System and method for a work distribution service

• US 10,291,782 B2
• Filed: 05/14/2018
• Issued: 05/14/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Twilio, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Twilio, Inc.
• Inventors: Wolthuis, John, Brazier, Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): Hong, Harry S
• Application Number:
  US15/979,073
• Publication Number:
  US 20180262620A1
• Time in Patent Office: 365 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/063114 Status monitoring or status determination for a person or group
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0633 Workflow analysis
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5175 Call or contact centers supervision arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5232 Call distribution algorithms
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5233 Operator skill based call distribution
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5235 Dependent on call type or called number [DNIS]
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 10/50 Systems or methods supporting the power network operation or management, involving a certain degree of interaction with the load-side end user applications

Abstract

Systems and methods for a work distribution service. At a multi-tenant platform that provides a work distribution service for a plurality of external systems, a priority is assigned to a first work item of a first external system. The work item is received via a RESTful work item API call request. The priority is assigned based on work item attributes of the work item and a workflow instruction corresponding to workflow information specified by the work item. The workflow instruction is provided by the external system via a RESTful Workflow API. A worker is assigned to the work item based on: the priority of the work item, the workflow information, and worker state managed by the first external system via a RESTful Worker API. The worker state includes worker attributes. The work item is generated by the external system, and the workflow instruction is managed by the external system.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

an application server system associating a plurality of worker identifiers with a first account by providing at least one worker request to an external work distribution system via a network device of the application server system;

the application server system providing a first work item request to the work distribution system via the network device of the application server system, wherein the first work item request is a request of the first account; and

the application server system receiving first assignment information from the work distribution system via the network device of the application server system as a response to the first work item request, wherein the first assignment information specifies a first worker identifier of the plurality of worker identifiers associated with the first account and at least one work item attribute of the first work item request.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the work distribution system is a multitenant work distribution system that manages a plurality of accounts including the first account.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

the application server system processing a work item of the first work item request responsive to receipt of the first assignment information.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one work item attribute includes at least one of a value classification attribute, a language attribute, a segment attribute, and a region attribute.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the application server system is a system of a vehicular ride-share platform, wherein the first work item request is for a ride request work item, and wherein the first worker identifier is an identifier of a driver of the ride-share platform.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein the application server system is a system of a service booking platform, and wherein the first work item request is for a service booking work item.

7. The method of claim 3, wherein the application server system is a system of a question/solution platform, and wherein the first work item request is for a question/solution work item.

8. The method of claim 3, wherein the application server system is a system of a call center system, wherein the first work item request is for a call work item, and wherein the first worker identifier is an identifier of a call center agent of the call center system.

9. The method of claim 3, wherein the application server system is a system of CRM system.

10. The method of claim 3, wherein the application server system is a system of a customer service system, wherein the first work item request is for a customer service work item, and wherein the first worker identifier is an identifier of a customer service agent of the customer service system.

11. The method of claim 3, wherein the application server system is a system of a service provider system, wherein the first work item request is for a service provider work item, and wherein the first worker identifier is an identifier of a service provider of the service provider system.

12. An application server system comprising:

a network device;

at least one processing unit constructed to execute machine-executable instructions of at least one storage medium of the application server system; and

the at least one storage medium, wherein the at least one storage medium stores machine-executable instructions for controlling the application server system to;

associate a plurality of worker identifiers with a first account by providing at least one worker request to an external work distribution system via the network device;

provide a first work item request to the work distribution system via the network device, wherein the first work item request is a request of the first account; and

receive first assignment information from the work distribution system via the network device as a response to the first work item request, wherein the first assignment information specifies a first worker identifier of the plurality of worker identifiers associated with the first account and at least one work item attribute of the first work item request.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the at least one storage medium stores machine-executable instructions for controlling the application server system to process a work item of the first work item request responsive to receipt of the first assignment information.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the application server system is a system of a vehicular ride-share platform, wherein the first work item request is for a ride request work item, and wherein the first worker identifier is an identifier of a driver of the ride-share platform.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the application server system is a system of a service booking platform, and wherein the first work item request is for a service booking work item.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein the application server system is a system of a question/solution platform, and wherein the first work item request is for a question/solution work item.

17. The system of claim 13, wherein the application server system is a system of a call center system, wherein the first work item request is for a call work item, and wherein the first worker identifier is an identifier of a call center agent of the call center system.

18. The system of claim 13, wherein the application server system is a system of CRM system.

19. The system of claim 13, wherein the application server system is a system of a customer service system, wherein the first work item request is for a customer service work item, and wherein the first worker identifier is an identifier of a customer service agent of the customer service system.

20. The system of claim 13, wherein the application server system is a system of a service provider system, wherein the first work item request is for a service provider work item, and wherein the first worker identifier is an identifier of a service provider of the service provider system.