System and method for automatic task prioritization

• US 6,961,720 B1
• Filed: 12/04/2001
• Issued: 11/01/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/21/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: Pinehurst Tech, Inc. (International Business Machines Corporation)
• Inventors: Nelken, Yoram
• Primary Examiner(s): DAVIS, GEORGE B
• Application Number:
  US10/008,152
• Time in Patent Office: 1,428 Days
• Field of Search: 706/47, 706/16
• US Class Current: 706/47
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4881 Scheduling strategies for dispatcher, e.g. round robin, multi-level priority queues
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/063114 Status monitoring or status determination for a person or group
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5238 with waiting time or load prediction arrangements

Abstract

A system and method for electronic communication management comprises a universal data model, a modeling engine, and an adaptive knowledge base. The modeling engine includes a natural language processor and a statistical modeler. A communication is translated from its native format into the universal data model. The modeling engine determines the intent of the communication using the natural language processor and the statistical modeler. A response is generated, either automatically or by an agent. An audit module analyzes each response and provides feedback to the modeling engine and the adaptive knowledge base. The modeling engine uses the feedback to update models in the adaptive knowledge base. The modeling engine supports various application specific modules.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a contact center configured to receive items, which are communications or tasks;

a decision engine that

determines a priority code for each of the items received according to rules for prioritizing the items,

is capable of determining the priority code for items without an assigned priority, and

is capable of learning new rules for prioritizing items based on positive and negative feedback related to a relative importance of items based on an order in which an agent selected the items; and

at least one queue configured to store the items in order of the priority code.

2. A system comprising:

a contact center configured to receive items, which are communications or tasks;

a decision engine that

determines a priority code for each of the items received according to rules for prioritizing the items,

is capable of determining the priority code for items without an assigned priority, and

is capable of learning new rules for prioritizing items based on a relative importance of items learned from an order in which an agent selected the items, and

includes

a parser and is configured to analyze text, voice, natural language content, emotional content, identify keywords, identify concepts, and

determine relationships between the concepts of the items received; and

at least one queue configured to store the items in order of the priority code.

3. A method comprising:

receiving items, which are communications or tasks that do not have a previously assigned priority;

automatically learning a new priority rule based on an order in which an agent selected the items;

automatically determining priority codes for the items using the new priority rule;

parsing the items including

analyzing text contents of items containing text of the items,

analyzing voice contents of items having voice contents of the items,

analyzing natural language contents of items containing natural language of the items,

analyzing emotional contents of items having emotional content of the items,

identifying keywords of items containing words of the items,

identifying concepts of items of the item that contain concepts, and

determining relationships between the concepts of items having relationships between the concepts of the items; and

storing the items, which are prioritized in at least one queue according to the priority code.