Systems and methods for state awareness across communication channels and statefully transitioning between communication channels

• US 8,572,264 B2
• Filed: 07/15/2011
• Issued: 10/29/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/15/2011
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Liberty Peak Ventures, LLC (Dominion Harbor Enterprises, LLC)
• Original Assignee: American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc. (American Express Company)
• Inventors: Dutta, Siddhartha
• Primary Examiner(s): VU, VIET DUY
• Application Number:
  US13/184,330
• Publication Number:
  US 20130019026A1
• Time in Patent Office: 837 Days
• Field of Search: 709/217, 709/219, 709/227, 709/228, 709/229, 709/238, 379/88.13
• US Class Current: 709/228
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/06 using stored programs, i.e. using an internal store of processing equipment to receive or retain programs
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/00 Network arrangements, protocols or services independent of the application payload and not provided for in the other groups of this subclass networks security protocols H04L9/40; wireless communication networks H04W
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/575 Means for retrieving and displaying personal data about calling party
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5133 Operator terminal details
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5158 in combination with automated outdialling systems devices for signalling identity of wanted subscriber H04M1/26
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5183 Call or contact centers with computer-telephony arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5191 interacting with the Internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5232 Call distribution algorithms
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5237 Interconnection arrangements between ACD systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5238 with waiting time or load prediction arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/003 Click to dial services

Abstract

A system for providing state awareness across communication channels and statefully transitioning a user between a source channel and a destination channel is disclosed. The method may comprise storing a unique identifier associated with the user and data associated with the user, retrieving the data associated with the user based upon the user identifier and in response to the user entering the destination channel that is different from the source channel, and populating the data associated with the user in the destination channel. The destination channel may comprise a display of a customer service representative, and the populating may occur automatically. Furthermore, the method may comprise placing a call to a telephone number associated with the user in response to at least one of: the user answering a requisite number of questions in the source channel and the user requesting a transition to a voice destination channel.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

retrieving, by a computer-based system for statefully transitioning a user between a source channel and a destination channel, data associated with the user based upon a user identifier, and in response to the user entering the destination channel that is different from the source channel;

populating, by the computer-based system, the data associated with the user in the destination channel;

transmitting, by the computer-based system, a telephone number associated with a customer service representative to a device associated with the user, wherein the telephone number is based upon information provided by the user in the source channel;

maintaining, by the computer-based system, a state awareness between communication channels; and

displaying, by the computer-based system and based upon the state awareness, an estimated wait time.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the destination channel is a display of a customer service representative and the populating occurs automatically.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising calling, by the computer-based system, a telephone number associated with the user in response to at least one of:

the user answering a requisite number of questions in the source channel and the user requesting a transition to a voice destination channel.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising transitioning, by the computer-based system, the user to a destination channel in response to the user selecting an option on a social networking website.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising statefully transitioning, by the computer-based system, the user to a destination channel that is at least one of a web channel, a mobile channel, and a voice channel.

6. A system comprising:

a processor for statefully transitioning a user between a source channel and a destination channel;

a tangible, non-transitory memory communicating with the processor;

the tangible, non-transitory memory having instructions stored thereon that, in response to execution by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising;

retrieving, by the processor, data associated with the user based upon a user identifier, and in response to the user entering the destination channel that is different from the source channel;

populating, by the processor, the data associated with the user in the destination channel;

transmitting, by the processor, a telephone number associated with a customer service representative to a device associated with the user, wherein the telephone number is based upon information provided by the user in the source channel;

maintaining, by the processor, a state awareness between communication channels; and

displaying, by the processor and based upon the state awareness, an estimated wait time.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the destination channel is a display of a customer service representative and the populating occurs automatically.

8. The system of claim 6, further comprising calling, by the processor, a telephone number associated with the user in response to at least one of;

the user answering a requisite number of questions in the source channel and the user requesting a transition to a voice destination channel.

9. The system of claim 6, further comprising transitioning, by the processor, the user to a destination channel in response to the user selecting an option on a social networking website.

10. The system of claim 6, further comprising statefully transitioning, by the processor, the user to a destination channel that is at least one of a web channel, a mobile channel, and a voice channel.

11. An article of manufacture including a non-transitory, tangible computer readable medium having instructions stored thereon that, in response to execution by a computer-based system for statefully transitioning a user between a source channel and a destination channel, cause the computer-based system to perform operations comprising:

retrieving, by the computer-based system, data associated with the user based upon a user identifier, and in response to the user entering the destination channel that is different from the source channel;

populating, by the computer-based system, the data associated with the user in the destination channel;

transmitting, by the computer-based system, a telephone number associated with a customer service representative to a device associated with the user, wherein the telephone number is based upon information provided by the user in the source channel;

maintaining, by the computer-based system, a state awareness between communication channels; and

displaying, by the computer-based system and based upon the state awareness, and estimated wait time.

12. The article of claim 11, wherein the destination channel is a display of a customer service representative and the populating occurs automatically.

13. The article of claim 11, further comprising calling, by the computer-based system, a telephone number associated with the user in response to at least one of:

the user answering a requisite number of questions in the source channel and the user requesting a transition to a voice destination channel.

14. The article of claim 11, further comprising transitioning, by the computer-based system, the user to a destination channel in response to the user selecting an option on a social networking website.