SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR STORING AND SEARCHING DATA IN A CUSTOMER CENTER ENVIRONMENT

• US 20110225185A1
• Filed: 05/24/2011
• Published: 09/15/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Verint Americas Incorporated (Verint Systems Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Verint Americas Incorporated (Verint Systems Incorporated)
• Inventors: Gupta, Rajan
• Granted Patent: US 9,304,995 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/769
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/10 File systems; File servers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/13 File access structures, e.g. distributed indices arrangements of input from, or output to, record carriers G06F3/06
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2255 Hash tables
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/24575 using context
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2477 Temporal data queries
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/248 Presentation of query results
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/285 Clustering or classification
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/313 Selection or weighting of terms for indexing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/325 Hash tables
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/3329 Natural language query formulation or dialogue systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/3344 using natural language analysis
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/338 Presentation of query results
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/353 into predefined classes
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99934 Query formulation, input preparation, or translation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99935 Query augmenting and refining, e.g. inexact access

Abstract

Systems and methods for storing data in a customer center environment are provided. In this regard, a representative method comprises: generating data from workforce applications, at least one of the workforce applications including at least one of forecasting, scheduling, recording, and monitoring functionalities; and storing the data from the at least one of the workforce applications in a storage area network (SAN), the SAN being operable to connect the at least one of the workforce applications to computer storage devices. The method can further include keeping recorded contacts in a long term storage device such as the SAN or an operational data store (ODS) and transparently searching in both the ODS and the SAN simultaneously. With a concept of moving data on to a file system SAN which is cheaper as compared to a database technology such as ODS, the method facilitates predictable performance from the ODS and easier manageability with constant cost from SAN.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving a query via a graphical user interface to search data generated by a plurality of workforce applications;

in response to the query, searching both a structured database and an unstructured database for information in the data related to the query; and

storing results of the searching in a search result database.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein searching both the structured database and the unstructured database comprises:

searching the structured database using categories available in the structured database; and

searching the unstructured database using an index of the unstructured database.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the structured database comprises a plurality of contacts.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the categories comprise an agent identifier associated each of the plurality of contacts.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the categories comprise a date of each of the plurality of contacts.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the categories comprise a number of transfers of each of the plurality of contacts.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising, prior to receiving the query, processing at least a portion of the data generated by the plurality of workforce applications to determine whether the portion of the data should be stored in either the structured database or the unstructured database.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising, prior to receiving the query, processing at least a portion of the data generated by the plurality of workforce applications to determine whether the portion of the data should be stored in either only a one of the structured database or the unstructured database, or both the structured database and the unstructured database.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising converting at least a portion of the results to a text format for storage in the search result database.

10. The method of claim 1 further comprising displaying the results according to a prioritization.

11. A computer readable medium having stored thereon instructs that, when executed by a computer system, direct the computer system to:

receive a query via a graphical user interface to search data generated by a plurality of workforce applications;

in response to the query, search both a structured database and an unstructured database for information in the data related to the query; and

store results of the searching in a search result database.

12. The computer readable medium of claim 11 wherein to search both the structured database and the unstructured database the instructions direct the computer system to:

search the structured database using categories available in the structured database; and

search the unstructured database using an index of the unstructured database.

13. The computer readable medium of claim 12 wherein the structured database comprises a plurality of contacts.

14. The computer readable medium of claim 13 wherein the categories comprise an agent identifier associated each of the plurality of contacts.

15. The computer readable medium of claim 14 wherein the categories comprise a date of each of the plurality of contacts.

16. The computer readable medium of claim 15 wherein the categories comprise a number of transfers of each of the plurality of contacts.

17. The computer readable medium of claim 11 where the instructions further direct the computer system to, prior to receiving the query, process at least a portion of the data generated by the plurality of workforce applications to determine whether the portion of the data should be stored in either the structured database or the unstructured database.

18. The computer readable medium of claim 11 where the instructions further direct the computer system to, prior to receiving the query, process at least a portion of the data generated by the plurality of workforce applications to determine whether the portion of the data should be stored in either only a one of the structured database or the unstructured database, or both the structured database and the unstructured database.

19. The computer readable medium of claim 11 wherein the instructions further direct the computer system to convert at least a portion of the results to a text format for storage in the search result database.

20. The computer readable medium of claim 11 where the instructions further direct the computer system to display the results according to a prioritization.