Integrated customer web station for web based call management

• US 20020054587A1
• Filed: 09/04/2001
• Published: 05/09/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 09/26/1997
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: MCI Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Gruber, Charles J., Chen, Yuchien, Chaffee, Susan L., Baker, Thomas E., Fishman, Howard P.
• Granted Patent: US 6,956,845 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/352
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/0709 in a distributed system consisting of a plurality of standalone computer nodes, e.g. clusters, client-server systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/0757 by exceeding a time limit, i.e. time-out, e.g. watchdogs
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/0769 Readable error formats, e.g. cross-platform generic formats, human understandable formats
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/0775 Content or structure details of the error report, e.g. specific table structure, specific error fields
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/0781 Error filtering or prioritizing based on a policy defined by the user or on a policy defined by a hardware/software module, e.g. according to a severity level
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/0784 Routing of error reports, e.g. with a specific transmission path or data flow
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/202 where processing functionality is redundant redundant communication control functionality G06F11/2005, redundant storage control functionality G06F11/2089
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/32 with visual or acoustical indication of the functioning of the machine
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/324 Display of status information
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/327 Alarm or error message display
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/328 Computer systems status display G06F11/327 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3495 for systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/972 Access to data in other repository systems, e.g. legacy data or dynamic Web page generation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/00 Security arrangements for protecting computers, components thereof, programs or data against unauthorised activity
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/41 where a single sign-on provides access to a plurality of computers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/552 involving long-term monitoring or reporting
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2201/81 Threshold
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2201/86 Event-based monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2201/875 Monitoring of systems including the internet
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2137 Time limited access, e.g. to a computer or data
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2149 : Restricted operating environment
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 : Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 : Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/102 : Bill distribution or payments
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/382 : insuring higher security of transaction
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 : Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 : Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 : Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0609 : Buyer or seller confidence or verification
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0635 : Processing of requisition or of purchase orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 99/00 : Subject matter not provided for in other groups of this subclass
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/14 : Charging , metering or billing arrangements for data wireline or wireless communications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1428 : Invoice generation, e.g. customization, lay-out, database processing, algorithms for calculating the bill or formatting invoices as WWW pages invoicing in general G06Q30/04
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0213 : Standardised network management protocols, e.g. simple network management protocol [SNMP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0233 : Object-oriented techniques, for representation of network management data, e.g. common object request broker architecture [CORBA]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/024 : using relational databases for representation of network management data, e.g. managing via structured query language [SQL]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0253 : using browsers or web-pages for accessing management information
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/06 : Management of faults, events, alarms or notifications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0681 : Configuration of triggering conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/08 : Configuration management of networks or network elements address allocation H04L61/50
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0803 : Configuration setting
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0879 : Manual configuration through operator
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0895 : Configuration of virtualised networks or elements, e.g. virtualised network function or OpenFlow elements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/122 : of virtualised topologies, e.g. software-defined networks [SDN] or network function virtualisation [NFV]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/142 : using statistical or mathematical methods
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/18 : Delegation of network management function, e.g. customer network management [CNM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/22 : comprising specially adapted graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/28 : Restricting access to network management systems or functions, e.g. using authorisation function to access network configuration
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5009 : Determining service level performance parameters or violations of service level contracts, e.g. violations of agreed response time or mean time between failures [MTBF]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5022 : by giving priorities, e.g. assigning classes of service
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5029 : Service quality level-based billing, e.g. dependent on measured service level customer is charged more or less
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5032 : Generating service level reports
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5061 : characterised by the interaction between service providers and their network customers, e.g. customer relationship management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5064 : Customer relationship management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5067 : Customer-centric QoS measurements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5074 : Handling of user complaints or trouble tickets
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5083 : wherein the managed service relates to web hosting
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5096 : wherein the managed service relates to distributed or central networked applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/00 : Arrangements for monitoring or testing data switching networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/024 : by adaptive sampling
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/045 : for graphical visualisation of monitoring data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/06 : Generation of reports
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/062 : related to network traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/065 : related to network devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/067 : using time frame reporting
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0805 : by checking availability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0811 : by checking connectivity
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0817 : by checking functioning
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0829 : Packet loss
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0847 : Transmission error
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0852 : Delays
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0876 : Network utilisation, e.g. volume of load or congestion level
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0888 : Throughput
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0894 : Packet rate
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/091 : Measuring contribution of individual network components to actual service level
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/10 : Active monitoring, e.g. heartbeat, ping or trace-route
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/106 : using time related information in packets, e.g. by adding timestamps
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/16 : Threshold monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/00 : User-to-user messaging in packet-switching networks, transmitted according to store-and-forward or real-time protocols, e.g. e-mail
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 : Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/222 : using geographical location information, e.g. messages transmitted or received in proximity of a certain spot or area
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/02 : for separating internal from external traffic, e.g. firewalls
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0209 : Architectural arrangements, e.g. perimeter networks or demilitarized zones
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0218 : Distributed architectures, e.g. distributed firewalls
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0236 : Filtering by address, protocol, port number or service, e.g. IP-address or URL
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0272 : Virtual private networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0281 : Proxies
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 : wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0442 : wherein the sending and receiving network entities apply asymmetric encryption, i.e. different keys for encryption and decryption cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for public-key encryption H04L9/30
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0464 : using hop-by-hop encryption, i.e. wherein an intermediate entity decrypts the information and re-encrypts it before forwarding it
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 : for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0807 : using tickets, e.g. Kerberos cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using tickets or tokens H04L9/3213
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0815 : providing single-sign-on or federations
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0823 : using certificates cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving certificates H04L9/3263
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/083 : using passwords cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using a predetermined code H04L9/3226
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/162 : at the data link layer
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/166 : at the transport layer
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/168 : above the transport layer
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/18 : using different networks or channels, e.g. using out of band channels cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for key distribution involving distinctive intermediate devices or communication paths H04L9/0827; cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for authentication using a plurality of channels H04L9/3215
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 : Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/401 : wherein the services involve a main real-time session and one or more additional parallel real-time or time sensitive sessions, e.g. white board sharing or spawning of a subconference
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/80 : Responding to QoS
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/00 : Arrangements for metering, time-control or time indication ; Metering, charging or billing arrangements for voice wireline or wireless communications, e.g. VoIP
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/41 : Billing record details, i.e. parameters, identifiers, structure of call data record [CDR]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/43 : Billing software details
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/44 : Augmented, consolidated or itemized billing statement or bill presentation
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/49 : Connection to several service providers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/51 : for resellers, retailers or service providers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/58 : based on statistics of usage or network monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/705 : Account settings, e.g. limits or numbers or payment
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/721 : using the Internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/745 : Customizing according to wishes of subscriber, e.g. friends or family
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/80 : Rating or billing plans; Tariff determination aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8044 : Least cost routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/83 : Notification aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8351 : before establishing a communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/84 : Types of notifications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0104 : Augmented, consolidated or itemised billing statement, e.g. additional billing information, bill presentation, layout, format, e-mail, fax, printout, itemised bill per service or per account, cumulative billing, consolidated billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0108 : Customization according to wishes of subscriber, e.g. customer preferences, friends and family, selecting services or billing options, Personal Communication Systems [PCS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0152 : General billing plans, rate plans, e.g. charge rates, numbering plans, rate centers, customer accounts
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0164 : Billing record, e.g. Call Data Record [CDR], Toll Ticket[TT], Automatic Message Accounting [AMA], Call Line Identifier [CLI], details, i.e. parameters, identifiers, structure
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0168 : On line or real-time flexible customization or negotiation according to wishes of subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0176 : Billing arrangements using internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/018 : On-line real-time billing, able to see billing information while in communication, e.g. via the internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0188 : Network monitoring; statistics on usage on called/calling number
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/42 : Least cost routing, i.e. provision for selecting the lowest cost tariff
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/46 : Connection to several service providers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/54 : Resellers-retail or service providers billing, e.g. agreements with telephone service operator, activation, charging/recharging of accounts
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/7009 : Account settings, e.g. users, terminals, limits, numbers or payment
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/7045 : Using Internet or WAP
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/745 : Least cost routing, e.g. Automatic or manual, call by call or by preselection
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/81 : Notifying aspects, e.g. notifications or displays to the user
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/8108 : before establishing a communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/8129 : Type of notification
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/82 : Advice-of-Charge [AOC], i.e. notify subscriber of charges/cumulative charge; meter at the substation
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5175 : Call or contact centers supervision arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5191 : interacting with the Internet
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 379/90 : Internet, e.g. Internet phone, webphone, internet-based telephony
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99931 : Database or file accessing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99937 : Sorting
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99938 : Concurrency, e.g. lock management in shared database
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99939 : Privileged access
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99944 : Object-oriented database structure
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 715/969 : Network layout and operation interface

Abstract

A Web-based call routing management workstation application which allows authorized customers to control toll free routing and monitor call center status. An architecture including one or more web servers located in a firewalled demilitarized zone (DMZ) as communications medium between the customer workstations at the customer sites and the enterprise back-end applications providing the call routing management services, provides a secure infrastructure for accessing the enterprise applications via the otherwise insecure public Internet. The present invention enables creation and management of call by call routing rules by a customer with a workstation having an Internet access and a supported Web browser. The customized rules may be tested and/or debugged via the Web-enabled workstation, using a debugger/tester which runs the routing rules under a simulated environment. In addition, customers may provision hierarchies for their business; create, modify or delete agent pools; manipulate capacity tables; and define quota schemes, value lists and schedule tables, all at the customer site via the Web-enabled workstation. The present invention also enables the customers to view near real-time displays of call center ACD statistics and peg counts based on routing rules, as well as, run provisioning and statistical reports on provisioning and statistical data and also to extract the data for further analysis. Additionally, the present invention supports foreign language and branding features on a graphical user interface. An infrastructure is provided which enables secure initiation, acquisition, and presentation of the call manager functionalities to customers from any computer workstation having a web browser and located anywhere in the world.

Claims

1. A web-based call manager webstation for controlling and monitoring a customer'"'"'s telecommunication network via an integrated interface, the system comprising:

a client browser application located at a client workstation for enabling interactive web-based communications with the call manager webstation system by a user and providing the integrated interface for displaying text messages in a language chosen by said user;

at least one secure server for managing one or more customer session(s) over the Internet, the secure server supporting a secure socket connection enabling encrypted communications between the client browser application and the secure server;

configuring device launched via the client browser, for enabling a customer to monitor, define, and manipulate call routing parameters, the configuring device further formatting customer defined parameters into client message transactions and communicating the client message transactions to the secure server over the secure socket connection;

a routing engine for maintaining call routing rules and interfacing with a plurality of network control elements for directing call routing and receiving data statistics, the routing engine further using the rules, the data statistics, and the customer defined parameters in determining where to route calls,

wherein the customer is enabled to control call routing via the web-based integrated interface.

2. The web-based call manager webstation as claimed in claim 1, wherein said client workstation implements an operating system for enabling web-based communications in a default language via said integrated interface.

3. The web-based call manager webstation as claimed in claim 1, wherein said client browser application includes a call manager applet for determining a locale set for said operating system, said local set enabling web-based communications via the integrated interface in said chosen language.

4. The web-based call manager webstation as claimed in claim 3, wherein said locale set comprises a customer-defined parameter indicating said chosen language, said call manager applet implementing a method for retrieving said customer-defined parameter.

5. The web-based call manager webstation as claimed in claim 4, further comprising one or more objects for performing character encoding, numeric formatting and date formatting functions for said text message display according to said locale set.

6. The web-based call manager webstation as claimed in claim 5, wherein said objects belong to a string resource class and include look-up methods for retrieving static text strings according to a particular web-station application for display in said chosen language.

7. The web-based call manager webstation as claimed in claim 5, wherein said objects belong to a phrase resource class and include look-up methods for constructing messages according to a particular web-station application for display in said chosen language.

8. The web-based call manager webstation as claimed in claim 5, wherein said configuring device enables presentation of views for enabling customer to control call routing via the integrated interface, said configuring device further comprising a branding device for branding presentation views in a specific company context.

9. The web-based call manager webstation as claimed in claim 1, further including a proxy server for processing a plurality of transaction requests received from the configuring device via the secure server by opening a connection to the routing engine and retrieving information relating to the transaction requests and forwarding back the information to the configuring device via the secure server, and wherein the configuring device presents the information to the customer at the client workstation in the chosen language.

10. The web-based call manager webstation as claimed in claim 9, wherein the system further includes one or more database(s) for storing the data statistics generated by the routing engine and the plurality of network control elements, said one or more databases residing with the proxy server, the proxy server further processing predetermined transaction requests locally by retrieving information related to the transaction requests from said one or more database(s), and forwarding the information to the configuring device.

11. The web-based call manager webstation as claimed in claim 1, wherein the secure server further includes:

a session manager for maintaining session information associated with the customer session,

the session information including a session timestamp representing a time of receipt of a previous communication transaction associated with the customer session,

wherein the session manager updates the session timestamp with a current time when the secure server receives a current communication transaction from the configuring device.

12. The web-based call manager webstation as claimed in claim 11, wherein the secure server further includes a device for monitoring the session timestamp, and wherein if a time difference between a current monitoring time and the session timestamp exceeds a predefined value, the device for monitoring clears the session information associated with the customer session, whereby the customer session is no longer deemed valid.

13. The web-based call manager webstation as claimed in claim 1, wherein the system further enables the customer to view, define, and manipulate call routing parameters which are applied on a call by call basis.

14. The web-based call manager webstation as claimed in claim 1, wherein the system further enables the customer to write call routing rules via the configuring device, and the configuring device further communicates the rules to the routing engine for use during the call routing.

16. The web-based call manager webstation as claimed in claim 15, wherein said client workstation implements an operating system for enabling web-based communications in a default language via said integrated interface.

17. The web-based call manager webstation as claimed in claim 15, wherein said client browser application includes a call manager applet for determining a locale set for said operating system, said local set enabling web-based communications via the integrated interface in said chosen language.

18. The web-based call manager webstation as claimed in claim 15, wherein a user selects a URL to initiate generation of a call manager web station interface by said client browser, said URL specifying said company brand for use by said browser.

19. The web-based call manager webstation as claimed in claim 15, wherein said call manager applet accesses said company brand for setting a variable in a global class.

20. The web-based call manager webstation as claimed in claim 19, including object for displaying a warning via said integrated interface in accordance with the company brand, said object retrieving said company brand from said global class.

15. A web-based call manager webstation system for controlling and monitoring a customer'"'"'s telecommunication network via an integrated interface, the system comprising:

a client browser application located at a client workstation for enabling interactive web-based communications with the call manager webstation system by a user and providing the integrated interface;

at least one secure server for managing one or more customer session(s) over the Internet, the secure server supporting a secure socket connection enabling encrypted communications between the client browser application and the secure server;

configuring device launched via the client browser for presenting views via said integrated interface to enable a customer to monitor, define, and manipulate call routing parameters, the configuring device further formatting customer defined parameters into client message transactions and communicating the client message transactions to the secure server over the secure socket connection, said configuring device further comprising a branding device for branding presentation views in a specific company context; and

,

a routing engine for maintaining call routing rules and interfacing with a plurality of network control elements for directing call routing and receiving data statistics, the routing engine further using the rules, the data statistics, and the customer defined parameters in determining where to route calls,

wherein the customer is enabled to control call routing via the web-based integrated interface.

21. A method for controlling customer'"'"'s call routing configurations via a web-based integrated interface at a customer workstation having a client browser application for enabling interactive web-based communications between the customer and the integrated interface, said web-based communications including display of messages via said integrated interface, the method comprising:

choosing a language for said display of messages via said integrated interface;

managing a client session over the Internet by providing a secure server which supports a secure socket connection to enable encrypted communications between the client browser application and the secure server;

maintaining call routing rules for use in directing call routing via one or more network control elements;

collecting data statistics from the network control elements;

communicating customer-defined call routing parameters associated with the call routing rules,

wherein the call routing rules, the data statistics, and the customer defined call routing parameters are used by the network control elements to determine where to route calls, and the customer is enabled at the customer workstation to control call routing of individual calls.

22. The method according to claim 21, wherein the method further comprises:

downloading the data statistics to the customer workstation via the secure server; and

presenting the data statistics to the customer;

wherein the customer is enabled to monitor status of the network control elements at the customer workstation in a chosen language.

23. The method according to claim 21, wherein the method further includes:

enabling the customer to write call routing rules in said chosen language; and

communicating the call routing rules via the secure server;

using the call routing rules for the call routing of individual calls.

24. The method according to claim 23, wherein the method further includes:

simulating call scenarios; and

running the call routing rules in the simulated call scenarios for testing,

wherein the customer is enabled to test the call routing rules.

25. The method according to claim 21, wherein the method further includes:

translating texts presented to the customer into a language used in a geographic locale where the customer workstation is located.

26. The method according to claim 25, further including the step of invoking a call manager applet for determining a geographic locale set for said customer workstation, said local set enabling web-based communications via the integrated interface in said chosen language.

27. The method according to claim 26, wherein said locale set comprises a customer-defined parameter indicating said chosen language, said method including implementing a method for retrieving said customer-defined parameter.

28. The method according to claim 27, further including the step of invoking one or more objects for performing character encoding, numeric formatting and date formatting functions for said message display according to said locale set.

29. The method according to claim 27, wherein said objects include invocation of look-up methods for retrieving static text strings according to a particular web-station application for display in said chosen language.

30. The method according to claim 27, wherein said objects include invocation of look-up methods for constructing messages according to a particular web-station application for display in said chosen language.

31. The method according to claim 27, wherein the method further includes:

branding presentation views communicated to the customer at the customer workstation to denote customer-specific context.

32. A method for controlling customer'"'"'s call routing configurations via a web-based integrated interface at a customer workstation having a client browser application for enabling interactive web-based communications between the customer and the integrated interface, said web-based communications including display of messages via said integrated interface, the method comprising:

managing a client session over the Internet by providing a secure server which supports a secure socket connection to enable encrypted communications between the client browser application and the secure server;

maintaining call routing rules for use in directing call routing via one or more network control elements;

branding presentation views for said integrated interface according to a specific customer context collecting data statistics from the network control elements;

communicating customer-defined call routing parameters associated with the call routing rules, wherein the call routing rules, the data statistics, and the customer defined call routing parameters are used by the network control elements to determine where to route calls, and the customer is enabled at the customer workstation to control call routing of individual calls.

33. The method as claimed in claim 32, further including translating text for display in a language of a geographic locale.