Correlating information between internet and call center environments

• US 7,127,495 B2
• Filed: 11/28/2001
• Issued: 10/24/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/23/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Brown, Sanford Samuel, Danyluk, Oleh George, Grippo, Ronald V.
• Primary Examiner(s): VU, THONG H
• Application Number:
  US09/994,772
• Publication Number:
  US 20020035647A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,791 Days
• Field of Search: 709/217, 709/219, 709/201, 709/227, 340/825, 375/219, 711/160, 711/171, 379/91, 379/93, 379/201, 379/219, 345/473, 345/738
• US Class Current: 709/217
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• 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 67/55 Push-based network services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/20 hybrid systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42102 Making use of the called party identifier
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42195 Arrangements for calling back a calling subscriber when the wanted subscriber ceases to be busy H04M3/48
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5191 interacting with the Internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5231 with call back arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/003 Click to dial services
• 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: H04Q 2213/13072 Sequence circuits for call signaling, ACD systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13091 CLI, identification of calling line
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13093 Personal computer, PC
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13152 Callback
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13175 Graphical user interface [GUI], WWW interface, visual indication
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13389 LAN, internet

Abstract

Coordination of information at the network-based level between call centers connectable over a telecommunications network, such as the telephone network, and a packet network, such as the Internet, creates improved integration of and bonding between a customer'"'"'s interaction with a Web site and with a call center. Information about the customer and the customer'"'"'s Web interaction are delivered to the call center agent along with the call, leading to increased productivity and efficiency in call handling as well as improved call routing. Calls may be routed to existing call centers based upon information from the Web experience, and information from the user'"'"'s Web interaction is shared with the call center. Web interaction information is passed to existing call centers using known call center external control methods, such as DNIS signaling. Information about the Web experience may also be “whispered” to the call center agent, and an agent may “push” Web pages for review by the customer. As a result, customer acquisition and sales tools more powerful than a mere click-to-callback tool can be made available with a combined marketing approach using the Web and call centers.

Claims

1. A method of correlating information between a call center associated with a subscriber and a packet network linked in an on-going interactive communication session with a user, the correlation occurring at a network service platform coupled to both the packet network and a telecommunications network, the method comprising:

receiving information at the network service platform from the packet network, the received information corresponding to at least one characteristic of the on-going interactive communication session;

transmitting the received information from the network service platform to the call center over the telecommunication network;

based on the at least one characteristic, establishing a telecommunications session between the user and the call center over the telecommunication network;

maintaining a continued association between the user and the packet network through the on-going interactive communication session during the established telecommunications session, including passing information between the on-going interactive communication session and the established telecommunications session through the network service platform;

receiving a page push signal at the network service platform, the page push signal corresponding to at least one of a plurality of web pages; and

pushing the at least one of the plurality of web pages corresponding to the page push signal to the user during the interactive communication session.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein establishing the telecommunications session between the user and the call center comprises

establishing a first call from the network service platform to the call center;

establishing a second call from the network service platform to the user; and

bridging the first call with the second call through the network service platform so that the telecommunications session between the user and the call center over the voice network can be established.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the at least one characteristic of the interactive communication session includes at least one of an identity of the subscriber and a subject matter associated with the on-going interactive communication session.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein receiving information over the packet network includes receiving information transmitted over the packet network using a uniform resource locator (URL).

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein transmitting the received information corresponding to at least one characteristic of the on-going interactive communication session, comprises:

transforming, at the network service platform, the received information into a form suitable for placing a call over the telecommunications network to the call center, the call being routable by the call center in accordance with the received information.

6. The method according to claim 5 wherein transforming the information into a form suitable for placing a call over the telecommunications network comprises

using a database containing at least one entry from information corresponding to at least one characteristics of the on-going interactive communication session and at least one entry corresponding to a communications number for the call center.

7. The method according to claim 6 wherein the at least one entry corresponding to a communications number for the call center includes a dialed number identification service (DNIS) code.

8. The method according to claim 6 wherein the at least one characteristics of the on-going interactive communication session includes at least one of an identity of the subscriber and a subject matter associated with the on-going interactive communication session.

9. The method according to claim 5 wherein transforming the received information into a form suitable for placing a call over a telecommunications network to the call center comprises:

transforming the received information into a dialed number identification service (DNIS) code.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein transmitting the received information corresponding to at least one characteristic of the on-going interactive communication session comprises:

sending audio signals representing the received information from the network service platform to the call center.

11. The method according to claim 10 wherein sending audio signals representing the received information to the call center comprises:

transforming, at the network service platform, the information into audible sounds; and

playing the audible sounds over a telecommunications connection established between the call center and the network service platform.

12. A method of correlating information between a call center associated with a subscriber and a packet network linked in an interactive session with a user, comprising:

receiving information at a network service platform from the packet network, the received information corresponding to at least one characteristic of the interactive communication session;

transmitting the received information from the network service platform to the call center over a telecommunications network;

based on the at least one characteristic, establishing a telecommunications session between the user and the call center over the telecommunication network;

maintaining a continued association between the user and the packet network through the on-going interactive communication session during the established telecommunications session, including passing information between the on-going interactive communication session and the established telecommunications session through the network service platform; and

pushing at least one web page to the user during the on-going interactive communication session based on an interaction between the network service platform and the call center while the telecommunications session between the user and the call center is being established.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein establishing the telecommunications session between the user and the call center comprises

establishing a first call from the network service platform to the call center;

establishing a second call from the network service platform to the user; and

bridging the first call with the second call so that the telecommunications session between the user and the call center over the voice network can be established.

14. The method according to claim 12, further comprising:

receiving a page push signal at the network service platform, the page push signal corresponding to at least one of a plurality of web pages; and

pushing the at least one of the plurality of web pages corresponding to the page push signal to the user during the on-going interactive communication session.