Remote media call center

• US 8,515,050 B2
• Filed: 08/20/2010
• Issued: 08/20/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/15/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Accenture Global Services Limited (Accenture PLC)
• Original Assignee: Accenture Global Services Limited (Accenture PLC)
• Inventors: Fano, Andrew E., Chung, Christopher K.
• Primary Examiner(s): DEANE JR, WILLIAM J
• Application Number:
  US12/860,260
• Publication Number:
  US 20100316212A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,096 Days
• Field of Search: 37926501-26514, 37926601-2661, 379/309, 379 45- 49, 455411-413
• US Class Current: 379/265.02
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/51 Centralised call answering arrangements requiring operator intervention , e.g. call or contact centers for telemarketing
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5116 for emergency applications

Abstract

The call center processing system disclosed enhances the capabilities of traditional call centers. In particular, the processing system allows a call center to receive, aggregate, and index many different types of media obtained from a wide variety of sources and that relate to many different types of incidents. Thus, for example, the processing system provides a third party with the option of submitting call phone camera pictures, audio input, video camera footage, and other types of media when reporting an incident to the call center. The call center may be an emergency number (e.g., 911) call center, a service center (e.g., for a home appliance), a news reporting call center, or any other type of interactive information exchange.

Claims

1. A call center processing system comprising:

a network infrastructure interface for receiving an incident report from an initial submitter;

a processor coupled to the network infrastructure interface; and

a memory coupled to the processor, the memory comprising;

a media collection program comprising instructions executable with the processor to;

determine an incident location from the incident report;

determine a sensor coverage area around the incident location;

select sensors within the sensor coverage area that are able to provide third party media from a third party other than the initial submitter;

transmit a sensor activation instruction to at least one of the selected sensors in the sensor coverage area; and

accept the third party media from the selected sensors.

2. The call center processing system of claim 1 further comprising a media database, wherein the instructions to accept the third party media comprise instructions to receive the third party media from the selected sensors and to store the third party media in the media database.

3. The call center processing system of claim 1, wherein the sensor activation instruction comprises a duration for media capture.

4. The call center processing system of claim 1, wherein the sensor activation instruction comprises a request for delivery of media obtained prior to receipt of the sensor activation instruction.

5. The call center processing system of claim 1, wherein the network infrastructure interface comprises a telephone network infrastructure interface.

6. The call center processing system of claim 1, wherein the third party media comprises a cell phone camera image.

7. The call center processing system of claim 1, wherein the third party media comprises security camera video.

8. The call center processing system of claim 1, wherein the third party media comprises security microphone audio.

9. A call center processing system for processing an incident report, the system comprising:

a memory, the memory comprising;

a media collection program comprising instructions executable with a processor to;

determine an incident location from the incident report, the incident report being for an incident that is reported to a call center by an initial submitter;

determine a sensor coverage area around the incident location;

select sensors within the sensor coverage area to provide third party media from a third party submitter;

transmit a sensor activation instruction to at least one of the selected sensors in the sensor coverage area; and

receive the third party media from the selected sensors.

10. The call center processing system of claim 9, wherein the memory further comprises instructions executable with the processor to receive supplemental media from the initial submitter.

11. The call center processing system of claim 9, wherein the initial submitter is an individual that called the call center.

12. The call center processing system of claim 9, wherein the sensor coverage area is at least one square mile.

13. The call center processing system of claim 9, wherein the memory further comprises instructions executable to receive third party classification information that comprises a third party submitter name.

14. The call center processing system of claim 9, wherein the memory further comprises instructions executable with the processor to cause sensor location indicia to display in a map display, and the sensor location indicia represent locations of individuals with camera enabled cell phones during the reported incident.

15. A method for processing an incident report in a call center, the method comprising:

determining an incident location from the incident report, the incident report being related to an incident reported to the call center by an initial third party submitter;

determining a sensor coverage area around the incident location;

selecting sensors within the sensor coverage area to provide third party media from at least one third party other than the initial third party submitter;

transmitting a sensor activation instruction for at least one of the selected sensors in the sensor coverage area; and

receiving the third party media from the selected sensors.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising receiving supplemental media related to the incident from the initial third party submitter.

17. The method of claim 15 further comprising determining a preservation coverage area around the incident location and initiating transmission of a preservation instruction to sensors within the preservation coverage area, the preservation instruction including a condition for retention of media acquired by the sensors that receive the preservation instruction.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein determining the preservation coverage area comprises determining the preservation coverage area to include more sensors than the sensor coverage area includes.

19. The method of claim 17 further comprising including a pre-incident media specifier in the preservation instruction for retention of media acquired by the sensors prior to occurrence of the incident.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein initiating transmission of the preservation instruction preserves media that would otherwise be lost.