Method and system for establishing voice communications in an internet environment

• US 6,385,646 B1
• Filed: 08/23/1996
• Issued: 05/07/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 08/23/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: AT&T Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Brown, Sanford Samuel, Danyluk, Oleh George, Grippo, Ronald V.
• Primary Examiner(s): Teska, Kevin J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): THOMSON, WILLIAM D
• Application Number:
  US08/702,306
• Time in Patent Office: 2,083 Days
• Field of Search: 395/200.57, 395/200.66, 395/200.36, 395/200.53, 379/93.12, 379/93.14, 379/93.15, 379/91.01, 379/201, 379/219, 705/26, 709/217, 709/218, 709/219, 709/227, 709/229, 709/203, 709/210, 707/4, 707/10, 345/336, 345/329, 345/331
• US Class Current: 709/217
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/535 Tracking the activity of the user network monitoring arrangements H04L43/00; recording of computer activity G06F11/34
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/55 Push-based network services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/20 hybrid systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42102 Making use of the called party identifier
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42195 Arrangements for calling back a calling subscriber when the wanted subscriber ceases to be busy H04M3/48
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5191 interacting with the Internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5231 with call back arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/003 Click to dial services
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/12 for working between exchanges having different types of switching equipment, e.g. power-driven and step by step or decimal and non-decimal
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13072 Sequence circuits for call signaling, ACD systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13091 CLI, identification of calling line
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13093 Personal computer, PC
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13152 Callback
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13175 Graphical user interface [GUI], WWW interface, visual indication
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13389 LAN, internet

Abstract

Coordination of information at the network-based level between call centers connectable over a telecommunications network, such as the telephone network, and a packet network, such as the Internet, creates improved integration of and bonding between a customer'"'"'s interaction with a Web site and with a call center. Information about the customer and the customer'"'"'s Web interaction are delivered to the call center agent along with the call, leading to increased productivity and efficiency in call handling as well as improved call routing. Calls may be routed to existing call centers based upon information from the Web experience, and information from the user'"'"'s Web interaction is shared with the call center. Web interaction information is passed to existing call centers using known call center external control methods, such as DNIS signaling. Information about the Web experience may also be “whispered” to the call center agent, and an agent may “push” Web pages for review by the customer. As a result, customer acquisition and sales tools more powerful than a mere click-to-callback tool can be made available with a combined marketing approach using the Web and call centers.

Claims

1. A method for establishing voice communications in an Internet environment comprising:

receiving over a packet network, at a network service platform, information from a user, the information corresponding to at least one characteristic of an interactive communication session in which the user is engaged;

transforming by the network service platform the received information into a form suitable for placing a call over a telecommunications network to a call center, the call center being associated with a subscriber and the call center being different from and independent of the network service platform;

responsive to a user request;

initiating placement of a call by the network service platform to the call center, said call being routable by the call center to an agent in accordance with the information corresponding to at least one characteristic of the interactive communication session;

initiating placement of a call by the network service platform to the user;

bridging at the network service platform, the call to the call center with the call to the user;

receiving a page push signal at the network service platform, said page push signal corresponding to at least one of the plurality of web pages; and

pushing the at least one of the plurality of web pages corresponding to the page push signal to the user during the interactive communication session.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the packet network comprises at least one of an Internet and an intranet.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the interactive communication session comprises Web browsing.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the at least one characteristic of the interactive communication session includes at least one of an identity of the subscriber and a subject matter associated with the interactive communication session.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of receiving information over the packet network includes receiving information transmitted over the packet network using a uniform resource locator (URL).

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of transforming the information into a form suitable for placing a call over a telecommunications network to the call center includes the step of using a database containing at least one entry for information corresponding to at least one characteristic of the interactive communication session and at least one entry corresponding to a communications number for the call center.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein the at least one entry corresponding to a communications number for the call center comprises a dialed number identification service (DNIS) code.

8. The method according to claim 6, wherein the at least one characteristic of the interactive communication session includes at least one of an identity of the subscriber and a subject matter associated with the interactive communication session.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of transforming the received information into a form suitable for placing a call over a telecommunications network to the call center comprises transforming the received information into a dialed number identification service (DNIS) code.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein the step of initiating placement of a call to the call center in accordance with the transformed information comprises instructing a telecommunications switch coupled to the telecommunications network to place a call to a communications number corresponding to the DNIS code.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein:

the packet network comprises at least one of an Internet and an intranet;

the interactive communication session comprises Web browsing;

the at least one characteristic of the interactive communication session includes at least one of an identity of the subscriber and a subject matter associated with the interactive communication session;

the step of receiving information over the packet network includes receiving information transmitted over the packet network using a uniform resource locator (URL);

the step of transforming the received information into a form suitable for placing a call over a telecommunications network to the call center comprises transforming the received information into a dialed number identification service (DNIS) code using a database containing at least one entry for information corresponding to at least one characteristic of the interactive communication session and at least one entry corresponding to a communications number for the call center; and

the step of initiating placement of a call to the call center in accordance with the transformed information comprises instructing a telecommunications switch coupled to the telecommunications network to place a call to a communications number corresponding to the DNIS code.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one characteristic of the interactive communication session includes at least a whisper code, the whisper code relating to at least one of a data relating to the interactive communication session and relating to information specific to the user'"'"'s records at the call center.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

based on the whisper code, sending an audio message to the call center, the audio message relating to at least one of an identity of the user and details of the interactive communication session.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

playing said audio message to an agent in communications with the call center.

45. The method according to claim 1, wherein the call to the call center and the call to the user are initiated simultaneously.

46. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

storing at the network service platform data relating to a plurality of web pages.

47. The method as recited in claim 46, further comprising:

pushing at least one web page for display to the user while the calls to the user and call center are being initiated.

48. The method according to claim 47, wherein at least one web page for display to the user while the calls to the user and call center are being initiated contains advertising information.

49. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one characteristic of the interactive communication session includes at least a whisper code, the whisper code relating to at least one of a data relating to the interactive communication session and relating to information specific to the user'"'"'s records at the call center.

50. The method of claim 49, further comprising:

based on the whisper code, sending an audio message to the call center, the audio message relating to at least one of an identity of the user and details of the interactive communication session.

51. The method of claim 50, further comprising:

playing said audio message to an agent in communications with the call center.

15. A method of correlating information between a call center associated with a subscriber and a packet network linked in an interactive communication session with a user, comprising:

receiving over the packet network at a network service platform information corresponding to at least one characteristic of the interactive communication session;

communicating by said network service platform information corresponding to at least one characteristic of the interactive communication session to the call center over a telecommunications network;

based on the at least one characteristic, establishing a telecommunications session between the user and the call center over the telecommunication network by;

establishing a first call to the call center;

establishing a second call to the user;

bridging the first call with the second call so that the telecommunications session between the user and the call center over the voice network can be established; and

pushing at least one web page to the user during the interactive communication session based on an interaction between the network service platform and the call center while the telecommunications session between the user and the call center is being established.

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

receiving a page push signal at the network service platform, said page push signal corresponding to at least one of the plurality of web pages; and

pushing the at least one of the plurality of web pages corresponding to the page push signal to the user during the interactive communication session.

17. A method of correlating information between a call center associated with a subscriber and a packet network linked in an interactive communication session with a user, comprising:

receiving over the packet network at a network service platform information corresponding to at least one characteristic of the interactive communication session;

communicating by said network service platform information corresponding to at least one characteristic of the interactive communication session to the call center over a telecommunications network;

based on the at least one characteristic, establishing a telecommunications session between the user and the call center over the telecommunication network by;

establishing a first call to the call center;

establishing a second call to the user; and

bridging the first call with the second call so that the telecommunications session between the user and the call center over the voice network can be established;

receiving a page push signal at the network service platform, said page push signal corresponding to at least one of a plurality of web pages; and

pushing the at least one of the plurality of web pages corresponding to the page push signal to the user during the interactive communication session.

18. The method according to claim 17, wherein the packet network comprises at least one of an Internet and an intranet.

19. The method according to claim 17, wherein the interactive communication session comprises Web browsing.

20. The method according to claim 17, wherein the at least one characteristic of the interactive communication session includes at least one of an identity of the subscriber and a subject matter associated with the interactive communication session.

21. The method according to claim 17, wherein the step of receiving information over the packet network includes receiving information transmitted over the packet network using a uniform resource locator (URL).

22. The method according to claim 17, wherein the step of communicating the information corresponding to at least one characteristic of the interactive communication session to the call center over the telecommunications network includes the step of transforming the information into a form suitable for placing a call over the telecommunications network to the call center, said call being routable by the call center in accordance with the information corresponding to at least one characteristic of the interactive communication session.

23. The method according to claim 22, wherein the step of transforming the information into a form suitable for placing a call over the telecommunications network to the call center includes the step of using a database containing at least one entry for information corresponding to at least one characteristic of the interactive communication session and at least one entry corresponding to a communications number for the call center.

24. The method according to claim 23, wherein the at least one entry corresponding to a communications number for the call center comprises a dialed number identification service (DNIS) code.

25. The method according to claim 23, wherein the at least one characteristic of the interactive communication session includes at least one of an identity of the subscriber and a subject matter associated with the interactive communication session.

26. The method according to claim 22, wherein the step of transforming the received information into a form suitable for placing a call over a telecommunications network to the call center comprises transforming the received information into a dialed number identification service (DNIS) code.

27. The method according to claim 17, further comprising the step of sending a communication to the user over the packet network.

28. The method according to claim 27, wherein the step of sending a communication to the user over the packet network includes sending a page displayable to the user on a display device.

29. The method according to claim 28, wherein the displayable page corresponds to a page displayable using a Web browser.

30. The method according to claim 27, wherein the step of sending a communication to the user over the packet network is performed in response to a signal from the call center.

31. The method according to claim 30, wherein the signal from the call center comprises at least one dual tone multiple frequency (DTMF) code.

32. The method according to claim 17, wherein the step of communicating the information corresponding to at least one characteristic of the interactive communication session to the call center over a telecommunications network includes the step of sending audio signals representing the information to the call center.

33. The method according to claim 32, wherein the step of sending audio signals representing the information to the call center comprises:

a. transforming the information into audible sounds; and

b. playing the audible sounds over a telecommunications connection established with the call center.

34. The method according to claim 17, wherein the step of communicating the information corresponding to at least one characteristic of the interactive communication session includes verifying the authority of the call center to receive the information.

35. The method according to claim 17, wherein the first call and the second call are established simultaneously.

36. The method according to claim 17, wherein at least one web page pushed to the user while the telecommunications session between the user and the call center is being established contains advertising information.

37. A system for correlating information between a call center associated with a subscriber and a packet network linked in an interactive communication session with a user, comprising:

a telecommunications unit coupled to a telecommunications network; and

a processing unit coupled to the packet network and to the telecommunications unit to control the correlation of information between the call center and the packet network, wherein the processing unit receives over the packet network information corresponding to at least one characteristic of the interactive communication session, instructs the telecommunications unit to communicate the information corresponding to at least one characteristic of the interactive communication session to the call center over a telecommunications network, establishes a first call to the call center, establishes a second call to the user, bridges the first call with the second call so that the telecommunications session between the user and the call center over the voice network can be established, and pushes the at least one of the plurality of web pages corresponding to the page push signal to the user during the interactive communication session responsive to a page push signal corresponding to at least one of a plurality of web pages received by the telecommunications unit.

38. The system according to claim 37, wherein the processing unit comprises:

a. a computer;

b. a database; and

c. at least one of;

(1) a database server;

(2) a call manager server; and

(3) a page presentation server.

39. The system according to claim 37, wherein the telecommunications unit comprises a telecommunications switch and a voice response unit.

40. The system according to claim 37, wherein the packet network comprises at least one of an Internet and an intranet.

41. The system according to claim 37, wherein the interactive communication session comprises Web browsing.

42. The system according to claim 37, wherein the processing unit establishes the first call and the second call simultaneously.

43. The system according to claim 37, the processing unit pushes at least one web page to the user during the interactive communication session while the telecommunications session between the user and the call center is being established.

44. The system according to claim 38, the database contains at least data relating to a plurality of web pages.

52. A method for establishing voice communications in an Internet environment comprising:

receiving over a packet network, at a network service platform, information from a user, the information corresponding to at least one characteristic of an interactive communication session in which the user is engaged;

transforming by the network service platform the received information into a form suitable for placing a call over a telecommunications network to a call center, the call center being associated with a subscriber and the call center being different from and independent of the network service platform;

responsive to a user request;

initiating placement of a first call by the network service platform to the call center, said call being routable by the call center to an agent in accordance with the information corresponding to at least one characteristic of the interactive communication session;

initiating placement of a call by the network service platform to the user;

pushing a web page to the user during the interactive communication session based on an interaction between the network service platform and the call center to indicate that the call to the call center has been initiated; and

bridging at the network service platform, the call to the call center with the call to the user.

53. A method of correlating information between a call center associated with a subscriber and a packet network linked in an interactive communication session with a user, comprising:

receiving over the packet network at a network service platform information corresponding to at least one characteristic of the interactive communication session;

communicating by said network service platform information corresponding to at least one characteristic of the interactive communication session to the call center over a telecommunications network;

based on the at least one characteristic, establishing a telecommunications session between the user and the call center over the telecommunication network by;

establishing a first call to the call center;

establishing a second call to the user; and

bridging the first call with the second call so that the telecommunications session between the user and the call center over the voice network can be established;

receiving a page push signal at the network service platform, said page push signal corresponding to at least one of a plurality of web pages; and

pushing the at least one of the plurality of web pages corresponding to the page push signal in response to a page push function executed by a call center agent to the user during the interactive communication session.

54. A method of correlating information between a call center associated with a subscriber and a packet network linked in an interactive communication session with a user, comprising:

receiving over the packet network at a network service platform information corresponding to at least one characteristic of the interactive communication session;

communicating by said network service platform information corresponding to at least one characteristic of the interactive communication session to the call center over a telecommunications network;

based on the at least one characteristic, establishing a telecommunications session between the user and the call center over the telecommunication network by;

establishing a first call to the call center;

establishing a second call to the user; and

bridging the first call with the second call so that the telecommunications session between the user and the call center over the voice network can be established;

receiving a page push signal at the network service platform, said page push signal corresponding to at least one of a plurality of web pages; and

pushing the at least one of the plurality of web pages corresponding to the page push signal to the user during the interactive communication session in response to the user'"'"'s request made during the established telecommunications session.

55. A system for correlating information between a call center associated with a subscriber and a packet network linked in an interactive communication session with a user, comprising:

a telecommunications unit coupled to a telecommunications network; and

a processing unit coupled to the packet network and to the telecommunications unit to control the correlation of information between the call center and the packet network, wherein the processing unit receives over the packet network information corresponding to at least one characteristic of the interactive communication session, instructs the telecommunications unit to communicate the information corresponding to at least one characteristic of the interactive communication session to the call center over a telecommunications network, establishes a first call to the call center, establishes a second call to the user, pushes a web page to the user during the interactive communication session based on an interaction between the telecommunications unit and the call center to indicate that the call to the call center has been initiated, and bridges the first call with the second call so that the telecommunications session between the user and the call center over the voice network can be established.