Call data collection and modification of received call distribution

• US 4,788,718 A
• Filed: 10/05/1987
• Issued: 11/29/1988
• Est. Priority Date: 10/05/1987
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: American Telephone & Telegraph Company (AT&T, Inc.), Bell Telephone Laboratories, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: American Telephone & Telegraph Company (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Yien, Richard S., McNabb, Sandra D.
• Primary Examiner(s): SCHREYER, STAFFORD
• Application Number:
  US07/104,724
• Time in Patent Office: 421 Days
• Field of Search: 379/115, 379/113, 379/133, 379/134, 379/139
• US Class Current: 379/112.08
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/36 Statistical metering, e.g. recording occasions when traffic exceeds capacity of trunks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4228 in networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/523 with call distribution or queueing
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5237 Interconnection arrangements between ACD systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13072 Sequence circuits for call signaling, ACD systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13541 routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13545 monitoring of signaling messages, intelligent network
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13562 blocking
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0029 Provisions for intelligent networking

Abstract

An arrangement and method for compiling telecommunication traffic analysis data includes the steps of collecting call data for a plurality of calls to a single customer from a signaling circuit that commonly carries the signaling for calls to a plurality of customers. The call data is transmitted to and stored in a call data processor which processes the call data to compile a summary of traffic data for the plurality of calls to the customer. Further processing of the summary of traffic data results in a change of a parameter in the customer'"'"'s call processing logic and a reduction of call blocking for subsequent calls.

Claims

1. A telecommunication network arranged for a calling station to dial a customer'"'"'s number to reach any one of a plurality of the customer'"'"'s answering stations in the network, the network being arranged for communicating signaling messages through a common channel signaling circuit between the calling station and a network control point to set up a call from the calling station to one of the customer'"'"'s answering stations selected by the customer call processing logic stored within the network, at least part of the customer'"'"'s answering stations being arranged to distribute calls to a plurality of attendants, the network comprising

means for reading the signaling messages communicated through the common channel signaling circuit to collect the customer'"'"'s call data from plural calls to the customer'"'"'s number;

means interconnected with the reading means for storing the customer'"'"'s call data from the plural calls to the customer'"'"'s number; and

means interconnected with the storing means for processing the customer'"'"'s call data collected from the plural calls to produce a traffic data summary for the plural calls to the customer'"'"'s number.

2. A telecommunication network, in accordance with claim 1, further comprising

means for transmitting the traffic data summary from the processing means for immediate delivery to the customer.

3. A telecommunication network in accordance with claim 1, wherein the processing means further comprise

means, responsive to the traffic data summary and a predetermined threshold value, for revising at least one parameter included in the customer'"'"'s call processing logic into a changed parameter value, and

means for transmitting the changed parameter value to the network control point and overwriting that parameter in the customer'"'"'s call processing logic stored within the network control point.

4. A telecommunication network arranged for a calling station to dial a customer'"'"'s number to reach any one of a plurality of the customer'"'"'s answering stations in the network, the network being arranged for communicating signaling messages through a common channel signaling circuit between the calling station and a network control point to set up a call from the calling station to one of the customer'"'"'s answering stations selected by the customer'"'"'s call processing logic stored within the network, at least part of the customer'"'"'s answering stations being arranged to distribute calls to a plurality of attendants, the network comprising

means for reading the signaling messages communicated through the common channel signaling circuit to collect the customer'"'"'s call data from plural calls to the customer'"'"'s number;

means interconnected with the reading means for storing the customer'"'"'s call data as call attempt records for the plural calls to the customer'"'"'s number; and

means interconnected with the storing means for transmitting the call attempt records for immediate delivery to the customer.

5. A method for compiling traffic analysis data from a telecommunication network with plural customers, each customer having a calling service using individually customized call processing data, call attempt records, and a summary of traffic analysis data, the method comprising the steps of

collecting call data from a signaling circuit that is common to calls to the plurality of customers;

transmitting the collected call data to a call data processor;

identifying the collected call data to a specific customer;

storing the specific customer'"'"'s collected call data in the customer'"'"'s call attempt records; and

transmitting the specific customer'"'"'s call attempt records relating to a plurality of calls to the specific customer.

6. A method for compiling traffic analysis data from a telecommunication network with plural customers, each customer having a calling service using individually customized call processing data, call attempt records, and a summary of traffic analysis data, the method comprising the steps of

collecting call data from a signaling circuit that is common to calls to the plurality of customers;

transmitting the collected call data to a call data processor;

identifying the collected call data to a specific customer;

storing the specific customer'"'"'s collected call data in the customer'"'"'s call attempt records;

processing the call attempt records into the summary of traffic analysis data for the plurality of calls to the specific customer; and

transmitting the specific customer'"'"'s summary of traffic analysis data to the specific customer.

7. A method for changing call processing logic in a telecommunication network that provides a received call distribution service for a customer, the method comprising the steps of

transmitting to and storing in a network control point and in a call data processor call processing logic including a parameter customized specifically for the customer'"'"'s service and used by the network for processing calls to the customer;

collecting call data, representing a plurality of calls to the customer, the call data being collected from a signaling circuit that is common to calls to a plurality of customers;

transmitting the collected call data to the call data processor;

identifying and storing the collected call data in call attempt records identified with the customer;

processing the customer'"'"'s call attempt records to produce a summary of traffic analysis data for the plurality of calls to the customer;

processing the summary of traffic analysis data with a predetermined threshold for determining whether or not to change the parameter;

if the parameter is to be changed, determining a changed parameter value; and

overwriting the parameter value with the changed parameter value in both the call data processor and the network control point.

8. A method for reducing call blocking in a telecommunication network that provides a received call distribution service for a customer, the method comprising the steps of

transmitting to and storing in a network control point and in a call data processor call processing logic including a parameter customized specifically for reducing the number of blocked call attempts to the customer and used by the network for processing calls to the customer;

collecting call data, representing a plurality of calls to the customer, the call data being collected from a signaling circuit that is common to calls to a plurality of customers;

transmitting the collected call data to the call data processor;

identifying and storing the collected call data in call attempt records identified with the customer;

processing the customer'"'"'s call attempt records to produce a summary of traffic analysis data for the plurality of calls to the customer;

processing the summary of the traffic analysis data with a predetermined threshold for determining whether or not the change the parameter;

if the parameter is to be changed, determining a changed parameter value that reduces call blocking for calls made subsequently in the network; and

overwriting the parameter value with the changed parameter value in both the call data processor and the network control point.

9. The method for reducing call blocking, in accordance with claim 8, wherein

call attempts, subsequent to determining the changed parameter, are processed through the network to the customer by way of the call processing logic including the changed parameter which reduces blocking of call attempts with respect to blocking of call attempts caused by the original parameter value.