Remote agent access method to a voip contact center where high Qos is not supported

• US 20040032863A1
• Filed: 12/20/2002
• Published: 02/19/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 08/16/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intervoice Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Nuasis Corp. (Concentrix CVG Customer Management Group, Inc.)
• Inventors: Schoeneberger, Carl
• Granted Patent: US 7,230,946 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/356
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1053 IP private branch exchange [PBX] functionality entities or arrangements circuit switched PBXs H04M3/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/80 Responding to QoS
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/6018 Subscriber or terminal logon/logoff
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5125 with remote located operators
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0027 Collaboration services where a computer is used for data transfer and the telephone is used for telephonic communication

Abstract

A system and method of providing remote agent access to a voice over internet protocol contact center by allowing an agent to login to the contact center with a data circuit through a remote data access device such as a VPN device. The system and method further includes, after receiving contact information, the contact center transmitting call data to the remote agent through the data line, the data line carrying bi-directional signalling data including the agent'"'"'s ability to control call pick-up and hang-up, while transmitting the voice component over a telephone line. Further, the present invention has the ability to provide a continuous stream of customer calls to the agent or to disconnect after each individual call.

Claims

1. A system for providing high quality of service remote access to a voice over internet protocol contact center, comprising:

a. a contact center, wherein the contact center includes a remote data access device, at least one gateway and at least one node coupled to the at least one gateway;

b. a remote terminal coupled with the remote data access device through a data circuit; and

c. a remote telephone coupled with the at least one gateway through a telephone circuit,

wherein when an agent logs the remote terminal into the contact center, a voice component of a customer call is transmitted from the gateway to the remote telephone and a data component of the customer call is transmitted from the contact center to the remote terminal.

2. The system as claimed in claim 1 wherein when the remote terminal logs into the contact center, the remote terminal provides a phone number to direct the transmission of the voice component of the customer call from the at least one gateway to the remote telephone.

3. The system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the agent can respond to the customer call using the remote telephone and the remote terminal.

4. The system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the telephone circuit is a public switched telephone network.

5. The system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the data circuit is a high speed internet connection.

6. The system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the data circuit is a high speed wireless internet connection.

7. The system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the remote data access device is a VPN device.

8. The system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the contact center further includes:

a. at least one hub coupled to the telephone circuit through the at least one gateway wherein the telephone circuit is a public switched telephone network;

b. at least one network coupling the at least one node to the at least one hub; and

c. a plurality of agent terminals coupled to the at least one node.

9. The system as claimed in claim 8 wherein the at least one gateway receives the customer call from the public switched telephone network and distributes the customer call to one of the at least one nodes.

10. The system as claimed in claim 9 wherein the at least one node separates the voice component and the data component of the customer call, and further wherein the at least one node sends the voice component to the at least one gateway and the data component through the at least one network to the remote data access device.

11. The system as claimed in claim 8 wherein the at least one network is a wide area network.

12. The system as claimed in claim 8 wherein the at least one network is a local area network.

13. A method of providing high quality of service remote access to a voice over internet protocol contact center, comprising the steps of:

a. logging a remote terminal into a contact center through a data circuit;

b. transmitting a voice component of a customer call from the contact center to a remote telephone through a telephone circuit;

c. transmitting a data component of the customer call corresponding to the voice component, wherein the data component is transmitted from the contact center through the data circuit to the remote terminal;

d. responding to the customer call, wherein the step of responding includes answering the voice component with the remote telephone through the telephone circuit and answering the data component with the remote terminal through the data circuit; and

e. logging the remote terminal off of the contact center.

14. The method as claimed in claim 13 further comprising the step of providing a phone number to direct the transmission of the voice component of the customer call from the contact center to the remote telephone when the remote terminal logs into the contact center.

15. The method as claimed in claim 13 wherein the telephone circuit is a public switched telephone network.

16. The method as claimed in claim 13 wherein the data circuit is a high speed internet connection.

17. The method as claimed in claim 13 wherein the data circuit is a high speed wireless internet connection.

18. The method as claimed in claim 13 wherein the contact center further includes:

a. at least one gateway coupled to the telephone circuit wherein the telephone circuit is a public switched telephone network, and further coupled to at least one hub;

b. at least one network coupling the at least one node to the at least one hub; and

c. a plurality of agent terminals coupled to the at least one node.

19. The method as claimed in claim 18 wherein the at least one gateway receives the customer call from the public switched telephone network and distributes the customer call to one of the at least one nodes.

20. The method as claimed in claim 19 wherein the at least one node separates the voice component and the data component of the customer call, and further wherein the at least one node sends the voice component to the at least one gateway and the data component through the at least one network to a remote data access device.

21. The method as claimed in claim 18 wherein the at least one network is a wide area network.

22. The method as claimed in claim 18 wherein the at least one network is a local area network.

23. A system for providing high quality of service remote access to a voice over internet protocol contact center, comprising:

a. means for logging a remote terminal into a contact center through a data circuit;

b. means for transmitting a voice component of a customer call from the contact center to a remote telephone through a telephone circuit;

c. means for transmitting a data component of the customer call corresponding to the voice component, wherein the data component is transmitted from the contact center through the data circuit to the remote terminal;

d. means for responding to the customer call, wherein the responding means includes means for answering the voice component with the remote telephone through the telephone circuit and means for answering the data component with the remote terminal through the data circuit; and

e. means for logging the remote terminal off of the contact center.

24. The system as claimed in claim 23 further comprising means for providing a phone number to direct the transmission of the voice component of the customer call from the contact center to the remote telephone when the remote terminal logs into the contact center.

25. The system as claimed in claim 23 wherein the telephone circuit is a public switched telephone network.

26. The system as claimed in claim 23 wherein the data circuit is a high speed internet connection.

27. The system as claimed in claim 23 wherein the data circuit is a high speed wireless internet connection.

28. The system as claimed in claim 23 wherein the contact center further includes:

a. at least one gateay coupled to the telephone circuit wherein the telephone circuit is a public switched telephone network, and further coupled to at least one hub;

b. at least one network coupling the at least one node to the at least one hub; and

c. a plurality of agent terminals coupled to the at least one node.

29. The system as claimed in claim 28 wherein the plurality of gateways receives the customer call from the public switched telephone network and distributes the customer call to one of the at least one nodes.

30. The system as claimed in claim 29 wherein the at least one node separates the voice component and the data component of the customer call, and further wherein the at least one node sends the voice component to the at least one gateway and the data component through the at least one network to a remote data access device.

31. The system as claimed in claim 28 wherein the at least one network is a wide area network.

32. The system as claimed in claim 28 wherein the at least one network is a local area network.

33. A system for providing remote access to a VoIP contact center to a user having a data apparatus and a separate telephone, the system comprising:

a. a contact center including a remote data access device configured to couple to the data apparatus through a data circuit; and

b. a telephone control circuit coupled under control of the contact center to initiate a telephone call with the separate telephone.

34. A method of providing remote access to a VoIP contact center to a user having a data apparatus and a separate telephone, the system comprising:

a. coupling from a contact center including a remote data access device to the data apparatus through a data circuit; and

b. controlling the contact center to initiate a telephone call with the separate telephone.