Integrated customer web station for web based call management

• US 6,611,498 B1
• Filed: 09/24/1998
• Issued: 08/26/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/26/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: WorldCom, Inc. (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Gruber, Charles J., Chen, Yuchien, Chaffee, Susan L., Baker, Thomas E., Fishman, Howard P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kizou, Hassan
• Assistant Examiner(s): Pezzlo, John
• Application Number:
  US09/159,506
• Time in Patent Office: 1,797 Days
• Field of Search: 370/352-356, 370/400, 370/401, 370/252, 370/386, 709/202, 709/203, 709/205, 709/223, 379/90.01, 713/153, 713/200
• US Class Current: 370/252
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/0709 in a distributed system consisting of a plurality of standalone computer nodes, e.g. clusters, client-server systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/0757 by exceeding a time limit, i.e. time-out, e.g. watchdogs
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/0769 Readable error formats, e.g. cross-platform generic formats, human understandable formats
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/0775 Content or structure details of the error report, e.g. specific table structure, specific error fields
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/0781 Error filtering or prioritizing based on a policy defined by the user or on a policy defined by a hardware/software module, e.g. according to a severity level
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/0784 Routing of error reports, e.g. with a specific transmission path or data flow
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/202 where processing functionality is redundant redundant communication control functionality G06F11/2005, redundant storage control functionality G06F11/2089
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/32 with visual or acoustical indication of the functioning of the machine
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/324 Display of status information
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/327 Alarm or error message display
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/328 Computer systems status display G06F11/327 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3495 for systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/972 Access to data in other repository systems, e.g. legacy data or dynamic Web page generation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/00 Security arrangements for protecting computers, components thereof, programs or data against unauthorised activity
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/41 where a single sign-on provides access to a plurality of computers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/552 involving long-term monitoring or reporting
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2201/81 Threshold
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2201/86 Event-based monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2201/875 Monitoring of systems including the internet
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2137 Time limited access, e.g. to a computer or data
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2149 : Restricted operating environment
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 : Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 : Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/102 : Bill distribution or payments
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/382 : insuring higher security of transaction
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 : Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 : Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 : Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0609 : Buyer or seller confidence or verification
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0635 : Processing of requisition or of purchase orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 99/00 : Subject matter not provided for in other groups of this subclass
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/14 : Charging , metering or billing arrangements for data wireline or wireless communications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1428 : Invoice generation, e.g. customization, lay-out, database processing, algorithms for calculating the bill or formatting invoices as WWW pages invoicing in general G06Q30/04
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0213 : Standardised network management protocols, e.g. simple network management protocol [SNMP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0233 : Object-oriented techniques, for representation of network management data, e.g. common object request broker architecture [CORBA]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/024 : using relational databases for representation of network management data, e.g. managing via structured query language [SQL]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0253 : using browsers or web-pages for accessing management information
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/06 : Management of faults, events, alarms or notifications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0681 : Configuration of triggering conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/08 : Configuration management of networks or network elements address allocation H04L61/50
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0803 : Configuration setting
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0879 : Manual configuration through operator
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0895 : Configuration of virtualised networks or elements, e.g. virtualised network function or OpenFlow elements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/122 : of virtualised topologies, e.g. software-defined networks [SDN] or network function virtualisation [NFV]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/142 : using statistical or mathematical methods
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/18 : Delegation of network management function, e.g. customer network management [CNM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/22 : comprising specially adapted graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/28 : Restricting access to network management systems or functions, e.g. using authorisation function to access network configuration
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5009 : Determining service level performance parameters or violations of service level contracts, e.g. violations of agreed response time or mean time between failures [MTBF]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5022 : by giving priorities, e.g. assigning classes of service
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5029 : Service quality level-based billing, e.g. dependent on measured service level customer is charged more or less
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5032 : Generating service level reports
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5061 : characterised by the interaction between service providers and their network customers, e.g. customer relationship management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5064 : Customer relationship management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5067 : Customer-centric QoS measurements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5074 : Handling of user complaints or trouble tickets
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5083 : wherein the managed service relates to web hosting
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5096 : wherein the managed service relates to distributed or central networked applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/00 : Arrangements for monitoring or testing data switching networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/024 : by adaptive sampling
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/045 : for graphical visualisation of monitoring data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/06 : Generation of reports
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/062 : related to network traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/065 : related to network devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/067 : using time frame reporting
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0805 : by checking availability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0811 : by checking connectivity
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0817 : by checking functioning
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0829 : Packet loss
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0847 : Transmission error
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0852 : Delays
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0876 : Network utilisation, e.g. volume of load or congestion level
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0888 : Throughput
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0894 : Packet rate
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/091 : Measuring contribution of individual network components to actual service level
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/10 : Active monitoring, e.g. heartbeat, ping or trace-route
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/106 : using time related information in packets, e.g. by adding timestamps
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/16 : Threshold monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/00 : User-to-user messaging in packet-switching networks, transmitted according to store-and-forward or real-time protocols, e.g. e-mail
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 : Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/222 : using geographical location information, e.g. messages transmitted or received in proximity of a certain spot or area
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/02 : for separating internal from external traffic, e.g. firewalls
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0209 : Architectural arrangements, e.g. perimeter networks or demilitarized zones
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0218 : Distributed architectures, e.g. distributed firewalls
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0236 : Filtering by address, protocol, port number or service, e.g. IP-address or URL
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0272 : Virtual private networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0281 : Proxies
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 : wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0442 : wherein the sending and receiving network entities apply asymmetric encryption, i.e. different keys for encryption and decryption cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for public-key encryption H04L9/30
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0464 : using hop-by-hop encryption, i.e. wherein an intermediate entity decrypts the information and re-encrypts it before forwarding it
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 : for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0807 : using tickets, e.g. Kerberos cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using tickets or tokens H04L9/3213
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0815 : providing single-sign-on or federations
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0823 : using certificates cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving certificates H04L9/3263
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/083 : using passwords cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using a predetermined code H04L9/3226
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/162 : at the data link layer
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/166 : at the transport layer
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/168 : above the transport layer
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/18 : using different networks or channels, e.g. using out of band channels cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for key distribution involving distinctive intermediate devices or communication paths H04L9/0827; cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for authentication using a plurality of channels H04L9/3215
• 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 65/80 : Responding to QoS
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/00 : Arrangements for metering, time-control or time indication ; Metering, charging or billing arrangements for voice wireline or wireless communications, e.g. VoIP
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/41 : Billing record details, i.e. parameters, identifiers, structure of call data record [CDR]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/43 : Billing software details
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/44 : Augmented, consolidated or itemized billing statement or bill presentation
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/49 : Connection to several service providers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/51 : for resellers, retailers or service providers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/58 : based on statistics of usage or network monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/705 : Account settings, e.g. limits or numbers or payment
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/721 : using the Internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/745 : Customizing according to wishes of subscriber, e.g. friends or family
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/80 : Rating or billing plans; Tariff determination aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8044 : Least cost routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/83 : Notification aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8351 : before establishing a communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/84 : Types of notifications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0104 : Augmented, consolidated or itemised billing statement, e.g. additional billing information, bill presentation, layout, format, e-mail, fax, printout, itemised bill per service or per account, cumulative billing, consolidated billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0108 : Customization according to wishes of subscriber, e.g. customer preferences, friends and family, selecting services or billing options, Personal Communication Systems [PCS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0152 : General billing plans, rate plans, e.g. charge rates, numbering plans, rate centers, customer accounts
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0164 : Billing record, e.g. Call Data Record [CDR], Toll Ticket[TT], Automatic Message Accounting [AMA], Call Line Identifier [CLI], details, i.e. parameters, identifiers, structure
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0168 : On line or real-time flexible customization or negotiation according to wishes of subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0176 : Billing arrangements using internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/018 : On-line real-time billing, able to see billing information while in communication, e.g. via the internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0188 : Network monitoring; statistics on usage on called/calling number
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/42 : Least cost routing, i.e. provision for selecting the lowest cost tariff
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/46 : Connection to several service providers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/54 : Resellers-retail or service providers billing, e.g. agreements with telephone service operator, activation, charging/recharging of accounts
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/7009 : Account settings, e.g. users, terminals, limits, numbers or payment
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/7045 : Using Internet or WAP
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/745 : Least cost routing, e.g. Automatic or manual, call by call or by preselection
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/81 : Notifying aspects, e.g. notifications or displays to the user
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/8108 : before establishing a communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/8129 : Type of notification
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/82 : Advice-of-Charge [AOC], i.e. notify subscriber of charges/cumulative charge; meter at the substation
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5175 : Call or contact centers supervision arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5191 : interacting with the Internet
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 379/90 : Internet, e.g. Internet phone, webphone, internet-based telephony
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99931 : Database or file accessing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99937 : Sorting
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99938 : Concurrency, e.g. lock management in shared database
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99939 : Privileged access
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99944 : Object-oriented database structure
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 715/969 : Network layout and operation interface

Abstract

A Web-based call routing management workstation application which allows authorized customers to control toll free routing and monitor call center status. An architecture including one or more web servers located in a firewalled demilitarized zone (DMZ) as communications medium between the customer workstations at the customer sites and the enterprise back-end applications providing the call routing management services, provides a secure infrastructure for accessing the enterprise applications via the otherwise insecure public Internet. The present invention enables creation and management of call by call routing rules by a customer with a workstation having an Internet access and a supported Web browser. The customized rules may be tested and/or debugged via the Web-enabled workstation, using a debugger/tester which runs the routing rules under a simulated environment. In addition, customers may provision hierarchies for their business; create, modify or delete agent pools; manipulate capacity tables; and define quota schemes, value lists and schedule tables, all at the customer site via the Web-enabled workstation. The present invention also enables the customers to view near real-time displays of call center ACD statistics and peg counts based on routing rules, as well as, run provisioning and statistical reports on provisioning and statistical data and also to extract the data for further analysis. Additionally, the present invention supports foreign language and branding features on a graphical user interface. An infrastructure is provided which enables secure initiation, acquisition, and presentation of the call manager functionalities to customers from any computer workstation having a web browser and located anywhere in the world.

Claims

1. A web-based call manager webstation system for controlling and monitoring customer'"'"'s telecommunication network routing configurations via an integrated interface, the system comprising:

a client browser application located at a client workstation for enabling interactive web-based communications with the call manager webstation system and providing the integrated interface, wherein a secure server supports a secure socket connection enabling encrypted communications between the client browser application and the secure server; and

a configuring device, launched via the client browser, for enabling a customer to monitor, define, and manipulate call routing parameters, the configuring device further formatting customer defined parameters into client message transactions and communicating the client message transactions to the secure server over the secure socket connection, wherein a routing engine maintains call routing rules and interfaces with a plurality of network control elements for directing call routing and receiving data statistics, the routing engine further using the rules, the data statistics, and the customer defined parameters in determining where to route calls,

wherein the customer is enabled to control call routing and to test the routing rules via the web-based integrated interface.

2. The web-based call manager webstation system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the system further includes a proxy server for processing a plurality of transaction requests received from the configuring device via the secure server by opening a connection to the routing engine and retrieving information relating to the transaction requests and forwarding back the information to the configuring device via the secure server, and wherein the configuring device presents the information to the customer at the client workstation.

3. The web-based call manager webstation system as claimed in claim 2, wherein the system further includes one or more database(s) for storing the data statistics generated by the routing engine and the plurality of network control elements, said one or more databases residing with the proxy server, the proxy server further processing predetermined transaction requests locally by retrieving information related to the transaction requests from said one or more database(s), and forwarding the information to the configuring device.

4. The web-based call manager webstation system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the secure server further includes:

a session manager for maintaining session information associated with the customer session,

the session information including a session timestamp representing a time of receipt of a previous communication transaction associated with the customer session,

wherein the session manager updates the session timestamp with a current time when the secure server receives a current communication transaction from the configuring device.

5. The web-based call manager webstation system as claimed in claim 4, wherein the secure server further includes a device for monitoring the session timestamp, and wherein if a time difference between a current monitoring time and the session timestamp exceeds a predefined value, the device for monitoring clears the session information associated with the customer session, whereby the customer session is no longer deemed valid.

6. The web-based call manager webstation system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the system further enables the customer to view, define, and manipulate call routing parameters which are applied on a call by call basis.

7. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the system further enables the customer to write call routing rules via the configuring device, and the configuring device further communicates the rules to the routing engine for use during the call routing.

8. The web-based call manager webstation system as claimed in claim 7, wherein the call routing rules are applied on a call by call basis.

9. The web-based call manager webstation system as claimed in claim 7, wherein the system further enables the customer to test a rules set comprising the rules written by the customer by simulating call scenarios in which to test a rules set logic.

10. The web-based call manager webstation system as claimed in claim 9, wherein the configuring device further enables the customer to define call context parameters for simulating the call scenarios, wherein the customer is enabled to control the simulated call scenarios in which to test the rules set.

11. The web-based call manager webstation system as claimed in claim 10, wherein the call context parameters include called-number, ANI, CED, carrier, data and time of a simulated call.

12. The web-based call manager webstation system as claimed in claim 10, wherein the call context parameters which may be defined by the customer further include call destinations affecting load balancing.

13. The web-based call manager webstation system as claimed in claim 10, wherein the call context parameters which may be defined by the customer further include quotas affecting load balancing.

14. The web-based call manager webstation system as claimed in claim 9, wherein the system further enables the customer to step through the simulation one line at a time.

15. The web-based call manager webstation system as claimed in claim 9, wherein the system further enables the customer to run through an entire call simulation without stopping when testing the rules set.

16. The web-based call manager webstation system as claimed in claim 9, wherein the configuring device further enables the customer to select to view status information associated with a call being simulated during the simulation.

17. The web-based call manager webstation system as claimed in claim 16, wherein the status information view includes a destination status view.

18. The web-based call manager webstation system as claimed in claim 16, wherein the status information view includes a destination details view.

19. The web-based call manager webstation system as claimed in claim 16, wherein the status information view includes a call detail records view.

20. The web-based call manager webstation system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the call routing parameters which may be viewed via the configuring device include agent pool statistics, and wherein the customer is enabled to perform load-balancing based on the agent pool statistics.

21. The web-based call manager webstation system as claimed in claim 20, wherein the agent pool statistics include average call handling time.

22. The web-based call manager webstation system as claimed in claim 20, wherein the agent pool statistics include a number of agents.

23. The web-based call manager webstation system as claimed in claim 20, wherein the agent pool statistics include a number of calls routed to each destination.

24. The web-based call manager webstation system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the call routing parameters which may be viewed and modified include agent pool capacity tables, wherein the customer is enabled to provide default staffing allocation for use by a load balancing algorithm performing load balancing.

25. The web-based call manager webstation system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the call routing parameters which may be viewed and modified include termination destination identifiers.

26. The web-based call manager webstation system as claimed in claim 25, wherein the termination destination identifiers include a single call termination into a single telephone instrument.

27. The web-based call manager webstation system as claimed in claim 25, wherein the termination destination identifiers include a line termination into a private branch exchange (PBX).

28. The web-based call manager webstation system as claimed in claim 25, wherein the termination destination identifiers include a single call termination into an ACD.

29. The web-based call manager webstation system as claimed in claim 25, wherein the termination destination identifiers include a group of destination identifiers terminating into an ACD.

30. The web-based call manager webstation system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the call routing parameters which may be monitored and modified include distribution protocols for selecting destination identifiers for routing calls.

31. The web-based call manager webstation system as claimed in claim 30, wherein the distribution protocols include a round-robin protocol.

32. The web-based call manager webstation system as claimed in claim 30, wherein the distribution protocols include a direct protocol in which routing calls are based on a percentage allotted to each destination identifier.

33. The web-based call manager webstation system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the call routing parameters which may be viewed and modified include rule routing quotas associated with destinations.

34. The web-based call manager webstation system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the call routing parameters which may be monitored and modified include value lists which are used to determine one or more characteristic(s) of an incoming call, wherein rules are executed based on the one or more characteristic(s).

35. The web-based call manager webstation system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the call routing parameters which may be monitored and modified include parameters affecting authentication and entitlements to the system.

36. The web-based call manager webstation system as claimed in claim 35, wherein the parameters affecting authentication and entitlements include business hierarchies representing corporations and account groups.

37. The web-based call manager webstation system as claimed in claim 35, wherein the parameters affecting authentication and entitlements include user identifiers.

38. The web-based call manager webstation system as claimed in claim 35, wherein the parameters affecting authentication and entitlements include data access privileges.

39. The web-based call manager webstation system as claimed in claim 2, wherein the system further enables the customer to view near real-time displays of peg counts based on routing rules, the plurality of transaction requests including a request to monitor the peg counts, and the information includes current peg counts retrieved and forwarded to the customer by the customer via the configuring device.

40. The web-based call manager webstation system as claimed in claim 39, wherein the information including current peg counts are continuously retrieved and forwarded to the configuring device, the configuring device further updating the information continuously as the information is received.

41. The web-based call manager webstation system as claimed in claim 2, wherein the system further enables the customer to view near real-time displays of call center ACD statistics, the plurality of transaction request including a request to monitor the call center ACD statistics, and the information includes current call center ACD statistics retrieved and forwarded to the customer via the configuring device.

42. The web-based call manager webstation system as claimed in claim 41, wherein the information including current call center ACD statistics are continuously retrieved and forwarded to the configuring device, the configuring device further updating the information continuously as the information is received.

43. The web-based call manager webstation system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the configuring device further enables the customer to run provisioning reports.

44. The web-based call manager webstation system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the configuring device further enables the customer to run statistical reports.

45. The web-based call manager webstation system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the configuring device further enables the customer to extract data from the routing engine and the plurality of network control elements for presentation to the customer.

46. The web-based call manager webstation system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the system further enables the customer to display status of the web-based call manager webstation system via the configuring device.

47. The web-based call manager webstation system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the system further presents alarms related to running of the web-based call manager webstation system via the configuring device.

48. The web-based call manager webstation system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the system further enables the customer via the configuring device to administer host systems including the routing engine.

49. The web-based call manager webstation system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the system further enables the customer via the configuring device to administer host systems including gateway systems connecting the routing engine to the plurality of network control elements.

50. The web-based call manager webstation system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the configuring device further includes a branding device for branding presentation views in a specific context.

51. The web-based call manager webstation system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the configuring device further includes a translation device for supporting multiple languages, wherein texts are displayed by the configuring device in a language of a geographic locale.

52. The web-based call manager webstation system as claimed in claim 20, wherein the agent pool statistics include one selected from a group consisting of:

a number of calls abandoned during a reporting interval;

a number of calls answered during a reporting interval;

a number of calls completed during a reporting interval;

a number of agents currently handling active calls;

a number of agents currently performing after-call activities;

a number of agents logged in to the ACD but who are not currently available to handle calls due to an auxiliary work;

a number of agents available including those currently handling active calls;

a number of agents currently logged in to the ACD including those agents in auxiliary work state;

a number of calls currently in queue waiting for an available agent;

a percentage of calls abandoned during a reporting interval;

a number of seconds the oldest call in queue has been waiting;

an average time to handle a call including talk time and after-call work time;

an average time the calls wait in queue for the available agents;

an average time in queue for the calls which were abandoned; and

a ratio of a number of calls to a number of agents working on calls.

53. The web-based call manager webstation system as claimed in claim 52, wherein the agent pool statistics includes any combination of the group thereof.

54. A method for controlling customer'"'"'s call routing configurations via a web-based integrated interface at a customer workstation having a client browser application for enabling interactive web-based communications between the customer and the integrated interface, the method comprising:

managing a client session over a secure socket connection to enable encrypted communications between the client browser application and a secure server;

maintaining call routing rules for use in directing call routing via one or more network control elements;

collecting data statistics from the network control elements; and

communicating customer-defined call routing parameters associated with the call routing rules, wherein the call routing rules, the data statistics, and the customer defined call routing parameters are used by the network control elements to determine where to route calls, and the customer is enabled at the customer workstation to control call routing of individual calls and to test the routing rules.

55. The method according to claim 54, wherein the method further comprises:

downloading the data statistics to the customer workstation via the secure server; and

presenting the data statistics to the customer;

wherein the customer is enabled to monitor status of the network control elements at the customer workstation.

56. The method according to claim 55, wherein the data statistics include call center ACD statistics, and the customer is enabled to monitor a status of one or more call center(s).

57. The method according to claim 56, wherein the method of presenting the data statistics further includes continuously updating the data statistics with current data at the customer workstation, and the customer is enabled to monitor the status of the one or more call center(s) in near real time.

58. The method according to claim 55, wherein the method of presenting further includes displaying the data statistics in a graphical format.

59. The method according to claim 54, wherein the method further includes:

enabling the customer to write call routing rules; and

communicating the call routing rules via the secure server;

using the call routing rules for the call routing of individual calls.

60. The method according to claim 59, wherein the method further includes:

simulating call scenarios; and

running the call routing rules in the simulated call scenarios for testing,

wherein the customer is enabled to test the call routing rules.

61. The method according to claim 60, wherein the step of simulating further includes:

accepting from the customer workstation, customer-defined call context parameters which are used to simulate the call scenarios;

communicating the customer-defined call context parameters via the secure server; and

using the customer-defined call context parameters in simulating the call scenarios,

wherein, the customer is enabled to control a simulation of the call scenarios in which to test the call routing rules.

62. The method according to claim 60, wherein the step of running the call routing rules further includes:

stopping after each line, wherein the customer is enabled to debug the call routing rules line by line.

63. The method according to claim 62, wherein the step of running the call routing rules further includes:

presenting data statistics from the network control elements after the step of stopping,

wherein the customer is enabled to monitor status information during the testing.

64. The method according to claim 54, wherein the step of managing a client session further includes:

maintaining session information associated with the client session;

including a timestamp in the session information for representing a time of receiving of a previous communication transaction associated with the client session;

receiving a current communication transaction from the customer workstation;

updating the timestamp with a time of receipt of the current communication transaction.

65. The method according to claim 64, wherein the step of managing a client session further comprises:

monitoring the timestamp;

comparing current monitoring time with the timestamp; and

clearing the session information having the timestamp, if a time difference between the current monitoring time and the timestamp exceeds a predefined value.

66. The method according to claim 54, wherein the method further includes:

translating texts presented to the customer into a language used in a geographic locale where the customer workstation is located.

67. The method according to claim 54, wherein the method further includes:

branding presentation views communicated to the customer at the customer workstation to denote customer-specific context.

68. A web-based call manager webstation system for controlling and monitoring customer'"'"'s telecommunication network routing configurations, the system comprising:

a client browser application located at a client workstation for enabling interactive web-based communications, wherein a secure server manages one or more customer session(s) over the Internet and supports a secure socket connection enabling encrypted communications between the client browser application and the secure server;

configuring device launched via the client browser, for enabling a customer to monitor, define, and manipulate call routing parameters, the configuring device further formatting customer defined parameters into client message transactions and communicating the client message transactions to the secure server over the secure socket connection, wherein a routing engine maintains call routing rules and interfaces with a plurality of network control elements for directing call routing and receiving data statistics, the routing engine further using the rules, the data statistics, and the customer defined parameters in determining where to route calls,

wherein the customer is enabled to control call routing and to test the routing rules via the client browser application.

69. The web-based call manager webstation system as claimed in claim 68, wherein the configuring device further includes a branding device for branding presentation views according to specific customer context.

70. The web-based call manager webstation system as claimed in claim 68, wherein the configuring device further includes a translation device for supporting multiple languages, wherein texts are displayed by the configuring device in a language of geographic locale.

71. The web-based call manager webstation system as claimed in claim 68, wherein the configuring device further includes a translation device for supporting multiple languages, wherein texts are displayed by the configuring device in a language selected by the customer.

72. The web-based call manager webstation system as claimed in claim 68, wherein the configuring device further enables the customer to contact service personnel at the enterprise for seeking services related to the controlling and monitoring of the customer'"'"'s telecommunication network routing.

73. A web-based system for providing call management of a call center, the system comprising:

a client browser application configured to permit a user to monitor, define, and manipulate call routing parameters associated with a call into the call center, the client browser application receiving data statistics associated with the call center and supporting testing of routing rules that are written by the user,

wherein the call is routed based on the user defined parameters, the data statistics, and the routing rules.