Search-based contact initiation method and apparatus

• US 8,577,916 B1
• Filed: 09/01/2006
• Issued: 11/05/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/01/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avaya Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Avaya Incorporated
• Inventors: Palmquist, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): PENG, HUAWEN A
• Application Number:
  US11/469,698
• Time in Patent Office: 2,622 Days
• Field of Search: 705/7, 705/7.14, 379/265, 707/770
• US Class Current: 707/770
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/01 Customer relationship services

Abstract

Search-based contact initiation methods and apparatus are provided. In particular, a contact initiator enters search terms in the form of qualifications or characteristics desired of a contact recipient. The search term are used to search qualifications records that include qualifications entered or selected by candidate qualifications recipients. When a match or best match between search criteria and a record associated with a candidate communication recipient is found, the contact initiator is placed into communication with that communication recipient. Communications between the communications initiator and the communication recipient are established using a contact address associated with the qualifications of the communication recipient.

Claims

1. A method for identifying a communication recipient having selected qualifications, comprising:

for each of a plurality of candidate communication recipients, receiving qualifications data and a contact address;

storing said received qualifications data and contact addresses;

receiving search criteria from a communication initiator;

searching said qualifications data using said received search criteria to identify a single communication recipient; and

initiating communication between said communication initiator and said identified single communication recipient using said contact address for said identified single communication recipient, wherein said initiating communication between said communication initiator and said identified single communication recipient includes providing said contact address for said identified single communication recipient to an initiator communication device to establish a communication link with said identified single communication recipient.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said initiating a communication between said communication initiator and said identified communication recipient is performed without requiring input from said communication initiator subsequent to said receiving search criteria from said communication initiator.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said contact address for at least one of said candidate communication recipients comprises a presence document providing dynamic contact addresses for said at least one of said candidate communication recipients.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying a single communication recipient includes:

generating a list containing a number of candidate communication recipients associated with qualifications data that at least partially satisfies the search criteria received from the communication initiator; and

selecting one of said candidate communication recipients from the list according to a set of selection rules.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein said selecting one of said candidate communication recipients from the list according to a set of selection rules is performed by an automatic call distribution system.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein said list containing a number of candidate communication recipients is sorted according to relevance rules.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving additional qualifications data from an administrator; and

storing said additional qualifications data.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said initiating communication between said communication initiator and said communication recipient includes providing said contact address for the communication recipient to a communication network.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein said communication between said communication initiator and said communication recipient comprises a real-time communication.

10. A system for initiating contacts, comprising:

an initiator communication device, including;

a user input operable to receive search criteria from a communication initiator;

a communication interface;

data storage, wherein a plurality of records are stored in said data storage, and wherein each of said records includes qualification information and a contact address associated with a communication recipient;

a recipient communication device, including;

a communication interface;

a communication link between said initiator communication device and said recipient communication device; and

a communication initiator application, wherein in response to search criteria received from a communication initiator at least one communication recipient is identified from said records as a best match for said received search criteria, wherein in response to identifying said best match for said received search criteria, said communication initiator application places said communication initiator and said communication recipient in communication with one another through said initiator communication device, said communication link, and said recipient communication device, wherein placing said communication initiator and said communication recipient in communication with each other includes providing a contact address for said recipient communication device to said initiator communication device, and wherein said initiator communication device uses said contact address to establish said communication link with said recipient communication device.

11. The system of claim 10, further comprising:

a qualifications records database, wherein said plurality of records are stored in data storage comprising said qualifications records database.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein said qualification information for at least one of said records includes qualifications entered by the communication recipient associated with the record.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein said qualification information for the at least one of the records additionally includes qualifications entered by an administrator.

14. The system of claim 10, further comprising a contact initiation server, wherein said communication initiation application is executed by the contact initiation server.