Method and apparatus for providing fair access to agents in a communication center

• US 20030002654A1
• Filed: 08/27/2002
• Published: 01/02/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/17/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dmitriy A. Torba
• Original Assignee: Dmitriy A. Torba
• Inventors: Torba, Dmitriy A.
• Granted Patent: US 7,236,584 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/266.08
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/12 intelligent networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5183 Call or contact centers with computer-telephony arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5232 Call distribution algorithms
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5234 Uniform load distribution
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5237 Interconnection arrangements between ACD systems

Abstract

A system for granting access to agents at a communication center in response to requests for connection from network-level entities starts a fairness timer having a fairness time period when a first request is received for and agent, monitors any other requests for the same agent during the fairness time, and executes an algorithm at the end of the fairness time to select the network-level entity to which the request should be granted. In a preferred embodiment the fairness time is set to be equal to or greater than twice the difference between network round-trip latency for the longest latency and shortest latency routers requesting service from the communication center. In some embodiments an agent reservation timer is set at the same point as the fairness timer to prevent calls to the same agent, and has a period longer than the fairness timer by a time sufficient for a connection to be made to the agent station once access is granted, and for notification of the connection to be made to network-level entities.

Claims

1. In a communication center, a method for ensuring fairness in response to electronic requests from network-level entities to connect to an agent station at the communication center, comprising steps of:

(a) receiving a first request from a first network-level entity for connection to the agent at the communication center;

(b) starting a fairness timer for a timed period;

(c) receiving, during the period of the fairness timer, a second request for the connection to the same agent station from a second network-level entity; and

(d) determining to grant, through execution of a fairness algorithm at expiration of the period of the fairness timer, one of the first and second requests from the network level entities.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein latency times for network level entities requesting connection at the communication center are known, and in step (b) the period of the fairness timer is set to be equal to or greater than twice the difference between network round-trip latency for the longest latency and shortest latency routers requesting service from the communication center.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein in steps (a) and (c) the requests are for telephony connections, either connection-oriented switched telephony (COST) or Internet Protocol Network Telephony (IPNT) calls.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising a step for starting an agent reservation timer at the same time as starting the fairness timer, the agent reservation timer having a period longer than that of the fairness timer.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the period of the agent reservation timer is longer than that of the fairness timer by a time sufficient for a connection to be made to the agent station once access is granted, and for notification of the connection to be made to network-level entities.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein, in step (d) the fairness algorithm operates on one or both of load and agent availability data.

7. A communication center, comprising:

a communication switching device connected to agent stations for switching communications to individual ones of the agent stations;

a computer-telephony integration (CTI) processor coupled to the communication switching device; and

a digital link between the CTI processor and network-level routing entities for receiving requests from network-level entities for connection to agent stations;

wherein the CTI processor, on receiving a first request for connection to an agent station, starts a fairness timer having a time-out period, and in the event of receiving a second or more requests for connection to the same agent station during the fairness time period, executes a fairness algorithm at the end of the time-out period to determine which request to grant.

8. The communication center of claim 7 wherein latency times for network-level entities requesting connection at the communication center are known, and the period of the fairness timer is set to be equal to or greater than twice the difference between network round-trip latency for the longest latency and shortest latency routers requesting service from the communication center.

9. The communication center of claim 7 wherein the connection requests are for telephony connections, either connection-oriented switched telephony (COST) or Internet Protocol Network Telephony (IPNT) calls.

10. The communication center of claim 7 wherein the CTI processor starts an agent reservation timer at the same time as starting the fairness timer, the agent reservation timer having a period longer than that of the fairness timer.

11. The communication center of claim 10 wherein the period of the agent reservation timer is longer than that of the fairness timer by a time sufficient for a connection to be made to the agent station once access is granted, and for notification of the connection to be made to network-level entities.

12. The communication center of claim 10 wherein the fairness algorithm operates on one or both of load and agent availability data.

14. The agent-reservation fairness software of claim 13 wherein the period of the fairness timer is set to be equal to or greater than twice the difference between network round-trip latency for the longest latency and shortest latency routers requesting service from the communication center.

15. The agent-reservation fairness software of claim 13 wherein the requests are for telephony connections, either connection-oriented switched telephony (COST) or Internet Protocol Network Telephony (IPNT) calls.

16. The agent-reservation fairness software of claim 13 further comprising a second initiator for starting an agent reservation timer at the same time as starting the fairness timer, the agent reservation timer having a period longer than that of the fairness timer.

17. The agent-reservation fairness software of claim 16 wherein the period of the agent reservation timer is longer than that of the fairness timer by a time sufficient for a connection to be made to the agent station once access is granted, and for notification of the connection to be made to network-level entities.

18. The agent-reservation fairness software of claim 13 wherein the fairness algorithm operates on one or both of load and agent availability data.

13. An agent-reservation fairness software for operation in a communication center and dealing with requests by network-level routers for connection to agents at the communication center, comprising:

a monitor for monitoring incoming requests for connection to agents;

an initiator for starting a fairness timer having a fairness time-out period; and

a fairness algorithm for determining which of multiple requests for connection to a same agent to grant;

wherein the monitor, on receiving a first request for connection to an agent causes the initiator to start the fairness timer, and at expiration of the fairness time-out period, in the event of further requests for connection to the same agent, the fairness algorithm executes and determines which request for the same agent to grant.