Allocation of resources to flexible requests

• US 6,845,154 B1
• Filed: 01/23/2001
• Issued: 01/18/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 01/23/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Intervoice Limited Partnership
• Original Assignee: Intervoice Limited Partnership
• Inventors: Bishop, Jody C., Cave, Ellis K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bui, Bing Q.
• Application Number:
  US09/767,927
• Time in Patent Office: 1,456 Days
• Field of Search: 379/265.02, 379/265.05, 379/265.09, 379/265.11, 379/265.12, 379/266.01, 379/266.02, 379/266.04
• US Class Current: 379/265.02
• 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 2203/2061 Language aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5232 Call distribution algorithms

Abstract

A system and method are disclosed which determine the flexibility of requests and utilize such flexibility of requests in managing a finite number of resources for servicing such requests. As an exemplary implementation within a telephony call center, a caller requesting to speak with an agent of the call center may be received. The call center may ascertain whether the caller is capable and willing to speak in multiple languages, such as both English and Spanish. A caller that is so capable and willing may be more efficiently serviced by allocating the “first available” of English and Spanish speaking resources to service the caller. Thus flexible requests that are capable and willing to be serviced by any of a plurality of resources, may be utilized to more effectively manage a finite number of resources in servicing requests.

Claims

1. A method of managing resources, said method comprising the steps of:

providing a finite number of resources for servicing requests thereto, said finite number of resources including at least a first resource having a first attribute and at least a second resource having a second attribute;

receiving at least one request for at least one of said resources;

determining the flexibility of said at least one request as to at least one attribute possessed by said resources for servicing said at least one request; and

based at least in part on said flexibility of said at least one request, issuing at least one resource request to one or more of said resources.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said step of determining the flexibility of said at least one request further includes the step of:

determining one or more attributes of said resources that are suitable for servicing said at least one request.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said resources include agents within a telephony call center.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein said at least one request includes a request from a caller to a telephony center.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein said at least a first resource having a first attribute includes an agent having a first language capability and wherein said at least a second resource having a second attribute includes an agent having a second language capability.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein said determining step includes determining the language capability of an agent that is suitable for servicing said caller.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein said resources include resources within a computer system.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein said resources include resources selected from the group consisting of:

data input resources, data output resources, data storage resources, and data processing resources.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein said attribute includes at least one skill possessed by said resources.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein said attribute includes at least one functional capability possessed by said resources.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein said determining the flexibility of said at least one request comprises:

determining that at least one of said at least one request is flexible such that any of a plurality of different attributes possessed by said resources are suitable for servicing the flexible request.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein said request is a request from a caller to a telephony center and said resources are agents within said telephony call center, and wherein said plurality of different attributes comprise a plurality of different languages.

22. The method of claim 11 wherein said resources include resources within a computer system.

23. The method of claim 22 wherein said resources include resources selected from the group consisting of:

data input resources, data output resources, data storage resources, and data processing resources.

13. A method of allocating resources selected from a finite number of resources for servicing requests, said method comprising the steps of:

identifying at least a first attribute possessed by at least a first pool of said resources;

identifying at least a second attribute possessed by at least a second pool of said resources;

receiving requests for service by at least one of said resources;

determining the flexibility of said requests, wherein at least one of said requests is determined to be flexible such that any of a plurality of different attributes possessed by said resources are suitable for servicing the at least one flexible request; and

based at least in part on the determined flexibility of said determining for each of said requests at least one suitable resource for servicing the request.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein said step of determining the flexibility of said requests further includes the step of:

determining one or more attributes of said resources that are suitable for servicing said at least one flexible request.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein said step of determining the flexibility of said requests further includes the steps of:

determining whether said at least a first attribute possessed by said at least a first pool of said resources is suitable for servicing said at least one flexible request; and

determining whether said at least a second attribute possessed by said at least a second pool of said resources is suitable for servicing said at least one flexible request.

16. The method of claim 15 further including the steps of:

if determined that said at least a first attribute is suitable for servicing said at least one flexible request and determined that said at least a second attribute is suitable for servicing said at least one flexible request, then determining that any resource from said at least a first pool and said at least a second pool of resources is suitable for servicing said at least one flexible request.

17. The method of claim 16, further including the step of:

allocating a first available resource of said at least a first pool and said at least a second pool to service said at least one flexible request.

18. The method of claim 13 wherein said resources include agents within a telephony call center.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein said requests include a request from a caller to a telephony center.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein said at least a first attribute includes a first language capability and wherein said at least a second attribute includes a second language capability.

21. The method of claim 20 wherein said step of determining the flexibility of said requests includes determining the language capability of an agent that is suitable for servicing said caller.

24. The method of claim 13 wherein said at least a first attribute and said at least a second attribute each include at least one skill possessed by said resources.

25. The method of claim 13 wherein said at least a first attribute and said at least a second attribute each include at least one functional capability possessed by said resources.

26. The method of claim 13 wherein said at least one flexible request is a request from a caller to a telephony center and said resources are agents within said telephony call center, and wherein said plurality of different attributes comprise a plurality of different languages.

27. A resource management system for managing a finite number of resources for servicing requests, said resource management system comprising:

at least a first pool of resources each possessing at least a first attribute;

at least a second pool of resources each possessing at least a second attribute;

means for receiving at least one request for service by at least one of said resources;

means for determining the flexibility of said at least one request; and

means, based at least in part on said flexibility of said at least one request, for determining at least one suitable resource for servicing said at least one request.

28. The system of claim 27 wherein said means for determining the flexibility of said at least one request includes a computer processor executing computer software code to determine one or more attributes of said resources that are suitable for servicing said at least one request.

29. The system of claim 27 wherein said means for determining at least one suitable resource includes a computer processor executing computer software code.

30. The system of claim 27 wherein said receiving means includes a connection to a network.

31. The system of claim 30, wherein said network is selected from the group consisting of:

public switched telephony network (PSTN), local area network (LAN), wide area network (WAN), the Internet, an Intranet, or any combination thereof.

32. The system of claim 27 wherein said receiving means includes a switching system.

33. The system of claim 32 wherein said switching system includes an ACD.

34. The system of claim 27 wherein said resources include agents within a telephony call center.

35. The system of claim 27 wherein said at least one request includes a request from a caller to a telephony center.

36. The system of claim 27 wherein said resources include resources within a computer system.

37. The system of claim 35 wherein said resources include resources selected from the group consisting of:

data input resources, data output resources, data storage resources, and data processing resources.

38. The system of claim 27 wherein said at least a first attribute and said at least a second attribute each include at least one skill possessed by said resources.

39. The system of claim 27 wherein said at least a first attribute and said at least a second attribute each include at least one functional capability possessed by said resources.

40. The system of claim 27 wherein said means for determining determines at least one of the at least one request as being flexible such that any of a plurality of different attributes possessed by said resources are suitable for servicing the flexible request.

41. The system of claim 40 wherein said means for determining determines at least one of the at least one request as being flexible such that either of said resources of said first pool possessing said first attribute or said resources of said second pool possessing said second attribute are suitable for servicing the flexible request.

42. A resource management system for managing a finite number of resources for servicing requests, said system comprising:

connection to a network capable of receiving at least one request for at least one of said resources;

memory for storing computer executable program code, wherein said computer executable program code includes code executable to determine the flexibility of said at least one request as to attributes of said resources that are suitable for servicing said at least one request, and code executable to determine one or more resources suitable for servicing said at least one request based at least in part on said flexibility of said at least one request; and

processor for executing said computer executable program code.

43. The system of claim 42 wherein said network is selected from the group consisting of:

public switched telephony network (PSTN), local area network (LAN), wide area network (WAN), the Internet, an Intranet, or any combination thereof.

44. The system of claim 42 wherein said connection to a network includes a switching system.

45. The system of claim 44 wherein said switching system includes an ACD.

46. The system of claim 42 wherein said resources include agents within a telephony call center.

47. The system of claim 42 wherein said at least one request includes a request from a caller to a telephony center.

48. The system of claim 42 wherein said resources include resources within a computer system.

49. The system of claim 48 wherein said resources include resources selected from the group consisting of:

data input resources, data output resources, data storage resources, and data processing resources.

50. The system of claim 42 wherein said code executable to determine the flexibility of said at least one request determines at least one of the at least one request as being flexible such that any of a plurality of different attributes possessed by said resources are suitable for servicing the flexible request.