System and method for processing call data

• US 9,674,355 B2
• Filed: 03/10/2016
• Issued: 06/06/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Intellisist, Inc. dba Spoken Communications (Avaya Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Intellisist, Inc. dba Spoken Communications (Avaya Incorporated)
• Inventors: Sutherland, Alastair, Odinak, Gilad, Tolhurst, William A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gauthier, Gerald
• Application Number:
  US15/067,101
• Publication Number:
  US 20160205249A1
• Time in Patent Office: 453 Days
• Field of Search: 379 8801, 37926501, 37926502, 37926506, 37926509, 704243, 704246, 704251, 704275, 704260, 7042701, 709202, 709230, 718103, 719328, 370352, 713165
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/26 Speech to text systems G10L15/08 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/38 Displays
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/39 using speech synthesis speech synthesis per se G10L13/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/40 using speech recognition speech recognition per se G10L15/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/60 Medium conversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/306 Prerecordings to be used during a voice call
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/4536 Voicemail combined with text-based messaging
• 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 3/5133 Operator terminal details
• 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 3/5322 for recording text messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/533 Voice mail systems

Abstract

A system and method for processing call data is provided. A call between a user and an agent is monitored. A selected script having a dialog grammar is received. The selected script is executed by converting at least a portion of the script into synthesized speech utterances and providing the synthesized speech utterances to the user. Speech utterances are received from the user in reply to each of the synthesized speech utterances from the script. Each received speech utterance is converted to text as a user message and a form is populated with the user messages. The user speech utterances and the form with the user messages are provided to the agent.

Claims

1. A system for processing call data, comprising:

a call monitor to monitor a call between a user and an agent;

a central processing unit to receive a selected script comprising a grammar for a dialog, to execute the selected script by converting at least a portion of the script into synthesized speech utterances, and to provide the synthesized speech utterances to the user;

a speech recognition engine to receive from the user speech utterances in reply to each of the synthesized speech utterances from the script, to convert each received speech utterance to text as a user message, and to populate a form with the user messages; and

a telephony interface to provide the user speech utterances and the populated form with the user messages to the agent, wherein an average amount of time spent on calls by the agent is reduced.

2. A system according to claim 1, further comprising at least one of:

a database to store the synthesized speech utterances as prerecorded messages; and

a text-to-speech engine to generate the synthesized speech utterances upon execution of the script.

3. A system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a message receipt module to receive one or more text messages from the agent;

the text-to-speech engine to convert each text message to additional synthesized speech utterances; and

the telephony module to provide the additional synthesized speech utterances to the user.

4. A system according to claim 3, wherein the execution of the script is interrupted to provide the additional synthesized speech utterances to the user.

5. A system according to claim 3, further comprising:

an agent console to display the form with the user messages with the text messages from the agent and at least the executed portion of the script.

6. A system according to claim 1, further comprising:

an agent console to display the form with the user messages and to simultaneously display user messages from a further call between the agent and a different user.

7. A system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a collection module to collect characteristics of the user; and

a script selection module to select the script via one of the agent and automatically based on the collected characteristics of the user.

8. A system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a notification module to provide a notification to the agent prior to receipt of the user message.

9. A system according to claim 1, further comprising:

an agent console to monitor a call between the agent and another user while the script is executed during the call with the user.

10. A method for processing call data, comprising:

monitoring a call between a user and an agent;

receiving a selected script comprising a grammar for a dialog;

executing the selected script by converting at least a portion of the script into synthesized speech utterances and providing the synthesized speech utterances to the user;

receiving from the user speech utterances in reply to each of the synthesized speech utterances from the script;

converting each received speech utterance to text as a user message;

populating a form with the user messages; and

providing the user speech utterances and the form with the user messages to the agent, wherein an average amount of time spent on calls by the agent is reduced.

11. A method according to claim 10, further comprising at least one of:

storing the synthesized speech utterances as prerecorded messages; and

generating the synthesized speech utterances upon execution of the script.

12. A method according to claim 10, further comprising:

receiving one or more text messages from the agent;

converting each text message to additional synthesized speech utterances; and

providing the additional synthesized speech utterances to the user.

13. A method according to claim 12, further comprising:

interrupting the execution of the script to provide the additional synthesized speech utterances to the user.

14. A method according to claim 12, further comprising:

displaying the form with the user messages via an agent console with the text messages from the agent and at least the executed portion of the script.

15. A method according to claim 10, further comprising:

displaying the form with the user messages via an agent console; and

simultaneously displaying user messages from a further call between the agent and a different user.

16. A method according to claim 10, further comprising:

collecting characteristics of the user; and

selecting the script via one of the agent and automatically based on the collected characteristics of the user.

17. A method according to claim 10, further comprising:

providing a notification to the agent prior to receipt of the user message.

18. A method according to claim 10, further comprising:

monitoring a call between the agent and another user when the script is executed during the call with the user.