Computer telephony integration (CTI) complete customer contact center

• US 7,620,170 B2
• Filed: 12/31/2002
• Issued: 11/17/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Wellons, David L., Turcan, Diane Brown
• Primary Examiner(s): DEANE JR, WILLIAM J
• Application Number:
  US10/335,113
• Publication Number:
  US 20040125937A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,513 Days
• Field of Search: 37926501-26514, 379/266.01, 379/266.1
• US Class Current: 379/265.02
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/2072 Schedules, e.g. personal calendars
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/6054 Biometric subscriber identification
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4211 where the identifier is used to access a profile
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42263 where the same subscriber uses different terminals, i.e. nomadism
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42323 PBX's with CTI arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42357 where the information is provided to a monitoring entity such as a potential calling party or a call processing server
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5183 Call or contact centers with computer-telephony arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5191 interacting with the Internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5232 Call distribution algorithms

Abstract

Methods and systems are disclosed for enabling a dynamic contact center (DCC) that leverages the assets of a business'"'"' communications systems including internal telecommunications networks, information systems, data networks, and applications, of public telecommunications networks, of public data networks, and/or of various communications devices to facilitate improved access, sharing, notification, and/or management of incoming calls and associated data of the business'"'"' call center.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

detecting an incoming communication to a call management system that intelligently routes the incoming communication to a designated party, the designated party having a plurality of communications devices which may receive the incoming communication;

accessing a staff directory to associate a communications profile with the incoming communication;

causing a split of a display screen into two viewing areas, with a first viewing area presenting the incoming communication and a second viewing area presenting information associated with the communications profile;

determining a status of each of the designated party'"'"'s plurality of communications devices, the status comprising availability data of the designated party, location data of the designated party, and availability data of each communications device;

mapping the location data associated with the designated party to determine the designated party'"'"'s location within a contact center;

if the designated party'"'"'s location indicates the designated party is unavailable to receive the incoming communication, then routing the incoming communication to an agent'"'"'s station;

if the designated party'"'"'s location indicates the designated party is proximate to a restroom within the contact center, then routing the incoming communication to an agent'"'"'s station;

if the designated party is available to receive the incoming communication, then routing the incoming communications to a selected communications device of the designated party'"'"'s plurality of communications devices, the selected communications device having the status to receive and to present the incoming communication;

if the designated party is available to receive the incoming communication, but the designated party'"'"'s plurality of communications devices are unavailable, then, based on the designated party'"'"'s location, routing the incoming communication to a nearby facility communications device that is proximate to the designated party'"'"'s location within the contact center; and

receiving a messaging confirmation notification that confirms presentation of the incoming communication at the selected communications device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein associating the communications profile with the incoming communication comprises accessing a hospitality call center application for managing the communications profile.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising converting the incoming communication from a first data format compatible with the agent station to a second data format compatible with the selected communications device.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the first data format comprises at least one of printed text format, a voice data format, a video data format, a dual-tone multi-frequency data format, and a digital data format.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the second data format comprises at least one of printed text format, a voice data format, a video data format, a dual-tone multi-frequency data format, and a digital data format.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving an indication that the incoming communication was received at the designated party'"'"'s selected communications device.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving location coordinates describing the location of the designated party.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein when the nearby facility communications device is within a conference room with an ongoing meeting, then determining the status of the nearby facility communications device as unavailable to receive the incoming communication.

9. A system, comprising:

means for detecting an incoming communication to a hospitality call management system that intelligently routes the incoming communication to a designated party, the designated party having a plurality of communications devices which may receive the incoming communication;

means for accessing a staff directory to associate a communications profile with the incoming communication;

means for causing a split of a display screen into two viewing areas, with a first viewing area presenting the incoming communication and a second viewing area presenting information associated with the communications profile;

means for associating a communications profile with the incoming communication;

means for determining a status of each of the designated party'"'"'s plurality of communications devices, the status comprising availability data of the designated party, location data of the designated party, and availability data of each communications device;

means for mapping the location data associated with the designated party to determine the designated party'"'"'s location within a contact center;

if the designated party'"'"'s location indicates the designated party is unavailable to receive the incoming communication, then means for routing the incoming communication to an agent'"'"'s station;

if the designated party'"'"'s location indicates the designated party is proximate to a restroom within the contact center, then means for routing the incoming communication to an agent'"'"'s station;

if the designated party is available to receive the incoming communication, then means for routing the incoming communications to a selected communications device of the designated party'"'"'s plurality of communications devices, the selected communications device having the status to receive and to present the incoming communication;

if the designated party is available to receive the incoming communication, but the designated party'"'"'s plurality of communications devices are unavailable, then, based on the designated party'"'"'s location, means for routing the incoming communication to a nearby facility communications device that is proximate to the designated party'"'"'s location within the contact center; and

means for receiving a messaging confirmation notification that confirms presentation of the incoming communication at the selected communications device.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein associating the communications profile with the incoming communication comprises accessing a hospitality call center application for managing the communications profile.

11. The system of claim 10, further comprising converting the incoming communication from a first data format compatible with the agent station to a second data format compatible with the selected communications device.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the first data format comprises at least one of printed text format, a voice data format, a video data format, a dual-tone multi-frequency data format, and a digital data format.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the second data format comprises at least one of printed text format, a voice data format, a video data format, a dual-tone multi-frequency data format, and a digital data format.

14. The system of claim 9, further comprising receiving an indication that the incoming communication was received at the designated party'"'"'s selected communications device.

15. The system of claim 9, further comprising receiving location coordinates describing the location of the designated party.

16. The system of claim 9, wherein when the nearby facility communications device is within a conference room with an ongoing meeting, then determining the status of the nearby facility communications device as unavailable to receive the incoming communication.

17. A computer readable media on which is encoded processor executable instructions for performing a method, the method comprising:

detecting an incoming communication to a hospitality call management system that intelligently routes the incoming communication to a designated party, the designated party having a plurality of communications devices which may receive the incoming communication;

accessing a staff directory to associate a communications profile with the incoming communication;

causing a split of a display screen into two viewing areas, with a first viewing area presenting the incoming communication and a second viewing area presenting information associated with the communications profile;

associating a communications profile with the incoming communication;

determining a status of each of the designated party'"'"'s plurality of communications devices, the status comprising availability data of the designated party, location data of the designated party, and availability data of each communications device;

mapping the location data associated with the designated party to determine the designated party'"'"'s location within a contact center;

if the designated party'"'"'s location indicates the designated party is unavailable to receive the incoming communication, then routing the incoming communication to an agent'"'"'s station;

if the designated party'"'"'s location indicates the designated party is proximate to a restroom within the contact center, then routing the incoming communication to an agent'"'"'s station;

if the designated party is available to receive the incoming communication, then routing the incoming communications to a selected communications device of the designated party'"'"'s plurality of communications devices, the selected communications device having the status to receive and to present the incoming communication;

if the designated party is available to receive the incoming communication, but the designated party'"'"'s plurality of communications devices are unavailable, then, based on the designated party'"'"'s location, routing the incoming communication to a nearby facility communications device that is proximate to the designated party'"'"'s location within the contact center; and

receiving a messaging confirmation notification that confirms presentation of the incoming communication at the selected communications device.

18. The computer readable media of claim 17, wherein associating the communications profile with the incoming communication comprises accessing a hospitality call center application for managing the communications profile.

19. The computer readable media of claim 18, further comprising converting the incoming communication from a first data format compatible with the agent station to a second data format compatible with the selected communications device.

20. The computer readable media of claim 19, wherein the first data format comprises at least one of printed text format, a voice data format, a video data format, a dual-tone multi-frequency data format, and a digital data format.

21. The computer readable media of claim 19, wherein the second data format comprises at least one of printed text format, a voice data format, a video data format, a dual-tone multi-frequency data format, and a digital data format.

22. The computer readable media of claim 17, further comprising receiving an indication that the incoming communication was received at the designated party'"'"'s selected communications device.

23. The computer readable media of claim 17, further comprising receiving location coordinates describing the location of the designated party.

24. The computer readable media of claim 17, wherein when the nearby facility communications device is within a conference room with an ongoing meeting, then determining the status of the nearby facility communications device as unavailable to receive the incoming communication.