System and method for utilizing confidence levels in automated call routing

• US 7,724,889 B2
• Filed: 11/29/2004
• Issued: 05/25/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/29/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: SBC Knowledge Ventures LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Knott, Benjamin Anthony, Bushey, Robert R., Martin, John Mills
• Primary Examiner(s): Gauthier; Gerald
• Application Number:
  US10/999,199
• Publication Number:
  US 20060115070A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,003 Days
• Field of Search: 379/265.02, 379/0.05, 379/0.07, 379/0.08, 379/0.11, 379/0.12, 379/0.13, 379/266.08, 379 8801- 8804, 379/211.02, 379/265.09, 379/266.1, 704/257, 704/5, 704/251, 370/524, 434/362, 709/228
• US Class Current: 379/265.02
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/40 using speech recognition
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/355 Interactive dialogue design tools, features or methods
• 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 3/527 Centralised call answering arrangements not requiring operator intervention

Abstract

A call routing system prompts a caller for information and receives a response from the caller. Based on the caller'"'"'s response, a confidence value is assigned to the call. The confidence value can be assigned based on the likelihood that the received information is consistent with the prompt and other criteria. Additional prompts are provided to the caller based on the confidence value, and additional caller'"'"'s responses are used to modify the confidence value. At least one threshold confidence level is set and when the confidence value of the call meets or exceeds the threshold (because of low confidence), the call is immediately routed to a human operator.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving a call at a call support system;

requesting caller information;

receiving a first response;

incrementing an error counter when the first response is inconsistent with the requested caller information;

incrementing an event-specific counter based on a type of the inconsistency of the first response, the type of the inconsistency including at least a too much speech inconsistency;

routing the call to a human operator when the event-specific counter exceeds an event-specific threshold;

assigning a confidence value to the call based on the first response and the caller information;

comparing the confidence value to a threshold level; and

routing the call to the human operator when the confidence value exceeds the threshold level.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

assigning confidence values to a call support event based upon the type of the inconsistency of the first response.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

combining the confidence values to produce a modified confidence value;

comparing the modified confidence value to the threshold level; and

routing the call to the human operator when the modified confidence value exceeds the threshold level.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising prompting a caller for a second response.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising modifying the confidence value based on the second response.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising using a counter to modify the confidence value.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising incrementing the counter based on the first response.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein a plurality of counters provide a plurality of confidence values.

9. The method of claim 4, wherein a recorded voice is used to prompt the caller.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the first response is a touch tone response.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the first response is a voice response.

12. The method of claim 2, wherein the type of the inconsistency further includes at least one of a time out inconsistency, an unintelligibility inconsistency, and a spoken too early inconsistency.

13. A voice activated call routing system comprising:

a transceiver configured to receive a call;

an audio module coupled to the transceiver, the audio module to prompt a caller for a first response;

a processor coupled to the transceiver, the processor to assign a confidence value to the call based on an evaluation of the first response, the processor including logic to compare the confidence value to a threshold level, to increment an error counter when the first response is inconsistent with the prompt, and to increment an event-specific counter based on a type of the inconsistency of the first response, the type of the inconsistency including at least a too much speech inconsistency; and

a switch coupled to the processor, the switch to route the call to a human operator when the confidence value does not meet the threshold level and to route the call to the human operator when the event-specific counter exceeds an event-specific threshold.

14. The voice activated call routing system of claim 13, wherein the processor assigns the confidence value to a call support event based upon the type of the inconsistency of the first response.

15. The voice activated call routing system of claim 13, wherein the processor combines the multiple confidence values to produce a modified confidence value and compares the modified confidence value to the threshold level and wherein the switch routes the call to a human operator when the modified confidence value fails to meet the threshold level.

16. The voice activated call routing system of claim 13, wherein the audio module prompts the caller for a second response.

17. The voice activated call routing system of claim 13, wherein the audio module prompts the caller for a second response and wherein the processor modifies the confidence value based on the second response.

18. The voice activated call routing system of claim 14, further comprising a counter to count event inconsistencies.

19. The voice activated call routing system of claim 14, further comprising a plurality of counters configured to count a plurality of inconsistencies.

20. The voice activated call routing system of claim 13, wherein prompting is performed by a recorded voice.

21. The voice activated call routing system of claim 13, wherein the first response is a voice response.

22. A method of processing user input comprising:

requesting caller information from a user at an interactive system;

processing a first user response;

incrementing an error counter when the first user response is inconsistent with the requested caller information;

incrementing an event-specific counter based on a type of the inconsistency of the first user response, the type of the inconsistency including at least a too much speech inconsistency;

routing a call to a human operator when the event-specific counter exceeds a first event-specific threshold;

assigning a confidence value to the request based on the first user response;

prompting the user for a second response when the event-specific counter exceeds a second event-specific threshold;

processing the second response and modifying the confidence value based on the second response;

comparing the confidence value with a threshold confidence level; and

routing the call to the human operator when the confidence value is below the threshold confidence level.

23. The method of claim 22, further comprising continuing interaction with the user when the confidence level is above the threshold confidence level.

24. The method of claim 22, wherein assigning the confidence value to the request based on the first user response further comprises assigning a confidence value to the call based on a magnitude of the inconsistency.

25. The method of claim 22, wherein the confidence value is assigned based on a likelihood that the first user response is valid.

26. The method of claim 24, where the type of inconsistency further includes at least one of a time out inconsistency, an unintelligibility inconsistency, and a spoke too early inconsistency.