Method and apparatus for data-linking a mobile knowledge worker to home communication-center infrastructure

• US 6,711,611 B2
• Filed: 09/24/1999
• Issued: 03/23/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/11/1998
• Status: Expired

• Current Assignee: Genesys Telecommunications Laboratories Incorporated (Genesys Cloud Services Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Genesys Telecommunications Laboratories Incorporated (Genesys Cloud Services Incorporated)
• Inventors: Hanhan, Musa
• Primary Examiner(s): Luu, Le Hien
• Application Number:
  US09/405,335
• Publication Number:
  US 20010023448A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,642 Days
• Field of Search: 713/201, 705/52, 709/246, 709/242, 709/224, 709/219, 709/234, 709/203, 709/216, 709/217, 709/218, 345/179
• US Class Current: 709/218
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• 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 65/4038 with floor control
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/564 Enhancement of application control based on intercepted application data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/565 Conversion or adaptation of application format or content adding application control or application functional data H04L67/561
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/59 Providing operational support to end devices by off-loading in the network or by emulation, e.g. when they are unavailable
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/08 Protocols for interworking; Protocol conversion
• 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 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 3/42323 : PBX's with CTI arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4938 : comprising a voice browser which renders and interprets, e.g. VoiceXML
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5125 : with remote located operators
• 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 3/5191 : interacting with the Internet

Abstract

A proxy system enables a worker remote from a communication center and limited to a light computer device unable to operate as a workstation at the communication center to operate with full access to data and software at the communication center. A proxy server, which may be a LAN-connected server at the communication center, has a two-way data link to the light computer device operated by the remote agent, and executes software which ascertains the hardware and software characteristics of the light device. The proxy server accesses communication center data at direction from the light device, operates communication center software tools, and provides results to the light device over the communication link in a form usable by the light device.

Claims

1. In a communication center having agent workstations, a system for enabling a remote agent, using a light computerized device having insufficient power to operate as a workstation of the communication center, to access and operate as an agent with full access to data and software tools of the communication center, the system comprising:

a proxy server executing a software suite;

a workstation at the communication center;

a local area network (LAN) connecting the proxy server, the workstation and the data and software tools of the communication center; and

a two-way data link between the proxy server and the light computerized device used by the remote agent;

characterized in that the proxy server, by the software suite, upon establishing a connection over the second data link, ascertains hardware and software characteristics of the light computerized device, establishes a connection to a workstation at the communication center over the LAN at direction of the light computerized device, whereby the light computerized device has full access to all data systems and is capable of operating all software available at the communication center from the workstation, via the LAN, on behalf of and according to direction from the light computerized device, transforms the data and results of the software operations into a form useable by the light computerized device, and transmits the transformed information to the light computerized device via the two-way data link.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the light computerized device is one of a hand-held computer, a personal digital assistant, a portable laptop computer, and a cell telephone.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the two-way data link is one of a dial-up telephone connection, a wireless connection, or a data-packet connection via the Internet.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the proxy server and the light computerized device each execute an instance of a Nano-browser enabling Internet Protocol communication over the second data link.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the LAN has access to an outside wide area network (WAN), via the proxy server, connecting a plurality of remote proxy servers, each at a separate remote call center, and the lite computer device connects to and operates software and accesses data of at least one of the plurality of remote call centers via a workstation at one of the plurality of call centers.

6. In a communication center having agent workstations, a method for enabling a remote agent, using a light computerized device having insufficient power to operate as a workstation of the communication center, to access and operate as an agent with full access to data and software tools of the communication center, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) establishing a connection between the light computerized device and a proxy server over a two-way data link;

(b) ascertaining hardware and software characteristics of the light computerized device over the established connection on the data link;

(c) establishing a local area network (LAN) connection between the proxy server and the workstation at the communication center at direction of the light computerized device;

(d) accessing, from the workstation, all data systems and software available at the communication center on the LAN, on behalf of and according to direction from the light computerized device;

(e) transforming the data and results of the software operations into a form useable by the light computerized device, and transforming the data and commands from the light computerized device to a form useable by the software operations; and

(f) transmitting the transformed information to the light computerized device from the software operations at the communication center and to the software operations from the light computerized device via the two-way data link.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the light computerized device is one of a hand-held computer, a personal digital assistant, a portable laptop computer, and a cell telephone.

8. The method of claim 6 wherein the two-way data link is one of a dial-up telephone connection, a wireless connection, or a data-packet connection via the Internet.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the LAN has access to an outside wide area network (WAN) connecting a plurality of remote proxy servers, each at a separate call center, via the proxy server, and the lite computer device connects to and operates software and accesses data of at least one of the remote call centers via a workstation at, at least one of the plurality of call centers.

10. The method of claim 6 wherein the proxy server and the light computerized device each execute an instance of a Nano-browser enabling Internet Protocol communication over the second data link.