Methods and systems for assisting scheduling with automation
First Claim
1. A method of assisting scheduling with automation, the method comprising:
- receiving a verbal scheduling request from a customer at a voice services node;
formulating request data to a schedule database, the request data being formulated based on keywords of the verbal scheduling request received from the customer, wherein formulating the request data comprises;
accessing a profile for the customer from a profile database to deteintine preferences for the customer, the profile database comprising a profile database storage maintained only at a premises of the customer, the preferences being previously obtained through at least one of the following;
previous verbal communication with the customer, data message transaction with the customer, and tracking previous scheduling requests made by the customer, andincluding the preferences in the request data, when information contained in the preferences is omitted in the request data, to determine whether the request is compatible with a current schedule, wherein including the preferences comprises;
accessing the profile for the customer from the profile database,searching for the preferences containing the information omitted in the request data, andupdating the request data to include the preferences containing the information omitted in the request data, wherein updating the request data to include the preferences containing the information omitted in the request data does not require further customer interaction;
receiving a scheduling update signal from a schedule owner, the scheduling update signal providing an indication of availability for the current schedule stored in the schedule database, the indication of availability including a quantitative capacity;
formulating a command to the schedule database based on the received scheduling update signal to update the current schedule;
comparing the request data to the current schedule of the schedule database to determine whether the request data is compatible with the current schedule of the schedule database, wherein the update to the current schedule is considered when determining whether the request is compatible;
when the request is compatible with the current schedule, altering the current schedule of the schedule database based on the request data; and
generating a notification signal of the alteration to the current schedule.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Methods and systems provide scheduling assistance with automation. A party requesting scheduling can make the request to the automated system in various ways such as a voiced call to a voice services node, an email or instant message over the Internet, or a wireless data message from a wireless device. Request data based on the communication from the requesting party is compared to schedule data, such as by querying a database containing the schedule data. If the request data is compatible with the schedule data such that the request can be accommodated, then the schedule data is altered according to the request data to reflect the new scheduling. A notification may then be sent to the requesting party and/or the scheduling party owning the schedule to confirm the scheduling. For example, a voice services node may provide a verbal confirmation to the requesting party over the voiced call, or an email, instant message, or wireless data message may be sent to the requesting party. Likewise, an email, instant message, or a wireless data message may be sent to the scheduling party and/or a web site viewable by the scheduling party may display the updated schedule.
309 Citations
41 Claims
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1. A method of assisting scheduling with automation, the method comprising:
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receiving a verbal scheduling request from a customer at a voice services node; formulating request data to a schedule database, the request data being formulated based on keywords of the verbal scheduling request received from the customer, wherein formulating the request data comprises; accessing a profile for the customer from a profile database to deteintine preferences for the customer, the profile database comprising a profile database storage maintained only at a premises of the customer, the preferences being previously obtained through at least one of the following;
previous verbal communication with the customer, data message transaction with the customer, and tracking previous scheduling requests made by the customer, andincluding the preferences in the request data, when information contained in the preferences is omitted in the request data, to determine whether the request is compatible with a current schedule, wherein including the preferences comprises; accessing the profile for the customer from the profile database, searching for the preferences containing the information omitted in the request data, and updating the request data to include the preferences containing the information omitted in the request data, wherein updating the request data to include the preferences containing the information omitted in the request data does not require further customer interaction; receiving a scheduling update signal from a schedule owner, the scheduling update signal providing an indication of availability for the current schedule stored in the schedule database, the indication of availability including a quantitative capacity; formulating a command to the schedule database based on the received scheduling update signal to update the current schedule; comparing the request data to the current schedule of the schedule database to determine whether the request data is compatible with the current schedule of the schedule database, wherein the update to the current schedule is considered when determining whether the request is compatible; when the request is compatible with the current schedule, altering the current schedule of the schedule database based on the request data; and generating a notification signal of the alteration to the current schedule. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method of assisting scheduling with automation utilizing verbal communication, the method comprising:
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receiving a set of verbal responses for a schedule request from a customer at a voice services node; interpreting the set of verbal responses to produce request data, the request data being based on keywords of the set of verbal responses received from the customer; accessing a profile database, the profile database comprising a profile database storage maintained only at a premises of the customer, to search for preferences containing information omitted in the request data, the preferences being previously obtained through at least one of the following;
previous verbal communication with the customer, data message transaction with the customer, and tracking previous scheduling requests made by the customer;including the preferences containing the information omitted in the request when information is omitted in the request data, wherein including the preferences comprises; accessing the profile database, searching for the preferences containing the information omitted in the request data, and updating the request data to include the preferences containing the information omitted in the request data, wherein updating the request data to include the preferences containing the information omitted in the request data does not require further customer interaction; receiving a scheduling update signal from a schedule owner, the scheduling update signal providing an indication of availability for the current schedule stored in the schedule database, the indication of availability including a quantitative capacity; formulating a command to the schedule database based on the received scheduling update signal to update the current schedule; comparing the request data to schedule data of a current schedule to determine whether the schedule request is compatible with the current schedule, wherein the update to the current schedule is considered when determining whether the request is compatible; and when the request is compatible with the current schedule, then adapting the schedule data of the current schedule based on the request data. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. A system for assisting scheduling with automation, the system comprising:
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a voice services node that receives a verbal scheduling request from a customer over a voiced call and provides scheduling request data for the verbal scheduling request, the scheduling request data being based on keywords of the verbal scheduling request received from the customer; a scheduling database containing data for a current schedule; a profile database containing preference data comprising information omitted in the scheduling request data, the profile database comprising a profile database storage maintained only at a premises of the customer, the preference data being previously obtained through at least one of the following;
previous verbal communication with the customer, data message transaction with the customer, and tracking previous scheduling requests made by the customer, the preference data being used to update the scheduling request data, when the scheduling request data omits the information contained in the preference data, without requiring further customer interaction; anda network-based computer-implemented scheduling application operative to; receive the scheduling request data from the voice services node, receive a scheduling update signal from a schedule owner, the scheduling update signal providing an indication of availability for the current schedule stored in the schedule database, the indication of availability including a quantitative capacity; formulate a command to the schedule database based on the received scheduling update signal to update the current schedule, compare the scheduling request data to the data for the current schedule to determine whether the scheduling request data is compatible with the current schedule, wherein the update to the current schedule is considered when determining whether the request is compatible, and adapt the data for the current schedule based on the scheduling request data when the scheduling request data is compatible with the current schedule. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
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34. A system for assisting scheduling with automation utilizing verbal communication, the system comprising:
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a voice services node that converts question data to provide a set of verbal questions for a schedule request to a customer, that receives a set of verbal answers from the customer, and converts the set of verbal answers into request data; a profile database containing preference data comprising information omitted in the request data, the profile database comprising a profile database storage maintained only at a premises of the customer, the preference data being previously obtained through at least one of the following;
previous verbal communication with the customer, data message transaction with the customer, and tracking previous scheduling requests made by the customer, the preference data being used to update the request data, when the request data omits the information contained in the preference data, without requiring further customer interaction;a schedule database containing schedule data for a current schedule; and a network-based computer-implemented application operative to; provide the question data to the voice services node, receive the request data from the voice services node, receive a scheduling update signal from a schedule owner, the scheduling update signal providing an indication of availability for the current schedule stored in the schedule database, the indication of availability including a quantitative capacity; update the current schedule based on the received scheduling update; compare the request data to the schedule data for the current schedule, and adapt the schedule data according to the request data when the request data is compatible with the schedule data. - View Dependent Claims (35, 36, 37, 38, 39)
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40. A method of assisting scheduling with automation, the method comprising:
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receiving a verbal scheduling request from a customer at a voice services node over a voiced call; formulating request data to a schedule database, the request data being formulated based on keywords of the verbal scheduling request received from the customer, wherein the schedule database maintains a current schedule for multiple businesses, and wherein the schedule database receives scheduling update signals from schedule owners of each of the multiple businesses, the scheduling update signals including a quantitative capacity, and wherein the schedule database updates each of the current schedules according to the scheduling update signals, and the request data is formulated to determine which of the multiple businesses have a current schedule compatible with the verbal scheduling request, wherein formulating the request data comprises; accessing a profile for the customer form a profile database to determine preferences for the customer, the profile database comprising a profile database storage maintained only at a premises of the customer, the preferences being previously obtained through at least one of the following;
previous verbal communication with the customer, data message transaction with the customer, and tracking previous scheduling requests made by the customer, andincluding the preferences in the request data, when information contained in the preferences is omitted in the request data, to determine whether the request is compatible with the current schedule, wherein including the preferences comprises; accessing the profile for the customer from the profile database, searching for the preferences containing the information omitted in the request data, and updating the request data to include the preferences containing the information omitted in the request data, wherein updating the request data to include the preferences containing the information omitted in the request data does not require further customer interaction; and generating a first notification of the result of the request data to provide an indication to the customer of which businesses have a current schedule that is compatible with the request data, wherein the updates to the current schedules are considered in determining compatibility. - View Dependent Claims (41)
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Specification