Parallel data transfer and synchronization in computer-simulated telephony

• US 6,175,563 B1
• Filed: 10/09/1997
• Issued: 01/16/2001
• 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): VU, HUY DUY
• Application Number:
  US08/947,774
• Time in Patent Office: 1,195 Days
• Field of Search: 370/352, 370/353, 370/354, 370/355, 370/356, 370/400, 370/401, 370/402, 370/270, 379/265, 379/266, 379/309, 379/200, 379/201, 379/202, 379/211, 379/212, 379/220, 379/221, 379/93.23
• US Class Current: 370/352
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/64 Hybrid switching systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/401 wherein the services involve a main real-time session and one or more additional parallel real-time or time sensitive sessions, e.g. white board sharing or spawning of a subconference
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/63 Routing a service request depending on the request content or context
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/551 Call history recording a computer conference H04L12/1831
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/12 intelligent networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/12 Marking faulty circuits "busy"; Enabling equipment to disengage itself from faulty circuits ; Using redundant circuits; Response of a circuit, apparatus or system to an error
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/36 Statistical metering, e.g. recording occasions when traffic exceeds capacity of trunks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/367 Traffic or load control
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42323 PBX's with CTI arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/51 Centralised call answering arrangements requiring operator intervention , e.g. call or contact centers for telemarketing
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5166 in combination with interactive voice response systems or voice portals, e.g. as front-ends
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5183 Call or contact centers with computer-telephony arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5191 interacting with the Internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/523 with call distribution or queueing
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5232 Call distribution algorithms
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5233 Operator skill based call distribution
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5236 Sequential or circular distribution
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5237 : Interconnection arrangements between ACD systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5238 : with waiting time or load prediction arrangements
• 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 3/56 : Arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities video conference systems H04N7/15
• 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 7/00 : Arrangements for interconnection between switching centres
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/006 : Networks other than PSTN/ISDN providing telephone service, e.g. Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) , including next generation networks with a packet-switched transport layer H04L65/00 takes precedence; aspects not specific to the type of network H04M3/00; special services in those networks H04M3/42
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13034 : A/D conversion, code compression/expansion
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13072 : Sequence circuits for call signaling, ACD systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13093 : Personal computer, PC
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13103 : Memory
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13106 : Microprocessor, CPU
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13141 : Hunting for free outlet, circuit or channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13164 : Traffic (registration, measurement,...)
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13174 : Data transmission, file transfer
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13204 : Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/1322 : PBX
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13345 : Intelligent networks, SCP
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13349 : Network management
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13389 : LAN, internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0029 : Provisions for intelligent networking
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0045 : involving hybrid, i.e. a mixture of public and private, or multi-vendor systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/64 : Distributing or queueing
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/66 : Traffic distributors

Abstract

An Internet Protocol Telephony Network (IPNT) call-routing system has a first processor adapted for receiving and initial processing of incoming IPNT calls from a wide area network (WAN). At the first processor information about callers is elicited. Calls are routed to remote processors for distribution to individual stations over the WAN, and information about the callers is sent to the same remote processors by a data link separate from the WAN. The WAN may be the Internet, and caller information may be used at the remote processors for further routing, and to retrieve customer information from available databases, which may be displayed on video displays at workstations to which the calls are routed.

Claims

1. A computerized Internet Protocol Network Telephony (IPNT) call center, comprising:

a first processor in the call center coupled to a second processor in a data packet network (DPN) and to a second data link at the network level to the second processor other than the DPN, and adapted to receive and route incoming IPNT calls from the DPN; and

a plurality of computers at operator workstations, each computer having a video display (PC/VDU) coupled to the first processor, the plurality of computers and the first processor connected on a local area network (LAN);

wherein the first processor receives, from the second processor on the second data link, data associated with the incoming IPNT calls sent on the DPN, and routes the incoming calls to individual ones of the computers at workstations at least partially based on the data received over the second data link.

2. The call center of claim 1 wherein the first processor communicates on the DPN by TCP/IP protocol.

3. The call center of claim 1 further comprising a customer information database connected to the LAN, and wherein the first processor matches the data received with information in the database, retrieves information from the database related to callers, and distributes the caller information to workstations to which associated calls are distributed.

4. The call center of claim 1 wherein the DPN is the Internet.

5. An Internet-Protocol Network Telephony (IPNT) call routing system, comprising:

a first processor connected to a data packet network (DPN) and to a second data link at the network level separate from the DPN; and

a remote call center having a second processor connected to the DPN and to the second data link, and connected on a local area network (LAN) to a plurality of computers at operator workstations, each computer having a video display unit (PC/VDU);

wherein the first processor receives an IPNT call, elicits data about the call, forwards the call on the DPN to the second processor and the data on the second data link, and wherein the second processor receives, on the second data link, the data associated with the incoming IPNT call forwarded on the DPN, and routes the incoming calls to individual ones of the computers at workstations at least partially based on the data received on the second data link.

6. The call-routing system of claim 5 wherein the first and second processors communicate on the DPN by TCP/IP protocol.

7. The call-routing system of claim 5 further comprising a caller information database connected on the LAN, and wherein the second processor matches the data received on the second data network with information in the database, retrieves information from the database related to callers, and sends the information retrieved to workstations to which associated calls are routed.

8. The call routing system of claim 5 wherein the DPN is the Internet.

9. An initial Internet Protocol Network Telephony (IPNT) call processing system for routing incoming IPNT calls to selected destinations, comprising:

a processor connected to a data packet network (DPN) and receiving and forwarding incoming IPNT calls; and

a second data link, at the network level, separate from the DPN connected to the first processor;

wherein the processor collects data from a call or caller, forwards the incoming calls to a remote call center on the DPN, and forwards the collected data to the call center over the separate second data link to the same call center.

10. The call-processing system of claim 9 wherein the elicited information is forwarded in TCP/IP protocol.

11. A method for routing an incoming Internet-Protocol Network Telephony (IPNT) call from a caller to a selected destination, comprising steps of:

(a) receiving the incoming IPNT call at a data packet network (DPN);

(b) eliciting information about the call or caller by a first processor in the DPN;

(c) selecting a destination for the incoming call; and

(d) forwarding the incoming call over the DPN to a second processor at the selected destination, while sending the information about the caller to the second processor at the selected destination over a separate second data link at the network level.