System and method for integrating voice on network with traditional telephony

• US 6,226,287 B1
• Filed: 09/18/1998
• Issued: 05/01/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 06/25/1992
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Cooper TGS LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Apropos Technology (Enghouse Systems Limited)
• Inventors: Brady, Patrick K.
• Primary Examiner(s): MARCELO, MELVIN C
• Application Number:
  US09/156,689
• Time in Patent Office: 956 Days
• Field of Search: 370/352, 370/353, 379/93.01, 379/93.09, 379/93.16, 379/265, 379/266
• US Class Current: 370/352
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/4536 Voicemail combined with text-based messaging
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42323 PBX's with CTI arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/46 Arrangements for calling a number of substations in a predetermined sequence until an answer is obtained
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/48 Arrangements for recalling a calling subscriber when the wanted subscriber ceases to be busy
• 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 3/5158 in combination with automated outdialling systems devices for signalling identity of wanted subscriber H04M1/26
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5233 Operator skill based call distribution
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5237 Interconnection arrangements between ACD systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/533 Voice mail systems
• 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 7/009 in systems involving PBX or KTS networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/1205 where the types of switching equipement comprises PSTN/ISDN equipment and switching equipment of networks other than PSTN/ISDN, e.g. Internet Protocol networks
• 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 2213/1322 PBX
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13389 LAN, internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/625 Arrangements in the private branch exchange

Abstract

A link server is added to a traditional telecommunication system to allow seamless integration of voice on network (“VON”) with traditional telephony. The link server accepts traditional telephony and voice on network calls. The link server can distribute the calls from a queue. The link server includes a voice card and network communication apparatus for acquiring VON data and either converting it to telephony data to forward calls to a PBX, or forwarding calls directly to a desktop.

Claims

1. A system for blending telephony call traffic with voice on network call traffic for distribution to one or more agents in a call center, comprising:

a link server having one or more telephony ports to receive the telephony call traffic on the link server;

a computer network to which the link server is connected over which the voice on network call traffic is transmitted to the link server; and

a routing process for controlling the one or more telephony ports to control routing of the telephony call traffic; and

to control routing of the voice on network call traffic by distributing the voice on network call traffic and the telephony call traffic to the one or more agents in the call center along with said call-related information.

2. The system as recited in claim 1, further comprising a public branch exchange (PBX), wherein said routing process routes the telephony call traffic to said PBX for distribution to said or more agents in said call center.

3. A method for blending telephony call traffic and voice on network call traffic for distribution to one or more agents in a call center, comprising the steps of:

(a) routing the telephony call traffic to one or more ports on a link server;

(b) transmitting the network call traffic to the link server in one or more. messages over a computer network;

(c) extracting call-related information from said telephony and voice on network call traffic; and

(d) distributing said telephony and voice on network call traffic to the one or more agents in the call center along with said call-related information.

4. The method recited in claim 3, further comprising the step of routing the telephony call traffic through a PBX.

5. A system for distributing telephony and voice on network call traffic to one or more agents in a call center, each agent operating an agent computer, comprising:

a link server;

a voice card located on said link server for holding the telephony call traffic, while the link server determines where the telephony call traffic should be routed;

a memory for holding the voice on network call traffic while the link server determines where the voice on network call traffic should be routed; and

a message router for sending control messages to distribute the telephony and voice on network call traffic to said one or more agents.

6. The system recited in claim 5, further comprising a PBX through which the telephony call traffic is transmitted to distribute the telephony call traffic to said one or more agents.

7. The system recited in claim 5, further comprising an interactive voice response process to obtain information regarding specific calls in the telephony call traffic, wherein the link server distributes the telephony call traffic in accordance with the information so obtained.

8. The system recited in claim 5, further comprising an interactive voice response process to obtain information regarding specific calls in the voice on network call traffic, wherein the link server distributes the voice on network call traffic in accordance with the information so obtained.

9. The system recited in claim 5, further comprising a process for displaying a list of each call in the held telephony traffic and voice on network call traffic, wherein an agent of the one or more agents can select a particular call to the states, and wherein the message router causes the call to be sent to the agent after the agent'"'"'s selection.

10. The system recited in claim 9, wherein the telephony and voice on network call traffic are held in a single queue.

11. A method for distributing telephony and voice on network call traffic to one or more agents in a call center, each agent operating an agent computer, comprising:

holding the telephony traffic on a link server while the link server determines where the telephony traffic should be routed;

holding the voice on network traffic in a memory on the link server while the link server determines where the voice on network traffic should be routed; and

sending control messages to distribute the telephony and voice on network call traffic to said one or more agents.

12. The method recited in claim 11, further comprising the step of transmitting the telephony traffic through a PBX through to distribute the telephony call traffic to said one or more agents.

13. The method recited in claim 11, further comprising the steps of:

interactively obtaining information regarding specific calls in the telephony traffic; and

distributing the telephony traffic in accordance with the information so obtained.

14. The system recited in claim 11, further comprising the steps of:

interactively obtaining information regarding specific calls in the voice on network traffic; and

distributing the telephony traffic in accordance with the information so obtained.

15. The method recited in claim 11, further comprising the steps of:

displaying a list of each call in the held telephony traffic and voice on network traffic; and

selecting a particular call from the list, and wherein the message router causes the call to be sent to the agent after the agent'"'"'s selection.

16. The method recited in claim 15, wherein the telephony traffic and voice on network traffic are held in a single queue.

17. A system for distributing telephone calls to one or more agents in a call center, comprising:

a computer server;

one or more telephony interface cards installed in said computer server to receive and to hold one or more telephony calls;

a memory on the computer server for receiving and holding one or more voice on network calls;

a message routing process executing on the computer server for controlling routing of the one or more telephony calls and the one or more voice on network calls to the one or more agents.

18. The system recited in claim 17, further comprising a PBX through which the telephony calls are routed to the one or more agents.

19. The system recited in claim 17, further comprising an interactive voice response unit to obtain information related to the telephony calls.