Call hold manager system and method

• US 6,665,396 B1
• Filed: 10/06/2000
• Issued: 12/16/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/06/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Khouri, Joseph F., Shaffer, Shmuel
• Primary Examiner(s): DEANE JR, WILLIAM J
• Application Number:
  US09/680,653
• Time in Patent Office: 1,166 Days
• Field of Search: 379/265.01, 379/265.02, 379/265.03, 379/265.05, 379/265.09, 379/265.1, 379/265.11, 379/265.12, 379/263.13, 379/265.14, 379/266.01, 379/266.02, 379/266.03, 379/266.05, 379/266.06, 379/266.08, 379/266.1, 379/201.01, 379/309
• US Class Current: 379/266.01
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/2011 Service processing based on information specified by a party before or during a call, e.g. information, tone or routing selection
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/06 Lines and connections with preferential service
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/428 Arrangements for placing incoming calls on hold
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/523 with call distribution or queueing

Abstract

A communications system having a module operable to a establish a communication channel coupling a terminal unit and a device, in response to a request from the device, is provided. A proxy system may be coupled with the module. In a particular embodiment, the proxy system is operable to receive the request from the device, and create a proxy agent if the terminal unit is unavailable. The proxy agent may also be operable to maintain a position in a queueing system for the device until the terminal unit becomes available. In another embodiment, the proxy system may be operable to notify the device when the terminal unit is available. The communications system may also include an interactive voice response system operable to collect information from the device. The information collected from the device may be used to establish a status, or priority of the request for a connection.

Claims

1. A method for managing on hold calls, comprising;

receiving at a proxy system a first request from a calling party for a first connection to a first called party;

generating a first proxy agent for the calling party if the first called party is unavailable;

maintaining the first proxy agent in a first queue in place of the calling party to allow disconnection of the calling party;

notifying the calling party when the first called party is available and the first proxy agent occupies a highest priority in the first queue;

receiving at the proxy system a second request from the calling party for a connection to a second called party while the first proxy agent is maintained in the first queue;

generating a second proxy agent for the calling party if the second called party is unavailable;

maintaining the second proxy agent in a second queue in place of the calling party to allow disconnection of the calling party; and

notifying the calling party when the second called party is available and the second proxy agent occupies a highest priority in the second queue.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the highest priority in the first or second queue is established based on a time of the connection.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the status assigned to the first or second request for a connection is established according to a telephone number of the first called party or a telephone number of the second called party, respectively.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the highest priority in the first or second queue is established according to a status assigned to the first or second request for a connection, respectively.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the status assigned to the first or second request for a connection is established according to whether the calling party has elected to maintain a connection to the proxy system or disconnect from the proxy system.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

advancing the first or second proxy agent in the first or second queue, respectively, ahead of a second calling party who elected to disconnect from the proxy system, if the first calling elected to maintain a connection to the proxy system.

7. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

terminating the connection between the calling party and the proxy system if the calling party elects to maintain a connection to the proxy system and the connection has been maintained for a predetermined period of time without the calling party being connected to the first or second called party.

8. The method of claim 4, wherein the first queue comprises a priority queue and a standard queue, the priority queue receiving preference of the standard queue;

and

wherein the first proxy agent is maintained in either the priority queue or the standard queue according to the status of the first request for a connection.

9. The method of claim 4, wherein the status assigned to the first or second request for a connection is established according to an identification number of the calling party.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

determining a telephone number of the calling party; and

wherein the identification number corresponds to the telephone number of the calling party.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

determining a user identification of the calling party; and

wherein the identification number corresponds to the user identification of the calling party.

12. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

maintaining a database of specific identifcation numbers to prioritize over other identification numbers;

comparing the identification number of the calling party to the database of specific identifcation numbers to prioritize over other identification numbers; and

advancing the first or second proxy agent in the first or second queue, respectively, if the database includes the identification number of the calling party.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising notifying the calling party by placing a telephone call to the calling party when the first or second proxy agent occupies the highest priority in the first or second queue, respectively.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising notifying the calling party by playing a message during a communication session of the calling party when the first or second proxy agent occupies the highest priority in the first or second queue, respectively.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing status updates to the calling party while the first or second proxy agent is maintained in the first or second queue, respectively.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the status updates include information regarding the priority of the first or second proxy agent in the first or second queue, respectively.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the information includes an estimated time remaining until the first or second called party becomes available.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the status updates are provided to the calling party at predetermined time intervals.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein the status updates are provided to the calling party in response to a change in status of the first or second proxy agent in the first or second queue, respectively.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein the status updates are provided to the calling part in response to a request for status received from the calling party.

21. The method of claim 1, further comprising giving the calling party the option of moving the first or second proxy agent back in the first or second queue, respectively, in response to a notification that the first or second proxy occupies the highest priority in the first or second queue, respectively.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the first or second proxy agent may be moved back in the first or second queue, respectively, a specific period of time selected by the calling party.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein the first or second proxy agent may be moved back in the first or second queue, respectively, an approximate period of time selected by the calling party.

24. A communications system, comprising:

a communications module operable to establish a first communication channel coupling a first terminal unit and a device, in response to a first request from the device;

the communications module operable to establish a second communication channel coupling a second terminal unit and the device, in response to a second request from the device;

a proxy system coupled with the communications module;

the proxy system operable to receive the first request from the device, and create a first proxy agent if the first terminal unit is unavailable;

the first proxy agent operable to maintain a first position in a queueing system for the device until the first terminal unit becomes available;

the proxy system operable to receive the second request from the device while the first proxy agent is maintained in the queueing system, and create a second proxy agent if the second terminal is unavailable; and

the second proxy agent operable to maintain a second position in the queueing system for the device until the second terminal unit becomes available.

25. The communications system of claim 24, wherein the proxy system is operable to notify the device when the first terminal unit will be available.

26. The communications system of claim 24, wherein the proxy system is operable to notify the device when the second terminal device will be available.

27. The communications system of claim 24, further comprising an interactive voice response system operable to collect information from the device.

28. A computer readable medium encoded with a computer program operable to:

receive a first request from a device for a connection to a first terminal unit;

generate a first proxy agent if the first terminal unit is unavailable;

queue the first proxy agent to maintain a first position in a first queue for the device, while the first terminal unit is unavailable;

notify the device when the first terminal unit will become available;

receive a second request from the device for a connection to a second terminal unit while the first proxy agent is maintained in the first queue;

generate a second proxy agent if the second terminal unit is unavailable;

queue the second proxy agent to maintain a second position in a second queue for the device while the second terminal unit is unavailable; and

notify the device when the second terminal unit will become available.

29. The computer readable medium of claim 28, wherein the computer program is further operable to collect information from the device while the first or second proxy agent is in the first or second queue, respectively.

30. The computer readable medium of claim 29, wherein the computer program is further operable to determine the first or second position in the first or second queue, respectively, based upon the information collected from the device.

31. A system for managing network communications, comprising:

means for receiving at a proxy system a first request from a calling party for a connection to a first called party;

means for generating a first proxy agent for a calling party if the first called party is unavailable;

means for maintaining the first proxy agent in a first queue in place of the calling party to allow disconnection of the calling party;

means for notifying the calling party when the first called party is available and the first proxy agent occupies the highest priority in the first queues;

means for receiving at a proxy system a second request from the calling party for a connection to a second called party while the first proxy agent is maintained in the first queue;

means for generating a second proxy agent for the calling party if the second called party is unavailable;

means for maintaining the second proxy agent in a second queue in place of the calling party to allow disconnection of the calling party;

means for notifying the calling party when the second called party is available and the second proxy agent occupies the highest priority in the second queue.

32. The system of claim 31, further comprising means for determining a telephone number of the calling party.