Method for processing calls in a call center with automatic answering

• US 6,965,669 B2
• Filed: 10/29/2002
• Issued: 11/15/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/29/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kyndryl Incorporated
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Bickford, John Holden, Muterspaugh, Kevin James, Groves, Christopher Ryan
• Primary Examiner(s): Tieu, Benny
• Assistant Examiner(s): Agdeppa, Hector A.
• Application Number:
  US10/282,436
• Publication Number:
  US 20040081309A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,113 Days
• Field of Search: 379/265.01, 379/265.02, 379/265.07, 379/265.11, 379/266.01, 379/88.01
• US Class Current: 379/265.07
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/6018 Subscriber or terminal logon/logoff
• 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 3/5133 Operator terminal details

Abstract

In a call center with automatic answering, the availability of an agent is verified in order to prevent open connections when the agent unexpectedly leaves his or her station and fails to give proper notice. Verification may be provided by sensing speech activity of the agent when greeting a calling party or in response to an incoming-call signal. In other embodiments, verification may be provided by checking an audio device allocated to the agent, for example checking whether the agent is wearing his or her headset, or whether the headset is operably connected to the call center.

Claims

1. A method for processing calls in a call center with automatic answering, comprising the steps of:

signaling an agent with a signal on a called side of an incoming call;

determining whether the agent responds orally to the signal by checking for speech activity of the agent on the called side; and

if the agent responds to the signal on the called side, answering an incoming call automatically for the agent.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the signal is a whisper command.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the signal is a zip tone.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of determining whether the agent responds orally to the signal by checking for speech activity includes the step of recognizing at least one word spoken by the agent.