Outbound call center

• US 6,944,281 B1
• Filed: 09/22/2003
• Issued: 09/13/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/20/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Nokia Siemens Networks GmbH & Company KG (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Siemens AG
• Inventors: Fritz, Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): Bui, Bing Q.
• Application Number:
  US10/667,137
• Time in Patent Office: 722 Days
• Field of Search: 379/265.01, 379/265.02, 379/265.09, 379/266.07, 379/266.09, 379/264, 379/269
• US Class Current: 379/265.01
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42382 Text-based messaging services in telephone networks such as PSTN/ISDN, e.g. User-to-User Signalling or Short Message Service for fixed networks
• 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 3/5237 Interconnection arrangements between ACD systems

Abstract

A method for operating a communication network in which a call center transmits data to a communication subscriber. The call center has organization units which are arranged with a topological distribution in the communication network and are connected to switching nodes. In the method, an available first organization unit is ascertained, a first communication channel is set up between the first and a second organization unit, the data are transmitted from the second organization unit to the first organization unit, a second communication channel is set up between the first organization unit and the communication subscriber, and the data are transmitted from the first organization unit to the communication subscriber.

Claims

1. A method for operating a communication network in which a call center transmits data to a communication subscriber, the call center including organization units which are arranged with a topological distribution in the communication network and are connected to switching nodes, comprising:

determining an available first organization unit which is locally closest to the communication subscriber;

setting up a first communication channel between the first and a second organization unit which includes the data to be transmitted in a memory;

transmitting the data from the second organization unit to the first organization unit;

setting up a second communication channel between the first organization unit and the communication subscriber; and

transmitting the data from the first organization unit to the communication subscriber.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the communication network comprises the integrated services digital communication network ISDN, and the data are transmitted between the second organization unit and the first organization unit via the central signaling channel.

3. The method as claimed in claim 2, wherein the signaling system Common Channel Signaling No 7 is used in the signaling channel.

4. The method as claimed in claim 3, wherein ascertaining the first organization unit involves the use of the identification number of the signaling system Common Channel Signaling No 7.

5. The method as claimed in claim 4, wherein ascertaining the first organization unit involves the use of a routing table which includes entries about the availability of the organization units.

6. The method as claimed in claim 3, wherein ascertaining the first organization unit involves the use of the subscriber number of the communication subscriber.

7. The method as claimed in claim 6, wherein ascertaining the first organization unit involves the use of a routing table which includes entries about the availability of the organization units.

8. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein setup of the connection between the second organization unit and the first organization unit is followed by the second organization unit transmitting a request to engage a call center agent in the first organization unit.

9. The method as claimed in claim 8, wherein the transmission of the request comprises a transaction number which authorizes an agent in an organization unit to access data associated with a subscriber.

10. The method as claimed in claim 8, wherein if an agent is not available in the first organization unit the request is put into a queuing loop and, when a prescribable time interval has elapsed, is forwarded to an available organization unit which is closest to the first organization unit.

11. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the data in the first organization unit are buffer-stored in a memory.

12. Te method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the call center interacts with a communication network.