Automatic call-work director
First Claim
1. A system for recording, tracking, and enforcing predetermined terms for beginning and ending expected but unscheduled call-periods, during which new calls to the system are received by at least one communications device, thereby restricting the occurrence and extent of such periods, comprising:
- (a) means for associating each communications device with a list containing at least one term for beginning and at least one term for ending a call-period;
(b) means for receiving a call to the system;
(c) means for identifying those communications devices that are presently in a call-period and not currently engaged in servicing a call to the system and for which none of the at least one ending term is satisfied;
(d) means, responsive to no communications device being identified by the identifying means, for evaluating the terms for beginning a call-period to determine which of the communications devices not presently in a call-period are allowed to start such a period;
(e) means for selecting from among those communications devices found by the evaluating means to be permitted to start a call-period; and
(f) means for coupling the call received by the receiving means to the communications device selected by the selecting means.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
The capability of communications systems is improved in completing call requests. Using automatic methods, people with appropriate communications devices are made available to receive calls under terms that protect the people'"'"'s availability to do other work. An increase in the level of calls may be accommodated by automatically augmenting forces presently engaged in handling calls with a person from an adjunct work group who is normally engaged in tasks other than handling calls. When sufficient numbers of people in adjunct groups are available, no dedicated call-handling force is required. The regular work of people in these adjunct groups is interrupted to begin a period of handling calls under predetermined terms and conditions. Calls are then received until other terms and conditions for ending the period are satisfied. A preferential right to receive calls after the first call during the period of receiving calls may be specified. A priority feature is provided: calls determined to have a higher priority are afforded a higher probability of connecting immediately to a person. In selecting from among eligible groups or persons to interrupt, an algorithm provides relative measurements of the call-handling benefit provided from the interruption.
99 Citations
13 Claims
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1. A system for recording, tracking, and enforcing predetermined terms for beginning and ending expected but unscheduled call-periods, during which new calls to the system are received by at least one communications device, thereby restricting the occurrence and extent of such periods, comprising:
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(a) means for associating each communications device with a list containing at least one term for beginning and at least one term for ending a call-period; (b) means for receiving a call to the system; (c) means for identifying those communications devices that are presently in a call-period and not currently engaged in servicing a call to the system and for which none of the at least one ending term is satisfied; (d) means, responsive to no communications device being identified by the identifying means, for evaluating the terms for beginning a call-period to determine which of the communications devices not presently in a call-period are allowed to start such a period; (e) means for selecting from among those communications devices found by the evaluating means to be permitted to start a call-period; and (f) means for coupling the call received by the receiving means to the communications device selected by the selecting means. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 9)
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7. A system for recording, tracking, and enforcing predetermined terms for beginning and ending expected but unscheduled call-periods, during which new calls to the system are received by at least one communications device, and wherein such terms restrict the occurrence and extent of the call-periods and also may grant preferential rights to receive incoming calls during such periods, comprising:
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(a) means for associating a communications device with a list containing at least one term for beginning and at least one term for ending a call-period, and with a preference indicator which if TRUE grants the communications device a claim to be first to receive an incoming call to the system when in a call-period; (b) means for receiving a call to the system; (c) means for identifying those communications devices that are presently in a call-period and not currently engaged in servicing a call and for which none of the at least one ending term is satisfied; (d) means for selecting from among those communications devices identified by the identifying means by first selecting from among such devices with a preference indicator indicating TRUE; and (e) means for coupling the call received by the receiving means to the communications device selected by the selecting means.
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8. A system for recording, tracking and enforcing predetermined terms for beginning and ending expected but unscheduled call-periods, during which new calls to the system are received by at least one communications device, thereby restricting the occurrence and extent of such periods, comprising:
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(a) means for associating a communications device with a list containing at least one term for beginning and at least one for ending a call-period; (b) means for receiving a call to the system; (c) means for identifying those communications devices that are presently in a call-period and not currently engaged in servicing a call and for which none of the at least one ending term is satisfied; (d) means, responsive to no communications device being identified by the identifying means, for assigning a priority to the received call reflecting the call'"'"'s urgency; (e) means, responsive to no communications device being identified by the identifying means, for modifying the beginning terms in a predetermined way based on the priority of the received call so that as the priority of the received call indicates a higher urgency the restrictions to beginning a call-period imposed by the beginning terms are reduced; (f) means, responsive to no communications device being identified by the identifying means, for evaluating the beginning terms after they are modified by the modifying means to determine which of the communications devices not presently in a call-period are allowed to start such a period; (g) means for selecting from among those communications devices found by the evaluating means to be permitted to start a call-period; and (h) means for coupling the call received by the receiving means to the communications device selected by the selecting means.
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10. A process for recording, tracking, and enforcing predetermined terms for beginning and ending expected but unscheduled call-periods, during which new calls are received by at least one communications device, thereby restricting the occurrence and extent of such periods, comprising the steps of:
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(a) associating each communications device with a list containing at least one term for beginning and at least one term for ending a call-period; (b) receiving a call; (c) identifying those communications devices that are presently in a call-period and not currently engaged in servicing a call and for which none of the at least one ending term is satisfied; (d) responsive to no communications device being identified in step (c), evaluating the terms for beginning a call-period to determine which of the communications devices not presently in a call-period are allowed to start such a period; (e) selecting from among those communications devices found by the evaluating means to be permitted to start a call-period; and (f) coupling the received call to the communications device selected in step (e). - View Dependent Claims (11)
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12. A process for recording, tracking, and enforcing predetermined terms for beginning and ending expected but unscheduled call-periods, during which new calls are received by at least one communications device, and wherein such terms restrict the occurrence and extent of the call-periods and also may grant preferential rights to receive incoming calls during such periods, comprising the steps of:
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(a) associating each communications device with a list containing at least one term for beginning and at least one term for ending a call-period, and with a preference indicator which if TRUE grants the communications device a claim to be first to receive an incoming call to the system when in a call-period; (b) receiving a call; (c) identifying those communications devices that are presently in a call-period and not currently engaged in servicing a call and for which none of the ending terms are satisfied; (d) selecting from among those communications devices identified in step (c) by first selecting from among such devices with a preference indicator indicating TRUE; and (e) coupling the received call to the communications device selected in step (d).
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13. A process for recording, tracking, and enforcing predetermined terms for beginning and ending expected but unscheduled call-periods, during which new calls are received by at least one communications device, thereby restricting the occurrence and extent of such periods, comprising the steps of:
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(a) associating a communications device with a list containing at least one term for beginning and at least one term for ending a call-period; (b) receiving a call; (c) identifying those communications devices that are presently in a call-period and not currently engaged in servicing a call and for which none of the at least one ending term is satisfied; (d) responsive to no communications device being identified in step (c), assigning a priority to the received call reflecting the call'"'"'s urgency; (e) responsive to no communications device being identified in step (c), modifying the beginning terms in a predetermined way based on the priority of the call determined in step (d) so that as the priority of the call indicates a higher urgency the restrictions to beginning a call-period imposed by the beginning terms are reduced; (f) responsive to no communications device being identified in step (c), evaluating the beginning terms after they are modified by step (e) to determine which of the communications devices not presently in a call-period are allowed to start such a period; (g) selecting from among those communications devices found in step (f) to be permitted to start a call-period; and (h) coupling the received call to the communications device selected in step (g).
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Specification