Method and system for transferring calls and call-related data between a plurality of call centers

• US 5,937,051 A
• Filed: 02/28/1997
• Issued: 08/10/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 07/08/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: E-Talk Corporation
• Original Assignee: Teknekron Infoswitch Corp. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Hitson, Bruce L., Maloney, Michael J., Hurd, Michael D., McCalmont, David T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wolinsky, Scott
• Application Number:
  US08/795,950
• Time in Patent Office: 893 Days
• Field of Search: 379/212, 379/265, 379/210, 379/201, 379/211, 379/309, 370/904
• US Class Current: 379/212.01
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/38 Displays
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42323 PBX's with CTI arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5183 Call or contact centers with computer-telephony arrangements
• 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: H04M 3/58 Arrangements for transferring received calls from one subscriber to another; Arrangements affording interim conversations between either the calling or the called party and a third party substation line holding circuits H04M1/80
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/009 in systems involving PBX or KTS networks

Abstract

A system is provided for transferring a voice component and a data component of a service call. The system includes a first call distribution circuit which receives a service call comprising a voice component. A first voice instrument and a first contact control server are coupled to the first call distribution circuit. The first voice instrument receives the voice component. The first contact control server generates a data component related to the voice component. A first workstation, coupled to the first contact control server, receives the data component. A second call distribution circuit receives the voice component in an ISDN-supported transfer call via a first communication path from the first call distribution circuit. The ISDN-supported transfer call specifies an identifier associated with the first voice instrument. The second call distribution circuit determines the identifier from the ISDN-supported transfer call. A second voice instrument and a second contact control server are coupled to the second call distribution circuit. The second voice instrument receives the voice component. The second contact control server receives the data component via a second communication path from the first contact control server. The second contact control server associates the data component and the voice component using the identifier. A second workstation, coupled to the second contact control server, receives the data component.

Claims

1. A system for transferring a voice component and a data component of a service call, comprising:

a first call distribution circuit operable to receive a service call comprising a voice component;

a first voice instrument coupled to the first call distribution circuit, the first voice instrument operable to receive the voice component;

a first contact control server coupled to the first call distribution circuit and operable to generate a data component related to the voice component;

a first workstation coupled to the first contact control server and operable to receive the data component;

a second call distribution circuit operable to receive the voice component in an Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN)-supported transfer call via a first communication path from the first call distribution circuit, the ISDN-supported transfer call specifying an identifier associated with the first voice instrument, the second call distribution circuit operable to determine the identifier from the ISDN-supported transfer call;

a second voice instrument coupled to the second call distribution circuit and operable to receive the voice component;

a second contact control server coupled to the second call distribution circuit, the second contact control server operable to receive the data component via a second communication path from the first contact control server, the second contact control server operable to associate the data component and the voice component using the identifier; and

a second workstation coupled to the second contact control server and operable to receive the data component.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the identifier is specified in a calling party subaddress of the ISDN-supported transfer call.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the first call distribution circuit is further operable to distribute the voice component to the first voice instrument; and

the second call distribution circuit is further operable to distribute the voice component to the second voice instrument.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the first contact control server is further operable to communicate the data component to the first workstation; and

the second contact control server is further operable to communicate the data component to the second workstation.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the first call distribution circuit is further operable to identify a call identifier upon receiving the service call.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the first communication path comprises a public switching network between the first call distribution circuit and the second call distribution circuit.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the first communication path comprises a private network between the first call distribution circuit and the second call distribution circuit.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the first communication path comprises a tie line between the first call distribution circuit and the second call distribution circuit.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the identifier comprises an extension number for the first voice instrument.

10. The system of claim 1, further comprising a memory device coupled to the first contact control server for storing the data component.

11. The system of claim 1, further comprising a file and communication server coupled between the first workstation and a host processor, the file and communication server operable to communicate the data component from the first workstation to the host processor.

12. A method for transferring a voice component and a data component of a service call, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving a service call comprising a voice component at a first call distribution circuit;

receiving the voice component at a first voice instrument;

generating a data component related to the voice component using a first contact control server;

receiving the data component at a first workstation;

receiving the voice component in an Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN)-supported transfer call via a first communication path from the first call distribution circuit to a second call distribution circuit, the ISDN-supported transfer call specifying an identifier associated with the first voice instrument;

determining the identifier from the ISDN-supported transfer call;

receiving the data component via a second communication path from the first contact control server to a second contact control server; and

associating the data component and the voice component using the identifier.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising the step of receiving the voice component at a second voice instrument.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising the step of receiving the data component at a second workstation.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the identifier is specified in a calling party subaddress of the ISDN-supported transfer call.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein the identifier comprises an extension number for the first voice instrument.

17. The method of claim 12, further comprising the step of distributing the voice component to the first voice instrument from the first call distribution circuit.

18. The method of claim 12, further comprising the step of communicating the data component to the first workstation from the first contact control server.

19. The method of claim 12, further comprising the step of distributing the voice component to a second voice instrument from the second call distribution circuit.

20. The method of claim 12, further comprising the step of communicating the data component to a second workstation from the second contact control server.

21. The method of claim 12, further comprising the step of identifying the origin of the service call upon receiving the service call.

22. The method of claim 12, further comprising the step of storing the data component in a storage means coupled to the first contact control server.

23. The method of claim 12, further comprising the step of communicating the data component between the first workstation and a host processor using a file and communication server.

24. The method of claim 12, further comprising the step of communicating the data component between the first workstation and a host processor using a file and communication server.