WO1999012100A9 - Procede et dispositif permettant de repondre a une interrogation sur le web via un serveur internet video - Google Patents

Procede et dispositif permettant de repondre a une interrogation sur le web via un serveur internet video

Info

Publication number
WO1999012100A9
WO1999012100A9 PCT/US1998/014089 US9814089W WO9912100A9 WO 1999012100 A9 WO1999012100 A9 WO 1999012100A9 US 9814089 W US9814089 W US 9814089W WO 9912100 A9 WO9912100 A9 WO 9912100A9
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
conducting
data
network
multimedia
communication over
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/US1998/014089
Other languages
English (en)
Other versions
WO1999012100A1 (fr
Inventor
Gregory T Stovall
Original Assignee
Northern Telecom Ltd
Gregory T Stovall
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Northern Telecom Ltd, Gregory T Stovall filed Critical Northern Telecom Ltd
Priority to AU83861/98A priority Critical patent/AU8386198A/en
Publication of WO1999012100A1 publication Critical patent/WO1999012100A1/fr
Publication of WO1999012100A9 publication Critical patent/WO1999012100A9/fr

Links

Classifications

    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04M—TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION
    • H04M3/00—Automatic or semi-automatic exchanges
    • H04M3/42—Systems providing special services or facilities to subscribers
    • H04M3/50—Centralised arrangements for answering calls; Centralised arrangements for recording messages for absent or busy subscribers ; Centralised arrangements for recording messages
    • H04M3/51—Centralised call answering arrangements requiring operator intervention, e.g. call or contact centers for telemarketing
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G06—COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
    • G06Q—INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • G06Q30/00—Commerce
    • G06Q30/02—Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04M—TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION
    • H04M3/00—Automatic or semi-automatic exchanges
    • H04M3/42—Systems providing special services or facilities to subscribers
    • H04M3/42314—Systems providing special services or facilities to subscribers in private branch exchanges
    • H04M3/42323—PBX's with CTI arrangements
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04M—TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION
    • H04M7/00—Arrangements for interconnection between switching centres
    • H04M7/12—Arrangements for interconnection between switching centres for working between exchanges having different types of switching equipment, e.g. power-driven and step by step or decimal and non-decimal

Definitions

  • the present invention relates generally to customer response networks and in particular to internet based response networks .
  • the method and apparatus of the present invention is accomplished by having a customer or user situated at one of many user computer terminals connected to the Internet.
  • the user accesses a company's World Wide Web Internet home page in an Internet session and decides that more information is needed and would appreciate interacting with a live customer service representative.
  • An automatic call distribution device switches the session to a customer service queue for routing to the next available customer service representative.
  • session control passes back to the web page server and a normal interactive session is resumed.
  • One advantage of the present invention allows the user and customer service representative to conduct an interactive video session. Another advantage of the present invention allows the user and customer service representative to conduct an interactive audio session.
  • Another advantage of the present invention allows the user and customer service representative to conduct an interactive audio/video session.
  • Still another advantage of the present invention allows the user and customer service representative to both simultaneously view portions of the same display on each of their respective video display monitors .
  • FIG. 1 illustrates a block diagram of the data network of the present invention.
  • Fig. 2 illustrates a block diagram of the multimedia response server of the present invention.
  • Fig. 3 illustrates a flowchart depiction of the methodology of the present invention.
  • a customer or user is situated at one of many user terminals 102,106,110,136,138 which may be a personal computer, graphic enhanced mobile device such as a laptop PC, Java phone or a personal digital assistant (PDA) .
  • PDA personal digital assistant
  • the customer may be connected via an analog or digital (either an Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN) or xDSL) connection to a Class 5 (local telephone switching) office 108, which in turn is connected to a tandem switch 114.
  • Tandem switch 114 is capable of making both local and toll (long distance) telephone connections and is connected through modem 120, direct connection or ISDN 118 connection to Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) interface 128.
  • ATM Asynchronous Transfer Mode
  • ATM interface 128 is connected to ATM backbone 130.
  • ATM backbone 130 supplies the interconnections and transport mechanisms of the data communications network, or Internet of the preferred embodiment. These transport mechanisms are well known and thus need not be further explained here.
  • LAN direct connectivity is an alternative to dial-up connections.
  • a live person acting as a Company's agent or customer service representative is stationed at agent terminal 124.
  • Terminal 124 contains an autodialer which automatically dials a preprogrammed or an entered telephone number from telephone 122. This telephone number is the telephone number of the customer who has entered his/her own telephone number sometime during a Web page access session.
  • the telephone call placed by the Customer service agent located at terminal 124 through telephone 122 is switched through tandem switch 116 to class 5 central office 104 to the customer.
  • a customer may be connected through a mobile terminal via a wireless data link provided by a cellular, PCS or other wireless service provider.
  • Corporate Web Server 132 is connected to ATM backbone 130 through a direct connection.
  • the corporate Web Server stationary or mobile, may also be connected via a similar wireless data link interfaced to the Internet.
  • Multimedia response server 210 is connected to the Internet 230 via ATM link 228.
  • ATM link 228 is typically either across a T-3 carrier operating at approximately 44 MHz or is an OC-48 (or higher) Synchronous Optical Network (SONET) connection. The details of such connections are well known and need not be discussed further .
  • the T-3 interconnection 228 interconnects with Multimedia Response Server 210 at the communication channel switch 214.
  • Communication channel switch 214 is controlled by Web page server 222.
  • Also connected to communication channel switch 214 are the Automatic Call Distribution (ACD) unit 212, video server 216 and multiple multimedia operator consoles 202,204,206.
  • ACD Automatic Call Distribution
  • Communication channel switch 214 is a Northern Telecom Magellan, Vector or other suitable switch.
  • Web page server 222 operates to supply content to customers who access the Web page, controls connections to and from communication channel switch 214.
  • Video server 216 supplies high bandwidth video to customers accessing the Web page through communication channel switch 214.
  • ACD 212 unit operates by transferring a customer who has requested more information into a queue for service by the next available operator stationed at one of the multimedia operator consoles 202,204,206.
  • a customer who is accessing the Web page on the Web server typically mouse clicks on a hot button or link found on the Web page. This link is identified as a channel for selecting a live interactive video session with a human operator.
  • the interactive video session is conducted.
  • the connection is taken down and the next queued interactive multimedia session is initiated.
  • Multimedia operator consoles 202,204,206 and customer terminals 102,106,110,136,136 are equipped with appropriate multimedia equipment and software.
  • Typical equipment includes commercial off the shelf microphones/headsets with speakers, digital signal processor based peripheral sound cards and a video camera with its video interface to the terminals and consoles.
  • the content of the customer's screen is accessible by the agent on the multimedia operator console.
  • the session participants are also able to view each other through the video camera output portion of the link and are able to converse audibly to conduct business.
  • the customer agent is able to see exactly what the customer is trying to describe and is therefore capable of answering questions and solving problems in a much more time efficient manner without tying up more resources.
  • the customer agent is able to diagnose conditions and problems on a customer's computer in real-time or near real-time and can download software to determine configurations, correct errors, modify settings and add or delete software modules as desired.
  • the multimedia response server automates many of these functions and does not require a human customer agent in many of these situations .
  • step 302 the program Start function.
  • step 304 the Web server makes the Web page available to customers over the Internet or any other suitable public or private data network.
  • a Customer accesses the Web page from his/her computer terminal using the appropriate physical connection and software.
  • the customer could search for airline flights to a desired destination at a particular time and for a particular price. If the specific parameters defined do not result in a satisfactory result for the customer, or if at any time during a session live human interaction is desired or required, then the customer clicks on the graphical hot button or link and is transferred in step 308 by an automatic distribution mechanism via the above described invention to a live interactive multimedia session in step 310 in an effort to satisfy the customer's request. Upon completion of the session, control passes to step 312, Stop.

Landscapes

  • Business, Economics & Management (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Finance (AREA)
  • Marketing (AREA)
  • Strategic Management (AREA)
  • Accounting & Taxation (AREA)
  • Development Economics (AREA)
  • Game Theory and Decision Science (AREA)
  • Entrepreneurship & Innovation (AREA)
  • Signal Processing (AREA)
  • Economics (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • General Business, Economics & Management (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Theoretical Computer Science (AREA)
  • Computer And Data Communications (AREA)
  • Data Exchanges In Wide-Area Networks (AREA)

Abstract

L'invention concerne l'établissement d'une liaison de données interactive par un utilisateur, avec un serveur de réponses multimédia (210), via un réseau (230). L'utilisateur manipule les touches de clavier appropriées ou clique avec la souris sur un bouton qui est identifié de manière appropriée sur une page de données. Un dispositif de distribution automatique d'appels (212) bascule la session sur une file d'attente du service à la clientèle aux fins d'acheminement vers le prochain représentant disponible dans ce service (202). Lorsque la session interactive entre l'utilisateur et le représentant du service à la clientèle (202) prend fin, la commande de session effectue un retour au serveur de pages de données (222), et une session interactive normale reprend.
PCT/US1998/014089 1997-08-29 1998-07-08 Procede et dispositif permettant de repondre a une interrogation sur le web via un serveur internet video WO1999012100A1 (fr)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
AU83861/98A AU8386198A (en) 1997-08-29 1998-07-08 Method and apparatus for web inquiry response via internet video

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US92100697A 1997-08-29 1997-08-29
US08/921,006 1997-08-29

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
WO1999012100A1 WO1999012100A1 (fr) 1999-03-11
WO1999012100A9 true WO1999012100A9 (fr) 1999-05-20

Family

ID=25444770

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
PCT/US1998/014089 WO1999012100A1 (fr) 1997-08-29 1998-07-08 Procede et dispositif permettant de repondre a une interrogation sur le web via un serveur internet video

Country Status (2)

Country Link
AU (1) AU8386198A (fr)
WO (1) WO1999012100A1 (fr)

Families Citing this family (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
SE515921C2 (sv) * 1999-07-09 2001-10-29 Surfbuy Ab Ett telekommunikationssystem
FI991581A (fi) * 1999-07-09 2001-01-10 Alma Media Oyj Interaktiivinen palvelu
EP1081930A1 (fr) * 1999-08-31 2001-03-07 Lucent Technologies ECS Limited Méthode et appareil pour établir une communication
EP1275231A1 (fr) 2000-04-14 2003-01-15 Simojoki, Sampo Procede et terminal dans un reseau de telecommunication, reseau et produit de communication y relatifs
JP2006513461A (ja) * 2000-07-12 2006-04-20 ジョージ・ユージン・ダービー ポケットコンシェルジェおよびマルチメディア、ワイヤレスコールセンターのシステムと方法

Family Cites Families (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5806043A (en) * 1995-06-06 1998-09-08 Interactive Media Works, L.L.C. Method for providing customer on-line support via prepaid internet access
US5778178A (en) * 1995-11-13 1998-07-07 Arunachalam; Lakshmi Method and apparatus for enabling real-time bi-directional transactions on a network
US5796393A (en) * 1996-11-08 1998-08-18 Compuserve Incorporated System for intergrating an on-line service community with a foreign service

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
WO1999012100A1 (fr) 1999-03-11
AU8386198A (en) 1999-03-22

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