System and method for selecting agent destinations and monitoring calls made to network customers

• US 6,055,307 A
• Filed: 06/28/1996
• Issued: 04/25/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: AT&T Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Casselman, Brenda, Lo, Shuhung, Shah, Kishor, Behnke, Frank, Sabnis, Suhasini V., Hussain, Mohammed, Wert, Gerald Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Tsang, Fan S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hoosain, Allan
• Application Number:
  US08/672,789
• Time in Patent Office: 1,397 Days
• Field of Search: 379/67, 379/88, 379/89, 379/201, 379/265, 379/266, 379/267, 379/280, 379/210, 379/221, 379/258, 379/273, 379/309, 379/308
• US Class Current: 379/265.14
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/12 intelligent networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5125 with remote located operators
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5175 Call or contact centers supervision arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/523 with call distribution or queueing
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13072 Sequence circuits for call signaling, ACD systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13209 ISDN
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13385 Off-net subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13516 agents or brokers - user, terminal etc., also OSI agent/managers
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13527 protocols - X.25, TCAP etc.
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13534 Internet - WWW, HTML, browsers etc.
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13545 monitoring of signaling messages, intelligent network
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0029 Provisions for intelligent networking

Abstract

A system of the present invention selects agent destinations and monitors calls made from a caller through an intelligent call processing network to a network customer. A plurality of home agents, such as part of a telemarketing system, are located at respective home premises and receive routed calls. A customer routing point responds to call queries transmitted from the intelligent call processing network and routes the call to the desired home agent. A management information server is connected in communication to the customer routing point for storing call routing and agent call-handling information. At least one agent manager is connected in communication to at least one of the home agents for monitoring the home agent and maintaining agent availability, routing configurations and statistical information concerning log-in and usage. Each agent manager is interconnected with the customer routing point for transmitting agent availability and routing configurations to the customer routing point.

Claims

1. A system for selecting a home agent destination for a call made to a telecommunications network customer through an intelligent call processing network, the system comprising:

a plurality of home agents, each home agent being located at a home premises;

an agent manager having a database containing information relating to an amount of time each home agent has been idle;

a customer routing point coupled to the intelligent call processing network and to the agent manager, the customer routing point being arranged to respond to a call query from the intelligent call processing network by sending a routing label to the intelligent call processing network, the routing label including call routing information directing a call associated with the call query to a selected home agent destination, the selected home agent destination being based on the home agent indicated in the database as having been idle the longest;

a customer database located at a network customer office, the database storing information relating to individual callers and to previous transactions between the network customer and respective callers; and

a supervisor coupled to the agent manager, the supervisor arranged to log into the agent manager and monitor activities of the home agent.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the supervisor is located at a home premises.

3. A system for selecting a home agent destination for a call made to a telecommunications network customer through an intelligent call processing network, the system comprising:

a plurality of home agents, each home agent being located at a home premises;

an agent manager having a database containing information relating to an amount of time each home agent has been idle;

a customer routing point coupled to the intelligent call processing network and to the agent manager, the customer routing point being arranged to respond to a call query from the intelligent call processing network by sending a routing label to the intelligent call processing network, the routing label including call routing information directing a call associated with the call query to a selected home agent destination, the selected home agent destination being based on the home agent indicated in the database as having been idle the longest; and

a customer database located at a network customer office, the database storing information relating to individual callers and to previous transactions between the network customer and respective callers.

4. A system for selecting a home agent destination for a call made to a telecommunications network customer through an intelligent call processing network, the system comprising:

a plurality of home agents, each home agent being located at a home premises;

an agent manager having a database containing information relating to an amount of time each home agent has been idle;

a customer database located at a network customer office, the database storing information relating to individual callers and to previous transactions between the network customer and respective callers; and

a customer routing point coupled to the intelligent call processing network and to the agent manager, the customer routing point being arranged to respond to a call query from the intelligent call processing network by sending a routing label to the intelligent call processing network, the routing label including call routing information directing a call associated with the call query to a selected home agent destination, the selected home agent destination being based on the home agent indicated in the database as having been idle the longest;

wherein the customer routing point is arranged to queue a call within the intelligent call processing network when a home agent is unavailable for receiving the call.

5. A method for selecting a home agent destination for a call made to a telecommunications network customer through an intelligent call processing network, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving a call to a network customer through the intelligent processing network;

querying a customer routing point for determining a home agent destination, the home agent destination being one of a plurality of home agent destinations, each home agent destination being located at a home premises;

sending a routing label to the intelligent call processing network, the routing label including call routing information directing a call to a selected home agent destination, the selected home agent destination being based on the home agent indicated in a database as having been idle the longest;

routing the call to the selected home agent based on the call routing information;

monitoring a home agent by an agent manager;

storing information in the database, the information relating to an amount of time each home agent has been idle;

storing in a customer database, located at a network customer office, the database storing information relating to individual callers and to previous transactions between the network customer and respective callers; and

maintaining agent availability information, routing configurations and statistical information relating to log-in and usage by home agents within the agent manager.

6. A method for selecting a home agent destination for a call made to a telecommunications network customer through an intelligent call processing network, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving a call to a network customer through the intelligent processing network;

querying a customer routing point for determining a home agent destination, the home agent destination being one of a plurality of home agent destinations, each home agent destination being located at a home premises;

sending a routing label to the intelligent call processing network, the routing label including call routing information directing a call to a selected home agent destination, the selected home agent destination being based on the home agent indicated in a database as having been idle the longest;

routing the call to the selected home agent based on the call routing information;

monitoring a home agent;

storing information in the database, the information relating to an amount of time each home agent has been idle;

storing in a customer database, located at a network customer office, the database storing information relating to individual callers and to previous transactions between the network customer and respective callers; and

remotely monitoring activity of the agent manager by a supervisor, the supervisor being operatively connected to the agent manager.

7. A method for selecting a home agent destination for a call made to a telecommunications network customer through an intelligent call processing network, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving a call to a network customer through the intelligent processing network;

querying a customer routing point for determining a home agent destination, the home agent destination being one of a plurality of home agent destinations, each home agent destination being located at a home premises;

sending a routing label to the intelligent call processing network, the routing label including call routing information directing a call to a selected home agent destination, the selected home agent destination being based on the home agent indicated in a database as having been idle the longest;

routing the call to the selected home agent based on the call routing information;

monitoring a home agent;

storing information in the database, the information relating to an amount of time each home agent has been idle;

storing in a customer database, located at a network customer office, the database storing information relating to individual callers and to previous transactions between the network customer and respective callers; and

receiving transaction information associated with individual callers, the information associated with each respective caller relating to previous transactions between the caller and the network customer.

8. A method for selecting a home agent destination for a call made to a telecommunications network customer through an intelligent call processing network, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving a call to a network customer through the intelligent processing network;

querying a customer routing point for determining a home agent destination, the home agent destination being one of a plurality of home agent destinations, each home agent destination being located at a home premises;

sending a routing label to the intelligent call processing network, the routing label including call routing information directing a call to a selected home agent destination, the selected home agent destination being based on the home agent indicated in a database as having been idle the longest;

routing the call to the selected home agent based on the call routing information;

monitoring a home agent;

storing information in the database, the information relating to an amount of time each home agent has been idle;

storing in a customer database, located at a network customer office, the database storing information relating to individual callers and to previous transactions between the network customer and respective callers; and

queuing a call within the intelligent call processing network when a home agent is unavailable for receiving the call.