Mobile communication device for establishing automated call back

• US 8,213,911 B2
• Filed: 01/28/2009
• Issued: 07/03/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/28/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Virtual Hold Technology Solutions, LLC
• Original Assignee: Virtual Hold Technology LLC (Medallia, Inc.)
• Inventors: Williams, Mark J., Camulli, Eric I., Miner, Larry
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, Danh
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGUYEN, DINH
• Application Number:
  US12/320,517
• Publication Number:
  US 20100190477A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,252 Days
• Field of Search: 370259-271, 379/157, 379/158, 379/210, 379/142.08, 379/210.01, 379/265.02, 379/265.1, 379/265.13, 379/265.14, 379/266.01, 379/266.02, 379/266.03, 379/266.04, 379/266.06, 455/414.1, 455/415
• US Class Current: 455/414.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/02 Reservations, e.g. for tickets, services or events
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/18 wireless networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5231 with call back arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5238 with waiting time or load prediction arrangements

Abstract

A mobile communication device is provided for enabling a user to establish an automated call back from a communication system, such as a call center, for example. A software device application enables the mobile communication device to communicate with the call center through the exchange of data. The mobile communication device includes a display screen for displaying controls for allowing the user to interact with the communication system. The controls allow the user to request a list of providers from which to select a provider or company to contact. The mobile communication device further provides controls for allowing the user to select a queue to join from a list of queues associated with the selected provider. For example, one queue may be related to billing and another queue may be related to another aspect of customer service. The user may then request the expected wait time in the selected queue for receiving a call-back from the communication system. Typically, the mobile communication device receives the expected wait time, and then the user may send a confirmation to the communication system for a voice call-back.

Claims

1. A mobile communication device for initiating a voice call-back sequence comprising:

a display screen;

a processor, located within the mobile communication device and configured to execute a device application, wherein the device application comprises;

a first routine that sends a request to a communication system in a data format for a list of active providers;

a second routine that receives from the communication system a list of active providers associated with a user of the mobile communication device;

a third routine that sends a request to the communication system in a data format for an identification of active queues;

a fourth routine that receives an identification of the active queues;

a session queuing component that causes an indication of the active queues to be displayed on the display screen of the mobile communication device and obtains a user selection of a queue as a selected queue, wherein the session queuing component resides within the mobile communication device;

a fifth routine that sends a request in a data format for an expected wait time to the communication system;

a sixth routine that receives the expected wait time from the communication system; and

a seventh routine that sends a confirmation in a data format for a voice call-back to the communication system.

2. The mobile communication device of claim 1, wherein the session queuing component is one or more of:

a java script and ActiveX downloaded and executed by a browser; and

a browser plug-in executing on the mobile communication device.

3. The mobile communication device of claim 1, wherein the device application comprises:

a confirmation control that causes an indication of the expected wait time to be displayed and wherein a user selection of one of a confirmation command and a cancel command is obtained.

4. The mobile communication device of claim 1, wherein the device application further comprises:

a provider control that causes an identification of at least two active providers to be displayed and obtains user selection of one of the active providers; and

wherein the displayed indication of the queue is a queue associated with the selected active provider.

21. The mobile communication device of claim 1, wherein the processor causes the list of active providers and the active queues to be stored on the mobile communication device and to be displayed on the mobile communication device when the device is turned on.

5. A mobile communication device for initiating a call-back sequence comprising:

a display screen;

a processor, located within the mobile communication device and configured to execute a device application, wherein the device application comprises;

a provider client which generates a message to a communication system and receives a list of active providers;

a provider control which displays on the display screen an identification of at least two active providers and obtains user selection of one of the active providers;

a session queuing component, wherein the session queuing component using the display screen displays an indication of a queue and obtains a user selection of the queue as a selected queue, wherein the session queuing component resides within the mobile communication device, and wherein the displayed indication of a queue is a queue associated with the selected active provider;

an expected wait time client that sends a request for an expected wait time via a message to a communication system and receives an indication of the expected wait time, and wherein the message includes identification of the selected queue;

a confirmation control to display on the display screen the indication of the expected wait time and wherein a user selection of one of a confirmation command and a cancel command is obtained; and

a confirmation wait time client that generates a confirmation message to the communication system in response to user selection of the confirmation command, the confirmation message includes at least a communication receiving device identifier and a request to add the device identifier to the selected queue.

6. The mobile communication device of claim 5, wherein the identifier is a telephone number.

7. The mobile communication device of claim 5, wherein the identifier is a network address.

8. A method for use with a mobile communication device for initiating a call-back sequence for selecting a voice call-back, the method comprising:

sending a request in a data format to a communication system for a list of active providers;

receiving a list of active providers associated with a user of the mobile communication device from the communication system;

sending a request to the communication system in a data format for a list of active queues;

receiving a message including the list of the active queues;

displaying an indication of the list of active queues on a display screen of the mobile communication device using a session queuing component that resides within the mobile communication device;

obtaining a user selection of a queue as a selected queue using the session queuing component;

sending a request to the communication system in a data format for expected wait time;

receiving the expected wait time from the communication system; and

sending a confirmation to the communication system in a data format for a call-back.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the session queuing component is one or more of:

a Java script and ActiveX downloaded and executed by a browser; and

a browser plug-in executing on the mobile communication device.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

displaying an indication of the expected wait time and obtaining a user selection of one of a confirmation command and a cancel command.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

displaying an identification of at least two active providers and obtaining user selection of one of the active providers; and

wherein the indication of the queue is a queue associated with the selected active provider.

12. A method for use with a mobile communication device having a display screen for initiating a call-back sequence for selecting a voice call-back, the method comprising:

providing a provider client which generates a message to a communication system and receives a list of active providers;

providing a provider control which displays an identification of at least two active providers on the display screen and obtains user selection of one of the active providers;

providing a session queuing component for use on the mobile communication device, wherein the session queuing component displays an indication of a queue on the display screen and obtains a user selection of the queue as a selected queue, wherein the session queuing component resides within the mobile communication device, wherein the displayed indication of the queue is a queue associated with the selected active provider;

providing an expected wait time client that sends a request for an expected wait time using a message to a communication system and receives an indication of the expected wait time, wherein the message includes identification of the selected queue;

providing a routine to display the indication of the expected wait time on the display screen and wherein a user selection of one of a confirmation command and a cancel command is obtained; and

providing a confirmation wait time client that generates a confirmation message to the communication system in response to user selection of the confirmation command, the confirmation message including at least a communication receiving device identifier and an instruction to add the device identifier to the selected queue.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the identifier is a telephone number.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the identifier is a network address.

15. A non-transitory computer readable medium for storing computer executable instructions for initiating a call-back sequence from a mobile communication device, the computer executable instructions comprising:

sending to a communication system a request in a data format for a list of active providers;

receiving a list of active providers associated with a user of the mobile communication device from the communication system;

sending to the communication system a request in a data format for a list of active queues associated with an active provider;

receiving a message including a list of the active queues;

displaying an indication of the list of the active queues on a display screen of the mobile communication device using a session queuing component that resides within the mobile communication device;

obtaining a user selection of a queue as a selected queue using the session queuing component;

sending to the communication system a request in a data format for an expected wait time;

receiving the expected wait time from the communication system; and

sending to the communication system a confirmation for a call-back in a data format.

16. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein the computer executable instructions are downloaded onto the computer readable medium.

17. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein the session queuing component is one or more of:

a java script and ActiveX downloaded and executed by a browser; and

a browser plug-in executing on the mobile communication device.

18. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein the computer executable instructions further include displaying a confirmation control on a display screen of a mobile communication device, wherein the confirmation control displays an indication of the expected wait time, and wherein a user selection of one of a confirmation command and a cancel command is obtained.

19. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein the computer instructions further include displaying a provider control on a display screen of a mobile communication device, wherein the provider control displays the identification of at least two active providers on the display screen and obtains user selection of one of the active providers.

20. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein the computer readable medium is connected to a mobile telephone device.