IP Library Granted Patent US 11,922,213
Granted Patent B2
US 11,922,213 · App. 17/150,193 · Granted Mar 5, 2024

Techniques for behavioral pairing in a task assignment system

Inventors: Ittai Kan (McLean, VA); Zia Chishti (Washington, DC); Vikash Khatri (Alexandria, VA); James Edward Elmore (Washington, DC)
Assignee: AFINITI, LTD.
G06F9/4881G06F9/455G06F9/48G06F9/4806G06F9/4843G06F9/485G06F9/4856G06F9/50G06F9/5005G06F9/5027G06F9/5038G06F9/5061G06F9/5083G06Q10/06311H04M3/51H04M3/523H04M3/5238G06F2209/5021
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,922,213
App. No.
17/150,193
Granted
Mar 5, 2024
Kind
B2
Abstract

Techniques for behavioral pairing in a task assignment system are disclosed. In one particular embodiment, the techniques may be realized as a method for behavioral pairing in a task assignment system comprising: determining, by at least one computer processor communicatively coupled to and configured to operate in the task assignment system, a priority for each of a plurality of tasks; determining, by the at least one computer processor, an agent available for assignment to any of the plurality of tasks; and assigning, by the at least one computer processor, a first task of the plurality of tasks to the agent using a task assignment strategy, wherein the first task has a lower-priority than a second task of the plurality of tasks.

Claims (49)

1. A method comprising:

determining, by at least one computer processor communicatively coupled to and configured to operate in a contact center system, a set of M contacts;

determining, by the at least one computer processor, a number N that is less than the number M;

filtering, by the at least one computer processor, the set of M contacts to provide a plurality of contacts, wherein the plurality of contacts comprises N contacts, wherein the filtering is based on a wait time of each contact of the plurality of contacts; and

determining, by the at least one computer processor, a set of P agents, wherein P is any positive integer, and is different from N;

selecting, by the at least one computer processor, a contact of the plurality of contacts for pairing to an agent of the set of P agents based on a pairing strategy;

wherein N is inversely related to a likelihood of the pairing strategy selecting a longer-waiting contact of the plurality of contacts over a shorter-waiting contact of the plurality of contacts.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the filtering further comprises adjusting, by the at least one computer processor, the number N, wherein increasing N during the filtering decreases a likelihood of the pairing strategy selecting a longest-waiting contact of the plurality of contacts.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the selecting further comprises selecting, by the at least one computer processor, a lower priority contact while the plurality of contacts comprises an available higher priority contact.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein N comprises one of: 3, 6, 10, and 20.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of contacts comprises at least one contact associated with a lower priority and at least one contact associated with a higher priority.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein

N is a predetermined fixed value, or

N is determined based on any one or more of: (i) M, (ii) a number of tasks included in the set of M contacts, which are associated with a certain priority level, and/or (iii) a degree of choice for a behavioral pairing.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein P is equal to 1.

8. A system comprising:

at least one computer processor communicatively coupled to and configured to operate in a contact center system,

wherein the at least one computer processor is further configured to:

determine a set of M contacts;

determine a number N that is less than the number M;

filter the set of M contacts to provide a plurality of contacts, wherein the plurality of contacts comprises N contacts, wherein the filtering is based on a wait time of each contact of the plurality of contacts; and

determine a set of P agents, wherein P is any positive integer, and is different from N;

select a contact of the plurality of contacts for pairing to an agent of the set of P agents based on a pairing strategy;

wherein N is inversely related to a likelihood of the pairing strategy selecting a longer-waiting contact of the plurality of contacts over a shorter-waiting contact of the plurality of contacts.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the at least one computer processor is further configured to filter by adjusting the number N, wherein increasing N during the filtering decreases a likelihood of the pairing strategy selecting a longest-waiting contact of the plurality of contacts.

10. The system of claim 8 , wherein the at least one computer processor is further configured to select by selecting a lower priority contact while the plurality of contacts comprises an available higher priority contact.

11. The system of claim 8 , wherein N comprises one of: 3, 6, 10, and 20.

12. The system of claim 8 , wherein the plurality of contacts comprises at least one contact associated with a lower priority and at least one contact associated with a higher priority.

13. The system of claim 8 , wherein

N is a predetermined fixed value, or

N is determined based on any one or more of: (i) M, (ii) a number of tasks included in the set of M contacts, which are associated with a certain priority level, and/or (iii) a degree of choice for a behavioral pairing.

14. The system of claim 8 , wherein P is equal to 1.

15. An article of manufacture comprising:

a non-transitory computer processor readable medium; and

instructions stored on the medium;

wherein the instructions are configured to be readable from the medium by at least one computer processor communicatively coupled to and configured to operate in a contact center system and thereby cause the at least one computer processor to operate so as to:

determine a set of M contacts;

determine a number N that is less than the number M;

filter the set of M contacts to provide a plurality of contacts, wherein the plurality of contacts comprises N contacts, wherein the filtering is based on a wait time of each contact of the plurality of contacts; and

determine a set of P agents, wherein P is any positive integer, and is different from N;

select a contact of the plurality of contacts for pairing to an agent of the set of P agents based on a pairing strategy;

wherein N is inversely related to a likelihood of the pairing strategy selecting a longer-waiting contact of the plurality of contacts over a shorter-waiting contact of the plurality of contacts.

16. The article of manufacture of claim 15 , wherein the at least one computer processor is further caused to operate so as to filter by adjusting the number N, wherein increasing N during the filtering decreases a likelihood of the pairing strategy selecting a longest-waiting contact of the plurality of contacts.

17. The article of manufacture of claim 15 , wherein the at least one computer processor is further caused to operate so as to select by selecting a lower priority contact while the plurality of contacts comprises an available higher priority contact.

18. The article of manufacture of claim 15 , wherein the plurality of contacts comprises at least one contact associated with a lower priority and at least one contact associated with a higher priority.

19. The article of manufacture of claim 15 , wherein

N is a predetermined fixed value, or

N is determined based on any one or more of: (i) M, (ii) a number of tasks included in the set of M contacts, which are associated with a certain priority level, and/or (iii) a degree of choice for a behavioral pairing.

20. The article of manufacture of claim 15 , wherein P is equal to 1.

Assignments (5)
RELEASE AND TERMINATION OF PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Apr 16, 2025
From: VCP CAPITAL MARKETS, LLC
To: AFINITI, LTD.
Reel/Frame 070866/0614 →
PATENT ASSIGNMENT AGREEMENT Recorded Jan 3, 2025
From: AFINITI, LTD.
To: AFINITI AI HOLDINGS LLC
Reel/Frame 069816/0656 →
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Jan 3, 2025
From: AFINITI AI LIMITED
To: ALTER DOMUS (US) LLC
Reel/Frame 069816/0858 →
PATENT ASSIGNMENT AGREEMENT Recorded Jan 3, 2025
From: AFINITI AI HOLDINGS LLC
To: AFINITI AI LIMITED
Reel/Frame 069817/0001 →
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Aug 26, 2024
From: AFINITI, LTD.
To: VCP CAPITAL MARKETS, LLC
Reel/Frame 068793/0261 →
Continuity (3)
Continuation 16717724 · Dec 17, 2019
Continuation 15837911 · Dec 11, 2017
Related Publication 20210132991A1 · May 6, 2021