Agent to bot transfer

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11316980-B2
Application number	US-201916695401-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 26, 2019
Priority date	Nov 26, 2019
Publication date	Apr 26, 2022
Grant date	Apr 26, 2022

Abstract

A method, a computer program product, and a computer system determine when to transfer a communication session from an agent to a bot. The method includes monitoring the communication session between the agent and a user. The method includes determining a continuing utility value indicating a predicted continuing cost to maintaining the communication session with the agent. The continuing utility value is indicative of a predicted continuing benefit to maintaining the communication with the agent. The method includes determining a transferring utility value indicating a predicted transferring cost to transferring the communication session from the agent to the bot. The transferring utility value is indicative of a predicted transferring benefit to transferring the communication session from the agent to the bot. The method includes, as a result of the predicted transferring benefit being greater than the predicted continuing benefit, transferring the communication session from the agent to the bot.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A computer-implemented method for determining when to transfer a communication session from an agent to a bot, the method comprising:
monitoring the communication session between the agent and a user in resolving a task;
determining a continuing utility value indicating a predicted continuing cost to maintaining the communication session with the agent, the continuing utility value being indicative of a predicted continuing benefit to maintaining the communication with the agent, the continuity utility value being determined based on path lengths of steps used in leading to a successful outcome for the task by the agent;
determining a transferring utility value indicating a predicted transferring cost to transferring the communication session from the agent to the bot, the transferring utility value being indicative of a predicted transferring benefit to transferring the communication session from the agent to the bot, the transferring utility value being determined based on further path lengths of further steps used in leading to a successful outcome for the task by the bot;
as a result of the continuing utility value satisfying a continuing threshold to maintain the communication with the agent and the transferring utility value satisfying a transferring threshold to transfer the communication session from the agent to the bot, comparing the continuing utility value with the transferring utility value; and
as a result of the predicted transferring benefit being greater than the predicted continuing benefit, transferring the communication session from the agent to the bot.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:
determining a task being requested by the user based on the monitoring of the communication session.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 2 , wherein the continuing utility value, the transferring utility value, or both are determined based on a process in completing the task.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the predicted continuing cost, the predicted transferring cost, or both are further based on a clock time taken in previous communication sessions, external measures estimating at least one of the predicted continuing benefit and the predicted transferring benefit, or a combination thereof.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:
transmitting a request to the user requesting that the communication session be transferred from the agent to the bot; and
receiving a response to the request,
wherein the communication session is transferred from the agent to the bot based on the response.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the communication session is transferred automatically and invisible to the user.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 6 , further comprising:
generating an indication indicating that the communication session is to be transferred to the bot; and
transmitting the indication to the agent.

8. A computer program product for determining when to transfer a communication session from an agent to a bot, the computer program product comprising:
one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media and program instructions collectively stored on the one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media capable of performing a method, the method comprising:
monitoring the communication session between the agent and a user;
determining a continuing utility value indicating a predicted continuing cost to maintaining the communication session with the agent, the continuing utility value being indicative of a predicted continuing benefit to maintaining the communication with the agent, the continuity utility value being determined based on path lengths of steps used in leading to a successful outcome for the task by the agent;
determining a transferring utility value indicating a predicted transferring cost to transferring the communication session from the agent to the bot, the transferring utility value being indicative of a predicted transferring benefit to transferring the communication session from the agent to the bot, the transferring utility value being determined based on further path lengths of further steps used in leading to a successful outcome for the task by the bot;
as a result of the continuing utility value satisfying a continuing threshold to maintain the communication with the agent and the transferring utility value satisfying a transferring threshold to transfer the communication session from the agent to the bot, comparing the continuing utility value with the transferring utility value; and
as a result of the predicted transferring benefit being greater than the predicted continuing benefit, transferring the communication session from the agent to the bot.

9. The computer program product of claim 8 , wherein the method further comprises:
determining a task being requested by the user based on the monitoring of the communication session.

10. The computer program product of claim 9 , wherein the continuing utility value, the transferring utility value, or both are determined based on a process in completing the task.

11. The computer program product of claim 8 , wherein the predicted continuing cost, the predicted transferring cost, or both are further based on a clock time taken in previous communication sessions, external measures estimating at least one of the predicted continuing benefit and the predicted transferring benefit, or a combination thereof.

12. The computer program product of claim 8 , wherein the method further comprises:
transmitting a request to the user requesting that the communication session be transferred from the agent to the bot; and
receiving a response to the request,
wherein the communication session is transferred from the agent to the bot based on the response.

13. The computer program product of claim 8 , wherein the communication session is transferred automatically and invisible to the user.

14. The computer program product of claim 13 , wherein the method further comprises:
generating an indication indicating that the communication session is to be transferred to the bot; and
transmitting the indication to the agent.

15. A computer system for determining when to transfer a communication session from an agent to a bot, the computer system comprising:
one or more computer processors, one or more computer-readable storage media, and program instructions collectively stored on the one or more of the computer-readable storage media for execution by at least one of the one or more processors capable of performing a method, the method comprising:
monitoring the communication session between the agent and a user;
determining a continuing utility value indicating a predicted continuing cost to maintaining the communication session with the agent, the continuing utility value being indicative of a predicted continuing benefit to maintaining the communication with the agent, the continuity utility value being determined based on path lengths of steps used in leading to a successful outcome for the task by the agent;
determining a transferring utility value indicating a predicted transferring cost to transferring the communication session from the agent to the bot, the transferring utility value being indicative of a predicted transferring benefit to transferring the communication session from the agent to the bot, the transferring utility value being determined based on further path lengths of further steps used in leading to a successful outcome for the task by the bot;
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Assignees

• IBM

Inventors

• Richards John Thomas
• Bellamy Rachel Katherine Emma
• Farrell Robert G
• Liao Qingzi
• Piorkowski David John

Classifications

• H04M3/5175 Primary

  Call or contact centers supervision arrangements · CPC title

• H04M3/5237 Primary

  Interconnection arrangements between ACD systems · CPC title

• H04M3/5233

  Operator skill based call distribution · CPC title

• H04M3/5183

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

• H04M3/527

  Centralised call answering arrangements not requiring operator intervention · CPC title