Apparatus and methods for coordinating telephone and data communications

• US 6,259,774 B1
• Filed: 05/19/2000
• Issued: 07/10/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 02/02/1996
• 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): WOO, STELLA L
• Application Number:
  US09/574,315
• Time in Patent Office: 417 Days
• Field of Search: 379/90.01, 379/93.09, 379/93.12, 379/93.17, 379/93.23, 379/93.25, 379/265, 370/352
• US Class Current: 379/90.01
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/214 using selective forwarding
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/22 Automatic class or number identification arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42042 Notifying the called party of information on the calling party details within substation equipment H04M1/57, signalling details H04Q3/72
• 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 3/5158 in combination with automated outdialling systems devices for signalling identity of wanted subscriber H04M1/26
• 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 7/0006 where voice calls cross both networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0009 where voice calls remain entirely in the telephone network
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/003 Click to dial services
• 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: H04N 7/148 Interfacing a video terminal to a particular transmission medium, e.g. ISDN
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/15 Conference systems

Abstract

A telephony call center system comprises an Internet connection adapted for receiving data from a WEB server, the data originating from the computer platform of a person browsing the Internet, including data identifying the browsing person, such as a telephone number, and indicating to the WEB server a desire of the browsing person to communicate with an agent at the call center. The communication desired may be (a) a request for an agent at the call center to receive a telephone call from the browsing person, or (b) a request for a call to be placed to the browsing person from the call center. In both (a) and (b) the practical result is a telephone conference between the browsing person and an agent at the call center. In the first instance (a), in response to the data from the WEB server to the call center, the call center provides to the WEB server, for transfer to the browsing person via the Internet, a telephone number of a routing point at the call center. The call center selects an agent, and initiates a watch for an arriving call from the browsing person. On arrival of the call, it is switched to the selected agent. In the other instance (b), in response to the data, the call center enters the browsing person'"'"'s telephone number to a dialer, and when the dialer completes a call to the browsing person, switched the call to a selected agent.

Claims

1. A method for coordinating telephone and data communication between a first site and a second site, said first site having a computer and a telephone, said second site having a plurality of agents each associated with a computer and a telephone, said second site further having a telephone switch for directing incoming phone calls to said agents, said computer in said first site displaying digital information originated from a server, said method comprising the steps of:

sending, by said computer in said first site to said server via a digital communication network, a request indicating an intention to call said second site, said request containing information identifying said first site;

delivering said request and said identification information to a software module in said second site by said server;

retrieving, based on said identification information, information of said first site which has previously been stored in said second site;

selecting an agent who is able to respond to a call from said first site;

reserving a telephone number terminated at said switch;

sending said telephone number to said first site via said digital communication network;

connecting by said switch, upon receiving an incoming call having said telephone number, said incoming call to a telephone associated with said selected agent; and

delivering said digital information originated from said server and said information of said first site to a computer associated with said selected agent.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said digital communication network is the Internet.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein said digital information comprises a HTML document, said HTML document being delivered by said server to said computer in said first site via said Internet.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein said sending step further comprises

displaying an icon on said computer in said first site; and

sending a HTML document indicating said request to said server when said icon is selected.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein an agent is selected based on at least one of skill set, availability, and prior history between said agent and said first site.