Enhanced agent automatic call distribution control

• US 6,801,620 B2
• Filed: 06/21/2001
• Issued: 10/05/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/21/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Lucent Technologies, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Lucent Technologies, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Smith, David B., Smith, Matthew Richard
• Primary Examiner(s): Hong, Harry S.
• Application Number:
  US09/886,877
• Publication Number:
  US 20020196929A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,202 Days
• Field of Search: 379/265.01, 379/265.02, 379/265.09, 379/265.11, 379/265.13, 379/265.14, 379/266.01, 379/266.02, 379/266.03, 379/266.04, 379/266.05, 379/266.06, 379/266.09
• US Class Current: 379/266.01
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5237 Interconnection arrangements between ACD systems

Abstract

A method and apparatus for controlling administration of Automatic Call Distributor (ACD) queues of an ACD or network of ACDs by a caller, and of communicating data to and from an ACD Agent. The caller receives information concerning the status of queues in one or a plurality of ACDs. If the caller wishes to communicate with a particular Agent, wait time for that Agent is provided to the caller. The caller can select a particular Agent, and will be connected when that Agent becomes available subject to other restrictions of the ACD queue. The caller can prepare information for transmission to an answering Agent while the caller waits. Advantageously, the caller can control which Agent or which sub-group of Agents should respond to his/her call, taking into account the different waiting times associated with a particular Agent or the first available Agent when the caller reaches the top of the queue. Advantageously, the caller can link to ACD Agents from multiple companies by accessing an ACD Network.

Claims

1. A method of establishing a telephone call from a caller'"'"'s station to an Automatic Call Distributor (ACD) Agent Position, comprising the steps of:

establishing a connection between said caller station and an Agent position of a first ACD;

in response to signals from said first Agent position, establishing a data connection between said first Agent position and a user controller of a second ACD;

accessing queuing data of said second ACD over said data connection;

responsive to receipt of said queuing data, transmitting commands from

said Agent position to said user controller of said second ACD;

combining said commands with said

queuing data to select an Agent position in said second ACD; and

establishing a connection between said caller telephone and said Agent

position in said second ACD;

said Agent position of said second ACD selected in conformance with said

commands and the queuing data.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said connection between said caller telephone and said Agent position in said second ACD is a conference connection, including said Agent at said Agent position in said first ACD.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said connection between said caller telephone and said Agent position in said second ACD is a direct connection, not including said Agent at said first Agent position.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of transmitting memory user data of said caller to said second ACD.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the step of transmitting the user data comprises the step of transmitting said user data using a proprietary information fitter.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of accessing queuing data of said second ACD comprises the step of accessing waiting time data.

7. A method of establisling a connection between an Automatic Call Distributor (ACD) Agent position and a caller station, comprising the steps of:

making a queue entry for every requested call from a caller to said ACD;

providing user information for ones of said queue entries;

said ACD agent position in response to input from an agent at said Agent position, scanning said user information for at least some of said ones of said queue entries having user information; and

said Agent position responsive to commands entered by an agent at said agent position for requesting said ACD to connect a call associated with a specific selected queue entry;

further comprising the step of a caller entering non-voice data for a call into said ACD;

said ACD agent position further in response to reading said data entered by said caller for altering disposition said call.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the step of altering disposition of said call, comprises the step of moving said call to a different queue.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the step of altering disposition of said call, comprises the step of answering said call out of turn.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the step of altering disposition of said call, comprises the step of sending message to a caller of said call.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein the step of altering disposition of said call, comprises the step of arranging to connect said caller to another Agent.

12. Apparatus for establishing a telephone call from a caller'"'"'s station to an Automatic Call Distributor (ACD) Agent Position, comprising:

means for establishing a connection between said caller station and an Agent position of a first ACD;

responsive to signals from said first Agent position, means for establishing a data connection between said first Agent position and a user controller of a second ACD;

means for accessing queuing data of said second ACD over said data connection;

means, responsive to receipt of said queuing data, for transmitting commands from said Agent position to said user controller of said second ACD;

means for combining said commands with said queuing data to select an Agent position in said second ACD; and

means for establishing a connection between said caller telephone and said Agent position in said second ACD;

wherein said Agent position of said second ACD is selected in conformance with said commands and the queuing data.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein said connection between said caller telephone and said Agent position in said second ACD is a conference connection, including said Agent at said Agent position in said first ACD.

14. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein said connection between said caller telephone and said Agent position in said second ACD is a direct connection, not including said Agent at said first Agent position.

15. The apparatus of claim 12, further comprising means for transmitting user data of said caller to said second ACD.

16. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the means for transmitting the user data comprises means for transmitting said user data using a proprietary information filter.

17. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the means for accessing queuing data of said second ACD comprises means for accessing waiting time data.

18. Apparatus for establishing a connection between an Automatic Call Distributor (ACD) Agent position and a caller station, comprising:

means for making a queue entry for every requested call from a caller to said ACD;

means for providing user information for ones of said queue entries;

responsive to input from an Agent at said agent position, means for scanning said user information for at least some of said ones of said queue entries having user information; and

responsive to commands entered by an Agent at said Agent position, means for requesting said ACD to connect a call associated with a specific selected queue entry;

further comprising means for receiving non-voice data entered by a caller of a call into said ACD;

said ACD Agent position responsive to reading said data entered by said caller further comprising means for altering disposition of said call.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the means for altering disposition of said call, comprises means for moving said call to a different queue.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the means for altering disposition of said call, comprises means for answering said call out of turn.

21. The method of claim 18, wherein the means for altering disposition of said call, comprises means for sending a message to a caller of said call.

22. The method of claim 18, wherein means for altering disposition of said call, comprises means for arranging to connect said caller to another Agent.