Patent Document

This application is a continuation of application Ser. No. 09/602,588 filed Jun. 12, 2000, U.S. Pat. No. 6,408,277. 

   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   This invention relates generally to electronic systems, and relates more particularly to a system and method for automatic task prioritization. 
   2. Description of the Background Art 
   Many organizations are under a constant barrage of interactions with customers, suppliers, partners, and others. These organizations typically have a limited number of resources to process all of the incoming information and tasks in a timely manner. This problem is exacerbated when the interactions occur via multiple channels and over a wide geographic area. An organization may receive and send information via telephone, facsimile, electronic mail, and other electronic communication forms. 
   Incoming interactions may be processed on a first-come, first-served basis. This approach may be adequate for some organizations, when the quantity of interactions is relatively small. However, for organizations that process a large number of interactions, an interaction that requires an immediate resolution or response may be delayed due to the number of interactions ahead of it in the system. This and other limitations may prevent the organization from providing excellent service. 
   Similar to a hospital emergency room, incoming information and tasks may be triaged, whereby items having higher priorities than the others are processed first. Typically, an agent determines which information and tasks are more important and prioritizes them accordingly. When an organization processes hundreds, and perhaps thousands, of interactions a day, efficiently prioritizing the information and tasks at hand likely requires a large number of agents. However, a large number of agents is no assurance that information and tasks will be prioritized efficiently and accurately. Thus, a system and method for automatic task prioritization is needed. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention provides a system and method to automatically prioritize tasks. The invention includes one or more task queues, a monitoring module, and a decision engine. The decision engine receives tasks and assigns a priority code to each task. A task may be an action that is to be performed by an agent or an electronic system. Alternatively, a task may be a piece of data that must be acted upon in some fashion, for example a news item received by a news service or a piece of intelligence data received by an intelligence gathering organization. 
   In one embodiment, the decision engine includes a task parser that analyzes and parses each task into concepts and relationships between the concepts. In one embodiment, the task parser includes a natural language processor for parsing text-based tasks expressed in natural language. 
   Each task is inserted into the task queue or queues according to its priority code and the priority codes of other tasks which may be present in the task queue. Agents select tasks to perform from the task queues according to priority guidelines established by a system user. The monitoring module monitors the order of the tasks selected by the agents and each task&#39;s priority code. The monitoring module feeds back this information to the decision module. 
   In one embodiment, the decision module is a learning system that uses feedback from the monitoring module to update stored priority data. The decision module learns the priority guidelines of the system user by learning from the order in which agents select tasks from the task queue. Thus, a system user may adjust its priority guidelines and, based on the selections of the agents, the decision engine will automatically update its priority data. 
   In another embodiment, the decision engine may be a rule-based system that prioritizes tasks according to a predetermined set of rules. In this embodiment, a change in the system user&#39;s priority guidelines requires changes to the rules of the decision engine. In a further embodiment of the invention, the decision engine may include a rule-based system that is supplemented by a learning system. In this embodiment, rules may be used to determine priorities of tasks until the learning system has received sufficient feedback to make priority decisions, or the rules may establish general guidelines that are further refined by feedback. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a block diagram of one embodiment of an electronic interaction system, in accordance with the present invention; 
       FIG. 2  is a block diagram of one embodiment of the operations center of  FIG. 1 , in accordance with the invention; 
       FIG. 3  is a block diagram of one embodiment of the decision engine of  FIG. 2 , in accordance with the invention; 
       FIG. 4  is a flowchart of method steps for performing automatic task prioritization, in accordance with one embodiment of the invention; and 
       FIG. 5  is a flowchart of method steps for updating the operations center of  FIG. 1 , in accordance with one embodiment of the invention. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
   The present invention relates to an improvement in task prioritization in electronic devices. 
     FIG. 1  is a block diagram of one embodiment of an electronic interaction system  100  which includes, but is not limited to, a contact center  112 , an operations center  114 , and an agent pool  116 . System  100  may also include data access services  120  (middleware), legacy systems  122 , front office systems  123 , back office systems  124 , and databases  125 ,  126 . Contact center  112  may interact with other parties via various communication channels. The channels include, but are not limited to, a telephone (phone)  130  channel, a facsimile (fax)  131  channel, an E-mail  132  channel, a web-based communication (web)  133  channel, a chat communication (chat)  134  channel, and a wireless  135  channel. Other  136  forms of communication channels, for example, a news wire service, are within the scope of the invention. 
   Communications received by contact center  112  may be in the form of tasks. Although tasks in particular are discussed here, other types of text-based communications, for example remote employees&#39; reports, are within the scope of the invention. Contact center  112  may also receive voice communications that require some action by an agent. Contact center  112  may include a speech recognition module that converts a voice communication into a text communication. 
   A task may be an action that is to be performed by an agent or an electronic system. Alternatively, a task may be a piece of data that must be acted upon in some fashion, for example a news item. A skilled person typically determines whether each received news item should be disseminated, archived, or otherwise processed. In another embodiment of the invention, system  100  may be utilized by an intelligence gathering organization, and a task may be an intelligence item. A skilled person typically determines whether each received intelligence item should be immediately forwarded to supervisory personnel or routed through routine channels. 
   Contact center  112  forwards tasks to operations center  114 . Agents  140 – 144  in agent pool  116  select via path  160  tasks that are received by operations center  114 . Each agent  140 – 144  is preferably a skilled person trained to perform the types of tasks typically received by system  100 . Although only five agents are shown in  FIG. 1 , agent pool  116  may include any number of agents. 
   Data access services  120  may access legacy systems  122 , front office systems  123 , back office systems  124 , and databases  125 ,  126  to store and retrieve data. Data access services  120  also communicates via path  164  with agent pool  116  to provide information needed by agents  140 – 144  to act upon the incoming tasks. In addition, the tasks acted upon by agents  140 – 144  may result in changes to data stored in system  100 . Data access services  120  may also provide information to operations center  114 . 
     FIG. 2  is a block diagram of one embodiment of the operations center  114  of  FIG. 1 , in accordance with the invention. Operations center  114  includes, but is not limited to, a task queue  210 , a decision engine  212 , a monitoring module  214 , and an agent interface  216 . Although only one task queue  210  is shown in  FIG. 2 , operations center  114  may include a plurality of task queues, where each task queue is configured to store a certain type of task or kind of information. For example, in an intelligence gathering organization, operations center  114  may include a task queue  210  for each of several different geographical regions. 
   Decision engine  212  receives tasks via path  150  from contact center  112 . Decision engine  212  analyzes and assigns a priority code to each task. Decision engine  212  may also receive data via path  154  from data access services  120 . Data received via path  154  is preferably associated with a particular task. The contents and functionality of decision engine  212  are further discussed below in conjunction with  FIG. 3 . 
   Decision engine  212  sends each task, via path  220 , to task queue  210  which stores each task until the task is selected and acted upon by an agent  140 – 144 . The tasks in task queue  210  are ranked from highest priority to lowest priority according to the priority code assigned by decision engine  212 . Each incoming task is stored in task queue  210  according to the task&#39;s priority code, and how that priority code compares to priority codes of other tasks that may be present in task queue  210 . Thus, the order of tasks in task queue  210  may be rearranged with every incoming task. 
   Each agent  140 – 144 , via agent interface  216  and path  222 , selects tasks to perform according to a judgment of priority. Each agent&#39;s judgment of priority is based on and preferably in accordance with priority guidelines established by the system user. Variations among the selections of the various individual agents are averaged across the total number of agents. Thus, an individual agent&#39;s personal judgment of priority will not unduly skew the overall priority criteria of system  100 . 
   Monitoring module  214  monitors via path  224  the tasks selected by each agent  140 – 144 . Each selected task and its priority code are noted by monitoring module  214  and fed back via path  226  to decision engine  212 . Decision engine  212  analyzes the order in which the tasks were selected from task queue  210 . 
   By placing tasks in task queue  210  according to priorities, decision engine  212  advantageously allows agents  140 – 144  to more efficiently identify and process tasks having high priority. This advantage is especially apparent when task queue  210  contains a large number of tasks. In many instances, agents  140 – 144  will select tasks to act upon in an order which is consistent with decision engine&#39;s  212  determination of priority. However, the priority of each task in task queue  210  may be fine-tuned by an agent&#39;s personal judgment of priority. The impact of an agent&#39;s  140 – 144  judgment of priority is further discussed below in conjunction with  FIG. 3 . 
     FIG. 3  is a block diagram of one embodiment of the  FIG. 2  decision engine  212  in accordance with the invention. The  FIG. 3  embodiment of decision engine  212  includes, but is not limited to, a task parser  312  and a priority module  314 . Task parser  312  receives tasks via path  150  from contact center  112 . 
   In the  FIG. 3  embodiment, task parser  312  analyzes content each task. 
   Task parser  312  parses each task into concepts, and may also identify relationships between the concepts. Concepts may be as general as single words from e-mail texts, or may be as specific as field descriptors from a web-based form. Task parser  312  preferably includes a natural language processor that analyzes content of text communications expressed in natural language. In another embodiment, task parser  312  identifies keywords in each task to determine content of the task. 
   Task parser  312  may also include a voice communication processor (not shown) that analyzes tasks received via a voice-based channel, where these voice tasks were not converted to text by contact center  112 . The voice communication processor may be configured to detect emotional content of a voice task as well as to parse the task into concepts. Emotional content such as stress or anger may correspond to priority criteria that indicate a high priority. 
   Task parser  312  sends parsed tasks via path  320  to priority module  314 . Priority module  314  compares the parsed tasks with its priority data and assigns a priority code to each task. In one embodiment, the priority code may represent one of a limited number of priority levels, for example “very low,” “low,” “medium,” “high,” and “very high.” In another embodiment, the priority code may be expressed as a percentage, for example 0% to indicate the lowest priority and 100% to indicate the highest priority. Other schemes for expressing priorities of tasks are within the scope of the present invention. 
   Priority of tasks may be determined based on the nature of the tasks received by system  100  and priority guidelines established by a system user. For example, if the system user is a financial institution, then the tasks received by system  100  may be fund transfers, loan applications, or other similar types of tasks. Priority for these types of tasks may be based on service level agreements with customers, dollar amounts mentioned in the tasks, and other similar criteria. 
   In another example, an interaction may have high priority if it contains a threat to initiate a legal action or a threat of violence. If the system user is a news service, priority may be based on geographic region, mention of a particular individual, or subject matter such as crime, politics, or lifestyle. 
   In the preferred embodiment, priority module  314  is a learning system. One such learning system is described in U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/176,411, filed Jan. 13, 2000, entitled “System and Method for Effective and Efficient Electronic Communication Management,” which is hereby incorporated by reference. Priority module  314  learns which tasks are considered more important than other tasks based on the order in which tasks are selected from task queue  210  by agents  140 . Priority module  314  receives feedback via path  226  from monitoring module  214 . The feedback may be positive or negative. Feedback may be considered positive if a selected task has a priority code that is lower than the priority codes of preceding selected tasks. Feedback may be considered negative if a selected task has a priority code that is higher than the priority codes of preceding selected tasks. 
   Priority module  314  utilizes the feedback to update stored priority data. In this embodiment, a system user need only indicate to agents  140 – 144  any changes in priority criteria, and priority module  314  learns the new criteria via feedback. In this way, agents&#39;  140 – 144  judgments of priority adjust the priority criteria of priority module  314 . Thus, when the system user indicates changes in priority criteria, system  100  may remain online with no interruptions in operation. 
   Since, in the preferred embodiment, priority module  314  is a learning system, new types of tasks may be received by system  100  and based on the selections of agents  140 – 144 , priority module  314  learns how the priority of the new type of task compares to the priorities of other tasks. Thus, system  100  may receive and learn to prioritize new types of tasks with no interruptions in operation. 
   In another embodiment, priority module  314  is a rule-based system. Priority module  314  assigns a priority code to a task according to a predetermined set of rules. An exemplary rule may be that tasks associated with a dollar amount above five hundred dollars will have a higher priority than tasks associated with a lesser dollar amount. These rules typically remain unchanged until the system user affirmatively changes them. In the rule-based embodiment, priority module  314  may also receive feedback from monitoring module  214 . The feedback may be periodically compared to the rules to determine if a rule may need to be modified. The rules may establish general guidelines that are refined by feedback. 
     FIG. 4  is a flowchart of method steps for performing automatic task prioritization in accordance with one embodiment of the invention. First, in step  410 , operations center  114  receives a task from contact center  112 . In step  412 , decision engine  212  parses the task into concepts and the relationships between the concepts. Alternatively, decision engine  212  identifies keywords in the task. Then, in step  414 , priority module  314  ( FIG. 3 ) compares the parsed task with priority criteria. In the preferred embodiment, priority module  314  learns the priority criteria from feedback. In another embodiment, priority module  314  compares the parsed task with a predetermined set of rules for assigning priority. 
   In step  416 , priority module  314  determines the priority of the task and assigns it a priority code. Then, in step  418 , priority module  314  sends the task and priority code to task queue  210 , inserting the task in task queue  210  according to the priority code of the task and the priority codes of any other tasks that may be in task queue  210 . 
     FIG. 5  is a flowchart of method steps for updating the  FIG. 2  decision engine  212  in accordance with one embodiment of the invention. First, in step  510 , agent  140  for example selects a task from task queue  210 . Agent  140  selects the task based on priority as established by a user of system  100 . The position of the task in task queue  210  preferably reflects the task&#39;s priority relative to the priorities of other tasks in task queue  210 . 
   Next, in step  512 , monitoring module  214  monitors the task selected and its priority code. In step  514 , monitoring module  214  inputs the task and its priority code via path  226  to priority module  314 . Then, in step  516 , priority module  314  uses the task&#39;s content and priority code to update the priority data. The task&#39;s content includes concepts and their relationships. 
   The invention has been explained above with reference to a preferred embodiment. Other embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art in light of this disclosure. For example, the invention may readily be implemented using configurations other than those described in the preferred embodiment above. Additionally, the invention may effectively be used in conjunction with systems other than the one described above as the preferred embodiment. Therefore, these and other variations upon the preferred embodiment are intended to be covered by the invention, which is limited only by the appended claims.

Technology Category: 3