External positivistic forward transfer in call-routing systems

• US 5,995,615 A
• Filed: 02/10/1997
• Issued: 11/30/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 02/10/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Genesys Telecommunications Laboratories Incorporated (Genesys Cloud Services Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Genesys Telecommunications Laboratories Incorporated (Genesys Cloud Services Incorporated)
• Inventors: Miloslavsky, Alec
• Primary Examiner(s): Wolinsky, Scott
• Assistant Examiner(s): TIEU, BENNY QUOC
• Application Number:
  US08/797,408
• Time in Patent Office: 1,023 Days
• Field of Search: 379/265, 379/266, 379/309, 379/201, 379/207, 379/220, 379/222, 379/219, 379/221
• US Class Current: 379/265.11
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42323 PBX's with CTI arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/428 Arrangements for placing incoming calls on hold
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/51 Centralised call answering arrangements requiring operator intervention , e.g. call or contact centers for telemarketing
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0029 Provisions for intelligent networking
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/66 Traffic distributors

Abstract

A telephone call-routing system includes an initial call-processing system having a first telephone line adapted for receiving calls from customers and a processor system, and a remote call-in center comprising a computerized telephony switch connected to a plurality of telephones at operator workstations. The processor system is adapted to route calls to individual ones of the telephones, and is connected by a telephony line to the initial call processing system. A telephony server is connected to the telephony switch by a first high-speed data link and has a digital network communication link to the processor system. The telephony server is adapted to monitor activity of the telephony switch and to report the activity to the processor system over the digital network link. The processor system selects a destination for an incoming call based on the activity reported to the processor system by the telephony server, and immediately routes the call to the selected destination, setting a semaphore for destination busy, and forwarding a data packet associated with the call by the destination phone number to the telephony server over the digital network link.

Claims

1. A telephone call-routing system, comprising:

an initial call-processing system having a first telephone line adapted for receiving calls from customers and a processor system; and

a remote call-in center comprising a computerized telephony switch connected to a plurality of telephones at operator workstations, adapted to route calls to individual ones of the telephones, and connected by a telephony line to the initial call processing system; and

a telephony server connected to the telephony switch by a first high-speed data link and having a digital network communication link to the processor system, the telephony server adapted to monitor activity of the computerized telephony switch and to report the activity to the processor system on a transaction by transaction basis, over the digital network link;

wherein the processor system selects a final destination at one of the telephones at a computer workstation for an incoming call based on the monitored activity of the computerized telephony switch reported to the processor system by the telephony server, and immediately routes the call to the selected destination, setting a semaphore for destination busy, and forwarding a data packet associated with the call by the destination phone number to the telephony server over the digital network link.

2. The telephone call-routing system of claim 1 wherein the digital network link between the telephony server and the processor system operates in TCP/IP protocol.

3. The telephone call-routing system of claim 1 further comprising a network interconnecting display terminals proximate each telephone workstation and the telephony server.

4. The telephone call-routing system of claim 3 further comprising a customer database connected to the network.

5. An initial call processing system adapted for routing incoming calls to selected remote telephone stations, comprising:

a telephone switching apparatus for receiving an incoming call;

a telephone trunk coupled to the switching apparatus for switching calls to the selected remote telephone stations;

a first processor coupled to the telephone switching apparatus for initial processing and routing of the incoming call; and

a digital link separate from the telephone trunk to second processors at the remote telephone stations;

wherein the first processor routes the incoming calls to the selected remote telephone stations based on stored information, updated on a transaction-by-transaction basis by the second processors, about busy status of remote telephone stations, and sets a semaphore for the selected station to busy immediately upon routing a call.

6. The initial call processing system of claim 7 wherein the digital communication link operates in TCP/IP protocol.