Agent detector, with optional agent recognition and log-in capabilities, and optional portable call history storage

• US 20060023865A1
• Filed: 07/29/2004
• Published: 02/02/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/29/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: RPX Clearinghouse LLC (RPX Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nortel Networks Limited (Nortel Networks Corporation)
• Inventors: Martin, Paul, Batai, Jason, Nice, Pamela, Galletti, Gordon, Locke, Randy, Melbourn, John
• Granted Patent: US 7,680,263 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/265.40
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/6018 Subscriber or terminal logon/logoff
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/2218 Call detail recording
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42068 where the identifier is used to access a profile
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42102 Making use of the called party identifier
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42365 Presence services providing information on the willingness to communicate or the ability to communicate in terms of media capability or network connectivity
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5232 Call distribution algorithms

Abstract

A system for accurately detecting the unavailability of a call center agent that uses one or more agent sensors provided in the area of the agent'"'"'s desk or station that are triggered when the agent moves into or out of the physical area in which he or she can answer calls. The agent sensor may be an external hardware peripheral device which communicates with a call center software application. The agent sensor operates to notify the call center application when an associated agent leaves their desk, so that the call center application can make that agent unavailable to receive calls as a result. When the agent returns, another signal may be sent from the sensor to the call center application indicating that the agent is again available to receive calls. The information gathered by the call center application from the sensor signals may be used to assist in report generation regarding call center agents, and to improve call center performance, since calls are not forwarded to agents that have stepped away from their desk, even for a brief moment.

Claims

1. A system for controlling call routing to an agent in a call center, comprising:

at least one agent sensor operative to determine that said agent has become unavailable to receive calls routed to telephone equipment located within a work area, responsive to said agent sensor detecting at least one unavailability event, said unavailability event indicating that said agent is leaving said work area, and wherein said at least one agent sensor is further operative to send a first signal to a received call routing system, responsive to said detecting that said agent has become unavailable to receive calls routed to said telephone equipment located within said work area, said first signal indicating to said received call routing system that said agent has become unavailable to receive calls routed to said telephone equipment located within said work area.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said at least one agent sensor comprises a sensor device mounted on seating equipment, and wherein said sensor device is operable to detect when said agent is seated in said seating equipment.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein said at least one agent sensor comprises a sensor device mounted in a telephone headset, and wherein said sensor device is operable to detect when said agent is wearing said telephone headset.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein said at least one agent sensor comprises a wireless communication transmitting device located proximate to said agent, wherein said wireless communication transmitting device is operable to transmit at least one message to a wireless communication receiving device located within said call center, and wherein said at least one message is indicative of a current physical location of said agent.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein said at least one message comprises information describing a current physical location of said agent.

6. The system of claim 4, wherein said at least one message comprises at least one beacon message, and wherein said wireless communication receiving device determines said current physical location of said agent responsive to a signal strength of said at least one beacon message.

7. The system of claim 4, wherein said wireless communication transmitting device is further operable to determine said current physical location of said agent responsive to a global positioning system.

8. The system of claim 4, wherein said wireless communication transmitting device is wearable by said agent.

9. The system of claim 4, wherein said wireless communication transmitting device is carried by said agent.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein said at least one agent sensor is operable to determine when said agent crosses a beam located proximate to said work area.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein said beam is an optical beam, and wherein said at least one agent sensor comprises at least one optical beam generator.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein said at least one agent sensor is further operable to:

read, from a portable data storage device, login information associated with said agent; and

transmit at least one message containing said login information to said received call routing system.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein said at least one agent sensor is further operable to:

determine that said agent has become available to receive calls routed to said telephone equipment located within said work area, responsive to said agent sensor detecting at least one availability event, said availability event indicating that said agent is present within said work area; and

send a second signal from said agent sensor to a call routing system, responsive to said detecting that said agent has become available to receive calls routed to said telephone equipment located within said work area, said second signal indicating to said call routing system that said agent has become available to receive calls routed to said telephone equipment located within said work area.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein said at least one agent sensor is further operable to:

receive a portable data storage device associated with said agent; and

store in said portable data storage device a call record describing activities associated with a call routed by said received call routing system to said telephone equipment located in said work area.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein said determination that said agent has become available to receive calls to said telephone equipment located within said work area further comprises reading, by said agent sensor, from said portable data storage device associated with said agent, at least one call processing parameter, and wherein telephone equipment located in said work area are configured based on said at least one call processing parameter responsive to said reading of said portable data storage device.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein said at least one call processing parameter comprises at least one of the group consisting of a telephone extension associated with said telephone equipment located in said work area and preprogrammed keypad key information.

17. The system of claim 14, wherein said determination that said agent has become unavailable to receive calls routed to said telephone equipment located within said work area includes detecting, by said agent sensor, that said portable data storage device associated with said agent has been removed from said agent sensor.

18. The system of claim 1, wherein said at least one agent sensor is further operable to automatically identify said agent based on biometric information.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein said at least one agent sensor includes a camera, and wherein said biometric information is derived from at least one digital image obtained using said camera.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein said biometric information comprises at least one iris pattern, and wherein said agent sensor is operable to perform an iris scan.

21. The system of claim 18, wherein said biometric information comprises at least one retinal pattern, and wherein said agent sensor is operable to perform a retina scan.

22. The system of claim 18, wherein said biometric information comprises hand geometry, and wherein said agent sensor is operable to obtain a hand geometry.

23. The system of claim 18, wherein said biometric information comprises at least one finger print, and wherein said agent sensor is operable to obtain at least one finger print scan.

24. The system of claim 12, wherein said portable data storage device comprises a smart card, and wherein said agent sensor is located proximately to said work area.

25. The system of claim 12, wherein said portable data storage device comprises a smart card, and wherein said agent sensor is located proximate to a secure work environment containing said work area.

26. The system of claim 14, wherein said agent sensor is further operable to upload said call record from said portable data storage device to said received call processing system for purposes of subsequent report generation.

27. The system of claim 14, wherein information stored on said portable storage device is encrypted, and wherein said agent sensor is operable to decrypt said information.

28. A method for controlling call routing to an agent in a call center, comprising:

determining, by at least one agent sensor, that said agent has become unavailable to receive calls routed to telephone equipment located within a work area, responsive to said agent sensor detecting at least one unavailability event, said unavailability event indicating that said agent is leaving said work area; and

sending, by said at least one agent sensor, a first signal to a received call routing system, responsive to said detecting that said agent has become unavailable to receive calls routed to said telephone equipment located within said work area, said first signal indicating to said received call routing system that said agent has become unavailable to receive calls routed to said telephone equipment located within said work area.

29. A system for controlling call routing to an agent in a call center, comprising:

means for determining, by at least one agent sensor, that said agent has become unavailable to receive calls routed to telephone equipment located within a work area, responsive to said agent sensor detecting at least one unavailability event, said unavailability event indicating that said agent is leaving said work area; and

means for sending, by said at least one agent sensor, a first signal to a received call routing system, responsive to said detecting that said agent has become unavailable to receive calls routed to said telephone equipment located within said work area, said first signal indicating to said received call routing system that said agent has become unavailable to receive calls routed to said telephone equipment located within said work area.