Data model of participation in multi-channel and multi-party contacts

• US 7,953,859 B1
• Filed: 06/03/2004
• Issued: 05/31/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avaya Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Avaya Incorporated
• Inventors: Taylor, Robin Donald, Kiefhaber, Sarah Hildebrandt, Zanoni, David, Snyder, Robert W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pwu; Jeffrey
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nooristany; Sulaiman
• Application Number:
  US10/861,193
• Time in Patent Office: 2,553 Days
• Field of Search: 709/227
• US Class Current: 709/227
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5175 Call or contact centers supervision arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5191 interacting with the Internet

Abstract

The present invention is directed to a contact center that includes a switching fabric 110, 130 operable to configure a communication session between a first customer and a first resource 138 for servicing of a first contact by the first resource and a contact tracking agent 232 operable, during the servicing of the first contact by the first resource, to (a) monitor the first contact center endpoint for at least one of (i) a change in contact state, (ii) the connection of the first resource and the first customer through a second (new) communication channel, and (iii) the addition of a party to and/or removal of a party from the communication session and (b), when the at least one of (i)-(iii) occurs, terminate a first contact part and create a second contact part. The first and second contact parts are associated with the communication session.

Claims

1. In a contact center comprising a plurality of resources for servicing a plurality of contacts, the plurality of resources corresponding to a plurality of contact center endpoints, a method comprising:

(a) at least one of receiving a first contact from an endpoint of a first customer and initiating the first contact to the first customer'"'"'s endpoint;

(b) creating, by a processor executable contact tracking agent and in connection with the first contact, a first contact part for the first customer endpoint, the first contact part describing the first customer, contact state of the first contact with reference to the first customer, and a communication channel of the first customer endpoint in the first contact;

(c) connecting the first contact with a first contact center resource to service the first customer by the first contact center resource;

(d) in response to step (c), creating, by the contact tracking agent and in connection with the first contact, a second contact part for the first contact center resource, the second contact part describing the first contact center resource, contact state of the first contact with reference to the first contact center resource, and a communication channel used by a first contact center endpoint associated with the first contact center resource, each of the first and second contact parts being related to the first contact;

(e) while the first customer is serviced by the first contact center resource in the first contact, monitoring, by the contact tracking agent, each of the first customer endpoint and the first contact center endpoint for an occurrence of at least one of (i) a further change in contact state;

(ii) a connection of the first contact center resource and the first customer by a new communication channel; and

(iii) adding another party to the first contact and/or transferring the first contact to a new party; and

(f) applying, by the contact tracking agent, at least one of the following rules;

(F1) when at least one of (i) a further change in contact state and (ii) the connection of the first contact center resource and the first customer by a new communication channel occurs at one of the first customer endpoint and the first contact center endpoint, creating, by the contact tracking agent, a third contact part comprising an attribute of the occurrence, the third contact part being associated with the one of the first customer and first contact center resource and the first contact, wherein each of the first, second, and third contact parts comprises a plurality of common types of attributes; and

(F2) when (iii) occurs, creating, by the contact tracking agent, a fourth contact part comprising an attribute of the occurrence, the fourth contact part being associated with the new party and the first contact, wherein each of the first, second, and fourth contact parts comprises a plurality of common types of attributes.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein rule (F1) applies.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the at least one of (i) a further change in contact state and (ii) the connection of the first contact center resource and the first customer by a new communication channel has occurred at the first customer endpoint, but not the first contact center endpoint, and wherein the first contact part, but not the second contact part, is terminated and the third contact part is created, the first, second, and third contact parts being associated with the first contact.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein a further change in contact state occurs.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the contact state in the first contact part changes from a first state to a second state, wherein the first and second contact parts temporally overlap, wherein a contact part related describes the relationship between the first and second contact parts, and wherein the first and second states are each one of active, inactive, queued, ringing, and terminating.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first contact center resource and the first customer endpoints are connected through the new communication channel, and wherein each of the first and second contact parts comprises a plurality of the following attributes:

contact type code, media code (which identifies the type of media/medium used during the contact part), contact part ID (which uniquely identifies the contact part), contact ID (which uniquely identifies the contact of which the contact part is a subpart), state ID (which identifies the state of the corresponding monitored endpoint to which the contact part corresponds), contact media interaction start datetime (the date/time that the contact media interaction started), party ID, business role code, party role start datetime, wait treatment ID, active media mask (a mapping of possible media types and their direction), contact part delivery source code, UCID (Universal Call Identifier), contact part datetime started (the date/time that the contact part started), contact part datetime stopped (the date/time that the contact part stopped), observing call flag, trunk ID, contact part routing method code, contact part purpose code, extension ID, routing construct ID, contact part subject (a text description of the subject of the message), contact participation group ID, contact direction code, malicious call flag, queue priority, login ID, login start date/time, data source ID, reschedule datetime (time stamp indicating when the contact connected to this part will be rescheduled to make another attempt), contact control indicator, state reason ID, calling number ID (the number dialed by the originator of the contact), and dialed number purpose ID.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the original and new communication channels are each different ones of an audio communication over the PSTN, voice-over-IP, text chat, instant messaging, a video stream, e-mail, facsimile, and voice messaging and wherein the second, but not the first, contact part is terminated in response to the occurrence of the at least one of (i) further change in contact state;

(ii) connection of the first contact center resource and the first customer by the new communication channel; and

(iii) adding another party to the first contact and/or transferring the first contact to a new party.

8. The method of claim 2, wherein the contact tracking agent creates:

a contact media interaction associated with the occurrence and the third contact part,

a contact part purpose classifying a purpose of the first contact part, and

a contact part related defining a reason for a relationship between the first and second contact parts, and wherein a set of data structures associated with the first contact is associated with a plurality of contact parts, the plurality of contact parts including the first, second, and third contact parts, each contact part being associated with only one of the first customer and first contact center resource.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

(g) during the servicing of the first contact by the first contact center resource, monitoring the first customer'"'"'s endpoint for the at least one of (i) further change in contact state and (ii) connection of the first contact center resource and the first customer by the new communication channel; and

(h) identifying an occurrence of the at least one of (i) further change in contact state and (ii) connection of the first contact center resource and the first customer by the new communication channel;

(i) in response to the occurrence, creating the occurrence as the third contact part.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the creating step (i) comprises:

terminating the first contact part, but not the second contact part, and creating the third contact part, the first and third contact parts being associated with the first contact.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein rule (F2) applies.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein a contact participation group shows a relationship of the first, second, and fourth contact parts and wherein each of the first and second contact parts is associated with a plurality of a contact part related, contact participation group, contact part purpose, contact part related reason, contact media interaction, contact media interaction disposition, contact part qualifier, contact part delivery source, contact part disposition, contact part routing method, contact part wait treatment, contact qualifier, dialed number purpose, disposition, media, party login, routing construct, routing construct contact part, state reason, step, and step contact part.

13. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising processor executable instructions that, when executed, perform the steps of claim 1.

14. A system, comprising:

(a) a plurality of resources for servicing a plurality of contacts, the plurality of resources corresponding to a plurality of contact center endpoints,

(b) an input operable to receive a first contact from an endpoint of a first customer and/or initiate the first contact to the first customer'"'"'s endpoint;

(c) a switching fabric operable to connect the first contact with a first contact center endpoint of a first contact center resource, the first contact center resource servicing the first customer during the connected first contact, wherein the connected first contact comprises a first communication medium, but not a second communication medium, between the first customer endpoint and the first contact center endpoint;

(d) a contact tracking agent operable to;

(D1) create, in connection with the first contact, a first contact part for the first customer endpoint, the first contact part describing the first customer, contact state of the first contact with reference to the first customer, and a first communication medium of the first customer endpoint in the first contact;

(D2) create, in connection with the connected first contact, a second contact part for the first contact center resource, the second contact part describing the first contact center resource, contact state of the connected first contact with reference to the first contact center resource, and the first communication medium used by a first contact center endpoint, each of the first and second contact parts being related to the connected first contact;

(D3) while the first customer is serviced by the first contact center resource in the connected first contact, monitor each of the first customer endpoint and the first contact center endpoint for an occurrence of at least one of (i) a further change in contact state;

(ii) a connection of the first contact center resource and the first customer by the second communication medium; and

(iii) adding another party to the connected first contact and/or transferring the connected first contact to a new party; and

(D4) apply at least one of the following rules;

(D4.1) when at least one of (i) a further change in contact state and (ii) the connection of the first contact center resource and the first customer by the second communication medium occurs at one of the first customer endpoint and the first contact center endpoint, create a third contact part comprising an attribute of the occurrence, the third contact part being associated with the one of the first customer and first contact center resource and the connected first contact, wherein each of the first, second, and third contact parts comprises a plurality of common types of attributes; and

(D4.2) when (iii) occurs, create a fourth contact part comprising an attribute of the occurrence, the fourth contact part being associated with the new party and the connected first contact, wherein each of the first, second, and fourth contact parts comprises a plurality of common types of attributes.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein rule (D4.1) applies.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the at least one of (i) a further change in contact state and (ii) the connection of the first contact center resource and the first customer by the second communication medium has occurred at the first customer endpoint, but not the first contact center endpoint, and wherein the first contact part, but not the second contact part, is terminated and the third contact part is created, the first, second, and third contact parts being associated with the connected first contact.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein a further change in contact state occurs.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the contact state in the first contact part changes from a first state to a second state, wherein the first and second contact parts temporally overlap, wherein a contact part related describes the relationship between the first and second contact parts, and wherein the first and second states are each one of active, inactive, queued, ringing, and terminating.

19. The system of claim 14, wherein the first contact center resource and the first customer endpoints are connected through the second communication medium.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the first and second communication mediums are each different ones of an audio communication over the PSTN, voice-over-IP, text chat, instant messaging, a video stream, e-mail, facsimile, and voice messaging and wherein the second, but not the first, contact part is terminated in response to the occurrence of the at least one of (i) further change in contact state;

(ii) connection of the first contact center resource and the first customer by the second communication medium; and

(iii) adding another party to the first contact and/or transferring the first contact to a new party.

21. The system of claim 15, wherein a contact media interaction associated with the occurrence and the third contact part is created and wherein a contact part purpose classifies a purpose of the first contact part.

22. The system of claim 14, wherein the contact tracking agent is further operable to:

(E) during the servicing of the first customer by the first contact center resource, monitor the first customer'"'"'s endpoint for the at least one of (i) further change in contact state and (ii) connection of the first contact center resource and the first customer by the second communication medium;

(F) identify an occurrence of the at least one of (i) further change in contact state and (ii) connection of the first contact center resource and the first customer by the second communication medium; and

(G) in response to the occurrence, create the occurrence as the third contact part.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the creating operation (G) comprises:

terminating the first contact part, but not the second contact part, and creating the third contact part, the first and third contact parts being associated with the connected first contact.

24. The system of claim 14, wherein rule (D4.2) applies.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein a contact participation group shows a relationship of the first, second, and fourth contact parts.

38. The system of claim 14, wherein the contact tracking agent creates a contact part related defining a reason for a relationship between the first, second, and third contact parts and wherein a set of data structures associated with the first contact is associated with a plurality of contact parts, the plurality of contact parts including the first and second contact parts, each contact part being associated with only one of the first customer and resource.

39. The system of claim 14, wherein each of the first and second contact parts is associated with a plurality of a contact part related, contact participation group, contact part purpose, contact part related reason, contact media interaction, contact media interaction disposition, contact part qualifier, contact part delivery source, contact part disposition, contact part routing method, contact part wait treatment, contact qualifier, dialed number purpose, disposition, media, party login, routing construct, routing construct contact part, state reason, step, and step contact part.

40. The system of claim 14, wherein each of the first and second contact parts comprises a plurality of the following attributes:

contact type code, media code (which identifies the type of media/medium used during the contact part), contact part ID (which uniquely identifies the contact part), contact ID (which uniquely identifies the contact of which the contact part is a subpart), state ID (which identifies the state of the corresponding monitored endpoint to which the contact part corresponds), contact media interaction start datetime (the date/time that the contact media interaction started), party ID, business role code, party role start datetime, wait treatment ID, active media mask (a mapping of possible media types and their direction), contact part delivery source code, UCID (Universal Call Identifier), contact part datetime started (the date/time that the contact part started), contact part datetime stopped (the date/time that the contact part stopped), observing call flag, trunk ID, contact part routing method code, contact part purpose code, extension ID, routing construct ID, contact part subject (a text description of the subject of the message), contact participation group ID, contact direction code, malicious call flag, queue priority, login ID, login start date/time, data source ID, reschedule datetime (time stamp indicating when the contact connected to this part will be rescheduled to make another attempt), contact control indicator, state reason ID, calling number ID (the number dialed by the originator of the contact), and dialed number purpose ID.

26. A method, comprising:

(a) receiving, by a computer server, a first contact from an endpoint of a first customer;

(b) connecting, by the server, the first contact with a first contact center endpoint of a first contact center resource;

(c) creating, by a processor executable contact tracking agent, first and second contact parts for the first customer and first contact center endpoints, respectively, the first and second contact parts being related to the first contact;

(d) determining, by the contact tracking agent, that at least one of (i) a change in state of the first contact, (ii) a change in communication medium used in the first contact, and (iii) a change in party participating in the first contact has occurred;

(e) in response to step (d), terminating, by the contact tracking agent, one of the first and second contact parts;

(f) in response to step (d), creating a third contact part, the third contact part being associated with the one of the first customer and contact center endpoints affected by the determined at least one of (i) a change in state of the first contact, (ii) a change in communication medium used in the first contact, and (iii) a change in party participating in the first contact.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein, in step (e), the other one of the first and second contact parts is not terminated.

28. The method of claim 26, wherein (i) is determined to have occurred, wherein the state change affects the first contact center endpoint but not the first customer endpoint, wherein, in step (e), the second contact part is terminated, and wherein, in step (f), the third contact part is associated with the first contact center endpoint but not the first customer endpoint.

29. The method of claim 26, wherein (ii) is determined to have occurred, wherein the state change affects the first contact center endpoint and the first customer endpoint, wherein, in step (e), the first and second contact parts are terminated, wherein, in step (f), the third contact part is associated with the first contact center endpoint but not the first customer endpoint and further comprising creating a fourth contact part, the fourth contact part being associated with the first customer endpoint but not the first contact center endpoint.

30. The method of claim 26, wherein (iii) is determined to have occurred, wherein the state change is a call transfer from the first contact center endpoint to a second contact center endpoint while the first customer endpoint is connected to the first contact, wherein, in step (e), the second, but not the first, contact part is terminated, wherein, in step (f), the third contact part is associated with the second contact center endpoint but not the first customer endpoint.

31. A non-transient computer readable medium comprising processor executable instructions that, when executed, perform the steps of claim 26.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein each of the first and second contact parts is associated with only one of the first customer and first contact center resource, a specific contact state, and a specific set of communication channels, wherein each of the first customer and first contact center resource may be associated with only one of the first and second contact parts at any point in time, wherein a set of data structures associated with the first contact is not altered when the third contact part is created, wherein the set of data structures has an identifier, wherein each of the first, second, and third contact parts comprises the identifier associated with the set of data structures, wherein each of the first, second, and third contact parts has a different identifier, and wherein the identifier associated with the set of data structures is different from the identifiers of the first, second, and third contact parts.

33. The method of claim 26, wherein each of the first and second contact parts is associated with only one of the first customer and first contact center resource, a specific contact state, and a specific set of communication channels, wherein each of the first customer and first contact center resource may be associated with only one of the first and second contact parts at any point in time, wherein a set of data structures associated with the first contact is not altered when the third contact part is created, wherein the set of data structures has an identifier, wherein each of the first, second, and third contact parts comprises the identifier associated with the set of data structures, wherein each of the first, second, and third contact parts has a different identifier, and wherein the identifier associated with the set of data structures is different from the identifiers of the first, second, and third contact parts.

34. The method of claim 26, wherein the contact tracking agent creates a contact part related defining a reason for a relationship between the first and second contact parts and wherein a set of data structures associated with the first contact is associated with a plurality of contact parts, the plurality of contact parts including the first, second, and third contact parts, each contact part being associated with only one of the first customer and resource.

35. The method of claim 26, wherein each of the first and second contact parts is associated with a plurality of a contact part related, contact participation group, contact part purpose, contact part related reason, contact media interaction, contact media interaction disposition, contact part qualifier, contact part delivery source, contact part disposition, contact part routing method, contact part wait treatment, contact qualifier, dialed number purpose, disposition, media, party login, routing construct, routing construct contact part, state reason, step, and step contact part.

36. The method of claim 26, wherein each of the first and second contact parts comprises a plurality of the following attributes:

contact type code, media code (which identifies the type of media/medium used during the contact part), contact part ID (which uniquely identifies the contact part), contact ID (which uniquely identifies the contact of which the contact part is a subpart), state ID (which identifies the state of the corresponding monitored endpoint to which the contact part corresponds), contact media interaction start datetime (the date/time that the contact media interaction started), party ID, business role code, party role start datetime, wait treatment ID, active media mask (a mapping of possible media types and their direction), contact part delivery source code, UCID (Universal Call Identifier), contact part datetime started (the date/time that the contact part started), contact part datetime stopped (the date/time that the contact part stopped), observing call flag, trunk ID, contact part routing method code, contact part purpose code, extension ID, routing construct ID, contact part subject (a text description of the subject of the message), contact participation group ID, contact direction code, malicious call flag, queue priority, login ID, login start date/time, data source ID, reschedule datetime (time stamp indicating when the contact connected to this part will be rescheduled to make another attempt), contact control indicator, state reason ID, calling number ID (the number dialed by the originator of the contact), and dialed number purpose ID.

37. The method of claim 26, wherein a contact part is associated with only one of the first customer and first contact center resource, a specific contact state, and a specific set of communication channels, wherein each of the first customer and first contact center resource may be associated with only one contact part at any point in time, wherein a set of data structures associated with the first contact is not altered when the second contact part is created, wherein the set of data structures has an identifier, wherein each of the first and second contact parts comprises the identifier associated with the set of data structures, and wherein the identifier associated with the set of data structures is different from the identifiers of the first and second contact parts.