Extensible interface for inter-module communication
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method comprising:
- receiving an incoming customer support request at a channel driver, whereinsaid channel driver is in communication with a communication channel,a media type of said communication channel is one of a plurality of media types, andsaid channel driver is configured to communicate with said communication channel using said media type;
in response to said receiving said incoming customer support request,forming a message, whereinsaid forming comprisesinserting customer relations management system information into said message, andconfiguring said message to be communicated to a communication server by encoding at least a portion of said message in a standard format, whereinsaid standard format is independent of said media type of said communication channel,said standard format conforms to a data format specification,said communication server and said channel driver are configured to recognize said standard format, andsaid data format specification defines a plurality of interactions between said communication server and said channel driver;
communicating said message between said communication server and said channel driver, whereinsaid message is configured to transport said customer relations management system information between said communication server and said channel driver, andsaid communicating is performed according to said data format specification;
receiving said message at said communication server, whereinsaid communication server receives said message from said channel driver,said receiving is performed in a media-independent manner by virtue of said communication server and said channel driver being configured to communicate according to said data format specification, andsaid communication server and said channel driver being configured to communicate according to said data format specification allows said communication server and said channel driver to be configured separately; and
causing said communication server to route said incoming customer support request to an agent, whereinsaid communication server is configured to route said incoming customer support request to said agent by virtue of being configured to route said customer relations management system information to a browser coupled to said agent,said causing routes said incoming customer support request to said agent as a work item,said causing comprises pushing said customer relations management system information from said communication server in response to said receiving said message,said customer relations management system information comprises at least one of agent information and work item information,said agent information comprises information regarding a skill set of an agent, andsaid work item information comprises information regarding a task to be performed by said agent.
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Abstract
A method and apparatus for inter-module communication is disclosed. The method includes forming a message that includes customer relations management system information. The customer relations management system information may include, for example, agent information, work item information, queuing information, statistical information, connection information or rule information, among other such information. The message can be communicated in order to perform a function, such as an agent-related function, a work item-related function, a statistics-related function or an administrative function, for example. The message can be, for example, a command, a request or a notification.
145 Citations
72 Claims
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1. A method comprising:
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receiving an incoming customer support request at a channel driver, wherein said channel driver is in communication with a communication channel, a media type of said communication channel is one of a plurality of media types, and said channel driver is configured to communicate with said communication channel using said media type; in response to said receiving said incoming customer support request, forming a message, wherein said forming comprises inserting customer relations management system information into said message, and configuring said message to be communicated to a communication server by encoding at least a portion of said message in a standard format, wherein said standard format is independent of said media type of said communication channel, said standard format conforms to a data format specification, said communication server and said channel driver are configured to recognize said standard format, and said data format specification defines a plurality of interactions between said communication server and said channel driver; communicating said message between said communication server and said channel driver, wherein said message is configured to transport said customer relations management system information between said communication server and said channel driver, and said communicating is performed according to said data format specification; receiving said message at said communication server, wherein said communication server receives said message from said channel driver, said receiving is performed in a media-independent manner by virtue of said communication server and said channel driver being configured to communicate according to said data format specification, and said communication server and said channel driver being configured to communicate according to said data format specification allows said communication server and said channel driver to be configured separately; and causing said communication server to route said incoming customer support request to an agent, wherein said communication server is configured to route said incoming customer support request to said agent by virtue of being configured to route said customer relations management system information to a browser coupled to said agent, said causing routes said incoming customer support request to said agent as a work item, said causing comprises pushing said customer relations management system information from said communication server in response to said receiving said message, said customer relations management system information comprises at least one of agent information and work item information, said agent information comprises information regarding a skill set of an agent, and said work item information comprises information regarding a task to be performed by said agent. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A computer system comprising:
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a processor; computer readable storage medium coupled to said processor; and computer code, encoded in said computer readable storage medium, configured to cause said processor to; receive an incoming customer support request at a channel driver, wherein said channel driver is in communication with a communication channel, a media type of said communication channel is one of a plurality of media types, and said channel driver is configured to communicate with said communication channel using said media type; form a message, in response to said receiving said incoming customer support request, wherein said forming comprises inserting customer relations management system information into said message, and configuring said message to be communicated to a communication server by encoding at least a portion of said message in a standard format, wherein
said standard format is independent of said media type of said communication channel,
said standard format conforms to a data format specification,
said communication server and said channel driver are configured to recognize said standard format, and
said data format specification defines a plurality of interactions between said communication server and said channel driver;communicate said message between said communication server and said channel driver, wherein said message is configured to transport said customer relations management system information between said communication server and said channel driver, and said communicating is performed according to said data format specification; receive said message at said communication server, wherein said communication server receives said message from said channel driver, said receiving is performed in a media-independent manner by virtue of said communication server and said channel driver being configured to communicate according to said data format specification, and said communication server and said channel driver being configured to communicate according to said data format specification allows said communication server and said channel driver to be configured separately; and cause said communication server to route said incoming customer support request to an agent, wherein said communication server is configured to route said incoming customer support request to said agent by virtue of being configured to route said customer relations management system information to a browser coupled to said agent, said causing routes said incoming customer support request to said agent as a work item, said causing comprises pushing said customer relations management system information from said communication server in response to said receiving said message, said customer relations management system information comprises at least one of agent information and work item information, said agent information comprises information regarding a skill set of an agent, and said work item information comprises information regarding a task to be performed by said agent. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. A computer program product comprising:
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a first set of instructions, executable on a computer system, configured to receive an incoming customer support request at a channel driver, wherein said channel driver is in communication with a communication channel, a media type of said communication channel is one of a plurality of media types, and said channel driver is configured to communicate with said communication channel using said media type; a second set of instructions, executable on a computer system, configured to form a message, in response to said receiving said incoming customer support request, wherein said second set of instructions comprises a first subset of instructions, executable on a computer system, configured to insert customer relations management system information into said message, and a second subset of instructions, executable on a computer system, configured to configure said message to be communicated to a communication server, wherein said second subset of instructions comprises a first sub-subset of instructions, executable on a computer system, configured to encode at least a portion of said message in a standard format, wherein
said standard format is independent of said media type of said communication channel,
said standard format conforms to a data format specification,
said communication server and said channel driver are configured to recognize said standard format, and
said data format specification defines a plurality of interactions between said communication server and said channel driver;a third set of instructions, executable on a computer system, configured to communicate said message between said communication server and said channel driver, wherein said message is configured to transport said customer relations management system information between said communication server and said channel driver, and said communicating is performed according to said data format specification; a fourth set of instructions, executable on a computer system, configured to receive said message at said communication server, wherein said communication server receives said message from said channel driver, said receiving is performed in a media-independent manner by virtue of said communication server and said channel driver being configured to communicate according to said data format specification, and said communication server and said channel driver being configured to communicate according to said data format specification allows said communication server and said channel driver to be configured separately; a fifth set of instructions, executable on a computer system, configured to cause said communication server to route said incoming customer support request to an agent, wherein said communication server is configured to route said incoming customer support request to said agent by virtue of being configured to route said customer relations management system information to a browser coupled to said agent, said causing routes said incoming customer support request to said agent as a work item, said causing comprises pushing said customer relations management system information from said communication server in response to said receiving said message, said customer relations management system information comprises at least one of agent information and work item information, said agent information comprises information regarding a skill set of an agent, and said work item information comprises information regarding a task to be performed by said agent; and computer readable storage media, wherein said computer program product is encoded in said computer readable storage media. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
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35. An apparatus comprising:
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a processor; means for receiving an incoming customer support request at a channel driver, wherein said channel driver is in communication with a communication channel, a media type of said communication channel is one of a plurality of media types, and said channel driver is configured to communicate with said communication channel using said media type; means for forming a message, in response to said receiving said incoming customer support request, wherein said means for forming said message is communicatively coupled to said processor, said means for forming comprises means for inserting customer relations management system information into said message, and means for configuring said message to be communicated to a communication server, wherein said means for configuring comprises a means for encoding at least a portion of said message in a standard format, said standard format is independent of said media type of said communication channel, said standard format conforms to a data format specification, said communication server and said channel driver are configured to recognize said standard format, and said data format specification defines a plurality of interactions between said communication server and said channel driver; means for communicating said message between said communication server and said channel driver, wherein said message is configured to transport said customer relations management system information between said communication server and said channel driver, and said communicating is performed according to said data format specification; means for receiving said message at said communication server, wherein said communication server receives said message from said channel driver, said receiving is performed in a media-independent manner by virtue of said communication server and said channel driver being configured to communicate according to said data format specification, and said communication server and said channel driver being configured to communicate according to said data format specification allows said communication server and said channel driver to be configured separately; and means for causing said communication server to route said incoming customer support request to an agent, wherein said means for causing routes said incoming customer support reuuest to said agent by virtue of being configured to route said customer relations management system information to a browser coupled to said agent, said means for causing routes said incoming customer support request to said agent as a work item, said means for causing comprises means for pushing said customer relations management system information from said communication server in response to receipt of said message, said customer relations management system information comprises at least one of agent information and work item information, said agent information comprises information regarding a skill set of an agent, and said work item information comprises information regarding a task to be performed by said agent. - View Dependent Claims (36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44)
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45. A method comprising:
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receiving a communication from an agent at a communication server, wherein said communication from said agent is received in response to a customer support request, said communication server is configured to communicate with a channel driver, said channel driver is in communication with a communication channel, a media type of said communication channel is one of a plurality of media types, and said channel driver is configured to communicate with said communication channel using said media type; in response to receiving said communication from said agent, forming a message, wherein said forming comprises inserting customer relations management system information into said message, wherein said customer relations management system information comprises at least one of agent information and work item information, said agent information comprises information regarding a skill set of an agent, and said work item information comprises information regarding a task to be performed by said agent, and configuring said message to be communicated to said channel driver by encoding at least a portion of said message in a standard format, wherein said standard format conforms to a data format specification, said communication server and said channel driver are configured to recognize said standard format, and said data format specification defines a plurality of interactions between said communication server and said channel driver; communicating said message between said communication server and said channel driver, wherein said message is configured to transport said customer relations management system information between said communication server and said channel driver, and said communicating is performed according to said data format specification; receiving said message at said channel driver, wherein said channel driver receives said message from said communication server, said receiving is performed in a media-independent manner by virtue of said communication server and said channel driver being configured to communicate according to said data format specification, and said communication server and said channel driver being configured to communicate according to said data format specification allows said communication server and said channel driver to be configured separately; and causing said channel driver to route said communication from said agent to said communication channel, wherein said channel driver is configured to route said communication to said communication channel by virtue of being configured to route said customer relations management system information to said communication channel, and said causing comprises communicating said customer relations management system information from said channel driver, in response to said receiving said message. - View Dependent Claims (46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51)
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52. A computer system comprising:
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a processor; computer readable storage medium coupled to said processor; and computer code, encoded in said computer readable storage medium, configured to cause said processor to; receive a communication from an agent at a communication server, wherein said communication from said agent is received in response to a customer support request, said communication server is configured to communicate with a channel driver, said channel driver is in communication with a communication channel, a media type of said communication channel is one of a plurality of media types, and said channel driver is configured to communicate with said communication channel using said media type; form a message, in response to receiving said communication from said agent, wherein said forming comprises inserting customer relations management system information into said message, wherein
said customer relations management system information comprises at least one of agent information and work item information,
said agent information comprises information regarding a skill set of an agent, and
said work item information comprises information regarding a task to be performed by said agent, andconfiguring said message to be communicated to said channel driver by encoding at least a portion of said message in a standard format, wherein
said standard format conforms to a data format specification,
said communication server and said channel driver are configured to recognize said standard format, and
said data format specification defines a plurality of interactions between said communication server and said channel driver;communicate said message between said communication server and said channel driver, wherein said message is configured to transport said customer relations management system information between said communication server and said channel driver, and said communicating is performed according to said data format specification; receive said message at said channel driver, wherein said channel driver receives said message from said communication driver, said receiving is performed in a media-independent manner by virtue of said communication server and said channel driver being configured to communicate according to said data format specification, and said communication server and said channel driver being configured to communicate according to said data format specification allows said communication server and said channel driver to be configured separately; and cause said channel driver to route said communication from said agent to said communication channel, wherein said channel driver is configured to route said communication to said communication channel by virtue of being configured to route said customer relations management system information to said communication channel, and said causing comprises communicating said customer relations management system information from said channel driver, in response to said receiving said message. - View Dependent Claims (53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58)
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59. A computer program product comprising:
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a first set of instructions, executable on a computer system, configured to receive a communication from an agent at a communication server, wherein said communication from said agent is received in response to a customer support request, said communication server is configured to communicate with a channel driver, said channel driver is in communication with a communication channel, a media type of said communication channel is one of a plurality of media types, and said channel driver is configured to communicate with said communication channel using said media type; a second set of instructions, executable on a computer system, configured to form a message, in response to receiving said communication from said agent, wherein said forming comprises inserting customer relations management system information into said message, wherein said customer relations management system information comprises at least one of agent information and work item information, said agent information comprises information regarding a skill set of an agent, and said work item information comprises information regarding a task to be performed by said agent, and configuring said message to be communicated to said channel driver by encoding at least a portion of said message in a standard format, wherein said standard format conforms to a data format specification, said communication server and said channel driver are configured to recognize said standard format, and said data format specification defines a plurality of interactions between said communication server and said channel driver; a third set of instructions, executable on a computer system, configured to communicate said message between said communication server and said channel driver, wherein said message is configured to transport said customer relations management system information between said communication server and said channel driver, and said communicating is performed according to said data format specification; a fourth set of instructions, executable on a computer system, configured to receive said message at said channel driver, wherein said channel driver receives said message from said communication server, said receiving is performed in a media-independent manner by virtue of said communication server and said channel driver being configured to communicate according to said data format specification, and said communication server and said channel driver being configured to communicate according to said data format specification allows said communication server and said channel driver to be configured separately; a fifth set of instructions, executable on a computer system, configured to cause said channel driver to route said communication from said agent to said communication channel, wherein said channel driver is configured to route said communication to said communication channel by virtue of being configured to route said customer relations management system information to said communication channel, and said causing comprises communicating said customer relations management system information from said channel driver, in response to said receiving said message; and computer readable storage media, wherein said computer program product is encoded in said computer readable storage media. - View Dependent Claims (60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65)
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66. An apparatus comprising:
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a processor; and means for receiving a communication from an agent at a communication server, wherein said communication from said agent is received in response to a customer support request, said communication server is configured to communicate with a channel driver, said channel driver is in communication with a communication channel, a media type of said communication channel is one of a plurality of media types, and said channel driver is configured to communicate with said communication channel using said media type; means for forming a message, in response to receiving said communication from said agent, wherein said means for forming is communicatively coupled to said processor, said means for forming comprises means for inserting customer relations management system information into said message, wherein said customer relations management system information comprises at least one of agent information and work item information. said agent information comprises information regarding a skill set of an agent, and said work item information comprises information regarding a task to be performed by said agent, and means for configuring said message to be communicated to said channel driver by encoding at least a portion of said message in a standard format, wherein said standard format conforms to a data format specification, said communication server and said channel driver are configured to recognize said standard format, and said data format specification defines a plurality of interactions between said communication server and said channel driver; means for communicating said message between said communication server and said channel driver, wherein said message is configured to transport said customer relations management system information between said communication server and said channel driver, and said communicating is performed according to said data format specification; means for receiving said message at said channel driver, wherein said channel driver receives said message from said communication server, said receiving is performed in a media-independent manner by virtue of said communication server and said channel driver being configured to communicate according to said data format specification, and said communication server and said channel driver being configured to communicate according to said data format specification allows said communication server and said channel driver to be configured separately, means for causing said channel driver to route said communication from said agent to said communication channel, wherein said channel driver is configured to route said communication to said communication channel by virtue of being configured to route said customer relations management system information to said communication channel, and said causing comprises communicating said customer relations management system information from said channel driver, in response to said receiving said message. - View Dependent Claims (67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72)
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Specification