Method and system for securing access to information in an automatic call distributor system

• US 8,731,175 B2
• Filed: 02/21/2006
• Issued: 05/20/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/21/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Shaffer, Shmuel, Patel, Labhesh, Jennings, Cullen F., Sarkar, Shantanu
• Primary Examiner(s): SHAH, ANTIM G
• Application Number:
  US11/359,252
• Publication Number:
  US 20070206765A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,010 Days
• Field of Search: 379/265.09, 37926501-26504, 379/265.12, 379/265.11, 709/219, 370/352
• US Class Current: 379/265.02
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/6009 Personal information, e.g. profiles or personal directories being only provided to authorised persons
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5183 Call or contact centers with computer-telephony arrangements

Abstract

A method for granting access to secure information includes receiving from a caller a call for connection with one of a plurality of agents, distributing the call to the agent of the plurality of agents, initiating an active communication session between the caller and the agent for handling the call, and granting to the agent access to the secure caller information using a plurality of access authentication information that includes an active communication session between the caller and the agent.

Claims

1. A method for granting access to secure caller information, comprising:

receiving from a caller a call for connection with one of a plurality of agents associated with an automatic call distribution system;

distributing the call to an agent of the plurality of agents;

initiating an active communication session between the caller and the agent for handling the call;

automatically, in response to the initiation of the active communication session between the caller and the agent, granting to the agent access to secure caller information stored at the automatic call distribution system independently from the caller using a plurality of access authentication information, the plurality of access authentication information comprising the active communication session between the caller and the agent;

receiving a disconnect command from the caller to disconnect from the agent the access to the secure caller information stored at the automatic call distribution system independently from the caller while maintaining the active communication session; and

in response to receiving the disconnect command from the caller, removing from the agent the access to the secure caller information; and

wherein removing from the agent the access to the secure information comprises the secure caller information from a display associated with the agent.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

disconnecting the active communication session between the caller and the agent; and

in response to disconnecting the active communication session between the caller and the agent, removing from the agent the access to the secure caller information.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein:

granting to the agent the access to secure caller information comprising establishing a database communication session between the agent and a database comprising the secure caller information; and

removing from the agent the access to the secure caller information comprises disconnecting the database communication session between the agent and the database.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein removing from the agent the access to the secure caller information further comprises clearing the secure caller information from a display associated with the agent.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein disconnecting the active communication session between the caller and the agent, further comprises completing the transaction associated with the call.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising communicating to the caller actions performed by the agent in handling the secure caller information.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein communicating to the caller actions performed by the agent in handling the secure caller information comprises communicating the actions using at least one of a text to speech, a prompt, or a whisper technique.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the access authentication information further comprises caller authenticating credentials received from the caller.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the access authentication information further comprises agent authenticating credentials received from the agent.

10. A method for granting access to secure caller information, comprising:

receiving from a caller;

a call for connection with one of a plurality of agents associated with an automatic call distribution system; and

caller authenticating credentials associated with the caller;

distributing the call to an agent of the plurality of agents;

initiating an active communication session between the caller and the agent for handling the call;

generating a session key for the communication session between the caller and the agent, the session key expiring at the end of the communication session;

automatically, in response to the initiation of the active communication session between the caller and the agent, providing the agent with access to secure caller information of the caller stored at an automatic call distribution system database independently from the caller prior to the receipt of the call from the caller, the access to the secure caller information provided to the agent using the caller authenticating credentials and the session key;

receiving a disconnect command from the caller to disconnect from the agent the access to the secure caller information stored at the automatic call distribution system database independently from the caller while maintaining the active communication session;

in response to receiving the disconnect command from the caller, removing from the agent the access to the secure caller information; and

wherein removing from the agent the access to the secure caller information comprises clearing the secure caller information from a display associated with the agent.

11. A system for granting access to secure caller information, comprising:

an interface operable to receive from a caller a call for connection with one of a plurality of agents associated with an automatic call distribution system; and

a controller operable to;

distribute the call to an agent of the plurality of agents;

initiate an active communication session between the caller and the agent for handling the call;

automatically, in response to the initiation of the active communication session between the caller and the agent, grant to the agent access to secure caller information stored at the automatic call distribution system independently from the caller using a plurality of access authentication information, the plurality of access authentication information comprising the active communication session between the caller and the agent;

receive a disconnect command from the caller to disconnect from the agent the access to the secure caller information stored at the automatic call distribution system independently from the caller while maintaining the active communication session; and

in response to receiving the disconnect command from the caller, remove from the agent the access to the secure caller information; and

wherein the controller operable to remove from the agent the access to the secure caller information comprises a controller operable to clear secure caller information from a display associated with the agent.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the controller is further operable to:

disconnect the active communication session between the caller and the agent; and

in response to disconnecting the active communication session between the caller and the agent, remove from the agent the access to the secure caller information.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein:

the controller operable to grant to the agent access to secure caller information comprises a controller operable to establish a database communication session between the agent and a database comprising the secure caller information; and

the controller operable to remove from the agent the access to the secure caller information comprises a controller operable to disconnect the database communication session between the agent and the database.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the controller operable to remove from the agent the access to the secure caller information comprises a controller operable to clear the secure caller information from a display associated with the agent.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein the controller operable to disconnect the active communication session comprises a controller operable to complete the transaction associated with the call.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein the interface is further operable to communicate to the caller actions performed by the agent in handling the secure caller information.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the interface operable to communicate to the caller actions performed by the agent in handling the secure caller information comprises an interface operable to communicate the actions using at least one of a text to speech, a prompt, or a whisper technique.

18. The system of claim 11, wherein:

the access authentication information further comprises caller authenticating credentials received from the caller; and

the interface is further operable to receive from the caller the caller authenticating credentials.

19. The system of claim 11, wherein:

the access authentication information further comprises agent authenticating credentials received from the agent; and

the interface is further operable to receive from the agent the agent authenticating credentials.

20. A system for granting access to secure caller information, comprising:

an interface operable to receive from a caller;

a call for connection with one of a plurality of agents associated with an automatic call distribution system; and

caller authenticating credentials associated with the caller;

a controller operable to;

distribute the call to an agent of the plurality of agents;

initiate an active communication session between the caller and the agent for handling the call;

generate a session key for the communication session between the caller and the agent, the session key expiring at the end of the communication session;

automatically, in response to the initiation of the active communication session between the caller and the agent, provide the agent with access to secure caller information of the caller stored at an automatic call distribution system database independently from the caller prior to the receipt of the call from the caller, the access to the secure caller information provided to the agent using the caller authenticating credentials and the session key;

receive a disconnect command from the caller to disconnect from the agent the access to the secure caller information stored at the automatic call distribution system database independently from the caller while maintaining the active communication session;

in response to receiving the disconnect command from the caller, remove from the agent the access to the secure caller information; and

wherein the controller operable to remove from the agent the access to the secure caller information comprises a controller operable to clear the secure caller information from a display associated with the agent.

21. Logic embodied in a non-transitory computer readable medium, the non-transitory computer readable medium comprising code operable to:

receive from a caller a call for connection with one of a plurality of agents associated with an automatic call distribution system;

distribute the call to an agent of the plurality of agents;

initiate an active communication session between the caller and the agent for handling the call;

automatically, in response to the initiation of the active communication session between the caller and the agent, grant to the agent access to secure caller information stored at the automatic call distribution system independently from the caller using a plurality of access authentication information, the plurality of access authentication information comprising the active communication session between the caller and the agent; and

receive a disconnect command from the caller to disconnect from the agent the access to the secure caller information stored at the automatic call distribution system independently from the caller while maintaining the active communication session;

in response to receiving the disconnect command from the caller, remove from the agent the access to the secure caller information; and

wherein the code operable to remove from the agent the access to the secure caller information comprises code operable to clear the secure caller information from a display associated with the agent.

22. The medium of claim 21, wherein the code is further operable to:

disconnect the active communication session between the caller and the agent; and

in response to disconnecting the active communication session between the caller and the agent, remove from the agent the access to the secure caller information.

23. The medium of claim 22, wherein;

code operable to grant to the agent the access to secure caller information comprises code operable to establish a database communication session between the agent and a database comprising the secure caller information; and

code operable to remove from the agent the access to the secure caller information comprises code operable to disconnect the database communication session between the agent and the database.

24. The medium of claim 22, wherein code operable to remove from the agent the access to the secure caller information further comprises code operable to clear the secure caller information from a display associated with the agent.

25. The medium of claim 22, wherein code operable to disconnect the active communication session between the caller and the agent, further comprises code operable to complete the transaction associated with the call.

26. The medium of claim 21, wherein the code is further operable to communicate to the caller actions performed by the agent in handling, the secure caller information.

27. The medium of claim 26, wherein code operable to communicate to the caller actions performed by the agent in handling the secure caller information comprises code operable to communicate the actions using at least one of a text to speech, a prompt, or a whisper technique.

28. The medium of claim 21, wherein the access authentication information further comprises caller authenticating credentials received from the caller.

29. The medium of claim 21, wherein the access authentication information further comprises agent authenticating credentials received from the agent.

30. Logic embodied in a non-transitory computer readable medium, the computer readable medium comprising code operable to:

receive from a caller;

a call for connection with one of a plurality of agents associated with an automatic call distribution system; and

caller authenticating credentials associated with the caller;

distribute the call to an agent of the plurality of agents;

initiate an active communication session between the caller and the agent for handling the call;

generate a session key for the communication session between the caller and the agent, the session key expiring at the end of the communication session;

automatically, in response to the initiation of the active communication session between the caller and the agent, provide the agent with access to secure caller information of the caller stored at an automatic call distribution system database independently from the caller prior to the receipt of the call from the caller, the access to the secure caller information provided to the agent using the caller authenticating credentials and the session key;

receive a disconnect command from the caller to disconnect from the agent the access to the secure caller information stored at the automatic call distribution system database independently from the caller while maintaining the active communication session;

in response to receiving the disconnect command from the caller, remove from the agent the access to the secure caller information; and

wherein the code operable to remove from the agent the access to the secure caller information comprises code operable to clear the secure caller information from a display associated with the agent.

31. A system for granting access to secure caller information, comprising:

means for receiving from a caller a call for connection with one of a plurality of agents associated with an automatic call distribution system;

means for distributing the call to an agent of the plurality of agents;

means for initiating an active communication session between the caller and the agent for handling the call;

means for automatically, in response to the initiation of the active communication session between the caller and the agent, granting to the agent access to secure caller information stored at the automatic call distribution system independently from the caller using a plurality of access authentication information, the plurality of access authentication information comprising the active communication session between the caller and the agent;

means for receiving a disconnect command from the caller to disconnect from the agent the access to the secure caller information stored at the automatic call distribution system independently from the caller while maintaining the active communication session;

means for, in response to receiving the disconnect command from the caller, removing from the agent the access to the secure caller information; and

wherein means for removing from the agent the access to the secure caller information comprises means for clearing the secure caller information from a display associated with the agent.

32. A method for granting access to secure caller information, comprising:

receiving from a caller;

a call for connection with one of a plurality of agents associated with an automatic call distribution system; and

caller authenticating credentials associated with the caller;

distributing the call to an agent of the plurality of agents;

receiving from the agent authenticating credentials associated with the agent;

initiating an active communication session between the caller and the agent for handling the call;

generating a session key for the active communication session between the caller and the agent, the session key expiring at the end of the communication session;

automatically, in response to the initiation of the active communication session between the caller and the agent, providing the agent with access to secure caller information of the caller stored at an automatic call distribution system database independently from the caller prior to the receipt of the call from the caller, the access to the secure caller information provided to the agent using a plurality of access authentication information, the plurality of access authentication information comprising;

caller authenticating credentials;

agent authenticating credentials; and

session key;

communicating to the caller actions performed by the agent in handling the secure caller information;

receiving a disconnect command from the caller to disconnect from the agent the access to the secure caller information stored at the automatic call distribution system database independently from the caller while maintaining the active communication session; and

in response to receiving the disconnect command from the caller;

destroying the session key;

removing from the agent the access to the secure caller information; and

clearing the secure caller information from a display associated with the agent.