Method and configuration for operation of an operator switching position in a telecommunications system

• US 7,221,752 B2
• Filed: 02/18/2003
• Issued: 05/22/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/17/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Unify GmbH & Co. KG (Atos SE)
• Original Assignee: Siemens AG
• Inventors: Kienberger, Helmut
• Primary Examiner(s): SMITH, CREIGHTON H
• Application Number:
  US10/368,930
• Publication Number:
  US 20030138096A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,554 Days
• Field of Search: 379/265.05, 379/265.1, 379/265.11, 379/265.12, 379/266.1
• US Class Current: 379/265.05
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42323 PBX's with CTI arrangements
• 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 3/523 with call distribution or queueing

Abstract

A service feature server makes it possible to provide service features in addition to the service features that are already provided in a telecommunications system. A separate module is provided for this purpose in the telecommunications system, which coordinates the calling of service features on the service feature server and on the telecommunications system, and controls the presentation of the corresponding service features on an operator switching position. The operator switching position is intended to be, for example, a personal computer, for which an operator interface need be created only for the additional service features. Access is made to the standard operator interface in order to use standard service features, and to the additional operator interface for the additional service features. In particular, the new functionality offers the operator a plurality of queues, which he or she can access separately.

Claims

1. A method of managing queues in a telecommunications system at an operator user interface, the method which comprises:

making queue management-related service features available for an operator at the operator user interface;

providing the queue management-related service features from a dedicated service feature server; and

using the operator user interface for communication with the service feature server when at least one of requesting or processing queues by an operator;

organizing the queue management-related service features into subsets;

adding, via the telecommunications system, a further subset of queue management-related service features to the queue management-related service features in the dedicated service feature server; and

communicating between the operator user interface and the telecommunications system with regard to the further subset of queue management-related service features.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the service feature server is programmed to provide subsets of queue management-related service features selected from the group consisting of splitting queues into several new queues, assigning waiting callers to queues, assigning queues to dedicated operators, signaling queues and calls to an operator, and making queues and calls accessible by an operator.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the telecommunications system communicates with the service feature server if access is made by the operator user interface to a service feature from at least one subset of the queue management-related service features in the service feature server.

4. The method according to claim 1, which comprises presenting a plurality of subscriber queues at the operator user interface requiring at least some of the queue management-related service features.

5. The method according to claim 4, which comprises selecting subscribers from the plurality of subscriber queues by using at least some of the queue management-related service features.

6. The method according to claim 1, which comprises:

defining the operator user interface as a first operator user interface;

using the first operator user interface for accessing a first subset of the queue management-related service features;

providing, via the telecommunications system, a second subset of queue management-related service features; and

using a second operator user interface for accessing the second subset of queue management-related service features.

7. A method of managing queues in a telecommunications system at an operator user interface, the method which comprises:

defining queue management-related service features for the telecommunications system;

providing at least one set of the queue management-related service features with a dedicated service feature server connected to the operator user interface and to the telecommunications system; and

communicating between the operator user interface and the service feature server when an operator at least one of requests or processes queues at the operator user interface;

providing a further set of queue management-related service features with the telecommunications system; and

communicating between the operator user interface and the telecommunications system with regard to the further set of queue management-related service features.