IP Library › Granted Patent US 11,714,601
Granted Patent B1
US 11,714,601 · App. 17/829,347 · Granted Aug 1, 2023

Conversational virtual assistant

Inventors: Brett Knight (San Antonio, TX); Jeffrey William Gallagher (San Antonio, TX); Justin Leggett (Bulverde, TX); Andrew P. Jamison (San Antonio, TX)
Assignee: United Services Automobile Association (USAA)
G06F3/167G06F3/0482G06F3/0487G06Q10/02G06Q30/016G10L15/183G10L15/1815G10L15/22H04M3/50
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,714,601
App. No.
17/829,347
Granted
Aug 1, 2023
Kind
B1
Abstract

Methods and systems described in this disclosure receive a request for assistance from a device associated with a user, launch a conversational virtual assistant on the device, determine at least one potential subject of the request based on information associated with the user and a tab or webpage from which the conversational virtual assistant is launched, receive a verification of the subject of the request, create a contact menu with options for receiving the assistance, and receive a selection of one of the options.

Claims (99)

1. A method of routing a call, the method comprising:

receiving, via a network, a request for assistance from a device associated with a user;

causing a conversational virtual assistant to launch on the device;

determining at least one potential subject of the request based on information associated with the user;

causing the at least one potential subject of the request to be displayed on the device via the conversational virtual assistant;

receiving a verbal verification that the user verbally selected the at least one potential subject of the request at the device;

in response to receiving the verbal verification, creating a contact menu with options including:

assistance via a call representative for the at least one potential subject of the request,

assistance, during hours in which a call representative is not available, stating a) operating hours in which a call representative is available and b) that the quickest option is to take an action via the conversational virtual assistant, and

assistance to take an action via the conversational virtual assistant;

causing the contact menu to be displayed on the device; and

receiving an indication of a verbal selection by the user of one of the options.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving a second indication to undo the selection of one of the options, wherein a graphical indication of the selection is removed from a display of the conversational virtual assistant in response to the indication to undo the selection; and

receiving a third indication of a second selection of a different one of the options.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

determining a recommendation of one of the options based on the at least one potential subject of the request.

4. The method of claim 1 ,

wherein the options include options to speak with a targeted representative selected based on the targeted representative having a designation as knowledgeable in the at least one potential subject; and

wherein the options to speak with the targeted representative include one or more of:

an option to chat online with the targeted representative;

an option to have a video conference with the targeted representative, or

an option to have a phone conversation with the targeted representative.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the verbal selection is one of:

a command to replace or cancel a stolen or lost payment instrument;

a command to activate a new payment instrument;

a command to transfer funds;

a command to pay a bill;

a command to order checks;

a command to increase a withdrawal limit; or

a command to view an insurance policy.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the information associated with the user includes indicia of products or services A) purchased by the user or B) determined as candidate products or services to be purchased by the user.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the options include a first wait time for receiving assistance via the call representative and a second wait time for receiving assistance via the conversational virtual assistant.

8. A system comprising:

one or more processors; and

one or more memories storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the system to perform a process of routing a call, the process comprising:

receiving, via a network, a request for assistance from a device associated with a user;

causing a conversational virtual assistant to launch on the device;

determining at least one potential subject of the request based on information associated with the user;

causing the at least one potential subject of the request to be displayed on the device via the conversational virtual assistant;

receiving a verbal verification that the user verbally selected the at least one potential subject of the request at the device;

in response to receiving the verbal verification, creating a contact menu with options including:

assistance via a call representative for the at least one potential subject of the request,

assistance, during hours in which a call representative is not available, stating a) operating hours in which a call representative is available and b) that the quickest option is to take an action via the conversational virtual assistant, and

assistance to take an action via the conversational virtual assistant;

causing the contact menu to be displayed on the device; and

receiving an indication of a verbal selection by the user of one of the options.

9. The system according to claim 8 , wherein the process further comprises:

receiving a second indication to undo the selection of one of the options, wherein a graphical indication of the selection is removed from a display of the conversational virtual assistant in response to the indication to undo the selection; and

receiving a third indication of a second selection of a different one of the options.

10. The system according to claim 8 , wherein the process further comprises:

determining a recommendation of one of the options based on the at least one potential subject of the request.

11. The system according to claim 8 ,

wherein the options include options to speak with a targeted representative selected based on the targeted representative having a designation as knowledgeable in the at least one potential subject; and

wherein the options to speak with the targeted representative include one or more of:

an option to chat online with the targeted representative;

an option to have a video conference with the targeted representative, or

an option to have a phone conversation with the targeted representative.

12. The system according to claim 8 , wherein the verbal selection is one of:

a command to replace or cancel a stolen or lost payment instrument;

a command to activate a new payment instrument;

a command to transfer funds;

a command to pay a bill;

a command to order checks;

a command to increase a withdrawal limit; or

a command to view an insurance policy.

13. The system according to claim 8 , wherein the information associated with the user includes indicia of products or services A) purchased by the user or B) determined as candidate products or services to be purchased by the user.

14. The system according to claim 8 , wherein the options include a first wait time for receiving assistance via the call representative and a second wait time for receiving assistance via the conversational virtual assistant.

15. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by a computing system, cause the computing system to perform operations of routing a call, the operations comprising:

receiving, via a network, a request for assistance from a device associated with a user;

causing a conversational virtual assistant to launch on the device;

determining at least one potential subject of the request based on information associated with the user;

causing the at least one potential subject of the request to be displayed on the device via the conversational virtual assistant;

receiving a verbal verification that the user verbally selected the at least one potential subject of the request at the device;

in response to receiving the verbal verification, creating a contact menu with options including:

assistance via a call representative for the at least one potential subject of the request,

assistance, during hours in which a call representative is not available, stating a) operating hours in which a call representative is available and b) that the quickest option is to take an action via the conversational virtual assistant, and

assistance to take an action via the conversational virtual assistant;

causing the contact menu to be displayed on the device; and

receiving an indication of a verbal selection by the user of one of the options.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the operations further comprise:

receiving a second indication to undo the selection of one of the options, wherein a graphical indication of the selection is removed from a display of the conversational virtual assistant in response to the indication to undo the selection; and

receiving a third indication of a second selection of a different one of the options.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the operations further comprise:

determining a recommendation of one of the options based on the at least one potential subject of the request.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15 ,

wherein the options include options to speak with a targeted representative selected based on the targeted representative having a designation as knowledgeable in the at least one potential subject; and

wherein the options to speak with the targeted representative include one or more of:

an option to chat online with the targeted representative;

an option to have a video conference with the targeted representative, or

an option to have a phone conversation with the targeted representative.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the verbal selection is one of:

a command to replace or cancel a stolen or lost payment instrument;

a command to activate a new payment instrument;

a command to transfer funds;

a command to pay a bill;

a command to order checks;

a command to increase a withdrawal limit; or a command to view an insurance policy.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the information associated with the user includes indicia of products or services A) purchased by the user or B) determined as candidate products or services to be purchased by the user.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 31, 2022
From: KNIGHT, BRETT; GALLAGHER, JEFFREY WILLIAM; JAMISON, ANDREW P.; LEGGETT, JUSTIN
To: UIPCO, LLC
Reel/Frame 060062/0001 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 31, 2022
From: UIPCO, LLC
To: UNITED SERVICES AUTOMOBILE ASSOCIATION (USAA)
Reel/Frame 060062/0022 →
Continuity (3)
Continuation 17008364 · Aug 31, 2020
Continuation 15698494 · Sep 7, 2017
Provisional Application 62385384 · Sep 9, 2016
Cited By (3)
US 12,585,967 US 12,650,865 US 12,657,044