Location-based bridging in call centers

• US 7,421,072 B2
• Filed: 10/04/2002
• Issued: 09/02/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/04/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avaya Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Avaya Incorporated
• Inventors: Seligmann, Doree Duncan, Matula, Valentine C., Sammon, Michael J., Brotman, Lynne Shapiro, Jean, Yves D.
• Primary Examiner(s): ADDY, THJUAN KNOWLIN
• Application Number:
  US10/265,068
• Publication Number:
  US 20040202306A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,160 Days
• Field of Search: 379/265.01, 379/265.02, 379/201.01, 379/265.03, 379/201.06, 379/202.01, 379/208.01, 379/203.01, 455/414.1, 455/422.1, 455/445, 455/428, 455/420, 455/456.3, 709/204
• US Class Current: 379/265.01
• 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 3/5175 Call or contact centers supervision arrangements

Abstract

A call center apparatus for automatically bridging a mobile user (e.g., a supervisor, etc.) into an existing conversation between a telephone operator and a caller is disclosed. The illustrative embodiments bridge the mobile user into the conversation of the closest telephone operator for which the mobile user has bridging authority.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving a first signal from a wireless communications terminal W that is in the vicinity of a plurality of communications terminals, wherein each of said plurality of communications terminals enables a respective conversation, and wherein said wireless communications terminal W is authorized to bridge into a non-empty subset C of said conversations; and

bridging said wireless communications terminal W into the conversation z of said subset C whose communications terminal is closest to W.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said plurality of communications terminals are at fixed locations.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said plurality of communications terminals are attended by call center operators.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein another wireless communications terminal V that is in the vicinity of said plurality of communications terminals is already bridged into said conversation z when said wireless communications terminal W is bridged into said conversation z.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein another wireless communications terminal V that is in the vicinity of said plurality of communications terminals is already bridged into one of said conversations other than z.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving a second signal from said wireless communications terminal W; and

dropping said wireless communications terminal W from said conversation z.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving a second signal from a wireless communications terminal V that is in the vicinity of said plurality of communications terminals, wherein said wireless communications terminal V is authorized to bridge into a non-empty subset D of said conversations; and

bridging said wireless communications terminal V into the conversation of said subset D whose communications terminal is closest to V.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving a second signal from a wireless communications terminal V that is in the vicinity of said plurality of communications terminals, wherein said wireless communications terminal V is authorized to bridge into a non-empty subset D of said conversations that includes z; and

when the communications terminal that enables said conversation z is closer to V than any other of the communications terminals that enable conversations of said subset D, bridging said wireless communications terminal W into said conversation z.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprising:

receiving a third signal from said wireless communications terminal V; and

dropping said wireless communications terminal V from said conversation z.

10. The method of claim 8 further comprising:

receiving a third signal from said wireless communications terminal W; and

dropping said wireless communications terminal W from said conversation z.

11. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving a second signal from a wireless communications terminal V that is in the vicinity of said plurality of communications terminals, wherein said wireless communications terminal V is authorized to bridge into a non-empty subset D of said conversations that includes z; and

when the communications terminal that enables said conversation z is closer to V than any other of the communications terminals that enable conversations of said subset D, bridging said wireless communications terminal W into the conversation of said subset D whose communications terminal is second closest to W.