Method of dynamic load sharing between systems with automatic telephone call distributors

• US 5,987,117 A
• Filed: 07/07/1997
• Issued: 11/16/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 07/07/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Mitel Networks Corporation
• Original Assignee: Zarlink Semiconductor Inc. (Microchip Technology Incorporated)
• Inventors: McNeil, Douglas, Pequegnat, Steven P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Zele, Krista
• Assistant Examiner(s): TIEU, BENNY QUOC
• Application Number:
  US08/888,618
• Time in Patent Office: 862 Days
• Field of Search: 379/265, 379/266, 379/309, 379/111, 379/113, 379/133, 379/219, 370/353, 370/354
• US Class Current: 379/265.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5237 Interconnection arrangements between ACD systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/54 Arrangements for diverting calls for one subscriber to another predetermined subscriber based on the calling party profile H04M3/42059; based on location H04M3/42348; based on presence H04M3/42365; to voice mail H04M3/53308
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/545 with loop avoiding arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/12 for working between exchanges having different types of switching equipment, e.g. power-driven and step by step or decimal and non-decimal

Abstract

A method of sharing a load of incoming calls to a first automatic call distribution (ACD) system with a second ACD system, comprising: establishing at each of the first and second ACD systems divert start service levels each comprising an average wait time of incoming calls before being answered of a predetermined number of incoming calls during a sample period, monitoring a local service level at each of the ACD systems, and diverting incoming calls from one of the ACD systems to the other of the ACD systems for answering thereof in the event the local service level of the one of the ACD systems is longer than its local divert start service level.

Claims

1. A method of sharing a load of incoming calls to a first automatic call distribution (ACD) system with a second ACD system, comprising:

(a) establishing at each of the first and second ACD systems divert start service levels each comprising an average wait time of a predetermined number of incoming calls before being answered during a sample period,

(b) monitoring a local service level at each of the ACD systems,

(c) diverting incoming calls from one ACD system to the other ACD system in the event the local service level of said one of the ACD systems is longer than its local divert start service level,

including establishing at each of the first and second ACD systems a divert stop service level which is lower than its divert start service level, and blocking acceptance of calls diverted from another ACD system in the event the local service level is above the local divert stop service level, in which the divert start service level, the predetermined number of calls, and divert exclusion percentage (DEP) is the percentage poorer service level at a remote ACD system relative to a service level at the local ACD system, are similar at both the local and remote ACD systems, and in which the DEP is 50% or higher at both the local and remote ACD systems.

2. A method as defined in claim 1 in which the divert stop service level at an ACD system is determined as

3. A method as defined in claim 1 including entering an incoming call in a local queue for answering in the event diversion to another ACD system has been blocked.