Method and apparatus for automatic network connection between a small business and a client

• US 6,393,015 B1
• Filed: 09/12/1997
• Issued: 05/21/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 09/12/1997
• 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: Shtivelman, Yuri
• Primary Examiner(s): YAO, KWANG BIN
• Application Number:
  US08/928,744
• Time in Patent Office: 1,712 Days
• Field of Search: 370/352, 370/354, 370/355, 370/400, 370/401, 370/410, 379/210, 379/211, 379/212, 379/213, 379/88.12, 379/93.01, 379/93.09, 395/200.31, 395/200.32, 395/200.33, 395/200.47, 395/200.48, 395/200.49, 709/217, 709/218, 709/219, 709/249, 709/250, 376/395.2, 376/395.3, 376/395.52, 376/356
• US Class Current: 370/352
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42195 Arrangements for calling back a calling subscriber when the wanted subscriber ceases to be busy H04M3/48
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42323 PBX's with CTI arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/48 Arrangements for recalling a calling subscriber when the wanted subscriber ceases to be busy
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5158 in combination with automated outdialling systems devices for signalling identity of wanted subscriber H04M1/26
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5191 interacting with the Internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0027 Collaboration services where a computer is used for data transfer and the telephone is used for telephonic communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/003 Click to dial services
• 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

Abstract

An Internet system for providing call-back services for a subscriber includes a web page having a call-back link to a subscription server; a call-back application operating on the subscription server and adapted for accepting input from a browsing person linked to the subscription server by the call-back link; and a call-switching system connected to and responsive to the call-back application on the subscription server. In this system the browsing person, upon activating the call-back link, is linked to the call back application on the subscription server and prompted for input including a call-back number, and the subscription server, after accepting the input, directs the call-switching system in establishing a telephony link between the subscriber and the browsing person. In some instances the telephony switch is part of a call-center with connected agents, and agents are assigned to represent selected subscribers. In this instance call-back connection is made between a browsing person and an agent. In some embodiments connections can be made either by conventional telephony links or by Internet telephone. In some instances as well provision is made for delivery of a full range of multi-media services from a subscriber to a browsing person.

Claims

1. An Internet system for providing call-back services for a subscriber, comprising:

a subscription call-back server accepting input from a browsing person linked to the call-back server;

a subscriber'"'"'s web page having a jump link to the subscription call-back server;

a telephony switch having a trunk line connection to a public switched telephony network (PSTN) and having an Internet capable port; and

a telephony server (T-Server) having a connection to the call-back server, and connected to a telephony switch by a computer-telephony integration (CTI) link;

wherein the browsing person, upon activating the WEB page jump link, is linked to the call back server and prompted for input including one or both of a single call-back number and IP address, and the call-back server, after accepting the input, associates the activated WEB page with the subscriber and directs the T-server to instruct the telephony switch to establish one or both of a telephony link and an Internet link between the associated subscriber and the browsing person.

2. The system of claim 1 further comprising an IVR server connected to the telephony switch and providing IVR services over the connection provided by the call-switching system.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein the IVR server provides to the subscriber a range of call disposition options.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the call-back server accepts instructions from a browsing person including a range of multi-media services.

5. The system of claim 1 further comprising a call-center operable through the telephony switch under control of the T-Server, the call-center comprising agent stations having each a personal computer with a video display unit (PC/VDU) connected on a Local Area Network (LAN) to the T-Server, and a telephone connected to the telephony switch, wherein the T-Server, in response to input from the call-back server establishes connections between browsing persons and connected agents, and presents data elicited from browsing persons on the VDUs at the agent stations.

6. The Internet system of claim 1 wherein the subscription server accepts jump links from a plurality of Web Pages, each having different subscribers.

7. A subscription call-center, comprising:

a telephony switch having a telephone trunk line connection to a public switched telephony network (PSTN) and an Internet-capable port;

a plurality of agent stations connected to the telephony switch by internal telephony lines;

a CTI Server (T-Server) connected to the telephony switch by a CTI link; and

an Internet-connected call-back server connected to the T-Server;

wherein the call-back server is hyperlinked to Web pages specific to individual ones of the subscribers, and upon being linked to a person initiating a hyperlink at one of the web pages, prompts the person for and accepts at least a single call-back number, or an IP address, associates the person with the subscriber specific to the Web page from which the hyperlink is activated, and directs the T-Server to command the telephony switch to establish one or both of conventional telephony calls and Internet telephone calls between agents and browsing persons.

8. The call-center of claim 7 further comprising a personal computer with a video display unit (PC/VDU) at each agent station, the PC/VDUs interconnected on a local area network (LAN) with the T-Server.

9. A method for providing call-back services to a browsing person on the Internet from subscribers to a call-back service, comprising steps of:

(a) activating a link, by the browsing person, in an individual subscriber'"'"'s WEB page, linking the browsing person to a call-back server;

(b) providing by the call-back server an input mechanism for the browsing person to input at least a single call-back number;

(c) associating the input to the specific subscriber;

(d) activating a CTI Server (T-Server) connected to a telephony switch having a telephony trunk line and an Internet capable port from the call-back server to establish one or both of a telephony connection and an Internet telephone connection between the browsing person and the subscriber.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein in step (b) the input mechanism elicits preferences from a browsing person for a range of available multi-media services associated with the subscriber, and the call-back server presents a script to the T-Server for providing the services according to the elicited preferences.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein the telephony switch has connected agent stations, and in step (c) the telephony or Internet connection is established between the browsing person and an agent associated with the subscriber.