Apparatus and a method for predictive call dialing

• US 5,341,412 A
• Filed: 10/10/1991
• Issued: 08/23/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 10/10/1991
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Inter-Tel (Delaware) Incorporated (Mitel Networks Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Executone Information Systems, Inc. (eLOT, Inc.)
• Inventors: Ramot, Danny, Chen, George, Henkin, Alexander
• Primary Examiner(s): Chan, Wing F.
• Application Number:
  US07/774,600
• Time in Patent Office: 1,048 Days
• Field of Search: 379/92, 379/93, 379/94, 379/96-98, 379/216, 379/218, 379/265, 379/266, 379/309, 379/201, 379/159, 379/395, 379/387
• US Class Current: 379/92.03
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/36 Statistical metering, e.g. recording occasions when traffic exceeds capacity of trunks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/51 Centralised call answering arrangements requiring operator intervention , e.g. call or contact centers for telemarketing
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5158 in combination with automated outdialling systems devices for signalling identity of wanted subscriber H04M1/26
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/523 with call distribution or queueing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 379/904 Auto-calling

Abstract

A predictive dialing system automatically initiates a series of live telephone calls for its agents. Each agent'"'"'s work area includes a telephone set including a headset for establishing a voice communications channel between the agent and a customer. The agent'"'"'s work area also includes a computer terminal having a display device and an input device. The computer terminals are coupled to a server computer via a network. The server computer is also coupled to an automatic dialer and to a private branch exchange. When the server assigns a call to a agent, it sends information about the party called to the agent'"'"'s display terminal. The agent enters data into the input device while talking to the called party. The system allows the agent to control all telephone functions from the display terminal input device, including volume adjustment, mute and unmute, release and disconnect. The agent can dial and control additional calls using the display terminal input device, including central office calls, intercom calls and paging. The system maintains a steady sequence of calls by use of a feedback mechanism to adjust the scheduling of calls. As each call is initiated or completed, system parameters are adjusted to maintain a predetermined minimum number of busy agents. The adjustments also maintain the percentage of unattended calls (for which no agent is available).

Claims

1. A control system for a telephone data collection network including an automatic dialer coupled to a private branch exchange, a plurality of telephone sets and a respective plurality of computer terminals each having a video monitor and an input device, and each assigned to one of a plurality of agents, said control system comprising:

means for initiating calls by the automatic dialer;

means for detecting that one of the agents is available to receive a call;

means for assigning one of the initiated calls to the available agent; and

telephone line control means, coupled to the computer terminal assigned to the agent and to the private branch exchange, for facilitating telephone keypad functions and for controlling the connection between the private branch exchange and the telephone set assigned to the agent via commands entered by the agent into the computer terminal using the input device;

wherein the telephone data collection network further includes a plurality of loudspeakers positioned to provide audio information to the agents, wherein the control system further comprises;

means for one of the agents to initiate an intercom call by manually entering commands at the terminal input device;

broadcasting said intercom calls over the loudspeakers; and

means coupled to at least one of said plurality of computer terminals not assigned to the one agent for establishing a connection with the one agent by using the input device associated with the one terminal not assigned to the agent.

2. A telephone data collection network which provides a continuous series of telephone calls to a plurality of agents, the network comprising:

a data source computer;

a server computer;

an automatic dialer coupled to the source computer and to the server computer;

a plurality of computer terminals coupled to the server computer;

a plurality of voice communication devices each assigned to a respectively different one of the plurality of computer terminals and having a display device and an input devices;

means for providing data communications between the automatic dialer and the data source computer using a first communications protocol;

means for providing data communications between the automatic dialer and the server computer using a second communications protocol;

means, coupled to said automatic dialer, for providing protocol conversion between said first and second communications protocols during a first time interval;

means for transmitting phone number data from the data source computer, through the automatic dialer, to the server computer during said first time interval; and

means, coupled to said server computer, for causing the automatic dialer to initiate calls during a second time interval, exclusive of said first time interval.

3. A telephone data collection network set according to claim 2 further comprising:

means, coupled to the server computer, for accumulating data during said continuous series of telephone calls; and

means for transmitting the accumulated data from the server computer, through the automatic dialer, to the data source computer during a third time interval, exclusive of the first and second time intervals.