System and method for multi-channel communication queuing

• US 20070201673A1
• Filed: 03/31/2001
• Published: 08/30/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Oracle America, Inc. (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Siebel Systems Inc. (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Pak, Wai, Bedi, Rohit, Annadata, Anil
• Granted Patent: US 7,505,577 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/265.10
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5235 Dependent on call type or called number [DNIS]

Abstract

An apparatus and method for coordinating communication between one or more agents and a plurality of communication channels associated with different media formats such as telephone, email, and fax. A first request in a first media format can be received via a first communication channel and a second request in a second media format can be received via a second communication channel. Agents can be enabled to access requests in one or more of the media formats, and requests can be assigned to agents based on the types of media formats the agents can access, the subject matter of the requests, and/or the agents'"'"' skills. The requests can be placed in a queue until an agent is available to accept the request. Rules for assigning requests to agents can be included in a queuing engine. Agents can also decline a request routed to them, and route the request to another agent or return it back to the queue.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

means for receiving a first request in a first media format of a plurality of different media formats via a first communication channel of a plurality of communication channels, wherein each communication channel of the plurality of communication channels has an associated media format of the plurality of different media formats;

means for receiving a second request in a second media format of the plurality of different media formats via a second communication channel of the plurality of communication channels;

means for determining media formats associated with communication channels that each agent of one or more agents is authorized to access, wherein the communication channels that each agent of the one or more agents is authorized to access comprise at least one of the plurality of communication channels; and

means for assigning, in response to the determining, the one or more agents to handle the first and second requests based on the media formats of the first and second requests and the media formats associated with the communication channels that each agent of the one or more agents is authorized to access.

2. The apparatus, as set forth in claim 1, further comprising:

means for assigning the one or more agents to handle the first and second requests based on the subject matter of the first and second requests and the skills associated with the one or more agents.

3. The apparatus, as set forth in claim 1, further comprising:

means for queuing the first and second requests until one of the one or more agents is available to accept the first or second requests.

4. The apparatus, as set forth in claim 1, further comprising:

means for assigning the first and second requests to the one or more agents based on a set of rules.

5. The apparatus, as set forth in claim 4, further comprising:

means for allowing an agent to decline being assigned to the first or second requests.

6. The apparatus, as set forth in claim 4, further comprising:

means for allowing an agent to route a request assigned to the agent to another agent.

7. A method comprising:

receiving a first request in a first media format of a plurality of different media formats via a first communication channel of a plurality of communication channels, wherein each communication channel of the plurality of communication channels has an associated media format of the plurality of different media formats;

receiving a second request in a second media format of the plurality of different media formats via a second communication channel of the plurality of communication channels;

determining media formats associated with communication channels that each agent of one or more agents is authorized to access, wherein the communication channels that each agent of the one or more agents is authorized to access comprise at least one of the plurality of communication channels; and

in response to the determining, assigning the one or more agents to handle the first and second requests based on the media formats of the first and second requests and the media formats associated with the communication channels that each agent of the one or more agents is authorized to access.

8. The method, as set forth in claim 7, further comprising:

assigning the one or more agents to handle the first and second requests based on the subject matter of the first and second requests and the skills associated with the one or more agents.

9. The method, as set forth in claim 7, further comprising:

queuing the first and second requests until one of the one or more agents is available to accept the first or second requests.

10. The method, as set forth in claim 7, further comprising:

assigning the first and second requests to the one or more agents based on a set of rules.

11. The method, as set forth in claim 10, further comprising:

allowing an agent to decline being assigned to the first or second requests.

12. The method, as set forth in claim 10, further comprising:

allowing an agent to route a request assigned to the agent to another agent.

13. A computer readable storage media comprising:

computer instructions to implement the method of claim 7.

14. A signal in a carrier medium comprising:

computer instructions to implement the method of claim 7.

19. The system, as set forth in claim 10, wherein the queuing engine is further configured to:

allow an agent to decline being assigned to the first or second requests.

20. The system, as set forth in claim 10, wherein the queuing engine is further configured to:

allow an agent to route a request assigned to the agent to another agent.

15. A system comprising:

a first computer server configured to receive a first request in a first media format of a plurality of different media formats via a first communication channel of a plurality of communication channels and a second request in a second media format of the plurality of different media formats via a second communication channel of the plurality of communication channels; and

a queuing engine configured to;

determine media formats associated with communication channels that each agent of one or more agents is authorized to access, wherein the communication channels that each agent of the one or more agents is authorized to access comprise at least one of the plurality of communication channels, and

in response to determining the media formats associated with the communication channels that each agent of the one or more agents is authorized to access, assign the one or more agents to handle the first and second requests based on the media formats of the first and second requests and the media formats associated with the communication channels that each agent of the one or more agents is authorized to access.

16. The system, as set forth in claim 15, wherein the queuing engine is further configured to:

assign the one or more agents to handle the first and second requests based on the subject matter of the first and second requests and the skills associated with the one or more agents.

17. The system, as set forth in claim 15, wherein the queuing engine is further configured to:

queue the first and second requests until one of the one or more agents is available to accept the first or second requests.

18. The system, as set forth in claim 15, wherein the queuing engine is further configured to:

assign the first and second requests to the one or more agents based on a set of rules.