Selective dedication of active and passive contact center recording resources

• US 7,284,049 B2
• Filed: 03/23/2006
• Issued: 10/16/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/28/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Verint Americas Incorporated (Verint Systems Incorporated)
• Sponsoring Entity: Verint Americas Incorporated (Verint Systems Incorporated)
• Inventors: Spohrer, Dan, Safstrom, Dan
• Primary Examiner(s): Najjar; Saleh
• Assistant Examiner(s): WANG, LIANG CHE A
• APPLICATION: US 20060168234A1
• Time in USPTO: 572 Days
• Field of Search: 709/202, 709/223, 709/224, 709/238, 705/27, 705/52, 705/30, 379/112.01
• US Class Current: 709/224
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/12 : Accounting
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/00 : Network architectures or network communication protocols for network security cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for secret or secure communication H04L9/00; network architectures or network communication protocols for wireless network security H04W12/00; security arrangements for protecting computers or computer systems against unauthorised activity G06F21/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/30 : for supporting lawful interception, monitoring or retaining of communications or communication related information circuit switched telephony call monitoring H04M3/2281
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 : involving the use of web-based technology, e.g. hyper text transfer protocol [HTTP] information retrieval from the Internet G06F17/30861
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/28 : for the provision of proxy services, e.g. intermediate processing or storage in the network network management provisions H04L41/00; network monitoring provisions H04L43/00; proxies for network security H04L63/0281; media manipulation, adaptation or conversion in real-time communications H04L65/601; protocol conversion H04L69/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/2819 : Enhancement of application control based on intercepted application data
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/2281 : Call monitoring, e.g. for law enforcement purposes; Call tracing; Detection or prevention of malicious calls
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42221 : Conversation recording systems at the subscriber's set H04M1/656
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5175 : Call or contact centers supervision arrangements

Abstract

Recording resources are selectively dedicated for recording data exchanged between entities attached to a network including at least one agent in an enterprise, a user, and a server connected to the agent and the user. At least one interconnection point is selected among interconnection points in the network including one or more points between the user and the server, between the server and a data distributor connected to the user and the agent, and between the agent and the server for recording the exchanged data. Recording resources are dedicated to the selected interconnection point for recording the exchanged data based on an objective for recording the data.

Claims

1. A method for selectively dedicating resources for recording data exchanged between entities attached to a network including at least one agent in an enterprise, a user, and a data distributor connected to the agent and the user, the method comprising the steps of:

selecting an interconnection point from among a plurality of interconnection points in the network, the plurality of interconnection points comprising one or more points between the user and the data distributor and between the agent and the data distributor for recording the exchanged data;

dedicating recording resources to the selected interconnection point for recording the exchanged data;

wherein the interconnection points between the user and the data distributor include a selection from among a passive tap or an active tap from which data can be recorded and the interconnection points between the agent and the data distributor include a selection from among a passive tap or an active tap from which the data can be recorded

wherein the active tap comprises a tap which resides in a critical path associated with the exchange data;

wherein a passive tap comprises a tap which does not reside in a critical path associated with the exchange data; and

wherein presence of a tap on the critical path enables control over the data exchange.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the passive and active taps reside on separate devices.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the passive and active taps reside on the same device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of selecting includes selecting a passive tap to dedicate recording resources to when the objective is to record a small sampling of the exchanged data.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of selecting includes selecting an active tap to dedicate the recording resources to when the objective is to record a small sampling of the exchanged data.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of selecting including selecting the interconnection point between the user and the data distributor or between the agent and the data distributor when the objective is to record substantially all of the exchanged data.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of selecting includes selecting the interconnection point between the user and the data distributor for dedicating the recording resources to when the objective is to record a data exchange from the user'"'"'s perspective.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of selecting further comprises selecting the interconnection point between the data distributor and the agent for dedicating the recording resources to when the objective is to record a data exchange from the agent'"'"'s perspective.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the objective for recording corresponds to a business rule being applied for recording the exchanged data.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the data exchanged comprises one or more voice communications, web chat communications, instant messaging communications, electronic mail communications, or internet transactions.

11. A system for selectively dedicating resources for recording data exchanged between entities attached to a network including at least one agent in an enterprise, a user, and a data distributor connected to the agent and the user, the system comprising:

selection logic configured to select at least one interconnection point among interconnection points in the network including points between the user and the data distributor and between the data distributor and the agent; and

recording resource allocation logic configured to allocate recording resources to the selected interconnection point for recording exchanged data from the selected interconnection point based on at least one objective for recording the exchanged data;

wherein the interconnection points between the user and the data distributor and between the agent and the data distributor each include one or more passive taps or active taps from which the exchanged data can be recorded; and

wherein the selecting of at least one of the interconnection points includes the selection of one or more active or passive taps;

wherein the active tap comprises a tap which resides in a critical path associated with the exchange data;

wherein a passive tap comprises a tap which does not reside in a critical path associated with the exchange data; and

wherein presence of a tap on the critical path enables control over the data exchange.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the passive and active taps reside on separate devices.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the passive and active taps reside on the same device.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein selection logic selects a passive tap for dedicating recording resources to when the objective is to record a high volume or substantially all of the exchanged data.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein the selection logic selects an active tap to dedicate the recording resources to when the objective is to record a small sampling of the exchanged data.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein the selection logic selects the interconnection point between the user and the data distributor or between the agent and the data distributor for dedicating recording resources to when the objective is to record substantially all of the exchanged data.

17. The system of claim 11, wherein the recording resource allocation logic is further configured to provide threading for recorded exchanges between an agent and a user, wherein related exchanges are linked in the record.

18. The system of claim 11, wherein the selection logic selects the interconnection point between the user and the data distributor when the objective is to record the exchanged data from the user'"'"'s perspective.

19. The system of claim 11, wherein the selecting means selects the interconnection point between the data distributor and the agent for dedicating recording resources to when the objective is to record the exchanged data from the agent'"'"'s perspective.

20. The system of claim 11, further comprising feedback logic configured to provide feedback to the agent when the exchanged data is being recorded.

21. A method for selectively dedicating resources for recording data exchanged between entities attached to a network including at least one agent in an enterprise, a user, and a data distributor connected to the agent and the user, the method comprising the steps of:

selecting at least one interconnection point among interconnection points in the network including one or more points between the user and the data distributor and between the agent and the data distributor for recording the exchanged data based on an at least one objective for recording data;

dedicating recording resources to the selected interconnection point for recording the exchanged data;

wherein the interconnection points between the user and the data distributor and between the agent and the data distributor each include one or more passive taps or active taps from which the data can be recorded;

wherein the selecting of at least one of the interconnection points includes the selection of one or more active or passive taps;

receiving a CTI event; and

based on the CTI event determining whether to use active or passive recording taps;

wherein the active tap comprises a tap which resides in a critical path associated with the exchange data;

wherein a passive tap comprises a tap which does not reside in a critical path associated with the exchange data; and

wherein presence of a tap on the critical path enables control over the data exchange.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the passive and active taps reside on separate devices.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein the passive and active taps reside on the same device.

24. A method for selectively dedicating resources for recording data exchanged between entities attached to a network including at least one agent in an enterprise, a user, and a data distributor connected to the agent and the user, the method comprising the steps of:

selecting at least one interconnection point among interconnection points in the network including one or more points between the user and the data distributor and between the agent and the data distributor for recording the exchanged data based on an at least one objective for recording data;

dedicating recording resources to the selected interconnection point for recording the exchanged data;

wherein the interconnection points between the user and the data distributor and between the agent and the data distributor each include one or more passive taps or active taps from which the data can be recorded;

wherein the selecting of at least one of the interconnection points includes the selection of one or more active or passive taps; and

wherein an active tap includes active communication between a recorder and the data distributor;

wherein a passive tap comprises a tap which does not reside in a critical path associated with the exchange data; and

wherein presence of a tap on the critical path enables control over the data exchange.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the passive and active taps reside on separate devices.

26. The method of claim 24, wherein the passive and active taps reside on the same device.

27. A method for selectively dedicating resources for recording data exchanged between entities attached to a network including a contact center agent, a user, and a data distributor connected to the contact center agent and the user, the method comprising the steps of:

selecting at least one interconnection point among interconnection points in the network including one or more points between the user and the data distributor and between the agent and the data distributor for recording the exchanged data based on an at least one objective for recording data;

dedicating recording resources to the selected interconnection point for recording the exchanged data;

wherein the interconnection points comprise active and passive taps, the active taps being configured to selectively record; and

wherein the selecting of at least one of the interconnection points includes the selection of one or more active or passive taps;

wherein the active tap comprises a tap which resides in a critical path associated with the exchange data; and

wherein a passive tap comprises a tap which does not reside in a critical path associated with the exchange data; and

wherein presence of a tap on the critical path enables control over the data exchange.