Process for including functions of an automatic call distributor system in an interactive voice response system

• US 6,928,155 B1
• Filed: 08/13/1997
• Issued: 08/09/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 08/30/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Enterprise Systems Technologies S.a.r.l. (Atos SE)
• Original Assignee: Siemens AG
• Inventors: Knitl, Reinhard, Ranzinger, Alois, Schliwa, Alexander
• Primary Examiner(s): Hoosain, Allan
• Application Number:
  US09/254,101
• Time in Patent Office: 2,918 Days
• Field of Search: 379/219, 379/223, 379/258, 379/260, 379/262, 379/263, 379/264, 379/265, 379/266, 379/267, 379/88.01, 379/265.01, 379/265.02, 379/265.04, 379/265.05, 379/265.09, 379/265.1, 379/266.07, 379/266.08, 379/210.01, 379/214.01
• US Class Current: 379/265.01
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/48 Arrangements for recalling a calling subscriber when the wanted subscriber ceases to be busy
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4872 Non-interactive information services
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/51 Centralised call answering arrangements requiring operator intervention , e.g. call or contact centers for telemarketing
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5158 in combination with automated outdialling systems devices for signalling identity of wanted subscriber H04M1/26
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/523 with call distribution or queueing
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13072 Sequence circuits for call signaling, ACD systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/1309 Apparatus individually associated with a subscriber line, line circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13103 Memory
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13173 Busy signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13204 Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13216 Code signals, frame structure
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13377 Recorded announcement
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13389 LAN, internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/645 Circuit arrangements therefor

Abstract

A method for incorporating functions of an automatic call distribution system into an interactive voice answering system wherein the interactive voice response system coupled to an automatic call distribution system is influenced by communication terminal equipment such that a request for reserving an available agent to the automatic call distribution system is communicated. Given the reservation of a requested agent, the allocated communication system is influenced such that the communication terminal equipment is transferred to the reserved agent communication terminal equipment.

Claims

1. A method for incorporating functions of an automatic call distribution system in an interactive voice response system that is called and controlled by communication terminal equipment of a communication network, the method comprising the steps of:

directly coupling the automatic call distribution system and the interactive voice response system;

connecting both the interactive voice response system and the automatic call distribution system to a communication system of the communication network;

connecting at least one agent communication terminal equipment to the communication system;

allocating the at least one agent communication terminal equipment to the automatic call distribution system;

influencing the interactive voice response system by the communication terminal equipment wherein the interactive voice response system communicates a request for reserving an available one of the at least one agent communication terminal equipment to the automatic call distribution system;

reserving, via the automatic call distribution system, the available one of the at least one agent communication terminal equipment; and

transferring, given the request for reserving, and reservation of, the agent communication terminal equipment, by the communication system and outside of the automatic call distribution system the communication terminal equipment from the interactive voice response system to the reserved agent communication terminal equipment.

2. A method for incorporating functions of an automatic call distribution system in an interactive voice response system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

providing interfaces to both the interactive voice response system and the automatic call distribution system; and

coupling the respective interfaces of the interactive voice response system and the automatic call distribution system via a local area network.

3. A method for incorporating functions of an automatic call distribution system in an interactive voice response system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

interrogating a status of the agent communication terminal equipment by the interactive voice response system before the request for reserving is communicated; and

implementing the request for reserving dependent on the interrogated status.

4. A method for incorporating functions of an automatic call distribution system in an interactive voice response system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

cyclically interrogating a status of the agent communication terminal equipment by the interactive voice response system before the request for reserving is communicated; and

implementing the request for reserving dependent on the cyclically interrogated status.

5. A method for incorporating functions of an automatic call distribution system in an interactive voice response system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

noting, given an unavailable agent communication terminal equipment, a call back request communicated from an associated communication terminal equipment in the interactive voice response system with telephone number information associated with the communication terminal equipment; and

initiating an automatic call back with assistance from a further request for reserving, wherein a connection to the reserved agent communication terminal equipment is produced and transferred first and a call back connection to the associated terminal equipment is produced and transferred thereafter.

6. A method for incorporating functions of an automatic call distribution system in an interactive voice response system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising the step of:

effecting transfer of the communication terminal equipment to the reserved agent communication terminal equipment by performance features of call back and transfer initialized by the interactive voice response system.

7. A method for incorporating functions of an automatic call distribution system in an interactive voice response system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising the step of:

providing a request and an acknowledgment for each request for reserving between the interactive voice response system and the automatic call distribution system.

8. A method for incorporating functions of an automatic call distribution system in an interactive voice response system as claimed in claim 7, further comprising the step of:

providing request information associated with the request, the request information including a request function code, version information indicating a current version of the interactive voice response system communicating the request, identification identifying the respective automatic call distribution system, identification identifying the respective interactive voice response system, reference information identifying the request, and at least one request-dependent parameter.

9. A method for incorporating functions of an automatic call distribution system in an interactive voice response system as claimed in claim 7, further comprising the step of:

providing acknowledgment information associated with the request, the acknowledgment information including an acknowledgment function code, version information indicating a current version of the automatic call distribution system communicating the acknowledgment, identification identifying the respective automatic call distribution system, identification identifying the respective interactive voice response system, reference information identifying the acknowledgment, and at least one acknowledgment-dependent parameter.

10. A method for incorporating functions of an automatic call distribution system in an interactive voice response system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

inserting access protection information in a logon request;

communicating the logon request to log the interactive voice response system on at the automatic call distribution system;

inserting a check result of the logon request in a logon acknowledgment; and

answering the logon request by the automatic call distribution system with the logon acknowledgment.

11. A method for incorporating functions of an automatic call distribution system in an interactive voice response system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

inserting access protection information in a log off request;

communicating the log off request to log the interactive voice response system off at the automatic call distribution system;

inserting a check result of the log off request in a log off acknowledgment; and

answering the log off request by the automatic call distribution system with the log off acknowledgment.

12. A method for incorporating functions of an automatic call distribution system in an interactive voice response system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

inserting service information, in a status request, indicating a requested agent communication terminal equipment as a parameter; and

communicating the status request, which includes the parameter, of the associated automatic call distribution system from the interactive voice response system to the automatic call distribution system.

13. A method for incorporating functions of an automatic call distribution system in an interactive voice response system as claimed in claim 12, further comprising the step of:

communicating a status acknowledgment from the automatic call distribution system after the step of communicating a status request, wherein the status acknowledgment includes at least one of result information indicating a check of allowability of the status request, status information indicating an operating condition of the automatic call distribution system, agent information indicating the agent communication terminal equipment, report information indicating the agent communication terminal equipment, busy information indicating the agent communication terminal equipment, and availability information indicating the availability of the agent communication terminal equipment.

14. A method for incorporating functions of an automatic call distribution system in an interactive voice response system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising the step of:

inserting in the reservation request a parameter which includes at least one of service information requesting an arbitrary agent communication terminal equipment of a group of agent communication terminal equipment, waiting information indicating a time span for waiting for one of a group of agent communication terminal equipment, and status information indicating one of the reporting and non-reporting of the status of the reservation request.

15. A method for incorporating functions of an automatic call distribution system in an interactive voice response system as claimed in claim 14, further comprising the step of:

communicating a reservation acknowledgment from the automatic call distribution system after the step of communicating a reservation request, wherein the reservation acknowledgment includes at least one of event information indicating a check of allowability of the reservation request, service information indicating a group of agent communication terminal equipment, telephone number information indicating a telephone number of the agent communication terminal equipment, and agent status information indicating the status of the requested agent communication terminal equipment.

16. A method for incorporating functions of an automatic call distribution system in an interactive voice response system as claimed in claim 14, further comprising the steps of:

inserting in a release request, as a parameter, an agent identification indicating the agent communication terminal equipment to be released; and

communicating the release request from the interactive voice response system to the automatic call distribution system.

17. A method for incorporating functions of an automatic call distribution system in an interactive voice response system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

inserting in a display request a parameter which includes at least one of agent identification identifying a specific agent communication terminal equipment, information to be displayed at the agent communication terminal equipment, an attention information effecting an attention tone at the affected agent communication terminal equipment; and

communicating the display request from the interactive voice response system to the automatic call distribution system.

18. A method for incorporating functions of an automatic call distribution system in an interactive voice response system that is called and controlled by communication terminal equipment of a communication network, the method comprising the steps of:

directly coupling the automatic call distribution system and the interactive voice response system;

connecting both the interactive voice response system and the automatic call distribution system to a communication system of the communication network;

connecting at least one agent communication terminal equipment to the communication system;

allocating the at least one agent communication terminal equipment to the automatic call distribution system;

influencing the interactive voice response system by the communication terminal equipment wherein the interactive voice response system communicates a request for reserving an available one of the at least one agent communication terminal equipment to the automatic call distribution system;

reserving, via the automatic call distribution system, the available one of the at least one agent communication terminal equipment;

transferring, given the request for reserving, and reservation of, the agent communication terminal equipment, by the communication system and outside of the automatic call distribution system the communication terminal equipment from the interactive voice response system to the reserved agent communication terminal equipment;

providing interfaces to both the interactive voice response system and the automatic call distribution system; and

coupling the respective interfaces of the interactive voice response system and the automatic call distribution system via a local area network.

19. A method for incorporating functions of an automatic call distribution system in an interactive voice response system that is called and controlled by communication terminal equipment of a communication network, the method comprising the steps of:

directly coupling the automatic call distribution system and the interactive voice response system;

connecting both the interactive voice response system and the automatic call distribution system to a communication system of the communication network;

connecting at least one agent communication terminal equipment to the communication system;

allocating the at least one agent communication terminal equipment to the automatic call distribution system;

influencing the interactive voice response system by the communication terminal equipment wherein the interactive voice response system communicates a request for reserving an available one of the at least one agent communication terminal equipment to the automatic call distribution system;

reserving, via the automatic call distribution system, the available one of the at least one agent communication terminal equipment;

transferring, given the request for reserving, and reservation of, the agent communication terminal equipment, by the communication system and outside of the automatic call distribution system the communication terminal equipment from the interactive voice response system to the reserved agent communication terminal equipment;

noting, given an unavailable agent communication terminal equipment, a call back request communicated from an associated communication terminal equipment in the interactive voice response system with telephone number information associated with the communication terminal equipment; and

initiating an automatic call back with assistance from a further request for reserving, wherein a connection to the reserved agent communication terminal equipment is produced and transferred first and a call back connection to the associated terminal equipment is produced and transferred thereafter.

20. A method for incorporating functions of an automatic call distribution system in an interactive voice response system that is called and controlled by communication terminal equipment of a communication network, the method comprising the steps of:

directly coupling the automatic call distribution system and the interactive voice response system;

connecting both the interactive voice response system and the automatic call distribution system to a communication system of the communication network;

connecting at least one agent communication terminal equipment to the communication system;

allocating the at least one agent communication terminal equipment to the automatic call distribution system;

influencing the interactive voice response system by the communication terminal equipment wherein the interactive voice response system communicates a request for reserving an available one of the at least one agent communication terminal equipment to the automatic call distribution system;

reserving, via the automatic call distribution system, the available one of the at least one agent communication terminal equipment;

transferring, given the request for reserving, and reservation of, the agent communication terminal equipment, by the communication system and outside of the automatic call distribution system the communication terminal equipment from the interactive voice response system to the reserved agent communication terminal equipment; and

effecting transfer of the communication terminal equipment to the reserved agent communication terminal equipment by performance features of call back and transfer initialized by the interactive voice response system.

21. A method for incorporating functions of an automatic call distribution system in an interactive voice response system that is called and controlled by communication terminal equipment of a communication network, the method comprising the steps of:

directly coupling the automatic call distribution system and the interactive voice response system;

connecting both the interactive voice response system and the automatic call distribution system to a communication system of the communication network;

connecting at least one agent communication terminal equipment to the communication system;

allocating the at least one agent communication terminal equipment to the automatic call distribution system;

influencing the interactive voice response system by the communication terminal equipment wherein the interactive voice response system communicates a request for reserving an available one of the at least one agent communication terminal equipment to the automatic call distribution system;

reserving, via the automatic call distribution system, the available one of the at least one agent communication terminal equipment;

transferring, given the request for reserving, and reservation of, the agent communication terminal equipment, by the communication system and outside of the automatic call distribution system the communication terminal equipment from the interactive voice response system to the reserved agent communication terminal equipment;

providing a request and an acknowledgment for each request for reserving between the interactive voice response system and the automatic call distribution system; and

providing request information associated with the request, the request information including a request function code, version information indicating a current version of the interactive voice response system communicating the request, identification identifying the respective automatic call distribution system, identification identifying the respective interactive voice response system, reference information identifying the request, and at least one request-dependent parameter.

22. A method for incorporating functions of an automatic call distribution system in an interactive voice response system that is called and controlled by communication terminal equipment of a communication network, the method comprising the steps of:

directly coupling the automatic call distribution system and the interactive voice response system;

connecting both the interactive voice response system and the automatic call distribution system to a communication system of the communication network;

connecting at least one agent communication terminal equipment to the communication system;

allocating the at least one agent communication terminal equipment to the automatic call distribution system;

influencing the interactive voice response system by the communication terminal equipment wherein the interactive voice response system communicates a request for reserving an available one of the at least one agent communication terminal equipment to the automatic call distribution system;

reserving, via the automatic call distribution system, the available one of the at least one agent communication terminal equipment;

transferring, given the request for reserving, and reservation of, the agent communication terminal equipment, by the communication system and outside of the automatic call distribution system the communication terminal equipment from the interactive voice response system to the reserved agent communication terminal equipment;

providing a request and an acknowledgment for each request for reserving between the interactive voice response system and the automatic call distribution system; and

providing acknowledgment information associated with the request, the acknowledgment information including an acknowledgment function code, version information indicating a current version of the automatic call distribution system communicating the acknowledgment, identification identifying the respective automatic call distribution system, identification identifying the respective interactive voice response system, reference information identifying the acknowledgment, and at least one acknowledgment-dependent parameter.

23. A method for incorporating functions of an automatic call distribution system in an interactive voice response system that is called and controlled by communication terminal equipment of a communication network, the method comprising the steps of:

directly coupling the automatic call distribution system and the interactive voice response system;

connecting both the interactive voice response system and the automatic call distribution system to a communication system of the communication network;

connecting at least one agent communication terminal equipment to the communication system;

allocating the at least one agent communication terminal equipment to the automatic call distribution system;

influencing the interactive voice response system by the communication terminal equipment wherein the interactive voice response system communicates a request for reserving an available one of the at least one agent communication terminal equipment to the automatic call distribution system;

reserving, via the automatic call distribution system, the available one of the at least one agent communication terminal equipment;

transferring, given the request for reserving, and reservation of, the agent communication terminal equipment, by the communication system and outside of the automatic call distribution system the communication terminal equipment from the interactive voice response system to the reserved agent communication terminal equipment;

inserting access protection information in a logon request;

communicating the logon request to log the interactive voice response system on at the automatic call distribution system;

inserting a check result of the logon request in a logon acknowledgment; and

answering the logon request by the automatic call distribution system with the logon acknowledgment.

24. A method for incorporating functions of an automatic call distribution system in an interactive voice response system that is called and controlled by communication terminal equipment of a communication network, the method comprising the steps of:

directly coupling the automatic call distribution system and the interactive voice response system;

connecting both the interactive voice response system and the automatic call distribution system to a communication system of the communication network;

connecting at least one agent communication terminal equipment to the communication system;

allocating the at least one agent communication terminal equipment to the automatic call distribution system;

influencing the interactive voice response system by the communication terminal equipment wherein the interactive voice response system communicates a request for reserving an available one of the at least one agent communication terminal equipment to the automatic call distribution system;

reserving, via the automatic call distribution system, the available one of the at least one agent communication terminal equipment;

transferring, given the request for reserving, and reservation of, the agent communication terminal equipment, by the communication system and outside of the automatic call distribution system the communication terminal equipment from the interactive voice response system to the reserved agent communication terminal equipment;

inserting access protection information in a log off request;

communicating the log off request to log the interactive voice response system off at the automatic call distribution system;

inserting a check result of the log off request in a log off acknowledgment; and

answering the log off request by the automatic call distribution system with the log off acknowledgment.

25. A method for incorporating functions of an automatic call distribution system in an interactive voice response system that is called and controlled by communication terminal equipment of a communication network, the method comprising the steps of:

directly coupling the automatic call distribution system and the interactive voice response system;

connecting both the interactive voice response system and the automatic call distribution system to a communication system of the communication network;

connecting at least one agent communication terminal equipment to the communication system;

allocating the at least one agent communication terminal equipment to the automatic call distribution system;

influencing the interactive voice response system by the communication terminal equipment wherein the interactive voice response system communicates a request for reserving an available one of the at least one agent communication terminal equipment to the automatic call distribution system;

reserving, via the automatic call distribution system, the available one of the at least one agent communication terminal equipment;

transferring, given the request for reserving, and reservation of, the agent communication terminal equipment, by the communication system and outside of the automatic call distribution system the communication terminal equipment from the interactive voice response system to the reserved agent communication terminal equipment;

inserting service information, in a status request, indicating a requested agent communication terminal equipment as a parameter;

communicating the status request, which includes the parameter, of the associated automatic call distribution system from the interactive voice response system to the automatic call distribution system; and

communicating a status acknowledgment from the automatic call distribution system after the step of communicating a status request, wherein the status acknowledgment includes at least one of result information indicating a check of allowability of the status request, status information indicating an operating condition of the automatic call distribution system, agent information indicating the agent communication terminal equipment, report information indicating the agent communication terminal equipment, busy information indicating the agent communication terminal equipment, and availability information indicating the availability of the agent communication terminal equipment.

26. A method for incorporating functions of an automatic call distribution system in an interactive voice response system that is called and controlled by communication terminal equipment of a communication network, the method comprising the steps of:

directly coupling the automatic call distribution system and the interactive voice response system;

connecting both the interactive voice response system and the automatic call distribution system to a communication system of the communication network;

connecting at least one agent communication terminal equipment to the communication system;

allocating the at least one agent communication terminal equipment to the automatic call distribution system;

influencing the interactive voice response system by the communication terminal equipment wherein the interactive voice response system communicates a request for reserving an available one of the at least one agent communication terminal equipment to the automatic call distribution system;

reserving, via the automatic call distribution system, the available one of the at least one agent communication terminal equipment;

transferring, given the request for reserving, and reservation of, the agent communication terminal equipment, by the communication system and outside of the automatic call distribution system the communication terminal equipment from the interactive voice response system to the reserved agent communication terminal equipment; and

inserting in the reservation request a parameter which includes at least one of service information requesting an arbitrary agent communication terminal equipment of a group of agent communication terminal equipment, waiting information indicating a time span for waiting for one of a group of agent communication terminal equipment, and status information indicating one of the reporting and non-reporting of the status of the reservation request.

27. A method for incorporating functions of an automatic call distribution system in an interactive voice response system that is called and controlled by communication terminal equipment of a communication network, the method comprising the steps of:

directly coupling the automatic call distribution system and the interactive voice response system;

connecting both the interactive voice response system and the automatic call distribution system to a communication system of the communication network;

connecting at least one agent communication terminal equipment to the communication system;

allocating the at least one agent communication terminal equipment to the automatic call distribution system;

influencing the interactive voice response system by the communication terminal equipment wherein the interactive voice response system communicates a request for reserving an available one of the at least one agent communication terminal equipment to the automatic call distribution system;

reserving, via the automatic call distribution system, the available one of the at least one agent communication terminal equipment;

transferring, given the request for reserving, and reservation of, the agent communication terminal equipment, by the communication system and outside of the automatic call distribution system the communication terminal equipment from the interactive voice response system to the reserved agent communication terminal equipment;

inserting in a display request a parameter which includes at least one of agent identification identifying a specific agent communication terminal equipment, information to be displayed at the agent communication terminal equipment, an attention information effecting an attention tone at the affected agent communication terminal equipment; and

communicating the display request from the interactive voice response system to the automatic call distribution system.