Abstract: An approach for over the phone interpretation call management is provided herein. Calls from customers of a client are received at an interactive voice recognition (IVR) system, which determines a language of the caller by detecting the language or language selection by keypad entry. The IVR system forwards the call along with a modified ANI number to a Call Management Center (CMC), which determines an appropriate agent to handle the call based on the client information and the modified ANI number. The call is then forwarded to the agent and a screen corresponding to the call is activated in a call service application for the agent. Additional applications such as quality monitoring are concurrently executed with the call processing.

Abstract: A system and a method are disclosed for enabling 2-way mobile interactions between merchants and consumers using text messaging (short message service (SMS) messaging). The system supports an SMS text keyword (or keywords) per merchant, which consumers can text to an SMS short code expressing a particular intent. The merchant's account on the system can then respond with specific information back to consumers depending on rules defined on the system for each word or sequence of words being sent in the SMS message. Consumers can be sent subscription text messages based on the intent of the consumer.

Abstract: An improvement in monitoring alcohol levels through transdermal testing is provided by detecting if environmental gasses, referred to as interferents, have been introduced into a transdermal vapor sample. An insensible skin perspiration sample may not be completely controlled and can contain interferents from an environmental source rather than the subject. Before testing a skin perspiration sample, the alcohol sensor is sampled and averaged to establish a baseline value. A sample is drawn and presented to the alcohol sensor. The output of the alcohol sensor is monitored to determine the amount of alcohol in the sample. A maximum alcohol sensor value for the transdermal alcohol monitor is set by determining the baseline value when no alcohol is present in the sample. Subsequent baseline values during a reading above the maximum alcohol sensor value indicate that an environmental interferent is present in the alcohol sensor.

Abstract: A system and a method are disclosed for providing rewards to consumers using short message service (SMS). The system receives a text message from a consumer containing a reward keyword and a reward code and determines whether the message is a qualifying message. After receiving a certain number of qualifying messages, the system sends a reward message to the consumer enabling the consumer to receive a reward. Rewards can be based on customer referrals or merchant loyalty.

Abstract: A system and a method are disclosed for aggregating demand for a merchant using short message service (SMS). The system receives a text message from a consumer containing a merchant code and a request for a discount, the merchant code being associated with a merchant. The system determines whether the merchant has an available discount. If a discount is available, information about the discount is sent to the consumer. If a discount is not available, a text message is sent to the consumer indicating a level of demand for discounts from the merchant, the text message to be shown to the merchant.

Abstract: A system and method provide the ability to construct lexical analyzers on the fly in an efficient and pervasive manner. The system and method split the table describing the automata into two distinct tables and splits the lexical analyzer into two phases, one for each table. The two phases consist of a single transition algorithm and a range transition algorithm, both of which are table driven and permit the dynamic modification of those tables during operation. A third ‘entry point’ table may also be used to speed up the process of finding the first table element from state 0 for any given input character.

Abstract: In embodiments, the present invention is directed to methods of aligning an agent's compensation with an organization's goals, incentivizing an agent to improve their performance, and managing an agent. In one embodiment, the present invention includes defining a performance metric that relates to a goal of an organization. Performance levels are then defined for the performance metric. The performance levels are associated with performance values that an agent must meet to have their performance classified within a performance level. The method also includes providing a compensation rule that defines which of the performance levels an agent must achieve to change their current compensation. The performance of an agent with respect to the performance metric is then monitored to generate an agent performance, which is compared to the previously established achievement values to determine an agent's performance level.

Abstract: In embodiments, the present invention relates to methods and systems for monitoring performance of employees, contractors and other agents employed to perform tasks on behalf of a company, business organization or other entity. In an embodiment, the present invention involves defining performance metrics that relate to achievement values. The achievement values are associated with defined performance levels. Performance statistics that relate to an agents performance are collected and compared to the achievement values to characterize an agent's performance within one of the performance levels. The performance level achieved by an agent and the compensation of the agent are graphically displayed, and in some embodiments used to determine compensation adjustments.

Abstract: A stemming framework for combining stemming algorithms together in a multilingual environment to obtain improved stemming behavior over any individual stemming algorithm, together with a new language independent stemming algorithm based on shortest path techniques. The stemmer essentially treats the stemming problem as a simple instance of the shortest path problem where the cost for each path can be computed from its word component and its number of characters. The goal of the stemmer is to find the shortest path to construct the entire word. The stemmer uses dynamic dictionaries constructed as lexical analyzer state transition tables to recognize the various allowable word parts for any given language in order to obtain maximum speed. The stemming framework provides the necessary logic to combine multiple stemmers in parallel and to merge their results to obtain the best behavior. Mapping dictionaries handle irregular plurals, tense, phrase mapping and proper name recognition.

Abstract: A read-only bootable media is provided in which a remote agent loads the read-only bootable media onto a computer. The read-only bootable media provides a customized operating system that is run in the computer's volatile memory. The read-only media also disables any persistent storage connected to the agent computer or devices connected to the agent computer. This protects the agent's computer and any networks that the agent connects to from malicious software. Also, by disabling persistent storage, confidential information is protected from unauthorized retention by the agent.

Abstract: Call center management with at home agent access based on caller language is provided herein. Calls from customers of a client are received at an interactive voice recognition (IVR) system, which determines a language of the caller by detecting the language or language selection by keypad entry. The IVR system determines an available at home agent with the proper language skills and forwards the call to be processed by the at home agent. The at home agents can call the call center to set their status. Information associated with the call may be collected and used by associated system(s) such as quality control, status monitoring, financial processing, and the like.

Abstract: A plunger can for a roller assembly within a pulverizing mill has a body which contains a compression spring. A stub shaft transfers the force generated by the compression spring to the roller assembly. A bushing in cooperation with a locking guide in the fore end of the plunger can, along with the stub shaft in an aft end of the plunger can, contains the compression spring there between. The locking guide has an annular flange that fits within an annular channel within the plunger can body. A plurality of extensions spaced around an outside perimeter of the annular flange cooperates with a plurality of extensions around an inside perimeter of the plunger can body such that both sets of extensions clear each other when the locking guide is inserted into the plunger can body. When rotated, the sets of extensions are aligned with each, forming a mechanical lock.

Abstract: In embodiments, the present invention is directed to methods of handling calls received from customers. In one embodiment, the method includes receiving a call from a customer who called a promotional telephone number. The phone call is connected to an IVR system. The IVR system maintains a set of rules for handling calls. The method further includes creating a call detail record, which includes a unique identifier, a source telephone number, and the promotional telephone number. A customized greeting is then played to the customer based on the promotional telephone number the customer dialed. Based on the rules for handling calls, the call is redirected from the IVR system to an agent along with transmitting and displaying the call detail record to the agent.

Abstract: An intelligence system is provided that is comprised of several basic components: a system for converting incoming unstructured data into a well described normalized form supported by a dedicated ‘mining’ language tied intimately to a system ontology; a system for accessing and manipulating data held in memory or in persistent storage in its normalized binary form; an ‘ontology’ that represents and contains the items and fields necessary for the target system to perform its function; a memory system tied to the ontology; a memory management system for splitting incoming data into those portions to be directed to each container; a query system for querying each container to retrieve portions of composite objects; a UI to display and interact with data within the system; a memory system that forms collections of datums and enables manipulation and exchange of these collections both within the local machine as well as across the network.

Abstract: The present invention, as embodied in the claims, relates to customer care management via a communications systems and methods including, in embodiments, a combination of automated and human services to be provided to a customer in a retail store environment in real time. For example, one embodiment of the present invention provides an automated method for assisting a customer in a retail store comprising: identifying the customer; periodically identifying the customer's position in the store; identifying a product of interest to the customer; and communicating information to the customer via a remote specialized sales agent or other audio, visual and/or computer data relevant to the customer.

Abstract: A method and system for filtering website content prevents undesirable words or phrases from appearing in website postings sent by website users. The invention intercepts all content submitted by the user, and processes the content before posting it on the website. Intercepted content is first processed through a blocking subroutine, which first calls a preprocessing subroutine and then calls a content breakdown subroutine. The content breakdown subroutine utilizes a recursive comparison subroutine to identify undesirable words or phrases against previously identified words or phrases stored in a database. Options may be set in the system to replace the inappropriate content with acceptable content and then post the message or block the message entirely. The user may or may not be notified that their message has been blocked or replaced. The program then calls a matching subroutine for further processing of the intercepted content.