Granted Patent B2

US 7,324,640 · App. 10/099,784 · Granted Jan 29, 2008

Abstract

Claims (54)

1. A method of expediting subject matter evolution of an information exchange during a contact through a communication system between a client and an agent of an organization that possesses an expertise in the subject matter of the contact, such method comprising the steps of:

providing a state map of subject matter progression of the subject matter of the contact from a starting point to subject matter resolution along a plurality of subject matter paths joining the starting point and at least one common subject matter resolution point;

fitting a subject matter progression of the contact within a progression of subject matter of a most likely one of the plurality of subject matter paths of the state map; and

prompting the agent with prospective subject matter from the most likely one of the plurality of subject matter paths.

2. The method of expediting subject matter evolution as in claim 1 further comprising retrieving a contact record as the starting point of the information exchange.

3. The method of expediting subject matter evolution as in claim 2 further comprising selecting the provided state map from a plurality of state maps based upon a content of the retrieved contact record.

4. The method of expediting subject matter evolution as in claim 1 wherein the step of providing a state map further comprises analyzing a plurality of prior exchanges with other clients.

5. The method of expediting subject matter evolution as in claim 4 wherein the step of analyzing the plurality of prior conversations with other callers further comprises recognizing an information content of the prior exchanges.

6. The method of expediting subject matter evolution as in claim 5 wherein the step of recognizing an information content further comprises recognizing voice information exchanged between the client and the agent.

7. The method of expediting subject matter evolution as in claim 5 wherein the step of recognizing an information content further comprises recognizing an information content of e-mails exchanged between the client and the agent.

8. The method of expediting subject matter evolution as in claim 1 wherein subject matter resolution further comprises reaching an agreement between the client and the agent.

9. The method of expediting subject matter evolution as in claim 8 wherein the agreement between the client and the agent further comprises purchasing a product from the organization.

10. The method of expediting subject matter evolution as in claim 8 wherein the agreement between the client and the agent further comprises promising to contribute to the organization.

11. The method of expediting subject matter evolution as in claim 8 wherein the step of reaching the agreement further comprises measuring a subject matter difference between express comments of the client and the agent.

12. The method of expediting subject matter evolution as in claim 11 wherein the step of measuring a subject matter difference between express comments of the client and the agent further comprises comparing the measured difference with a threshold value.

13. The method of expediting subject matter evolution as in claim 1 wherein the step of providing a database of progressive subject matter content of prior contacts further comprises determining a subject matter content of prior exchanges after each contribution from the client and the agent.

14. The method of expediting subject matter evolution as in claim 1 wherein the step of fitting a progression of the subject matter of the current contact with a most likely one of the plurality of the prior contacts further comprises determining a subject matter content of the current exchange after each contribution from the client and the agent.

15. The method of expediting subject matter evolution as in claim 1 wherein the step of fitting a progression of the subject matter of the current contact with a most likely one of the plurality of the prior contacts further comprises cross-correlating the determined subject matter of the current exchange with the subject matter of prior exchanges.

16. The method of expediting subject matter evolution as in claim 1 wherein the step of prompting the agent further comprises presenting a contact flow path including suggested subject matter to be presented to the client.

17. The method of expediting subject matter evolution as in claim 1 wherein the step of prompting the agent further comprises presenting an audible suggestion into an earphone of the agent of subject matter to be presented to the client.

18. The method of expediting subject matter evolution as in claim 1 wherein the step of prompting the agent further comprises presenting information elements on a terminal of the agent for presentation to the client.

19. An apparatus for expediting subject matter evolution of an information exchange during a contact through a communication system between a client and an agent of an organization that possesses an expertise in the subject matter of the contact, such apparatus comprising:

means for providing a state map of subject matter progression of the subject matter of the contact from a starting point to a common subject matter resolution point along a plurality of subject matter paths joining the starting point to the subject matter resolution point;

means for fitting a subject matter progression of the contact within a progression of subject matter of a most likely one of the plurality of subject matter paths of the state map; and

means for prompting the agent with prospective subject matter from the most likely one of the plurality of subject matter paths.

20. The apparatus for expediting subject matter evolution as in claim 19 further comprising means for retrieving a contact record as the starting point of the information exchange.

21. The apparatus for expediting subject matter evolution as in claim 20 further comprising means for selecting the provided state map from a plurality of state maps based upon a content of the retrieved contact record.

22. The apparatus for expediting subject matter evolution as in claim 19 wherein the means for providing a state map further comprises means for analyzing a plurality of prior exchanges with other clients.

23. The apparatus for expediting subject matter evolution as in claim 22 wherein the means for analyzing the plurality of prior conversations with other callers further comprises means for recognizing an information content of the prior exchanges.

24. The apparatus for expediting subject matter evolution as in claim 23 wherein the means for recognizing an information content further comprises means for recognizing voice information exchanged between the client and the agent.

25. The apparatus for expediting subject matter evolution as in claim 23 wherein the means for recognizing an information content further comprises means for recognizing an information content of e-mails exchanged between the client and the agent.

26. The apparatus for expediting subject matter evolution as in claim 19 wherein subject matter resolution further comprises means for reaching an agreement between the client and the agent.

27. The apparatus for expediting subject matter evolution as in claim 26 wherein the agreement between the client and the agent further comprises means for purchasing a product from the organization.

28. The apparatus for expediting subject matter evolution as in claim 26 wherein the agreement between the client and the agent further comprises means for promising to contribute to the organization.

29. The apparatus for expediting subject matter evolution as in claim 26 wherein the means for reaching the agreement further comprises means for measuring a subject matter difference between express comments of the client and the agent.

30. The apparatus for expediting subject matter evolution as in claim 29 wherein the means for measuring a subject matter difference between express comments of the client and the agent further comprises means for comparing the measured difference with a threshold value.

31. The apparatus for expediting subject matter evolution as in claim 19 wherein the means for providing a database of progressive subject matter content of prior contacts further comprises means for determining a subject matter content of prior exchanges after each contribution from the client and the agent.

32. The apparatus for expediting subject matter evolution as in claim 19 wherein the means for fitting a progression of the subject matter of the current contact with a most likely one of the plurality of the prior contacts further comprises means for determining a subject matter content of the current exchange after each contribution from the client and the agent.

33. The apparatus for expediting subject matter evolution as in claim 19 wherein the means for fitting a progression of the subject matter of the current contact with a most likely one of the plurality of the prior contacts further comprises means for cross-correlating the determined subject matter of the current exchange with the subject matter of prior exchanges.

34. The apparatus for expediting subject matter evolution as in claim 19 wherein the means for prompting the agent further comprises means for presenting a contact flow path including suggested subject matter to be presented to the client.

35. The apparatus for expediting subject matter evolution as in claim 19 wherein the means for prompting the agent further comprises means for presenting an audible suggestion into an earphone of the agent of subject matter to be presented to the client.

36. The apparatus for expediting subject matter evolution as in claim 19 wherein the means for prompting the agent further comprises means for presenting information elements on a terminal of the agent for presentation to the client.

37. An apparatus for expediting subject matter evolution of an information exchange during a contact through a communication system between a client and an agent of an organization that possesses an expertise in the subject matter of the contact, such apparatus comprising:

a state map adapted to provide subject matter progression of the subject matter of the contact from a starting point to subject matter resolution along a plurality of subject matter paths joining the starting point to at least one common end point;

a cross-correlation processor adapted to fit a subject matter progression of the contact within a progression of subject matter of a most likely one of the plurality of subject matter paths of the state map; and

a prompting processor adapted to prompt the agent with prospective subject matter from the most likely one of the plurality of subject matter paths.

38. The apparatus for expediting subject matter evolution as in claim 37 further comprising a contact record adapted to provide the starting point of the information exchange.

39. The apparatus for expediting subject matter evolution as in claim 38 further comprising a plurality of state maps adapted to be selected as the state map based upon a content of the retrieved contact record.

40. A method of expediting subject matter evolution of an exchange during a current contact between a client and an agent of an organization that possesses an expertise in the subject matter of the contact, such method comprising the steps of:

analyzing a plurality of prior exchanges with other clients;

dividing the analyzed prior exchanges into a plurality of contact types based upon subject matter resolution;

forming a database of progressive subject matter content of prior contacts along a plurality of subject matter paths leading to a common subject matter resolution for each of the contact types;

fitting a progression of the subject matter of the current contact with a progression of subject matter of a most likely one of the plurality of the prior contacts; and

prompting the agent with prospective subject matter from the most likely one of the prior contacts.

Assignments (10)