Web-based network monitoring tool

• US 6,970,552 B1
• Filed: 03/22/2000
• Issued: 11/29/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/22/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: SBC Properties, L.P. (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: SBC Properties, L.P. (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Leatherman, Bruce Lee, Hahn, Douglas Alan
• Primary Examiner(s): Bui, Bing Q.
• Application Number:
  US09/532,208
• Time in Patent Office: 2,078 Days
• Field of Search: 379/265.02, 379/133, 379/136, 379/246, 379/247, 379/88.13, 379/88.15, 379/88.17, 379/170, 379/217.01, 379/265.09, 379/900, 379/112.01, 379/112.08, 379/112.1, 345/733, 345/734, 345/436
• US Class Current: 379/265.02
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/22 comprising specially adapted graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0817 by checking functioning
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5175 Call or contact centers supervision arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13072 Sequence circuits for call signaling, ACD systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13175 Graphical user interface [GUI], WWW interface, visual indication
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13349 Network management
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13389 LAN, internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0087 Network testing or monitoring arrangements

Abstract

A monitoring tool for use with one or more automatic call distributors (ACD) which automatically and continuously polls or queries the ACDs to monitor not only alarm conditions but other conditions, such as agent staffing levels, call answering time, call routing and traffic conditions. Such continuous and automatic monitoring and querying of the ACD in accordance with the present invention is thus able to improve the overall efficiency of such ACDs by improving the service response time of such ACDs. In accordance with one aspect of the invention, the status records of the ACDs may be directed to a website, for example, on an enterprise Intranet website to enable any of the company representatives with access rights to access the performance of the ACD network from any location. Other data, such as the trunk inventory record keeping system (TIRKS) may also be displayed on the website to facilitate troubleshooting of alarm conditions. Another aspect of the invention is the ability to provide automatic paging for predetermined alarm status condition.

Claims

1. A method for providing status information of one or more automatic call distributors (ACDs) in a network of ACDs, the method comprising:

retrieving traffic load information from an ACD, wherein the traffic load information includes data for an inbound trunk group connected to the ACD, data for an outbound trunk group connected to the ACD, and data for inter-machine trunk (IMT) that interconnects the ACD with a second ACD;

calculating percent occupancy rates for the inbound and outbound trunk groups, based on the traffic load information from the ACD;

generating graphical representations of respective traffic loads for the inbound and outbound trunk groups, based on the percent occupancy rates;

presenting graphical representation of traffic loads for the IMT, the inbound trunk group, and the outbound trunk group in the graphical user interface;

displaying a first hyperlink for a trunk group in the graphical user interface near the graphical representation of traffic load for the trunk group;

in response to selection of the first hyperlink by a user, presenting additional status information pertaining to the trunk group, the additional information including identifiers for multiple trunk groups, identifiers for multiple integrated service digital network (ISDN) lines within each of the trunk group, and status information for each of the ISDN lines within each trunk groups;

in response to selection of the first hyperlink by the user, presenting a second hyperlink associated with the trunk group in the graphical user interface; and

in response to selection of the second hyperlink by the user, presenting local circuit assignments for circuits within the trunk group in the graphical user interface, based on trunk inventory record keeping system (TIRKS) data that relates to the trunk group;

determining whether a predetermined alarm condition has occurred, based on data retrieved from the ACD; and

in response to determining that the predetermined alarm condition has occurred, paging an administrator to notify the administrator that the predetermined alarm condition has occurred.

2. A method for providing status information of one or more automatic call distributors (ACDs) in a network of ACDs, the method comprising:

retrieving traffic load information form an ACD, wherein the traffic load information includes data for multiple trunk groups connected to the ACD;

generating graphical representations of respective traffic loads for the multiple trunk groups, based on the traffic load information from the ACD;

presenting the graphical representations of respective traffic loads for the multiple trunk groups in a graphical user interface; and

calculating percent occupancy rates for the trunk groups, based on the traffic load information from the ACD; and

generating the graphical representations of respective traffic loads for the multiple trunk groups, based on the percent occupancy rates.

3. A method according to claim 2, wherein the operation of retrieving traffic load information from an ACD comprises:

retrieving traffic load information for an inbound trunk group connected to the ACD; and

retrieving traffic load information for an outbound trunk group connected to the ACD.

4. A method according to claim 3, wherein the operation of retrieving traffic load information from an ACD comprises:

retrieving traffic load information for an inter-machine trunk (IMT) that interconnects the ACD with a second ACD.

5. A method according to claim 4, wherein the operation of presenting the graphical representations in a graphical user interface comprises:

presenting a graphical representation of traffic load for the inbound trunk group in the graphical user interface;

presenting a graphical representation of traffic load for the outbound trunk group in the graphical user interface; and

presenting a graphical representation of traffic load for the IMT in the graphical user interface.

6. A method according to claim 2, wherein:

the operation of generating graphical representations of respective traffic loads comprises generating multiple bar graphs to depict respective traffic loads for the multiple trunk groups, based on the traffic load information from the ACD; and

the operation of presenting the graphical representations in a graphical user interface comprises presenting the multiple bar graphs in the graphical user interface.

7. A method according to claim 2, further comprising:

displaying information pertaining to a call center in the graphical user interface, wherein the information pertaining to the call center comprises;

agent staffing levels; and

call answering time.

8. A method according to claim 2, further comprising:

presenting a graphical representation of traffic load for an interactive voice response (IVR) unit in the graphical user interface.

9. A method according to claim 2, further comprising:

presenting data pertaining to an expansion port network (EPN) on a display device.

10. A method for providing status information of one or more automatic call distributors (ACDs) in a network of ACDs, the method comprising:

retrieving traffic load information from an ACD on a periodic basis, wherein the traffic load information includes data for multiple trunk groups connected to the ACD;

generating graphical representations of respective traffic loads for the multiple trunk groups, based on the traffic load information from the ACD;

presenting the graphical representations of respective traffic loads for the multiple trunk groups in a graphical user interface;

displaying a hyperlink for a trunk group in the graphical user interface near the graphical representation of traffic load for the trunk group; and

in response to selection of the first hyperlink by a user, presenting additional status information pertaining to the trunk group, the additional status information pertaining to the trunk group.

11. A method according to claim 10, wherein the operation of presenting additional status information pertaining to said trunk group comprises:

presenting identifiers for multiple trunk groups;

presenting identifiers for multiple integrated service digital network (ISDN) lines within each of the trunk groups; and

presenting status information for each of the ISDN lines within each trunk groups.

12. A method according to claim 10, wherein the operation of presenting additional status information pertaining to said trunk group comprises:

presenting identifiers for multiple lines within the trunk group; and

presenting status information for each of the multiple lines.

13. A method according to claim 10, wherein the hyperlink comprises a first hyperlink, the method further comprising:

in response to selection of the first hyperlink by the user, presenting a second hyperlink associated with the trunk group in the graphical user interface; and

in response to selection of the second hyperlink by the user, presenting trunk inventory record keeping system (TIRKS) data that relates to the trunk group in the graphical user interface.

14. A method according to claim 13, wherein the operation of presenting TIRKS data that relates to the trunk group in the graphical user interface comprises:

presenting local circuit assignments for circuits within the trunk group in the graphical user interface.

15. A method for providing status information of one or more automatic call distributors (ACDs) in a network of ACDs, the method comprising:

retrieving traffic load information from an ACD on a periodic basis, wherein the traffic load information includes data for multiple trunk groups connected to the ACD;

generating graphical representations of respective traffic loads for the multiple trunk groups, based on the traffic load information from the ACD;

presenting the graphical representations of respective traffic loads for the multiple trunk groups in a graphical user interface;

determining whether a predetermined alarm condition has occurred, based on data retrieved from the ACD; and

in response to determining that the predetermined alarm condition has occurred, paging an administrator to notify the administrator that the predetermined alarm condition has occurred.

16. A method according to claim 15, further comprising:

calculating percent occupancy rates for the trunk groups, based on the traffic load information from the ACD; and

generating the graphical representations of respective traffic loads for the multiple trunk groups, based on the percent occupancy rates.

17. A method according to claim 15, wherein the operation of retrieving traffic load information from an ACD comprises:

retrieving traffic load information for an outbound trunk group connected to the ACD.

18. A method according to claim 17, wherein the operation of retrieving traffic load information from an ACD comprises:

retrieving traffic load information for an inter-machine trunk (IMT) that interconnects the ACD with a second ACD.

19. A method according to claim 18, wherein the operation of presenting the graphical representations in a graphical user interface comprises:

presenting a graphical representation of traffic load for the inbound trunk group in the graphical user interface;

presenting a graphical representation of traffic load for the outbound trunk group in the graphical user interface; and

presenting a graphical representation of traffic load for the IMT in the graphical user interface.

20. A method according to claim 15, wherein:

the operation of generating graphical representations of respective traffic loads comprises generating multiple bar graphs to depict respective traffic loads for the multiple trunk groups, based on the traffic load information from the ACD; and

the operation of presenting the graphical representations in a graphical user interface comprises presenting the multiple bar graphs in the graphical user interface.

21. A program product for providing status information of one or more automatic call distributors (ACDs) in a network of ACDs, the program product comprising:

a computer-usable medium; and

computer instructions encoded in the computer-usable medium, wherein the computer instructions, when executed, perform operations comprising;

retrieving traffic load information from an ACD on a periodic basis, wherein the traffic load information includes data for multiple trunk groups connected to the ACD;

generating graphical representations of respective traffic loads for the multiple trunk groups, based on the traffic load information from the ACD;

presenting the graphical representations of respective traffic loads for the multiple trunk groups in a graphical user interface;

calculating percent occupancy rates for the trunk groups, based on the traffic load information from the ACD; and

generating the graphical representations of respective traffic loads for the multiple trunk groups, based on the percent occupancy rates.

22. A program product according to claim 21, wherein the operation of retrieving traffic load information from an ACD comprises:

retrieving traffic load information for an inter-machine trunk (IMT) that interconnects the ACD with a second ACD.

23. A program product according to claim 22, wherein the operation of presenting the graphical representations of respective traffic loads for the multiple trunk groups in a graphical user interface comprises:

presenting a graphical representation of traffic load for the inbound trunk group in the graphical user interface;

presenting a graphical representation of traffic load for the outbound trunk group in the graphical user interface; and

presenting a graphical representation of traffic load for the IMT in the graphical user interface.

24. A program product according to claim 21, wherein the operations performed by the computer instructions further comprise:

displaying a hyperlink for a trunk group in the graphical user interface near the graphical representation of traffic load for the trunk group; and

in response to selection of the hyperlink by a user, presenting additional status information pertaining to the trunk group, wherein the additional status information pertaining to said trunk group comprises;

identifiers for multiple trunk groups;

identifiers for multiple integrated service digital network (ISDN) lines within each of the trunk group; and

status information for each of the ISDN lines within each trunk groups.

25. A program product for providing status information of one or more automatic call distributors (ACDs) in a network of ACDs, the program product comprising:

a computer-usable medium; and

computer instructions encoded in the computer-usable medium, wherein the computer instructions, when execute, perform operations comprising;

retrieving traffic load information from an ACD on a periodic basis, wherein the traffic load information includes data for multiple trunk groups connected to the ACD;

generating graphical representations of respective traffic loads for the multiple trunk groups, based on the traffic load information from the ACD;

presenting the graphical representations of respective traffic loads for the multiple trunk groups in a graphical user interface;

determining whether a predetermined alarm condition has occurred, based on data retrieved from the ACD; and

in response to determining that the predetermined alarm condition has occurred, paging an administrator to notify the administrator that the predetermined alarm condition has occurred.

26. A program product according to claim 25, wherein the operations performed by the computer instructions further comprises:

displaying a hyperlink for a trunk group in the graphical user interface near the graphical representation of traffic load for the trunk group; and

in response to selection of the hyperlink by a user, presenting additional status information pertaining to the trunk group.

27. A program according to claim 26, wherein the additional status information pertaining to said trunk group comprises:

identifiers for multiple trunk groups;

identifiers for multiple integrated service digital network (ISDN) lines within each of the trunk group; and

status information for each of the ISDN lines within each trunk groups.