Direction of communications sessions to contact centers

• US 7,822,019 B2
• Filed: 09/29/2006
• Issued: 10/26/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avaya Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Avaya Incorporated
• Inventors: Kelly, Paul, McCormack, Tony
• Primary Examiner(s): Vu; Huy D
• Assistant Examiner(s): RENNER, BRANDON M
• Application Number:
  US11/537,060
• Publication Number:
  US 20080080506A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,488 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 370/352
• 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 3/5166 in combination with interactive voice response systems or voice portals, e.g. as front-ends
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5237 Interconnection arrangements between ACD systems

Abstract

A communications session directed at a group of contact centers is held outside the contact centers at an IVR server, while the requirements of the session are determined. A request is formulated specifying the requirements, and this request is sent to a web services provider agent exposed by the group of contact centers. The request is forwarded to the contact centers which collectively respond with an identification of an address associated with a specific endpoint to which the communications session should be sent in order that it will receive the specified handling. The IVR server holding the call can thereby direct the session to a suitable endpoint without having any need to remain aware of the state of the contact centers or the agents within those centers.

Claims

1. A method of routing a communications session within a contact center, comprising the steps of:

(a) exposing an interface to a network, said interface being configured to receive requests from an external entity for handling communications sessions, said communications sessions being held externally of the contact center, and to forward said requests to a management unit of the contact center, wherein said contact center is a networked contact center composed of a plurality of management units each controlling a respective group of contact center endpoints;

(b) receiving at a first one of said management units one of said requests forwarded from said interface which specifies at least one requirement to be satisfied by a contact center endpoint for handling the communications session;

(c) a first one of said management units determining a network address associated with a contact center endpoint satisfying said at least one requirement by communicating said requirement to one or more of the other management units, awaiting from said one or more other management units a response indicative of said network address; and

(d) said first one of said management units responding to said one of said requests with an indication of said network address received from said one or more other management units.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said step of exposing an interface comprises providing a web service provider agent configured to receive requests conforming to a predetermined structure and to forward said requests in a suitable format to be interpreted by said management unit.

3. A method as claimed in claim 2, wherein said web service provider agent is further configured to make available to external entities a description of requests according to which it can act.

4. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said requirement is a requirement to be satisfied by a contact center agent and said step of determining a network address comprises identifying an agent of the contact center, who is recorded in an agent record as suitable to meet said at least one requirement, and determining a network address to which said communications session should be routed to connect to said agent.

5. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said requirement is communicated to a plurality of said management units and wherein said step of awaiting a response includes awaiting a plurality of responses and selecting a network address from said plurality of responses.

6. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said communicated network address relates to a resource controlled by one of said other management units and wherein said request is passed to said one of said other management units for use as a representation of said communications session.

7. A method of routing a communications session within a plurality of contact centers, comprising the steps of:

(a) exposing a single interface to a network, said interface being configured to receive requests from an external entity for handling communications sessions, said communications sessions being held externally of the plurality of contact centers, and to forward said requests to a first management unit of at least one of the contact centers;

(b) receiving at said first management unit of said at least one contact center one of said requests forwarded from said interface which specifies at least one requirement to be satisfied by a contact center endpoint for handling the communications session;

(c) sending said request to a second management unit being a management unit of another of said contact centers;

(d) said first management unit determining from said second management unit a network address associated with a contact center endpoint satisfying said at least one requirement, wherein said contact center endpoint with which said network address is associated, is under the control of said second management unit; and

(e) said first management unit responding to said one of said requests with an indication of said network address.

8. A method as claimed in claim 7, the method further comprising the step of said second management unit employing said request as a representation of said communications session for use in subsequent processing of said communications session when it arrives at said network address.

9. A method as claimed in claim 7, wherein said interface is configured to forward said requests to a plurality of management units each associated with a different contact center.

10. A method as claimed in claim 9 wherein said plurality of management units are programmed to co-operate in identifying a single network address for use in said response.

11. A distributed contact center system comprising a plurality of contact centers sharing a single network interface, wherein each contact center comprises:

(a) a plurality of endpoints for handling communications sessions; and

(b) a contact center management unit configured to control the routing of communications sessions to said endpoints;

wherein said interface exposes a service provider agent to a network, said service provider agent being configured to receive requests from an external entity for handling communications sessions in accordance with at least one requirement contained in said requests, and to forward said requests to a first management unit of at least one of the contact centers;

and wherein said first management unit of at least one of the contact centers is configured to receive said requests from said service provider agent, to send said requests to a second management unit being a management unit of another of said contact centers, to determine from said second management unit a network address associated with a contact center endpoint satisfying said at least one requirement, wherein said contact center endpoint with which said network address is associated, is under the control of said second management unit, and to respond with said network address associated with said contact center endpoint satisfying said at least one requirement.