State value indexing into an action database

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10861021-B2
Application number	US-201415510860-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 26, 2014
Priority date	Nov 26, 2014
Publication date	Dec 8, 2020
Grant date	Dec 8, 2020

Abstract

An example system includes system circuitry that includes an action database. The action database may include an action entry that stores an action for use by a call agent as part of a diagnostic process and an index value associated with the action. The index value may be indicative of a particular state of the diagnostic process. The system circuitry may obtain a state value indicative of a current state of the diagnostic process. The system circuitry may identify the action entry by matching the state value for the diagnostic process to the index value of the action entry. Then, the system circuitry may retrieve the action of the action entry for use in the diagnostic process.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A system comprising:
system circuitry comprising an action database storing an action entry, the action entry comprising a plurality of fields including:
a recommended next action for use by a call agent as a part of a diagnostic process in a recommended next action field;
an excluded action excluded from use by the call agent during the part of the diagnostic process in an excluded action field, wherein the excluded action is an action that will impede advancement of the diagnostic process for the part;
an index value associated with the recommended next action, the index value indicative of a particular state of the diagnostic process; and

wherein the system circuitry is to:
obtain a state value indicative of a current state of the diagnostic process;
index into the action database with the state value for the diagnostic process to identify the action entry by matching the state value to the index value of the action entry;
retrieve the recommended next action of the action entry for the diagnostic process; and
retrieve the excluded action of the action entry for the diagnostic process, wherein the excluded action is visually differentiated from the recommended next action for the call agent during the current state of the diagnostic process.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the system circuitry matches the state value to the index value of the action entry when
the state value and the index value are identical.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the system circuitry matches the current state value to the index value of the action entry when:
the state value and the index value are not identical; and
a non-identical portion of the index value includes a masked value.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the action entry includes multiple actions; and
wherein the system circuitry provides any number of the multiple actions of the action entry for the diagnostic process.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the action entry possible action for the current state of the diagnostic process.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the system circuitry is further to:
receive, from a service provider, an action update for the current state of the diagnostic process; and, in response:
replace the recommended next action in the action entry with an updated action.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the excluded action is an action that will be at least one of ineffective, inoperable, or detrimental to the particular state of the diagnostic process.

8. A method comprising:
representing a current state of a diagnostic process between a call agent and caller as a state value;
providing the state value as an index into an action database;
receiving a recommended next action and an excluded action from an action entry in the action database that is correlated to the state value, wherein the excluded action is an action that will impede advancement of the diagnostic process for the current state; and
providing the recommended next action and the excluded action for guiding the diagnostic process, wherein the excluded action is visually differentiated from the recommended next action for the call agent during the current state of the diagnostic process.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein receiving the recommended next action and the excluded action further comprises receiving a possible action for the current state of the diagnostic process.

10. The method of claim 9 , further comprising:
providing both the recommended next action and the possible action for guiding the diagnostic process.

11. The method of claim 8 , wherein the providing the recommended next action and the excluded action comprises providing a visual indication that the action should not be performed for the current state of the diagnostic process.

12. The system of claim 1 , wherein the excluded action comprises an action that will at least one of:
compromise security of at least one of the call agent, a caller, or a call center,
reduce communication capability, or
worsen a symptom of the particular state or an issue experienced by the caller.

13. The method of claim 8 , wherein the excluded action is an action that will be at least one of ineffective, inoperable, or detrimental to the current state of the diagnostic process.

14. The method of claim 8 , wherein the excluded action comprises an action that will at least one of:
compromise security of at least one of the call agent, a caller, or a call center,
reduce communication capability, or
worsen a symptom of the current state or an issue experienced by the caller.

15. A product comprising:
a non-transitory computer-readable medium storing computer executable instructions that, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to:
maintain an action database comprising entries storing respective actions for guiding a diagnostic process between a call agent and caller, wherein an action entry of the action entries comprises:
a recommended next action for use by the call agent as a part of the diagnostic process in a recommended next action field; and
an excluded action excluded from use by the call agent during the part of the diagnostic process in an excluded action field, wherein the excluded action is an action that will impede advancement of the diagnostic process for the part;

receive a state value indicative of a current state of the diagnostic process;
index into the action database using the state value to identify a corresponding entry for the state value; and
return the respective action for the corresponding entry, wherein the excluded action is visually differentiated from the recommended next action for the call agent during the current state of the diagnostic process.

16. The product of claim 15 , wherein the computer executable instructions further cause the computer to:
receive an action update for a particular entry in the action database, the action update specifying an updated action for the particular entry; and
update the particular entry with the updated action.

17. The product of claim 15 , wherein the computer executable instructions cause the computer to identify the corresponding entry by:
determining that the state value and an index value for the corresponding entry are not identical; and
determining that a non-identical portion of the index value of the corresponding entry includes a masked value.

18. The product of claim 15 , wherein the computer executable instructions cause the computer to maintain the action database by sequencing the entries in the action database to control which particular entry the computer identifies as the corresponding entry.

19. The product of claim 15 , wherein the excluded action is an action that will be at least one of ineffective, inoperable, or detrimental to the current state of the diagnostic process.

20. The product of claim 15 , wherein the excluded action comprises an action that will at least one of:
compromise security of at least one of the call agent, a caller, or a call center,
reduce communication capability, or
worsen a symptom of the current state or an issue experienced by the caller.

Assignees

• Ent Services Dev Corp Lp

Inventors

• Husted Andersen Frederik

Classifications

• G06Q30/015

  Providing customer assistance, e.g. assisting a customer within a business location or via helpdesk · CPC title

• G06Q30/016 Primary

  After-sales · CPC title

• G06Q10/20

  Administration of product repair or maintenance · CPC title

• G06F16/2379

  Updates performed during online database operations; commit processing · CPC title

• H04M3/5183

  Call or contact centers with computer-telephony arrangements · CPC title