Method, system and software for implementing an automated call routing application in a speech enabled call center environment

• US 7,623,632 B2
• Filed: 08/26/2004
• Issued: 11/24/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/26/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Bushey, Robert R., Knott, Benjamin A., Goldstein, Marc, Korth, Sarah
• Primary Examiner(s): Elahee, Md S
• Application Number:
  US10/926,813
• Publication Number:
  US 20060045241A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,916 Days
• Field of Search: 379 8801- 8803, 37926501-2661, 379/88.04, 379/114.01, 379/219, 379/212.01, 379/245, 379/248
• US Class Current: 379/88.01
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/2011 Service processing based on information specified by a party before or during a call, e.g. information, tone or routing selection
• 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 3/5166 in combination with interactive voice response systems or voice portals, e.g. as front-ends

Abstract

A system, method and software for implementing an automated call routing application in a speech enabled call center environment are provided. In operation, the invention provides for the identification of a call center transaction selection from a natural language user utterance and the invocation of one or more scripts operable to route the user to a call center service agent configured to service the selected transaction. In the event a transaction selection cannot be readily identified or can only be partially identified, the invention provides for the initiation of a dialog module or script directed to eliciting a discernable transaction selection and/or the presentation of one or more menus from which the user may select an available call center transaction.

Claims

1. A method for implementing an automated call routing application in a speech enabled call center environment, comprising:

maintaining a communication connection with a user;

comparing one or more characteristics of the user communication connection with a set of call center conditions;

communicating a condition message to the user in response to a match between a characteristic of the user communication connection and at least one of the set of call center conditions;

initiating a speak freely dialog module operable to receive and interpret natural language utterances from the user;

eliciting a natural language utterance from the user indicating user selection of an available call center transaction;

evaluating the natural language user utterance to identify its contents;

if the natural language user utterance includes a second indication of an agent request, presenting to the user a transfer to agent message and transferring the user communication connection to a selected agent;

if the natural language user utterance includes a first vague call center transaction selection, prompting for an additional natural language user utterance indicating selection of a call center transaction;

if the natural language user utterance includes a second vague call center transaction selection, presenting a menu of options to the user to which the user may respond with a natural language utterance selection of a transaction from the menu of options;

if the natural language user utterance includes a known action unknown object combination, initiating a dialog module operable to elicit from the user identification of an object associated with the known action;

if the natural language user utterance includes a known object unknown action combination, initiating a dialog module operable to elicit from the user identification of an action associated with the known object; and

upon identification of a known action-object combination, accessing a look-up table including routing destinations for service agents operable to service selected action-object combinations and routing the user to a destination associated with the known action-object combination.

2. A system for delivering an automated call routing application in a call center environment, comprising:

at least one processor;

memory operably associated with the processor; and

a program of instructions storable in the memory and executable by the processor, the program of instructions operable to

prompt a user for entry of a natural language transaction selection,

in response to receipt of a natural language response, evaluate the response to determine whether the response includes an unidentifiable transaction selection, a partially identifiable transaction selection or an identifiable transaction selection,

determine whether an identifiable transaction selection includes an agent service request,

if the identifiable transaction selection is a request for agent services, determine whether the request for agent services is a first request or a repeated request,

if the request for agent services is the first request, prompting the user for entry of a natural language transaction selection,

if the request for agent services is the repeated request, facilitate routing of the user to a service provider,

if the identifiable transaction selection is not a request for agent services, determine whether the identifiable transaction selection has an associated clear routing option,

if the identifiable transaction selection has a clear routing option, facilitate routing of the user in accordance with the clear routing option otherwise present to the user a plurality of selectable options associated with the identifiable transaction selection,

if the user response is a partially identifiable transaction selection, initiate dialog with the user to elicit an identifiable transaction selection,

if the user response is an unidentifiable transaction selection, determine whether the user provided the previous unidentifiable transaction selection response, and

if the user provided the previous unidentifiable transaction selection response, present a menu of options selectable by the user otherwise prompt the user for entry of a natural language transaction selection.

3. The system of claim 2, further comprising the program of instructions operable to communicate a transfer message to the user prior to facilitating user transfer.

4. The system of claim 2, further comprising the program of instructions operable to facilitate routing of a user to live support in response to multiple user requests for agent services.

5. The system of claim 2, further comprising the program of instructions operable to provide a touch-tone enabled menu system in response to user provision of multiple unidentifiable transaction selections.

6. The system of claim 2, further comprising the program of instructions operable to facilitate routing of the user in accordance with user selection of an option from the plurality of options associated with the identifiable transaction selection.

7. The system of claim 2, further comprising the program of instructions operable to provide a binary selection presentation when an identifiable transaction selection includes only two options.

8. The system of claim 2, further comprising the program of instructions operable to:

present a preferred option available from a plurality of options associated with an identifiable transaction selection for immediate selection; and

present the remaining options in the plurality of options if the preferred option is not selected.

9. The system of claim 2, further comprising the program of instructions operable to compare the response to an action-object matrix to determine whether the response includes an unidentifiable, partially identifiable or identifiable transaction selection.

10. The system of claim 2, further comprising the program of instructions operable to identify the user and route the user to a service provider if the user meets one or more selected criteria.

11. The system of claim 10, further comprising the program of instructions operable to identify the user from one or more characteristics of the user communication connection.

12. The system of claim 2, further comprising the program of instructions operable to search the response for key words to determine whether the response includes an unidentifiable, partially identifiable or identifiable transaction selection.