Location-based call initiation

• US 9,420,105 B2
• Filed: 02/05/2014
• Issued: 08/16/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 11/27/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Genesys Telecommunications Laboratories Incorporated (Genesys Cloud Services Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Genesys Telecommunications Laboratories Incorporated (Genesys Cloud Services Incorporated)
• Inventors: Le Gouez, Laurent, Blcon, Stphane
• Primary Examiner(s): Asanbayev, Oleg
• Application Number:
  US14/173,775
• Publication Number:
  US 20140153712A1
• Time in Patent Office: 923 Days
• Field of Search: 379/142.1, 379/201.01, 379/207.12, 379/210.01, 379/265.01, 379/266.01
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/14 with services dependent on location where the service is an information service H04M2242/15; services independent of location H04M3/42229
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/30 Determination of the location of a subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5231 with call back arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services

Abstract

An apparatus has a processor and a memory, the memory storing instructions that when executed by the processor, cause the processor to schedule a communication between a contact center and a communication device associated with a user, prompt the user to configure a geographic location for the communication device, track geographic location for the communication device, and initiate the communication in response to determining that the geographic location of the communication device appliance is the configured geographic location.

Claims

1. An apparatus for location-based communication, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory, the memory storing instructions that when executed by the processor, cause the processor to;

schedule a communication between a contact center and a communication device associated with a user;

prompt the user to configure geographic data including a path and direction of movement for the communication device;

prompt the user to indicate, via an interactive window, a line on a map implemented as the path and direction of movement to trigger the communication, wherein the line comprises a plurality of points;

track positions of the communication device; and

initiate the communication, by the contact center, in response to determining that the positions of the communication device are within the configured path and direction of movement.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the instructions further cause the processor to:

prompt the user to further configure one or more of date, time, or communication channel for the scheduled communication.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the instructions further cause the processor to:

utilize a third party service to determine the points.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the instructions further cause the processor to:

maintain a database relating locations by address and description to coordinates;

prompt the user to describe a location;

parse the location described by the user for keywords and phrases; and

present to the user candidate locations matching the description.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the instructions further cause the processor to:

track location of the communication device by Global Positioning System (GPS).

6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the instructions further cause the processor to:

cooperate with a third-party service to track location of the communication device.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the instructions further cause the processor to:

cooperate with a cellular service provider to track location of the communication device.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the instructions further cause the processor to:

impose a time delay before initiating the communication in response to the path and direction of movement of the communication device being determined to be the configured path and direction of movement.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the configured geographic data further includes a configured geographic location, and wherein the instructions further cause the processor to:

in response to a particular position of the tracked positions of the communication device being a particular distance from the configured geographic location, place a virtual call event on a queue associated with the contact center, wherein the virtual call event is a place holder for the user in the queue;

track progress of the virtual call event in the queue;

in response to determining that the virtual call event is next-in-line in the queue for establishing communication between the contact center resource and the communication device;

determine whether a location of the communication device is within the configured geographic location; and

in response to determining that the location is not within the configured geographic location, refrain from establishing communication between the contact center resource and the communication device and hold the virtual call in place in the queue while allowing another virtual call event to by-pass the virtual call event; and

in response to determining that the location is within the configured geographic location, establish the communication between the contact center resource and the communication device.

10. A method for location-based communication, the method comprising:

scheduling by a computing device having a processor, communication from a contact center to a communication device associated with a user;

presenting to the user an interactive window by the computing device for prompting the user to configure geographic data including a path and direction of movement associated with the communication device;

prompting the user to indicate, via an interactive window, a line on a map implemented by the computing device as the path and direction of movement implemented for triggering the communication, the line comprising a plurality of points;

periodically tracking by the computing device positions of the communication device; and

in response to determining that the positions of the communication device are within the configured path and direction of movement, initiating, by the contact center, the communication.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising:

prompting the user to configure one or more of date, time, or communication channel in addition to geographic location to initiate the scheduled communication.

12. The method of claim 10 further comprising:

providing the points to the contact center by a third-party service.

13. The method of claim 10 further comprising:

maintaining a database relating locations by address and description to coordinates;

presenting to user a first interactive window for describing a location;

parsing the user'"'"'s description for keywords and phrases; and

presenting candidate locations in a second window.

14. The method of claim 10 further comprising:

tracking location of the communication device by Global Positioning System (GPS).

15. The method of claim 14 further comprising:

accomplishing GPS tracking by a third-party system; and

providing coordinates from the tracking to the computing device.

16. The method of claim 10 further comprising:

tracking the location of the communication device by a wireless enterprise; and

providing coordinates from the tracking to the contact center.

17. The method of claim 10 further comprising:

imposing a time delay prior to the communication being initiated.