Web-based network monitoring tool

• US 7,197,131 B2
• Filed: 05/05/2005
• Issued: 03/27/2007
• 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:
  US11/122,812
• Publication Number:
  US 20050195964A1
• Time in Patent Office: 691 Days
• Field of Search: 379/133, 379/136, 379/246, 379/247, 379/265.02, 379/265.09
• 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 maybe 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 web site 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 information regarding the status of an automatic call distributor (ACD), the method comprising:

receiving ACD status data, the ACD status data indicative of a status of the ACD;

generating and displaying in a graphical user interface a representation of a first portion of the ACD status data;

displaying a hyperlink in the graphical user interface in association with the representation of the first portion of the ACD status data; and

in response to selection of the hyperlink by a user, displaying in the graphical user interface a second portion of the ACD status data.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein:

the ACD status data includes traffic load information regarding multiple communication links associated with the ACD;

wherein generating and displaying in a graphical user interface a representation of a first portion of the ACD status data comprises generating and displaying in a graphical user interface a representation of the traffic load for a particular one of the communication links based on the received traffic load information for the particular communication link;

wherein displaying a hyperlink in the graphical user interface in association with the representation of the first portion of the ACD status data comprises displaying a hyperlink associated with the particular communication link; and

wherein displaying in the graphical user interface a second portion of the ACD status data in response to selection of the hyperlink by a user comprises displaying in the graphical user interface additional status information regarding the particular communication link in response to selection of the hyperlink by a user.

3. A method according to claim 2, wherein the multiple communication links comprise multiple trunk groups connected to the ACD and the particular communication link comprises a particular trunk group connected to the ACD.

4. A method according to claim 3, wherein displaying additional status information regarding the particular trunk group comprises:

displaying identifiers for multiple lines within the particular trunk group; and

displaying status information for each of the lines within the particular trunk group.

5. A method according to claim 3, wherein the method further comprises:

in response to selection of the hyperlink by the user, displaying an additional hyperlink associated with the particular trunk group in the graphical user interface; and

in response to selection of the additional hyperlink by the user, displaying in the graphical user interface a third portion of the ACD status data.

6. A method according to claim 5, wherein displaying a third portion of the ACD status data comprises displaying trunk inventory record keeping system (TIRKS) data that relates to the particular trunk group, the TIRKS data including local circuit assignments for circuits within the particular trunk group.

7. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

determining whether an alarm condition has occurred based on the ACD status data;

wherein generating and displaying in a graphical user interface a representation of a first portion of the ACD status data comprises generating and displaying an alarm status based at least on the determination of whether an alarm condition has occurred;

wherein displaying a hyperlink in the graphical user interface in association with the representation of the first portion of the ACD status data comprises displaying a hyperlink associated with the alarm status; and

wherein displaying in the graphical user interface a second portion of the ACD status data in response to selection of the hyperlink by a user comprises displaying in the graphical user interface additional information regarding the alarm status in response to selection of the hyperlink by a user.

8. A method for providing information regarding the status of an automatic call distributor (ACD), the method comprising:

receiving ACD status data from an ACD, the ACD status data containing information indicative of a status of the ACD;

generating a representation of the status of the ACD based at least on the ACD status data; and

displaying the representation of the status of the ACD in a graphical user interface, the displayed representation of the status of the ACD including;

a graphical representation of a first portion of the ACD status data; and

a textual representation of a second portion of the ACD status data.

9. A method according to claim 8, wherein:

the ACD status data includes traffic load information regarding multiple communication links associated with the ACD; and

the graphical representation of the first portion of the ACD status data comprises a graphical representation of the traffic load for a particular one of the communication links based on the received traffic load information for the particular communication link.

10. A method according to claim 9, wherein the graphical representation of the traffic load for the particular communication link comprises a bar graph indicating the traffic load for the particular communication link.

11. A method according to claim 9, wherein the textual representation of a second portion of the ACD status data comprises at least one of a textual representation of the traffic load for the particular communication link, a textual representation of an alarm status associated with the ACD, and a textual summary of the status of the ACD.

12. A method for providing information regarding the status of an automatic call distributor (ACD), the method comprising:

periodically receiving traffic load data from an ACD, the traffic load data including data regarding the traffic load for a communication link associated with the ACD;

calculating a percent occupancy rate for the communication link based on the received traffic load data;

generating a graphical representation of the traffic load for the communication link indicating the calculated percent occupancy rate for the communication link; and

displaying in a graphical user interface the graphical representation of the traffic load for the communication link.

13. A method according to claim 12, wherein:

receiving traffic load data from an ACD comprises;

receiving traffic load data for an inbound trunk group connected to the ACD; and

receiving traffic load data for an outbound trunk group connected to the ACD; and

wherein displaying in a graphical user interface the graphical representation of the traffic load for the communication link comprises;

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

displaying in the graphical user interface a graphical representation of the traffic load for the outbound trunk group.

14. A method according to claim 13, wherein:

receiving traffic load data from an ACD further comprises receiving traffic load data for an inter-machine trunk (IMT) that interconnects the ACD with another ACD; and

wherein displaying in a graphical user interface the graphical representation of the traffic load for the communication link further comprises displaying in the graphical user interface a graphical representation of the traffic load data for the IMT that interconnects the ACD with another ACD.

15. A method according to claim 12, wherein the graphical representation of the traffic load for the communication link comprises a bar graph indicating the calculated percent occupancy rate for the communication link.

16. A method for managing call distribution, comprising:

monitoring the status of an automatic call distributor (ACD) including periodically receiving ACD status data indicative of a status of the ACD;

determining whether an alarm condition has occurred based on the ACD status data; and

in response to determining that an alarm condition has occurred, automatically notifying an administrator that the alarm condition has occurred.

17. A method according to claim 16, wherein automatically notifying an administrator that the alarm condition has occurred comprises automatically paging an administrator to notify the administrator that the alarm condition has occurred.

18. A method according to claim 16, wherein automatically notifying an administrator that the alarm condition has occurred comprises automatically displaying, in a graphical user interface displaying a representation of the status of the ACD, a notification that the alarm condition has occurred.

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

displaying a representation of an alarm status associated with the ACD in a graphical user interface, the displayed representation of the alarm status including a hyperlink corresponding with the alarm condition; and

in response to selection of the hyperlink by a user, displaying additional information regarding the alarm condition.

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

displaying a representation of an alarm status associated with the ACD in a graphical user interface, the displayed representation of the alarm status including a hyperlink corresponding with an alarm history; and

in response to selection of the hyperlink by a user, displaying a historical alarm log in the graphical user interface.

21. A method according to claim 16, further comprising highlighting a status displayed in the graphical user interface in response to the determination that an alarm condition has occurred.

22. A method according to claim 16, further comprising automatically initiating corrective action in response to a determination that an alarm condition has occurred.

23. A method according to claim 16, wherein determining whether an alarm condition has occurred based on the ACD status data comprises determining that an alarm condition has occurred in response to an inability to communicate with the ACD.

24. A method according to claim 16, wherein:

periodically receiving status data from the ACD includes periodically receiving traffic load information regarding one or more communication links connected to the ACD; and

wherein determining whether an alarm condition has occurred based on the ACD status data comprises determining that an alarm condition has occurred based on the received traffic load information regarding the one or more communication links.

25. Software for providing information regarding the status of an automatic call distributor (ACD), the software embodied in computer readable media and when executed operable to:

receive ACD status data, the ACD status data including data regarding a status of the ACD;

generate a representation of the status of the ACD based at least on the ACD status data; and

cause the representation of the status of the ACD to be displayed in a graphical user interface, the displayed representation of the status of the ACD including;

a graphical representation of a first portion of the ACD status data; and

a textual representation of a second portion of the ACD status data.