Call center telephone and data flow connection system

• US 7,295,669 B1
• Filed: 01/21/1999
• Issued: 11/13/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/21/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Avaya Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Avaya Technology Corporation Miami Lakes FLA US
• Inventors: Denton, Gregory A., Cook, Wendy S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Matar; Ahmad F.
• Assistant Examiner(s): ADDY, THJUAN KNOWLIN
• Application Number:
  US09/235,065
• Time in Patent Office: 3,218 Days
• Field of Search: 379/265.02, 379/266.01, 379/212.01, 379/265.11, 379/266.04, 379/93.23, 379/265.01, 370/467, 370/352, 713/163, 709/204
• US Class Current: 379/265.02
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/51 Centralised call answering arrangements requiring operator intervention , e.g. call or contact centers for telemarketing

Abstract

A method and system for transferring telephone calls and data between computer programs in a call center. Flow connection modules associated with call center application programs allow data and telephone calls to be transferred from one computer program to another in the call center. The flow connection modules may be combined with a locator program such that the combination replaces the automatic call distributor (“ACD”) in a call center. The flow connection modules enable development of modular call centers, allowing call center agent workstations to be easily increased or decreased. In operation, an application notifies its flow connection module that a call on a telephone in the workstation should be transferred to another application. The flow connection module establishes a data connection with a flow connection module associated with the other application. The flow connection module sends call-related data to the other flow connection module which then returns the telephone extension associated with the other application. The flow connection module requests a computer telephony interface (“CTI”) link associated with a phone switch to transfer the call to the other application'"'"'s telephone. The CTI link directs the phone switch to transfer the telephone call from the original application'"'"'s workstation to the telephone of the other workstation. Having received notification of the transferred call, the other flow connection module informs the original flow connection module that the call has been successfully transferred, and the original flow connection module then disconnects the data connection.

Claims

1. A method of transferring a telephone call and associated data, comprising:

(a) receiving, on a first workstation that is connected to a telephone call, a request to transfer the telephone call to a destination workstation external to the first workstation;

(b) the first workstation establishing a data communications link directly between the workstation and the destination workstation;

(c) the first workstation transferring, without human intervention after receipt of the transfer request, data associated with the telephone call to the destination workstation via the communications link;

(d) the first workstation receiving directly from the destination workstation and without human intervention after receipt of the transfer request a telephone address of the destination workstation; and

(e) requesting from the first workstation that a switch external to the first workstation transfer the telephone call to the telephone address of the destination workstation.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the destination workstation is discrete from the first workstation and wherein:

the telephone call is connected to a telephone of the first workstation; and

the telephone address is a telephone number of a telephone of the destination workstation.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the destination workstation is a presently-available one of a plurality of workstations;

the first workstation queries a database for at least some of the data associated with the call;

the first work station determines, based on criteria associated with the call, a destination reference for the call and uses the destination reference in a query to a locator to select the destination workstation, the destination reference being an appropriate skill/split hunt group reference; and

the locator returning to the first workstation an address for a call handling application on the destination workstation, the data communications link being established with a flow connection module in the destination workstation.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the first workstation establishing a data communications link step (b) comprises the steps of;

(B1) the first work station determines a destination reference for the call;

(B2) the first workstation using the destination reference in a query to a locator to select a data address of the destination workstation from a locator;

(B3) the locator selecting a data address of the destination workstation from one of a plurality of possible destination workstation data addresses;

(B4) the locator providing the selected data address to the first workstation; and

(B5) the first workstation establishing the communications connection with the selected data address of the destination workstation.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the first workstation establishing step (b) and first workstation transferring step occur at a different time than the requesting step (e).

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first workstation establishing step (b) and first workstation transferring step (c) occur before the first workstation receiving step (d).

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

(f) the first workstation receiving a call transfer notification from the destination workstation; and

(g) the first workstation disconnecting the communications link with the destination workstation after receiving the call transfer notification.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

(f) the first workstation determining a profile for the telephone call;

(g) a locator referencing data in a locator to determine an appropriate data address for the data associated with the telephone call; and

(h) the first workstation thereafter establishing the data communications link with the destination workstation.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the first workstation transferring step (c) occurs after the requesting step (e).

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the locator comprises a location table containing an ordering of addresses and corresponding call handling applications.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the location table comprises information relating to the availability of the call handling applications and an ordering of phone DNs and agent DNs associated with each call handling application.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the location table contains an attribute set list, an address list, a call handling application list, and a status list and wherein the attribute set list contains attribute identifiers for call center application attributes.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein, in the requesting step (e), the request to transfer the telephone call is sent in a format suitable for receipt by a computer-telephone interface (“

CTI”

) link to a private branch exchange (“

PBX”

) and wherein the first workstation establishing step (b) comprises;

(B1) the first workstation identifying a call-handling application associated with the destination workstation; and

(B2) a locator determining whether the call-handling application is presently active.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

(f) the first workstation receiving client information from a database, wherein the client information comprises the data in the transfer request.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the data in the transfer request comprises an identifier for the telephone call.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein, when the telephone call is disconnected, a disconnect message is sent by the first workstation to the destination workstation.

51. A computer readable medium comprising processor executable instructions to perform the steps of claim 1.

17. A method of transferring a voice communication and associated data, comprising:

(a) receiving, on a first workstation that is connected to a voice communication, a request to transfer the voice communication to a second workstation different from the first workstation;

(b) the first workstation thereafter establishing, without human intervention after receipt of the transfer request, a direct data communications link between the first workstation and the second workstation;

(c) the first workstation directly transferring data associated with the voice communication to the second workstation via the communications link;

(d) the first workstation receiving from the second workstation, and without human intervention after receipt of the transfer request an electronic address of the second workstation; and

(e) requesting from the first workstation that a switch external to the first and second workstations transfer the voice communication to a telephone address of the second workstation.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the voice communication is a telephone call, wherein the electronic address is a telephone address, and wherein:

the telephone call is connected to a first telephone of the first workstation; and

the telephone address is a telephone number of a second telephone of the second workstation.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein:

the second workstation is a presently-available one of a plurality of workstations.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein:

the first workstation establishing a direct data communications link comprises the steps of;

(B1) the first workstation retrieving from the database the data;

(B2) the first workstation requesting a data address associated with the second workstation from a locator;

(B3) the locator selecting a data address associated with the second workstation from one of a plurality of destination data addresses;

(B4) the locator providing the selected data address to the first workstation; and

(B5) the first workstation establishing the communications connection with the selected data address.

21. The method of claim 17, wherein each of the first workstation establishing step (b) and first workstation directly transferring step (c) occur at a different time than the requesting step (e).

22. The method of claim 17, wherein the first workstation establishing step (b) and first workstation directly transferring step (c) occur before the first workstation receiving step (e).

23. The method of claim 17, wherein the voice communication is a telephone call and further comprising:

(f) the first workstation receiving a call transfer notification from the second workstation; and

(g) the first workstation disconnecting the communications link with the second workstation after receiving the call transfer notification.

24. The method of claim 17, wherein the voice communication is a telephone call and further comprising:

(f) the first workstation determining a profile for the telephone call;

(g) the first workstation referencing data in a destination locator to determine an appropriate data address for the data associated with the telephone call; and

(h) the first workstation thereafter establishing the data communications link with the second workstation.

25. The method of claim 17, wherein the first workstation directly transferring step (c) occurs after the requesting step (e).

26. The method of claim 24, wherein the locator comprises a location table containing an ordering of addresses and corresponding call handling applications.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the location table comprises information relating to the availability of the call handling applications and an ordering of phone DNs and agent DNs associated with each call handling application.

28. The method of claim 17, wherein the location table contains an attribute set list, an address list, a call handling application list, and a status list and wherein the attribute set list contains attribute identifiers for call center application attributes.

29. The method of claim 17, wherein, in the requesting step (e), the request to transfer the voice communication is sent in a format suitable for receipt by a computer-telephone interface (“

CTI”

) link to a private branch exchange (“

PBX”

) and wherein the first workstation establishing step (b) comprises;

(B1) identifying a call-handling application associated with the second workstation; and

(B2) determining whether the call-handling application is presently active.

30. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

(f) the first workstation receiving client information from a database, wherein the client information comprises the data in the transfer request.

31. The method of claim 17, wherein the data in the transfer request comprises an identifier for the voice communication.

52. A computer readable medium comprising processor executable instructions to perform the steps of claim 17.

32. A method of transferring a voice communication and associated data, comprising:

(a) providing a first workstation, the first workstation being connected to a voice communication, having in memory data associated with the voice communication, and being in receipt of a request to transfer the voice communication to a destination workstation external to the first workstation;

(b) the first workstation and destination workstation establishing, without human intervention after receipt of and in response to the transfer request, a direct data communications link between the first workstation and the destination workstation;

(c) the destination workstation receiving, from the first workstation and without human intervention after receipt of the transfer request, the data associated with the voice communication via the communications link; and

(d) the destination workstation sending, without human intervention and after receipt of the transfer request, directly to the first workstation a telephone address of the destination workstation;

the telephone address at the destination workstation being connected to the voice communication by a switch external to the first workstation.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein the destination station workstation is discrete from the first workstation and further comprising:

(e) the first workstation requesting that the switch transfer the voice communication to the telephone address of the destination workstation.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein:

the voice communication is a telephone call;

the voice communication is connected to a telephone of the first workstation; and

the telephone address is a telephone number of a telephone of the destination workstation.

35. The method of claim 33, wherein:

the first workstation establishes the communications link with a presently-available one of a plurality of workstations and wherein the destination workstation is selected by a locator from among the plurality of workstations.

36. The method of claim 33, wherein:

the first workstation and destination workstation establishing a data communications link step (b) comprises the steps of;

(B1) the first workstation determining a destination reference associated with the call, the destination reference being a skill/split hunt group;

(B2) the first workstation forwarding the destination reference to a locator;

(B3) the locator selecting a data address of the destination workstation from one of a plurality of destination data addresses;

(B4) the locator providing the selected data address to the first workstation; and

(B5) the first workstation establishing the communications connection with the selected data address of the destination workstation.

53. A computer readable medium comprising processor executable instructions to perform the steps of claim 32.

37. A call center, comprising:

at least first and second workstations;

a data communications link directly between the at least first and second workstations; and

a switch operable to connect a telephone call to the at least one of the first and second workstations, the at least first and second workstations being external to the switch;

wherein, when the first workstation is connected to a telephone call, the first workstation is operable to effect the transfer of the telephone call to the second workstation by (a) transferring, without human intervention after receipt of a call transfer request from a user, data associated with the telephone call from the first workstation directly to the second workstation via the communications link;

(b) without human intervention after receipt of a call transfer request from a user, to receive directly from the second workstation a telephone address of the second workstation; and

(c) requesting that the switch transfer the telephone call to a telephone address of the second workstation.

38. The center of claim 37, wherein:

the telephone call is connected to a first telephone of the first workstation; and

the telephone address is a telephone number of a second telephone of the second workstation.

39. The center of claim 37, further comprising:

a locator operable to select a data address of the second workstation from one of a plurality of destination data addresses and provide the selected data address to the first workstation, the address selection being based on a destination reference received from the first workstation, and wherein;

the first workstation is operable to establish the data communications link by;

requesting a data address of the second workstation from the locator;

receiving the selected data address from the locator; and

establishing the communications connection with the selected data address.

40. The center of claim 37, wherein the locator comprises a location table containing an ordering of addresses and corresponding call handling applications.

41. The center of claim 40, wherein the location table comprises information relating to the availability of the call handling applications and an ordering of phone DNs and agent DNs associated with each call handling application.

42. The center of claim 40, wherein the location table contains an attribute set list, an address list, a call handling application list, and a status list and wherein the attribute set list contains attribute identifiers for call center application attributes.

43. A call center agent workstation, comprising:

a telephone operable to receive a telephone call;

an agent interface operable to receive a request from an agent to transfer the telephone call to a destination workstation external to the agent workstation; and

a flow connection module operable, without agent intervention after receipt of the call transfer request, to (a) establish a data communications link directly between the agent workstation and the destination workstation;

(b) transfer data associated with the telephone call to the destination workstation via the communications link;

(c) receive directly from the destination workstation and without human intervention after receipt of the call transfer request, a telephone address of the destination workstation; and

(d) request that a switch external to the destination workstation transfer the telephone call to the telephone address of the destination workstation.

44. The workstation of claim 43, wherein the agent workstation is a first workstation and the destination workstation is discrete from the first workstation and wherein:

the telephone call is connected to a telephone of the first workstation; and

the telephone address is a telephone number of a telephone of the destination workstation.

45. The workstation of claim 43, wherein:

the agent workstation identifies the destination workstation as a presently-available one of a plurality of possible destination workstations.

46. The workstation of claim 43, wherein:

the flow connection module establishes a data communications link by requesting a data address of the destination workstation from a locator and thereafter establish the communications connection with the selected data address and wherein;

the locator is operable to select the data address of the destination workstation from one of a plurality of destination data addresses and provide the flow connection module with the selected data address.

47. The workstation of claim 46, wherein the flow connection module in the first workstation is further operable to (e) determine a profile for the telephone call and wherein the locator, using information in the profile, is operable to reference data to determine the data address.

48. The workstation of claim 46, wherein the locator comprises a location table containing an ordering of addresses and corresponding call handling applications.

49. The workstation of claim 46, wherein the location table comprises information relating to the availability of the call handling applications and an ordering of phone DNs and agent DNs associated with each call handling application.

50. The workstation of claim 46, wherein the location table contains an attribute set list, an address list, a call handling application list, and a status list and wherein the attribute set list contains attribute identifiers for call center application attributes.