Uniform control of mixed platforms in telephony

• US 6,181,788 B1
• Filed: 10/08/1997
• Issued: 01/30/2001
• 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): Hong, Harry S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): TIEU, BENNY QUOC
• Application Number:
  US08/947,043
• Time in Patent Office: 1,210 Days
• Field of Search: 379/265, 379/266, 379/309, 379/219, 379/220, 379/229, 379/230, 379/207, 379/221, 379/211, 370/352, 370/270
• US Class Current: 379/219
• 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: 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 3/51 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 2213/13091 : CLI, identification of calling line
• 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 2213/13145 : Rerouting upon failure
• 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 2213/13282 : Call forward, follow-me, call diversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13299 : Bus
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13345 : Intelligent networks, SCP
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13349 : Network management
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/1336 : Synchronisation
• 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

Uniform control of mixed platforms is provided in telephony by connecting computer-telephony integration (CTI) processors to telephony switching units in a network, and connecting the CTI processors by data links separate from the telephony links connecting the platforms. The switching units may be of different manufacture, type, and function, and may have CTI ports adapted to communicate with auxiliary processors by different CTI protocol. The CTI processors execute server applications that are capable of communicating by the various CTI protocols and with each opther as well, and are adapted also to provide uniform control of the switching units. Switching units may be variously be located in networks, such as publicly switched telephony networks, or in private equipment sets at customer premises.

Claims

1. An integrated telephony apparatus, comprising:

a first telephony switching apparatus operating in a Publicly Switched Telephony Network (PSTN), the switching apparatus having a first functionality and a first computer-telephony integration (CTI) port;

a second telephony switching apparatus operating in a destination call-in center, the second switching apparatus having a second functionality, separate from the first functionality, and a second CTI port, and coupled to the first telephony switching apparatus through the PSTN allowing telephony calls to be forwarded between the two telephony switches;

a first CTI processor connected to the first CTI port and adapted to monitor activities and direct functions of the first telephony switching apparatus;

a second CTI processor connected to the second CTI port and adapted to monitor activities and direct functions of the second telephony switching apparatus; and

a data link between the first CTI processor and the second CTI processor;

wherein the first telephony switching apparatus is of one manufacture and uses a proprietary communication protocol for CTI applications and the second telephony switching apparatus is of a separate manufacture than the first, and uses a second, different protocol for CTI applications, and the first CTI processor and the second CTI processor provide uniform control of the first and second telephony switching apparatus at least partially based on the monitored activities of the switches communicated between the first and second CTI processors over the data link.

2. The integrated telephony apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first CTI port and the second CTI port are adapted to communicate with CTI processors by a first and a second CTI protocol respectively, and wherein the first CTI processor is adapted to communicate with a CTI port by the first CTI protocol, and the second CTI processor is adapted to communicate with the second CTI port by the second CTI protocol.

3. The integrated telephony apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first and second CTI processors each execute an instance of a CTI-Server application having layered communication ability for the CTI protocols and the data link between the CTI processors.

4. A method for providing uniform control of mixed telephony switching apparatus, wherein a first switching apparatus is part of a Service Control Point (SCP) in a Publicly Switched Telephony Network (PSTN), and a second switching apparatus is part of a customer premises equipment set, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) coupling a first computer-telephony integration (CTI) processor to a first CTI port at the first switching apparatuses at the PSTN having one manufacture and using a proprietary communication protocol for CTI applications monitoring activities and directing functions of the first telephony switching apparatus;

(b) coupling a second computer-telephony integration (CTI) processor to a second CTI port at the second switching apparatuses at the customer premises, the second telephony switching apparatus being of a separate manufacture than the first, and using a second, different protocol for CTI applications and monitoring activities and directing functions of the second telephony switching apparatus;

(c) connecting the first and the second CTI processors by a data link; and

(d) controlling the functionality of the first and the second telephony switching apparatuses uniformly by communication between the CTI processors over the data link, the communication at least partially including information regarding the monitored activities of the first and second switching apparatus, and communication by each CTI processor with its associated telephony switching apparatus.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the first and second CTI processors each execute an instance of a CTI-Server application having layered communication ability for the CTI protocols and the data link between the CTI processors.