Method and system for handling a queued automatic call distributor call

• US 7,630,486 B2
• Filed: 09/20/2005
• Issued: 12/08/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/20/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Jabbour, Fadi R., Lee, David C., Lee, Johnny H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gauthier; Gerald
• Application Number:
  US11/231,598
• Publication Number:
  US 20070071223A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,540 Days
• Field of Search: 379/269.01, 379 8801- 8828, 379/265.01, 379/209.01, 379/266.1, 455/414.1, 709/248
• US Class Current: 379/265.01
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/48 Arrangements for recalling a calling subscriber when the wanted subscriber ceases to be busy
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5231 with call back arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/006 Networks other than PSTN/ISDN providing telephone service, e.g. Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) , including next generation networks with a packet-switched transport layer H04L65/00 takes precedence; aspects not specific to the type of network H04M3/00; special services in those networks H04M3/42

Abstract

A method for handling a queued automatic call distributor call includes receiving a call from an endpoint of a caller over a first connection. The call comprises a request for service. The method includes connecting the call to an automatic call distributor through a second connection and determining that the call is queued. The method includes terminating the first connection with the caller and receiving an indicator to reestablish a connection with the caller. The method also includes reestablishing a connection with the caller.

Claims

1. A method for handling a queued automatic call distributor call, comprising:

receiving a call from an endpoint of a caller over a first connection, the call comprising a request for service;

connecting the call to an automatic call distributor through a second connection;

determining that the call is queued;

terminating the first connection with the caller while maintaining the second connection with the automatic call distributor;

receiving an indicator to reestablish a connection with the caller; and

reestablishing a connection with the caller.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving an indicator to reestablish a connection with the caller comprises monitoring the second connection with the automatic call distributor to receive the indicator.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving an indicator to reestablish a connection with the caller comprises receiving through the second connection with the automatic call distributor a signal indicating a transfer of the call to an agent.

4. The method of claim 3:

further comprising communicating a message to the automatic call distributor over the second connection for an agent to transmit a transfer signal when the call is transferred to an agent; and

wherein receiving through the second connection with the automatic call distributor a signal indicating a transfer of the call to an agent comprises receiving through the second connection the transfer signal indicating the transfer of the call to an agent.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving an indicator to reestablish a connection with the caller comprises receiving through the second connection with the automatic call distributor predefined speech indicating an answering of the call by an agent.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving an indicator to reestablish a connection with the caller comprises receiving through the second connection with the automatic call distributor an indication that hold music has terminated.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving an indicator to reestablish a connection with the caller comprises receiving a wait time for the queued call.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving an indicator to reestablish a connection with the caller comprises receiving a SIP communication indicating a transfer of the call to an agent.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein reestablishing a connection with the caller comprises ringing the endpoint of the caller.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving an indicator to reestablish a connection with the caller comprises receiving from the endpoint of the caller a request for connection.

11. The method of claim 10:

further comprising communicating a hold time to the endpoint of the caller; and

wherein receiving from the endpoint of the caller a request for connection comprises receiving from the endpoint of the caller a request for connection upon approximate elapsing of the hold time.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising communicating a hold time to the caller.

13. A system for handling a queued automatic call distributor call, comprising:

an interface operable to receive a call from an endpoint of a caller over a first connection, the call comprising a request for service; and

a processor coupled to the interface and operable to;

connect the call to an automatic call distributor through a second connection;

determine that the call is queued;

terminate the first connection with the caller while maintaining the second connection with the automatic call distributor;

receive an indicator to reestablish a connection with the caller; and

reestablishing a connection with the caller.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein a processor operable to receive an indicator to reestablish a connection with the caller comprises a processor operable to monitor the second connection with the automatic call distributor to receive the indicator.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein a processor operable to receive an indicator to reestablish a connection with the caller comprises a processor operable to receive through the second connection with the automatic call distributor a signal indicating a transfer of the call to an agent.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein:

the processor is further operable to communicate a message to the automatic call distributor over the second connection for an agent to transmit a transfer signal when the call is transferred to an agent; and

a processor operable to receive through the second connection with the automatic call distributor a signal indicating a transfer of the call to an agent comprises a processor operable to receive through the second connection the transfer signal indicating the transfer of the call to an agent.

17. The system of claim 13, wherein a processor operable to receive an indicator to reestablish a connection with the caller comprises a processor operable to receive through the second connection with the automatic call distributor predefined speech indicating an answering of the call by an agent.

18. The system of claim 13, wherein a processor operable to receive an indicator to reestablish a connection with the caller comprises a processor operable to receive through the second connection with the automatic call distributor an indication that hold music has terminated.

19. The system of claim 13, wherein a processor operable to receive an indicator to reestablish a connection with the caller comprises a processor operable to receive a wait time for the queued call.

20. The system of claim 13, wherein a processor operable to receive an indicator to reestablish a connection with the caller comprises a processor operable to receive a SIP communication indicating a transfer of the call to an agent.

21. The system of claim 13, wherein a processor operable to reestablish a connection with the caller comprises a processor operable to ring the endpoint of the caller.

22. The system of claim 13, wherein a processor operable to receive an indicator to reestablish a connection with the caller comprises a processor operable to receive from the endpoint of the caller a request for connection.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein:

the processor is further operable to communicate a hold time to the endpoint of the caller; and

a processor operable to receive from the endpoint of the caller a request for connection comprises a processor operable to receive from the endpoint of the caller a request for connection upon approximate elapsing of the hold time.

24. The system of claim 13, wherein the processor is further operable to communicate a hold time to the caller.

25. A system for handling a queued automatic call distributor call, comprising:

means for receiving a call from an endpoint of a caller over a first connection, the call comprising a request for service;

means for connecting the call to an automatic call distributor through a second connection;

means for determining that the call is queued;

means for terminating the first connection with the caller while maintaining the second connection with the automatic call distributor;

means for receiving an indicator to reestablish a connection with the caller; and

means for reestablishing a connection with the caller.

26. Logic embodied in a computer readable medium, the computer readable medium comprising code operable to:

receive a call from an endpoint of a caller over a first connection, the call comprising a request for service;

connect the call to an automatic call distributor through a second connection;

determine that the call is queued;

terminate the first connection with the caller while maintaining the second connection with the automatic call distributor;

receive an indicator to reestablish a connection with the caller; and

reestablish a connection with the caller.

27. The medium of claim 26, wherein code operable to receive an indicator to reestablish a connection with the caller comprises code operable to monitor the second connection with the automatic call distributor to receive the indicator.

28. The medium of claim 26, wherein code operable to receive an indicator to reestablish a connection with the caller comprises code operable to receive through the second connection with the automatic call distributor a signal indicating a transfer of the call to an agent.

29. The medium of claim 28, wherein:

the code is further operable to communicate a message to the automatic call distributor over the second connection for an agent to transmit a transfer signal when the call is transferred to an agent; and

code operable to receive through the second connection with the automatic call distributor a signal indicating a transfer of the call to an agent comprises code operable to receive through the second connection the transfer signal indicating the transfer of the call to an agent.

30. The medium of claim 26, wherein code operable to receive an indicator to reestablish a connection with the caller comprises code operable to receive through the second connection with the automatic call distributor predefined speech indicating an answering of the call by an agent.

31. The medium of claim 26, wherein code operable to receive an indicator to reestablish a connection with the caller comprises code operable to receive through the second connection with the automatic call distributor an indication that hold music has terminated.

32. The medium of claim 26, wherein code operable to receive an indicator to reestablish a connection with the caller comprises code operable to receive a wait time for the queued call.

33. The medium of claim 26, wherein code operable to receive an indicator to reestablish a connection with the caller comprises code operable to receive a SIP communication indicating a transfer of the call to an agent.

34. The medium of claim 26, wherein code operable to reestablish a connection with the caller comprises code operable to ring the endpoint of the caller.

35. The medium of claim 26, wherein code operable to receive an indicator to reestablish a connection with the caller comprises code operable to receive from the endpoint of the caller a request for connection.

36. The medium of claim 35, wherein:

the code is further operable to communicate a hold time to the endpoint of the caller; and

code operable to receive from the endpoint of the caller a request for connection comprises code operable to receive from the endpoint of the caller a request for connection upon approximate elapsing of the hold time.

37. The medium of claim 26, wherein the code is further operable to communicate a hold time to the caller.