Method and system for providing access to captured multimedia data from a multimedia player

• US 7,149,788 B1
• Filed: 04/30/2002
• Issued: 12/12/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/28/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Verint Americas Incorporated (Verint Systems Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Witness Systems Incorporated (Verint Systems Incorporated)
• Inventors: Frigerio, Pierpaolo, Iannone, Jeffrey Michael, Gundla, Kondal Reddy
• Primary Examiner(s): Cardone, Jason
• Assistant Examiner(s): BHATIA, AJAY M
• Application Number:
  US10/136,718
• Time in Patent Office: 1,687 Days
• Field of Search: 709/204, 709/206, 709/207, 709213-219, 715/500, 715/513, 379/265.06, 379/265.07, 379/265.09
• US Class Current: 709/218
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/40 of multimedia data, e.g. slideshows comprising image and additional audio data retrieval of still image data G06F16/50; retrieval of audio data G06F16/60; retrieval of video data G06F16/70
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/12 Accounting
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/00 Network architectures or network communication protocols for network security cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for secret or secure communication H04L9/00; network architectures or network communication protocols for wireless network security H04W12/00; security arrangements for protecting computers or computer systems against unauthorised activity G06F21/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/30 for supporting lawful interception, monitoring or retaining of communications or communication related information circuit switched telephony call monitoring H04M3/2281
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/56 Provisioning of proxy services store-and-forward switching systems in data switching networks H04L12/54
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/564 Enhancement of application control based on intercepted application data
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/2281 Call monitoring, e.g. for law enforcement purposes; Call tracing; Detection or prevention of malicious calls
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42221 Conversation recording systems at the subscriber's set H04M1/656
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5175 Call or contact centers supervision arrangements

Abstract

A multimedia player is provided access to recorded multimedia data including data of a first media type, e.g., voice, and at least a second media type, e.g., text, exchanged between at least one user and at least one server. The recorded multimedia data of the first media type is synchronized with the recorded multimedia data of the second media type, e.g., by matching timing information, and the synchronized data is combined. The combined data is then rendered into an audio-video format compatible with the multimedia player. The rendered data may then be saved into a file accessible by the multimedia player. The rendered data may be sent to a multimedia player, or a hyperlink may be created for accessing the rendered data by the multimedia player. The recorded data may be annotated with multimedia data. The user may be notified that the multimedia data has been recorded.

Claims

1. A method for providing access to a multimedia player of recorded multimedia data including data of a first media type and at least a second media type exchanged between at least one user and at least one server, the method comprising the steps of:

synchronizing the recorded multimedia data of the first media type with the recorded multimedia data of the second media type;

combining the synchronized data; and

rendering the combined data in a format compatible with the multimedia player;

wherein the step of synchronizing comprises matching timing data included in the data of the first media type with timing data included in the data of the second media type;

wherein the data of the first media type is generated from an exchange between a call center agent and a customer, and the data of the second media type is based upon screen data from a computer associated with the call center agent captured during the exchange;

wherein the data of a first media type and the data of a second media type were recorded in a proprietary format;

wherein the multimedia player is inoperable to present either of the first and second media types prior to the rendering step.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising saving the rendered combined data into a file accessible by the multimedia player;

wherein the multimedia player operates on a remote computer residing outside of the call center, and wherein the remote computer is inoperable to replay multimedia data of either the first media type or second media type.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising creating a hyperlink to the saved data for accessing the multimedia player.

4. The method of claim 2, further comprising sending the saved file to the multimedia player.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the combined data is rendered into an audio-video format.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the audio-video format is audio video interleave (AVI) format, Moving Pictures Expert Group (MPEG), or similar multimedia format.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the first media type is voice, and the second media type is screen data text.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the recorded data exchanges comprises a voice exchange, a voice and text exchange, a web chat, instant messaging, e-mail, or an internet transaction.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the user is a web browser or a web server, and the server is a web server.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the user wherein the user is a web browser or a web server outside the enterprise, and the server is a web server in communication with at least one agent within the enterprise.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the recorded data includes simultaneous exchanges between a plurality of agents and a user, the agent and a plurality of users, or a plurality of agents and a plurality of users.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the multimedia player is provided access to recorded data including exchanges between a plurality of agents and at least one user as one continuous exchange.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein only data that satisfies predetermined business rules is recorded.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising annotating the recorded multimedia data with annotation data of a first media type, annotation data of at least a second media type, or a combination of annotation data of the first media type and the second media type.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the step of annotation is performed upon playback of the recorded data via the multimedia player.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the annotation data is accessible during a subsequent playback.

17. The method of claim 1, further comprising constructing an audit trail.

18. The method of claim 1, further comprising notifying the user that the multimedia data has been recorded, wherein the step of notifying comprises sending at least one of a page, a personal digital assistant (PDA) message, a wireless application protocol (WAP) message, an e-mail message, or a cellular phone message to the user.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the step of notifying comprises sending a third generation (3G) cellular phone message to the user.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein the data of the first media type includes voice data and time stamps, the second media type includes text data and time codes, and the step of synchronizing comprises matching the time stamps with the time codes.

21. The method of claim 1, wherein the multimedia player is located on a computer remote to the call center, and does not include software which would enable the computer to replay either of the proprietary format of the first and second media types.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the combined data substantially represents a record of the call center agent'"'"'s activities with the customer during a call center interaction.

23. The method of claim 1, wherein the multimedia data further comprises data of a third media type, wherein the data of the third media type comprises data exchanged between a customer and a server.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the server is a web server residing at an enterprise associated with the call center.

25. A system for providing access to a multimedia player of recorded multimedia data including data of a first media type and at least a second media type exchanged between at least one user and at least one server, the system comprising:

means for synchronizing the recorded multimedia data of the first media type with the recorded multimedia data of the second media type;

means for combining the synchronized data; and

means for rendering the combined data in a format compatible with the multimedia player;

wherein the means for synchronizing comprises matching timing data included in the data of the first media type with timing data included in the data of the second media type;

wherein the data of the first media type is based upon an exchange between a call center agent and a customer, and the data of the second media type is based upon screen data from a computer associated with the call center agent captured during the exchange;

wherein the data of a first media type and the data of a second media type were recorded in a proprietary format;

wherein the multimedia player is inoperable to present either of the first and second media types prior to the rendering step.

26. The system of claim 25, further comprising means for saving the rendered combined data into a file accessible by the multimedia player.

27. The system of claim 25, further comprising means for creating a hyperlink to the saved data for accessing the multimedia player.

28. The system of claim 25, further comprising means for sending the saved file to the multimedia player.

29. The system of claim 25, wherein the combined data is rendered into an audio-video format.

30. The system of claim 29, wherein the audio-video format is audio video interleave (AVI) format, Moving Pictures Expert Group (MPEG) format, or other similar multimedia format.

31. The system of claim 25, wherein the first media type is voice, and the second media type is screen data text.

32. The system of claim 25, wherein the recorded data exchanges comprises at least one voice exchange, a voice and text exchange, a web chat, instant messaging, e-mail, or an internet transaction.

33. The system of claim 25, wherein the user is a web browser or a web server, and the server is a web server.

34. The system of claim 33, wherein the user is a web browser or a web server outside the enterprise, and the server is a web server in communication with at least one agent within the enterprise.

35. The system of claim 34, wherein the recorded data includes simultaneous exchanges between a plurality of agents and a user, the agent and a plurality of users, or a plurality of agents and a plurality of users.

36. The system of claim 34, wherein the multimedia player is provided access to recorded data including exchanges between a plurality of agents and at least one user as one continuous exchange.

37. The system of claim 25, wherein only data that satisfies predetermined business rules is recorded.

38. The system of claim 25, further comprising means for annotating the recorded multimedia data with annotation data of a first media type, annotation data of at least a second media type, or a combination of annotation data of the first media type and the second media type.

39. The system of claim 38, wherein the first media type is voice, and the second media type is text.

40. The system of claim 38, wherein annotation is performed upon playback of the recorded data via the multimedia player.

41. The system of claim 40, wherein the annotation data is accessible during a subsequent playback.

42. The system of claim 25, further comprising means for constructing an audit trail.

43. The system of claim 25, further comprising means for notifying the user that the multimedia data has been recorded;

wherein the means for notifying sends a page, a personal digital assistant (PDA) message, a wireless application protocol (WAP) message, an e-mail message to the user, or a cellular phone message to the user.

44. The system of claim 43, wherein the means for notifying sends a third generation (3G) cellular phone message to the user.

45. The system of claim 25, wherein the data of the first media type includes voice data and time stamps, the second media type includes text data and time codes, and the step of synchronizing comprises matching the time stamps with the time codes.

46. A method for providing access to a multimedia player of recorded multimedia data including data of a first media type and at least a second media type exchanged between at least one user and at least one server, the method comprising the steps of:

synchronizing the recorded multimedia data of the first media type with the recorded multimedia data of the second media type;

combining the synchronized data; and

rendering the combined data in a format compatible with the multimedia player;

wherein the step of synchronizing comprises matching timing data included in the data of the first media type with timing data included in the data of the second media type;

wherein the data of the first media type and the data of the second media type are generated by an exchange between a customer point of contact and a customer;

wherein the data of a first media type and the data of a second media type were recorded in a proprietary format;

wherein the multimedia player is inoperable to present either of the first and second media types prior to the rendering step.