Methods and apparatus for bypassing holds
Automated monitoring of a voice communication session, when the session is in an on hold status, to determine when the session is no longer in the on hold status. When it is determined that the session is no longer in the on hold status, user interface output is rendered that is perceptible to a calling user that initiated the session, and that indicates that the on hold status of the session has ceased. In some implementations, an audio stream of the session can be monitored to determine, based on processing of the audio stream, a candidate end of the on hold status. In response, a response solicitation signal is injected into an outgoing portion of the audio. The audio stream can be further monitored for a response (if any) to the response solicitation signal. The response (if any) can be processed to determine whether the end of the on hold status is an actual end of the on hold status.
1. A method implemented by one or more processors, the method comprising:
identifying a phone number associated with a voice communication session initiated by a client device of a calling user;
determining whether the identified phone number is associated with an entity known to place calling users on hold;
in response to determining the identified phone number is associated with the entity known to place calling users on hold:
identifying a voice in an audio stream of the voice communication session;
determining, based on one or more previous voice communication sessions with the identified phone number, whether the voice in the audio stream is a known on hold voice; and
in response to determining the voice in the audio stream is the known on hold voice, determining that the voice communication session is in an on hold status.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining whether the identified phone number is associated with the entity known to place calling users on hold comprises:
comparing the identified phone number with a global list of phone numbers known to place calling users on hold; and
determining the identified phone number is included in the global list of phone numbers known to place calling users on hold.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining whether the identified phone number is associated with the entity known to place calling users on hold comprises:
comparing the identified phone number with a personalized list of phone numbers known to have previously placed the calling user on hold; and
determining the identified phone number is included in the personalized list of phone numbers known to have previously placed the calling user on hold.
4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
in response to determining the voice communication session is in the on hold status, initiating a hold client on the client device, wherein initiating the hold client is during the voice communication session and is based on determining the voice communication session is in the on hold status.
5. The method of claim 4 , further comprising:
monitoring, using the on hold client, the audio stream of the voice communication session for a candidate end of the on hold status, wherein monitoring the audio stream of the voice communication session occurs without direct interaction from the calling user; and
in response to detecting the candidate end of the on hold status, sending, from the client device, a response solicitation signal as input to the audio stream of the voice communication session.
6. The method of claim 5 , further comprising:
monitoring the audio stream of the voice communication session for a response to the response solicitation signal;
determining that the response to the response solicitation signal indicates that the candidate end of hold is an actual end of the on hold status, wherein the actual end of the on hold status indicates that a human user is available to interact with the calling user in the voice communication session; and
causing user interface output to be rendered in response to determining the actual end of the on hold status, wherein the user interface output is perceptible by the calling user and indicates the actual end of the on hold status.
7. The method of claim 4 , further comprising:
monitoring, using the on hold client, the audio stream of the voice communication session for an actual end of the on hold status, wherein monitoring the audio stream of the voice communication session occurs without direct interaction from the calling user; and
in response to detecting the actual end of the on hold status, causing user interface output to be rendered, wherein the user interface output is perceptible by the calling user and indicates the actual end of the on hold status.
8. A method implemented by a client device that initiated a voice communication session, the method comprising:
while the voice communication session is in an on hold status:
monitoring an audio stream of the voice communication session for an occurrence of a human voice speaking into the audio stream;
in response to detecting the occurrence of the human voice during the monitoring:
sending a response solicitation signal as input to the audio stream;
monitoring the audio stream for a response to the response solicitation signal;
determining whether the response to the response solicitation signal is a human response that is responsive to the response solicitation signal based on determining whether the human response corresponds to at least one predicted response to the response solicitation signal; and
when it is determined that the response is a human response that is responsive to the response solicitation signal:
causing user interface output to be rendered that is perceptible by the calling user and that indicates an end of the hold status, wherein the user interface output includes audio output, vibration output, and visual output.
9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the client device is a mobile telephone or a standalone interactive speaker.
10. The method of claim 8 , wherein the on hold status is automatically initiated by the client device in response to detecting that the voice communication session is in the on hold status.
11. A non-transitory computer readable medium configured to store instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations that include:
identifying a phone number associated with a voice communication session initiated by a client device of a calling user;
determining whether the identified phone number is associated with an entity known to place calling users on hold;
in response to determining the identified phone number is associated with the entity known to place calling users on hold:
identifying a voice in an audio stream of the voice communication session;
determining, based on one or more previous voice communication sessions with the identified phone number, whether the voice in the audio stream is a known on hold voice; and
in response to determining the voice in the audio stream is the known on hold voice, determining that the voice communication session is in an on hold status.
12. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 11 , wherein determining whether the identified phone number is associated with the entity known to place calling users on hold comprises:
comparing the identified phone number with a global list of phone numbers known to place calling users on hold; and
determining the identified phone number is included in the global list of phone numbers known to place calling users on hold.
13. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 11 , wherein determining whether the identified phone number is associated with the entity known to place calling users on hold comprises:
comparing the identified phone number with a personalized list of phone numbers known to have previously placed the calling user on hold; and
determining the identified phone number is included in the personalized list of phone numbers known to have previously placed the calling user on hold.
14. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 11 , wherein the operations further include:
in response to determining the voice communication session is in the on hold status, initiating a hold client on the client device, wherein initiating the hold client is during the voice communication session and is based on determining the voice communication session is in the on hold status.
15. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 14 , wherein the operations further include:
monitoring, using the on hold client, the audio stream of the voice communication session for a candidate end of the on hold status, wherein monitoring the audio stream of the voice communication session occurs without direct interaction from the calling user; and
in response to detecting the candidate end of the on hold status, sending, from the client device, a response solicitation signal as input to the audio stream of the voice communication session.
16. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the operations further include:
monitoring the audio stream of the voice communication session for a response to the response solicitation signal;
determining that the response to the response solicitation signal indicates that the candidate end of hold is an actual end of the on hold status, wherein the actual end of the on hold status indicates that a human user is available to interact with the calling user in the voice communication session; and
causing user interface output to be rendered in response to determining the actual end of the on hold status, wherein the user interface output is perceptible by the calling user and indicates the actual end of the on hold status.
17. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 14 , wherein the operations further include:
monitoring, using the on hold client, the audio stream of the voice communication session for an actual end of the on hold status, wherein monitoring the audio stream of the voice communication session occurs without direct interaction from the calling user; and
in response to detecting the actual end of the on hold status, causing user interface output to be rendered, wherein the user interface output is perceptible by the calling user and indicates the actual end of the on hold status.