Applying user preferences, behavioral patterns and/or environmental factors to an automated customer support application

• US 10,694,036 B1
• Filed: 02/26/2019
• Issued: 06/23/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 04/28/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: West Technology Group LLC (West Corporation)
• Original Assignee: West Corporation
• Inventors: Webster, Craig A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gauthier, Gerald
• Application Number:
  US16/285,418
• Time in Patent Office: 483 Days
• Field of Search: 345619, 370352, 370328, 3702301, 379 72, 379 8801, 379 8811, 379 8817, 379 8818, 379 8822, 379 8823, 379 9301, 379 9313, 379 9317, 37920101, 37921301, 37921801, 379230, 37926502, 37926509, 379328, 37920105, 37926513, 3792661, 37920102, 37921001, 455406, 4554141, 4554563, 4555521, 704251, 7042701, 705 1459, 705319, 709224, 709202, 709217, 715854
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/68 Retrieval characterised by using metadata, e.g. metadata not derived from the content or metadata generated manually
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/016 After-sales
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/41 using speaker recognition speaker recognition per se G10L17/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/251 where a voice mode or a visual mode can be used interchangeably
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/551 Call history recording a computer conference H04L12/1831
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/655 Combination of telephone service and social networking messaging within social networks H04L51/52
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/12 Language recognition, selection or translation arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42068 where the identifier is used to access a profile
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/493 Interactive information services, e.g. directory enquiries ; Arrangements therefor, e.g. interactive voice response [IVR] systems or voice portals
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4931 Directory assistance systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5166 in combination with interactive voice response systems or voice portals, e.g. as front-ends

Abstract

A method and apparatus of applying user profile information to a customized application are disclosed. One example method of operation may include receiving an inquiry message or call from a user device, identifying and authorizing the user from inquiry message information received from the inquiry message, retrieving a user profile comprising at least one user preference, applying the at least one user preference to a user call processing application, and transmitting menu options to the user device based on the applied at least user preference.

Claims

1. A method, comprising at an interactive voice response (IVR) system:

transmitting a pre-recorded audio segment to a user device based on a match of at least one user preference to the pre-recorded audio segment, wherein the method further comprises;

storing information corresponding to spoken words of a user of the user device, the spoken words included in a prior message;

determining the at least one user preference based on a frequency of terms in the spoken words; and

associating the at least one user preference with an account related to the user device for interaction with an agent.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the prior message is an inquiry message received from the user device, and wherein the inquiry message comprises a telephone number of the user device.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising

retrieving a user profile comprising the at least one user preference, wherein profile information of the user is stored in a remote database and is retrieved responsive to identifying the user of the user device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one user preference is stored in a user profile and wherein the user profile comprises a plurality of user preferences.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

matching each of the plurality of user preferences to a corresponding plurality of pre-recorded audio segments;

queuing the plurality of pre-recorded audio segments into a call sequence; and

transmitting the call sequence as a set of pre-recorded audio segments to the user device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one user preference comprises at least one of a language preference, a female or male agent preference, a removal of pre-recorded instructions preference, a removal of greeting statements preference, an account balance preference, a main menu bypass preference, a predefined menu preference, and a speech recognition or dual tone modulation frequency (DTMF) selection preference.

7. The method of claim 2, further comprising

identifying the user from a sample of voice audio received from the prior message.

8. An apparatus, comprising:

a processor at an interactive voice response (IVR) system configured to;

transmit a pre-recorded audio segment to a user device based on a match of at least one user preference to the pre-recorded audio segment, the processor further configured to;

store information corresponding to spoken words of a user of the user device, the spoken words included in a prior message;

determine the at least one user preference based on a frequency of terms in the spoken words; and

associate the at least one user preference with an account related to the user device for interaction with an agent.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the apparatus comprises a receiver configured to receive an inquiry message from the user device comprising a sample of voice audio provided from a user of the user device, wherein the inquiry message further comprises a telephone number of the user device.

10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the processor is configured to retrieve a user profile comprising at least one user preference, wherein profile information of the user is stored in a remote database and is retrieved responsive to an identification of the user of the user device.

11. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the at least one user preference is stored in a user profile and wherein the user profile comprises a plurality of user preferences.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the processor is further configured to:

match each of the plurality of user preferences to a corresponding plurality of pre-recorded audio segments,

queue the plurality of pre-recorded audio segments into a call sequence,

transmit the call sequence as a set of pre-recorded audio segments to the user device.

13. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the at least one user preference comprises at least one of a language preference, a female or male agent preference, a removal of pre-recorded instructions preference, a removal of greet statements preference, an account balance preference, a main menu bypass preference, a predefined menu preference, and a speech recognition or dual tone modulation frequency (DTMF) selection preference.

14. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the processor is further configured to identify the user from a sample of voice audio received from the prior message.

15. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium configured to store instructions that when executed cause a processor to perform:

transmitting a pre-recorded audio segment to a user device based on a match of at least one user preference to a pre-recorded audio segment, wherein the processor is to;

store information corresponding to spoken words of a user of the user device, the spoken words included in a prior message;

determine the at least one user preference based on a frequency of terms in the spoken words; and

associate the at least one user preference with an account related to the user device for interaction with an agent.

16. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the prior message is an inquiry message received from the user device and wherein the inquiry message comprises a telephone number of the user device.

17. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the processor is further configured to perform retrieving a user profile comprising at least one user preference, wherein profile information of the user is stored in a remote database and is retrieved responsive to identifying the user of the user device.

18. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the at least one user preference is stored in a user profile and wherein the user profile comprises a plurality of user preferences.

19. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 18, wherein the processor is further configured to perform:

matching each of the plurality of user preferences to a corresponding plurality of pre-recorded audio segments;

queuing the plurality of pre-recorded audio segments into a call sequence; and

transmitting the call sequence as a set of pre-recorded audio segments to the user device, and

wherein the at least one user preference comprises at least one of a language preference, a female or male agent preference, a removal of pre-recorded instructions preference, a removal of greeting statements preference, an account balance preference, a main menu bypass preference, a predefined menu preference, and a speech recognition or dual ton modulation frequency (DTMF) selection preference.

20. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein the processor is further configured to perform identifying the user from sample of voice audio received from the prior message.