Mobile device applications for computer-telephony systems

• US 8,666,378 B2
• Filed: 03/19/2012
• Issued: 03/04/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/19/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nuance Communications, Inc. (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Spence, Adam, Dunbar, Michael, Cowls, Adam, Steinmann, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Siddiqui, Kashif
• Application Number:
  US13/424,093
• Publication Number:
  US 20130244632A1
• Time in Patent Office: 715 Days
• Field of Search: 4554141-417, 455/428, 455/445, 37914201-14218, 37921001-21802, 379/221.14, 37926601-26609
• US Class Current: 455/415
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/006 Call diverting means
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2535 adapted for voice communication over an Internet Protocol [IP] network Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) network equipment and services H04M7/006; implementation or adaptation of Internet protocol [IP], of transmission control protocol [TCP] or of user datagram protocol [UDP] H04L69/16
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/724 User interfaces specially adapted for cordless or mobile telephones
• 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 3/5166 in combination with interactive voice response systems or voice portals, e.g. as front-ends
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5183 Call or contact centers with computer-telephony arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5231 with call back arrangements

Abstract

On a mobile telecommunications device, computer-executable code executes to facilitate interactions between the user of the mobile telecommunications device and a call center or other computer-telephony integration equipment. The computer-executable code includes instructions that request at least one operation to be performed at a call center, where the call center includes a call center controller, an interactive voice response system component, and at least one agent. At least in part, a wireless network transmits the request from the mobile telecommunications device to the call center controller.

Claims

1. A computer-readable storage device storing instructions that, when executed, cause a call center to route an incoming voice call to a call center agent or group of agents, the instructions comprising:

identifying a caller who placed the incoming voice call;

identifying routing instructions from the caller,

wherein the routing instructions are selected from a menu option via a mobile phone application programmed on the caller'"'"'s mobile phone,

wherein the selected menu option selects a particular call center agent or group of agents,

wherein before the menu option being displayed from which the particular call center agent or group of agents is selected, the particular call center agent or group of agents is determined to be available to answer a voice call, and

wherein the mobile phone of the caller transmits the selection of the particular call center agent or group of agents to the data store via a data channel;

matching the routing instructions that match an entry in a data store with the identity of the caller,

wherein the entry in the data store associates the particular call center agent or group of agents with the identity of the caller; and

forwarding the incoming voice call to the particular call center agent or group of agents associated by the entry in the data store matched with the identity of the caller.

2. The computer-readable storage device of claim 1, wherein the particular call center agent or group of agents belongs to a particular call center team.

3. The computer-readable storage device of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving call scheduling instructions from the caller,

wherein the call scheduling instructions were selected from a menu option via the mobile phone application.

4. The computer-readable storage device of claim 3, further comprising:

when the particular call center agent or group of agents will not be available during a time period specified by the call scheduling instructions,

directing the incoming voice call to a voice browser.

5. The computer-readable storage device of claim 1, wherein the caller is identified from identification data selected from the group of:

a Mobile Subscriber Integrated Services Digital Network Number (MSISDN) of a caller'"'"'s account, an International Mobile Equipment Identifier (IMEI) of the caller'"'"'s phone, or an International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI) of a Subscriber Identity Module.

6. A computer-readable storage device storing a data structure for routing a caller at a call center, the data structure comprising:

a caller identification entry, wherein the caller identification entry allows a computer to match the data structure with an identification of a caller who placed an incoming voice call to a call center; and

a call routing entry, wherein the call routing entry associates a particular call center agent or group of agents with the caller identification entry, and allows the call center to route the incoming voice call to the particular call center agent or group of agents,

wherein the call routing entry associates context information with the caller identification entry and routes the incoming voice call to the particular call center agent or group of agents based on the context information;

wherein before the caller places the incoming call, the call routing entry is generated when;

the caller selects a menu option in a mobile phone application used to place the call, wherein the selected menu option selects the particular call center agent or group of agents; and

the mobile phone of the caller transmits, via a data channel and to the storage device, the selected menu option selecting the particular call center agent or group of agents.

7. The computer-readable storage device of claim 6, wherein the context information indicates that the purpose of the voice call is to change the caller'"'"'s wireless subscription plan or to request technical assistance.

8. The computer-readable storage device of claim 6, wherein the selected menu option further comprises call scheduling instructions.

9. The computer-readable storage device of claim 6, wherein the context information indicates that the caller requests a callback.

10. The computer-readable storage device of claim 6, wherein the context information indicates that the mobile phone has experienced a failure.

11. The computer-readable storage device of claim 6, wherein the caller identification entry of the data structure is a Mobile Subscriber Integrated Services Digital Network Number.

12. The computer-readable storage device of claim 6, wherein the caller identification entry of the data structure is selected from the group of an International Mobile Equipment Identifier, an International Mobile Subscriber Identity, and an Internet Protocol Version 6 address.

13. A computer-readable storage device storing a data structure for routing a caller at a call center, the data structure comprising:

a caller identification entry, wherein the caller identification entry allows a computer to match the data structure with an identification of a caller who placed an incoming voice call to a call center; and

a call routing entry, wherein the call routing entry associates a particular call center agent or group of agents with the caller identification entry, and allows the call center to route the incoming voice call to the particular call center agent or group of agents,

wherein when the particular call center agent or group of agents will not be available for a time period greater than a predetermined time period, the call routing entry instructs the call center to route the incoming voice call to a voice browser;

wherein before the caller places the incoming call, the call routing entry is generated when;

the caller selects a menu option in a mobile phone application used to place the call, wherein the selected menu option selects the particular call center agent or group of agents; and

the mobile phone of the caller transmits, via a data channel and to the storage device, the selected menu option selecting the particular call center agent or group of agents.

14. A computer-readable storage device storing instructions that, when executed, cause a call center to route an incoming voice call to a call center agent or group of agents, the instructions comprising:

identifying a caller who placed the incoming voice call;

identifying routing instructions from the caller,

wherein the routing instructions are selected from a menu option via a mobile phone application programmed on the caller'"'"'s mobile phone,

wherein the selected menu option selects a particular call center agent or group of agents, and

wherein the mobile phone of the caller transmits the selection of the particular call center agent or group of agents to the data store via a data channel;

matching the routing instructions that match an entry in a data store with the identity of the caller,

wherein the entry in the data store associates the particular call center agent or group of agents with the identity of the caller;

forwarding the incoming voice call to the particular call center agent or group of agents associated by the entry in the data store matched with the identity of the caller;

receiving an indication that the purpose of the voice call is to change the caller'"'"'s wireless subscription plan; and

,

transmitting a webpage uniform resource locator to the caller,

wherein the webpage comprises information related to additional information regarding wireless subscription plans.

15. A computer-readable storage device storing instructions that, when executed, cause a call center to route an incoming voice call to a call center agent or group of agents, the instructions comprising:

receiving caller identification data and an indication of a particular call center agent or group of agents from a caller,

wherein the indication of the particular call center agent or group of agents was selected from a menu option via a mobile phone application;

identifying the caller who placed the incoming voice call from the caller identification data;

matching an entry in a data store with the identity of the caller,

wherein the entry in the data store associates the particular call center agent or group of agents with the identity of the caller;

routing instructions that route the incoming voice call to the particular call center agent or group of agents associated by the entry in the data store;

receiving an indication that the purpose of the voice call is to change the caller'"'"'s wireless subscription plan; and

,

transmitting a webpage uniform resource locator to the caller,

wherein the webpage comprises information related to additional information regarding wireless subscription plans.

16. A computer-readable storage device storing instructions that, when executed, cause a call center to route an incoming voice call to a call center agent or group of agents, the instructions comprising:

receiving caller identification data and an indication of a particular call center agent or group of agents from a caller,

wherein the indication of the particular call center agent or group of agents was selected from a menu option via a mobile phone application,

wherein before the menu option being displayed from which the particular call center agent or group of agents is selected, the particular call center agent or group of agents is determined to be available to answer a voice call;

identifying the caller who placed the incoming voice call from the caller identification data;

matching an entry in a data store with the identity of the caller,

wherein the entry in the data store associates the particular call center agent or group of agents with the identity of the caller; and

routing instructions that route the incoming voice call to the particular call center agent or group of agents associated by the entry in the data store.

17. The computer-readable storage device of claim 16, wherein the caller identification data is selected from the group of:

a Mobile Subscriber Integrated Services Digital Network Number (MSISDN) of a caller'"'"'s account, an International Mobile Equipment Identifier (IMEI) of the caller'"'"'s phone, or an International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI) of a Subscriber Identity Module.

18. A computer-readable storage device storing instructions that, when executed, cause a call center to route an incoming voice call to a call center agent or group of agents, the instructions comprising:

receiving caller identification data and an indication of a particular call center agent or group of agents from a caller,

wherein the indication of the particular call center agent or group of agents was selected from a menu option via a mobile phone application;

identifying the caller who placed the incoming voice call from the caller identification data;

matching an entry in a data store with the identity of the caller,

wherein the entry in the data store associates the particular call center agent or group of agents with the identity of the caller; and

routing instructions that route the incoming voice call to the particular call center agent or group of agents associated by the entry in the data store, andwherein when the particular call center agent or group of agents will not be available for a time period greater than a predetermined time period, the incoming voice call is routed to a voice browser.