Method of routing calls in an automatic call distribution network

• US 6,366,668 B1
• Filed: 03/11/1999
• Issued: 04/02/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 03/11/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Avaya Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Avaya Technology Corporation Miami Lakes FLA US
• Inventors: Hymus, Francis C., Reiman, Martin I., Seery, Judith B., Flockhart, Andrew D., Borst, Simon C., Taylor, John Z., Mathews, Eugene P.
• Primary Examiner(s): SMITH, CREIGHTON H
• Application Number:
  US09/266,283
• Time in Patent Office: 1,118 Days
• Field of Search: 379/265, 379/266, 379/309, 379/201, 379/209, 379/221
• US Class Current: 379/266.04
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42102 Making use of the called party identifier
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5232 Call distribution algorithms
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5237 Interconnection arrangements between ACD systems

Abstract

The alternate destination redirection (ADR) feature (102) of telephone switching systems (101) or an equivalent is used to implement a “post-route” routing architecture having the benefits of a “pre-route” routing architecture in a network ACD (FIG. 1). The ADR feature is administered in the network (100) for individual ACD systems and individual call types at each ACD system to identify another ACD system as an alternative destination for calls of the individual call type rejected by the individual ACD system. The network distributes (302) calls to the plurality of ACD systems (110-112) on a basis (e.g., fixed percentage, round-robin) that does not require the network to know the status of the individual ACD systems. Upon having a call of an individual type routed thereto, an individual ACD system checks (304) the status of the ACD system that is administered as the alternative destination for its rejected calls of the individual type. If it determines that it can provide the better service, the individual ACD system services (314) the call. If it determines that the alternative destination ACD system can provide the better service, the individual ACD system rejects (308) the call, whereupon the network, operating under influence of the ADR feature, releases (310) the connection of the call to the individual ACD system and reroutes (312) the call to the alternative destination ACD system.

Claims

1. A method of routing communications to ACD systems in a network of a plurality of ACD systems interconnected by a communications network, comprising:

the communications network routing a first communication to a selected one of the plurality of ACD systems;

in response to having the communication routed thereto, the selected ACD system checking status of another one of the plurality of ACD systems to determine whether or not the selected ACD system will service the first communication;

in response to determining that the selected ACD system will not service the first communication, the selected ACD system sending a rejection to the communications network;

in response to receiving the rejection, the communications network releasing a connection of the first communication to the selected ACD system; and

further in response to receiving the rejection, the communications network rerouting the first communication to the other ACD system, which is identified in the communications network as an alternative destination for the first communication rejected by the selected ACD system.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein:

checking status comprises

determining from the status which one of the selected ACD system and the other ACD system can provide better service to the communication.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein:

checking status comprises

receiving a status-indicative message from the other ACD system.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein:

checking status comprises

determining whether the other ACD system is presenting a busy indication to communications.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein:

the communications network routes a first plurality of communications to the selected ACD system which overloads the selected ACD system, and routes a second plurality of communications to the other ACD system which underloads the other ACD system, so that the other ACD system has capacity to service communications rerouted thereto from the selected ACD system.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein:

the first communication is of a first type; and

the method further comprises

the communications network routing a second communication, of a second type, to the selected ACD system,

in response to having the second communication routed thereto, the selected ACD system checking status of a third one of the plurality of ACD systems to determine whether or not the selected ACD system will service the second communication,

in response to determining that the selected ACD system will not service the second communication, the selected ACD system sending a rejection of the second communication to the communications network,

in response to receiving the rejection of the second communication, the communications network releasing a connection of the second communication to the selected ACD system, and

further in response to receiving the rejection of the second communication, the communications network rerouting the second communication to the third ACD system, which is identified in the communications network as an alternative destination for communications of the second type rejected by the selected ACD system.

7. The method of claim 6 further comprising:

administering the communications network to indicate, for each type of communications, an alternative destination ACD system for servicing communications of that type rejected by the selected ACD system.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein:

administering comprises

administering an alternate destination redirection (ADR) feature, or an equivalent, of a switching system of the communications network.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein:

sending a rejection comprises

sending a busy indication.

10. The method of claim 6 further comprising:

the communications network routing some communications, including a third communication of the first type and a fourth communication of the second type, to the other ACD system, and routing other communications, including a fifth communication of the first type and a sixth communication of the second type, to the third ACD system;

in response to having the third or the fourth communication routed thereto, the other ACD system determining whether or not the other ACD system will service the third or the fourth communication;

in response to determining that the other ACD system will not service the third or the fourth communication, the other ACD system sending a rejection of the third or the fourth communication to the communications network;

in response to having the fifth or the sixth communication routed thereto, the third ACD system determining whether or not the third ACD system will service the fifth or the sixth communication;

in response to determining that the third ACD system will not service the fifth or the sixth communication, the third ACD system sending a rejection of the fifth or the sixth communication to the communications network;

in response to receiving any one of the rejections from the second or the third ACD, the communications network releasing a connection of the rejected communication to the ACD system to which the connection connects;

further in response to receiving the rejection of the third or the fifth communication, the communications network rerouting the third or the fifth communication to the selected ACD system, which is identified in the communications network as an alternative destination for communications of the first type rejected by the other ACD system and by the third ACD system;

further in response to receiving the rejection of the fourth communication, the communications network rerouting the fourth communication to the third ACD system, which is identified in the communications network as an alternative destination for communications of the second type rejected by the other ACD system; and

further in response to receiving the rejection of the sixth communication, the communications network rerouting the sixth communication to the other ACD system, which is identified in the communications network as an alternative destination for communications of the second type rejected by the third ACD system.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein:

determining comprises

the selected ACD system obtaining information from the other ACD system regarding service that the communication would receive at the other ACD system,

comparing the service that the communication would receive at the other ACD system with service that the communication would receive at the selected ACD system, and

in response to determining that the communication would receive better service at the other ACD system, sending the rejection to the communications network.

12. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

the communications network routing a second communication to the other ACD system and routing a third communication to a third one of the plurality of ACD systems;

in response to having the third communication routed thereto, the third ACD system determining whether or not the third ACD system will service the third communication;

in response to determining that the third ACD system will not service the third communication, the third ACD system sending a rejection of the third communication to the communications network;

in response to receiving the rejection of the third communication, the communications network releasing a connection of the third communication to the third ACD system;

further in response to receiving the rejection of the third communication, the communications network rerouting the third communication to the other ACD system, which is identified in the communications network as an alternative destination for the third communication rejected by the third ACD system; and

in response to having the second communication routed thereto and having the first and the third communications rerouted thereto, the other ACD system servicing the first, the second, and the third communications.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein:

the communications network routes a first stream of first communications to the selected ACD system which overloads the selected ACD system, routes a second stream of second communications to the other ACD system which underloads the other ACD system, and routes a third stream of third communications to the third ACD system which overloads the third ACD system.

14. The method of claim 12 further comprising:

the communications network routing a fourth communication to the other ACD system;

in response to having the fourth communication routed thereto, the other ACD system determining whether or not the other ACD system will service the fourth communication;

in response to determining that the other ACD system will not service the fourth communication, the other ACD system sending a rejection of the fourth communication to the communications network;

in response to receiving the rejection of the fourth communication, the communications network releasing a connection of the fourth communication to the other ACD system; and

further in response to receiving the rejection of the fourth communication, the communications network rerouting the fourth communication to the selected ACD system, which is identified in the communications network as an alternative destination for the fourth communication rejected by the other ACD system.

15. The method of claim 14 further comprising:

the communications network routing a fifth communication to the other ACD system;

in response to having the fifth communication routed thereto, the other ACD system determining whether or not the other ACD system will service the fifth communication;

in response to determining that the other ACD system will not service the fifth communication, the ACD system sending a rejection of the fifth communication to the communications network;

in response to receiving the rejection of the fifth communication, the communications network releasing a connection of the fifth communication to the other ACD system; and

further in response to receiving the rejection of the fifth communication, the communications network rerouting the fifth communication to the third ACD system, which is identified in the communications network as an alternative destination for the fifth communication rejected by the other ACD system.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein:

the communications network routes a stream of fourth communications and a stream of fifth communications to the other ACD system and relative sizes of the streams of fourth and fifth communications are proportional to relative capacities of the selected and the third ACD systems to service communications.

17. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

the communications network routing a second communication to the other ACD system and routing a third communication to a third one of the plurality of ACD systems;

in response to having the third communication routed thereto, the third ACD system determining whether or not the third ACD system will service the third communication;

in response to determining that the third ACD system will not service the third communication, the third ACD system sending a rejection of the third communication to the communications network;

in response to receiving the rejection of the third communication, the communications network releasing a connection of the third communication to the third ACD system;

further in response to receiving the rejection of the third communication, the communications network rerouting the third communication to the other ACD system, which is identified in the communications network as an alternative destination for the third communication rejected by the third ACD system;

in response to having the second communication routed thereto, the other ACD system determining whether or not the other ACD system will service the second communication;

in response to determining that the other ACD system will not service the second communication, the other ACD system sending a rejection of the second communication to the communications network;

in response to receiving the rejection of the second communication, the communications network releasing a connection of the second communication to the other ACD system;

further in response to receiving the rejection of the second communication, the communications network rerouting the second communication to the third ACD system, which is identified in the communications network as an alternative destination for the second communication rejected by the other ACD system.

18. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

the communications network routing a second communication to the other ACD system and routing a third communication to a third one of the plurality of ACD systems;

in response to having the second communication routed thereto, the other ACD system determining whether or not the other ACD system will service the second communication;

in response to determining that the other ACD system will not service the one communication, the other ACD system sending a rejection of the second communication to the communications network;

in response to receiving the rejection of the second communication, the communications network releasing a connection of the second communication to the other ACD system;

further in response to receiving the rejection of the second communication, the communications network rerouting the second communication to the third ACD system, which is identified in the communications network as an alternative destination for the second communication rejected by the other ACD system;

in response to having the third communication routed thereto, the third ACD system determining whether or not the third ACD system will service the third communication;

in response to determining that the third ACD system will not service the third communication, the third ACD system sending a rejection of the third communication to the communications network;

in response to receiving the rejection of the third communication, the communications network releasing a connection of the third communication to the third ACD system; and

further in response to receiving the rejection of the third communication, the communications network rerouting the third communication to the selected ACD system, which is identified in the communications network as an alternative destination for the third communication rejected by the third ACD system.

19. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

the communications network routing a second communication of a first type and a third communication of a second type to the other ACD system, and routing a fourth communication to a third one of the plurality of ACD systems;

in response to having the second or the third communication routed thereto, the other ACD system determining whether or not the other ACD system will service the second or the third communication;

in response to determining that the other ACD system will not service the second or the third communication, the other ACD system sending a rejection of the second or the third communication to the communications network;

in response to having the fourth communication routed thereto, the third ACD system determining whether or not the third ACD system will service the fourth communication;

in response to determining that the third ACD system will not service the fourth communication, the third ACD system sending a rejection of the fourth communication to the communications network;

in response to receiving the rejection of the second, the third, or the fourth communication, the communications network releasing a connection of the rejected communication to the ACD system to which the connection connects;

further in response to receiving the rejection of the second communication, the communications network rerouting the second communication to the selected ACD system, which is identified in the communications network as an alternative destination for communications of the first type rejected by the other ACD system;

further in response to receiving the rejection of the third communication, the communications network rerouting the third communication to the third ACD system, which is identified in the communications network as an alternative destination for communications of the second type rejected by the other ACD system; and

further in response to receiving the rejection of the fourth communication, the communications network rerouting the fourth communication to the other ACD system, which is identified in the communications network as an alternative destination for communications rejected by the third ACD system.

20. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

the communications network routing individual communications to different ones of a first plurality of the ACD systems that includes the selected and the other ACD systems;

in response to having an individual communication routed thereto, an individual ACD system of the first plurality determining whether or not the individual ACD system will service the individual communication;

in response to determining that the individual ACD system will not service the individual communication, the individual ACD system sending a rejection to the communications network;

in response to receiving a rejection of an individual communication from an individual ACD system, the communications network releasing a connection of the individual communication from the individual ACD system; and

further in response to receiving the rejection of the individual communication from the individual ACD system, the communications network rerouting the individual communication to a particular one of the first plurality of ACD systems which is identified in the communications network as an alternative destination for the individual communication rejected by the individual ACD system.

21. The method of claim 20 wherein:

routing individual communications comprises

the communications network routing individual communications, including a communication of a first type and a communication of a second type, to the other ACD system; and

rerouting the individual communication comprises

further in response to receiving the rejection of the individual communication from the individual ACD system of the first plurality, other than the rejection of the communication of the second type from the other ACD system, the communications network rerouting the individual communication, other than the communication of the second type, to a particular one of the first plurality of ACD systems which is identified in the communications network as an alternative destination for the individual communication rejected by the individual ACD system of the first plurality, other than for the communication of the second type rejected by the other ACD system, and

further in response to receiving the rejection of the individual communication of the second type from the other ACD system, the communications network rerouting the individual communication of the second type to a particular one of a second plurality of ACD systems that excludes the first plurality, which is identified in the communications network as an alternative destination for the individual communication of the second type rejected by the other ACD system; and

the method further comprises

the communications network routing individual communications to different ones of the second plurality of the ACD systems, including routing a communication of the first type and a communication of the second type to a third ACD system of the second plurality,

in response to having an individual communication routed thereto, an individual ACD system of the second plurality determining whether or not the individual ACD system will service the individual communication,

in response to determining that the individual ACD system will not service the individual communication, the individual ACD system of the second plurality sending a rejection to the communications network,

in response to receiving a rejection of an individual communication from an individual ACD system of the second plurality, the communications network releasing a connection of the individual communication to the individual ACD system of the second plurality,

further in response to receiving the rejection of the individual communication from the individual ACD system of the second plurality, other than the rejection of the communication of the second type from the third ACD system, the communications network rerouting the individual communication, other than the communication of the second type, to a particular one of the second plurality of ACD systems which is identified in the communications network as an alternative destination for the individual communication rejected by the individual ACD system of the second plurality, other than for the communication of the second type rejected by the third ACD system, and

further in response to receiving the rejection of the individual communication of the second type from the third ACD system, the communications network rerouting the individual communication of the second type to a particular one of the first plurality of ACD systems which is identified in the communications network as an alternative destination for the individual communication of the second type rejected by the third ACD system.