voice of the associated agent; and

a message selection device to select a message at said message database from said plurality of messages based upon an identifier, wherein said message associated with a selected agent is supplied to a transaction processing system,

wherein said message database is maintained within a centralized location and said identifier indicates an inquiry type of an inquiry associated with said identifier.

20. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein said agent message database is accessible only by select authorization.

21. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein said message selection device selects a message based upon a correlation between said identifier and select attributes associated with an agent.

22. A message selection apparatus comprising:

a transactional processing system to receive an inquiry, wherein a call identifier and an agent identifier are associated with said inquiry; and

an interface message device to receive said call identifier and said agent identifier, wherein an agent message associated with said agent identifier is selected from an agent message database based upon said call identifier, said agent message database being maintained at a centralized location and containing a plurality of messages (1) associated with said agent identifier and (2) recorded in a voice of an agent associated with said agent identifier,

wherein said call identifier indicates an inquiry type associated with said inquiry and wherein said agent message database contains a plurality of individual message sets associated with a plurality of individual agent identifiers at the centralized location.

23. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein said agent identifier is associated with said inquiry based upon a correlation between said call identifier and select attributes associated with an agent.

24. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein said interface message device is external to said transactional processing system.

25. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein any message in said agent message database can be altered at said centralized location.

26. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein said agent message database is accessible only by select authorization.