System and method for virtual interactive response unit

• US 6,587,558 B2
• Filed: 01/29/2001
• Issued: 07/01/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 01/29/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Immequire LLC
• Original Assignee: Immequire LLC
• Inventors: Lo, William
• Primary Examiner(s): Matar, Ahmad F.
• Assistant Examiner(s): AL AUBAIDI, RASHA S
• Application Number:
  US09/772,342
• Publication Number:
  US 20020101978A1
• Time in Patent Office: 883 Days
• Field of Search: 379/266.09, 379/265.09, 379/88.04, 379/88.05
• US Class Current: 379/265.09
• 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 3/5125 with remote located operators
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5183 Call or contact centers with computer-telephony arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/128 Details of addressing, directories or routing tables

Abstract

A virtual interactive response (VIR) system mimics and enhances interactive voice response (IVR) technology by using humans to drive the voice recognition unit (VRU) speech recognition functionality. This VIR system initiates a dialogue with the customer by prompting the customer with an initial welcoming message. Calls from a customer are initially made in a first region having high labor costs, but are then directed to an overseas location using voice over Internet protocol (VOIP) or other voice communications technology. The calls are then directed to an appropriate human agent at the overseas location who then listens to the customer'"'"'s query and makes a decision on how to respond to the customer.

Claims

1. A method of producing a routed telephone call within a call center, the method comprising:

receiving an audio transmission in a voice over Internet Protocol format at an operator station via a network, the operator station being located in a different country than the call center;

obtaining a human judgment of an appropriate call routing option based on the content of the audio transmission; and

transmitting a call routing command signal via the network to the call center wherefrom the audio transmission originated;

wherein a telephone call received at the call center originating the audio transmission is routed within the call center based on the call routing command signal.

2. The method of producing a routed telephone call, as recited in claim 1, wherein the call center is operated by an entity selected from the group consisting of:

a for-profit business entity, a non-profit business entity, a governmental entity, a charitable entity, and an international pan-governmental entity.

3. A method of producing a routed telephone call, the method comprising:

receiving a one-way audio transmission at an operator station via a network;

obtaining a human judgment made by an operator at the operator station of an appropriate call routing option based on the content of the one-way audio transmission; and

transmitting a call routing command signal via the network to a call center wherefrom the one-way audio transmission originated;

wherein a telephone call received at the call center that originated the one-way audio transmission is routed based on the call routing command signal.

4. The method of producing a routed telephone call, as recited in claim 3, wherein the received one-way audio transmission is in a voice over Internet Protocol format.

5. The method of producing a routed telephone call, as recited in claim 3, wherein the received one-way audio transmission is in the format of a recorded voice signal.

6. A method of screening telephone calls, the method comprising:

receiving a telephone call at a call center;

transmitting a one-way audio transmission, derived from the received telephone call, via network to a remote screening facility; and

routing the received telephone call within the call center based on a screening command signal received from an operator at the remote screening facility.

7. The method of screening telephone calls, as recited in claim 6, wherein the transmitted one-way audio transmission is in a voice over Internet Protocol format.

8. The method of screening telephone calls, as recited in claim 6, wherein the transmitted one-way audio transmission is in the format of a recorded voice signal.

9. An operator station for routing telephone call within a call center, the operator station comprising:

a processor;

a memory in addressable communication with the processor, the memory bearing software instructions adapted to enable the processor to cause the operator station to perform the actions of;

receiving an audio transmission in a voice over Internet Protocol format at the operator station via a network, the operator station being located in a different country than the call center;

obtaining a human judgment of an appropriate call routing option based on the content of the audio transmission; and

transmitting a call routing command signal via the network to the call center wherefrom the audio transmission originated;

wherein a telephone call received at the call center originating the audio transmission is routed within the call center based on the call routing command signal.

10. An operator station for routing a telephone call, the operator station comprising:

a processor;

a memory in addressable communication with the processor, the memory bearing software instructions adapted to enable the processor to cause the operator station to perform the actions of;

receiving a one-way audio transmission at the operator station via a network;

obtaining a human judgment made by an operator at the operator station of an appropriate call routing option based on the content of the one-way audio transmission; and

transmitting a call routing command signal via the network to a call center wherefrom the one-way audio transmission originated;

wherein a telephone call received at the call center that originated the one-way audio transmission is routed based on the call routing command signal.

11. The operator station for routing a telephone call as recited in claim 10, wherein the received one-way audio transmission is in a voice over Internet Protocol format.

12. The operator station for routing a telephone call as recited in claim 10, wherein the received one-way audio transmission is in the format of a recorded voice signal.

13. An apparatus for screening telephone calls, the apparatus comprising:

a processor;

a memory in addressable communication with the processor, the memory bearing software instructions adapted to enable the processor to cause the apparatus to perform the actions of;

receiving a telephone call at a call center;

transmitting a one-way audio transmission, derived from the received telephone call, via network to a remote screening facility; and

routing the received telephone call within the call center based on a screening command signal received from an operator at the remote screening facility.

14. The apparatus for screening telephone calls as recited in claim 13, wherein the transmitted one-way audio transmission is in a voice over Internet Protocol format.

15. The apparatus for screening telephone calls as recited in claim 13, wherein the transmitted one-way audio transmission is in the format of a recorded voice signal.

16. A directory assistance apparatus comprising:

a processor;

a memory in addressable communication with the processor, the memory bearing software instructions adapted to enable the processor to cause the directory assistance apparatus to perform the actions of;

receiving a telephone call from a calling party;

transmitting a one-way audio transmission, derived from the received telephone call, via network to a remote screening facility; and

providing the calling party with a telephone number based on a screening command signal received from an operator at the remote screening facility.

17. The directory assistance apparatus as recited in claim 16, wherein the transmitted one-way audio transmission is in a voice over Internet Protocol format.

18. The directory assistance apparatus as recited in claim 16, wherein the transmitted one-way audio transmission is in the format of a recorded voice signal.

19. A method of screening telephone calls, the method comprising:

receiving a telephone call at a call center;

transmitting a one-way audio transmission, containing natural language content from the received telephone call, via network to a remote screening facility; and

routing the received telephone call within the call center based on a screening command signal received from an operator hearing the natural language content at the remote screening facility.