Computerized system for routing incoming telephone calls to a plurality of agent positions
First Claim
1. A telephone call routing system for routing incoming telephone calls by assigning each such incoming call to a selected one of a plurality of agent display modules, said system comprising means for receiving said incoming telephone call, means for assigning said incoming telephone call to one or more of said agent display modules, each of said agent display modules being in electronic communication with said incoming call assigning means, said agent display module having a visual output indicating which of a plurality of telephone lines carrying said incoming call is assigned thereto, a plurality of agents'"'"' telephones, each telephone being associated with a corresponding one of said agents'"'"' modules, means for connecting each of said telephones to said line carrying said incoming call, said telephone having means for generating and transmitting a coded signal along said telephone line carrying said incoming call when any one of said telephones is actuated to answer said incoming call, said signal being uniquely coded to identify said agent'"'"'s module which is associated with said telephone which answers said incoming call, signal detection means to detect said transmitted coded signal and to decode said coded signal and determine which telephone associated with an agent'"'"'s module answered said incoming call, means for monitoring agent telephone activity by determining and storing a characteristic representative of activity of each agent'"'"'s telephone, means for accessing said monitor means and determining activity of each telephone answering incoming calls, said accessing means being in communication with said assigning means, said assigning means assigning the next incoming call to the selected agent'"'"'s module associated with the least actively used telephone providing there are at least two inactive telephones at the time of assigning the next incoming call.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A telephone call routing system for routing incoming telephone calls assigns each such incoming call to a selected one or more of a plurality of agent display modules. The agent display module has a visual output indicating which of a plurality of telephone lines carries the incoming call assigned to it. Any one of a plurality of agents'"'"' telephones associated with corresponding agents'"'"' modules may be connected to the line carrying the incoming call. Each telephone has a device for generating and transmitting a coded signal along the telephone line which is answered by that particular telephone. The signal is uniquely coded to identify the agent'"'"'s module which is associated with the telephone which answers the incoming call. A signal detection device detects the transmitted coded signal and decodes the signal to determine which telephone associated with an agent'"'"'s module answered the incoming call. A monitoring device monitors the agent telephone activity by determining and storing a characteristic representative of activity of each agent'"'"'s telephone. The assignment of the next incoming call to one of more of the agents'"'"' modules is then determined by the extent of activity of each of the agents'"'"' telephones.
311 Citations
13 Claims
- 1. A telephone call routing system for routing incoming telephone calls by assigning each such incoming call to a selected one of a plurality of agent display modules, said system comprising means for receiving said incoming telephone call, means for assigning said incoming telephone call to one or more of said agent display modules, each of said agent display modules being in electronic communication with said incoming call assigning means, said agent display module having a visual output indicating which of a plurality of telephone lines carrying said incoming call is assigned thereto, a plurality of agents'"'"' telephones, each telephone being associated with a corresponding one of said agents'"'"' modules, means for connecting each of said telephones to said line carrying said incoming call, said telephone having means for generating and transmitting a coded signal along said telephone line carrying said incoming call when any one of said telephones is actuated to answer said incoming call, said signal being uniquely coded to identify said agent'"'"'s module which is associated with said telephone which answers said incoming call, signal detection means to detect said transmitted coded signal and to decode said coded signal and determine which telephone associated with an agent'"'"'s module answered said incoming call, means for monitoring agent telephone activity by determining and storing a characteristic representative of activity of each agent'"'"'s telephone, means for accessing said monitor means and determining activity of each telephone answering incoming calls, said accessing means being in communication with said assigning means, said assigning means assigning the next incoming call to the selected agent'"'"'s module associated with the least actively used telephone providing there are at least two inactive telephones at the time of assigning the next incoming call.
- 8. In a call routing system for routing incoming calls to a selected one of a plurality of agent positions, said system comprising a plurality of agents'"'"' display modules and associated agents'"'"' telephones, each agent position consisting of an agent'"'"'s display module and associated agent'"'"'s telephone, each of said telephones being connectable to any one a plurality of telephone lines, means for controlling routing of incoming calls, said controller means having means for assigning an incoming call to a selected one of said agent positions by displaying at a corresponding said agent'"'"'s module an incoming call line to be answered, each of said agents'"'"' telephones comprising means for generating and transmitting on an answered incoming call line a coded signal unique to said agent'"'"'s telephone which is actuated to answer said assigned incoming call line, said controller means having means for detecting and decoding said transmitted coded signal to determine which agent'"'"'s telephone answered said assigned incoming call line.
Specification