Method and system of automatically pausing an automated voice session

• US 7,817,786 B2
• Filed: 11/18/2005
• Issued: 10/19/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/14/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Lee, Johnny H., DeGrazia, Bradley R, Jabbour, Fadi R., Lee, David C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Anwah; Olisa
• Application Number:
  US11/283,444
• Publication Number:
  US 20060126804A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,796 Days
• Field of Search: 379/88.25, 379/88.23, 379/88.17, 379/88.16, 379/71, 379/76, 379/67.1, 379/142.04, 379/142.05
• US Class Current: 379/88.23
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/303 Marking
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/551 Call history recording a computer conference H04L12/1831
• 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 3/53333 Message receiving aspects

Abstract

A method for providing communication with an automated voice system includes establishing a first communication session between a caller and the automated voice system. The first communication session includes a call thread. The method also includes receiving a signal indicative of a call event. In response to receiving the signal indicative of the call event, a state of the call thread is saved. The method also includes establishing a second communication session between the caller and the automated voice system at a state of the call thread associated with the saved state of the call thread.

Claims

1. A method for providing communication with a voicemail system comprising:

establishing a first communication session between a caller and a voicemail system, the first communication session comprising a call thread;

receiving a signal indicative of a call event selected from the group consisting of an on-hold event and a disconnect event;

in response to receiving the signal indicative of the call event, saving a state of the call thread;

identifying the caller calling into the voicemail system by an identifier selected from the group consisting of an account number entered by the caller, a calling number of the caller, and a called number of the caller;

in response to identifying the caller, querying the caller regarding whether the caller wishes to resume the call thread of the first communications session, but only if the caller calls into the voicemail system within 15 minutes of receipt of the signal indicative of the call event; and

establishing a second communication session between the caller and the automated voice response system at a state of the call thread associated with the saved state of the call thread, the state of the call thread associated with the saved state of the call thread selected from the group consisting of the saved state of the called thread and 1-5 seconds before the saved state of the called thread.

2. A method for providing communication with an automated voice response system, comprising:

establishing a first communication session between a caller and an automated voice system, the first communication session comprising a call thread;

receiving a signal indicative of a call event;

in response to receiving the signal indicative of the call event, saving a state of the call thread; and

establishing a second communication session between the caller and the automated voice system at a state of the call thread associated with the saved state of the call thread only if the caller calls into the automated voice response system within a predetermined time period.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein establishing a first communication session between a caller and an automated voice system comprises establishing a first communication system between a caller and an automated voice system selected from the group consisting of a voicemail system and an interactive voice response system without voicemail capability.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein receiving a signal indicative of a call event comprises receiving a signal indicative of a call event selected from the group consisting of an on-hold event and a disconnect event.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein establishing a second communication session between the caller and the automated voice system at a state of the call thread associated with the saved state of the call thread comprises identifying the caller upon the caller calling into the automated voice response system.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein identifying the caller upon the caller calling into the automated voice system comprises identifying the caller by an identifier selected from the group consisting of an account number entered by the caller, a calling number of the caller, and a called number of the caller.

8. The method of claim 2, wherein the predetermined time period is approximately 15 minutes.

9. The method of claim 2, wherein the state of the call thread associated with the saved state of the call thread is selected from the group consisting of the saved state of the called thread and a predetermined time period before the saved state of the called thread.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the predetermined time period is 1-5 seconds.

11. The method of claim 2, wherein establishing a second communication session between the caller and the automated voice system at a state of the call thread associated with the saved state of the call thread comprises querying the caller regarding whether the caller wishes to resume the call thread at a state associated with the saved state of the call thread.

3. A method for providing communication with an automated voice response system, comprising:

establishing a first communication session between a caller and an automated voice system, the first communication session comprising a call thread;

receiving a signal indicative of a call event;

in response to receiving the signal indicative of the call event, saving a state of the call thread; and

establishing a second communication session between the caller and the automated voice system at a state of the call thread associated with the saved state of the call thread;

wherein establishing a first communication session between a caller and an automated voice system comprises establishing a first communication system between a caller and an automated voice system selected from the group consisting of a voicemail system and an interactive voice response system without voicemail capability;

wherein receiving a signal indicative of a call event comprises receiving a signal indicative of a call event selected from the group consisting of an on-hold event and a disconnect event;

wherein the state of the call thread associated with the saved state of the call thread is selected from the group consisting of the saved state of the called thread and 1-5 seconds before the saved state of the called thread;

wherein establishing a second communication session between the caller and the automated voice system at a state of the call thread associated with the saved state of the call thread comprising;

wherein establishing a second communication session between the caller and the automated voice system at a state of the call thread associated with the saved state of the call thread only if the caller calls into the automated voice response system within 15 minutes of receiving the call event; and

further comprising identifying the caller upon the caller calling into the automated voice response system by an identifier selected from the group consisting of an account number entered by the caller, a calling number of the caller, and a called number of the caller.

12. An automated voice system comprising:

a processor; and

software encoded on computer-readable media that is operable when executed on the processor to;

establish a first communication session between a caller and an automated voice system, the first communication session comprising a call thread;

receive a signal indicative of a call event;

in response to receiving the signal indicative of the call event, saving a state of the call thread; and

establish a second communication session between the caller and the automated voice system at a state of the call thread associated with the saved state of the call thread only if the caller calls into the automated voice system within a predetermined time period.

13. The automatic voice system of claim 12, wherein the software is further operable to:

establish a first communication session between a caller and an automated voice response system by establishing a first communication system between a caller and an automated voice response system selected from the group consisting of a voicemail system and an interactive voice response system without voicemail capability;

receive a signal indicative of a call event by receiving a signal indicative of a call event selected from the group consisting of an on-hold event and a disconnect event;

identify the caller upon the caller calling into the automated voice response system by an identifier selected from the group consisting of an account number entered by the caller, a calling number of the caller, and a called number of the caller.

14. The automatic voice system of claim 12, wherein the software is further operable to establish a first communication session between a caller and an automated voice system by establishing a first communication system between a caller and an automated voice system selected from the group consisting of a voicemail system and an interactive voice response system without voicemail capability.

15. The automatic voice system of claim 12, wherein the software is further operable to receive a signal indicative of a call event by receiving a signal indicative of a call event selected from the group consisting of an on-hold event and a disconnect event.

16. The automatic voice system of claim 12, wherein the software is further operable to establish a second communication session between the caller and the automated voice system at a state of the call thread associated with the saved state of the call thread by identifying the caller upon the caller calling into the automated voice system.

17. The automatic voice system of claim 16, wherein the software is further operable to identify the caller upon the caller calling into the automated voice system by an identifier selected from the group consisting of an account number entered by the caller, a calling number of the caller, and a called number of the caller.

18. The automatic voice system of claim 12, wherein the predetermined time period is approximately 15 minutes.

19. The automatic voice system of claim 12, wherein the state of the call thread associated with the saved state of the call thread is selected from the group consisting of the saved state of the called thread and a predetermined time period before the saved state of the called thread.

20. The automatic voice system of claim 19, wherein the predetermined time period is 1-5 seconds.

21. The automatic voice system of claim 12, wherein the software is further operable to query the caller regarding whether the caller wishes to resume the call thread at a state associated with the saved state of the call thread.

22. An automated voice system comprising:

means for establishing a first communication session between a caller and the automated voice system, the first communication session comprising a call thread;

means for receiving a signal indicative of a call event;

means for saving a state of the call thread in response to receiving the signal indicative of the call event; and

means for establishing a second communication session between the caller and the automated voice system at a state of the call thread associated with the saved state of the call thread only if the caller calls into the automated voice system within a predetermined time period.

23. The automated voice system of claim 22, wherein the means for establishing a first communication session between a caller and an automated voice system comprises means for establishing a first communication system between a caller and an automated voice system selected from the group consisting of a voicemail system and an interactive voice system without voicemail capability.

24. The automated voice system of claim 22, wherein the means for receiving a signal indicative of a call event comprises means for receiving a signal indicative of a call event selected from the group consisting of an on-hold event and a disconnect event.

25. The automated voice system of claim 22, wherein the means for establishing a second communication session between the caller and the automated voice system at a state of the call thread associated with the saved state of the call thread comprises means for identifying the caller upon the caller calling into the automated voice system.

26. The automated voice system of claim 25, wherein the means for identifying the caller upon the caller calling into the automated voice system comprises means for identifying the caller by an identifier selected from the group consisting of an account number entered by the caller, a calling number of the caller, and a called number of the caller.

27. The automated voice system of claim 22, wherein the predetermined time period is approximately 15 minutes.

28. The automated voice system of claim 22, wherein the state of the call thread associated with the saved state of the call thread is selected from the group consisting of the saved state of the called thread and a predetermined time period before the saved state of the called thread.

29. The automated voice system of claim 28, wherein the predetermined time period is 1-5 seconds.