Scalable call center telecommunications system

• US 20060045256A1
• Filed: 08/30/2004
• Published: 03/02/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/30/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Joseph L. Erdman
• Original Assignee: Joseph L. Erdman
• Inventors: Erdman, Joseph L.
• Granted Patent: US 7,616,757 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/266.70
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5183 Call or contact centers with computer-telephony arrangements

Abstract

A telecommunications system for a call center. In one preferred embodiment, the telecommunications system includes a plurality of call stations coupled in a peer-to-peer network, each of the call stations includes a host computer and a scalable telecommunication management apparatus (STMA) in communication with the computer and providing for inbound and outbound calling activities. The call center telecommunications system is scalable meaning the number of call stations, each of which comprises a host computer and one or more STMAs, may be easily increased or decreased depending on the volume of calls without the need for expensive restructuring of the telecommunications system. Advantageously, the STMAs are embodied in circuit cards plugged into respective expansion slots of the host computer and the host computer is a personal computer. Information regarding incoming and outgoing calls of the call center is conveyed to an operator of the call station via audio and visual presentation.

Claims

1. A telecommunications system for a call center comprising:

a. a plurality of phone lines coupled to the telecommunications system for sending and receiving telemarketing phone calls;

b. a plurality of call stations coupled in a peer-to-peer network, each of the plurality of call stations including a host computer and a plurality of telecommunications management circuit cards coupled to the host computer, a number of circuit cards being equal to a number of phone lines coupled to the call station, each circuit card of the plurality of circuit cards being coupled to a different phone line of the plurality of phone lines;

c. for each of the plurality of call stations, hook and lock out circuitry for blocking an inbound call ringing on one of the plurality of phone lines coupled to the call station if the call station is currently on a call; and

d. for each of the plurality of call stations, inbound/outbound flow control circuitry for switching the call station between receiving inbound calls and making outbound calls based on inbound call volume.

2. The telecommunications system of claim 1 wherein the inbound/outbound flow control circuitry switches the call station from receiving inbound calls to making outbound calls if the call station is currently not on a call, a number of call stations available for receiving incoming calls exceeds a predetermined number and the call station is expected to be idle for a predetermined time.

3. The telecommunications system of claim 1 further including for each of the plurality of call stations, circuitry for monitoring a status of each of the plurality of phones lines coupled to the call station including:

1) whether an inbound call is ringing on each of the plurality of phone lines; and

2) whether the line is busy or not busy; and

and for monitoring a status of each of the plurality of call stations including whether the call station is currently making an outbound call or receiving an inbound call.

4. The telecommunications system of claim 1 wherein for each of the plurality of call stations, the host computer includes a graphical user interface, the call station circuitry displaying a status of each of the plurality of phone lines on the graphical user interface.

5. The telecommunications system of claim 1 wherein a number of call stations of the plurality of call stations may be increased or decreased depending on incoming and outgoing call volumes by coupling a new call station serially into the peer to peer network or removing an existing call station from the peer to peer network.

6. The telecommunications system of claim 1 wherein each of the plurality of call stations includes a hybrid circuit for separating DC and AC signals of tip and ring lines of a phone line into a four line signal including two Tx lines for a headset microphone input circuit and two Rx lines for a headset earpiece output circuit of the call station.

7. The telecommunications system of claim 6 wherein each of the plurality of call stations includes an RF transceiver circuit facilitating radio frequency communication between a headset used by an operator of the call station, the headset including the microphone input circuit and the earpiece output circuit.

8. A call center host computer cluster comprising:

a. a plurality of call stations coupled in a peer-to-peer network, each of the plurality of call stations including a host computer and a plurality of telecommunications management circuit cards coupled to the host computer, a number of circuit cards being equal to a number of phone lines coupled to the call station, each circuit card of the plurality of circuit cards being coupled to a different phone line of the plurality of phone lines;

b. for each of the plurality of call stations, hook and lock out circuitry for blocking an inbound call ringing on one of the plurality of phone lines coupled to the call station if the call station is currently on a call; and

c. for each of the plurality of call stations, inbound/outbound flow control circuitry for switching the call station between receiving inbound calls and making outbound calls based on inbound call volume.

9. The host computer cluster of claim 8 wherein the inbound/outbound flow control circuitry switches the call station from receiving inbound calls to making outbound calls if the call station is currently not on a call, a number of call stations available for receiving incoming calls exceeds a predetermined number and the call station is expected to be idle for a predetermined time.

10. The host computer cluster of claim 8 further including, for each of the plurality of call stations, circuitry for monitoring a status of each of the plurality of phones lines coupled to the call station including:

1) whether an inbound call is ringing on each of the plurality of phone lines; and

2) whether the line is busy or not busy; and

and for monitoring a status of each of the plurality of call stations including whether the call station is currently making an outbound call or receiving an inbound call.

11. The host computer cluster of claim 8 wherein for each of the plurality of call stations, the host computer includes a graphical user interface, the call station circuitry displaying a status of each of the plurality of phone lines on the graphical user interface.

12. The host computer cluster of claim 8 wherein a number of call stations of the plurality of call stations may be increased or decreased depending on incoming and outgoing call volumes by coupling a new call station serially into the peer to peer network or removing an existing call station from the peer to peer network.

13. The host computer cluster of claim 8 wherein each of the plurality of call stations includes a hybrid circuit for separating DC and AC signals of tip and ring lines of a phone line into a four line signal including two Tx lines for a headset microphone input circuit and two Rx lines for a headset earpiece output circuit of the call station.

14. The host computer cluster of claim 13 wherein each of the plurality of call stations includes an RF transceiver circuit facilitating radio frequency communication between a headset used by an operator of the call station, the headset including the microphone input circuit and the earpiece output circuit.

15. A call station for a call center including a plurality of call stations coupled in a peer-to-peer network, the call station comprising:

a. a host computer and a plurality of telecommunications management circuit cards coupled to the host computer, a number of circuit cards being equal to a number of phone lines coupled to the call station, each circuit card of the plurality of circuit cards being coupled to a different phone line of the plurality of phone lines;

b. hook and lock out circuitry for blocking an inbound call ringing on one of the plurality of phone lines coupled to the call station if the call station is currently on a call; and

c. inbound/outbound flow control circuitry for switching the call station between receiving inbound calls and making outbound calls based on inbound call volume.

16. The call station of claim 15 wherein the inbound/outbound flow control circuitry switches the call station from receiving inbound calls to making outbound calls if the call station is currently not on a call, a number of call stations available for receiving incoming calls exceeds a predetermined number and the call station is expected to be idle for a predetermined time.

17. The call station of claim 15 further including circuitry for monitoring a status of each of the plurality of phones lines coupled to the call station, the circuitry determining:

1) whether an inbound call is ringing on each of the plurality of phone lines; and

2) whether the line is busy or not busy; and

and further determining a status of each of the plurality of call stations including whether the call station is currently making an outbound call or receiving an inbound call.

18. The call station of claim 15 wherein the host computer includes a graphical user interface, the call station circuitry displaying a status of each of the plurality of phone lines on the graphical user interface.

19. The call station of claim 15 further including a hybrid circuit for separating DC and AC signals of tip and ring lines of a phone line into a four line signal including two Tx lines for a headset microphone input-circuit and two Rx lines for a headset earpiece output circuit of the call station.

20. The call station of claim 19 further including an RF transceiver circuit facilitating radio frequency communication between a headset used by an operator of the call station, the headset including the microphone input circuit and the earpiece output circuit.

21. A method of routing telecommunicating data in a call center telecommunication system, the steps of the method comprising

a. providing a first call station and a second call station, the first and second call stations each including a host computer, first and second telecommunications management circuit cards, each of the first and second call stations being a coupled to first and second telephone lines, the respective first circuit cards of the first and second call stations being coupled to the first telephone line and the respective second circuit cards of the first and second call stations being coupled to the second telephone line, the first and second call stations each further including hook and lock out circuitry for blocking an inbound call ringing on one of the first and second telephone lines if the call station is on a call and inbound/outbound flow control circuitry for switching the call station between receiving inbound calls and making outbound calls based on inbound call volume;

b. determining whether the first call station is on a call utilizing the first and second telecommunications management circuit cards of the first call station;

c. determining whether the second call station is on a call utilizing the first and second telecommunications management circuit cards of the second call station;

d. routing an inbound call ringing on one of the first and second telephone lines to the first call station for answering if the first and second telecommunications management circuit cards of the first call station determine that the first call station is not on a call and the station to switched to receiving inbound calls;

f. blocking the inbound call if the first and second telecommunications management circuit cards of the first call station determine that the first call station is on a call or is switched to making outbound calls; and

,

g. routing the inbound call to the second call station for answering if the first and second telecommunications management circuit cards of the second call station determine that the second call station is not on a call and the station to switched to receiving inbound calls;

h. blocking the inbound call if the first and second telecommunications management circuit cards of the second call station determine that the second call station is on a call or is switched to making outbound calls.

22. A method of routing telecommunicating data in a call center telecommunication system, the steps of the method comprising

a. providing a first call station and a second call station, the first and second call stations each including a host computer, first and second telecommunications management circuit cards, each of the first and second call stations being a coupled to first and second telephone lines, the respective first circuit cards of the first and second call stations being coupled to the first telephone line and the respective second circuit cards of the first and second call stations being coupled to the second telephone line, the first and second call stations each further including hook and lock out circuitry for blocking an inbound call ringing on one of the first and second telephone lines if the call station is on a call and inbound/outbound flow control circuitry for switching the call station between receiving inbound calls and making outbound calls based on inbound call volume;

b. determining whether the first call station is on a call utilizing the first and second telecommunications management circuit cards of the first call station;

c. determining whether the second call station is on a call utilizing the first and second telecommunications management circuit cards of the second call station;

d. making an outbound call at the first call station if the first and second telecommunications management circuit cards of the first call station determine that the first call station is not on a call and the station to switched to making outbound calls;

f. making an outbound call at the second call station if the first and second telecommunications management circuit cards of the second call station determine that the second call station is not on a call and the station is switched to making outbound calls.