Automatic call distribution system with an ISDN compatible call connection system and method
First Claim
1. In an automatic call distribution system with an automatic call distributor for selectively interconnecting calls made from external telephonic units through an external telephonic network connected with the system, the improvement comprising:
- a plurality of ISDN interior telephonic units with standard ISDN characteristics provided by a standard ISDN messaging protocol in which the ISDN interior telephonic units are connected with the automatic call distributor for receipt of incoming calls from the external telephonic units;
means within the ISDN interior telephonic units for selectively altering the standard ISDN message protocols of the ISDN interior telephonic units to provide the ISDN interior telephonic units with nonstandard ISDN performance characteristics usable in a call distribution environment.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An automatic call distributor system (28) with an automatic call distributor (20) for selectively interconnecting telephonic calls from external telephonic units (32) of an external telephonic network (34) to a plurality of Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN) interior telephonic units (30) with ISDN characteristics and a microprocessor (50) in the ISDN telephonic unit (30) for controlling the ISDN telephonic unit (30) to alter and enhance performance characteristics of the ISDN telephonic unit (30) in an automatic call distribution environment.
279 Citations
30 Claims
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1. In an automatic call distribution system with an automatic call distributor for selectively interconnecting calls made from external telephonic units through an external telephonic network connected with the system, the improvement comprising:
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a plurality of ISDN interior telephonic units with standard ISDN characteristics provided by a standard ISDN messaging protocol in which the ISDN interior telephonic units are connected with the automatic call distributor for receipt of incoming calls from the external telephonic units; means within the ISDN interior telephonic units for selectively altering the standard ISDN message protocols of the ISDN interior telephonic units to provide the ISDN interior telephonic units with nonstandard ISDN performance characteristics usable in a call distribution environment. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. In an automatic call distribution system with an automatic call distribution for selectively interconnecting calls made from external telephonic units through an external telephonic network connected with the system, the method of making ISDN compatible call connections with the interior telephonic units, comprising the steps of:
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providing each of the plurality of interior telephonic units with ISDN characteristics defined by standard ISDN message protocols; and selectively altering the standard ISDN message protocols of the ISDN interior telephonic units to provide the ISDN interior telephonic units with nonstandard ISDN performance characteristics usable in a call distribution environment. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. In an automatic call distribution system with a computer controlled multiport switch for selectively interconnecting a plurality of internal telephonic units of an internal telephonic network with external telephonic units of an external telephonic network, the improvement comprising:
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means for providing the internal telephonic units with ISDN characteristics to make them ISDN telephonic units; means for sending an altered ISDN message to the multiport switch indicating from the ISDN telephonic units that the ISDN telephonic units are in an available state to receive calls; means associated with the ISDN telephonic units for automatically indicating to the computer controlled multiport switch that the ISDN telephonic units are in an idle state ready to receive incoming calls; means for selective and automatic connecting of incoming calls through the multiport switch to those ISDN telephonic units that are providing indications they are in an idle and available state; and means for automatically accepting incoming calls connected to ISDN telephonic units in the idle and available state through the multiport switch by said selectively and automatically connecting means. - View Dependent Claims (13)
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14. In an automated call distribution system with a computer controlled multiport switch for selectively interconnecting a plurality of internal ISDN telephonic units with a plurality of incoming calls from external telephonic units, the improvement comprising:
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means for determining whether the internal ISDN telephonic units are in an active state in which they are not ready to receive a call immediately or in an idle state in which they are ready to receive a call immediately; means responsive to the determining means for selectively interconnecting incoming calls to internal ISDN telephonic units determined to be in an idle state in accordance with an ISDN standard communications protocol; and means responsive to the determining means for selectively interconnecting incoming calls to active ones of the internal ISDN telephonic units in accordance with a nonstandard protocol which is different from the ISDN standard protocol. - View Dependent Claims (15)
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16. In an automated call distribution system with a computer controlled multiport switch for selectively interconnecting a plurality of internal ISDN telephonic units with a plurality of incoming calls from external telephonic units, a method of making ISDN compatible call connections with the internal telephonic units, comprising the steps of:
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determining whether the internal ISDN telephonic units are in an active state in which they are not ready to receive a call immediately or in an idle state in which they are ready to receive a call immediately; selectively interconnecting incoming calls to internal ISDN telephonic units determined to be in an idle state in accordance with an ISDN standard communication protocol; and selectively interconnecting incoming calls to the internal ISDN telephonic units determined to be in the active state in accordance with a nonstandard protocol which is different from the ISDN standard protocol. - View Dependent Claims (17)
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18. In an automatic call distribution system with a computer controlled automatic call distributor for selectively interconnecting telephonic calls received from external telephonic units of an external telephonic network to interior telephonic units having hook switches, the improvement comprising:
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means for providing the interior telephonic units with ISDN characteristics to make them interior ISDN telephonic units; means for disconnecting telephonic calls at the interior ISDN telephonic units received from the external telephonic units; means responsive to the disconnecting means for automatically indicating to the automatic call distributor that the interior ISDN telephonic units are in an off-hook state independent of actuation of hook switches of the interior ISDN telephonic units; and means responsive to actuating the indicating means for directly connecting calls from the external telephonic units to the interior ISDN telephonic units independent of actuation of hook switches.
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19. In an automatic call distribution system with a call distributor for selectively interconnecting telephonic calls from external telephonic units of an external telephonic switching network with a plurality of internal telephonic units in which each of the internal telephonic units has a releasably connectable audio communication device, the improvement comprising:
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means for providing the internal telephonic units with ISDN characteristics to make them ISDN telephonic units; means at one of the ISDN telephonic units for detecting disconnection of an audio communication device from the one of the ISDN telephonic units; means responsive to the detecting means for transmitting a message which indicates disconnection of a headset from the one of the ISDN telephonic units to the call distributor in accordance with a standard ISDN protocol; and means at the call distributor responsive to receipt of said message from the one of the ISDN telephonic units for preventing the interconnection of incoming telephonic calls to the one of the internal ISDN telephonic units at which the headset is disconnected.
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20. In an automatic call distribution system with a call distributor for selectively interconnecting telephonic calls from external telephonic units of an external telephonic switching network with a plurality of internal telephonic units in which each of the internal telephonic units has a releasably connectable audio communication device, a method of making ISDN compatible call connections with the internal telephonic units, comprising the steps of:
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providing the interior telephonic units with ISDN characteristics to make them ISDN telephonic units; detecting disconnection of an audio communication device from one of the ISDN telephonic units; transmitting a message which indicates disconnection of the audio communication device from one of the ISDN telephonic units to the call distributor in accordance with a standard ISDN protocol; and preventing the interconnection of incoming telephonic calls to the one of the ISDN telephonic units at which the audio communication device is disconnected.
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21. In an automatic call distribution system having a computer controlled multiport switch for selectively interconnecting a plurality of internal telephonic units with a plurality of external telephonic units of an external telephonic switching network, the improvement comprising:
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means for providing the internal telephonic units with ISDN characteristics; means for creating a conference call between at least two external telephonic units and an ISDN internal telephonic unit; and means associated with the ISDN internal telephonic unit for placing one of the external telephonic units on hold with a single key actuation while maintaining the conference call between the ISDN internal telephonic unit and at least one other of the external telephonic units.
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22. In an automatic call distribution system having a computer controlled multiport switch for selectively interconnecting a plurality of internal telephonic units with a plurality of external telephonic units of an external telephonic switching network, a method of making ISDN compatible call connections with the internal telephonic units, comprising the steps of:
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providing the internal telephonic units with ISDN characteristics; creating a conference call between at least two external telephonic units and an ISDN internal telephonic unit; and placing one of the external telephonic units on hold with a single key actuation while maintaining the conference call between the ISDN internal telephonic unit and at least one other of the external telephonic units.
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23. In an automatic call distribution system having a multiport switch for selectively interconnecting a plurality of external telephonic units of an external switching network to a plurality of internal telephonic units of the call distribution system, the improvement comprising:
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means for providing the internal telephonic units with ISDN characteristics to make them ISDN internal telephonic units; means at the ISDN internal telephonic units for establishing a multiple party telephonic conference call; means associated with the ISDN internal telephonic units for placing one of the parties to a telephonic conference call on hold; and means associated with the ISDN internal telephonic units for acknowledging to the multiport switch the ability to reconnect the party placed on hold to the multiple party conference call.
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24. In an automatic call distributor system having a multiport switch for selectively interconnecting a plurality of external telephonic units of an external switching network to a plurality of internal telephonic units of the call distribution system, a method of making ISDN compatible call connections with the internal telephonic units, comprising the steps of:
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providing the internal telephonic units with ISDN characteristics to make them ISDN internal telephonic units; establishing a multiple party telephonic conference call; placing one of the parties to the telephonic conference call on hold; and acknowledging to the multiport switch the ability to reconnect the party placed on hold to the multiple party conference call.
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25. In an automatic call distribution system with a computer controlled multiport switch for selectively interconnecting a plurality of external telephonic units of an external telephonic switching network with a plurality of internal telephonic units of the call distribution system, the improvement comprising:
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means for providing the internal telephonic units with ISDN characteristics to make them ISDN internal telephonic units; means for connecting a two way voice path from one ISDN internal telephonic unit to an existing incoming telephonic call between one external telephonic unit and another ISDN internal telephonic unit to create a conference call; and means responsive to the connecting means for indicating at the other ISDN internal telephonic unit of the creation of the two way voice path connection from the one ISDN internal telephonic unit with the existing incoming telephonic call connection.
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26. In an automatic call distribution system with a computer controlled multiport switch for selectively interconnecting a plurality of external telephonic units of an external telephonic switching network with a plurality of internal telephonic units of the call distribution system, a method of making ISDN compatible call connections with the internal telephonic units, comprising the steps of:
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providing the internal telephonic units with ISDN characteristics to make them ISDN internal telephonic units; connecting a two way voice path from one ISDN internal telephonic unit to an existing incoming telephonic call between one external telephonic unit and another ISDN internal telephonic unit to create a conference call; and indicating at the other ISDN internal telephonic unit of creation of the two way voice path connection from the one ISDN internal telephonic unit to the existing incoming telephonic call connection.
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27. In an automatic call distribution system having a switch for selectively interconnecting a plurality of external telephonic units of an external telephonic switching network with a plurality of internal telephonic units of the call distribution system, the improvement comprising:
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means for providing the internal telephonic units with ISDN characteristics to make them ISDN internal telephonic units; means for connecting multiple parties to an ISDN internal telephonic unit to establish a multiple party conference call at the ISDN internal telephonic unit between the ISDN internal telephonic unit, the external telephonic units and other ISDN internal telephonic units; and means responsive to actuation of a single key at the ISDN internal telephonic unit for disconnecting all the connected parties to the ISDN internal telephonic unit.
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28. In an automatic call distribution system having a switch for selectively interconnecting a plurality of external telephonic units of an external telephonic switching network with a plurality of internal telephonic units of the call distribution system, a method of making ISDN compatible call connections with the internal telephonic units, comprising the steps of:
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providing the internal telephonic units with ISDN characteristics to make them ISDN internal telephonic units; connecting multiple parties to one ISDN internal telephonic unit to establish a multiple party conference call at the one ISDN internal telephonic unit between the one ISDN internal telephonic unit, external telephonic units and other ISDN internal telephonic units; and disconnecting all the connected parties to the one ISDN internal telephonic unit in response to actuation of a single key at the one ISDN internal telephonic unit.
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29. In an automatic call distribution system having a multiport switch for selectively interconnecting a plurality of external telephonic units of an external network with internal telephonic units of the automatic call distribution system, the improvement comprising:
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means for providing an internal telephonic unit with ISDN characteristics to make it an ISDN internal telephonic unit; means for automatically preventing the activation of a ringer at the ISDN internal telephonic unit; means for detecting that the ISDN internal telephonic unit is in an unavailable state; and means for activating the ringer in response to receipt of a telephonic call from the multiport switch to the ISDN internal telephonic unit in the unavailable state.
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30. In an automatic call distribution system having a multiport switch for selectively interconnecting a plurality of external telephonic units of an external telephonic network with internal telephonic units of the automatic call distribution system, a method of making ISDN compatible call connections with the internal telephonic units, comprising the steps of:
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providing the internal telephonic units with ISDN characteristics to make them ISDN internal telephonic units; preventing the activation of a ringer at an internal telephonic unit; detecting that the internal telephonic unit is in an unavailable state; and activating the ringer in response to receipt of a telephonic call from the multiport switch to the internal telephonic unit in the unavailable state.
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Specification