System and method for automated call center operation facilitating agent-caller communication

• US 9,942,401 B2
• Filed: 05/26/2017
• Issued: 04/10/2018
• 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: Odinak, Gilad, Sutherland, Alastair
• Primary Examiner(s): ADDY, THJUAN KNOWLIN
• Application Number:
  US15/606,710
• Publication Number:
  US 20170264745A1
• Time in Patent Office: 319 Days
• Field of Search: 37926501, 379 8813, 37926502, 37926505, 37921001, 379 8801, 37926509, 7042701, 4554121, 4554122
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 13/08 Text analysis or generation of parameters for speech synthesis out of text, e.g. grapheme to phoneme translation, prosody generation or stress or intonation determination
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/40 using speech recognition
• 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 2203/357 Autocues for dialog assistance
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/4536 Voicemail combined with text-based messaging
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42059 Making use of the calling party identifier
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42221 Conversation recording systems at the subscriber's set H04M1/656
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42382 Text-based messaging services in telephone networks such as PSTN/ISDN, e.g. User-to-User Signalling or Short Message Service for fixed networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4936 Speech interaction details speech recognition per se G10L15/00
• 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 3/523 with call distribution or queueing
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5322 for recording text messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/533 Voice mail systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 : Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements

Abstract

A system and method for automated call center operation facilitating agent-caller communication are provided. Multiple call sessions with users are simultaneously provided for an agent on a display. One of the call sessions is identified as active and the agent is allowed to communicate with the user of that call session. Speech utterances for each of the remaining call sessions are received from the user participating in that call session. Each received speech utterance is transcribed and displayed with the associated call session while the agent is communicating with the user of the active call. During the call sessions, text messages are received from one or more of the user of the active call and at least one of the users of the remaining call sessions. The text messages are displayed with the associated call sessions while the agent is communicating with the user of the active call session.

Claims

1. A system for automated call center operation facilitating agent-caller communication, comprising:

a display to simultaneously display for an agent multiple call sessions with users;

an active call session module to identify one of the call sessions as active and to allow the agent to communicate with the user of that call session;

a receipt module to receive for each of the remaining call sessions, speech utterances from the user participating in that call session;

a transcription module to transcribe each received speech utterance from the users of the remaining call sessions, wherein each transcribed speech utterance is displayed with the associated call session while the agent is communicating with the user of the active call; and

a message module to receive during the call sessions text messages from one or more of the user of the active call and at least one of the users of the remaining call sessions, wherein the text messages are displayed with the associated call sessions while the agent is communicating with the user of the active call session.

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

a playback module to provide to the agent an audio recording of one or more of the speech utterances from one of the users.

3. A system according to claim 2, further comprising:

a modification module to receive from the agent at least one of annotations to at least one of the speech utterances and a further transcription of the speech utterance.

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

a command module to receive a command from the agent for the active call session, the command comprising at least one of a request to listen to at least one of the transcribed speech utterances, play a synthesized message from the agent to the user of the active call session, and activate a script.

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

a tab displayed for each of the call sessions in the display.

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

a tab selection module to receive a selection of one of the tabs from the agent and to designate the call session associated with the selected tab as the active call session.

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

text messages received from the agent in reply to the received speech utterances from the user of the active call session; and

a synthesizer to convert the agent text messages into a stream of synthesized speech utterances and to provide the synthesized speech utterances to the user of the active call session.

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

a database to store the transcribed speech utterances and agent text messages for the active call session as a record.

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

an instruction module to receive from the agent instructions to provide a script to one of the users of one of the remaining call sessions; and

a playback module to play the script to the user simultaneously while the agent is communicating with the user of the active call session.

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

an instruction module to receive a selection of one of the remaining call sessions as a further active call session; and

an agent console to maintain the further active call session and the active call session.

11. A method for automated call center operation facilitating agent-caller communication, comprising:

simultaneously providing for an agent on a display multiple call sessions with users;

identifying one of the call sessions as active and allowing the agent to communicate with the user of that call session;

receiving for each of the remaining call sessions, speech utterances from the user participating in that call session;

transcribing each received speech utterance from the users of the remaining call sessions;

displaying on the display each transcribed speech utterance with the associated call session while the agent is communicating with the user of the active call;

receiving during the call sessions text messages from one or more of the user of the active call and at least one of the users of the remaining call sessions; and

displaying the text messages with the associated call sessions while the agent is communicating with the user of the active call session.

12. A method according to claim 11, further comprising:

providing to the agent an audio recording of one or more of the speech utterances from one of the users.

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

receiving from the agent at least one of annotations to at least one of the speech utterances and a further transcription of the speech utterance.

14. A method according to claim 11, further comprising:

receiving a command from the agent for the active call session, the command comprising at least one of a request to listen to at least one of the transcribed speech utterances, play a synthesized message from the agent to the user of the active call session, and activate a script.

15. A method according to claim 11, further comprising:

providing a tab for each of the displayed call sessions in the display.

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

receiving a selection of one of the tabs from the agent; and

designating the call session associated with the selected tab as the active call session.

17. A method according to claim 11, further comprising:

receiving from the agent text messages in reply to the received speech utterances from the user of the active call session;

converting the agent text messages into a stream of synthesized speech utterances; and

providing the synthesized speech utterances to the user of the active call session.

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

storing the transcribed speech utterances and agent text messages for the active call session as a record.

19. A method according to claim 11, further comprising:

receiving from the agent instructions to provide a script to one of the users of one such call session; and

playing the script to the user simultaneously while the agent is communicating with the user of the active call session.

20. A method according to claim 11, further comprising:

receiving a selection of one of the remaining call sessions as a further active call session; and

maintaining the further active call session and the active call session.