Automatic call director first in first out accessory

• US 6,754,334 B2
• Filed: 05/12/2003
• Issued: 06/22/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Virtual Hold Technology Solutions, LLC
• Original Assignee: Virtual Hold Technology LLC (Medallia, Inc.)
• Inventors: Williams, Mark J., Nightingale, Gregory A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hoosain, Allan
• Application Number:
  US10/436,337
• Publication Number:
  US 20030190034A1
• Time in Patent Office: 407 Days
• Field of Search: 379/67.1, 379/88.17, 379/88.18, 379/265.01, 379/265.02, 379/265.08, 379/265.1, 379/265.09, 379/265.4, 379/265.13, 379/266.01, 379/266.02, 379/266.04, 379/266.03
• 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 3/5166 in combination with interactive voice response systems or voice portals, e.g. as front-ends
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/523 with call distribution or queueing
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5231 with call back arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/533 Voice mail systems

Abstract

An external accessory is added to an automatic call director to ensure first in first out operation for connection to primary resources when secondary resources are accessed prior to primary resources. A controller intercepts resource requests for the call director and manages an auxiliary queue to provide first in first out operation. The resource requests are returned to the call director queue once first in first out is guaranteed.

Claims

1. An accessory device for a server, said server allocating client primary resource requests to primary resources and having a primary queue, said device comprising:

a controller;

a server communication link adapted to communicate with said server and monitor said primary queue to intercept client primary resource requests from within said server in response to said controller;

an auxiliary queue, said device storing said intercepted requests in said auxiliary queue in response to said controller; and

a secondary resource communication link adapted to communicate with at least one secondary resource, said device allocating secondary resource requests to said at least one secondary resource in response to said controller, wherein said device returns said intercepted requests to said server via said server communication link in response to a desired condition.

2. A device according to claim 1, wherein said auxiliary queue is a first in first out queue and said desired condition is said primary queue having fewer than a threshold number of entries.

3. A device according to claim 1, wherein said at least one secondary resource is a call back system.

4. A device according to claim 1 wherein said at least one secondary resource is a voice mail system.

5. A device according to claim 1, wherein said at least one secondary resource is an information on demand system.

6. A device according to claim 1, wherein said at least one secondary resource is a telephone station that is not a primary resource.

7. A device according to claim 1, wherein said primary resources include service agents.

8. An accessory device for an automatic call director, said director allocating caller primary resource requests to primary resources and having a primary queue, said device comprising:

a controller;

a director communication link adapted to communicate with said director and monitor said primary queue to intercept caller primary resource requests from within said director in response to said controller;

an auxiliary queue, said device storing said intercepted requests in said auxiliary queue in response to said controller; and

a secondary resource communication link adapted to communicate with at least one secondary resource, said device allocating secondary resource requests to said at least one secondary resource in response to said controller, wherein said device returns said intercepted requests to said director via said director communication link in response to a desired condition.

9. A device according to claim 8, wherein said auxiliary queue is a first in first out queue and said desired condition is said primary queue having fewer than a threshold number of entries.

10. A device according to claim 8, wherein said at least one secondary resource is a call back system.

11. A device according to claim 8, wherein said at least one secondary resource is a voice mail system.

12. A device according to claim 8, wherein said at least one secondary resource is an information on demand system.

13. A device according to claim 8, wherein said at least one secondary resource is a telephone station that is not a primary resource.

14. A device according to claim 8, wherein said primary resources include service agents.

15. An accessory device for an automatic call director, said director allocating callers to service agents and having a primary queue, said device comprising:

a controller;

a director communication link adapted to communicate with said director and monitor said primary queue to intercept calls from within said director in response to said controller;

an auxiliary queue, said device storing said intercepted calls in said auxiliary queue in response to said controller; and

a secondary resource communication link adapted to communicate with a call back system, said device allocating call back requests to said call back system in response to said controller, wherein said device returns said calls to said director via said director communication link in response to a desired condition.

16. A device according to claim 15, wherein said auxiliary queue is a first in first out queue and said desired condition is said primary queue having fewer than a threshold number of entries.