Presence enabled queue management

• US 7,257,218 B2
• Filed: 12/30/2002
• Issued: 08/14/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Avaya Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Nortel Networks Limited (Nortel Networks Corporation)
• Inventors: Yoakum, John H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen; Quynh H.
• Application Number:
  US10/331,706
• Publication Number:
  US 20040125941A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,688 Days
• Field of Search: 37926501-2661, 379/309
• US Class Current: 379/265.01
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/54 Presence management, e.g. monitoring or registration for receipt of user log-on information, or the connection status of the users

Abstract

The present invention allows a queue management system (QMS) to use presence information from a presence system to efficiently match requestors of information with qualified resources capable of providing the necessary response. The resources for information may be humans or automated systems, which may be configured to facilitate communications with the requestors using different types of communication technologies. Further, these resources may be associated with different skill sets, experience, or areas of expertise. Thus, the resources may provide different roles, and any given resource may provide multiple roles, in addition to facilitating communications using different mediums.

Claims

1. A method for handling resources comprising:

defining a plurality of skill sets for a queue management system;

registering individual resources of a plurality of resources for one or more of the plurality of skill sets;

subscribing the queue management system to a presence system to receive presence information;

receiving a request at the queue management system for provision of a response to an inquiry related to one of the plurality of skill sets;

determining whether any of the resources are registered for the one of the plurality of skill sets;

placing the request into a queue associated with the one of the plurality of skill sets;

receiving presence information, at the queue management system, from the presence system; and

removing the request from the queue and assigning the request to a resource based on the presence information received from the presence system.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein registering individual resources of the plurality of resources comprises registering resources selected from a group consisting of:

human resources and automated resources.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein registering individual resources of the plurality of resources comprises registering information selected from a group consisting of:

experience and authority level.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising associating one or more of a plurality of communication technologies with one of the plurality of resources.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein assigning the request to the resource comprises effecting a connection between a requestor and the resource through the one or more of the plurality of communication technologies.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein assigning the request to the resource is based in part on a length of time a state has been maintained for the resource.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein assigning the request to the resource is based in part on recent activity of the resource.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising generating presence information for the presence system.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein generating presence information comprises generating state information for a given resource.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of registering individual resources of the plurality of resources for one or more of the plurality of skill sets further comprises registering respective identities of the individual resources, registering specific roles in which the individual resources can provide resources, and registering media capabilities of the individual resources.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the request is assigned to a resource based on the availability of the resource to provide a specific role and the media capabilities of the resource for the specific role at a given time.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein each of the individual resources provide multiple roles at different times.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the individual resources are dispersed over a plurality of disparate networks.

14. A queue management system comprising:

an interface; and

a control system associated with the interface and adapted to;

define a plurality of skill sets for the queue management system;

register individual resources of a plurality of resources for one or more of the plurality of skill sets;

subscribe the queue management system to a presence system to receive presence information;

receive a request at the queue management system for provision of a response to an inquiry related to one of the plurality of skill sets;

determine whether any resources are registered for the one of the plurality of skill sets;

place the request into a queue associated with the one of the plurality of skill sets;

receive presence information, at the queue management system, from the presence system; and

remove the request from the queue and assign the request to a resource based on the presence information received from the presence system.

15. The queue management system of claim 14 wherein the control system adapted to register individual resources registers resources selected from a group consisting of:

human resources and automated resources.

16. The queue management system of claim 14 wherein the control system adapted to register individual resources registers information selected from a group consisting of:

experience and authority level.

17. The queue management system of claim 14 wherein the control system is further adapted to associate one of a plurality of communication technologies with one of the plurality of resources.

18. The queue management system of claim 17 wherein the control system adapted to assign the request to the resource effects a connection between a requestor and the resource through the one of the plurality of communication technologies.

19. The queue management system of claim 14 wherein the control system adapted to assign the request to the resource does so based in part on a length of time the resource has been in a given state.

20. The queue management system of claim 14 wherein the control system adapted to assign the request to the resource does so based in part on recent activity of the resource.

21. The queue management system of claim 14 further comprising the presence system and wherein the presence system receives presence information relating to availability of the resource.

22. The queue management system of claim 21 wherein the presence system receives state information for the resource to receive the presence information.