Method and apparatus for call distribution and override with priority recognition and fairness timing routines
First Claim
1. In a communication center, a method for promoting fairness in response to requests for destination numbers (DNs) from network-level routers, comprising steps of:
- (a) determining latency for requests from individual ones of the network-level routers;
(b) receiving a request from a first router for which latency is determined;
(c) assigning a fairness wait time to the request, the time determined in inverse relationship to the latency; and
(d) answering the request according to rules in effect only after the wait time has expired.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method for promoting fairness in a communication center in response to requests for destination numbers (DNs) from network-level routers has steps of determining latency for requests from individual ones of the network-level routers, receiving a request from a first router for which latency is determined, assigning a fairness wait time to the request, the time determined as an inverse function of latency, and answering the request according to rules in effect only after the wait time has expired. In some cases requests arrive with priority, and priority is used a swell as latency in determining wait time. In other cases a second fairness time is imposed, after which a fairness algorithm is called to award a DN according to statistical history and cal priority. The system is useful for communication centers for connection-oriented telephone systems, Internet protocol systems, and for all sorts of digital messaging and mail systems.
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Citations
15 Claims
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1. In a communication center, a method for promoting fairness in response to requests for destination numbers (DNs) from network-level routers, comprising steps of:
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(a) determining latency for requests from individual ones of the network-level routers;
(b) receiving a request from a first router for which latency is determined;
(c) assigning a fairness wait time to the request, the time determined in inverse relationship to the latency; and
(d) answering the request according to rules in effect only after the wait time has expired. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A communication center, comprising:
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a communication switching device connected to agent stations having destination numbers (DNs) for switching communications to individual ones of the agent stations;
a computer-telephony integration (CTI) processor coupled to and monitoring and controlling the communication switching device; and
a digital link between the CTI processor and network-level routers having determined latency, for receiving requests from the network-level routers for connection to DNs;
wherein the CTI processor, on receiving a request from a router for a DN, checks the router'"'"'s latency, and assigns a wait time according to the latency before processing the request. - View Dependent Claims (6)
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7. A communication center, comprising:
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a communication switching device connected to agent stations having destination numbers (DNs) for switching communications to individual ones of the agent stations;
a computer-telephony integration (CTI) processor coupled to and monitoring and controlling the communication switching device; and
a digital link between the CTI processor and network-level routers, for receiving requests from the network-level routers for connection to DNs, the requests having priority assigned;
wherein the CTI processor, on receiving a request from a router for a DN, imposes a fairness wait time after which, if more than one router has requested a same DN, statistical history and priority are used by a fairness algorithm to award the DN to one of the routers. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. An agent-reservation fairness software suite for operation in a communication center and dealing with requests by network-level routers for connection to agents at communication center destination numbers (DNs), comprising:
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a monitor for monitoring incoming requests for connection to agents;
a table of latency for individual ones of the routers;
a time generator for setting a wait time according to latency; and
an initiator for starting a fairness wait timer having a fairness time-out period;
wherein the monitor, on receiving a request from a router, checks latency for the router, the time generator generates a time-out time based on the latency, and the initiator starts the timer for the generated time-out period, after which the request is processed. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15)
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Specification