Resource control and data handling for central office based automatic call distributors

• US 5,153,909 A
• Filed: 05/25/1989
• Issued: 10/06/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 05/25/1989
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Bell Telephone Laboratories, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: AT&T, Inc.
• Inventors: Crockett, Gary B., Easley, Kevin D., Beckle, LeAnn M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Shaw, Gareth D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): BUTLER, DENNIS
• Application Number:
  US07/357,135
• Time in Patent Office: 1,230 Days
• Field of Search: 364/200 MS File, 364/900 MS File, 379/201 MS File, 379/95 MS File, 379/112 MS File, 379/265, 379/266, 379/207, 379/269, 379/202, 379/204, 379/205
• US Class Current: 379/265.03
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/36 Statistical metering, e.g. recording occasions when traffic exceeds capacity of trunks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/523 with call distribution or queueing

Abstract

This invention relates to a central office (CO) based automatic call distributor (ACD) system arrangement for providing resource control and call event data processing services for a plurality of ACD systems, served by a switching system. The arrangement comprises a switching system, having a control processor complex (CPC), a special Event and Control Link (ECL) processor that performs ACD end-user call event data partitioning and ACD end-user resource allocation message screening, and one or more Management Information System (MIS) processors that perform data processing to derive statistics associated with calls to an ACD. The ECL receives, partitions, and transmits call event data messages from the CPC to the MIS processors. The ECL also screens resource allocation request messages, sent by ACD end-users to control the allocation of ACD resources, by checking that the messages match a predetermined format, and by verifying that the end-user making the request has permission to make the requested resource allocation changes. Finally, the ECL interfaces with multiple MIS processors. These MIS processors can be located at the CO, the premises of an enhanced service provider, or on an end-user'"'"'s premises. Advantageously, end-user call event data partitioning and resource allocation message screening is performed by the ECL without increasing the complexity of the CPC program, and an ACD end-user has a choice of options of using his own MIS processor, sharing an MIS processor provided by an enhanced service provider, or sharing an MIS processor provided in the switching system.

Claims

1. A method of providing resource control and data processing services from a plurality of first processors for a plurality of automatic call distributor (ACD) subsystems, served from a switching system, wherein the switching system comprises a processor means, comprising the steps of:

transmitting request messages, for the allocation of resources, from the plurality of first processors to a second processor; and

the second processor, comprising a memory, screening the request messages for transmission to the processor means for allocating resources;

wherein the screening of messages comprises the second processor interfacing with the first processors for receiving request messages from the first processors and for sending response messages to the first processors;

wherein the interfacing between the second processor and the first processors comprises establishing virtual links for sending request messages and response messages between the second processor and each of the plurality of first processors and periodically executing a handshaking protocol between the second processor and each first processor over the virtual links;

the second processor examining the request messages to determine whether the messages are in a predetermined format;

wherein the examining of request messages comprises the second processor determining the message type of a request message using a prespecified data field in the request message, the second processor checking the format of the request message against a predetermined format for the message type, and the second processor checking whether the request message references a resource that is allocated using request messages;

the second processor verifying that an ACD end-user, identified in the request message, is authorized to request the resource allocation of the message;

wherein the verification of authorized ACD end-users comprises searching the memory of the second processor using at least one data field within a request message as a key, and determining from the search whether the end-user identified in the message is authorized to have the request granted by the processor means;

the second processor interfacing with the processor means for sending verified request messages in the predetermined format to the processor means, and for receiving resource allocation response messages from the processor means;

wherein the interfacing between the second processor and the processor means comprises establishing a virtual link for sending the request messages and the response messages between the second processor and the processor means, and periodically executing a handshaking protocol between the second processor and the processor means over the virtual link;

whereby the periodic execution of the handshaking protocol ensures that the virtual channel is still operative;

recognizing data, associated with the plurality of ACD subsystems in the processor means;

transmitting the data from the processor means to the second processor;

partitioning the transmitted data in the second processor;

wherein the partitioning of data comprises the second processor determining a first processor that is a destination of each data message;

wherein the determining a first processor comprises determining the type of data message from a prespecified field of the message, and based on the type of message, selecting additional information in the message as a key in a search of memory in the second processor to determine the first processor to which the data message is to be transmitted;

wherein the transmitting of the data from the processor means comprises establishing a virtual link between the second processor and the processor means, periodically executing a handshaking protocol on the virtual link between the second processor and the processor means, and transmitting data messages from the processor means to the second processor over the virtual link;

and wherein the transmitting of the partitioned data comprises the second processor interfacing with the first processors for transmitting the data messages to the first processors that are the destination of each data message;

wherein the interfacing with the first processors comprises determining physical links on which to send the data messages, establishing virtual links over the physical links between the second processor and the first processors, and periodically executing a handshaking protocol on the virtual links between the second processor and each first processor; and

transmitting the partitioned data to different ones of the plurality of first processors for performing data processing of said data.

2. A method of providing resource control and data processing services from a plurality of first processors for a plurality of automatic call distributor (ACD) subsystems, served from a switching system, wherein the switching system comprises a processor means, comprising the steps of:

transmitting request messages, for the allocation of resources, from the plurality of first processors to a second processor; and

the second processor, comprising a memory, screening the request messages for transmission to the processor means for allocating resources;

wherein the screening of messages comprises the second processor interfacing with the first processors for receiving request messages from the first processors and for sending response messages to the first processors;

wherein the interfacing between the second processor and the first processors comprises establishing virtual links for sending request messages and response messages between the second processor and each of the plurality of first processors;

the second processor examining the request messages to determine whether the messages are in a predetermined format;

wherein the examining of request messages comprises the second processor determining the message type of a request message using a prespecified data field in the request message, the second processor checking the format of the request message against a predetermined format for the message type, and the second processor checking whether the request message references a resource that is allocated using request messages;

the second processor verifying that an ACD end-user, identified in the request message, is authorized to request the resource allocation of the message;

wherein the verification of authorized ACD end-users comprises searching the memory of the second processor using at least one data field within a request message as a key, and determining from the search whether the end-user identified in the message is identified in the memory as being authorized to have the request granted by the processor means;

the second processor interfacing with the processor means for sending verified request messages in the predetermined format to the processor means, and for receiving resource allocation response messages from the processor means;

wherein the interfacing between the second processor and the processor means comprises establishing a virtual link for sending the request messages and the response messages between the second processor and the processor means;

recognizing data, associated with the plurality of ACD subsystems in the processor means;

transmitting the data from the processor means to the second processor;

partitioning the transmitted data in the second processor;

wherein the partitioning of data comprises the second processor determining a first processor that is a destination of each data message;

wherein the determining a first processor comprises determining the type of data message from a prespecified field of the message, and based on the type of message, selecting additional information in the message as a key in a search of memory in the second processor to determine the first processor to which the data message is to be transmitted;

wherein the transmitting of the data from the processor means comprises establishing a virtual link between the second processor and the processor means, and transmitting data messages from the processor means to the second processor over the virtual link;

and wherein the transmitting of the partitioned data comprises the second processor interfacing with the first processors for transmitting the data messages to the first processors that are the destination of each data message;

wherein the interfacing with the first processors comprises determining physical links on which to send the data messages, establishing virtual links over the physical links between the second processor and the first processors; and

transmitting the partitioned data to different ones of the plurality of first processors for performing data processing of said data.