System and method for identifying telephone callers

• US 7,657,005 B2
• Filed: 11/02/2004
• Issued: 02/02/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/02/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Chang, Hisao M.
• Primary Examiner(s): PATEL, HEMANT SHANTILAL
• Application Number:
  US10/979,784
• Publication Number:
  US 20060093097A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,918 Days
• Field of Search: 370351-356, 379 8801- 8802, 37914205-14206, 379/211.01, 379/212.01, 379/213.01, 379/214.01, 379/265.02, 455/415, 455/417, 709/202, 704270-2701
• US Class Current: 379/88.02
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/41 using speaker recognition speaker recognition per se G10L17/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42068 where the identifier is used to access a profile
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5183 Call or contact centers with computer-telephony arrangements

Abstract

A method of processing calls received at an interactive voice response (IVR) server is provided and includes receiving a telephone call at the IVR. Caller identity data that is associated with the telephone call is received and a customer profile that includes a list of individual names associated with the caller identity data is received. Each of the individual names is mapped to a speech recognition grammar pattern. Further, a caller of the telephone call is prompted to speak their name. A spoken name from the caller is received and recorded. Moreover, the spoken name is converted into a speech recognition grammar pattern. Thereafter, the speech recognition grammar pattern associated with the spoken name is compared to each of the speech recognition grammar patterns associated with the individual names retrieved from the customer profile.

Claims

1. A method of processing calls received at an interactive voice response (IVR) server, the method comprising:

receiving a telephone call at the IVR server;

receiving caller identity data associated with the telephone call and receiving a text list of names of individuals associated with the caller identity data;

dynamically creating multiple name recognition grammar patterns by generating a phonetic spelling of each name in the text list of names of individuals associated with the caller identity data;

prompting a caller of the telephone call to speak a name associated with the caller;

receiving and recording a spoken name from the caller;

converting the spoken name into a speech recognition grammar pattern;

selectively comparing the speech recognition grammar pattern associated with the spoken name to the multiple name recognition grammar patterns;

determining a text string from the text list of names of individuals associated with the caller identity data corresponding to a name recognition grammar pattern that matches the speech recognition grammar pattern;

comparing the text string to entries in a table to determine a gender of the caller, the table including a plurality of first names and an associated indication that a particular first name indicates the caller is one of a male caller and a female caller;

assigning a title to the caller based on the gender of the caller when the text string matches an entry in the table; and

forwarding the telephone call and the title to a service agent terminal.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the caller identity data includes a telephone number.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

identifying a caller name at least partially based on a result of the selective comparison.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising determining whether a probability that the title and the caller name are correct is above a predetermined threshold.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising populating a name field at a graphical user interface of the service agent terminal with the caller name when the probability that the title and the caller name are correct is above the predetermined threshold.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising populating a title field at the graphical user interface with the title of the caller.

7. The method of claim 5, further comprising forwarding the telephone call to a live customer service agent.

19. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining a title of the caller at least partially based on a pitch of a voice of the caller when the text string does not match any entry in the table, wherein the pitch is derived from a recording of the spoken name.

8. A method of processing calls received at an interactive voice response (IVR) server, the method comprising:

receiving a telephone call at the IVR server;

prompting a caller to speak a name associated with the caller;

receiving and recording a spoken name from the caller;

converting the spoken name into a speech recognition grammar pattern;

identifying a name of the caller based on a comparison between the speech recognition grammar pattern and at least one name recognition grammar pattern that is dynamically created by generating a phonetic spelling of a name in a text list of names of individuals associated with a telephone number from which the telephone call was initiated, the text list obtained from a customer service database;

determining a text string associated with the name of the caller from the text list;

comparing the text string to entries in a table to determine a gender of the caller, the table including a plurality of first names and an associated indication that a particular first name indicates the caller is one of a male caller and a female caller;

assigning a title to the caller based on the gender of the caller when the text string matches an entry in the table and displaying the title and the name of the caller on a service agent terminal; and

forwarding the telephone call, the name, and the title to the service agent terminal via a whisper transfer when a probability that the caller name is correct is determined to be below a predetermined threshold.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the text string corresponds to a spelling of the name associated with the caller.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising forwarding the telephone call to a customer service agent computer when the caller name is likely to be correct.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising populating a name field at a graphical user interface displayed at the customer service agent computer with the identified name of the caller.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising populating a title field at a graphical user interface displayed at the customer service agent computer with the title.

20. The method of claim 8, further comprising determining a title of the caller at least partially based on a pitch of a voice of the caller when the text string does not match any entry in the table, wherein the pitch is derived from a recording of the spoken name.

13. A system for identifying a telephone caller, the system comprising:

an interactive voice response server including a processor;

a memory accessible to the processor; and

a computer program embedded within the memory, the computer program comprising;

instructions to identify a name associated with a telephone caller by;

converting a recorded spoken name from the telephone caller into a speech recognition grammar pattern; and

comparing the speech recognition grammar paftem to at least one name recognition grammar pattern that is dynamically created by generating a phonetic spelling of a name in a text list of names of individuals associated with a telephone number that initiated a received call, the text list obtained from a customer service database;

instructions to determine a title associated with the telephone caller by;

determining a text string associated with the name associated with the telephone caller from the text list;

comparing the text string to entries in a table to determine a gender of the telephone caller, the table including a plurality of first names and an associated indication that a particular first name indicates the caller is one of a male caller and a female caller; and

assigning the title to the telephone caller based on the gender of the telephone caller when the text string matches an entry in the table; and

instructions to forward the title and a telephone call associated with the telephone caller to a service agent terminal.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the text string corresponds to a spelling of the name associated with the telephone caller.

15. The system of claim 14, further comprising a customer service agent computer coupled to the interactive voice response server.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein the computer program further comprises instructions to forward the telephone call to a customer service agent computer.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the computer program further comprises instructions to automatically populate a name field at a graphical user interface displayed at the customer service agent computer with the name associated with the telephone caller, when a probability that the title and the name associated with the telephone caller are correct is above a predetermined threshold.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the computer program further comprises instructions to automatically populate a title field of a graphical user interface displayed at the customer service agent computer with the title.

21. The system of claim 13, wherein the instructions further comprise instructions to determine the title associated with the telephone caller at least partially based on a pitch of a voice of the telephone caller when the text string does not match any entry in the table, wherein the pitch is derived from the recorded spoken name.