Technique for effectively processing and dynamically routing communication calls

• US 6,845,155 B2
• Filed: 05/21/2001
• Issued: 01/18/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/21/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Grape Technology Group Incorporated (KGB)
• Original Assignee: Metro One Telecommunications, Inc.
• Inventors: Elsey, Nicholas J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bui, Bing Q.
• Application Number:
  US09/861,777
• Publication Number:
  US 20020172347A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,338 Days
• Field of Search: 379/265.01, 379/265.02, 379/265.03, 379/265.09, 379/265.1, 379/265.11, 379/265.12, 379/265.13, 379/265.14, 379/266.01, 379/266.03, 379/266.04, 379/266.05, 379/266.06, 379/266.08
• US Class Current: 379/266.04
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/36 Statistical metering, e.g. recording occasions when traffic exceeds capacity of trunks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5237 Interconnection arrangements between ACD systems

Abstract

In an arrangement where calls are directed to different call centers, each call center based on selected metric measures determines whether an incoming call is an “overflow” call to be rerouted to an alternate call center. These metric measures may include, e.g., the number of operators in the call center answering calls, the number of calls in queue to be answered, etc. Once an overflow call is identified, the call center reserves an outbound communication channel in anticipation of rerouting the call, and transmits a call rerouting request to a call routing server. In accordance with the invention, the server identifies an appropriate alternate call center for receiving the overflow call, and communicates routing information including an identity of the alternate call center to the overflow call center. The latter based on the received routing information transfers the call to the appropriate alternate call center.

Claims

1. Apparatus for controlling communication calls routed to a selected system where the communication calls are to be answered to provide information to callers of the communication calls, the apparatus comprising:

an input device for receiving measures of conditions concerning the selected system;

a processor for determining whether a communication call is to be rerouted based on the measures, a communication path in the selected system being reserved when it is determined that the communication call is to be rerouted; and

an interface for sending a request from the selected system for identifying another system to which the communication call is to be rerouted, the communication call being transferred through the communication path to a second system, identified in a response to the request, for answering the communication call therein.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein one of the measures is a function of the number of callers hanging up communication calls in the selected system after a predetermined answer delay.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein one of the measures is a function of the number of communication calls being queued to be answered in the selected system.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein one of the measures is a function of a duration of a communication call answered in the selected system.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein one of the measures is a function of the number of communication calls answered in the selected system in a given period.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein one of the measures is a function of the number of operators attending to the communication calls in the selected system.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein one of the measures is a function of wait time before a communication call is answered in the selected system.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein one of the measures is a function of the number of communication calls rerouted to the selected system from another system.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein one of the measures is a function of the number of communication calls rerouted from the selected system to another system.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein one of the measures is a function of the number of available communication paths for transporting communication calls out of the selected system.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein one of the measures is a function of the number of communication calls, each of which is answered in the selected system within a predetermined time limit.

12. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the communication call includes a telephone call.

13. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein at least one of the measures is weighted relative to another measure.

14. Apparatus for providing data for routing communication calls to a plurality of call centers where the communication calls are answered to provide information to callers of the communication calls, the apparatus comprising:

a receiving device for receiving measures of conditions concerning the call centers;

an interface for receiving a request from a first call center for identifying another call center to which a communication call received in the first call center is to be transferred; and

a processor responsive to the request for selecting an alternate call center to receive the communication call based on at least measures of conditions concerning the alternate call center, data concerning at least an identity of the alternate call center being conveyed to the first call center when the alternate call center is selected.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the alternate call center is selected also based on a requirement concerning the first call center.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the requirement relates to a location of the first call center relative to that of the alternate call center.

17. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the communication call is accorded a priority affecting an order of the communication call to be answered in the first call center, the priority being adjustable when no alternate call center is selected.

18. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the communication call includes a telephone call.

19. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein one of the measures is a function of the number of available communication paths in the alternate call center for receiving communication calls.

20. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein one of the measures is a function of the number of callers hanging up communication calls in the alternate call center after a predetermined answer delay.

21. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein one of the measures is a function of the number of communication calls being queued to be answered in the alternate call center.

22. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein one of the measures is a function of a duration of a communication call answered in the alternate call center.

23. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein one of the measures is a function of the number of communication calls answered in the alternate call center in a given period.

24. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein one of the measures is a function of the number of operators attending to communication calls in the alternate call center.

25. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein one of the measures is a function of wait time before a communication call is answered in the alternate call center.

26. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein one of the measures is a function of the number of communication calls transferred to the alternate call center from a second call center.

27. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein one of the measures is a function of the number of communication calls transferred from the alternate call center to a second call center.

28. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein one of the measures is a function of the number of available communication paths for transporting communication calls out of the alternate call center.

29. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein one of the measures is a function of the number of communication calls, each of which is answered in the alternate call center within a predetermined time limit.

30. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein at least one of the measures is weighted relative to another measure.

31. A communications system comprising:

a plurality of call centers for receiving communication calls;

a server for analyzing measures of conditions concerning the call centers; and

a processor for issuing to the server, over a communication network, a request for data identifying a call center to which a communication call received in a first call center is to be routed, the data being received in a response to the request, the processor causing the communication call to be routed from the first call center to a second call center based on the data, the server selecting the second call center based on an analysis of the measures of conditions concerning the second call center.

32. The system of claim 31 wherein the communication network includes a wide area network (WAN).

33. The system of claim 31 wherein the processor is in a call center.

34. The system of claim 31 wherein the processor serves a second communication network through which the communication calls are received by the call centers.

35. The system of claim 31 wherein the processor issues the request in response to an outage of the first call center.

36. The system of claim 31 wherein the communication call includes a telephone call.

37. The system of claim 31 wherein at least one of the measures is weighted relative to another measure.

38. A method for controlling communication calls routed to a selected system where the communication calls are to be answered to provide information to callers of the communication calls, the method comprising:

receiving measures of conditions concerning the selected system;

determining whether a communication call is to be rerouted based on the measures;

reserving a communication path in the selected system when it is determined that the communication call is to be rerouted; and

sending a request from the selected system for identifying another system to which the communication call is to be rerouted, the communication call being transferred through the communication path to a second system, identified in a response to the request, for answering the communication call therein.

39. The method of claim 38 wherein one of the measures is a function of the number of callers hanging up communication calls in the selected system after a predetermined answer delay.

40. The method of claim 38 wherein one of the measures is a function of the number of communication calls being queued to be answered in the selected system.

41. The method of claim 38 wherein one of the measures is a function of a duration of a communication call answered in the selected system.

42. The method of claim 38 wherein one of the measures is a function of the number of communication calls answered in the selected system in a given period.

43. The method of claim 38 wherein one of the measures is a function of the number of operators attending to the communication calls in the selected system.

44. The method of claim 38 wherein one of the measures is a function of wait time before a communication call is answered in the selected system.

45. The method of claim 38 wherein one of the measures is a function of the number of communication calls rerouted to the selected system from another system.

46. The method of claim 38 wherein one of the measures is a function of the number of communication calls rerouted from the selected system to another system.

47. The method of claim 38 wherein one of the measures is a function of the number of available communication paths for transporting communication calls out of the selected system.

48. The method of claim 38 wherein one of the measures is a function of the number of communication calls, each of which is answered in the selected system within a predetermined time limit.

49. The method of claim 38 wherein the communication call includes a telephone call.

50. The method of claim 38 wherein at least one of the measures is weighted relative to another measure.

51. A method for providing data for routing communication calls to a plurality of call centers where the communication calls are answered to provide information to callers of the communication calls, the method comprising:

receiving measures of conditions concerning the call centers;

receiving a request from a first call center for identifying another call center to which a communication call is to be transferred;

selecting an alternate call center to receive the communication call based on at least measures of conditions concerning the alternate call center; and

conveying data concerning at least an identity of the alternate call center to the first call center when the alternate call center is selected.

52. The method of claim 51 wherein the alternate call center is selected also based on a requirement concerning the first call center.

53. The method of claim 52 wherein the requirement relates to a location of the first call center relative to that of the alternate call center.

54. The method of claim 51 wherein the communication call is accorded a priority affecting an order of the communication call to be answered in the first call center, the priority being adjustable when no alternate call center is selected.

55. The method of claim 51 wherein the communication call includes a telephone call.

56. The method of claim 51 wherein one of the measures is a function of the number of available communication paths in the alternate call center for receiving communication calls.

57. The method of claim 51 wherein one of the measures is a function of the number of callers hanging up communication calls in the alternate call center after a predetermined answer delay.

58. The method of claim 51 wherein one of the measures is a function of the number of communication calls being queued to be answered in the alternate call center.

59. The method of claim 51 wherein one of the measures is a function of a duration of a communication call answered in the alternate call center.

60. The method of claim 51 wherein one of the measures is a function of the number of communication calls answered in the alternate call center in a given period.

61. The method of claim 51 wherein one of the measures is a function of the number of operators attending to communication calls in the alternate call center.

62. The method of claim 51 wherein one of the measures is a function of wait time before a communication call is answered in the alternate call center.

63. The method of claim 51 wherein one of the measures is a function of the number of communication calls transferred to the alternate call center from a second call center.

64. The method of claim 51 wherein one of the measures is a function of the number of communication calls transferred from the alternate call center to a second call center.

65. The method of claim 51 wherein one of the measures is a function of the number of available communication paths for transporting communication calls out of the alternate call center.

66. The method of claim 51 wherein one of the measures is a function of the number of communication calls, each of which is answered in the alternate call center within a predetermined time limit.

67. The method of claim 51 wherein at least one of the measures is weighted relative to another measure.

68. A method for use in a communications system which includes a plurality of call centers for receiving communication calls, the method comprising:

analyzing by a server measures of conditions concerning the call centers;

issuing by a processor to the server, over a communication network, a request for data identifying a call center to which a communication call received in a first call center is to be routed, the data being received in response to the request; and

causing the communication call to be routed from the first call center to a second call center based on the data, the server selecting the second call center based on an analysis of the measures of conditions concerning the second call center.

69. The method of claim 68 wherein the processor is in a call center.

70. The method of claim 68 wherein the processor serves a second communication network through which the communication calls are received by the call centers.

71. The method of claim 68 wherein the request is issued in response to an outage of the first call center.

72. The method of claim 68 wherein the communication call includes a telephone call.

73. The system of claim 68 wherein at least one of the measures is weighted relative to another measure.