Apparatus and methods for multi-mode asynchronous communication

• US 8,880,631 B2
• Filed: 04/09/2014
• Issued: 11/04/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/23/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Verint Americas Incorporated (Verint Systems Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Contact Solutions Incorporated
• Inventors: Logan, Paul, Hibbard, Mike, Gray, Joshua, Clements, Vete
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Quang N
• Application Number:
  US14/248,843
• Publication Number:
  US 20140237061A1
• Time in Patent Office: 209 Days
• Field of Search: 709/203, 709/206, 709/217, 709/218, 709/219, 709/223, 709/224, 709/239, 705/75
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/083 using passwords cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using a predetermined code H04L9/3226
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/141 Setup of application sessions admission control or resource allocation in data switching networks H04L47/70
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/146 Markers for unambiguous identification of a particular session, e.g. session cookie or URL-encoding
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/535 Tracking the activity of the user network monitoring arrangements H04L43/00; recording of computer activity G06F11/34
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/551 Call history recording a computer conference H04L12/1831
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42263 where the same subscriber uses different terminals, i.e. nomadism
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5141 Details of processing calls and other types of contacts in an unified manner unified messaging in packet-switching networks H04L51/56
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5175 Call or contact centers supervision arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5191 interacting with the Internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5307 for recording messages comprising any combination of audio and non-audio components
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0042 where the data service is a text-based messaging service H04M7/0054 takes precedence

Abstract

A method includes receiving at a host device a first communication associated with a transaction from at least one electronic device included in a set of electronic devices. The host device includes at least a memory, a processor, and a database. The first communication received at a first time and via a first communication mode. The method includes sending a response to the first communication at a second time after the first time and independent of the first time. The host devices receives a second communication associated with the transaction from the at least one electronic device at a third time. The first communication, the response to the first communication, and the second communication are displayable in a persistent record of the transaction regardless of a difference between the first time and the third time.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving at a host device a first communication associated with a user interaction and sent from at least one electronic device from a plurality of electronic devices, the host device including at least a memory, a processor and a database, the first communication being received at a first time via a first communication mode of the at least one electronic device;

sending, from the host device to the at least one electronic device at a second time, a response to the first communication, the second time being later than the first time and independent of the first time;

receiving at the host device a second communication associated with the user interaction and sent from the at least one electronic device, the second communication being received at a third time, the first communication, the response to the first communication, and the second communication being displayable on at least one of the host device or the at least one electronic device in a persistent record of the user interaction regardless of a difference between the first time and the third time,

wherein the receiving the second communication includes receiving the second communication via a second communication mode of the at least one electronic device different from the first communication mode;

receiving a third communication associated with the user interaction, the third communication being received from a second electronic device from the plurality of electronic devices, the third communication being displayable in the persistent record of the user interaction on at least one of the host device or the at least one electronic device; and

receiving a fourth communication from a third electronic device from the plurality of electronic devices, the fourth communication being unrelated to the user interaction, the fourth communication being displayable in a record different than the persistent record of the user interaction.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the sending the response to the first communication includes sending the response using at least one of the first communication mode, the second communication mode or a third communication mode different from the first communication mode and the second communication mode.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first communication mode is one of a voice message, an SMS message, text message, an e-mail or an instant message.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising completing the user interaction at a fourth time, later than the third time and independent of the first time, the second time or the third time.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving identification information associated with the at least one electronic device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first communication is associated with a first step of the user interaction, the second communication is associated with a second step of the user interaction, the memory configured to store the first communication and the second communication, the user interaction being a customer service transaction.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the database includes data associated with the at least one electronic device, the database accessible to authenticate the at least one electronic device.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the user interaction is completed asynchronously.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising routing the first communication based at least in part on a content of the first communication.

10. A method, comprising:

sending from an electronic device to a host device a first communication associated with a first customer service transaction at a first time;

receiving at the electronic device from the host device a response to the first communication at a second time later than the first time and independent of the first time;

sending from the electronic device to the host device a second communication associated with the first customer service transaction at a third time, the first communication, the response and the second communication being displayable on at least one of the host device or the electronic device in a persistent record of the first customer service transaction regardless of a difference between the first time and the third time,

wherein the first communication is sent via a first communication mode of the electronic device and the second communication is sent via a second communication mode of the electronic device different from the first communication mode; and

sending from the electronic device to the host device a third communication associated with a second customer service transaction, the third communication being displayable in a record of the second customer service transaction different from the persistent record of the first customer service transaction.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the first customer service transaction is completed asynchronously.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the first communication is based on a pre-defined message presented on the electronic device.

13. The method of claim 10, further comprising storing data associated with the first customer service transaction and the second customer service transaction, the data accessible after the first customer service transaction and the second customer service transaction are completed.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the response is based at least in part on one of a profile, a behavior, or a preference associated with a user of the electronic device.

15. A non-transitory processor-readable medium storing code representing instructions to cause a processor to:

receive at a host device a first communication associated with a transaction and sent from at least one electronic device from a plurality of electronic devices, the host device including at least a memory, a processor and a database, the first communication being received at a first time via a first communication mode of the at least one electronic device;

send, from the host device to the at least one electronic device at a second time, a response to the first communication, the second time being later than the first time and independent of the first time;

receive at the host device a second communication associated with the transaction and sent from the at least one electronic device, the second communication being received at a third time, the first communication, the response to the first communication, and the second communication being displayable on at least one of the host device or the at least one electronic device in a persistent record of the transaction regardless of a difference between the first time and the third time,

wherein the receiving the second communication includes receiving the second communication via a second communication mode of the at least one electronic device different from the first communication mode;

receive a third communication associated with the transaction, the third communication being received from a second electronic device from the plurality of electronic devices, the third communication being displayable in the persistent record of the transaction on at least one of the host device or the at least one electronic device; and

receive a fourth communication from a third electronic device from the plurality of electronic devices, the fourth communication being unrelated to the transaction, the fourth communication being displayable in a record different from the persistent record of the transaction.