Direction of Communications Sessions to Contact Centers

• US 20080080506A1
• Filed: 09/29/2006
• Published: 04/03/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avaya Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Nortel Networks Limited (Nortel Networks Corporation)
• Inventors: McCormack, Tony, Kelly, Paul
• Granted Patent: US 7,822,019 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/392
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42357 where the information is provided to a monitoring entity such as a potential calling party or a call processing server
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5166 in combination with interactive voice response systems or voice portals, e.g. as front-ends
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5237 Interconnection arrangements between ACD systems

Abstract

A communications session directed at a group of contact centers is held outside the contact centers at an IVR server, while the requirements of the session are determined. A request is formulated specifying the requirements, and this request is sent to a web services provider agent exposed by the group of contact centers. The request is forwarded to the contact centers which collectively respond with an identification of an address associated with a specific endpoint to which the communications session should be sent in order that it will receive the specified handling. The IVR server holding the call can thereby direct the session to a suitable endpoint without having any need to remain aware of the state of the contact centers or the agents within those centers.

Claims

1. A method of directing a communications session to an endpoint in a contact center, comprising the steps of:

(a) receiving and holding the communications session outside the contact center;

(b) sending a request to an interface exposed by said contact center, said request specifying at least one requirement to be satisfied by a contact center endpoint for handling the communications session;

(c) receiving from said interface an indication of a network address associated with an endpoint satisfying said requirement; and

(d) directing said communications session to said network address.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising the step of pre-processing the communications session to determine said at least one requirement to be satisfied by a contact center endpoint.

3. A method as claimed in claim 2, wherein said pre-processing comprises routing the communications session to an interactive script and recording the interactions with said script.

4. A method as claimed in claim 2, wherein said request includes information determined during said pre-processing.

5. A method as claimed in claim 1, when implemented in an interactive voice response system.

6. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said step of sending a request comprises formulating said request as a request for web services.

7. A method as claimed in claim 6, wherein said request for web services is formulated for conformance with a set of web services exposed by said interface.

8. A method as claimed in claim 7, wherein said web services exposed by said interface include a description of the available services which includes a specification of available requirements which may be included in said request.

9. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said at least one requirement in said request is selected from:

i) a request for a callback to a party to said communications session;

ii) an indication of an agent skillset required to deal with said communications session;

iii) a request to provide a recorded media stream to said communications session;

iv) a request to place said communications session in a conference;

v) a request to connect said communications session with an available agent; and

vi) a request to connect said communications session to an interactive script.

10. A computer program product comprising instructions which, when executed in a processor of a communications handling apparatus located externally of a contact center, are effective to cause said apparatus to:

(a) receive and hold a communications session at said apparatus outside the contact center;

(b) send a request to an interface exposed by said contact center, said request specifying at least one requirement to be satisfied by a contact center endpoint for handling the communications session;

(c) await from said interface an indication of a network address associated with an endpoint satisfying said requirement; and

(d) direct said communications session to said network address.

11. An apparatus for directing a communications sessions to an endpoint in a contact center, comprising:

(a) a network connection for receiving a communications session outside the contact center;

(b) a processor for determining at least one requirement to be satisfied by a contact center endpoint for handling the communications session;

(c) an outbound messaging system for issuing a request to an interface exposed by said contact center, said request specifying said at least one requirement;

(d) an inbound messaging system for receiving from said interface an indication of a network address associated with an endpoint satisfying said requirement; and

(e) a routing system for directing said communications session to said network address.

12. An apparatus as claimed in claim 11, wherein said outbound messaging system is implemented as a web service requester agent.

13. An apparatus as claimed in claim 11, when implemented in an interactive voice response system.

14. An apparatus as claimed in claim 11, when implemented in a contact center.

15. An apparatus as claimed in claim 11, when implemented in a network switch.

16. A method of routing a communications session within a contact center, comprising the steps of:

(a) exposing an interface to a network, said interface being configured to receive external requests for handling communications sessions held externally of the contact center and to forward said requests to a management unit of the contact center;

(b) receiving at said management unit of the contact center a request from said interface which specifies at least one requirement to be satisfied by a contact center endpoint for handling the communications session;

(c) determining a network address associated with a contact center endpoint satisfying said at least one requirement; and

(d) responding to said request with an indication of said network address.

17. A method as claimed in claim 16, wherein said step of exposing an interface comprises providing a web service provider agent adapted to receive requests conforming to a predetermined structure and to forward said requests in a suitable format to be interpreted by said management unit.

18. A method as claimed in claim 17, wherein said web service provider agent is further adapted to make available to external entities a description of requests according to which it can act.

19. A method as claimed in claim 16, wherein said requirement is a requirement to be satisfied by a contact center agent and said step of determining a network address comprises identifying an agent of the contact center, who is recorded in an agent record as suitable to meet said at least one requirement, and determining a network address to which said communications session should be routed to connect to said agent.

20. A method as claimed in claim 16, wherein said contact center is a networked contact center composed of a plurality of management units each controlling a respective group of contact center resources, wherein the step of determining a network address comprises a first one of said management units communicating said requirement to one or more of the other management units, awaiting from said one or more other management units a response indicative of said network address, and communicating said network address in said response.

21. A method as claimed in claim 20, wherein said requirement is communicated to a plurality of said management units and wherein said step of awaiting a response includes awaiting a plurality of responses and selecting a network address from said plurality of responses.

22. A method as claimed in claim 20, wherein said communicated network address relates to a resource controlled by one of said other management units and wherein said request is passed to said one of said other management units for use as a representation of said communications session.

23. A computer program product comprising instructions which, when executed in a processor of a contact center having a connection to an external interface, are effective to cause said contact center to:

(a) upon receiving from said interface a request originating at an external entity which specifies at least one requirement to be satisfied by a contact center endpoint for handling a communications session, determining a network address associated with a contact center endpoint satisfying said at least one requirement; and

(b) responding to said request with an indication of said network address.

24. A contact center comprising:

(a) a plurality of endpoints for handling communications sessions;

(b) a contact center management unit adapted to control the routing of communications sessions to said endpoints;

(c) an external interface exposing a service provider agent to a network, said service provider agent being adapted to receive external requests for handling communications sessions in accordance with at least one requirement contained in said requests, and to transmit said requests to said contact center management unit;

wherein said management unit is configured to receive said requests from said service provider unit and to respond with a network address associated with a contact center endpoint satisfying said at least one requirement.

25. A method of routing a communications session within a plurality of contact centers, comprising the steps of:

(a) exposing a single interface to a network, said interface being configured to receive external requests for handling communications sessions held externally of the plurality of contact centers and to forward said requests to a management unit of at least one of the contact centers;

(b) receiving at said management unit of said at least one contact center a request from said interface which specifies at least one requirement to be satisfied by a contact center endpoint for handling the communications session;

(c) determining a network address associated with a contact center endpoint satisfying said at least one requirement; and

(d) responding to said request with an indication of said network address.

26. A method as claimed in claim 25, wherein said contact center endpoint with which said network address is associated, is under the control of a different management unit being a management unit of another of said contact centers, the method further comprising the step of sending said request to said different management unit, and said different management unit employing said request as a representation of said communications session for use in subsequent processing of said communications session when it arrives at said network address.

27. A method as claimed in claim 25, wherein said interface is configured to forward said requests to a plurality of management units each associated with a different contact center.

28. A method as claimed in claim 27 wherein said plurality of management units are programmed to co-operate in identifying a single network address for use in said response.

29. A distributed contact center system comprising a plurality of contact centers sharing a single network interface, wherein each contact center comprises:

(a) a plurality of endpoints for handling communications sessions; and

(b) a contact center management unit adapted to control the routing of communications sessions to said endpoints;

wherein said interface exposes a service provider agent to a network, said service provider agent being adapted to receive external requests for handling communications sessions in accordance with at least one requirement contained in said requests, and to forward said requests to a management unit of at least one of the contact centers;

and wherein said management unit of at least one of the contact centers is configured to receive said requests from said service provider unit and to respond with a network address associated with a contact center endpoint satisfying said at least one requirement.