Customer service operation using wav files

• US 6,640,210 B1
• Filed: 06/19/2000
• Issued: 10/28/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 11/12/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Realperson Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Realperson Incorporated
• Inventors: Schaefer, Frederick Anthony, Brashear, Paul Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): MCFADDEN, SUSAN IRIS
• Application Number:
  US09/596,488
• Time in Patent Office: 1,226 Days
• Field of Search: 704/235, 704/270, 704/275, 370/352, 370/356, 370/354, 705/1, 710/5, 709/217, 709/223, 709/201, 709/203, 379/88.14, 379/88.16, 379/88.17, 379/88.22, 379/88.09, 379/111, 379/67.1
• US Class Current: 704/235
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/26 Speech to text systems G10L15/08 takes precedence

Abstract

A customer service center includes a server connected to a computer network. The server contains a speech recognition system. An operator station is capable of connecting to the server. A microphone is connected to the operator station. A codec is connected to the microphone and the operator station.

Claims

1. A method of operating a customer service center, comprising the steps of:

a) receiving a request for service at a customer service center over a computer network from a user;

b) receiving a text based query at the customer service center;

c) responding verbally to the text based query to form a voice response in a WAV format;

d) performing a voice to text conversion to form a text response at customer service center; and

e) transmitting the text based response and voice based response to the user over the computer network.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein step (b) further includes the steps of:

b1) sending a signal to an operator computer;

b2) connecting the operator computer to a server at the customer service center.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein step (a) further includes the step of:

a1) transmitting an introductory response to the user.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein step (a1) further includes the step of:

i) transmitting a message asking the user if a speaker is on.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein step (a) further includes the steps of:

a1) clicking on a customer service icon on a web page by a user;

a2) connecting a requesting computer to a server at the customer service center.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein step (a) further includes the step of:

a1) selecting one of a plurality of customer service stations.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein step (a) further includes the step of:

a1) determining a type of browser on a requesting computer.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein step (a) further includes the step of:

a1) determining an operating system on a requesting computer.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein step (c) further includes the step of:

c1) converting the voice response to a format compatible with a browser of a requesting computer.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein step (c) further includes the step of:

c1) converting the voice response into a GSM format.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein step (d) further includes the steps of:

d1) presenting the text response to an operator;

d2) editing the text response.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein step (b) further includes the step of:

b1) forwarding the query to a cellular telephone.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein step (b) further includes the step of:

b1) forwarding the query to a personal digital assistant.

14. A customer service center, comprising:

a server connected to a computer network containing a speech recognition system;

a preferred format identification system used to determine if an audio player is WAV compatible, capable of operating on the server, the preferred format identification system providing an audio response in a WAV format when the audio player is WAV compatible;

an operator station capable of connecting to the server;

a microphone connected to the operator station; and

a codec connected to the microphone and the operator station.

15. The customer service center of claim 14, wherein the operator station provides a plurality of standard responses.

16. The customer service center of claim 14, further including:

a database connected to the server contain a plurality of preprogrammed responses.

17. The customer service center of claim 14, wherein the plurality of preprogrammed responses includes a plurality of voiced responses and a plurality of text responses.

18. The customer service center of claim 14, wherein the operator station is a computer.

19. The customer service center of claim 14, wherein the operator station is a digital cellular telephone.

20. The customer service center of claim 14, wherein the operator station is a personal digital assistant.

21. The customer service center of claim 14, wherein the codec converts a voice input into a GSM format.

22. A method of operating a customer service center, comprising the steps of:

a) receiving a query over a computer network;

b) selecting either a voice response or a standard response;

c) when the standard response is selected, selecting one of a plurality of preprogrammed responses, the one of the plurality of preprogrammed responses including a voiced reply and a text reply;

d) transmitting the voiced reply and the text reply to a requesting computer over the computer network; and

e) playing the voice based response at a user computer without requiring a software plug-in.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein step (a) further includes the step of:

a1) determining if a requesting computer speakers are on.

24. The method of claim 22, wherein step (a) further includes the step of:

a1) receiving an audio query from a user over the computer network.

25. The method of claim 22, further including the steps of:

f) when the voice response is selected, voicing a voiced statement;

g) converting the voiced statement into a text statement;

h) transmitting the text statement to the requesting computer.

26. The method of claim 25, further including the steps of:

i) determining if a speaker of a user computer are on;

j) when the speaker is on, transmitting the voiced statement.

27. The method of claim 25, further including the step of:

i) storing the voiced statement in a database.

28. The method of claim 25, further including the step of:

i) storing the text statement in a database.

29. The method of claim 22, wherein step (b) further includes the steps of:

b1) selecting one of a plurality of operator stations;

b2) transmitting the query to the one of the plurality of operator stations.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein step (b1) further includes the step of:

i) transmitting a signal to the one of the plurality of operator stations;

ii) connecting the one of the plurality of operator stations to a server.

31. The method of claim 22, wherein step (f) further includes the step of:

f1) converting the voiced statement into a digital format.

32. The method of claim 22, wherein step (a) further includes the steps of:

a1) placing an icon on a web page;

a2) clicking on the icon.