Call processing system and service control point for handling calls to a call center

• US 7,043,004 B1
• Filed: 03/11/2004
• Issued: 05/09/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/27/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sprint Communications Company LP (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Original Assignee: Sprint Communications Company LP (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Inventors: Jones, Bryce Alan, Khuc, Minh Duy, Coppage, Carl Milton
• Primary Examiner(s): Bui, Bing Q.
• Application Number:
  US10/798,510
• Time in Patent Office: 789 Days
• Field of Search: 379/221.08, 379/221.09, 379/221.11, 379/221.14, 379/265.01, 379/265.02, 379/265.07, 379/265.09
• US Class Current: 379/265.01
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/12 intelligent networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42102 Making use of the called party identifier
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5183 Call or contact centers with computer-telephony arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/523 with call distribution or queueing
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5237 Interconnection arrangements between ACD systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0033 Notification or handling of incoming calls by a computer
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/006 Networks other than PSTN/ISDN providing telephone service, e.g. Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) , including next generation networks with a packet-switched transport layer H04L65/00 takes precedence; aspects not specific to the type of network H04M3/00; special services in those networks H04M3/42
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/126 Interworking of session control protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/128 Details of addressing, directories or routing tables
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13072 Sequence circuits for call signaling, ACD systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13103 Memory
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13106 Microprocessor, CPU
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13176 Common channel signaling, CCS7
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/1329 Asynchronous transfer mode, ATM
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13299 Bus
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13345 Intelligent networks, SCP
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/64 Distributing or queueing

Abstract

The invention provides a call processing system to handle calls to a call center by obtaining absolute address for a call center resource from a call center resource processor prior to directing the call to the call center resource. The invention includes a call processing system that transmits an service control point (SCP) query for an SCP after receiving an initial signal for the call. The SCP then transmits an address query for the call center resource processor and receives an address response including the absolute address for the call from the call center resource processor. The SCP transmits an SCP response including the absolute address for the call processing system. The call processing system processes the SCP response to generate a route instruction to cause a network element system to route the call to a call center resource in call packets containing the absolute address. The call processing system transmits the route instruction for the network element system. At the call center resource, no translation of the call is needed to direct the call to the call'"'"'s final destination. Therefore, complex routing equipment at the call center resource can be eliminated. Because the absolute address is identified at the call center resource processor, the invention may also transmit service data over the same communications equipment as the call from the network element system to the call center resource. Separate communications equipment at the call center resource for service data can be eliminated.

Claims

1. A method for handling a call to a call center, the method comprising:

receiving an initial signal for the call into a call processing system;

processing the initial signal to generate a service control point (SCP) query for an SCP;

transmitting the SCP query from the call processing system for the SCP;

receiving the SCP query into the SCP;

processing the SCP query in the SCP to select a call center resource processor;

transmitting an address query from the SCP for the call center resource processor;

receiving an address response into the SCP from the call center resource processor wherein the address response indicates a call center resource for the call;

transmitting an SCP response from the SCP for the call processing system wherein the SCP response indicates the call center resource for the call;

receiving the SCP response into the call processing system;

processing the SCP response in the call processing system to generate a route instruction to cause a network element system to route the call to the call center resource in call packets indicating the call center resource; and

transmitting the route instruction from the call processing system for the network element system.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the address response includes service data for the call center resource, the method further comprising:

processing the SCP response in the call processing system to generate a data instruction to cause the network element system to route the service data to the call center resource in data packets indicating the call center resource;

transmitting the data instruction from the call processing system for the network element system; and

transmitting the service data from the call processing system for the network element system.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the service data is customer profile information.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein the service data is a customer service script.

5. The method of claim 2 wherein the service data is screen pop information.

6. The method of claim 2 wherein the service data is a web page.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the call center resources is indicated by a hardware address of a communications device used to initially answer the call at the call center resource.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the call center resources is indicated by a port identifier.

9. The method of claim 7 wherein the call center resources is indicated by a MAC-layer address.

10. The method of claim 7 wherein the call center resources is indicated by an ATM address.

11. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving a release signal for the call into the call processing system;

processing the release signal for the call in the call processing system to generate call information for the call; and

transmitting the call information for the call from the call processing system for a call center.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the call information is a caller number.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein the call information is a dialed number.

14. The method of claim 11 wherein the call information is an address for the call center resource.

15. The method of claim 11 wherein the call information is a time of the call.

16. The method of claim 11 wherein the call information is a call duration.

17. The method of claim 11 wherein the call information is a system usage time.

18. The method of claim 11 wherein the call information is a number of resources used.

19. The method of claim 11 wherein the call information is an origin of the call.

20. The method of claim 11 wherein the call information is an identification of the call center receiving the call.

21. The method of claim 11 wherein the call information is an availability of an agent.

22. The method of claim 11 wherein the call information is a talk time of the call.

23. The method of claim 11 wherein the call information is a queue time of the call.

24. The method of claim 11 wherein the call information is an abandon rate.

25. The method of claim 11 wherein the call information is a number of retries.

26. The method of claim 11 wherein the call information is a busy rate.

27. The method of claim 11 wherein the call information is a time the call is in a voice response unit.

28. The method of claim 11 wherein the call information is a wrap-up time.

29. The method of claim 1 wherein processing the SCP query in the SCP to select the call center resource processor is based on a called number.

30. The method of claim 1 wherein processing the SCP query in the SCP to select the call center resource processor is based on a caller number.

31. The method of claim 1 wherein processing the SCP query in the SCP to select the call center resource processor is based on caller entered digits.

32. A communications software product comprising:

call processing software operational when executed by a processor to direct the processor to receive an initial signal for the call, process the initial signal to generate a service control point (SCP) query for an SCP, transmit the SCP query for the SCP, receive an SCP response, process the SCP response to generate a route instruction to cause a network element system to route the call to a call center resource in call packets indicating the call center resource for the call, and transmit the route instruction for the network element system;

a software storage medium operational to store a call processing software;

service control point software operational when executed by a processor to direct the processor to receive the SCP query, process the SCP query to select a call center resource processor, transmit an address query for the call center resource processor, receive an address response from the call center resource processor wherein the address response indicates the call center resource for the call, and transmit the SCP response for the call processing system wherein the SCP response indicates the call center resource for the call; and

a software storage medium operational to store the service control point software.

33. The communications software product of claim 32 wherein the address response includes service data for the call center resource and the call processing software is further operational when executed by the processor to direct the processor to:

process the SCP response to generate a data instruction to cause the network element system to route the service data to the call center resource in data packets containing the absolute address;

transmit the data instruction for the network element system; and

transmit the service data for the network element system.

34. The communications software product of claim 33 wherein the service data is customer profile information.

35. The communications software product of claim 33 wherein the service data is a customer service script.

36. The communications software product of claim 33 wherein the service data is screen pop information.

37. The communications software product of claim 33 wherein the service data is a web page.

38. The communications software product of claim 32 wherein the call center resource is indicated by a hardware address of a communications device used to initially answer the call at the call center resource.

39. The communications software product of claim 38 wherein the call center resource is indicated by a port identifier.

40. The communications software product of claim 38 wherein the call center resource is indicated by a MAC-layer address.

41. The communications software product of claim 38 wherein the call center resource is indicated by an ATM address.

42. The communications software product of claim 32 wherein the call processing software is further operational when executed by the processor to direct the processor to:

receive a release signal for the call;

process the release signal for the call to generate call information for the call; and

transmit the call information for the call for a call center.

43. The communications software product of claim 42 wherein the call information is a caller number.

44. The communications software product of claim 42 wherein the call information is a dialed number.

45. The communications software product of claim 42 wherein the call information is an address for the call center resource.

46. The communications software product of claim 42 wherein the call information is a time of the call.

47. The communications software product of claim 42 wherein the call information is a call duration.

48. The communications software product of claim 42 wherein the call information is a system usage time.

49. The communications software product of claim 42 wherein the call information is a number of resources used.

50. The communications software product of claim 42 wherein the call information is an origin of the call.

51. The communications software product of claim 42 wherein the call information is an identification of the call center receiving the call.

52. The communications software product of claim 42 wherein the call information is an availability of an agent.

53. The communications software product of claim 42 wherein the call information is a talk time of the call.

54. The communications software product of claim 42 wherein the call information is a queue time of the call.

55. The communications software product of claim 42 wherein the call information is an abandon rate.

56. The communications software product of claim 42 wherein the call information is a number of retries.

57. The communications software product of claim 42 wherein the call information is a busy rate.

58. The communications software product of claim 42 wherein the call information is a time the call is in a voice response unit.

59. The communications software product of claim 42 wherein the call information is a wrap-up time.

60. The communications software product of claim 32 wherein the service control point software operational when executed by the processor to direct the processor to process the SCP query to select the call center resource processor is based on a called number.

61. The communications software product of claim 32 wherein the service control point software operational when executed by the processor to direct the processor to process the SCP query to select the call center resource processor is based on a caller number.

62. The communications software product of claim 32 wherein the service control point software operational when executed by the processor to direct the processor to process the SCP query to select the call center resource processor is based on caller entered digits.

63. A communication system for handling a call to a call center comprising:

a call processing system configured to receive an initial signal for the call, process the initial signal to generate an SCP query for an SCP, transmit the SCP query for the SCP, receive an SCP response, process the SCP response to generate a route instruction to cause a network element system to route the call to a call center resource in call packets indicating the call center resource, and transmit the route instruction for the network element system;

the SCP connected to the call processing system and configured to receive the SCP query, process the SCP query to select a call center resource processor, transmit an address query for the call center resource processor, receive an address response from the call center resource processor wherein the address response indicates the call center resource for the call, transmit the SCP response for the call processing system wherein the SCP response indicates the call center resource for the call.

64. The communication system of claim 63 wherein the address response includes service data for the call center resource and the communication system comprising:

the call processing system further configured to process the SCP response to generate a data instruction to cause the network element system to route the service data to the call center resource in data packets indicating the call center resource, receive and transfer the data instruction to the network element system and receive and transfer the service data to the network element system.

65. The communication system of claim 64 wherein the service data is customer profile information.

66. The communication system of claim 64 wherein the service data is a customer service script.

67. The communication system of claim 64 wherein the service data is screen pop information.

68. The communication system of claim 64 wherein the service data is a web page.

69. The communication system of claim 63 wherein the call center resource is indicated by a hardware address of a communications device used to initially answer the call at the call center resource.

70. The communication system of claim 69 wherein the call center resource is indicated by a port identifier.

71. The communication system of claim 69 wherein the call center resource is indicated by a MAC-layer address.

72. The communication system of claim 69 wherein the call center resource is indicated by an ATM address.

73. The communication system of claim 63 comprising:

the call processing system further configured to receive the release signal for the call, process a release signal for the call to generate call information for the call, and receive and transfer the call information for the call to the call center.

74. The communication system of claim 73 wherein the call information is a caller number.

75. The communication system of claim 73 wherein the call information is a dialed number.

76. The communication system of claim 73 wherein the call information is an address for the call center resource.

77. The communication system of claim 73 wherein the call information is a time of the call.

78. The communication system of claim 73 wherein the call information is a call duration.

79. The communication system of claim 73 wherein the call information is a system usage time.

80. The communication system of claim 73 wherein the call information is a number of resources used.

81. The communication system of claim 73 wherein the call information is an origin of the call.

82. The communication system of claim 73 wherein the call information is an identification of the call center receiving the call.

83. The communication system of claim 73 wherein the call information is an availability of an agent.

84. The communication system of claim 73 wherein the call information is a talk time of the call.

85. The communication system of claim 73 wherein the call information is a queue time of the call.

86. The communication system of claim 73 wherein the call information is an abandon rate.

87. The communication system of claim 73 wherein the call information is a number of retries.

88. The communication system of claim 73 wherein the call information is a busy rate.

89. The communication system of claim 73 wherein the call information is a time the call is in a voice response unit.

90. The communication system of claim 73 wherein the call information is a wrap-up time.

91. The communication system of claim 63 wherein the processing system configured to process the initial signal to select the call center resource processor is based on a called number.

92. The communication system of claim 63 wherein the SCP processor configured to process the SCP query to select the call center resource processor is based on a caller number.

93. The communication system of claim 63 wherein the processing system configured to process the initial signal to select the call center resource processor is based on caller entered digits.