IP Library › Granted Patent US 9,975,243
Granted Patent B2
US 9,975,243 · App. 15/086,455 · Granted May 22, 2018

Movement and interaction verification

Inventors: George Erhart (Loveland, CO); David Skiba (Golden, CO); Valentine C. Matula (Granville, OH)
Assignee: Avaya Inc.
B25J9/1656A61B5/16A61B5/224
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,975,243
App. No.
15/086,455
Granted
May 22, 2018
Kind
B2
Abstract

Robotic customer service agents may require verification of a human. The verification may be of the identity of the human and/or a capability of the human. If verified, the robot operates in a verified mode and otherwise operates in a non-verified mode. The robot performs a customer service task in one of the verified mode or the non-verified mode, which may alter, omit, or substitute actions as appropriate for the mode.

Claims (53)

1. A robot, comprising:

a microprocessor programmed to:

perform a customer service task at a service location;

access a data exchange protocol, the data exchange protocol comprising a robot portion and an expected human response, the robot portion comprising instructions for execution by the robot;

initiate a verification process to verify the identity of a human at the service location, the verification process comprising causing the robot to perform the robot portion;

observe an observed response comprising actions of the human at the service location;

determine whether the observed response is substantially equivalent to the expected human response;

upon determining that the observed response is substantially equivalent to the expected human response, operating the robot in a verified mode to perform the customer service task; and

upon determining that the observed response is not substantially equivalent to the expected human response, operating the robot in a non verified mode.

2. The robot of claim 1 , further comprising:

a network interface; and

wherein the microprocessor, via the network interface, obtains the data exchange protocol from a contact center.

3. The robot of claim 1 , wherein, the robot, in the verification process determines whether the human is the subject of the customer service task.

4. The robot of claim 1 , wherein the observed response comprises an interaction provided by the human physically interacting with the robot.

5. The robot of claim 1 , wherein the verification process comprises a plurality of steps for the robot portion or the expected human response, and wherein the plurality of steps bound the other of the robot portion or the expected human response.

6. The robot of claim 1 , wherein the expected human response comprises a physical capacity test.

7. The robot of claim 1 , wherein the expected human response comprises a mental capacity test.

8. The robot of claim 1 , wherein the microprocessor is programmed to operate the robot in a partially verified mode upon determining that the observed human response was performed partially, but not completely.

9. The robot of claim 8 , wherein the partially verified mode comprises a limitation on a portion of the customer service task.

10. The robot of claim 8 , wherein:

the microprocessor further determines a degree to which the observed response matches the expected human response; and

the microprocessor further selects the customer service task, from a plurality of customer services tasks, based on the selected customer service task being more closely associated with the degree than another customer service task.

11. A system, comprising:

a network interface;

a microprocessor in communication with the network interface and when provided with instructions cause the microprocessor to:

cause a robot to perform a customer service task at a service location;

initiate a verification process to verify the identity of a human at the service location, the verification process comprising causing the robot to prompt the human to perform an expected human response;

observe an observed human response comprising actions of the human at the service location;

determine whether the observed response is substantially equivalent to the expected human response;

upon determining that the observed response is substantially equivalent to the expected human response, operating the robot in a verified mode to perform the customer service task; and

upon determining that the observed response is not substantially equivalent to the expected human response, operating the robot in a non verified mode.

12. The system of claim 11 , further comprising:

a data repository; and

wherein the microprocessor accesses the verification process from the data repository and provides, via the network interface, the verification process to the robot.

13. The system of claim 11 , wherein:

the microprocessor further determines a degree to which the observed response matches the expected human response; and

the microprocessor further selects the customer service task, from a plurality of customer services tasks, based on the selected customer service task being more closely associated with the degree than another customer service task.

14. The system of claim 11 , wherein the expected human response comprises an expected physical interaction of the human with the robot.

15. The system of claim 11 , wherein the verified mode terminates, whereby the robot operates in the non verified mode, upon the occurrence of a previously determined event.

16. A system, comprising:

means to perform, by a microprocessor, a customer service task at a service location;

means to access, by the microprocessor, a data exchange protocol comprising a robot portion and an expected human response;

means to initiate, by the microprocessor, a verification process to verify the identity of a human at the service location, the verification process comprising causing a robot to perform the robot portion;

means to observe, by the microprocessor, an observed response comprising actions of the human at the service location;

means to determine, by the microprocessor, whether the observed response is substantially equivalent to the expected human response;

upon determining that the observed response is substantially equivalent to the expected human response, means to cause, by the microprocessor, the robot to operate in a verified mode to perform the customer service task; and

upon determining that the observed response is not substantially equivalent to the expected human response, means to cause, by the microprocessor, the robot to operate in a non-verified mode.

17. The system of claim 16 , further comprising, means to obtain, via the microprocessor and a network interface, the data exchange protocol from a contact center.

18. The system of claim 16 , further comprising means to operate, by the microprocessor, the robot in a partially verified mode upon determining that the observed response was performed partially, but not completely.

19. The system of claim 18 , wherein the partially verified mode comprises a limitation on a portion of the customer service task.

20. The system of claim 16 , further comprising:

means to determine, by the microprocessor, a degree to which the observed response matches the expected human response; and

means to select, by the microprocessor, the customer service task, from a plurality of customer services tasks, based on the selected customer service task being more closely associated with the degree than another customer service task.

Assignments (17)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 14, 2026
From: AVAYA LLC
To: PULSELINK SYSTEMS LLC
Reel/Frame 074909/0627 →
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY PARTIAL RELEASE AND REASSIGNMENT Recorded Feb 4, 2026
From: WILMINGTON SAVINGS FUND SOCIETY, FSB
To: AVAYA LLC (F/K/A AVAYA INC.); AVAYA MANAGEMENT L.P.
Reel/Frame 074981/0940 →
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY PARTIAL RELEASE AND REASSIGNMENT Recorded Feb 4, 2026
From: CITIBANK, N.A.
To: AVAYA LLC (F/K/A AVAYA INC.); AVAYA MANAGEMENT L.P.
Reel/Frame 074944/0573 →
(SECURITY INTEREST) GRANTOR'S NAME CHANGE Recorded Sep 21, 2023
From: AVAYA INC.
To: AVAYA LLC
Reel/Frame 065019/0231 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS (REEL/FRAME 61087/0386) Recorded May 18, 2023
From: WILMINGTON TRUST, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
To: AVAYA MANAGEMENT L.P.; AVAYA INC.; INTELLISIST, INC.; AVAYA INTEGRATED CABINET SOLUTIONS LLC
Reel/Frame 063690/0359 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS (REEL/FRAME 53955/0436) Recorded May 18, 2023
From: WILMINGTON TRUST, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
To: AVAYA MANAGEMENT L.P.; AVAYA INC.; INTELLISIST, INC.; AVAYA INTEGRATED CABINET SOLUTIONS LLC
Reel/Frame 063705/0023 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS (REEL/FRAME 045034/0001) Recorded May 18, 2023
From: GOLDMAN SACHS BANK USA., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: AVAYA INC.; INTELLISIST, INC.; AVAYA INTEGRATED CABINET SOLUTIONS LLC; OCTEL COMMUNICATIONS LLC; VPNET TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; ZANG, INC. (FORMER NAME OF AVAYA CLOUD INC.); HYPERQUALITY, INC.; HYPERQUALITY II, LLC; CAAS TECHNOLOGIES, LLC; AVAYA MANAGEMENT L.P.
Reel/Frame 063779/0622 →
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded May 4, 2023
From: AVAYA INC.; AVAYA MANAGEMENT L.P.; INTELLISIST, INC.
To: CITIBANK, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 063542/0662 →
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded May 3, 2023
From: AVAYA MANAGEMENT L.P.; AVAYA INC.; INTELLISIST, INC.; KNOAHSOFT INC.
To: WILMINGTON SAVINGS FUND SOCIETY, FSB [COLLATERAL AGENT]
Reel/Frame 063742/0001 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS AT REEL 45124/FRAME 0026 Recorded Apr 26, 2023
From: CITIBANK, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: AVAYA HOLDINGS CORP.; AVAYA INC.; AVAYA MANAGEMENT L.P.; AVAYA INTEGRATED CABINET SOLUTIONS LLC
Reel/Frame 063457/0001 →
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Aug 5, 2022
From: AVAYA INC.; INTELLISIST, INC.; AVAYA MANAGEMENT L.P.; AVAYA CABINET SOLUTIONS LLC
To: WILMINGTON TRUST, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 061087/0386 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Sep 25, 2020
From: AVAYA INC.; AVAYA MANAGEMENT L.P.; INTELLISIST, INC.; AVAYA INTEGRATED CABINET SOLUTIONS LLC
To: WILMINGTON TRUST, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
Reel/Frame 053955/0436 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jan 23, 2018
From: AVAYA INC.; AVAYA INTEGRATED CABINET SOLUTIONS LLC; OCTEL COMMUNICATIONS LLC; VPNET TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; ZANG, INC.
To: CITIBANK, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 045124/0026 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jan 10, 2018
From: AVAYA INC.; AVAYA INTEGRATED CABINET SOLUTIONS LLC; OCTEL COMMUNICATIONS LLC; VPNET TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; ZANG, INC.
To: GOLDMAN SACHS BANK USA, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 045034/0001 →
BANKRUPTCY COURT ORDER RELEASING ALL LIENS INCLUDING THE SECURITY INTEREST RECORDED AT REEL/FRAME 041576/0001 Recorded Dec 15, 2017
From: CITIBANK, N.A.
To: AVAYA INC.; AVAYA INTEGRATED CABINET SOLUTIONS INC.; OCTEL COMMUNICATIONS LLC (FORMERLY KNOWN AS OCTEL COMMUNICATIONS CORPORATION); VPNET TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
Reel/Frame 044893/0531 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jan 27, 2017
From: AVAYA INC.; AVAYA INTEGRATED CABINET SOLUTIONS INC.; OCTEL COMMUNICATIONS CORPORATION; VPNET TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
To: CITIBANK, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 041576/0001 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 31, 2016
From: ERHART, GEORGE; SKIBA, DAVID; MATULA, VALENTINE C.
To: AVAYA INC.
Reel/Frame 038154/0332 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 62212409 · Aug 31, 2015
Related Publication 20170282365A1 · Oct 5, 2017