Remote agent access method to a VoIP contact center where high QoS is not supported

• US 7,230,946 B2
• Filed: 12/20/2002
• Issued: 06/12/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/16/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Intervoice Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Nuasis Corp. (Concentrix CVG Customer Management Group, Inc.)
• Inventors: Schoeneberger, Carl
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel; Ajit
• Assistant Examiner(s): HO, CHUONG T
• Application Number:
  US10/327,360
• Publication Number:
  US 20040032863A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,635 Days
• Field of Search: 370351-356, 370/357, 370/401, 370/400, 370/493, 370/410, 379/265.02, 379/265.04, 379/265.06, 379/198, 379/219, 379/220.01, 379/221.01, 379/229, 379/265.09, 379/266.09, 379/265.08, 379/265.11, 379/265.1, 709/204, 709/218, 709/219, 709/203, 707/10
• US Class Current: 370/352
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1053 IP private branch exchange [PBX] functionality entities or arrangements circuit switched PBXs H04M3/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/80 Responding to QoS
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/6018 Subscriber or terminal logon/logoff
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5125 with remote located operators
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0027 Collaboration services where a computer is used for data transfer and the telephone is used for telephonic communication

Abstract

A system and method of providing remote agent access to a voice over internet protocol contact center by allowing an agent to login to the contact center with a data circuit through a remote data access device such as a VPN device are disclosed. The system and method further include, after receiving contact information, the contact center transmitting call data to the remote agent through the data line, the data line carrying bi-directional signaling data including the agent'"'"'s ability to control call pick-up and hang-up, while transmitting the voice component over a telephone line. Further, the present invention has the ability to provide a continuous stream of customer calls to the agent or to disconnect after each individual call.

Claims

1. A system for providing high quality of service remote access to a voice over internet protocol contact center, comprising:

a. a contact center which splits an incoming call having both data and VOIP voice into a data component and a voice component, wherein the contact center includes a remote data access device for controlling the data component of the incoming call, at least one gateway for controlling the voice component of the incoming call and for converting the VoIP voice for transmission via a PSTN voice network forming a converted voice component, and at least one node coupled to the at least one gateway;

b. a remote terminal coupled with the remote data access device through a data circuit; and

c. a remote telephone coupled with the at least one gateway through a telephone circuit,

wherein when an agent logs thc remote terminal into the contact center, the converted voice component of a customer call is transmitted from the gateway to the remote telephone via the PSTN voice network and the data component of the customer call is transmitted from the contact center to the remote terminal via a data network and further wherein when the remote terminal logs into the contact center, the remote terminal provides a phone number to direct the transmission of the converted voice component of the customer call from the at least one gateway to the remote telephone.

2. The system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the agent can respond to the customer call using the remote telephone and the remote terminal.

3. The system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the data circuit is a high speed internet connection.

4. The system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the data circuit is a high speed wireless internet connection.

5. The system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the remote data access device is a VPN device.

6. The system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the contact center further includes:

a. at least one hub coupled to the telephone circuit through the at least one gateway;

b. at least one network coupling the at least one node to the at least one hub; and

c. a plurality of agent terminals coupled to the at least one node.

7. The system as claimed in claim 6 wherein the at least one gateway receives the customer call from the public switched telephone network and distributes the customer call to one of the at least one nodes.

8. The system as claimed in claim 7 wherein the at least one node separates the converted voice component and the data component of the customer call, and further wherein the at least one node sends the converted voice component to the at least one gateway and the data component through the at least one network to the remote data access device.

9. The system as claimed in claim 6 wherein the at least one network is a wide area network.

10. The system as claimed in claim 6 wherein the at least one network is a local area network.

11. A method of providing high quality of service remote access to a voice over interact protocol contact center, comprising the steps of:

a. logging a remote terminal into a contact center through a data circuit;

b. splitting a customer call having both data and voice into a data component and a VoIP voice component;

c. converting the VoIP voice for transmission via a PSTN voice network forming a converted voice component and then transmitting the converted voice component of the customer call from the contact center to a remote telephone through a telephone circuit;

d. transmitting the data component of the customer call corresponding to the voice component, wherein the data component is transmitted from the contact center through the data circuit to the remote terminal;

e. responding to the customer call, wherein the step of responding includes answering the converted voice component with the remote telephone through the telephone circuit and answering the data component with the remote terminal through the data circuit;

f. logging the remote terminal off of the contact center; and

g. providing a phone number to direct the transmission of the converted voice component of the customer call from the contact center to the remote telephone when the remote terminal logs into the contact center.

12. The method as claimed in claim 11 wherein the data circuit is a high speed internet connection.

13. The method as claimed in claim 11 wherein the data circuit is a high speed wireless internet connection.

14. The method as claimed in claim 11 wherein the contact center further includes:

a. at least one gateway coupled to the telephone circuit, and further coupled to at least one hub;

b. at least one network coupling the at least one node to the at least one hub; and

c. a plurality of agent terminals coupled to the at least one node.

15. The method as claimed in claim 14 wherein the at least one gateway receives the customer call from the public switched telephone network and distributes the customer call to one of the at least one nodes.

16. The method as claimed in claim 15 wherein the at least one node separates the converted voice component and the data component of the customer call, and further wherein the at least one node sends the converted voice component to the at least one gateway and the data component through the at least one network to a remote data access device.

17. The method as claimed in claim 14 wherein the at least one network is a wide area network.

18. The method as claimed in claim 14 wherein the at least one network is a local area network.

19. A system for providing high quality of service remote access to a voice over internet protocol contact center, comprising:

a. means for logging a remote terminal into a contact center through a data circuit;

b. means for splitting a customer call having both data and VoIP voice into a data component and a voice component and for converting the VoIP voice for transmission via a PSTN voice network forming a converted voice component;

c. means for transmitting the converted voice component of the customer call from the contact center to a remote telephone through a telephone circuit;

d. means for transmitting the data component of the customer call corresponding to the voice component, wherein the data component is transmitted from the contact center through the data circuit to the remote terminal;

e. means for responding to the customer call, wherein the responding means includes means for answering the converted voice component with the remote telephone through the telephone circuit and means for answering the data component with the remote terminal through the data circuit;

f. means for logging the remote terminal off of the contact center; and

g. means for providing a phone number to direct the transmission of the converted voice component of the customer call from the contact center to the remote telephone when the remote terminal logs into the contact center.

20. The system as claimed in claim 19 wherein the data circuit is a high speed internet connection.

21. The system as claimed in claim 19 wherein the data circuit is a high speed wireless internet connection.

22. The system as claimed in claim 19 wherein the contact center further includes:

a. at least one gateway coupled to the telephone circuit, and further coupled to at least hub;

b. at least one network coupling the at least one node to the at least one hub; and

c. a plurality of agent terminals coupled to the at least one node.

23. The system as claimed in claim 22 wherein the plurality of gateways receives the customer call from the public switched telephone network and distributes the customer call to one of the at least one nodes.

24. The system as claimed in claim 23 wherein the at least one node separates the converted voice component and the data component of the customer call, and further wherein the at least one node sends the converted voice component to the at least one gateway and the data component through the at least one network to a remote data access device.

25. The system as claimed in claim 22 wherein the at least one network is a wide area network.

26. The system as claimed in claim 22 wherein the at least one network is a local area network.

27. A system for providing remote access to a VoIP contact center to a user having a data apparatus and a separate telephone for processing a customer call with both data component and a voice component, the system comprising:

a. means for splitting the customer call into voice and data and for converting the VoIP voice for transmission via a PSTN voice network forming a converted voice component;

b. a contact center including a remote data access device configured to couple data component to the data apparatus through a data circuit; and

c. a telephone control circuit coupled under control of the contact center to initiate a telephone call for the converted voice component with the separate telephone without transmitting the call through the remote data access device

wherein when the data apparatus logs into the contact center, the data apparatus provides a phone number to direct the transmission of the converted voice component of the customer call to the separate telephone.

28. A method of providing remote access to a VoIP contact center to a user having a data apparatus and a separate telephone for processing a customer call with both a data component and a voice component, the system comprising:

a. splitting the customer call into the voice component and the data component and for converting the VoIP voice for transmission via a PSTN voice network forming a converted voice component;

b. coupling the data component from a contact center including a remote data access device to the data apparatus through a data circuit; and

c. controlling the contact center to initiate a telephone call for the converted voice component with the separate telephone without transmitting the call through the remote data access device wherein when the data apparatus logs into the contact center, the data apparatus provides a phone number to direct the transmission the transmission of the converted voice component of the customer call to the separate telephone.