System and method for dynamic queuing in an automatic call distributor

• US 7,233,980 B1
• Filed: 12/12/2000
• Issued: 06/19/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Genband US LLC (Ribbon Communications, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Nortel Networks Limited (Nortel Networks Corporation)
• Inventors: Orton, Scott L., Holden, Mark J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Winder; Patrice
• Assistant Examiner(s): PHILLIPS, HASSAN A
• Application Number:
  US09/735,427
• Time in Patent Office: 2,380 Days
• Field of Search: 709/217, 709/218, 709/219, 709/227, 709/229
• US Class Current: 709/219
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1104 Session initiation protocol [SIP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/401 wherein the services involve a main real-time session and one or more additional parallel real-time or time sensitive sessions, e.g. white board sharing or spawning of a subconference
• 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 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

Abstract

A method and system for dynamic queuing utilizes a SIP messaging structure within a call center'"'"'s architecture for interacting with a caller. The method and system can be used for ACD services developed for IP telephony using SIP as the signaling protocol. A SIP subscriber can also interact with an ACD system in the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) work space. In the latter case, a PSTN-to-IP gateway carries the bearer path and call level signaling between the two spaces, and corresponding Computer Telephony Integration (CTI) signaling links are used for linking the ACD specific signaling between the two spaces.

Claims

1. A method for interacting with an automatic call distributor (ACD), the method comprising:

receiving a call placed from a user to an ACD server, wherein the ACD server comprises a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) server;

placing the call into a queue while maintaining a connection between the ACD server and the user for the call;

sending, by the user at any time while the maintained call is in the queue, a dynamic request to the ACD server to determine at least one of the following queue information selected from the group consisting of a user'"'"'s queue position, holding times, and other related queue data;

returning the queue information from the ACD server to the user;

tracking a hold time for the call, wherein the hold time is an amount of time the call is in the queue; and

responsive to the user terminating the call, the ACD further;

responsive to a subsequent call from the user, crediting the subsequent call with the tracked hold time; and

placing the subsequent call into the queue based on the hold time credited thereto, such that the subsequent call is placed into the queue ahead of calls that have shorter hold times associated therewith and behind calls that have longer hold times associated therewith.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein sending the request utilizes Session Initiation Protocol (SIP).

3. The method of claim 2, further including utilizing a SIP based client for establishing the call with the ACD, the ACD being within a PSTN, and translating SIP messages for the ACD via a PSTN/IP gateway.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the ACD is a SIP based client, the user is within a PSTN, and a PSTN/IP gateway translates SIP messages for the user.

5. The method of claim 1, further including subsequent to disconnection of at least one call from the user in response to a user directive, calling back the user when the ACD server has determined priority based on a number of times that the user has called and an accumulated wait time.

6. The method of claim 1, further including pushing down content from the ACD server to the user, the content including at least one of the following selected from the group consisting of a web page, media rich promotional advertising, and interactive promotional advertising.

7. The method of claim 1, further including pushing games from the ACD server to the user.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the user terminates the call before the ACD transfers the call to a live agent.

9. A method for interacting with an automatic call distributor (ACD), the method comprising:

receiving a call placed from a user to an ACD server, the user call being placed in a queue and maintained while waiting to be connected with a line agent, wherein the ACD server comprises a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) server;

dynamically receiving at the ACD server, at any time while the call is in the queue, a request from the user for determining at least one of the following queue information selected from the group consisting of a user'"'"'s queue position, holding times, and other related queue data, wherein the request utilizes SIP;

transmitting the queue information from the ACD server to the user;

tracking a hold time for the call, wherein the hold time is an amount of time the call is in the queue; and

responsive to the user terminating the call, the ACD further;

responsive to a subsequent call from the user, crediting the subsequent call with the tracked hold time; and

placing the subsequent call into the queue based on the hold time credited thereto, such that the subsequent call is placed into the queue ahead of calls that have shorter hold times associated therewith and behind calls that have longer hold times associated therewith.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the user terminates the call before the ACD transfers the call to a live agent.

11. A system for interacting with an automatic call distributor (ACD) comprising:

means for receiving a call placed from a user to an ACD server, the user call being placed in a queue and maintained while waiting to be connected with a line agent, wherein the ACD server comprises a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) server;

means for dynamically receiving at the ACD server a request from the user for determining at least one of the following queue information selected from the group consisting of a user'"'"'s queue position, holding times, and other related queue data, wherein the request utilizes Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) and can be sent by the user at any time while the call is in the queue;

means for transmitting the queue information from the ACD server to the user;

means for tracking a hold time for the call, wherein the hold time is an amount of time the call is in the queue; and

means responsive to the user terminating the call for;

responsive to a subsequent call from the user, crediting the subsequent call with the tracked hold time; and

placing the subsequent call into the queue based on the hold time credited thereto, such that the subsequent call is placed into the queue ahead of calls that have shorter hold times associated therewith and behind calls that have longer hold times associated therewith.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the user terminates the call before the ACD transfers the call to a live agent.

13. A computer program product for enabling dynamic queuing in an automatic call distributor (ACD) server comprising:

a computer program processable by a computer system for causing the computer system to;

responsive to receiving a call placed from a user to the ACD server, place the user call in a queue, wherein the ACD server comprises a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) server,

responsive to a user request subsequent to placing the call, dynamically determine at least one of the following queue information selected from the group consisting of a user'"'"'s queue position, holding times, and other related queue data,

transmit the queue information from the ACD server to the user,

track a hold time for the call, wherein the hold time is an amount of time the call is in the queue and

responsive to the user terminating the call;

responsive to a subsequent call from the user, credit the subsequent call with the tracked hold time; and

place the subsequent call into the queue based on the hold time credited thereto, such that the subsequent call is placed into the queue ahead of calls that have shorter hold times associated therewith and behind calls that have longer hold times associated therewith; and

apparatus from which the computer program is accessible by the computer system.

14. The computer program product of claim 13, wherein dynamically determining includes receiving the request via Session Initiation Protocol (SIP).

15. The computer program product of claim 14, wherein the computer program is further for causing the computer system to:

subsequent to a disconnection of at least one call from the user in response to a user directive, call back the user when the ACD server has determined a given priority based on a number of times that the user has called and an accumulated wait time.

16. The computer program product of claim 14, wherein a SIP based client is utilized for establishing the call with the ACD server, the ACD server being within a PSTN, wherein the computer program is further for causing the computer system to:

translate SIP messages for the ACD server via a PSTN/IP gateway.

17. The computer program product of claim 14, wherein the ACD server is a SIP based client, and the user is within a PSTN, wherein the computer program is further for causing the computer system to:

translate SIP messages for the user via a PSTN/IP gateway.

18. The computer program product of claim 13, wherein the computer program is further for causing the computer system to:

push down content from the ACD server to the user, the content including at least one of the following selected from the group consisting of a web page, media rich promotional advertising, and interactive promotional advertising.

19. The computer program product of claim 13, wherein the computer program is further for causing the computer system to:

responsive to the user terminating the call before the ACD server transfers the call to a live agent, track how much time the user has been on hold and credit the user an appropriate amount of time the next time the user calls back.

20. The computer program product of claim 13, wherein the computer program is further for causing the computer system to:

push games from the ACD server to the user.

21. The computer program product of claim 13, wherein the user terminates the call before the ACD transfers the call to a live agent.

22. A computer program product for enabling dynamic interacting with an automatic call distributor (ACD) comprising:

a computer program processable by a computer system for causing the computer system to;

receive a call placed from a user to an ACD server, the user call being placed in a queue while waiting to be connected with a line agent, wherein the ACD server comprises a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) server,

dynamically receive at the ACD server a request from the user for determining at least one of the following queue information selected from the group consisting of a user'"'"'s queue position, holding times, and other related queue data, wherein the request utilizes Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) and can be sent by the user at any time while the call is in the queue,

transmit the queue information from the ACD server to the user,

track a hold time for the call wherein the hold time is an amount of time the call is in the queue, and

responsive to the user terminating the call, cause the ACD server to;

responsive to a subsequent call from the user, credit the subsequent call with the tracked hold time; and

place the subsequent call into the queue based on the hold time credited thereto, such that the subsequent call is Placed into the queue ahead of calls that have shorter hold times associated therewith and behind calls that have longer hold times associated therewith; and

apparatus from which the computer program is accessible by the computer system.

23. The computer program product of claim 22, wherein the user terminates the call before the ACD transfers the call to a live agent.