IP Library Granted Patent US 9,386,155
Granted Patent B2
US 9,386,155 · App. 13/446,923 · Granted Jul 5, 2016

Communication device for establishing automated call back using queues

Inventors: Mark J. Williams (North Canton, OH); Eric I. Camulli (Copley, OH); Larry Miner (Bath, OH); Rob Brazier (Akron, OH)
Assignee: Virtual Hold Technology, LLC
H04M3/5231G06Q10/02H04M3/5238H04M2207/18
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,386,155
App. No.
13/446,923
Granted
Jul 5, 2016
Kind
B2
Abstract

A communication device is provided for enabling a user to establish an automated call back from a communication system, such as a call center, for example. A software device application enables the communication device to communicate with the call center through the exchange of data. The communication device includes a display screen for displaying controls for allowing the user to interact with the communication system. The controls allow the user to request a list of providers from which to select a provider or company to contact. The communication device further provides controls for allowing the user to select a queue to join from a list of queues associated with the selected provider. An embodiment of a system and method for managing, directing, and queuing communication events may also communicate contextual data between a communication device and a communication system.

Claims (75)

1. A communication device for initiating a voice call-back comprising:

a display screen;

a processor configured to execute a device application, wherein the device application comprises:

a first routine that sends a request to a communication system in a data format for a list of active providers, and receives from the communication system a list of a plurality of active providers;

a second routine that sends a request to the communication system in a data format for an identification of active queues associated with at least one of the plurality of active providers, and receives an identification of the active queues;

a session queuing component that causes an indication of at least a portion of the plurality of active providers and an indication of the active queues associated with the at least one of the plurality of active providers to be displayed on the display screen of the communication device and obtains a user selection of a queue as a selected queue, wherein the session queuing component resides within the communication device;

a third routine that sends a confirmation in a data format for a voice call-back to the communication system; and

a contextual data routine that sends contextual data to the communication system, wherein the contextual data is relevant to at least one of the identification of active queues and the identification of active providers by the communication system.

2. The communication device of claim 1 , wherein the communication device is one of a home entertainment device, a kiosk, and a point of purchase device.

3. The communication device of claim 1 , wherein the communication device is a home entertainment device, and wherein the home entertainment device is one or more of a set top box, a television, a cable box, a gaming console, and a digital video disk (DVD) player.

4. The communication device of claim 1 , wherein the device application further comprises:

a provider control that causes an identification of at least two active providers to be displayed and obtains user selection of one of the active providers,

wherein the displayed indication of the queue is a queue associated with the selected active provider.

5. The communication device of claim 1 , wherein the contextual data corresponds to at least one of the communication device and a user of the communication device.

6. A method for use with a communication device for initiating a voice call-back, the method comprising:

sending a request in a data format to a communication system for a list of active providers;

receiving a list of a plurality of active providers from the communication system;

sending a request to the communication system in a data format for a list of active queues associated with at least one of the plurality of active providers;

receiving a message including the list of the active queues associated with at least one of the plurality of active providers;

sending contextual data to the communication system, wherein the contextual data is relevant to at least one of the identification of active queues and the identification of active providers by the communication system;

causing to be displayed an indication of at least a portion of the plurality of active providers and an indication of the list of active queues associated with at least one of the plurality of active providers on a display screen of the communication device using a session queuing component that resides within the communication device;

obtaining a user selection of a queue as a selected queue using the session queuing component; and

sending a confirmation to the communication system in a data format for a call-back.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the communication device is one of a home entertainment device, a kiosk, and a point of purchase device.

8. The method of claim 6 , wherein the communication device is a home entertainment device, and wherein the home entertainment device is one or more of a set top box, a television, a cable box, a gaming console, and a digital video disk (DVD) player.

9. The method of claim 6 , further comprising:

causing to be displayed an identification of at least two active providers and obtaining user selection of one of the active providers,

wherein the indication of the queue is a queue associated with the selected active provider.

10. The method of claim 6 , wherein the contextual data corresponds to at least one of the communication device and a user of the communication device.

11. A non-transitory computer readable medium for storing computer executable instructions for initiating a call-back from a communication device, comprising computer executable instructions that configure the communication device to:

send to a communication system a request in a data format for a list of active providers;

receive a list of a plurality of active providers from the communication system;

send to the communication system a request in a data format for a list of active queues associated with at least one of the plurality of active providers;

receive message including a list of the active queues associated with at least one of the plurality of active providers;

send contextual data to the communication system, wherein the contextual data is relevant to at least one of the identification of active queues and the identification of active providers by the communication system;

cause to be displayed an indication of at least a portion of the plurality of active providers and an indication of the list of the active queues associated with at least one of the plurality of active providers on a display screen of the communication device using a session queuing component that resides within the communication device;

obtain a user selection of a queue as a selected queue using the session queuing component; and

send to the communication system a confirmation for a call-back in a data format.

12. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 11 , wherein the communication device is one of a home entertainment device, a kiosk, and a point of purchase device.

13. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 11 , wherein the communication device is a home entertainment device, and wherein the home entertainment device is one or more of a set top box, a television, a cable box, a gaming console, and a digital video disk (DVD) player.

14. A communication system for receiving incoming communications from communication devices and for initiating a call-back, the system comprising:

a sequence component configured to:

receive, from a communication device comprising a session queuing component, a request to identify a plurality of active providers, a request to identify active queues associated with at least one of the plurality of active providers, and contextual data corresponding to at least one of the communication device and a user of the communication device;

send a list of the plurality of active providers and an indication of a list of active queues associated with the at least one of the plurality of active providers to the communication device;

based on an incoming communication, determine a queue and confirm a call back; and

initiate a call-back to a communication receiving device;

a queue component having more than one queue, configured to assign a placeholder associated with the communication receiving device in the determined queue; and

a call-back component configured to place an outgoing call to the communication receiving device in response to the sequence component;

wherein each of the sequence component, queue component, and call-back component are embodied as one or more of at least one processor and a non-transitory computer-readable medium.

15. The system of claim 14 , wherein the communication device is one of a home entertainment device, a kiosk, and a point of purchase device.

16. The system of claim 14 , wherein the communication device is a home entertainment device, and wherein the home entertainment device is one or more of a set top box, a television, a cable box, a gaming console, and a digital video disk (DVD) player.

17. The system of claim 14 , wherein the communication system determines one or more queues in the list of active queues based on the contextual data.

18. The system of claim 14 , wherein the sequence component is operably connected to the queue component and is further configured to:

receive identifier associated with the communication receiving device;

determine the queue for the identifier;

determine an expected wait time in the determined queue;

send the expected wait time to the communication device;

assign the placeholder for the identifier in the determined queue; and

if a call back request is received from the communication device, initiate a call back to the communication receiving device using the assigned placeholder in the desired queue.

19. The system of claim 14 , wherein the communication receiving device is the communication device.

20. The communication device of claim 1 , wherein the device application further comprises a fourth routine capable of:

sending to the communication system a request in a data format for an expected wait time;

receiving the expected wait time from the communication system;

causing to be displayed an indication of the expected wait time; and

obtaining a user selection of one of a confirmation command and a cancel command.

21. The method of claim 6 , further comprising:

sending to the communication system a request in a data format for an expected wait time;

receiving the expected wait time from the communication system;

causing to be displayed an indication of the expected wait time; and

obtaining a user selection of one of a confirmation command and a cancel command.

22. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 11 , further comprising computer executable instructions that configure the communication device to:

send to the communication system a request in a data format for an expected wait time;

receive the expected wait time from the communication system;

cause to be displayed an indication of the expected wait time; and

obtain a user selection of one of a confirmation command and a cancel command.

Assignments (7)
SUPPLEMENT NO. 1 TO GRANT OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENT RIGHTS Recorded Oct 31, 2022
From: VIRTUAL HOLD TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS, LLC
To: WILMINGTON TRUST, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 061808/0358 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Aug 16, 2022
From: MONROE CAPITAL MANAGEMENT ADVISORS, LLC
To: VIRTUAL HOLD TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS, LLC; CALLPROMISE LLC
Reel/Frame 061201/0768 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jan 25, 2022
From: PNC BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
To: VIRTUAL HOLD TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS, LLC; CALLPROMISE LLC
Reel/Frame 058765/0233 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Dec 21, 2021
From: VIRTUAL HOLD TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS, LLC; CALLPROMISE LLC
To: MONROE CAPITAL MANAGEMENT ADVISORS, LLC, AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 058562/0624 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jul 30, 2018
From: VIRTUAL HOLD TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS, LLC
To: PNC BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
Reel/Frame 046500/0207 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 18, 2018
From: VIRTUAL HOLD TECHNOLOGY, LLC
To: VIRTUAL HOLD TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS, LLC
Reel/Frame 046573/0203 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 30, 2012
From: WILLIAMS, MARK J.; CAMULLI, ERIC I.; MINER, LARRY; BRAZIER, ROB
To: VIRTUAL HOLD TECHNOLOGY, LLC
Reel/Frame 028678/0159 →
Continuity (2)
Continuation In Part 12320517 · Jan 28, 2009
Related Publication 20120288075A1 · Nov 15, 2012