Direct engagement and device assisted caller authentication using a dynamic phone number
Inventors
Dipietro, Justin • Michaeli, Daniel • Paniagua, Carlos • Talimaa, Urmas
Assignees
Interested in licensing this patent?
MTEC can help explore whether this patent might be available for licensing for your application.
Publication Number
US-10306066-B2
Publication Date
2019-05-28
Expiration Date
Abstract
Embodiments may include apparatuses, computer readable mediums, and methods to directly connect and engage a visitor to a custom website or application with an operator. In addition, an authentication of visitor's identity entered into an inter-enabled device may be confirmed and carried through to a call center. In an embodiment, a dynamic phone number may be allocated to the visitor. The dynamic phone number may be displayed on the custom website in the visitor's browser when a visitor lands on the custom website or when the visitor authenticates his or her identity through the custom website. When a visitor calls the dynamic number from any device, the call may be directed from a back-end service to an Interactive Voice Response system (IVR), where the visitor may be connected to an operator without additional authentication steps.
Core Innovation
The invention provides a system and method for initiating an engagement session between a visitor of a custom website or application and an operator by capturing one or more user interface (UI) events on the custom website or application initiated by the visitor. A back-end service allocates a dynamic phone number that is specific to the visitor based on the one or more UI events and displays the dynamic number on the custom website or application for viewing on an internet-enabled device of the visitor.
The approach receives, at an application program interface (API) endpoint, a call to the allocated dynamic phone number and identifies the visitor by the allocated dynamic phone number. The back-end service assigns the visitor to an available operator and provides the operator with information about the visitor and the one or more UI events before connecting the visitor to the operator.
In verification use cases, the invention allocates and displays a caller-specific dynamic phone number only to the caller after the caller’s identity has been authenticated through an internet-enabled device. The back-end service forwards the caller’s original number and the dynamic phone number to an Interactive Voice Response system (IVR) and determines that the dynamic number is allocated to the caller and that the caller is active, then sends a successful response to the IVR containing information from the caller’s internet-enabled device to be used for verification.
Additional verification routing gathers caller identification information from the caller’s activity on the custom website or application based on the allocated dynamic phone number, and forwards the caller’s original number, the dynamic phone number, and the caller’s identification information to the IVR to perform matching and verification.
Claims Coverage
The independent claims define three core blocks of functionality, with main inventive features centered on visitor-to-operator engagement sessions using visitor-specific dynamic phone numbers, IVR-based caller identity verification tied to active allocation status, and IVR match-and-verification using caller identification information gathered from caller activity.
Visitor-specific dynamic phone numbers for engagement sessions
Capturing, by a back-end service, one or more user interface (UI) events on the custom website or application initiated by the visitor; allocating, by the back-end service, a dynamic phone number that is specific to the visitor based on the one or more UI events; displaying, by the back-end service, a dynamic number on the custom website or application, such that is viewable on an internet-enabled device of the visitor.
API endpoint call reception and visitor identification
Receiving, at an application program interface (API) endpoint, a call to the allocated dynamic phone number; identifying, by the back-end service, the visitor by the allocated dynamic phone number.
Operator assignment and connection using visitor/UI-event information
Assigning, by the back-end service, the visitor to an available operator; providing, by the back-end service, the operator with information about the visitor and the one or more UI events; connecting, by the back-end service, the visitor to the operator.
IVR verification based on allocated and active caller dynamic number
Displaying, by the back-end service, a dynamic phone number in a custom website or application after the caller's identity has been authenticated through the internet-enable device, wherein the dynamic phone number is displayed only to the caller; receiving, at an application program interface (API) endpoint, a phone call from the caller's original number to the dynamic phone number; forwarding, by the back-end service, the caller's original number and the dynamic phone number to an interactive voice response system (IVR); receiving, by the back-end service, a request for information from the IVR, wherein the request contains at least the dynamic number; determining, by the back-end service, that the dynamic number is allocated to the caller and that the caller is active; and sending, by the back-end service, a successful response to the IVR containing information from the caller's internet-enabled device to be used for verification of the caller.
Dynamic number display as replacement of a default phone number
Replacing, by the back-end service, a default phone number shown on the custom website or application with the dynamic phone number after the caller's identity has been authenticated through the internet-enable device.
IVR match-and-verification using gathered caller identification information
Gathering, by the back-end service, the caller's identification information from the caller's activity on the custom website or application based on the allocated dynamic phone number; and forwarding, by the back-end service, the caller's original number, the dynamic phone number, and the caller's identification information to an interactive voice response system (IVR) to perform matching and verification.
Across the independent claims, the inventive coverage centers on using UI-event-driven visitor/caller-specific dynamic phone numbers, receiving call activity at an API endpoint, and performing operator engagement or IVR-based identity verification by determining allocation to an active caller and by providing the IVR with caller and verification information (including gathered caller identification information).
Stated Advantages
Not explicitly described in patent.
Documented Applications
Not explicitly described in patent.
Interested in licensing this patent?