Automatic call distributor with language based routing system and method

• US 7,349,843 B1
• Filed: 01/18/2000
• Issued: 03/25/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 01/18/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Firstpoint Contact Technologies, LLC (Alvaria Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Rockwell Electronic Commerce Corporation (Rockwell International Corporation)
• Inventors: Beck, Jim
• Primary Examiner(s): OPSASNICK, MICHAEL N
• Application Number:
  US09/484,140
• Time in Patent Office: 2,989 Days
• Field of Search: 704270-277, 704/200, 704/204, 704/231, 704/201, 379/265.12, 379/88.05
• US Class Current: 704/231
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/40 using speech recognition
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/2061 Language aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4933 with operator assistance
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/51 Centralised call answering arrangements requiring operator intervention , e.g. call or contact centers for telemarketing
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5158 in combination with automated outdialling systems devices for signalling identity of wanted subscriber H04M1/26
• 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 3/5233 Operator skill based call distribution
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5235 Dependent on call type or called number [DNIS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/527 Centralised call answering arrangements not requiring operator intervention

Abstract

A method and system for determining a language of a call handled by an automatic call distributor is disclosed. The method includes the steps of detecting the call, sampling an audio portion of the call, fitting a plurality of templates to the sampled portion of the call, and determining a language of the call based upon a best relative fit between one of the plurality of audio templates and the sampled portion of the call.

Claims

1. A method used by an automatic call distributor to route an outdialed call with a customer, such method comprising the steps of:

detecting the outdialed call with the customer of the automatic call distributor;

sampling an initial audio portion of the call, and detecting and sampling an unprompted initial telephone answering greeting provided by the customer during the initial audio portion of the call;

fitting a plurality of audio templates of traditional telephone answering greetings in a plurality of languages including at least “

Bueno”

to the sampled greeting of the call;

determining a language of the call based upon a best relative fit between one of the plurality of audio templates and the sampled greeting of the call; and

routing the call to a response service of the automatic call distributor based upon the determined language of the call.

2. The method of routing the call as in claim 1 wherein the step of determining further comprises identifying at least one of the customer and a geographic location associated with the customer and using the at least one of the customer and the geographic location in determining the language of the call.

3. The method of routing the call as in claim 1 wherein the step of routing further comprises selecting a voice response unit.

4. The method of routing the call as in claim 1 wherein the step of routing further comprises selecting a default response service for servicing unidentified languages.

5. The method of routing the call as in claim 1 wherein the step of routing further comprises selecting a voice response unit having a plurality of stored language scripts.

6. An apparatus within an automatic call distributor for routing outdialed calls with customers, such apparatus comprising:

means for detecting an outdialed call with a customer of the automatic call distributor;

means for sampling an initial audio portion of the call, and detecting and sampling an unprompted initial greeting provided by the customer within the initial audio portion of the call;

means for fitting a plurality of audio templates of traditional telephone answering greetings in a plurality of languages including at least “

Bueno”

to the sampled greeting of the call;

means for determining a language of the call based upon a best relative fit between one of the plurality of audio templates and the sampled greeting of the call; and

means for routing the call to a response service of the automatic call distributor based upon the determined language of the call.

7. The automatic call distributor as in claim 6 wherein the step of determining further comprises identifying at least one of the customer and a geographic location associated with the customer and using the at least one of the customer and the geographic location in determining the language of the call.

8. The automatic call distributor as in claim 6 wherein the means for routing further comprises means for selecting a voice response unit having a plurality of stored language scripts.

9. The automatic call distributor as in claim 6 wherein the means for routing further comprises means for selecting one of a group consisting of agents and voice response units.

10. The automatic call distributor as in claim 9 wherein the means for routing further comprises means for selecting a default response service for servicing unidentified languages.

11. A method of routing an outdialed call with a customer by a automatic call distributor, such method comprising the steps of:

detecting the call with the customer of the automatic call distributor;

detecting and sampling an unprompted initial greeting provided by the customer within an initial audio portion of the call;

fitting a plurality of audio templates of traditional telephone greetings in a plurality of languages including at least “

Bueno”

to the sampled initial greeting of the call; and

determining the language of the customer based upon a best relative fit between one of the plurality of audio templates and the sampled initial greeting provided by the customer; and

routing the call to a response service of the automatic call distributor based upon the determined language of the call.

12. The method of routing the call as in claim 11 wherein the determining step further comprises:

identifying at least one of the customer and a geographic location associated with the customer; and

determining the language of the call based upon a best relative fit between one of the plurality of audio templates and the sampled greeting of the call and based upon the at least one of the customer and the geographic location.

13. The method of routing the call as in claim 11 wherein the determining step further comprises identifying the customer of the automatic call distributor based upon an ANI as a repeat customer and accessing a database that stores the language of the repeat customer of the automatic call distributor.

14. An apparatus for routing an outdialed call with a customer within an automatic call distributor such apparatus, comprising:

means for detecting the outdialed call with the customer of the automatic call distributor within the automatic call distributor;

means for detecting and sampling an initial unprompted answering greeting provided by the customer within an initial audio portion of the call;

means for fitting a plurality of audio templates of traditional telephone answering greetings in a plurality of languages including at least “

Bueno”

to the sampled greeting of the call;

means for determining a language of the customer based upon a best relative fit between one of the plurality of audio templates and the sampled initial greeting provided by the customer; and

means for routing the call to a response service of the automatic call distributor based on the determined language of the call.

15. The apparatus as in claim 14 wherein the determining means further comprises means for identifying the customer of the automatic call distributor as a repeat customer and means for accessing a database of the automatic call distributor that stores the language of the repeat customer of the automatic call distributor.

16. The apparatus as in claim 14 wherein the determining means further comprises means for basing the determination, in part, on a surname of the customer of the automatic call distributor.

17. The apparatus as in claim 14 wherein the determining means further comprises means for basing the determination, in part, on marketing information associated with the customer of the automatic call distributor.

18. The apparatus as in claim 14 wherein the determining means further comprises basing the determination, in part, on a geographic location associated with the customer of the automatic call distributor.

19. A method of routing an outdialed call with a customer handled by an automatic call distributor, such method comprising the steps of:

detecting the outdialed call with the customer of the automatic call distributor;

detecting and sampling an initial answering unprompted greeting provided by the customer within an initial audio portion of the call;

fitting a plurality of audio templates of traditional telephone greetings in a plurality of languages including at least “

Bueno”

to the sampled initial greeting of the call;

determining a language used by the customer based upon a best relative fit between one of the plurality of audio templates and the initial greeting provided by the customer; and

routing the call to a response service of the automatic call distributor based upon the identified language of the call.

20. The method of routing the call as in claim 19 further comprising analyzing a voice pattern of the initial greeting provided by a customer of the automatic call distributor and comparing the initial greeting with sample greeting patterns provided in different languages to determine the language of the customer.

21. The method of routing the call as in claim 19 wherein the determining step further comprises basing the determining, in part, on a surname of the customer of the automatic call distributor.

22. The method of routing the call as in claim 19 wherein the determining step further comprises basing the determination, in part, on marketing information associated with the customer of the automatic call distributor.

23. The method of routing the call as in claim 19 wherein the determining step further comprises basing the determination, in part, on a geographic location associated with the customer of the automatic call distributor.

24. The method of routing the call as in claim 19 further comprising using a database to make an initial determination of the language of a called customer.

25. The method of routing the call as in claim 24 wherein the database further comprises a surname database.

26. The method of routing the call as in claim 24 wherein the database further comprises a geographic database.

27. The method of routing the call as in claim 24 wherein the database further comprises a marketing information database.

28. The method of routing the call as in claim 24 wherein the database further comprises a repeat customer database.