Call Distribution To Operator Patents (Class 379/265.01)
  • Patent number: 9876906
    Abstract: This invention is a system and method for making remote calls linked to a call center, which is also capable monitoring the quality of the calls made by the sales agents at a call center. The sales agents can make the calls, without the need for a computer, using only a fixed or mobile telephone line from a remote station, which may be their home or elsewhere. The system includes a database with information of the customers and of the recorded calls made by the agents, a centralized call platform (CCP) with a server connected to the database, which concentrates in a virtual place all the calls made by the various agents and controls the numerical menus with the respective options through an automated interactive voice response (IVR) system that allows the platform to interact with an agent through the use of voice and touch input via keyboard, a plurality of remote call stations each with a fixed telephone line, and a central station or call center where the centralized platform is disposed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2018
    Inventor: David Jassan
  • Patent number: 9871924
    Abstract: Techniques for behavioral pairing in a contact center system are disclosed. In one particular embodiment, the techniques may be realized as a method for pairing in a contact center including ordering one or more contacts, ordering one or more agents, comparing a first difference in ordering between a first contact and a first agent in a first pair with a second difference in ordering between a second contact and a second agent in a second pair, and selecting the first pair or the second pair for connection based on the comparing, wherein the first contact and the second contact are different or the first agent and the second agent are different.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2018
    Assignee: Afiniti Europe Technologies Limited
    Inventor: Zia Chishti
  • Patent number: 9860379
    Abstract: A call handling platform receives a call placed by a caller, collects data points based on the caller's interaction with an interactive voice response module, and computes an experience score for the caller using the data points. The call handling platform compares the experience score to a predetermined first threshold that indicates a first level of caller satisfaction. The call handling platform determines whether an option is enabled for recording screen captures of a display screen coupled to a machine used by a human agent. Upon determining that the caller has a lower level of satisfaction than the first level of satisfaction, the call handling platform routes the call to a human agent. Based on determining that the option for recording screen captures is enabled, the call handling platform initiates recording of screen captures of a display screen coupled to a machine used by the human agent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2018
    Assignee: GENESYS TELECOMMUNICATIONS LABORATORIES, INC.
    Inventors: Praphul Kumar, Rajesh Ramchander
  • Patent number: 9848084
    Abstract: A system and method for enhanced interaction processing in a contact center that includes routing interactions based on adaptable business objectives. A processor detects a pending interaction with a customer. The processor identifies first and second objectives of the contact center in response to detecting the pending interaction, where the first objective is identified as more important to the contact center than the second objective. The processor identifies a first agent for handling the first objective, and determines a likelihood of success of the first agent in achieving the first objective. The processor identifies a second agent for handling the second objective, and determines a likelihood of success of the second agent in achieving the second objective.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2017
    Assignee: GENESYS TELECOMMUNICATIONS LABORATORIES, INC.
    Inventors: Nikolay Korolev, Herbert Willi Artur Ristock, David H. Anderson, Todd Hollenberg, Bradley Krug, Charlotte Toerck
  • Patent number: 9843681
    Abstract: User interactions with content presented during a particular browsing session are monitored in real-time during the browsing session. In response to different user interactions, content type of the content being interacted by the user is determined dynamically. A skill set is determined based on the content type within the same browsing session. Subsequently during the same browsing session, in response to a request from the user for connecting with an agent, a list of agents who possess the skill set is identified. A live communication session is established between a user device of the user and an agent device of an agent selected from the list.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2017
    Assignee: TeleTech Holdings, Inc.
    Inventors: Kenneth D. Tuchman, Bruce A. Sharpe, Henry D. Truong
  • Patent number: 9838539
    Abstract: This document discusses, among other things, limiting contact to a networked contact center that is a host to multiple tenants. In an example embodiment, a communication is received by a networked contact center. In determining whether to allow the communication to reach contact center resources, a contact rate value may be examined. The contact rate value may represent an allowable quantity of contact within a time interval. For some example embodiments, a determination of whether the network contact center is to accept or reject the communication is made based on the contact rate value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2017
    Assignee: 8x8, Inc.
    Inventor: Robert Townsend
  • Patent number: 9819798
    Abstract: A computer-implemented system and method for facilitating appointments within a call center is provided. A list of agents within a call center is received from a user. Each agent is associated with a call queue and handles incoming customer calls to the call queue. An availability of each of the agents on the list is determined. One of the agents is selected as a most available agent. The user is provided with records for the most available agent and is automatically connected with the most available agent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2017
    Assignee: Intellisist, Inc.
    Inventors: Gilad Odinak, David Milstein, Tamilselvan Ramasamy
  • Patent number: 9800427
    Abstract: A system for enterprise distribution of electronic and paper documents for multiple insurance products is disclosed. The system including a memory device to store policy information for multiple insurance products associated with each of a plurality of clients. The memory device stores document delivery settings, including contact information and notification/alert preferences. The system includes a processor to generate document delivery questions relating to the preferred medium for notification and alert documents. The system includes a receiver to receive responses to the document delivery questions. The processor generates consent questions and updates the document delivery settings based on the response to the document delivery questions and the consent questions. The system may also include a transmitter to transmit a message to the clients notifying them of the change in the document delivery settings and to transmit a message notifying a source system of the change in document delivery settings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: HARTFORD FIRE INSURANCE COMPANY
    Inventors: Mark S. Cashman, Fred Y. Choi, Alan J. Yezierski, Holly Sebrell Condon, Jeffrey J. Ryan
  • Patent number: 9794407
    Abstract: A system for multiple interaction live monitoring, comprising an interaction manager that receives an interaction from a contact center, a recording management server that monitors the interaction, and an administration interface that presents the monitored interaction for viewing by a human user, and a method for multiple interaction live monitoring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2017
    Assignee: ZOOM INTERNATIONAL S.R.O.
    Inventor: Vaclav Slovacek
  • Patent number: 9787836
    Abstract: A system and method for producing audio messages for use in a contact center. A customer may specify message content, and provide a voice specification, which may identify a preferred voice artist and other aspects of the audio message including the language, accent and tone of the message. The service may produce the recording and provide it to the customer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2017
    Assignee: GENESYS TELECOMMUNICATIONS LABORATORIES, INC.
    Inventor: Juergen Tolksdorf
  • Patent number: 9781269
    Abstract: Techniques for hybrid behavioral pairing in a contact center system are disclosed. In one particular embodiment, the techniques may be realized as a method for hybrid behavioral pairing in a contact center system comprising: ordering a contact; ordering a plurality of agents; applying, by at least one processor, a hybridization function to the ordering of the plurality of agents to bias a first strategy for pairing toward a second strategy for pairing; comparing, by the at least one processor and based on the hybridization function, a first difference in ordering between the contact and a first agent in a first pair with a second difference in ordering between the contact and a second agent different from the first agent in a second pair; and selecting, by the at least one processor, the first pair or the second pair for connection based on the comparing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2017
    Assignee: Afiniti Europe Technologies Limited
    Inventors: Zia Chishti, Vikash Khatri
  • Patent number: 9774735
    Abstract: A system, method, apparatus, means, and computer program code is provided wherein an electronic communication is received. A communication routing matrix is accessed, from a relational database platform, to select a service representative for the received communication. It may then be arranged for the received communication to be routed in accordance with the selected service representative.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2017
    Assignee: Hartford Fire Insurance Company
    Inventor: Philip Wawrzynowicz
  • Patent number: 9773248
    Abstract: A device may be configured to receive a technical support request from a mobile device. The technical support request may request troubleshooting for a problem with user equipment. The device may receive location information from the mobile device indicating a mobile device location. The device may determine whether the mobile device is at a user equipment location based on the mobile device location. The device may select a troubleshooting routine based on whether the mobile device is at the user equipment location. The device may cause an agent device to execute the troubleshooting routine. The device may provide, to an agent device, the troubleshooting routine to cause the agent device to troubleshoot the user equipment using the troubleshooting routine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2017
    Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Inc.
    Inventor: Shiva Rama Krishna Nyshadham
  • Patent number: 9756176
    Abstract: Systems and methods for intelligently routing an incoming telephone call to an internal extension based on the calling history are provided. According to one embodiment, a session log is maintained by a call monitor of a telephone system. The session log contains multiple call session records relating to telephone calls between internal extension numbers and external telephone numbers. An incoming telephone call from a telephone external to the telephone system is received by the call monitor. The session log is searched by the call monitor for a call session record corresponding to the external telephone number. When a result of the searching meets one or more predetermined or configurable conditions, then a switch of the telephone system is caused by the call monitor to route the incoming telephone call to one of the internal extension numbers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2017
    Assignee: Fortinet, Inc.
    Inventor: Sekhar Sumanth Gorajala Chandra
  • Patent number: 9747369
    Abstract: A system and method is provided for providing searchable customer call indexes. Consistent with disclosed embodiments, a system may receive call information associated with telephone conversations between callers and a vendor, the call information including an audio recording or transcript for each telephone conversation. The system may also identify one or more keywords from the audio recordings or transcripts and index the call information into one or more indexes based on the identified keywords. Finally, the system may determine search results responsive to a search query based on the indexing. In some embodiments, changes to customer service may be identified based on the search results.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2017
    Assignee: CAPITAL ONE FINANCIAL CORPORATION
    Inventor: Nikhil Murgai
  • Patent number: 9742923
    Abstract: A call processing system comprises first and second interfaces configured to selectively pass voice signals and data signals between caller and agent to enable communication. An attenuation means is configured to selectively attenuate voice and data signals passing from the first interface to the second interface to impede the agent from receiving voice and data signals from the caller. While a string of discrete data signals is received at the first interface, the system is configured to operate exclusively in each of: a first mode in which voice and data signals are permitted to pass from the first interface to the second interface to enable the agent to receive them from the caller; and a second mode in which the attenuation means attenuates voice and data signals passing from the first interface to the second interface to impede the agent from receiving them from the caller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2017
    Assignee: CARDEASY LIMITED
    Inventors: Colin Philip Westlake, James Sebastian Campbell
  • Patent number: 9706052
    Abstract: This disclosure sets forth systems and techniques that automatically allocate and throttle back resource capacity to multiple campaign events, in real-time, based on campaign event priorities and a supply and demand of available resource capacity. For example, a campaign management system may re-allocate unused resource capacity to a particular campaign event based on the particular campaign event's real-time demand for additional resource capacity. Unused resource capacity may originate from a common pool of resource capacity, or from other campaign events that have an over-allocation of resource capacity that is being underutilized. Further, the techniques described herein also describe throttling back resource capacity of a particular campaign event in response to determining that an existing pool of available resource capacity is unable to serve the particular campaign event's requirements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2017
    Assignee: T-Mobile USA, Inc.
    Inventors: Abha Bhatia, Poornima Magadevan
  • Patent number: 9703608
    Abstract: Embodiments include a method, system, and computer program product for maintaining continuous availability. An embodiment of the present invention includes receiving a unit of work data. The unit of work data is distributed among the plurality of workloads using either an active/standby configuration, an active/query configuration, an active/partitioned configuration, or an active/active configuration. A primary workload is selected from a plurality of workloads to process the unit of work data based on a workload distribution rule. It is determined if the primary workload is capable of processing the unit of work data based on user configurable settings. If the primary site is capable of processing the unit of work data then the unit of work data is transmitted to the primary workload. Otherwise the unit of work data is transmitted to a secondary workload. The unit of work data is replicated between the primary workload and the secondary workload.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2017
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Jaime F. Anaya, Paul M. Cadarette, Michael G. Fitzpatrick, David B. Petersen
  • Patent number: 9706050
    Abstract: A call handling platform receives a call placed by a caller to a calling number and computes an experience score for the caller based on measuring a subset of data points corresponding to an interaction between the caller and an interactive voice response (IVR) module. The experience score provides a numerical measure of a level of satisfaction of the caller in interacting with the IVR module during the call. Determining to route the call to a human agent based on the experience score, the call handling platform accesses historical data corresponding to past calls placed by the caller and received by human agents, and obtains agent scores associated with the human agents. The call handling platform matches the caller to a human agent at a call center based on one or both of the historical data and the agent scores, and routes the call to the human agent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2017
    Assignee: GENESYS TELECOMMUNICATIONS LABORATORIES, INC.
    Inventors: Praphul Kumar, Aaron Wellman, Ahmed Tewfik Bouzid
  • Patent number: 9699256
    Abstract: A method of dynamically determining an optimal course of action for a user in an enterprise is provided. The method includes connecting a proxy to a complex event processing (CEP) engine to integrate the CEP engine with a communication framework of the enterprise, dynamically adding a user device into a communication framework of the enterprise based upon a user device location, determining contextual information related to the user from the communication framework of the enterprise, determining real time information related to the contextual information of the user from the communication framework of the enterprise, and determining an optimal course of action for the user based upon the contextual information and the real time information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: Avaya Inc.
    Inventors: Neil O'Connor, Paul D'Arcy, Tony McCormack
  • Patent number: 9686409
    Abstract: A method and apparatus of applying user profile information to a customized application are disclosed. One example method of operation may include receiving an inquiry message or call from a user device, identifying and authorizing the user from inquiry message information received from the inquiry message, retrieving a user profile comprising at least one user preference, applying the at least one user preference to a user call processing application, and transmitting menu options to the user device based on the applied at least user preference.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2017
    Assignee: West Corporation
    Inventor: Craig A. Webster
  • Patent number: 9667795
    Abstract: The methods, apparatus, and systems described herein facilitate dynamic occupancy routing decisions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2017
    Assignee: Mattersight Corporation
    Inventors: Kelly Conway, David Gustafson, Douglas Brown, Michael Glen Gates, William Duane Skeen, Brendan Joyce, Christopher Danson
  • Patent number: 9661143
    Abstract: A multi-tenant management service (MTMS) can be configured to receive a plurality of requests for a multi-tenant service from a plurality of tenants. A given and another of the plurality of tenants can have a resource object (RO) with the same dialable number (DN) assigned thereto. The MTMS can also be configured to generate a federated dial plan for each of the plurality of tenants. Each federated dial plan can include a system identifier (ID) and a corresponding DN for each RO associated a respective tenant. The MTMS can further be configured to provide a federated DN corresponding to the multi-tenant service to each of the plurality of tenants.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2017
    Assignee: Shoretel, Inc.
    Inventors: Glen K. Okita, Amy S. Pendleton, Howard H. Yin
  • Patent number: 9652549
    Abstract: Presenting a marking element in a social networking interaction where the marking element includes a question specifier and an answer specifier, creating a knowledge element in response to a user activating the marking element on the social networking interaction or a portion thereof, and presenting a knowledge element indicator in the social networking interaction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2017
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Mustansir Banatwala, David A. Brooks, Joseph A. Russo
  • Patent number: 9648164
    Abstract: A call processing system and method for processing calls from high volume callers. A frequency of call activity is monitored for callers to determine reception of a call from a high frequency caller. When a call is received from such a caller, provided is information predicted to be requested from the caller prior to the caller being voice connected to a company representative. The retrieved information is then provided to a company representative prior to the caller being voice connected with a company representative as to expedite the call. Additionally, a customized message for the high frequency caller may be generated prior to the caller being voice connected with a company representative whereby the customized message contains information predicted to be responsive to a predicted inquiry from the determined high frequency caller to mitigate the need to connect the caller to a company representative.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2017
    Assignee: United Services Automobile Association (“USAA”)
    Inventor: John R. Harris
  • Patent number: 9646331
    Abstract: A computer-implemented method for allocating services among a plurality of service operators where each capable of providing at least one service and each service operator operating a respective computer to receiving at a support server a request for service from at least one computer being operated by a user, generating a questionnaire to be answered by the user operating the at least one computer, selecting at least one service operator based upon the answered questionnaire, and establishing a service session between the at least one computer being operated by the user and the computer being operated by the at least one selected service operator for providing the requested service.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2017
    Assignee: BUSA STRATEGIC PARTNERS, LLC
    Inventor: Anthony Busa
  • Patent number: 9641449
    Abstract: Embodiments include a method, system, and computer program product for maintaining continuous availability. An embodiment of the present invention includes receiving a unit of work data. The unit of work data is distributed among the plurality of workloads using either an active/standby configuration, an active/query configuration, an active/partitioned configuration, or an active/active configuration. A primary workload is selected from a plurality of workloads to process the unit of work data based on a workload distribution rule. It is determined if the primary workload is capable of processing the unit of work data based on user configurable settings. If the primary site is capable of processing the unit of work data then the unit of work data is transmitted to the primary workload. Otherwise the unit of work data is transmitted to a secondary workload. The unit of work data is replicated between the primary workload and the secondary workload.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Jaime F. Anaya, Paul M. Cadarettte, Michael G. Fitzpatrick, David B. Petersen
  • Patent number: 9635182
    Abstract: A Web-based hosted system through which business entities create and manage communications campaigns. The system carries out a communications campaign on behalf of a client. A campaign is a series of calls to a contact list using one or more sub-campaigns. A sub-campaign associates a list of contacts, a script, and a timeframe. An agent typically is a contact center operator. A skill group is a set of agents that are trained to handle a given script. Call pacing enhancements are implemented to allow simultaneous progress on multiple sub-campaigns under a skill group. The techniques enable control over the pacing of individual sub-campaigns when multiple sub-campaigns are running under a single skill group. The service also provides a framework by which a set of “pluggable” pacing models are provisioned and managed, preferably on a per-model basis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2017
    Assignee: Genesys Telecommunications Laboratories, Inc.
    Inventor: Timothy R. Segall
  • Patent number: 9614961
    Abstract: An agent efficiency analysis system for a contact center performs analysis and comparisons on where the agents' time is being spent. The system integrates data from multiple systems Automatic Call Distribution, Integrated Voice Response and Work Force Management contact center applications and organizes the data against a standard set of metrics. Statistical trend analysis (long-term and short-term) may be performed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2017
    Assignee: Maximus
    Inventor: Randall Riefel
  • Patent number: 9609135
    Abstract: A system for day-level SLA-based routing, comprising a statistics server configured to collect, store, and provide service level agreement data; and a routing server configured to receive at least a customer interaction via a network, and configured to compare an interaction against service level agreement data provided by the statistics server, and configured to produce an interaction priority based at least in part on the comparison, and configured to route the interaction based at least in part on the interaction priority.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: NEWVOICEMEDIA LIMITED
    Inventors: Christian McArdle, Tom Fairweather, Jonathan Alexander Wade, James Swinhoe
  • Patent number: 9602664
    Abstract: A method for optimum utilization of a queue for calls is provided in a telecommunication system and is controlled by an application, as well as an appropriate telecommunication system. Each call that is in the queue has a particular queue property and can be assigned to an agent, to a two-way announcement that is played by an announcement memory and that is capable of interaction with a call, or to remain in the queue. The method is distinguished in that a call assigned to a two-way announcement is allocated a parameter that causes the queue property of the call to be retained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: Unify GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Claus Rist, Martin Glaser, Michael Volkmann
  • Patent number: 9578174
    Abstract: A method for connecting a website user to a contact center includes: establishing a communication channel between a user and an agent of the contact center, the communication channel comprising a voice communication channel; establishing a supplemental channel between the user and the contact center for exchanging data between the user and the contact center; and storing the data exchanged in the supplemental channel in association with the communication channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2017
    Assignee: GENESYS TELECOMMUNICATIONS LABORATORIES, INC.
    Inventor: Slava Sayko
  • Patent number: 9569743
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and media for the application of funnel analysis using desktop analytics and textual analytics to map and analyze the flow of customer service interactions. In an example implementation, the method includes: defining at least one flow that is representative of a series of events comprising at least one speech event, at least one Data Processing Activity (DPA) event, and at least one Computer Telephone Integration (CTI) event; receiving customer service interaction data comprising communication data, DPA metadata, and CTI metadata; applying the at least one flow to the customer service interaction data; determining if the customer service interaction data meets the at least one flow; and producing an automated indication based upon the determination.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2017
    Assignee: VERINT SYSTEMS LTD.
    Inventors: Rahm Fehr, Roni Romano, Omer Ziv
  • Patent number: 9571646
    Abstract: A call handling platform receives a call placed by a caller to a calling number. The call handling platform computes an experience score for the caller using measurements of a subset of data points based on an interaction of the caller with an interactive voice response (IVR) module during the call. The experience score reflects a numerical measure of a level of satisfaction of the caller in interacting with the IVR module. The call handling platform compares the experience score to a predetermined threshold that indicates a minimum level of caller satisfaction, and determines that the experience score indicates that the caller has a lower level of satisfaction than the minimum level of satisfaction. Conditioned on this determination, the call handling platform routes the call to a human agent at a call center, along with enabling the agent to perceive a representation of the experience score.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2017
    Assignee: GENESYS TELECOMMUNICATIONS LABORATORIES, INC.
    Inventors: Praphul Kumar, Aaron Wellman, Ahmed Tewfik Bouzid
  • Patent number: 9565308
    Abstract: A system, method, apparatus, means, and computer program code is provided wherein an electronic communication is received. A communication routing matrix is accessed, from a relational database platform, to select a service representative for the received communication. It may then be arranged for the received communication to be routed in accordance with the selected service representative.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2017
    Assignee: Hartford Fire Insurance Company
    Inventor: Philip Wawrzynowicz
  • Patent number: 9553989
    Abstract: A method and computer readable medium for routing a call to geographically dispersed agents based on agent skill-set, agent location and caller location that results in the call being delivered to the best available agent. The computer readable medium and method are utilized with a system comprised of a call center application module coupled to a database module with a communications network being used to couple incoming calls from customers with the best available agent. A database contains a ranking of available agents, based on a dataset including information regarding skill-set, previous interaction with the customer, proximity to the customer, language capability, current availability, and the like. The method chooses the best available agent to service a customer call based on the agent rankings. In the case where the customer has a preference for proximity of the agent to the customer, the system adjusts the agent rankings according to the agent's distance from the customer prior to making a selection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2017
    Assignee: West Corporation
    Inventors: James K. Boutcher, Michael Todd Mateer, Craig A. Webster
  • Patent number: 9544436
    Abstract: Information associated with messages and/or missed calls is provided to a subscriber. Calls received but not answered by the subscriber may be monitored. Each monitored call is classified as one of a missed call and a message. The monitored calls may be summarized based on a customizable rule set to create a summary. The summary is provided to the subscriber via, for example, a voice notification.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2017
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Lisa J. Stifelman, Karen M. Cross, Sarah Caplener, Rajeev Khurana, Anne K. Sullivan, Rao Surapaneni, Justin B. Ward, Angus Davis
  • Patent number: 9531876
    Abstract: Contact centers often record customer-agent communications for training, quality control, and other purposes. Supervisors often contribute to the communications in the form of voice messages only the agent can hear (e.g., whisper mode) and/or text messages displayed on a screen and optionally documents or other content that may be provided or shared by the supervisor to the agent. Capturing the supervisor's contribution to a communication is provided to enable later playback or review of the communication to include all inputs and enable a more complete understanding of the actions that were or were not taken.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2016
    Assignee: Avaya Inc.
    Inventor: Rodney A. Thomson
  • Patent number: 9525775
    Abstract: A method and apparatus of applying user profile information to a customized application are disclosed. One example method of operation may include receiving an inquiry message or call from a user device, identifying and authorizing the user from inquiry message information received from the inquiry message, retrieving a user profile comprising at least one user preference, applying the at least one user preference to a user call processing application, and transmitting menu options to the user device based on the applied at least user preference.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2016
    Assignee: West Corporation
    Inventor: Craig A. Webster
  • Patent number: 9514212
    Abstract: The invention provides for checking data quality of data of an application program by a data quality management system. At least one of a plurality of jobs are executed for evaluating the data for compliance with one or more quality criteria. The runtime behavior of the at least one executed job is monitored to determine a current runtime behavior of the executed job. The monitored job is reclassified by reallocating the job to a job set representing the determined current runtime behavior.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2016
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Mike Grasselt, Albert Maier
  • Patent number: 9491249
    Abstract: Various systems and associated methods for tracking chats, text messages, and other user interactions. The process generates at least one identifier, distributes at least one identifier to at least one system, uses the at least one identifier to associate interactions with network-based content across different entities, whereby at least one interaction is anonymous. The method involves receiving a request sent to a database stored on a computer readable medium in response to online activity and any collected or known user information, creating a record thereof in response to the request, generating an identifier associated therewith, generating a code corresponding thereto, and using the identifier to associate an incoming text message, chat, resulting financial transactions, follow-on activities, etc. with associated online activity and user information. The association happens through remote communication with a system that receives and sends the incoming text message or chat requests.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2016
    Inventor: Dorin Rosenshine
  • Patent number: 9473519
    Abstract: A system, method, and computer program product are provided for identifying unwanted data communicated via a session initiation protocol. In use, packets associated with an electronic message communicated over a network utilizing a session initiation protocol are identified. Additionally, it is determined whether the packets include unwanted data. Furthermore, a reaction is performed, based on the determination.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2016
    Assignee: McAfee, Inc
    Inventors: Senthilraj Gnanasekar, Javesh Kandappamkattil Sreedharan, Amalan Mariajohn
  • Patent number: 9472090
    Abstract: A method of operating a security monitoring system comprises defining a primary user at a location, defining at least one backup user based on input from the primary user, determining that an event has taken place that the primary contact is to be notified of, notifying the primary user of the event, and if the primary user does not respond to the notification in a predetermined period of time, notifying the at least one backup contact of the event. Backup users may be defined based on input from the primary user. Backup contacts may be contacted in an order based on the preferences of the primary user or the location of the backup contacts, for example. The police, a fire department, and/or an ambulance service may be notified if the primary user and the backup contact do not respond to the notifications. Systems are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2016
    Assignee: Canary Connect, Inc.
    Inventors: Adam D. Sager, Christopher I. Rill
  • Patent number: 9451088
    Abstract: A system for integration of client interaction technologies, comprising a plurality of resource managers, each comprising at least a software component operating and stored on a computing device; a plurality of resources, each comprising at least an interactive element; a monitoring service, comprising at least a software service operating and stored on a computing device; and a callback cloud, comprising at least a plurality of contact agents; wherein the monitoring service tracks resource status; further wherein upon receiving an interaction request the resource managers handle the request according to known resource information; and further wherein the callback cloud responds to at least a plurality of received interaction requests.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2016
    Assignee: Virtual Hold Technology, LLC
    Inventor: Mark J Williams
  • Patent number: 9444938
    Abstract: A system for multiple interaction live monitoring, comprising an interaction manager that receives an interaction from a contact center, a recording management server that monitors the interaction, and an administration interface that presents the monitored interaction for viewing by a human user, and a method for multiple interaction live monitoring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2016
    Assignee: ZOOM International s.r.o.
    Inventor: Vaclav Slovacek
  • Patent number: 9438736
    Abstract: This document discusses, among other things, limiting contact to a networked contact center that is a host to multiple tenants. In an example embodiment, a communication is received by a networked contact center. In determining whether to allow the communication to reach contact center resources, a contact rate value may be examined. The contact rate value may represent an allowable quantity of contact within a time interval. For some example embodiments, a determination of whether the network contact center is to accept or reject the communication is made based on the contact rate value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2016
    Assignee: 8x8, Inc.
    Inventor: Robert Townsend
  • Patent number: 9423853
    Abstract: Various embodiments of methods and systems for balancing user experience in a multimedia conferencing community are disclosed. An exemplary embodiment envisions a portable computing device (“PCD”) receiving data indicative of one or more visual multimedia parameter settings in a companion PCD of the community. Based on the received data, the PCD may determine an adjustment to the settings of one or more of its own visual multimedia parameters such that a multimedia output in the form of a data packet stream is adjusted. In this way, the PCD may conserve power consumption by avoiding unnecessary multimedia workload processing for encoding a multimedia output that would not benefit the quality of service (“QoS”) delivered by the companion PCD. Additionally, by optimizing the quality of the multimedia output in view of the companion device parameter settings, the PCD may allocate more of its power budget to improving its own QoS level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2016
    Assignee: QUALCOMM INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Hee Jun Park, Jewon Kang
  • Patent number: 9401990
    Abstract: A system, device and method is provided for handling customer-agent interactions. An unsuccessful interaction may be detected between a customer and a first agent unable to resolve a problem. A successful interaction may be detected between the customer and a second agent that resolves the problem. The first agent may be sent a report summarizing the successful interaction by the second agent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2016
    Assignee: NICE-SYSTEMS LTD.
    Inventors: Michael Teitelman, Leon Portman
  • Patent number: RE46174
    Abstract: A routing system is provided for intelligent routing of instant messages between clients connected to a data network and customer service representatives connected to the network. The system comprises at least one instant message server and at least one intermediate server connected to and addressable on the network, the intermediate server capable of routing and accessible to the instant message server. Clients connecting to the instant message server through instant message software assert a connection link advertised by the instant message server to establish bi-directional communication between the client machine and the intermediate server. In preferred application, the intermediate server interacts with the client for identification of client and client software.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2016
    Assignee: GENESYS TELECOMMUNICATIONS LABORATORIES, INC.
    Inventor: Yevgeniy Petrovykh
  • Patent number: RE46625
    Abstract: A routing system is provided for intelligent routing of instant messages between clients connected to a data network and customer service representatives connected to the network. The system comprises at least one instant message server and at least one intermediate server connected to and addressable on the network, the intermediate server capable of routing and accessible to the instant message server. Clients connecting to the instant message server through instant message software assert a connection link advertised by the instant message server to establish bi-directional communication between the client machine and the intermediate server. In preferred application, the intermediate server interacts with the client for identification of client and client software.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2017
    Assignee: GENESYS TELECOMMUNICATIONS LABORATORIES, INC.
    Inventor: Yevgeniy Petrovykh