Patents by Inventor Theodore Pasquale

Theodore Pasquale has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 8589812
    Abstract: Prioritized user interfaces are disclosed. A user interface may include a menu including a plurality of selectable items displayed in respective menu positions. A menu position of at least one of the plurality of selectable items is assigned based on a prioritization level of the at least one selectable item. The prioritization level is based at least partially on a selection metric for the at least one selectable item. The user interface may also include a menu locator indicating a location of a menu within a multi-level menu structure. The menu locator may include a first indicator of a position within a first level of the multi-level menu structure and a second indicator of a position within a second level of the multi-level menu structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2013
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
    Inventors: Theodore Pasquale, Kurt M. Joseph, Scott Mills
  • Patent number: 8165281
    Abstract: A system and method of processing a call at a call center is provided. In a particular embodiment, the method includes receiving the call at the call center, receiving an indication element associated with a call center transaction, retrieving call center transaction data based on the indication element, and generating a sequence of pre-populated call center agent terminal transaction processing screens based on at least a portion of the call center transaction data. In a particular embodiment, a set of prioritized transactions based on likelihood of matching a customer request is disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2012
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
    Inventors: Kurt M. Joseph, Theodore Pasquale, Benjamin Anthony Knott, Robert R. Bushey
  • Patent number: 7907719
    Abstract: A method of designing an interface system that allows users to map the representation of their task directly to the interface. There are three major phases to the Customer-Centric Approach to Interface Design (C-CAID). End-users' tasks are categorized to determine the frequency of reasons or tasks of why users interact with a particular system. These reasons and their relative frequencies are used to design interface options that emphasize the user's task categories. Finally, the customer-centric interface designs are evaluated and compared with existing system interfaces using usability tests with actual users performing the tasks. The results from usability tests are used to pinpoint the task-option combinations that do not work well and which should be revised. Benefits of this customer-centric design are improved systems performance and increased user satisfaction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2011
    Assignee: AT&T Labs, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert R. Bushey, Gregory W. Liddell, John M. Martin, Theodore Pasquale
  • Publication number: 20080046830
    Abstract: Prioritized user interfaces are disclosed. A user interface may include a menu including a plurality of selectable items displayed in respective menu positions. A menu position of at least one of the plurality of selectable items is assigned based on a prioritization level of the at least one selectable item. The prioritization level is based at least partially on a selection metric for the at least one selectable item. The user interface may also include a menu locator indicating a location of a menu within a multi-level menu structure. The menu locator may include a first indicator of a position within a first level of the multi-level menu structure and a second indicator of a position within a second level of the multi-level menu structure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 29, 2007
    Publication date: February 21, 2008
    Applicant: SBC KNOWLEDGE VENTURES, L.P.
    Inventors: Theodore Pasquale, Kurt Joseph, Scott Mills
  • Patent number: 7308288
    Abstract: A system and method for prioritized interface design are disclosed. In one embodiment of a system incorporating teachings of the present disclosure, a wireless-enabled device may include a display, a user input mechanism, and a housing component that at least partially defines an internal cavity. The device may have several engines including a display engine that can initiate presentation of a menu that has several selectable items displayed in respective menu positions. The device may also include a metric engine that tracks some selection metric for the selectable items and a priority engine that determines a prioritization level for the selectable items. In some embodiments, the prioritization level may be related to a selection metric. The device may also have a mapping engine that modifies assigned menu positions for the selectable items in response to changes in the prioritization level of the items.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2007
    Assignee: SBC Knowledge Ventures, LP.
    Inventors: Theodore Pasquale, Kurt M. Joseph, Scott H. Mills
  • Publication number: 20070121837
    Abstract: A method of designing an interface system that allows users to map the representation of their task directly to the interface. There are three major phases to the Customer-Centric Approach to Interface Design (C-CAID). End-users' tasks are categorized to determine the frequency of reasons or tasks of why users interact with a particular system. These reasons and their relative frequencies are used to design interface options that emphasize the user's task categories. Finally, the customer-centric interface designs are evaluated and compared with existing system interfaces using usability tests with actual users performing the tasks. The results from usability tests are used to pinpoint the task-option combinations that do not work well and which should be revised. Benefits of this customer-centric design are improved systems performance and increased user satisfaction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 21, 2006
    Publication date: May 31, 2007
    Inventors: Robert Bushey, Gregory Liddell, John Martin, Theodore Pasquale
  • Publication number: 20070039036
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a system and method of delivering message content to a television monitor. The method includes merging a first electronic signal with a second electronic signal. The first electronic signal transmits recorded message content. The second electronic signal includes video content. The method may also include communicating the merged signal to a television monitor. The method can also include displaying the television content and content of the recorded message at the television monitor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 12, 2005
    Publication date: February 15, 2007
    Applicant: SBC Knowledge Ventures, L.P.
    Inventors: Marc Sullivan, Philip Kortum, Kurt Joseph, Theodore Pasquale
  • Publication number: 20060230421
    Abstract: A method of using an entertainment system can allow a plurality of different options to be presented to a user of the entertainment system when an incoming phone call is detected. The user can choose an option, and the entertainment system can be configured to take appropriate action based on the option selected. Such a method allows the user of the entertainment system to make a real-time disposition of the incoming phone call, rather than relying solely on a predetermined set of configurations. In one embodiment, an apparatus and handset can be used in carrying out the method. In another embodiment, a handset for use with the entertainment system can be a remote control that includes telephone control features, or the handset can be used with VoIP connections.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 30, 2005
    Publication date: October 12, 2006
    Applicant: SBC Knowledge Ventures, LP
    Inventors: Miles Pierce, Philip Kortum, Theodore Pasquale
  • Patent number: 7076049
    Abstract: A method is provided for designing an interface system. The method includes receiving a call from a customer at a call center, and logging a reason the customer is calling the call center. Subsequently, reasons from multiple customers are collected and categorized into task categories to be performed by the interface system. Menu options can then be designed based upon the task categories. The menu options include some of the language the customers used to express the reason for calling the call center. Performance of the interface system is evaluated by using cumulative response time (CRT), which is a total time a user interfaces with the system, and routing accuracy. The routing accuracy accounts for whether the user successfully navigated the interface system to a correct destination, whether the user navigated to an incorrect destination, and whether the user did not navigate to any destination.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2006
    Assignee: SBC Technology Resources, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert R. Bushey, Gregory W. Liddell, John M. Martin, Theodore Pasquale
  • Publication number: 20060062375
    Abstract: The disclosure is directed to a method of presenting product offers. The method includes receiving a call from a caller. The call has a purpose and call identification information. The method further includes determining a product offer based on the call identification information and directing the call to a call center agent based on the purpose. The call center agent has a skill level associated with the product offer. The method also includes providing an interface to the call center agent, the interface populated based on the skill level.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 23, 2004
    Publication date: March 23, 2006
    Inventors: Theodore Pasquale, Kurt Joseph
  • Publication number: 20060026049
    Abstract: A method of identifying and prioritizing automated customer care applications for use in connection with interactive voice response systems is disclosed. The method includes receiving a first set of data produced by a first data-driven evaluation process relating to a call center environment responsive to calls received by the interactive voice response systems; receiving a second set of data produced by a second data-driven evaluation process relating to customer preferences with respect to self-service for each of a set of tasks; and generating a prioritized list of automated customer care applications based on the first set of data and the second set of data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 28, 2004
    Publication date: February 2, 2006
    Inventors: Kurt Joseph, Benjamin Knott, Robert Bushey, Theodore Pasquale
  • Publication number: 20060023863
    Abstract: A system and method of processing a call at a call center is provided. In a particular embodiment, the method includes receiving the call at the call center, receiving an indication element associated with a call center transaction, retrieving call center transaction data based on the indication element, and generating a sequence of pre-populated call center agent terminal transaction processing screens based on at least a portion of the call center transaction data. In a particular embodiment, a set of prioritized transactions based on likelihood of matching a customer request is disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 28, 2004
    Publication date: February 2, 2006
    Inventors: Kurt Joseph, Theodore Pasquale, Benjamin Knott, Robert Bushey
  • Publication number: 20050254632
    Abstract: A system, method and software are described for facilitating transitions between speech-enabled applications employing action-object matrices. In an exemplary embodiment, an automatic call router determines a service agent destination by identifying an action-object combination included in a user utterance. In addition to forwarding the user to the service agent destination, the automatic call router sends one or more aspects of the user utterance to the service agent for use therewith. The service agent may then use aspects of the forwarded information to request further information from the user or to begin performance of a user desired transaction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 12, 2004
    Publication date: November 17, 2005
    Inventors: Theodore Pasquale, Benjamin Knott, Kurt Joseph, Robert Bushey
  • Publication number: 20050195961
    Abstract: A system, method and software for delivering targeted queue-time content are provided. In response to user selection of a transaction or information from a call center, content matched between the selected transaction and one or more items of information concerning the user are preferably compiled. During the period in which the user awaits service in a queue associated with a transaction agent or service module for the selected transaction, the matched data relating user specific information to the selected transaction is presented for user consumption and/or selection therefrom. The selection of an alternate transaction from within one queue may be enhanced by a repetition of the matching of user specific information with one or more aspects of the alternate transaction selection being compiled and presented to the user during a subsequent queued period associated with the alternate transaction selection.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 4, 2004
    Publication date: September 8, 2005
    Inventors: Theodore Pasquale, Benjamin Knott, Kurt Joseph, Robert Bushey
  • Publication number: 20050131892
    Abstract: A method and system for providing a natural language web site interface. A visitor to the web site (typically a customer to a commercial web site) is prompted to enter a natural language query. The query is interpreted and associated with content for that web site, which is then downloaded to the user.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 10, 2003
    Publication date: June 16, 2005
    Applicant: SBC Knowledge Ventures, L.P.
    Inventors: Benjamin Knott, Robert Bushey, Theodore Pasquale
  • Publication number: 20050080667
    Abstract: A system and method for customizing commercial web content delivered to a user's web browser. The user's consumer demographic data and preferences are gathered and stored in a database. These preferences are matched to one of a number of stored customer models. The model is then matched to one of a number of web content alternatives, and that web content is used to compose the web site downloaded to the customer's web browser.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 8, 2003
    Publication date: April 14, 2005
    Applicant: SBC Knowledge Ventures, L.P.
    Inventors: Benjamin Knott, Robert Bushey, Theodore Pasquale
  • Publication number: 20050078805
    Abstract: A method and system for automating the analysis of performance data includes an analysis system automatically analyzing a plurality of performance data sets, a task engine, and a score engine. The task engine allows for the matching of each performance data set with an assigned task for each performance data set and the retrieval of a correct key sequence for each performance data set. The score engine compares the correct key sequence with a recorded key sequence of the performance data set to determine if the assigned task is successfully accomplished. The score engine further calculates one or more response times for each performance data set. The automated analysis of performance data allows for a cost savings, more efficient use of time, and more reliable and consistent performance data analysis results.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 7, 2004
    Publication date: April 14, 2005
    Inventors: Scott Mills, Kurt Joseph, Theodore Pasquale, Robert Bushey, John Martin, Benjamin Knott
  • Publication number: 20050075894
    Abstract: A system, method and software are provided for implementing an adaptive and dynamic call center customer service delivery solution. In operation, a user interface (U/I) model is selected from a library of U/I models as the U/I model likely to elicit favorable customer responses and to achieve customer completion of the selected transaction. The active U/I model may be re-evaluated at each node of the selected transaction and a new model selected in response to a determination that the active U/I model is no longer preferred. One or more U/I models may be updated based on observed user responsiveness, the efficiency of past transactions as well as on other grounds.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 3, 2003
    Publication date: April 7, 2005
    Applicant: SBC Knowledge Ventures, L.P.
    Inventors: Robert Bushey, Theodore Pasquale, Elizabeth Gibson, John Martin, Benjamin Knott, Kurt Joseph
  • Publication number: 20050055216
    Abstract: A system and method for automatically collecting data for grammar creation includes one or more receiving devices, a collection module, a speech recognition engine, and a routing module. The receiving device receives a plurality of inbound inquiries from customers while the collection module queries the customers for an opening statement including a customer task. The speech recognition engine recognizes the speech of the customers in the opening statements and analyzes the one or more recognized words in the speech of the customer. The routing module identifies the customer task from the recognized speech of the opening statement, determines the correct routing destination for the inbound inquiry based on the analysis of the recognized words, and automatically routes the inbound inquiry to the correct routing destination. The system and method further includes a tuning module that creates and modifies grammars that enable more accurate speech recognition.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 4, 2003
    Publication date: March 10, 2005
    Applicant: SBC Knowledge Ventures, L.P.
    Inventors: Robert Bushey, Benjamin Knott, Theodore Pasquale, Shannon Novak, John Elliott
  • Patent number: D648720
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2011
    Assignee: Dell Products L.P.
    Inventors: Kurt Heggland, Kenneth Musgrave, Paul Doczy, Theodore Pasquale, Timothy Dearborn