U.S. patent application number 09/160558 was filed with the patent office on 2002-05-16 for method and apparatus for providing integrated routing for pstn and ipnt calls in a call center.
Invention is credited to MILOSLAVSKY, ALEC, SHENKMAN, GRIGORY.
Application Number | 20020057674 09/160558 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 22577387 |
Filed Date | 2002-05-16 |
United States Patent
Application |
20020057674 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
SHENKMAN, GRIGORY ; et
al. |
May 16, 2002 |
METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PROVIDING INTEGRATED ROUTING FOR PSTN AND
IPNT CALLS IN A CALL CENTER
Abstract
An integrated router (IR) in a call center monitors and controls
both a telephony switch receiving and forwarding
connection-oriented, switched telephony (COST) calls and a Data
Network Telephony (DNT) processor receiving and forwarding DNT
calls. The one IR consults a common data repository storing status
of agents on both types of calls, and routes all calls according to
a single set of rules, which can take a variety of forms. In one
embodiment telephones at agent stations are adapted to handle both
OST and DNT calls.
Inventors: |
SHENKMAN, GRIGORY; (SOUTH
SAN FRANCISCO, CA) ; MILOSLAVSKY, ALEC;
(HILLSBOROUGH, CA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
CENTRAL COAST PATENT AGENCY
PO BOX 187
AROMAS
CA
95004
US
|
Family ID: |
22577387 |
Appl. No.: |
09/160558 |
Filed: |
September 24, 1998 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
370/352 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H04M 3/523 20130101;
H04M 3/5191 20130101; H04Q 3/72 20130101; H04M 3/493 20130101; H04M
3/42323 20130101; H04L 65/401 20220501; H04L 65/1104 20220501; H04M
7/006 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
370/352 |
International
Class: |
H04L 012/66 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. An integrated router (IR) comprising: a first link adapted to
connect the IR to a telephony switch capable of receiving and
switching connection-oriented, switched telephony (COST) calls to
connected telephones at agent stations; a second link adapted to
connect the IR to a DNT processor capable of receiving and
switching data network telephony (DNT) calls to network-connected
DNT interface equipment at the agent stations; and control routines
adapted for monitoring and controlling both the telephony switch
and the DNT processor; wherein the telephony switch and the DNT
processor report incoming calls, whether COST or DNT, to the IR,
and the IR controls the telephony switch and the DNT processor to
route calls to available agent stations under a single set of
rules.
2. The IR of claim 1 wherein the IR is connected by the first link
to a telephony switch through a CTI processor.
3. The IR of claim 1 wherein the IR accesses a real-time data base
storing agent status.
4. A call center comprising: a telephony switch capable of
receiving and switching connection-oriented, switched telephony
(COST) calls to connected telephones at agent stations; a DNT
processor capable of receiving and switching data network telephony
(DNT) calls to network-connected DNT interface equipment at the
agent stations; and an integrated router adapted to monitor and
control both the telephony switch and the DNT processor; wherein
the telephony switch and the DNT processor report incoming calls,
whether COST or DNT, to the IR, and the IR controls the telephony
switch and the DNT processor to route calls to available agent
stations under a single set of rules.
5. The call center of claim 4 wherein the IR is connected by the
first link to a telephony switch through a CTI processor.
6. The call center of claim 4 wherein the IR accesses a real-time
data base storing agent status.
7. The call center of claim 4 wherein selected agent stations have
both a COST-capable telephone and a personal computer with a video
display unit (PC/VDU), and the telephone is connected to the PC/VDU
through a sound card such that the telephone can be used for both
COST and DNT calls.
8. The call center of claim 7 wherein the telephone is a headset
telephone.
9. A method for commonly routing COST and DNT calls in a call
center, comprising steps of: (a) informing an integrated router
(IR) of connection-oriented, switched telephony (COST) calls
received at a telephony switch connected to telephones at agent
stations; (b) informing the IR of Data Network Telephony (DNT)
calls received at a DNT-capable call center; (c) consulting an
agent-availability data repository; and (d) routing the COST and
DNT calls commonly to the agent stations based on agent
availability.
10. The method of claim 9 wherein in step (c) the
agent-availability repository is updated in real time.
11. The method of claim 9 wherein in step (d) additional routing
rules are used beyond agent availability.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention is in the field of telephony
communication and pertains more particularly to methods and
apparatus for seamless integration in routing of network-based
connection-orientated, switched telephony (COST) and Data Network
Telephony (DNT) calls, such as Internet-Protocol-Network-Telephony
(IPNT) calls, within a call center.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] In the field of telephony communication, there have been
many improvements in technology over the years that have
contributed to more efficient use of telephone communication within
hosted call-center environments. Most of these improvements involve
integrating the telephones and switching systems in such call
centers with computer hardware and software adapted for, among
other things, better routing of telephone calls, faster delivery of
telephone calls and associated information, and improved service
with regards to client satisfaction. Such computer enhanced
telephony is known in the art as computer-telephony integration
(CTI).
[0003] Generally speaking, CTI implementations of various design
and purpose are accomplished both within individual call-centers
and, in some cases, at the network level. For example, processors
running CTI software applications may be linked to telephone
switches, service control points (SCP), and network entry points
within a public or private telephone network. At the call-center
level, CTI-enhanced processors, data servers, transaction servers,
and the like, are linked to telephone switches and, in some cases,
to similar CTI hardware at the network level, often by a dedicated
digital link. CTI and other hardware within a call-center is
commonly referred to as customer premises equipment (CPE). It is
the CTI processor and application software at such centers that
provides computer enhancement to a call center.
[0004] In a CTI-enhanced call center, telephones at agent stations
are connected to a central telephony switching apparatus, such as
an automatic call distributor (ACD) switch or a private branch
exchange (PBX). The agent stations may also be equipped with
computer terminals such as personal computer/video display unit's
(PC/VDU's) so that agents manning such stations may have access to
stored data as well as being linked to incoming callers by
telephone equipment. Such stations may be interconnected through
the PC/VDUs by a local area network (LAN). One or more data or
transaction servers may also be connected to the LAN that
interconnects agent stations. The LAN is, in turn, connected to the
CTI processor, which is connected to the call switching apparatus
of the call center.
[0005] When a call arrives at a call center, whether or not the
call has been pre-processed at an SCP, typically at least the
telephone number of the calling line is made available to the
receiving switch at the call center by the network provider. This
service is available by most networks as caller-ID information in
one of several formats such as Automatic Number Identification
Service (ANIS). If the call center is computer enhanced (CTI) the
phone number of the calling party may be used to access additional
information from a customer information system (CIS) database at a
server on the network that connects the agent workstations. In this
manner information pertinent to a call may be provided to an agent,
often as a screen pop.
[0006] In recent years, advances in computer technology, telephony
equipment, and infrastructure have provided many opportunities for
improving telephone service in publicly-switched and private
telephone intelligent networks. Similarly, development of a
separate information and data network known as the Internet,
together with advances in computer hardware and software have led
to a new multi-media telephone system known in the art by several
names. In this new systemology, telephone calls are simulated by
multi-media computer equipment, and data, such as audio data, is
transmitted over data networks as data packets. In this application
the broad term used to describe such computer-simulated telephony
is Data Network Telephony (DTN).
[0007] For purposes of nomenclature and definition, the inventors
wish to distinguish clearly between what might be called
conventional telephony, which is the telephone service enjoyed by
nearly all citizens through local telephone companies and several
long-distance telephone network providers, and what has been
described herein as computer-simulated telephony or data-network
telephony (DNT). The conventional system is familiar to nearly all,
and is often referred to in the art as
connection-oriented-switched-telephony (COST). The COST designation
will be used extensively herein. The computer-simulated, or DNT
systems are familiar to those who use and understand computer
systems. Perhaps the best example of DNT is telephone service
provided over the Internet, which will be referred to herein as
Internet-Protocol-Network-Telephony (IPNT), by far the most
extensive, but still a subset of DNT.
[0008] Both systems use signals transmitted over network links. In
fact, connection to data networks for DNT such as IPNT is typically
accomplished over local telephone lines, used to reach such as an
Internet Service Provider (ISP). The definitive difference is that
COST telephony may be considered to be connection-oriented
telephony. In the COST system, calls are placed and connected by a
specific dedicated path, and the connection path is maintained over
the time of the call. Bandwidth is thus assured. Other calls and
data do not share a connected channel path in a COST system. In a
DNT system, on the other hand, the system is not dedicated or
connection oriented. That is, data, including audio data, is
prepared, sent, and received as data packets. The data packets
share network links, and may travel by variable paths, being
reassembled into serial order after receipt. Therefore, bandwidth
is not guaranteed.
[0009] Under ideal operating circumstances a DNT network, such as
the Internet, has all of the audio quality of conventional public
and private intelligent telephone-networks, and many advantages
accruing from the aspect of direct computer-to-computer linking.
However, DNT applications must share the bandwidth available on the
network in which they are traveling. As a result, real-time voice
communication may at times suffer dropout and delay. This is at
least partially due to packet loss experienced during periods of
less-than-needed bandwidth which may prevail under certain
conditions such as congestion during peak periods of use, and so
on.
[0010] Recent improvements to available technologies associated
with the transmission and reception of data packets during
real-time DNT communication have enabled companies to successfully
add DNT, principally IPNT capabilities, to existing CTI-enhanced
call centers. Such improvements, as described herein and known to
the inventor, include methods for guaranteeing available bandwidth
or quality of service (QoS) for a transaction, improved mechanisms
for organizing, coding, compressing, and carrying data more
efficiently using less bandwidth, and methods and apparatus for
intelligently replacing lost data by using voice supplementation
methods and enhanced buffering capabilities.
[0011] In typical call centers, DNT is accomplished by Internet
connection and IPNT calls. For this reason, IPNT and the Internet
will be used almost exclusively in examples to follow. It should be
understood, however, that this usage is exemplary, and not
limiting.
[0012] In systems known to the inventors, incoming IPNT calls are
processed and routed within an IPNT-capable call center in much the
same way as COST calls are routed in a CTI-enhanced center, using
similar or identical routing rules, waiting queues, and so on,
aside from the fact that there are two separate networks involved.
Call centers having both CTI and IPNT capability utilize
LAN-connected agent-stations with each station having a
telephony-switch-connected headset or phone, and a PC connected, in
most cases via LAN, to the LAN over which IPNT calls may be routed.
Therefore, in most cases, IPNT calls are routed to the agent's PC
while conventional telephony calls are routed to the agent's
conventional telephone or headset. However, a method known to the
inventor allows one headset to be used at an agent's station for
handling both IPNT and COST calls. This is accomplished via
connecting the agent's telephone to the sound card on the agent's
PC/VDU with an I/O cable. In most prior art and current art
systems, separate lines and equipment must be implemented for each
type of call weather COST or IPNT.
[0013] Due in part to added costs associated with additional
equipment, lines, and data ports that are needed to add IPNT
capability to a CTI-enhanced call-center, companies are currently
experimenting with various forms of integration between the older
COST system and the newer IPNT system. For example, by enhancing
data servers, interactive voice response units (IVR's),
agent-connecting networks, and so on, with the capability of
understanding Internet protocol, data arriving from either network
may be integrated requiring less equipment and lines to facilitate
processing, storage, and transfer of data. However, telephony
trunks and IPNT network lines representing the separate networks
involved still provide for significant costs and maintenance.
[0014] In some current art implementations, incoming data from the
COST network and the Internet is caused to run side by side from
the network level to a call center over a telephone connection
(T1/E1) acting as a telephone-data bridge, wherein a certain
channels are reserved for COST connection, and this portion is
dedicated as is necessary in COST protocol (connection oriented),
and the remainder is used for DNT such as IPNT calls, and for
perhaps other data transmission. Such a service is generally
offered by a local phone company. This service eliminates the
requirement for leasing numerous telephony trunks and data-network
connections. Routing and other equipment, however, must be
implemented at both the call center level and network level
significantly reducing any realized cost savings.
[0015] A significant disadvantage of such a bridge, having
dedicated equipment on each end, is the dedicated nature of
individual channels over the bridging link. Efficient use of
bandwidth cannot be assured during variable traffic conditions that
may prevail at certain times. For example, dedicated channels
assigned to IPNT traffic would not be utilized if there were not
enough traffic to facilitate their use. Similarly, if there was
more COST traffic than the allotted number of COST channels could
carry, no additional channels could be made available.
[0016] In a yet more advanced system, known in some call centers, a
central switch within the call center is enhanced with IP
conversion capability and can communicate via LAN to connected IP
phone-sets and PC's eliminating the need for regular telephone
wiring within a call center. However, the service is still
delivered via a telephone-data bridge as described above.
Therefore, additional requirements for equipment and inefficiency
regarding use of bandwidth are still factors.
[0017] In still other systems known to the inventor and illustrated
as prior art below, IPNT to COST conversion or COST to IPNT
conversion is performed within the call center instead of via a
network bridge. This is accomplished via a gateway connected to
both an IPNT router and a central telephony-switching apparatus. In
the first case, all calls are converted to and routed as COST calls
over internal telephone wiring to switch-connected headsets. In the
second case, all COST calls are converted to and routed as IPNT
calls over a LAN to individual PC/VDU's.
[0018] In all of the described prior art systems, the concerted
goal has been to integrate COST and IPNT data via converging at the
network level or within the call center. The addition of dedicated
hardware both at the network level and within the call center adds
to the expense of providing such integrated data.
[0019] What is clearly needed is a routing system enabled to route
both COST and IPNT calls to available agents sharing a LAN within a
call center while maintaining separate delivery and outbound
network architectures for the different media. A system such as
this would unify all routed events and could be used with COST/IPNT
capable headsets (known to the inventor) so an agent can handle
both media with the same headset.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0020] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention an
integrated router (IR) is provided, comprising a first link adapted
to connect the IR to a telephony switch capable of receiving and
switching connection-oriented, switched telephony (COST) calls to
connected telephones at agent stations; a second link adapted to
connect the IR to a DNT processor capable of receiving and
switching data network telephony (DNT) calls to network-connected
DNT interface equipment at the agent stations; and control routines
adapted for monitoring and controlling both the telephony switch
and the DNT processor. The telephony switch and the DNT processor
report incoming calls, whether COST or DNT, to the IR, and the IR
controls the telephony switch and the DNT processor to route calls
to available agent stations under a single set of rules. In some
embodiments IR is connected by the first link to a telephony switch
through a CTI processor. To gauge agent status the IR accesses a
real-time data base storing agent status.
[0021] In another aspect of the invention a call center is
provided, comprising a telephony switch capable of receiving and
switching connection-oriented, switched telephony (COST) calls to
connected telephones at agent stations; a DNT processor capable of
receiving and switching data network telephony (DNT) calls to
network-connected DNT interface equipment at the agent stations;
and an integrated router adapted to monitor and control both the
telephony switch and the DNT processor. In this aspect the
telephony switch and the DNT processor report incoming calls,
whether COST or DNT, to the IR, and the IR controls the telephony
switch and the DNT processor to route calls to available agent
stations under a single set of rules. In this embodiment the IR may
be connected by the first link to a telephony switch through a CTI
processor. Also, the IR accesses a real-time data base storing
agent status. In addition, selected agent stations may have both a
COST-capable telephone and a personal computer with a video display
unit (PC/VDU), with the telephone connected to the PC/VDU through a
sound card such that the telephone can be used for both COST and
DNT calls. The telephone may be a headset telephone.
[0022] In still another aspect a method for commonly routing COST
and DNT calls in a call center is provided, comprising steps of (a)
informing an integrated router (IR) of connection-oriented,
switched telephony (COST) calls received at a telephony switch
connected to telephones at agent stations; (b) informing the IR of
Data Network Telephony (DNT) calls received at a DNT-capable call
center; (c) consulting an agent-availability data repository; and
(d) routing the COST and DNT calls commonly to the agent stations
based on agent availability. In this method, in step (c) the
agent-availability repository is updated in real time, additional
routing rules may be used beyond agent availability.
[0023] The system of the invention, in its various aspects as
taught below in enabling detail, a low-cost and easily-implemented
solution to the need for common routing of incoming COST and DNT
calls is provided
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURES
[0024] FIG. 1 is a system diagram of a call center connected to a
telecommunication network using IPNT to COST conversion according
to prior art.
[0025] FIG. 2 is a system diagram of the call center and
telecommunication network of FIG. 1 using IPNT switching at the
call center according to prior art.
[0026] FIG. 3 is a system diagram of the call center and
telecommunication network of FIG. 1 enhanced with integrated
routing according to an embodiment of the present invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0027] FIG. 1 is a system diagram of a call center connected to a
telecommunication network using IPNT to COST conversion according
to prior art. As described briefly with regards to the background
section, various prior art telecommunication networks utilize
network-bridging techniques for the purpose of causing IPNT and
COST incoming calls to run parallel into the call center. In
current systems, as was also described, various implementations
have been made within the call center for converting IPNT to COST,
and conversely, COST to IPNT. FIG. 1 represents one such current
art system.
[0028] In FIG. 1 telecommunications network 11 comprises a
publicly-switched telephone network (PSTN) 13, the Internet network
15, and a call center 17. PSTN network 13 may be a private network
rather than a public network, and Internet 15 may be another public
or a private data network as are known in the art.
[0029] In this basic prior art example, call center 17 is equipped
to handle both COST calls and IPNT calls. Both COST calls and IPNT
calls are delivered to call-center 17 by separate network
connections. For example, a telephony switch 19 in the PSTN may
receive incoming telephone calls and rout them over a COST network
trunk 23 to a central switching apparatus 27 located within call
center 17. IPNT calls from Internet 15 are routed via a data router
21 over a data-network connection 25 to an IPNT router 29 within
call center 17. In this example, network switch 19 is meant to
represent a wide variety of processing and switching equipment in a
PSTN, and router 21 is exemplary of many routers and IP switches in
the Internet, as known in the art.
[0030] Call center 17 further comprises four agent stations 31, 33,
35, and 37. Each of these agent stations, such as agent station 31,
for example, comprises an agent's telephone 47 adapted for COST
telephone communication and an agent's PC/VDU 39 adapted for IPNT
communication and additional data processing and viewing. Agent's
telephones 47, 49, 51, and 53 along with agent's PC/VDU 39, 41, 43,
and 45 are in similar arrangement in agent stations 31, 33, 35, and
37 respectively. Agent's telephones, such as agent's telephone 49,
are connected to COST switching apparatus 27 via telephone wiring
56.
[0031] A LAN 55 connects agent's PC/VDU's to one another and to a
CPE IPNT router 29. A client-information-system (CIS) server 57 is
connected to LAN 55 and provides additional stored information
about callers to each LAN-connected agent. Router 29 routes
incoming IPNT calls to agent's PC/VDU's that are also LAN connected
as previously described. A data network connection 25 connects data
router 29 to data router 21 located in Internet 15. Specific
Internet access and connectivity is not shown, as such is well
known in the art, and may be accomplished in any one of several
ways. The salient feature to be emphasized in this prior art
example is that separate connections and equipment are necessary
and implemented to be able to handle both COST and IPNT calls at
the call center.
[0032] Each agent's PC/VDU, such as PC/VDU 45 has a connection via
LAN 55 and data network connection 25 to Internet 15 while the
assigned agent is logged on to the system, however, this is not
specifically required but rather preferred, so that incoming IPNT
calls may be routed efficiently. Dial-up connecting rather than a
continuous connection to Internet 15 may sometimes be employed.
[0033] An agent operating at an agent station such as agent station
33 may have COST calls arriving on agent'telephone 49 while IPNT
calls are arriving on agent's PC/VDU 41. In examples prior to this
example, router 29 would not have a connection to central switching
apparatus 27. Having no such connection creates a cumbersome
situation, requiring agents to distribute their time as best they
can between the two types of calls. Thus, agent time is not
utilized to maximum efficiency with respect to the total incoming
calls possible from both networks.
[0034] In this embodiment however, router 29 is connected to an
IPNT-to-COST gateway 59 via data connection 61. Gateway 59 is
connected to central switch 27 via CTI connection 63. Gateway 59 is
adapted to convert all incoming and outgoing IPNT calls to COST
calls where they may be routed over wiring 56 to agents (incoming),
or over trunk 23 to switch 19 in cloud 13 (outgoing). In this way,
agents may use switch-connected telephones, such as telephone 47 to
answer both IPNT-to-COST converts and regular incoming COST calls.
The agent's time is better utilized, and additional network
equipment comprising a network bridge and associated network
connections are not required.
[0035] This prior art example, however, presents some problems and
limitations. One problem is that traditional COST equipment such as
routers, switches, and wiring may have to be significantly expanded
to handle more traffic regarding the added call-load received from
cloud 15. Further, the ability to predict possible call overload
situations is significantly complicated because of the convergence
of IPNT calls into the COST routing system. As IPNT calls are now
received by agents as COST calls, certain features inherent to IPNT
applications will be lost such as multimedia enhancements, and the
like.
[0036] One advantage with this example is that calls originating as
IPNT calls within call center 17 may be sent as IPNT calls over
data connection 25, or as converted COST calls over trunk 23.
Another advantage is that LAN 55 is free to carry data other than
IPNT audio packets.
[0037] FIG. 2 is a system diagram of the call center and
telecommunication network of FIG. 1 using IPNT switching at the
call center according to prior art. This prior art example is
essentially reversed from the prior art example described in FIG.
1. For the sake of saving space and avoiding redundancy, elements
found in this example that are identical to the example of FIG. 1
will not be re-introduced.
[0038] Call center 17 receives COST calls from cloud 13 over trunk
23, and IPNT calls from cloud 15 over data connection 25 as
described with the prior art example of FIG. 1. However, instead of
having a central telephony-switch such as switch 27 of FIG. 1, a
COST-to-IPNT gateway 71 is provided and adapted to convert COST
calls to IPNT calls.
[0039] After converting incoming COST calls to IPNT calls, these
are routed via data connection 73 to an IPNT switch 75. IPNT switch
75 is adapted to distribute the resulting IPNT calls to selected
agent's over LAN 55. Regular IPNT calls are routed to LAN-connected
agents via router 29.
[0040] Agent's telephones 47-53 are, in this example, adapted as IP
phones and are each connected to LAN 55. Internal wiring and other
COST related architecture is not required, which is one distinct
advantage of this prior art system.
[0041] A disadvantage of this system is that there is no provision
to make outbound calls to the PSTN 13. Only further enhancement to
gateway 71 to convert IPNT calls to COST calls enables out-bound
dialing to PSTN 13 from within call center 17. Under heavy
call-load situations, a dual gateway such as would be the case with
gateway 71 may become congested and cause delay. Additional
apparatus may be required to alleviate this problem. In some cases
wherein there are concerted outbound campaigns taking place on a
frequent basis, it may be more prudent to maintain a COST switch
and internal wiring within call center 17 connected to either agent
telephones (maintaining dual capability) or, to add a second set of
telephones dedicated for outbound campaigns. Moreover, agents are
reintroduced with a problem solved in the example of FIG. 1 of
having to deal with incoming calls to both IP phones, and
PC/VDU's.
[0042] FIG. 3 is a system diagram of the call center and
telecommunication network of FIG. 1 enhanced with integrated
routing according to an embodiment of the present invention. As
discussed with reference to FIG. 2, common elements introduced with
the prior art example of FIG. 1 will not be reintroduced here
unless they are altered according to an embodiment of the present
invention.
[0043] According to a preferred embodiment of the present
invention, call center 17 receives COST and IPNT calls from their
respective separate networks comprising telecommunication system
11. Call center 17 is, in this example, enhanced with an integrated
router (IR) 83 capable of routing both COST calls and IPNT calls.
Central switch 27 is connected via CTI link to a processor running
instances of a CTI application known to the inventors as T-server
and Stat-server (TS/STAT). An intelligent peripheral in the form of
an IVR 84 is connected to processor 82 via data link 81. Processors
82 and IVR 84 provide CTI enhancement to switch 27, as well as an
application programming interface (API) to IR 83 via installed
software.
[0044] It will be apparent to the skilled artisan that processor
82, IVR 84 and IR 83 may be implemented in a single computing
machine executing all of the necessary software, but the functions
have separated here for clarity in description.
[0045] A multimedia data server (MIS) 87 is connected to LAN 55,
and is adapted to store and serve certain multimedia content as
known in the art. Switch 27 and Router 29 are maintained as
call-arrival points for calls arriving from either PSTN 13 or
Internet 15 adhering to the separate network-architecture
previously described.
[0046] IR 83 performs in an innovative manner in that it not only
controls central switch 27 through interaction with processor 82,
and therefore routing of COST calls, but also controls processor 29
and the routing of IPNT calls. IR 83 controls routing of both COST
and IPNT calls whether such calls are incoming or outgoing.
[0047] An agent status-table 86 is a real-time database containing
agent availability information, which is continually updated as
operation-of the call center proceeds. Table 86 may reside in IR 83
as shown, or may reside on processor 82 as part of the T-Server
software. Table 86 keeps track of when agents log on or off to the
system, and which agents are busy on calls (either COST or IPNT).
It will be appreciated that any combination of rules set by the
company hosting center 17 may be in place such as priority routing,
routing based on skill, statistical routing, and so on, in various
combinations known to the inventors.
[0048] Integrated routing as provided by IR 83 allows calls of both
types (COST/IPNT) to be distributed evenly among available agents
without adding expensive call conversion equipment, or effecting
outbound dialing capabilities.
[0049] Yet another improvement in this example over prior art
systems is known to the inventor and implemented at some or all
agent stations such as stations 31-37. As briefly described with
reference to the background section, agent stations 31-37 have
PC-connected telephones. An I/O cable completes this interface via
connection from a telephone receiver/transceiver apparatus such as
on telephone 53 to a sound card installed on an associated PC such
as PC/VDU 45. Individual one's of headsets such as headsets a-d are
connected either to each telephone or each PC/VDU and are adapted
to allow an agent to engage both COST and IPNT calls using the same
headset.
[0050] It will be apparent to one with skill in the art that the
integrated routing system of the present invention may be utilized
in any call center capable of receiving both COST and IPNT (or
other DNT) communication. It will also be apparent to one with
skill in the art that the present invention may implemented as part
of a CTI software package, or held separately and integrated with
such a CTI implementation. The present invention is limited only by
the claims that follow.
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