Interface engine for managing business processes within a multimedia communication-center

• US 6,370,508 B2
• Filed: 10/29/1998
• Issued: 04/09/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 09/11/1998
• 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: Johnstone, Joel A., Beck, Christopher Clemmett Macleod, Mitchell, Robin Marie, Sidell, Mark Franklin, Powers, James Karl, Knuff, Charles Dazler, Berke, Jonathan Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Trammell, James P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Elisca, Pierre E.
• Application Number:
  US09/183,395
• Publication Number:
  US 20010044676A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,258 Days
• Field of Search: 705/7, 705/8, 709/224, 709/229, 709/238, 709/242, 709/100-106, 707/1-10
• US Class Current: 705/7.26
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/40 of multimedia data, e.g. slideshows comprising image and additional audio data retrieval of still image data G06F16/50; retrieval of audio data G06F16/60; retrieval of video data G06F16/70
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/45512 Command shells
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0631 Resource planning, allocation, distributing or scheduling for enterprises or organisations
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06316 Sequencing of tasks or work
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1026 at the edge
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/103 in the network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1036 at the edge
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/104 in the network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1043 Gateway controllers, e.g. media gateway control protocol [MGCP] controllers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1069 Session establishment or de-establishment
• 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 67/00 Network arrangements or protocols for supporting network services or applications user-to-user messaging H04L51/00; network arrangements, protocols or services for supporting real-time applications in data packet communications networks H04L65/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/75 Indicating network or usage conditions on the user display
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/38 Displays
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/42 Graphical user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/60 : Medium conversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/404 : Collaboration among agents
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/2218 : Call detail recording
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42221 : Conversation recording systems at the subscriber's set H04M1/656
• 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 3/5175 : Call or contact centers supervision arrangements
• 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 3/5231 : with call back arrangements

Abstract

In an operating system (OS) for a multimedia communications center (MMCC), an interactive process module (IPM) for accomplishing a process has a plurality of code sets, each adapted to completion of a specific task in the overall process, an input interface for providing one or more inputs to the IPM, and an output function for returning a result. The plurality of code sets are related by pre-requisite status, creating a required order of progression for the process, the process is initiated after being called by the OS and receiving required inputs, the IPM is adapted to interface with other OS modules for accessing and providing data, and upon completion of the last task the IPM returns the result. In one embodiment the IPM is represented by an interactive GANT chart. In a preferred embodiment a tool kit is provided for a programmer to create such IPMs to perform business processes. IPMs thus created may be displayed and edited as object models.

Claims

1. In an operating system (OS) for a multimedia communications center (MMCC), an interactive process module (IPM) for accomplishing a process, comprising:

a data repository for storing interactions and transactions of the MMCC including at least COST calls, data network calls (DNT), voice messages, e-mails and faxes;

an interaction process module (IOM) for accessing and providing data from the data repository;

a plurality of code sets operating in the IPM, each adapted to completion of a specific task in the overall process;

an input interface for providing one or more inputs to the IPM; and

an output function for returning a result;

wherein the plurality of code sets are related by pre-requisite status, creating a required order of progression for the process, the process is initiated after being called by the OS and receiving required inputs, the IPM interfaces with the IOM completing tasks including at least one of calculations, manipulations and analysis of data from the repository, and upon completion of the last task the IPM returns the result.

2. The IPM of claim 1 wherein task structure and parameters are presentable in a graphical interface displaying tasks making up the IPM in prerequisite order.

3. The IPM of claim 2 wherein the graphical interface is a GANT chart.

4. The IPM of claim 2 wherein the graphical interface is interactive, allowing a programmer to add, delete, and edit steps in the process.

5. The IPM of claim 2 wherein start and finish times are displayed for each task.

6. The IPM of claim 1 wherein, in performing any one task, next activity is variable, and is determined by performance to requirements programmed with the task.

7. The IPM of claim 6 wherein the task requirements include completion within a preprogrammed allotted time.

8. The IPM of claim 7 wherein next activity includes a choice of stopping the process and notifying a person in the event of non-completion of a task in an allotted time.

9. The IPM of claim 7 wherein one or more tasks require human intervention and activity, and comprising an activity of reminding a person responsible for an activity of a pending time deadline.

10. An operating system (OS) for a multimedia call center (MMCC) comprising one or more interactive process modules (IPMs) for accomplishing individual processes, each IPM comprising:

a plurality of code sets, each adapted to completion of a specific task in the overall process;

an input interface for providing one or more inputs to the IPM; and

an output function for returning a result;

wherein the plurality of code sets are related by pre-requisite status, creating a required order of progression for the process, the process is initiated after being called by the OS and receiving required inputs, the IPM interfaces with other OS modules for completing tasks including at least one of calculations, manipulations and analysis of data from a data repository storing interactions and transactions of the MMCC including at least faxes, e-mails, voice messages and records of live COST and data network telephony (DNT) calls, and upon completion of the last task the IPM returns the result.

11. The OS of claim 10 wherein task structure and parameters are presentable in a graphical interface displaying tasks making up the IPM in prerequisite order.

12. The OS of claim 11 wherein the graphical interface is a GANT chart.

13. The OS of claim 11 wherein the graphical interface is interactive, allowing a programmer to add, delete, and edit steps in the process.

14. The OS of claim 11 wherein start and finish times are displayed for each task.

15. The OS of claim 10 wherein, in performing any one task, next activity is variable, and is determined by performance to requirements programmed with the task.

16. The OS of claim 15 wherein the task requirements include completion within a preprogrammed allotted time.

17. The OS of claim 16 wherein next activity includes a choice of stopping the process and notifying a person in the event of non-completion of a task in an allotted time.

18. The OS of claim 16 wherein one or more tasks require human intervention and activity, and comprising an activity of reminding a person responsible for an activity of a pending time deadline.