U.S. patent application number 15/670849 was filed with the patent office on 2017-12-28 for securely and efficiently transferring sensitive information via a telephone.
The applicant listed for this patent is Teleperformance SE. Invention is credited to DEV MUDALIAR, ALAN TRUITT.
Application Number | 20170374199 15/670849 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 53369891 |
Filed Date | 2017-12-28 |
United States Patent
Application |
20170374199 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
TRUITT; ALAN ; et
al. |
December 28, 2017 |
SECURELY AND EFFICIENTLY TRANSFERRING SENSITIVE INFORMATION VIA A
TELEPHONE
Abstract
An apparatus includes a communications module that establishes a
verbal communication between an automated attendant of a company
and a customer through an electronic device in the possession of
the customer. An identification module receives an identifier that
alerts the automated attendant and/or a computer system of the
company that the customer has a customer profile stored
electronically. The customer profile includes information to
identify the customer. The identifier is received in conjunction
with the verbal communication, and includes an electronic data
signal. The customer profile is stored previous to the verbal
communication. An ID confirmation module receives an identification
confirmation in response to identifying information input by the
customer matching the information to identify the customer in the
customer profile. The identity of the customer is confirmed
electronically. A notification module sends a message to the
automated attendant indicating that the ID confirmation module
received the identification confirmation.
Inventors: |
TRUITT; ALAN; (Draper,
UT) ; MUDALIAR; DEV; (South Jordan, UT) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Teleperformance SE |
Paris |
|
FR |
|
|
Family ID: |
53369891 |
Appl. No.: |
15/670849 |
Filed: |
August 7, 2017 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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14631679 |
Feb 25, 2015 |
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15670849 |
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14198384 |
Mar 5, 2014 |
9026464 |
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14631679 |
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13967608 |
Aug 15, 2013 |
9613370 |
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14198384 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H04M 2203/6081 20130101;
G06Q 20/102 20130101; G06Q 20/32 20130101; G06Q 30/016 20130101;
G06Q 20/305 20130101; H04M 2203/6045 20130101; H04M 3/51 20130101;
H04M 2203/1058 20130101; H04M 3/5183 20130101; H04L 63/0428
20130101; H04L 63/08 20130101; H04L 63/0861 20130101; H04L 63/102
20130101; H04M 3/527 20130101; H04M 3/5166 20130101; G06Q 30/0635
20130101; H04M 3/382 20130101; H04L 63/083 20130101; G06Q 30/0613
20130101 |
International
Class: |
H04M 3/51 20060101
H04M003/51; H04L 29/06 20060101 H04L029/06; G06Q 20/30 20120101
G06Q020/30; G06Q 30/06 20120101 G06Q030/06; G06Q 30/00 20120101
G06Q030/00; G06Q 20/32 20120101 G06Q020/32; H04M 3/38 20060101
H04M003/38; G06Q 20/10 20120101 G06Q020/10 |
Claims
1. An apparatus comprising: a communications module that
establishes a verbal communication between an automated attendant
of a company and a customer through an electronic device in the
possession of the customer; an identification module that receives
an identifier, the identifier alerting one or more of the automated
attendant and a computer system of the company that the customer
has a customer profile stored electronically, the customer profile
comprising information to identify the customer, the identifier
received in conjunction with the verbal communication, the customer
profile stored previous to the verbal communication, the identifier
comprising an electronic data signal; an ID confirmation module
that receives an identification confirmation in response to
identifying information input by the customer matching the
information to identify the customer in the customer profile, the
identity of the customer being confirmed electronically; and a
notification module that sends a message to the automated attendant
indicating that the ID confirmation module received the
identification confirmation, wherein at least a portion of said
modules comprise one or more of hardware and executable code, the
executable code stored on one or more non-transitory, tangible
computer readable storage media.
2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising: a profile
permission module that receives electronic access to the customer
profile, the customer profile comprising identifying information of
the customer, wherein the profile permission module receives
electronic access to the customer profile after the ID confirmation
module receives the identification confirmation; and a profile
access module that accesses the customer profile to transmit
information from the customer profile to the computer system of the
company over a computer network.
3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the customer profile is stored
electronically in a computer system external to a computer system
available to the company and to the automated attendant.
4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the communications module
establishes a data connection, in conjunction with the verbal
communication, between the company and the customer.
5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the identifying information
stored in the customer profile comprises one or more of a password
and biometric information and wherein the identifying information
input by the customer is input through the electronic device using
one or more of a camera of the electronic device, a biometric
reader of the electronic device, a microphone of the electronic
device and a keyboard of the electronic device.
6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the customer profile is stored
via a server separate from the electronic device of the customer
and the computer system of the company and wherein the server sends
the identification confirmation received by the ID confirmation
module.
7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein an ID request module sends a
request to the customer to provide the identifying information by
one or more of: sending an electronic message to the electronic
device; and transmitting a voice prompt of the automated
attendant.
8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the customer profile is stored
by a computer system of the company.
9. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a registration
module that receives and stores information in the customer profile
of the customer, the registration module receiving and storing the
information in the customer profile in a transaction unrelated to
the verbal communication.
10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the customer profile of the
customer comprises one or more of a shipping address, a residential
address, a business address, a phone number, a fax number, an email
address, a birth date, a social security number, healthcare
information, a finger print, a retina scan, a voice print, a
password, a user name, a preference, family information, security
question information and financial information of the customer.
11. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising: an ID comparison
module that compares the identifying information input by the
customer with the information to identify the customer in the
customer profile in an electronic process; and an ID confirmation
transmit module that transmits an identification confirmation to
the computer system of the company in response to the identifying
information input by the customer matching the information to
identify the customer in the customer profile.
12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the customer profile
comprises billing information sufficient for the company to process
a charge for an order of one or more of a service and merchandise
offered by the company, the apparatus further comprising a
transaction module that processes the charge using the billing
information in response to a customer approval of the order.
13. A method comprising: establishing a verbal communication
between an automated attendant of a company and a customer through
an electronic device of the customer; receiving an identifier, the
identifier alerting one or more of the automated attendant and a
computer system of the company that the customer has a customer
profile stored electronically, the customer profile comprising
information to identify the customer, the identifier received in
conjunction with the verbal communication, the customer profile
stored previous to the verbal communication, the identifier
comprising an electronic data signal; receiving an identification
confirmation in response to identifying information input by the
customer matching the information to identify the customer in the
customer profile, the identity of the customer being confirmed
electronically; and sending a message to the automated attendant
indicating that the identification confirmation has been
received.
14. The method of claim 13, further comprising: receiving
electronic access to the customer profile, the customer profile
comprising personal information of the customer, wherein receiving
electronic access to the customer profile is in response to
receiving the identification confirmation; and accessing the
customer profile to transmit information from the customer profile
to the computer system of the company over a network.
15. The method of claim 13, wherein the identifying information
stored in the customer profile comprises one or more of a password
and biometric information and wherein the identifying information
input by the customer is input through the electronic device using
one or more of a camera of the electronic device, a biometric
reader of the electronic device, a microphone of the electronic
device, and a keyboard of the electronic device.
16. The method of claim 13, wherein the customer profile is stored
electronically in a computer system external to a computer system
available to the company.
17. The method of claim 13, further comprising receiving and
storing information in the customer profile of the customer,
wherein receiving and storing the information in the customer
profile comprises a transaction unrelated to the verbal
communication.
18. The method of claim 13, wherein the customer profile is stored
by a computer system of the company.
19. The method of claim 13, wherein the customer profile comprises
billing information sufficient for the company to process a charge
for an order of one or more of a service and merchandise offered by
the company, the method further comprising processing the charge
using the billing information in response to a customer approval of
the order.
Description
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This is a continuation application of and claims priority to
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/631,679 entitled SECURELY AND
EFFICIENTLY TRANSFERRING SENSITIVE INFORMATION VIA A TELEPHONE,
filed Feb. 25, 2015 for Alan Truitt et al., which is a
continuation-in-part application of and claims priority to U.S.
patent application Ser. No. 14/198,384 entitled SECURELY AND
EFFICIENTLY PROCESSING TELEPHONE ORDERS, filed Mar. 5, 2014 for
Alan Truitt, which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent
application Ser. No. 13/967,608 entitled SECURELY AND EFFICIENTLY
PROCESSING TELEPHONE ORDERS and filed on Aug. 15, 2013 for Alan
Truitt, each of which is incorporated herein by reference.
FIELD
[0002] This invention relates to telephone communications and more
particularly relates to securely and more efficiently transferring
sensitive date over a data network while simultaneously on the
telephone, in essence binding the phone and data transaction as
one.
BACKGROUND
[0003] Online shopping has proliferated in the last decade and
continues to grow. Websites allow consumers to make purchases
without the assistance of a customer service representative,
streamlining the shopping experience. In addition, the automated
storage and retrieval of customer information, including billing
information, makes online transactions faster and more secure. For
certain products and services, however, consumers may still need or
desire to speak to a customer service representative. These
products and services may be more complex or customers may simply
be more comfortable being services by a human being, and in some
cases, customer service representatives can help businesses
complete a sale faster and more accurately than a website alone. In
general, customers who place an order through a customer service
representative will often give their billing information directly
to the customer service representative in order for the customer
sales representative to process the order. If a business already
has a customer's billing information stored in its computer system,
the customer service representative will often have access to and
can view the customer billing information in order to process a
sales order. In many cases, however, companies do not have the
billing information for customers when they are calling to place an
order, and this information must be captured to complete the
order.
[0004] In addition to online shopping, numerous calls are made to
airline reservation desks, banks, insurance companies, healthcare
companies, wireless companies, cable companies, medical
professionals, and others where sensitive information either needs
to be collected or confirmed by a staff member, company service
representative, etc. The customer providing the information
typically has no idea if the person at the other end of the phone
is trustworthy and gathering this type of sensitive information is
time consuming.
SUMMARY
[0005] An apparatus for confirming identification of a customer, in
one embodiment, includes a communications module that establishes a
verbal communication between an automated attendant of a company
and a customer through an electronic device in the possession of
the customer. In a certain embodiment, the apparatus includes an
identification module that receives an identifier. In a further
embodiment, the identifier alerts the automated attendant and/or a
computer system of the company that the customer has a customer
profile stored electronically. In one embodiment, the customer
profile includes information to identify the customer. In a certain
embodiment, the identifier is received in conjunction with the
verbal communication. In a further embodiment, the customer profile
is stored previous to the verbal communication. In certain
embodiments, the identifier includes an electronic data signal. In
one embodiment, the apparatus includes an ID confirmation module
that receives an identification confirmation in response to
identifying information input by the customer matching the
information to identify the customer in the customer profile. In a
certain embodiment, the identity of the customer is confirmed
electronically. In one embodiment, the apparatus includes a
notification module that sends a message to the automated attendant
indicating that the ID confirmation module received the
identification confirmation.
[0006] In one embodiment, the apparatus includes a profile
permission module that receives electronic access to the customer
profile. In a certain embodiment, the customer profile includes
identifying information of the customer. In a further embodiment,
the profile permission module receives electronic access to the
customer profile after the ID confirmation module receives the
identification confirmation. In one embodiment, the apparatus
includes a profile access module that accesses the customer profile
to transmit information from the customer profile to the computer
system of the company over a computer network. In a certain
embodiment, the customer profile is stored electronically in a
computer system external to a computer system available to the
company and to the automated attendant.
[0007] In one embodiment, the communications module establishes a
data connection, in conjunction with the verbal communication,
between the company and the customer. In a certain embodiment, the
identifying information stored in the customer profile includes a
password and/or biometric information. In a further embodiment, the
identifying information input by the customer is input through the
electronic device using a camera of the electronic device, a
biometric reader of the electronic device, a microphone of the
electronic device and/or a keyboard of the electronic device.
[0008] In one embodiment, the customer profile is stored via a
server separate from the electronic device of the customer and the
computer system of the company. In a certain embodiment, the server
sends the identification confirmation received by the ID
confirmation module. In one embodiment, the apparatus includes an
ID request module that sends a request to the customer to provide
the identifying information by sending an electronic message to the
electronic device and/or transmitting a voice prompt of the
automated attendant. In one embodiment, the customer profile is
stored by a computer system of the company.
[0009] In one embodiment, the apparatus includes a registration
module that receives and stores information in the customer profile
of the customer. In a certain embodiment, the registration module
receives and stores the information in the customer profile in a
transaction unrelated to the verbal communication. In one
embodiment, the customer profile of the customer includes a
shipping address, a residential address, a business address, a
phone number, a fax number, an email address, a birth date, a
social security number, healthcare information, a finger print, a
retina scan, a voice print, a password, a user name, a preference,
family information, security question information and/or financial
information of the customer.
[0010] In one embodiment, the apparatus includes an ID comparison
module that compares the identifying information input by the
customer with the information to identify the customer in the
customer profile in an electronic process. In a further embodiment,
the apparatus includes an ID confirmation transmit module that
transmits an identification confirmation to the computer system of
the company in response to the identifying information input by the
customer matching the information to identify the customer in the
customer profile.
[0011] A method for confirming identification of a customer, in one
embodiment, includes establishing a verbal communication between an
automated attendant of a company and a customer through an
electronic device of the customer. In a certain embodiment, the
method includes receiving an identifier. In a further embodiment,
the identifier alerts the automated attendant and/or a computer
system of the company that the customer has a customer profile
stored electronically. In one embodiment, the customer profile
includes information to identify the customer. In a certain
embodiment, the identifier is received in conjunction with the
verbal communication. In a further embodiment, the customer profile
is stored previous to the verbal communication. In one embodiment,
the identifier includes an electronic data signal. In a certain
embodiment, the method includes receiving an identification
confirmation in response to identifying information input by the
customer matching the information to identify the customer in the
customer profile. In a further embodiment, the identity of the
customer is confirmed electronically. In one embodiment, the method
includes sending a message to the automated attendant indicating
that the identification confirmation has been received.
[0012] In one embodiment, the method includes receiving electronic
access to the customer profile. In a certain embodiment, the
customer profile includes personal information of the customer. In
a further embodiment, receiving electronic access to the customer
profile is in response to receiving the identification
confirmation. In a certain embodiment, the method includes
accessing the customer profile to transmit information from the
customer profile to the computer system of the company over a
network.
[0013] In one embodiment, the identifying information stored in the
customer profile includes a password and/or biometric information.
In a certain embodiment, the identifying information input by the
customer is input through the electronic device using a camera of
the electronic device, a biometric reader of the electronic device,
a microphone of the electronic device, and/or a keyboard of the
electronic device. In one embodiment, the customer profile is
stored electronically in a computer system external to a computer
system available to the company.
[0014] In a certain embodiment, the method includes receiving and
storing information in the customer profile of the customer. In a
further embodiment, receiving and storing the information in the
customer profile includes a transaction unrelated to the verbal
communication. In one embodiment, the customer profile is stored by
a computer system of the company.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0015] In order that the advantages of the invention will be
readily understood, a more particular description of the invention
briefly described above will be rendered by reference to specific
embodiments that are illustrated in the appended drawings.
Understanding that these drawings depict only typical embodiments
of the invention and are not therefore to be considered to be
limiting of its scope, the invention will be described and
explained with additional specificity and detail through the use of
the accompanying drawings, in which:
[0016] FIG. 1A is a schematic block diagram illustrating one
embodiment of a system for processing telephone orders;
[0017] FIG. 1B is a schematic block diagram illustrating one
embodiment of a system for providing sensitive information while a
consumer is connected via a telephone;
[0018] FIG. 2 is a schematic block diagram illustrating one
embodiment of an apparatus for processing telephone orders;
[0019] FIG. 3 is a schematic block diagram illustrating another
embodiment of an apparatus for processing telephone orders;
[0020] FIG. 4 is a schematic block diagram illustrating one
embodiment of an apparatus for placing telephone orders;
[0021] FIG. 5 is a schematic block diagram illustrating another
embodiment of an apparatus for placing telephone orders;
[0022] FIG. 6 is a schematic flow chart illustrating one embodiment
of a method for processing telephone orders;
[0023] FIG. 7 is a schematic flow chart illustrating another
embodiment of a method for processing telephone orders;
[0024] FIG. 8 is a schematic flow chart illustrating one embodiment
of a method for placing telephone orders;
[0025] FIG. 9 is a schematic flow chart illustrating another
embodiment of a method for processing telephone orders;
[0026] FIG. 10 is a schematic flow chart illustrating another
embodiment of a method for placing telephone orders with an
automated attendant;
[0027] FIG. 11 is a schematic block diagram illustrating an
embodiment of an apparatus for confirming identification of a
customer;
[0028] FIG. 12 is a schematic block diagram illustrating an
embodiment of an apparatus for receiving sensitive information;
[0029] FIG. 13 is a schematic block diagram illustrating an
embodiment of an apparatus for confirming identification of a
customer and receiving sensitive information;
[0030] FIG. 14 is a schematic flow chart illustrating an embodiment
of a method for confirming identification of a customer;
[0031] FIG. 15 is a schematic flow chart illustrating an embodiment
of a method for receiving sensitive information;
[0032] FIG. 16 is a schematic flow chart illustrating an embodiment
of a method for confirming identification of a customer and
receiving sensitive information;
[0033] FIG. 17 is a schematic block diagram illustrating an
embodiment of an apparatus for a customer to confirm
identification;
[0034] FIG. 18 is a schematic block diagram illustrating an
embodiment of an apparatus for a customer to control transmission
of sensitive information;
[0035] FIG. 19 is a schematic block diagram illustrating an
embodiment of an apparatus for a customer to confirm identification
and to control transmission of sensitive information;
[0036] FIG. 20 is a schematic flow chart illustrating an embodiment
of a method for a customer to confirm identification; and
[0037] FIG. 21 is a schematic flow chart illustrating an embodiment
of a method for a customer to confirm identification and to control
transmission of sensitive information.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0038] Reference throughout this specification to "one embodiment,"
"an embodiment," or similar language means that a particular
feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with
the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment. Thus,
appearances of the phrases "in one embodiment," "in an embodiment,"
and similar language throughout this specification may, but do not
necessarily, all refer to the same embodiment, but mean "one or
more but not all embodiments" unless expressly specified otherwise.
The terms "including," "comprising," "having," and variations
thereof mean "including but not limited to" unless expressly
specified otherwise. An enumerated listing of items does not imply
that any or all of the items are mutually exclusive and/or mutually
inclusive, unless expressly specified otherwise. The terms "a,"
"an," and "the" also refer to "one or more" unless expressly
specified otherwise.
[0039] Furthermore, the described features, advantages, and
characteristics of the embodiments may be combined in any suitable
manner. One skilled in the relevant art will recognize that the
embodiments may be practiced without one or more of the specific
features or advantages of a particular embodiment. In other
instances, additional features and advantages may be recognized in
certain embodiments that may not be present in all embodiments.
[0040] These features and advantages of the embodiments will become
more fully apparent from the following description and appended
claims, or may be learned by the practice of embodiments as set
forth hereinafter. As will be appreciated by one skilled in the
art, aspects of the present invention may be embodied as a system,
method, and/or computer program product. Accordingly, aspects of
the present invention may take the form of an entirely hardware
embodiment, an entirely software embodiment (including firmware,
resident software, micro-code, etc.) or an embodiment combining
software and hardware aspects that may all generally be referred to
herein as a "circuit," "module," or "system." Furthermore, aspects
of the present invention may take the form of a computer program
product embodied in one or more computer readable medium(s) having
program code embodied thereon.
[0041] Many of the functional units described in this specification
have been labeled as modules, in order to more particularly
emphasize their implementation independence. For example, a module
may be implemented as hardware, such as a hardware circuit
comprising custom VLSI circuits or gate arrays, off-the-shelf
semiconductors such as logic chips, transistors, or other discrete
components. A module may also be implemented in hardware as
programmable hardware devices such as field programmable gate
arrays, programmable array logic, programmable logic devices or the
like.
[0042] Modules may also be implemented in software for execution by
various types of processors. An identified module of executable
code may, for instance, comprise one or more physical or logical
blocks of computer instructions which may, for instance, be
organized as an object, procedure, or function. Nevertheless, the
executables of an identified module need not be physically located
together, but may comprise disparate instructions stored in
different locations which, when joined logically together, comprise
the module and achieve the stated purpose for the module.
[0043] Indeed, a module of executable code may be a single
instruction, or many instructions, and may even be distributed over
several different code segments, among different programs, and
across several memory devices. Similarly, operational data may be
identified and illustrated herein within modules, and may be
embodied in any suitable form and organized within any suitable
type of data structure. The operational data may be collected as a
single data set, or may be distributed over different locations
including over different storage devices, and may exist, at least
partially, merely as electronic signals on a system or network.
Where a module or portions of a module are implemented in software,
the executable code may be stored and/or propagated on in one or
more computer readable medium(s).
[0044] The computer readable medium may be a non-transitory,
tangible computer readable storage medium storing the executable
code. The computer readable storage medium may be, for example, but
not limited to, an electronic, magnetic, optical, electromagnetic,
infrared, holographic, micromechanical, or semiconductor system,
apparatus, or device, or any suitable combination of the foregoing,
excluding transitory signals.
[0045] More specific examples of the computer readable storage
medium may include but are not limited to a portable computer
diskette, a hard disk, a random access memory (RAM), a read-only
memory (ROM), an erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM or
Flash memory), a portable compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM), a
digital versatile disc (DVD), an optical storage device, a magnetic
storage device, a holographic storage medium, a micromechanical
storage device, or any suitable combination of the foregoing. In
the context of this document, a computer readable storage medium
may be any tangible medium that can contain, and/or store
executable code for use by and/or in connection with an instruction
execution system, apparatus, or device.
[0046] The computer readable medium may also be a computer readable
signal medium. A computer readable signal medium may include a
propagated data signal with executable code embodied therein, for
example, in baseband or as part of a carrier wave. Such a
propagated signal may take any of a variety of forms, including,
but not limited to, electrical, electro-magnetic, magnetic,
optical, or any suitable combination thereof. A computer readable
signal medium may be any computer readable medium that is not a
computer readable storage medium and that can communicate,
propagate, or transport executable code for use by or in connection
with an instruction execution system, apparatus, or device.
Executable code embodied on a computer readable signal medium may
be transmitted using any appropriate medium, including but not
limited to wire-line, optical fiber, Radio Frequency (RF), or the
like, or any suitable combination of the foregoing.
[0047] In one embodiment, the computer readable medium may comprise
a combination of one or more computer readable storage mediums and
one or more computer readable signal mediums. For example,
executable code may be both propagated as an electro-magnetic
signal through a fiber optic cable for execution by a processor and
stored on RAM storage device for execution by the processor.
[0048] Executable code for carrying out operations for aspects of
the present invention may be written in any combination of one or
more programming languages, including an object oriented
programming language such as Java, Smalltalk, C++, PHP or the like
and conventional procedural programming languages, such as the "C"
programming language or similar programming languages. The
executable code may execute entirely on the user's computer, partly
on the user's computer, as a stand-alone software package, partly
on the user's computer and partly on a remote computer or entirely
on the remote computer or server. In the latter scenario, the
remote computer may be connected to the user's computer through any
type of network, including a local area network (LAN) or a wide
area network (WAN), or the connection may be made to an external
computer (for example, through the Internet using an Internet
Service Provider).
[0049] The computer program product may be integrated into a
client, server and network environment by providing for the
computer program product to coexist with applications, operating
systems and network operating systems software and then installing
the computer program product on the clients and servers in the
environment where the computer program product will function.
[0050] In one embodiment software is identified on the clients and
servers including the network operating system where the computer
program product will be deployed that are required by the computer
program product or that work in conjunction with the computer
program product. This includes the network operating system that is
software that enhances a basic operating system by adding
networking features.
[0051] Furthermore, the described features, structures, or
characteristics of the embodiments may be combined in any suitable
manner. In the following description, numerous specific details are
provided, such as examples of programming, software modules, user
selections, network transactions, database queries, database
structures, hardware modules, hardware circuits, hardware chips,
etc., to provide a thorough understanding of embodiments. One
skilled in the relevant art will recognize, however, that
embodiments may be practiced without one or more of the specific
details, or with other methods, components, materials, and so
forth. In other instances, well-known structures, materials, or
operations are not shown or described in detail to avoid obscuring
aspects of an embodiment.
[0052] Aspects of the embodiments are described below with
reference to schematic flowchart diagrams and/or schematic block
diagrams of methods, apparatuses, systems, and computer program
products according to embodiments of the invention. It will be
understood that each block of the schematic flowchart diagrams
and/or schematic block diagrams, and combinations of blocks in the
schematic flowchart diagrams and/or schematic block diagrams, can
be implemented by executable code. The executable code may be
provided to a processor of a general purpose computer, special
purpose computer, sequencer, or other programmable data processing
apparatus to produce a machine, such that the instructions, which
execute via the processor of the computer or other programmable
data processing apparatus, create means for implementing the
functions/acts specified in the schematic flowchart diagrams and/or
schematic block diagrams block or blocks.
[0053] The executable code may also be stored in a computer
readable medium that can direct a computer, other programmable data
processing apparatus, or other devices to function in a particular
manner, such that the instructions stored in the computer readable
medium produce an article of manufacture including instructions
which implement the function/act specified in the schematic
flowchart diagrams and/or schematic block diagrams block or
blocks.
[0054] The executable code may also be loaded onto a computer,
other programmable data processing apparatus, or other devices to
cause a series of operational steps to be performed on the
computer, other programmable apparatus or other devices to produce
a computer implemented process such that the executable code which
executed on the computer or other programmable apparatus provide
processes for implementing the functions/acts specified in the
flowchart and/or block diagram block or blocks.
[0055] The schematic flowchart diagrams and/or schematic block
diagrams in the Figures illustrate the architecture, functionality,
and operation of possible implementations of apparatuses, systems,
methods and computer program products according to various
embodiments of the present invention. In this regard, each block in
the schematic flowchart diagrams and/or schematic block diagrams
may represent a module, segment, or portion of code, which
comprises one or more executable instructions of the executable
code for implementing the specified logical function(s).
[0056] It should also be noted that, in some alternative
implementations, the functions noted in the block may occur out of
the order noted in the Figures. For example, two blocks shown in
succession may, in fact, be executed substantially concurrently, or
the blocks may sometimes be executed in the reverse order,
depending upon the functionality involved. Other steps and methods
may be conceived that are equivalent in function, logic, or effect
to one or more blocks, or portions thereof, of the illustrated
Figures.
[0057] Although various arrow types and line types may be employed
in the flowchart and/or block diagrams, they are understood not to
limit the scope of the corresponding embodiments. Indeed, some
arrows or other connectors may be used to indicate only the logical
flow of the depicted embodiment. For instance, an arrow may
indicate a waiting or monitoring period of unspecified duration
between enumerated steps of the depicted embodiment. It will also
be noted that each block of the block diagrams and/or flowchart
diagrams, and combinations of blocks in the block diagrams and/or
flowchart diagrams, can be implemented by special purpose
hardware-based systems that perform the specified functions or
acts, or combinations of special purpose hardware and executable
code.
[0058] The description of elements in each figure may refer to
elements of proceeding figures. Like numbers refer to like elements
in all figures, including alternate embodiments of like
elements.
[0059] This invention provides added security and efficiency in the
processing of product orders with the help of customer service
representatives. The invention encompasses apparatuses and methods
that allow a customer to place a product order over a telephonic
connection with a customer service representative without having to
reveal his or her billing information, such as credit card or bank
account number, to the customer service representative. With this
invention, a customer can use an identifier to alert the merchant's
computer system and the customer service representative that he or
she has a customer billing profile stored at an independent
location, such as the customer's electronic device or a third party
computer system. When making his or her purchase, the customer can
send his or her customer billing profile directly to the merchant,
give approval for access to his or her customer billing profile on
another system, or by default, give permission to send the customer
billing profile in response to having already given the customer
service representative his or her identifier during a telephonic
connection. Throughout the transaction, the customer service
representative cannot see the customer billing profile, which
increases the security of the orders and a customer's financial
information.
[0060] Figure 1A is a schematic block diagram illustrating one
embodiment of a system 100 for processing telephone orders. The
system 100 includes a computer 102, an order processing apparatus
104, an electronic device 106, an ordering client apparatus 108, a
server 110, a customer billing profile 112, and a network 114,
which are described below.
[0061] The system 100, in one embodiment, includes a computer 102
with an order processing apparatus 104. The computer 102 may be
connected to a display 116. The order processing apparatus 104, in
one example, receives customer data over a network 114 from an
electronic device 106. The electronic device 106, in one
embodiment, includes an ordering client apparatus 108 to process a
purchase order. In one embodiment, the order processing apparatus
104 accesses a customer billing profile 112 on a server 110 over a
network to process a purchase order. The order processing apparatus
104 is described in more detail with respect to the apparatus 200
in FIG. 2 and the apparatus 300 in FIG. 3. The electronic device
106, in one embodiment, has an ordering client apparatus 108 and
may be any device capable of sending customer data to a computer
102 over a network 114. For example, the electronic device 106 may
be a laptop or a desktop computer. In another example, the
electronic device 106 may be a tablet. Alternatively, the
electronic device 106 may be a smartphone. The ordering client
apparatus 108 is described in more detail with respect to the
apparatus 400 in FIG. 4 and the apparatus 500 in FIG. 5.
[0062] The network 114 may include a local area network ("LAN"), a
wide area network ("WAN"), wireless network, cellular network, the
Internet, a fiber optic network, or the like. In one embodiment,
the network 114 includes multiple networks. For example, the
network 114 may include a cellular network along with another
network capable Internet connection. In another example, the
network 114 includes a wireless network along with a wired network.
The network 114 may include switches, routers, servers, cabling and
other equipment known to those in the art. The server 110 may be
any computer accessible by a computer 102 over a network 114,
including but not limited to a database server, a mainframe server,
a workstation, a desktop computer, etc.
[0063] In one embodiment, a customer billing profile 112 for one or
more customers is stored on the server 110 before it is accessed by
the order processing apparatus 104. The server 110, in one
embodiment, is a computer system external to a computer system
available to a merchant, customer service representative of the
merchant and/or an automated attendant of the merchant. In one
embodiment, the automated attendant of the merchant includes an
electronic system that receives voice commands from the customer
and/or selections from the customer made by pressing buttons on an
electronic device 106 used by the customer for the telephonic
connection, and the automated attendant responds with automated
voice responses. The automated attendant may allow voice commands,
commands entered by pressing buttons, etc. and may respond with
audible responses. The audible responses are stored electronically.
The automated attendant typically includes automated responses
rather than responses from a live customer service representative,
although a live customer service representative may be connected
under certain circumstances, such as the customer having
difficulty, a customer preferring to talk to a customer service
representative, a customer desiring information not available
through the automated attendant, etc.
[0064] A customer billing profile 112 typically contains billing
information for a customer. The customer billing profile 112 may
include the customer's credit card profile, debit card profile,
financial institution account profile, etc. A credit card profile
may include account information for one or more credit cards, where
the account information includes information such as the credit
card account number, the credit card expiration date, the credit
card security code, and the credit card billing address. A debit
card profile may include account information for one or more debit
cards (including prepaid debit cards), where the account
information may include information such as the debit card account
number, the debit card expiration date, the debit card security
code, and/or the debit card personal identification number ("PIN").
A financial institution may be a bank, a credit union, a trust
company, etc. A financial institution account profile may include
account information for one or more financial institution accounts,
where the account information may include the financial institution
account number, routing transit number, or other account
information.
[0065] A customer billing profile 112 may also include additional
information of the customer. For example, the customer billing
profile 112 may include a shipping address, a residential address,
a business address, a phone number, a fax number, an email address
of the customer, purchase history, shipping preferences, account
information, or other information that would be useful in
completing a transaction, signing up for a service or other
transaction initiated with a phone call. Throughout the pages of
the present disclosure, items, packets, or fields of information
about the customer, or any other commands, requests, confirmations,
approvals, etc., that are communicated electronically between a
customer and a merchant may be encrypted or have other security
mechanisms and may be referred to as "tokens." In one embodiment, a
token may be transmitted via a telephonic connection. In another
embodiment, a token may be transmitted via a data channel in
conjunction with the telephonic connection. A token, in one
embodiment, is a non-decryptable piece of data to represent, by
reference, sensitive or secret data. For example, a token may be
used to reference personally identifiable information of the
customer stored on a secure computer and accessed using the
token.
[0066] FIG. 1B is a schematic block diagram illustrating one
embodiment of a system 101 for providing sensitive information
while a consumer is connected via a telephone. The system 101, in
one embodiment, includes a computer 102, an electronic device 106,
a server 110, a network 114, and a display 116, which are
substantially similar to those described above in relation to the
system 100 of FIG. 1A. The system 101, in various embodiments, may
also include a telecommunication apparatus 118 in the computer 102,
a client apparatus 120 in the electronic device 106, and a customer
profile 122 on the server 110, which are described below.
[0067] In one embodiment, the system 101 includes a
telecommunication apparatus 118 that confirms identification of a
customer and/or receives sensitive information from the customer
during a telephone connection with the customer where the sensitive
information is transmitted from the customer profile 122
electronically over the network 114. Typically, the sensitive
information is received by the telecommunication apparatus 118 in
such a way that the sensitive information is unavailable to a
customer service representative of a company in telephone
communication with the customer. In addition, the customer may
confirm identification and an identification confirmation is sent
to the telecommunication apparatus 118 without transmitting
sensitive information about the customer to the computer 102 or to
the customer service representative. The customer service
representative may receive notice of the confirmation of
identification and/or that the sensitive information is received by
the telecommunication apparatus 118.
[0068] The client apparatus 120, in one embodiment, inputs
identifying information via the electronic device 106 which is
compared to stored identifying information in the customer profile
122 and, in another embodiment, initiates transfer of the sensitive
information to the telecommunication apparatus 118, for example by
providing approval, by transmitting the sensitive information, etc.
In one embodiment, the customer profile 122 is stored on the
electronic device 106. The telecommunication apparatus 118, the
client apparatus 120, and the customer profile 122 are described in
more detail below.
[0069] FIG. 2 is a schematic block diagram illustrating one
embodiment of an apparatus 200 for processing telephone orders. The
apparatus 200 includes one embodiment of an order processing
apparatus 104 with a communications module 202, an identification
module 204, a billing profile access module 206, and a transaction
module 208, which are described below.
[0070] The communications module 202, in one embodiment,
establishes a telephonic connection between a customer service
representative of a merchant and a customer or between an automated
attendant of a merchant and the customer. The communications module
202 may establish the telephonic connection in response to a
connection request from an electronic device 106 used by a customer
or by sending a connection request to an electronic device 106 used
by a customer. In one form, the telephonic connection is a fixed
line connection established over a public switched telephone
network ("PSTN") and may include a wired phone or a wireless
handset connection to a base. In another form, the telephonic
connection is a wireless connection established over a cellular
network. In another embodiment, the telephonic connection is an
internet protocol ("IP") based connection established over IP
networks such as the Internet or voice-over-IP ("VOIP"). As another
example, the telephonic connection is part of an audiovisual
connection established over the Internet. The telephonic connection
may also be an exchange of Short Message Service ("SMS") messages.
The telephonic connection may be any connection where a customer
may talk to a customer service representative.
[0071] In one embodiment, the identification module 204 receives an
identifier from an electronic device 106 alerting the customer
service representative, automated attendant and/or a computer
system of a merchant that a customer has a customer billing profile
112. In this embodiment, the customer billing profile 112 was
stored previous to the establishment of the telephonic connection.
In one embodiment, the identifier is in a form that allows a
customer to be associated with a customer billing profile 112. For
example, the identifier may be a combination of letters, numbers,
or both. In another example, the identifier may be a picture,
photograph, sound, etc. The identifier, in yet another embodiment,
may be a hyperlink reference that allows access to a customer
billing profile 112, for example in the form of a token. In one
embodiment, the identifier is transmitted over a data channel of
the telephonic connection. In another embodiment, the identifier is
transmitted over a different communication or data channel than the
telephonic connection.
[0072] For example, the identifier may be transmitted via an
internet connection on a device separate from the electronic device
106. In another embodiment, the identifier may be transmitted via
an internet and/or cellular connection to the same electronic
device 106 that has the telephonic connection. In other words, a
customer may use a smartphone to establish both the telephonic
connection, for communicating orally with a customer service
representative or communicating with an automated attendant, and a
data channel of the telephonic connection, for transmitting the
identifier, customer billing profile 112, customer approval, etc.
using data files, tokens or other means known to those of skill in
the art. The identification module 204, in another embodiment,
transmits the customer billing profile 112 along with the
identifier. In a further embodiment, the identification module 204
notifies the customer service representative or automated attendant
of the identifier when the communications module 202 establishes
the telephonic connection between a customer and a customer service
representative or automated attendant. In another embodiment, the
identification module 204 notifies the customer service
representative or automated attendant at a later time or, for
example, in response to an inquiry by the customer service
representative or automated attendant. For instance, the customer
service representative or automated attendant may access a service
that notifies the customer service representative or automated
attendant that the customer has an identifier or may transmit a
request to the electronic device 106 to request the identifier and
the identification module 204 sends the identifier in response to
the request.
[0073] The billing profile access module 206, in one embodiment,
receives electronic access to a customer billing profile 112. In
one embodiment, the billing profile access module 206 receives
electronic access to a customer billing profile 112 by sending at
least a portion of the identifier for a customer to the server 110,
which may use the identifier information to locate the customer
billing profile 112 associated with the identifier. The identifier
may provide access so that the billing profile access module 206
may read information in the customer billing profile 112, may
retrieve one or more files from the server 110 with the customer
billing profile 112, the identifier may include a command for the
server to send the customer billing profile 112, etc. In another
embodiment, the billing profile access module 206 receives
electronic access to the customer billing profile 112 by receiving
the customer billing profile 112. For example, the electronic
device 106 may send the customer billing profile 112. The
electronic device 106 may receive the customer billing profile 112
from the server 110 or may store the customer billing profile 112.
In another embodiment, the electronic device 106 sends a request to
the server 110 to send the customer billing profile 112 to the
merchant, customer service representative, and/or automated
attendant. One of skill in the art will recognize other ways that
the billing profile access module 206 may receive electronic access
to the customer billing profile 112.
[0074] In another embodiment, the billing profile access module 206
receives electronic access to a customer billing profile 112 in
response to an action by the customer that approves sending the
customer billing profile 112 to the billing profile access module
206. The action by the customer may be an act by the customer to
sending the customer billing profile 112 during the telephonic
connection. In a different embodiment, the action by the customer
may be a default setting that provides permission to send the
customer billing profile 112 in response to a telephonic connection
with a customer service representative or automated attendant in
which the identifier is sent. Furthermore, the action by the
customer may be approving the sales order. The billing profile
access module 206, in one form, receives electronic access to a
customer billing profile 112 by receiving the customer billing
profile 112 from a third party storing the customer billing profile
112. In another form, the billing profile access module 206
receives electronic access to the customer billing profile 112 by
receiving a location or an address (e.g., hyperlink) of the
customer billing profile 112. In yet another form, the billing
profile access module 206 receives electronic access to the
customer billing profile 112 by being granted access to retrieve
the customer billing profile 112. In a further form, the billing
profile access module 206 receives the customer billing profile 112
from the electronic device 106 that transmits the identifier.
[0075] The transaction module 208, in one embodiment, processes a
sales order using a customer billing profile 112. The sales order
may be for one or more products, services, or a combination of
products and services offered by a merchant. In one embodiment, the
transaction module 208 processes a sales order using a customer
billing profile 112 in response to a customer approval of the sales
order. During the processing of the sales order by the transaction
module 208, the billing information of the customer billing profile
112 is unavailable for viewing by the customer sales
representative. For example, where the customer is talking with the
customer sales representative, the customer billing profile 112 may
be sent electronically so the customer service representative does
not see the customer billing profile 112. Where the customer is
interfacing with an automated attendant, the customer billing
profile 112 may be transmitted in a form that is not viewable by
customer sales representatives and other personnel of the merchant.
For example, the customer sales representative or other personnel
would be unable to view a credit card number, credit card
expiration date, or credit card security code. As another example,
the customer sales representative or other personnel would be
unable to view a financial institution account number or routing
transit number. Shielding the billing information of the customer
billing profile 112 from the view of a customer sales
representative and other personnel of the merchant enhances
security by limiting the number of people who have access to the
billing information.
[0076] FIG. 3 is a schematic block diagram illustrating another
embodiment of an apparatus 300 for processing telephone orders. The
apparatus 300 includes one embodiment of an order processing
apparatus 104 with a communications module 202, an identification
module 204, a billing profile access module 206, a transaction
module 208, a confirmation module 302, a security module 304, a
registration module 306, a customer order module 308, a transfer
module 310, and a data communications module 312, which are
described below.
[0077] The communications module 202, identification module 204,
billing profile access module 206, and transaction module 208 in
FIG. 3 are substantially similar to the modules described above
with respect to the apparatus 200 in FIG. 2. The confirmation
module 302, in one embodiment, receives a customer approval of the
sales order prior to the processing of the order. For example, the
confirmation module 302 may transmit an order approval request to a
customer prior to receiving the customer approval. The order
approval request may include information about the sales order,
such as a final price of the sales order, a description of a
product or service being purchased, a price of a product or service
being purchased, or the quantity of a product or service being
purchased. In another embodiment, the confirmation module receives
an electronic message containing the customer approval. The
customer approval may take many forms. As an example, the customer
approval may be oral consent received over via a telephonic
connection. In another example, the customer approval may be a
signature, a password, or a personal identification number
("PIN").
[0078] The customer approval, in another form, may be a biometric
attribute of the customer (e.g., fingerprint, palm print, voice or
other biometric information). The tokens, as briefly described
above, may be transmitted from the customer to the merchant via a
non-telephonic connection, such as the internet, cellular
connection, etc. For example, a customer may use a smartphone to
establish both the telephonic connection, for communicating
verbally with a customer service representative, and the
non-telephonic connection, (e.g., cellular connection, internet
connection, etc.) for transmitting the approval and/or other
tokens. In another example, the customer approval may be a reply to
the order approval request. The reply may be text, a check box on
the order approval request, a PIN, etc.
[0079] The security module 304 verifies the customer approval of
the sales order by matching the customer approval with a sample
previously provided by the customer. For example, the security
module 304 may verify a customer's signature by comparing it to a
signature previously provided by the customer and stored on the
server 110. In another example, the security module 304 may verify
a customer's fingerprint by sending it to the server 110, where it
may be compared to a fingerprint previously provided by the
customer, and receives the result of the comparison. In this
example, by sending the customer approval to the server 110 for
comparison, the comparison may enhance security by limiting access
to an original and authentic customer approval previously provided
by the customer.
[0080] The registration module 306, in one embodiment, receives and
stores a customer billing profile 112 of a customer. In one
embodiment, the registration module 306 receives and stores a
customer billing profile 112 in a transaction unrelated to a sales
order. For example, the registration module 306 may receive and
store the customer billing profile 112 while signing the customer
up for a service, for example, with a company independent of the
merchant of the customer service representative or automated
attendant. In another embodiment, the registration module 306
operates without the involvement of a merchant. For example,
without involvement of a merchant associated with the customer
service representative. In this embodiment, the merchant typically
has no control over and is independent from the registration module
306 when it receives and stores a customer billing profile 112.
[0081] The merchant, in the embodiment, may have no control over
the customer billing profile 112, except for processing the sales
order after receiving the identifier. The registration module 306,
in one form, stores the customer billing profile 112 in a location
accessible to the electronic device 106. For example, the
registration module 306 may store the customer billing profile 112
on a computer 102 or a server 110 that may be accessed by the
customer service representative, automated attendant, and/or the
computer 102. Once again, any tokens (encrypted or secure
information sent electronically from customer to merchant) may be
transmitted via the telephonic connection or a non-telephonic
connection. For example, the registration module 306 may receive
tokens of information in order to establish the customer billing
profile 112 via a non-telephonic connection. The telephonic
connection and the non-telephonic connection, in one embodiment,
may be managed by the same electronic device 106 (i.e., a
smartphone may establish both a telephone connection and an
internet/data connection).
[0082] In one embodiment, the apparatus 300 includes a customer
order module 308 that receives, through the automated attendant,
information to identify one or more of products and services of the
sales order. For example, the customer order module 308 may allow a
customer to use voice commands to identify products or services for
purchase or may identify a previously stored order. In another
example, the customer order module 308 may receive input from the
electronic device 106 in the form of button presses, text input,
keyboard strokes, etc. In another example, the customer order
module 308 may include one or more menus and the customer may
interface with the menus over the telephonic connection to identify
a product or service to purchase. The customer order module 308, in
one embodiment, provides audible responses to selections by the
customer to facilitate navigation of menus, verification of a
selected product or service, instructions to the customer, etc. One
of skill in the art will recognize other features of a customer
order module 308 to receive information through the automated
attendant to identify a product or service to put in the sales
order for purchase by the customer.
[0083] In another embodiment, the apparatus 300 includes a transfer
module 310 that transfers the telephonic connection to a customer
sales representative of the merchant to receive customer billing
and shipping information in response to establishing the telephonic
connection and not receiving the identifier. For example, the
transfer module 310 may be useful for customers without a customer
billing profile 112. As mentioned above, an automated attendant may
have difficulty with accurately receiving billing and shipping
information from a customer. For example, the automated attendant
may not be able to discern the difference between certain names or
sounds. For example, the automated attendant may have difficulty
determining that a proper spelling is Steven or Stephen, or
determining that a proper spelling is Brian or Bryan. Therefore, if
no identifier is received, the transfer module 310 may transfer the
customer to a customer service representative to receive billing
and shipping information.
[0084] In another embodiment, the apparatus 300 includes a data
communications module 312 that establishes a data connection, in
conjunction with the telephonic connection, between the merchant
and the customer. For example, the data connection may be different
than the telephonic connection. In one embodiment, the customer may
establish the data connection through a computing device and the
telephonic connection through a telephone. In another embodiment,
the data connection and the telephonic connection are established
using a single electronic device 106 of the customer. For example,
the electronic device 106 may be a smartphone that combines voice
and data on one cellular connection.
[0085] FIG. 4 is a schematic block diagram illustrating one
embodiment of an apparatus 400 for placing telephone orders. The
apparatus 400 includes one embodiment of an ordering client
apparatus 108 with a registration module 402, a phone connection
module 404, an identifier module 406, a billing profile module 408,
and a sales identifier module 410, which are described below.
[0086] In one embodiment, the registration module 402 in FIG. 4 is
substantially similar to the registration module 306 in FIG. 3. In
another embodiment, the registration module 402 creates and stores
a customer billing profile 112 of a customer. The registration
module 402, in an embodiment, creates and stores a customer billing
profile 112 on the electronic device 106. In a further embodiment,
the registration module 402 creates and stores a customer billing
profile 112 in a location accessible to the electronic device 106.
For example, the registration module 402 may create and store the
customer billing profile 112 on a computer or a server 110.
[0087] The registration module 402, in one embodiment, is
web-based. In another embodiment, the registration module 402
allows a third party, such as a representative of a company that
stores customer billing profiles 112 to receive information over
the phone from the customer and to enter the customer billing
profile 112. The company may be a company that establishes a
service with merchants for providing services or systems in
conjunction with the embodiments described herein. Customers and/or
merchants may desire such a service/system for enhanced security,
in that the customer service representative or other employees of
merchants do not view the sensitive customer billing profile 112 of
the customer and sales transactions may take less time than
traditional methods where customers relay sensitive financial and
personal information over a phone to a customer service
representative or automated attendant.
[0088] The phone connection module 404, in one embodiment,
establishes a telephonic connection between a customer and a
merchant customer service representative. In one embodiment, the
phone connection module 404 establishes a telephonic connection
between an electronic device 106 of a customer and the customer
service representative. In another embodiment, the phone connection
module 404 establishes a telephonic connection between an
electronic device 106 of a customer and an automated attendant of a
merchant. The telephonic connection is substantially similar to the
telephonic connection previously described in relation to the
apparatuses 200, 300 of FIGS. 2 and 3.
[0089] The identifier module 406, in one embodiment, sends an
identifier to a customer service representative or to an automated
attendant in response to the phone connection module 404
establishing a telephonic connection between a customer and the
customer service representative or automated attendant. The
identifier links the customer to a customer billing profile 112. In
one embodiment, the identifier module 406 sends the identifier in a
communication channel of the telephonic connection. In another
embodiment, the identifier module 406 sends the identifier in a
communication channel separate from the telephonic connection. The
identifier is substantially similar to the identifier described
above in relation to the apparatuses 200, 300 of FIGS. 2 and 3. In
one embodiment, the electronic device 106 can be used to establish
the telephonic connection and send the identifier. For example, the
electronic device 106 may be a smartphone with an application that
enables oral phone calls over the telephonic connection and sending
information, for example as tokens, over the data channel
connection. Other electronic devices 106, such as a tablet
computer, a laptop or desktop computer, etc. may also be used to
make the data channel connection. In another embodiment, one
electronic device 106 establishes the telephonic connection and
another electronic device 106 sends the identifier. Thus, a
customer may be on a telephone in front of a computer.
[0090] The billing profile module 408, in one embodiment, provides
the customer service representative or automated attendant
electronic access to the customer billing profile 112 of the
customer. In one embodiment, the billing profile module 408 is
substantially similar to the billing profile access module 206 in
FIG. 3. In another embodiment, the billing profile module 408
transmits the customer billing profile 112 of a customer from the
electronic device 106 to the billing profile access module 206 to
be accessible to customer service representative. The customer
service representative or automated attendant may then use the
customer billing profile 112 to process the sales order for the
customer, where the customer billing profile 112 is unavailable for
viewing by the customer service representative or other person
associated with the merchant.
[0091] In one embodiment, where the customer establishes a
connection with an automated attendant, the apparatus 400 includes
a sales identifier module 410 that identifies to the automated
attendant a product and/or a service offered by the merchant and
desired by the customer for purchase as part of a sales order. For
example, the sales identifier module 410 may be integral with the
automated attendant and may include menus, instructions, etc. to
allow the customer to identify products or services of the merchant
or previously identified and already in a sales order. For instance
the sales identifier module 410 may allow the customer to navigate
to particular products or services of the merchant or may allow the
customer to access a previously stored sales order or partial sales
order. Once the sales identifier module 410 has allowed the
customer to identify goods or services to be part of the sales
order, the billing profile module 408 may then process the sales
order using the customer billing profile 112. In another
embodiment, the sales identifier module 410 may be used with a
customer service representative to identify products and/or
services of the merchant for the sales order.
[0092] FIG. 5 is a schematic block diagram illustrating another
embodiment of an apparatus 500 for placing telephone orders. The
apparatus 500 includes one embodiment of an ordering client
apparatus 108 with a registration module 402, a phone connection
module 404, an identifier module 406, a billing profile module 408,
a sales identifier module 410, an order information module 502, and
an approval module 504, which are described below.
[0093] The registration module 402, phone connection module 404,
identifier module 406, billing profile module 408 and sales
identifier module 410 in FIG. 5, in one embodiment, are
substantially similar to the modules previously described with
respect to the ordering client apparatus 108 of FIG. 4. The order
information module 502, in one embodiment, receives sales order
information from the customer service representative. The sales
order information may include a description of the order placed by
the customer, or other information related to a sales transaction.
In one form, the sales order information may include a description
of a product or service being purchased, a price of a product or
service being purchased, the quantity of a product or service being
purchased, etc. In another embodiment, the order information module
502 may interact with the sales identifier module 410 to receive
product/service sales order information or may include functions of
the sales identifier module 410.
[0094] In one embodiment, the approval module 504 sends a customer
approval of a sales order to a customer service representative or
to an automated attendant. The customer approval may take many
forms. As an example, the customer approval may be verbal consent.
In another example, the customer approval may be a signature, a
password, or a personal identification number ("PIN"). The customer
approval, in another form, may be a biometric attribute of the
customer (e.g., fingerprint, palm print, voice or other biometric
information). The customer approval may be in the form of tokens,
as briefly described above, and may be transmitted from the
customer to the merchant via a data channel connection in
conjunction with the telephonic connection, such as the internet,
cellular network, etc. For example, a customer may use a smartphone
to establish both the telephonic connection, for communicating
orally with a customer service representative, and the data channel
connection, (e.g., internet connection, cellular network, etc.) for
transmitting the approval and/or other tokens. In another
embodiment, the customer approval may be a reply to the sales order
information received by the order information module 502 and/or
sales identifier module 410. The reply may be in the form of text,
a checked checkbox, a PIN, a digital signature, etc.
[0095] In one embodiment, instead of establishing a telephonic
connection with a customer service representative, the various
modules of the present disclosure may establish a telephonic
connection with an automated attendant. In such embodiments, the
automated attendant may `communicate` orally with the customer and
in order receive the various tokens (e.g., identifier, customer
billing profile 112, etc.). The automated attendant may incorporate
speech recognition software and thus may communicate with and
receive tokens from the customer. However, in certain situations
and with certain information, the automated attendant may struggle
to accurately comprehend the oral communication with the customer.
For example, the automated attendant may struggle to accurately
convert the customer's speech into text. In such situations, the
automated attendant may still receive the customer billing profile
112 from the customer via a telephonic connection by instructing
the customer to manually enter any passwords using the key-pad on
their electronic device 106 or may receive the customer billing
profile 112 without specific instructions from the customer, such
as when the customer billing profile 112 is sent or enabled with
the identifier.
[0096] However, transmitting information by using speech
recognition software or by requiring the customer to manually enter
the tokens using a 10 digit key-pad may be inefficient.
Accordingly, in certain embodiments, the various modules of the
present disclosure also establish a data channel in conjunction
with the telephonic connection. The establishment of a data channel
(e.g., internet) allows customers to easily and efficiently
transmit the identifier, the customer billing profile 112, etc.,
possibly in the form of tokens, to merchants. For example, a
customer may use a single electronic device 106 (e.g. a smartphone)
to establish both the telephonic connection, for communicating
orally with an automated attendant, and the data channel of the
telephonic connection, for entering and transmitting the
identifier, the customer billing profile 112, etc. In another
embodiment, the customer may use two separate devices (e.g., a
phone and a computer) to establish both the telephonic and data
channel connections. The data channel connection may utilize a
mobile application, a website, executable code on a computer, or
other means to allow customers to enter and transmit the
identifier, the customer billing profile 112, etc. to a merchant.
For example, the various modules of the present disclosure may
transmit information to the customer via the telephonic connection
and the customer may transmit information/tokens to the various
modules via the data channel connection.
[0097] FIG. 6 is a schematic flow chart illustrating one embodiment
of a method 600 for processing telephone orders. The method 600
begins and establishes 602 a telephonic connection between a
customer and a customer service representative of a merchant. In
one embodiment, the communications module 202 establishes the
telephonic connection. In another embodiment, the phone connection
module 404 establishes the telephonic connection. The method 600
receives 604 an identifier alerting the customer service
representative, automated attendant, and/or a computer system of a
merchant that the customer has a customer billing profile 112. The
customer billing profile 112 is stored electronically on a computer
system external to a computer system available to the merchant,
automated attendant or the customer service representative. In one
form, the identification module 204 receives the identifier. The
method 600 receives 606 the customer billing profile 112. In one
form, the customer billing profile 112 is received by the billing
profile access module 206. In another embodiment, the billing
profile module 408 sends the customer billing profile 112. The
method 600 processes 608 a sales order of the customer using the
customer billing profile 112 and method 600 ends. During method
600, the customer billing profile 112 is unavailable for viewing by
the customer service representative or person affiliated with the
merchant.
[0098] FIG. 7 is a schematic flow chart illustrating another
embodiment of a method 700 for processing telephone orders. The
method 700 begins and establishes 702 a telephonic connection
between a customer and a customer representative or automated
attendant of a merchant. In one embodiment, the communications
module 202 establishes the telephonic connection. In another
embodiment, the phone connection module 404 establishes the
telephonic connection. The method 700 determines 704 if an
identifier linking a customer to a customer billing profile 112 has
been received. If no identifier for the customer has been received,
the method 700 processes 714 the sales order of a customer manually
and the method 700 ends. In one embodiment where the telephonic
connection is to an automated attendant, processing manually may
include transferring the call to a customer service representative,
for example using the transfer module 310. If the method 700
determines 704 that an identifier has been received, the method 700
sends 706 the sales order information to the customer. In one
embodiment, the identification module 204 determines 704 if the
identifier has been received.
[0099] The method 700 determines 708 whether customer permission
has been received. In one form, customer permission may be an
action by the customer to send the customer billing profile 112
during the telephonic connection. Customer permission, in another
form, can be a default setting that provides permission to send the
customer billing profile 112 in response to a telephonic connection
with a customer service representative or automated attendant in
which the identifier is sent. Another form of customer permission
can be a customer approving the sales order. If the method 700
determines 708 that no customer permission for the sales order has
been received, the method 700 ends. If the method 700 determines
708 that a customer permission has been received, the method 700
obtains 710 electronic access to the customer billing profile 112
linked to the previously received identifier. In one embodiment,
the confirmation module 302 determines 708 if a customer approval
is received. In another embodiment, the billing profile module 408
obtains electronic access to the customer billing profile 112. The
method 700 processes 712 a sales order of the customer using the
customer billing profile 112 and method 700 ends. During method
700, the customer billing profile 112 is unavailable for viewing by
the customer service representative or employee of the
merchant.
[0100] FIG. 8 is a schematic flow chart illustrating one embodiment
of a method 800 for placing telephone orders. The method 800 begins
and creates and stores 802 a customer billing profile 112. In one
embodiment, the registration module 402 creates and stores 802 the
customer billing profile 112. In another embodiment, the
registration module 402 receives and stores the customer billing
profile 112 of the customer in a transaction unrelated to the
merchant and/or placing a sales order. The method 800 establishes
804 a telephonic connection between a customer and a customer
service representative or automated attendant of a merchant. In an
embodiment, the phone connection module 404 establishes the
telephonic connection. The method 800 sends 806 electronically an
identifier to the customer service representative, automated
attendant, or computer system of the merchant in response to
establishing the telephonic connection, the identifier alerting the
customer service representative, automated attendant and/or the
computer system of a merchant that the customer has a customer
billing profile 112. In one embodiment, the identifier module 406
sends the identifier electronically. The method 800 allows 808
electronic access to the customer billing profile 112 for
processing a sales order, and method 800 ends. In one embodiment,
the customer service representative processes a sales order of a
customer using the customer billing profile 112. During method 800,
the customer billing profile 112 is unavailable for viewing by the
customer service representative or person connected with the
merchant.
[0101] FIG. 9 is a schematic flow chart illustrating another
embodiment of a method 900 for processing telephone orders. The
method 900 begins and creates and stores 902 a customer billing
profile 112. In one embodiment, the registration module 402 creates
and stores the customer billing profile 112. The method 900
establishes 904 a telephonic connection between a customer and a
customer service representative or automated attendant of a
merchant. In an embodiment, the phone connection module 404
establishes the telephonic connection. The method 900 sends 906
electronically an identifier to the customer service representative
or automated attendant in response to establishing the telephonic
connection. The identifier, in one embodiment is a token. The
identifier alerts the customer service representative, automated
attendant and/or a computer system of a merchant that the customer
has a customer billing profile 112. In one embodiment, the
identifier module 406 sends the identifier electronically. The
method 900 receives 908 sales order information from the customer
service representative or automated attendant. In one embodiment,
the order information module 502 receives the sales order
information. The method 900 determines 910 whether to approve the
sales order. If the method 900 determines 910 that the sales order
is not approved, the method 900 ends. If the method 900 determines
910 that the sales order is approved, the method 900 sends 912 the
approval to the customer service representative. In one embodiment,
the approval module 504 sends the customer approval. The method 900
allows 914 electronic access to the customer billing profile 112
linked to the previously sent identifier and method 900 ends. In
one embodiment, the billing profile module 408 allows electronic
access to the customer billing profile 112. During method 900, the
customer billing profile 112 is unavailable for viewing by the
customer service representative or person affiliated with the
merchant.
[0102] FIG. 10 is a schematic flow chart illustrating another
embodiment of a method 1000 for placing telephone orders with an
automated attendant. The method 1000 begins and creates 1002 and
stores a customer billing profile 112. The method 1000 establishes
1004 a telephonic connection between the customer and an automated
attendant of a merchant and sends 1006 an identifier to the
automated attendant and/or computer system of the merchant. The
method 1000 identifies 1008, to the automated attendant, products
and/or services to be included in a sales order and allows 1010
electronic access to the customer billing profile 112 of the
customer for processing the sales order, and the method 1000 ends.
In one embodiment, the sales identifier module 410 identifies 1008
to the automated attendant the products and/or services of the
sales order.
[0103] FIG. 11 is a schematic block diagram illustrating an
embodiment of an apparatus 1100 for confirming identification of a
customer. The apparatus 1100 includes one embodiment of the
telecommunication apparatus 118 that includes a communications
module 1102, an identification module 1104, an ID request module
1106, and an ID confirmation module 1108, which are described
below.
[0104] The apparatus 1100, in one embodiment, includes a
communications module 1102 that establishes a telephonic connection
between a customer service representative of a company and a
customer through an electronic device 106 of the customer. For
example, the customer may call the company and the computer 102 of
the company may route the call through the telecommunication
apparatus 118 to the customer service representative. In another
embodiment, the customer service representative calls the customer
through the telecommunication apparatus 118. Typically, the
telecommunication apparatus 118 is part of or includes a telephone
system used by customer service representatives of a company for
contacting or receiving calls from a customer. The company may be
any group that requires verification of identity and/or to receive
sensitive information from a customer. In one embodiment, the
company is a merchant and the communications module 1102 is similar
to the communications module 202 and the phone connection module
404 described above.
[0105] The company may be from the banking industry, the financial
industry, the medical industry, from the mortgage or loan industry,
the auto industry, from a government entity, a utility, a
communications company, an airline, or the like. For example, the
company may be an airline and the customer may be making a
reservation and the airline may need to verify identity of the
customer. The company may be a merchant and the customer may be
buying something from the merchant and the merchant may want to
verify the identity of the customer, for example if the customer
was buying a weapon, medication, etc. where verification of the
identity of the customer is important. The company may be medical
practice and a medical assistant may need to verify the identity of
the customer, which may be a patient, before disclosing
confidential information. The company may be a government agency,
such as the Internal Revenue Service, and may require verification
of identity before proceeding. One of skill in the art will
recognize other companies that may require identification of a
customer during a telephone connection and discussion with the
customer. The company may be an electronics company and the
customer may have purchased a product from the company and may be
seeking warranty service. The company may need to verify identity
before proceeding with the warranty service.
[0106] The customer service representative, in one embodiment, is a
person that works for the company. In another embodiment, the
customer service representative is an employee that is working on
behalf of a company where the employer of the customer service
representative works for the company and acts on behalf of the
company. In another embodiment, the customer service representative
is an automated attendant. The customer service representative, in
one embodiment, is as described above in relation to the
apparatuses 200, 300, 400, 500 of FIGS. 2-5. Often customers are
hesitant to provide identifying information to a customer service
representative during a telephone conversation over fears that the
customer service representative may use the identifying information
in an inappropriate way. The telecommunication apparatus 118 and
client apparatus 120 provide a mechanism for the customer to verify
identity during a phone conversation with a customer service
representative of a company in a way that identifying information
and sensitive information sent to the company are hidden from the
customer service representative. In addition, the telecommunication
apparatus 118 and client apparatus 120 provide a way to shorten the
identification process and the process of transferring confidential
and sensitive information to the company.
[0107] In one embodiment, the apparatus 1100 includes an
identification module 1104 that receives an identifier. The
identifier is received in conjunction with the telephonic
connection. The identifier, in one embodiment, alerts the customer
service representative and/or a computer system of the company that
the customer has a customer profile 122. The customer profile 122
includes information to identify the customer and the customer
profile 122 is stored previous to the telephonic connection. In one
example, the identifier is sent in connection with establishing the
telephonic connection. In another example, the identifier includes
a link to the customer profile 122, where the link is operable to
access the customer profile 122. In another example, the identifier
is sent through an action by the customer and through the
electronic device 106. In one embodiment, the action by the
customer includes an action by the customer to transmit the
information from the customer profile 122 during the telephonic
connection. In another embodiment, the action by the customer
includes a default setting that provides permission to transmit the
information from the customer profile 122 in response to
establishing the telephonic connection.
[0108] The customer profile 122, in one embodiment includes or is
the same as the customer billing profile 112 discussed in relation
to the apparatuses 200, 300, 400, 500 of FIGS. 2-5 and may include
the information of a customer billing profile 112. For example, the
customer profile 122 may include a shipping address, a residential
address, a business address, a phone number, a fax number, an email
address, a date of birth, a social security number or last four
digits of a social security number, a user name, a preference, a
mother's maiden name, passwords, family information, security
question information, a drivers license, and the like. In addition,
the customer profile 122 may include healthcare or medical
information, such as a medical history, prescription information,
medical records, blood type, and the like, may include financial
information, such as account information, loan information, credit
information, etc. The customer profile 122 may include any
information that may be of a sensitive or a personal nature that a
customer may be required to deliver to a company but that the
customer may not want a customer service representative to view. In
one embodiment, the customer profile 122 includes identifying
information that may be used to confirm the identity of the
customer. For example, the customer profile 122 may include one or
more finger prints, retina scans, passwords, a voice print, and the
like. The identifying information, in one embodiment, includes
information that may be compared to indentifying information input
by the customer at a particular time. One of skill in the art will
recognize other information that a customer may store in a customer
profile 122.
[0109] In one embodiment, the apparatus 1100 includes an ID request
module 1106 that sends a request to the customer to provide
identifying information via the electronic device 106 of the
customer, where the identifying information is input to the
electronic device 106 by the customer using an electronic,
non-verbal technique. An electronic, non-verbal technique includes
input through a keyboard, biometric scanner, camera, etc. where the
customer does not verbally speak the identifying information to the
customer service representative. In one embodiment, the customer
profile 122 may include a voiceprint and the electronic, non-verbal
technique may be receiving a voiceprint through the microphone of
the electronic device 106 where the voiceprint is electronically
analyzed and compared with the voiceprint stored in the customer
profile 122. One of skill in the art will recognize other ways that
a customer may input identifying information through the electronic
device 106 without speaking the identifying information to the
customer service representative.
[0110] In one embodiment, at least a portion of the identifying
information input by the customer is masked from the customer
service representative. In another embodiment, some or all of the
identifying information is not masked and is passed to the customer
service representative. For example, identifying information, such
as a password or social security number, may be masked from the
customer service representative while other identifying
information, such as a username, may be passed on to the customer
service representative.
[0111] In one embodiment, the ID request module 1106 receives a
verbal prompt from the customer service representative and relays
the verbal prompt as the request. In another embodiment, the ID
request module 1106 sends an electronic message asking the customer
to input the identifying information. For example, the ID request
module 1106 may send a message to the client apparatus 120 to
trigger the client apparatus 120 to ask the customer to input the
identifying information. The client apparatus 120 may display a
message on a display, may activate a fingerprint reader and display
instructions, may activate a camera for a retina scan and may
display instructions for the retina scan, etc.
[0112] The request may ask the customer to provide a particular
type of identifying information or may ask the customer to follow
certain steps. In another embodiment, the request may be for more
than one type of identifying information. For example, the request
may be for a password along with a fingerprint scan. In other
embodiments, the request may be for other biometric information. In
one embodiment, the ID request module 1106 electronically signals
the client apparatus 120 and/or electronic device 106 to trigger a
request by the client apparatus 120 and/or electronic device 106.
In another embodiment, the ID request module 1106 sends a request
and the client apparatus 120 and/or electronic device 120 passes on
the request. One of skill in the art will recognize other forms of
a request to the customer to provide identifying information.
[0113] Masking the identifying information from the customer
service representative includes hiding, concealing, etc. the
identifying information in a way that the identifying information
is unavailable to the customer service representative. For example,
where the identifying information is a fingerprint, the customer
may input a fingerprint using a fingerprint scanner on the
electronic device 106 and the customer service representative does
not receive the fingerprint and cannot access any fingerprint or
other biometric information stored in the customer profile 122. In
another example, where the identifying information is a password,
the customer may input the password on a keypad of the electronic
device 106 without the customer service representative receiving
the password or having access to a stored password in the customer
profile 122. In the case of a voiceprint, the customer may say a
certain phrase that may be analyzed to identify the customer and
the customer service representative may not receive audio when the
customer is repeating the phrase and may not have access to voice
analysis data used to compare to a stored voice print. One of skill
in the art will recognize other techniques for masking or
concealing identifying information from the customer service
representative while being input by the customer or being stored in
the customer profile 122.
[0114] In one embodiment, the apparatus 1100 includes an ID
confirmation module 1108 that receives an identification
confirmation in response to the identifying information input by
the customer matching the information to identify the customer in
the customer profile. The identification confirmation does not
include the identifying information, but indicates the match
between the identifying information input by the customer and the
information to identify the customer in the customer profile. In
one embodiment, the client apparatus 120 compares the identifying
information input by the customer and the information to identify
the customer in the customer profile. In another embodiment, a
computer external to the electronic device 106 compares the
identifying information input by the customer and the information
to identify the customer in the customer profile.
[0115] In one embodiment, the device or service that compares the
identifying information input by the customer and the information
to identify the customer in the customer profile and identifies a
match is a trusted source complying with identification
requirements of the company. For example, verifying a match between
the identifying information input by the customer and the
information to identify the customer in the customer profile may be
part of a service that authenticates identification that meets
security requirements of the company. The service that
authenticates identification may comply with government standards,
company standards, industry standards, and the like. The service
that compares the identifying information input by the customer and
the information to identify the customer in the customer profile
and authenticates identification of the customer may provide
assurances with regard to accuracy or other standards so that the
company accepts the identification confirmation without the
customer providing the identifying information to the customer
service representative.
[0116] In one embodiment, the customer profile 122 is stored via a
server 110 separate from the electronic device 106 of the customer
and the computer system (i.e. computer 102) of the company and the
server 110 sends the identification confirmation received by the ID
confirmation module 1108. In another embodiment, the customer
profile 122 is part of or is accessible to the electronic device
106 and the electronic device 106 sends the identification
confirmation.
[0117] FIG. 12 is a schematic block diagram illustrating an
embodiment of an apparatus 1200 for receiving sensitive
information. The apparatus 1200 includes another embodiment of the
telecommunication apparatus 118 with a communications module 1102
and an identification module 1104 which are substantially similar
to those described above in relation to the apparatus 1100 of FIG.
11. The apparatus 1200 also includes a profile permission module
1202 and a profile access module 1204, which are described
below.
[0118] In one embodiment, the apparatus 1200 includes a profile
permission module 1202 that receives electronic access to the
customer profile 122. The customer profile 122 includes personal
information of the customer, and the customer profile 122 is stored
electronically in a computer system external to a computer system
(i.e. computer 102) available to the company and to the customer
service representative. The profile permission module 1202, in
various embodiments, receives electronic access to the customer
profile 122 by receiving a link to a location of the customer
profile 122, by receiving a password to access the customer profile
122, by receiving a token with information about accessing the
customer profile 122, and the like. The computer system storing the
customer profile 122 may include a computer external to the
electronic device 106, such as the server 110 of the system 101 of
FIG. 1B, or may include the electronic device 106. In various
embodiments, the profile permission module 1202 is similar to the
billing profile access module 206 and/or the billing profile module
408 describe above in relation to the apparatuses 200, 300, 400,
500 of FIGS. 2-5.
[0119] The apparatus 1200 includes, in one embodiment, a profile
access module 1204 that accesses the customer profile 122 to
transmit information from the customer profile 122 to the computer
system of the company over a network 114, wherein the transmitted
information of the customer profile is unavailable for viewing by
the customer service representative. For example, the profile
access module 1204 may receive and/or transfer the information from
the customer profile 122 to the computer system of the company
(i.e. computer 102) without displaying the information from the
customer profile 122 on a display 116 accessible to the customer
service representative. The computer system of the company may then
use the information from the customer profile 122 in a way
consistent with a need for receiving the information from the
customer profile 122.
[0120] For example, where the information is medical information,
the computer system of the company, which may be a HIPAA compliant
computer, may provide access to the doctor of the customer while
blocking access to the information from a medical assistant calling
the customer to get the information. In another example, where the
customer is seeking an airline reservation and the company is an
airline, the profile access module 1204 may access information from
the customer profile 122 required for a flight, such as date of
birth of the customer, an address, credit card information, etc.
and the profile access module 1204 may populate a flight
reservation form without a customer service representative of the
airline seeing the information.
[0121] In one embodiment, the profile access module 1204 accesses
the information in the customer profile 122 by downloading the
information from the customer profile 122. In another embodiment,
the profile access module 1204 accesses the information in the
customer profile 122 by receiving the information after a server
110, electronic device 106, etc. transmits the information from the
customer profile 122. In one embodiment, the profile permission
module 1202 receives electronic access to the customer profile 122
and the profile access module 1204 accesses the customer profile
122 to transmit information from the customer profile 122 in one
step. For example, the client apparatus 120 may send the
information from the customer profile 122 where the
telecommunication apparatus 118 both receives electronic access to
the information and accesses the information from the customer
profile 122.
[0122] In one embodiment, the profile permission module 1202
receives electronic access to the customer profile 122 and the
profile access module 1204 accesses the customer profile 122 to
transmit information from the customer profile 122 after an action
by the customer. For example, the customer may press a button on a
display of the electronic device 106 authorizing access, may enter
a code, a fingerprint or other biometric information, a retina
scan, etc. In another embodiment, the client apparatus 120
automatically provides permission to access the information in the
customer profile 122 after an authentication process.
[0123] In one embodiment, the customer service representative
establishes the telephonic connection and receives the identifier
through a display interface of a customer service application
running on a computer accessible to the customer service
representative (i.e. computer 102) and where the application
receives electronic access to the customer profile 122 and accesses
the customer profile 122 to transmit information from the customer
profile 122. The application utilizes the information from the
customer profile 122 without displaying the information from the
customer profile 122 to the customer service representative. In one
embodiment, the telecommunication apparatus 118 includes the
application. The telecommunication apparatus 118 differs from other
systems that independently establish a telephonic connection and
send data by integrating sensitive data transfer with a phone call
between the customer and the customer service representative in a
way that the sensitive information is masked from the customer
service representative.
[0124] FIG. 13 is a schematic block diagram illustrating an
embodiment of an apparatus 1300 for confirming identification of a
customer and receiving sensitive information. The apparatus 1300
includes an embodiment of the telecommunication apparatus 118 with
a communications module 1102, an identification module 1104, an ID
request module 1106, an ID confirmation module 1108, a profile
permission module 1202, and a profile access module 1204 which are
substantially similar to those described above in relation to the
apparatuses 1100, 1200 of FIGS. 11 and 12. In various embodiments,
the apparatus 1300 may also include a communications module 1302, a
limit module 1304 in the profile access module 1204, a notification
module 1306, and a registration module 1308, which are described
below.
[0125] In one embodiment, the apparatus 1300 operates to verify the
identity of the customer, as with the apparatus 1100 of FIG. 11,
and receives sensitive information from the customer profile 122
without disclosing the information to the customer service
representative, as with the apparatus 1200 of FIG. 12. Note that
the communications module 1102, an identification module 1104, an
ID request module 1106, an ID confirmation module 1108, a profile
permission module 1202, and a profile access module 1204 operate
while the customer is telephonically connected to the customer
service representative. In one embodiment, the profile permission
module 1202 receives electronic access to the customer profile 122
after the ID confirmation module 1108 receives the identification
confirmation and the profile access module 1204 accesses
information in the customer profile 122 after the profile
permission module 1202 receives electronic access to the customer
profile 122.
[0126] The apparatus 1300, in one embodiment, includes a
communications module 1302 that establishes a data connection, in
conjunction with the telephonic connection, between the company and
the customer. For example, the network 114 may be a cellular
network that transmits voice and data and the electronic device 106
may be capable of data transmission, running applications,
including the client apparatus 120, etc. during a phone call to the
customer service representative. In another embodiment, the
communications module 1302 establishes a data connection and the
telephonic connection over separate channels, separate
communication pathways, etc. In one embodiment, the data connection
and the telephonic connection are established using the electronic
device 106 of the customer, where the electronic device 106 is a
single electronic device. In another embodiment, the communications
module 1302 is substantially similar to the data communications
module 312 of the apparatus 300 of FIG. 3.
[0127] In one embodiment, the apparatus 1300 includes a profile
access module 1204 that includes a limit module 1304 that limits
information transmitted from the customer profile 122 to
information relevant to business interactions between the customer
and the company and that excludes transmitting of information in
the customer profile 122 that is not relevant to business
interactions between the customer and the company. For example, the
company may be a bank and the limit module 1304 may limit the
information transmitted from the customer profile 122 to customer
bank account information, a customer address, a social security
number of the customer, and other information relevant to banking
while excluding transmission of medical information stored in the
customer profile 122. In one embodiment, the telecommunication
apparatus 118 is limited during a setup process to information
relevant to the company operating the telecommunication apparatus
118. In other embodiments, the limit module 1304 limits information
based on a transaction type. One of skill in the art will recognize
other ways that the limit module 1304 may limit information
transmitted from the customer profile 122 to information relevant
to the type of business transactions occurring between the customer
and the company.
[0128] The apparatus 1300, in one embodiment, includes a
notification module 1306 that notifies the customer service
representative that the profile access module 1204 has received the
information from the customer profile 122. In another embodiment,
the notification module 1306 notifies the customer service
representative that the ID confirmation module 1108 received the
identification confirmation. In an embodiment where the apparatus
includes the modules 1102, 1104, 1106, 1108, 1202, 1204 for both
verifying identification of the customer and receiving sensitive
information, the notification may notify the customer service
representative that the profile access module 1204 has received the
information from the customer profile 122 and notify the customer
service representative that the ID confirmation module 1108
received the identification confirmation. Where the notification
module 1306 notifies the customer service representative that the
ID confirmation module 1108 received the identification
confirmation, the notification to the customer service
representative and the identification confirmation do not include
the identifying information input by the customer or stored in the
customer profile 122. Where the notification module 1306 that
notifies the customer service representative that the profile
access module 1204 has received the information from the customer
profile 122, the notification does not include the information from
the customer profile 122.
[0129] The apparatus 1300, in one embodiment, includes a
registration module 1308 that receives and stores information in
the customer profile 122 of the customer. The registration module
1308 receives and stores the information in the customer profile
122 in a transaction unrelated to the telephonic connection. While
the registration module 1308 is shown in the telecommunication
apparatus 118, the telecommunication apparatus 118 may merely
facilitate storing information in the customer profile 122 without
receiving information in the customer profile 122 so that the
information is transmitted from the customer to the customer
profile 122 without the information going to or through the
computer 102 of the company. In other embodiments, the registration
module 1308 is located in the client apparatus 120, the server 110
or other location independent of the computer system (i.e. computer
102) of the company. For example, a group or service provider
independent of the company may solicit customers to store a
customer profile 122 and may contract with companies to use a
service where customers can validate identity without sending
identifying information to the company and may send sensitive
information from the customer profile 122 of the customer to the
company without a customer service representative viewing the
sensitive information.
[0130] In one embodiment, information passed among the company, the
customer, and third-parties includes one or more tokens, where the
identifier and/or the information from the customer profile are
transmitted using one or more tokens. The tokens may be
substantially similar to the tokens discussed above in relation to
the apparatuses 200, 300, 400, 500 of FIGS. 2-5.
[0131] FIG. 14 is a schematic flow chart illustrating an embodiment
of a method 1400 for confirming identification of a customer. The
method 1400 begins and establishes 1402 a telephonic connection
between a customer service representative of a company and a
customer through an electronic device 106 of the customer. In one
embodiment, the communications module 1102 establishes 1402 the
telephonic connection. The method 1400 receives 1404 an identifier,
where the identifier alerts the customer service representative
and/or a computer system of the company that the customer has a
customer profile 122. The customer profile 122 includes information
to identify the customer. The identifier is received in conjunction
with the telephonic connection and the customer profile 122 stored
previous to the telephonic connection. In one embodiment, the
identification module 1104 receives 1404 an identifier.
[0132] The method 1400 send 1406 a request to the customer to
provide identifying information via the electronic device 106 of
the customer. The identifying information is input through the
electronic device 106 by the customer using an electronic,
non-verbal technique. In another embodiment, at least a portion of
the identifying input is masked from the customer service
representative. In one example, the ID request module 1106 sends
1406 a request to the customer to provide identifying information
via the electronic device 106. The method 1400 determines 1408 if
the identifying information input by the customer matches the
information to identify the customer in the customer profile 122.
If the method 1400 determines 1408 that the identifying information
input by the customer matches the information to identify the
customer in the customer profile 122, the method 1400 receives 1410
an identification confirmation, and the method 1400 ends. If the
method 1400 determines 1408 that the identifying information input
by the customer does not match the information to identify the
customer in the customer profile 122, the method 1400 ends. in one
example, the ID confirmation module 1108 receives 1410 the
identification confirmation.
[0133] FIG. 15 is a schematic flow chart illustrating an embodiment
of a method 1500 for receiving sensitive information. The method
1500 begins and establishes 1502 a telephonic connection between a
customer service representative of a company and a customer through
an electronic device 106 of the customer. In one embodiment, the
communications module 1102 establishes 1502 the telephonic
connection. The method 1500 receives 1504 an identifier, where the
identifier alerts the customer service representative and/or a
computer system of the company that the customer has a customer
profile 122. The customer profile 122 includes information to
identify the customer. The identifier is received in conjunction
with the telephonic connection and the customer profile 122 stored
previous to the telephonic connection. In one embodiment, the
identification module 1104 receives 1504 an identifier.
[0134] The method 1500 receives 1506 electronic access to the
customer profile 122. The customer profile 122 includes personal
information of the customer and the customer profile 122 is stored
electronically in a computer system external to a computer system
available to the company and to the customer service
representative. In one example, the profile permission module 1202
receives 1506 electronic access to the customer profile 122. The
method 1500 accesses 1508 the customer profile 122 to transmit
information from the customer profile 122 to the computer system of
the company over a network, where the transmitted information of
the customer profile 122 is unavailable for viewing by the customer
service representative, and the method 1500 ends. In one
embodiment, the profile access module 1204 accesses 1508 the
customer profile 122.
[0135] FIG. 16 is a schematic flow chart illustrating an embodiment
of a method 1600 for confirming identification of a customer and
receiving sensitive information. The method 1600 begins and
receives 1602 and stores customer information in a customer profile
122 of a customer. In one embodiment, the registration module 1308
receives 1602 and stores customer information in a customer profile
122. The method 1600 establishes 1604 a telephonic connection
between a customer service representative of a company and a
customer through an electronic device 106 of the customer. In one
embodiment, the communications module 1102 establishes 1604 the
telephonic connection. The method 1500 receives 1606 an identifier,
where the identifier alerts the customer service representative
and/or a computer system of the company that the customer has a
customer profile 122. The customer profile 122 includes information
to identify the customer. The identifier is received in conjunction
with the telephonic connection and the customer profile 122 stored
previous to the telephonic connection. In one embodiment, the
identification module 1104 receives 1606 the identifier.
[0136] The method 1600 sends 1608 a request to the customer to
provide identifying information via the electronic device 106 of
the customer, where the identifying information is input through
the electronic device 106 by the customer using an electronic,
non-verbal technique. In one embodiment, at least a portion of the
identifying information is masked from the customer service
representative. The method 1600 determines 1610 if the identifying
information input by the customer matches the information to
identify the customer in the customer profile 122. If the method
1600 determines 1610 that the identifying information input by the
customer does not match the information to identify the customer in
the customer profile 122, the method 1600 receives 1612 an
identification rejection and returns and sends 1608 another request
to the customer to provide identifying information via the
electronic device 106 of the customer. If the method 1600
determines 1610 that the identifying information input by the
customer matches the information to identify the customer in the
customer profile 122, the method 1600 receives 1614 an
identification confirmation and notifies 1616 the customer service
representative of the identification confirmation. The notification
module 1306 notifies 1616 the customer service representative.
[0137] The method 1600 transmits 1618 a request from the customer
service representative to the customer to provide information from
the customer profile 122. For example, the customer service
representative may request the information using the telephonic
connection or electronically through the client apparatus 120. The
request may be for specific information and the customer may
authorize specific information from the customer profile 122 to be
transmitted. The method 1600 receives 1620 electronic access to the
customer profile 122, where the customer profile includes personal
information of the customer. The customer profile 122 is stored
electronically in a computer system external to a computer system
available to the company and to the customer service
representative. The method 1600 accesses 1622 the customer profile
122 to transmit information from the customer profile 122 to the
computer system of the company over a network, where the
transmitted information of the customer profile 122 is unavailable
for viewing by the customer service representative, the method 1600
notifies 1624 the customer service representative that the
information from the customer profile 122 has been accessed, and
the method 1600 ends. In one embodiment, the notification module
1306 notifies 1624 the customer service representative.
[0138] FIG. 17 is a schematic block diagram illustrating an
embodiment of an apparatus 1700 for a customer to confirm
identification. The apparatus 1700 includes one embodiment of the
client apparatus 120 that includes a communications module 1702, an
identification send module 1704, an ID request receiver module
1706, an ID input module 1708, an ID comparison module 1710, and an
ID confirmation transmit module 1712, which are described below.
The client apparatus 120 is shown in the electronic device 106 in
FIG. 1B, but may be in the server 110 or may be split between the
electronic device 106 of the customer and one or more other
computing devices.
[0139] The apparatus 1700, in one embodiment, includes a
communications module 1702 that a telephonic connection between a
customer service representative of a company and a customer through
an electronic device 106 of a customer. For example, the client
apparatus 120 may include an application running on the electronic
device 106 and the customer may access the application and the
communications module 1702 may establish the telephonic connection.
In one embodiment, the communications module 1102 of the
telecommunication apparatus 118 and the communications module 1702
of the client apparatus 120 work together to establish the
telephonic connection.
[0140] The apparatus 1700, in one embodiment, includes an
identification send module 1704 that sends an identifier, where the
identifier alerts the customer service representative and/or a
computer system of the company that the customer has a customer
profile 122. The customer profile 122 includes information to
identify the customer, and the identifier is received in
conjunction with the telephonic connection. The customer profile
122 is stored previous to the telephonic connection. For example,
the registration module 1308 may be part of the client apparatus
120 and may be used to receive and store information from the
customer in the customer profile 122 of the customer.
[0141] For example, when a customer calls a company and establishes
a telephonic connection with a customer service representative of
the company, the identification send module 1704 may alert the
customer service representative that the customer has previously
stored a customer profile 122 and is a user of an application that
facilitates identification of the customer and/or transfer of
sensitive information to the company without the customer service
representative viewing the sensitive information. The
identification send module 1704 may alert the customer service
representative so that the customer service representative handles
the call differently than other calls where a customer does not
have a stored customer profile 122. The identification send module
1704 may alert the customer service representative at the beginning
of the telephonic connection or at a time chosen by the
customer.
[0142] The apparatus 1700 includes, in one embodiment, an ID
request receiver module 1706 that receives a request from the
customer service representative and/or the computer system of the
company to provide identifying information via the electronic
device 106 of the customer and that displays the request to the
customer via the electronic device 106. For example, during a
telephone communication between the customer and the customer
service representative, the customer may need to verify the
customer's identity for some reason. For example, the customer
service representative may require confirmation of identity of the
customer before providing information to the customer. The request,
in one embodiment, is an electronic request initiated by the
customer service representative or by the telecommunications
apparatus 118 that arrives through the electronic device 106.
[0143] The apparatus 1700, in one example, includes an ID input
module 1708 that receives through the electronic device 106 the
identifying information from the customer using an electronic,
non-verbal technique. In one embodiment, at least a portion of the
identifying information is masked from the customer service
representative. For example, the ID input module 1708 may receive
the identifying information through a fingerprint reader or other
biometric reader, a camera performing a retina scan on the
customer, entry of a password by the customer via a keyboard of the
electronic device 106, etc. In each instance, the input of the
customer of the identifying information may be masked from the
customer service representative.
[0144] The apparatus 1700, in one embodiment, includes an ID
comparison module 1710 that compares the identifying information
input by the customer with the information to identify the customer
in the customer profile 122. For example, if the customer
previously stored a fingerprint of the right index finger in the
customer profile, the ID comparison module 1710 compares input from
a fingerprint reader on the electronic device 106 or connected to
the electronic device 106. The ID comparison module 1710 compares
the type of information input by the customer with similar
information stored in the customer profile 122. In one embodiment,
the customer profile 122 is secure to prevent tampering by
unauthorized individuals so that the comparison of the ID
comparison module 1710 has a high degree of accuracy in verifying
the identity of the customer.
[0145] The apparatus 1700, in one embodiment, includes an ID
confirmation transmit module 1712 that transmits an identification
confirmation to the computer system of the company in response to
the identifying information input by the customer matching the
information to identify the customer in the customer profile 122.
In another embodiment, the ID confirmation transmit module 1712
transmits an identification rejection where the identifying
information input by the user does not match the information in the
customer profile 122. The identification confirmation does not
include the identifying information input by the customer or stored
in the customer profile 122, which facilitates verification of
identity of the customer without exposing the customer service
representative to the identifying information.
[0146] FIG. 18 is a schematic block diagram illustrating an
embodiment of an apparatus 1800 for a customer to control
transmission of sensitive information. The apparatus 1800 includes
one embodiment of a client apparatus 120 with a communications
module 1702, and an identification send module 1704, which are
substantially similar to those described above in relation to the
apparatus 1700 of FIG. 17. The apparatus 1800 also includes a
profile permission transmit module 1802, which is described
below.
[0147] The apparatus 1900, in one embodiment, includes a profile
permission transmit module 1802 that provides electronic access to
the customer profile 122. The customer profile 122 includes
personal information of the customer and the customer profile 122
is stored electronically in a computer system external to a
computer system available to the company and to the customer
service representative. The profile permission transmit module
1802, in one embodiment, provides electronic access to the customer
profile 122 after a verification process. In another embodiment,
the profile permission transmit module 1802 provides electronic
access to the customer profile 122 without verifying identification
of the customer.
[0148] In one embodiment, the profile permission transmit module
1802 provides access to the information in the customer profile 122
after a request for information from the telecommunications
apparatus 118, the computing system of the company, or the customer
service representative. In another embodiment, the computer system
of the company accesses the customer profile 122 to transmit
information from the customer profile 122 to the computer system of
the company over a network, where the transmitted information of
the customer profile 122 is unavailable for viewing by the customer
service representative.
[0149] FIG. 19 is a schematic block diagram illustrating an
embodiment of an apparatus 1900 for a customer to confirm
identification and to control transmission of sensitive
information. The apparatus 1900 includes another embodiment of the
client apparatus 120 with a communications module 1702, an
identification send module 1704, an ID request receiver module
1706, an ID input module 1708, an ID comparison module 1710, and an
ID confirmation transmit module 1712, which are substantially
similar to those describe above in relation to the apparatus 1700
of FIG. 17 and a profile permission transmit module 1802, which is
substantially similar to that describe above in relation to the
apparatus 1800 of FIG. 18. The apparatus 1900, in various
embodiments, includes an information limit module 1902, and a
registration module 1904, which are described below.
[0150] In one embodiment, the apparatus 1900 includes an
information limit module 1902 that limits which information in the
customer profile 122 is accessible by the computer system of the
company. For example, the information limit module 1902 may detect
a company type and may make available only information pertaining
to the business transactions of the company. In another embodiment,
the information limit module 1902 receives, from the customer,
selections of which information in the customer profile 122 is
accessible by the computer system of the company. For example,
where the company is a healthcare provider, the information limit
module 1902 may receive input from the customer to limit
information made accessible to the company to only medical
information. One of skill in the art will recognize other ways to
limit which information in a customer profile 122 is accessible to
a company.
[0151] The apparatus 1900, in one embodiment, includes a
registration module 1904 that receives and stores information in
the customer profile 122 of the customer. The registration module
1904 receives and stores the information in the customer profile
122 in a transaction unrelated to the telephonic connection. For
example, the customer may store personal information in the
customer profile 122 to be used with various companies such as
medical professionals, airlines, financial institutions, vendors,
merchants, government institutions, etc. before the information is
accessed by the companies.
[0152] FIG. 20 is a schematic flow chart illustrating an embodiment
of a method 2000 for a customer to confirm identification. The
method 2000 begins and establishes 2002 a telephonic connection
between a customer service representative of a company and a
customer through an electronic device 106 of the customer. The
communications module 1702 may establish 2002 the telephonic
connection, in one embodiment. The method 2000 sends 2004 an
identifier, where the identifier alerts the customer service
representative and/or a computer system of the company that the
customer has a customer profile 122. The customer profile 122
includes information to identify the customer and the identifier is
received in conjunction with the telephonic connection. The
customer profile 122 is stored previous to the telephonic
connection. In one embodiment, the identification send module 1704
sends 2004 the identifier.
[0153] The method 2000 receives 2006 a request from the customer
service representative to provide identifying information via the
electronic device 106 of the customer and displays 2008 the request
to the customer via the electronic device 106. The ID request
receiver module 1706, in one embodiment, receives 2006 the request
and displays 2008 the request on the electronic device 106. The
method 2000 receives 2010 the identifying information through the
electronic device 106 from the customer using an electronic,
non-verbal technique. The identifying information may be masked
from the customer service representative. For example, the ID input
module 1708 may receive 2010 the identifying information from the
customer.
[0154] The method 2000 compares 2012 the identifying information
input by the customer with the information to identify the customer
in the customer profile 122. In one example, the ID comparison
module 1710 compares 2012 the identifying information input by the
customer with the information to identify the customer in the
customer profile 122. The method 2000 determines 2014 if the
identifying information input by the customer matches the
information to identify the customer in the customer profile 122.
If the method 2000 determines 2014 that the identifying information
input by the customer does not match the information to identify
the customer in the customer profile 122, the method 2000 transmits
2016 an identification rejection to the computer system of the
company and/or to the customer service representative, and the
method 2000 returns and receives 2006 a request for the user to
input identifying information. If the method 2000 determines 2014
that the identifying information input by the customer matches the
information to identify the customer in the customer profile 122,
the method 2000 transmits an identification confirmation to the
computer system of the company, and the method 2000 ends. The ID
confirmation transmit module 1712 may determine 2014 if the
identifying information input by the customer matches the
information to identify the customer in the customer profile 122,
may transmit 2016 the identification rejection, and may transmit
2018 the identification confirmation.
[0155] FIG. 21 is a schematic flow chart illustrating an embodiment
of a method 2100 for a customer to confirm identification and to
control transmission of sensitive information. The method 2100
begins and receives 2102 and stores information in the customer
profile 122 of the customer. The registration module 1904, in one
embodiment, receives 2102 and stores information in the customer
profile 122 of the customer. The method 2100 establishes 2104 a
telephonic connection between a customer service representative of
a company and a customer through an electronic device 106 of the
customer. The method 2100 sends 2106 an identifier, where the
identifier alerts the customer service representative and/or a
computer system of the company that the customer has a customer
profile 122. The customer profile 122 includes information to
identify the customer and the identifier is received in conjunction
with the telephonic connection. The customer profile 122 is stored
previous to the telephonic connection.
[0156] The method 2100 receives 2108 a request from the customer
service representative and/or computer system of the company to
provide identifying information via the electronic device 106 of
the customer and displays 2110 the request to the customer via the
electronic device 106. The method 2100 receives 2112 identifying
information from the customer using an electronic, non-verbal
technique. The identifying information may be masked from the
customer service representative.
[0157] The method 2100 compares 2114 the identifying information
input by the customer with the information to identify the customer
in the customer profile 122. The method 2100 determines 2116 if the
identifying information input by the customer matches the
information to identify the customer in the customer profile 122.
If the method 2100 determines 2116 that the identifying information
input by the customer does not match the information to identify
the customer in the customer profile 122, the method 2100 transmits
2118 an identification rejection to the computer system of the
company and/or to the customer service representative, and the
method 2100 returns and receives 2108 a request for the user to
input identifying information.
[0158] If the method 2100 determines 2116 that the identifying
information input by the customer matches the information to
identify the customer in the customer profile 122, the method 2100
transmits 2120 an identification confirmation to the computer
system of the company. The method 2100 limits 2122 which
information in the customer profile 122 is accessible by the
computer system of the company. In one embodiment, the method 2100
receives, from the customer, selections of which information in the
customer profile 122 is accessible by the computer system of the
company. In one embodiment, the information limit module 1902
limits 2122 which information in the customer profile 122 is
accessible by the computer system of the company. The method 2100
provides 2124 electronic access to the customer profile 122, and
the method 2100 ends. The customer profile 122 includes personal
information of the customer and the customer profile 122 is stored
electronically in a computer system external to a computer system
available to the company and to the customer service
representative. In one example, the profile permission transmit
module 1802 provides 2124 electronic access to the customer profile
122.
[0159] The present invention may be embodied in other specific
forms without departing from its spirit or essential
characteristics. The described embodiments are to be considered in
all respects only as illustrative and not restrictive. The scope of
the invention is, therefore, indicated by the appended claims
rather than by the foregoing description. All changes which come
within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are to be
embraced within their scope.
* * * * *