Call routing system and method of using the same

• US 8,005,204 B2
• Filed: 06/03/2005
• Issued: 08/23/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/03/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sbc Knowledge Ventures, L.P.
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Bushey, Robert R., Korth, Sarah
• Primary Examiner(s): Addy; Thjuan K
• Application Number:
  US11/145,513
• Publication Number:
  US 20070019800A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,272 Days
• Field of Search: 379/211.01, 379/265.01, 379/114.2, 379/266.01, 379/88.18, 379/211.02, 379/201.01, 379/242, 379/212.01, 713/200, 705/18
• US Class Current: 379/211.01
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/00 Arrangements for metering, time-control or time indication ; Metering, charging or billing arrangements for voice wireline or wireless communications, e.g. VoIP
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/62 based on trigger specification
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/54 Object oriented software
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/523 with call distribution or queueing

Abstract

A call service center can include a call routing system that can use one or more action object identifiers. In one embodiment, a future action object identifier is associated with a task that is desired or otherwise intended to be performed at the call service center. The call routing system may route the call to a module that is not associated with the future action object identifier or perform a portion of a task within the same module, wherein the portion of the task is not associated with the future action object identifier. In another embodiment, at least two action object identifiers can be passed with a call from one module to another module. In a particular embodiment, a past, current, or future action object identifier, other information related to the call, or any combination thereof may be passed from one module to another module with the call.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

generating a first identifier at a first module of a data processing system, wherein the first identifier is generated in response to a call received at the data processing system and wherein the first identifier identifies a first action;

after generating the first identifier, automatically routing the received call and the first identifier to a second module of the data processing system, wherein the second module is associated with one or more actions and wherein the first action identified by the first identifier differs from each of the one or more actions associated with the second module;

after routing the received call and the first identifier to the second module, performing one of the one or more actions at the second module; and

after performing the one of the one or more actions at the second module, routing the received call from the second module to a third module of the data processing system, wherein the third module is associated with the first action.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first action comprises a purchase of at least one of a product and a service by a caller associated with the call.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the action performed at the second module comprises determining account status information of an account of the caller associated with the call.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving an interrupt signal at the second module while the one of the one or more actions is being performed at the second module;

in response to receipt of the interrupt signal at the second module, routing the call from the second module to an attendant interaction module;

receiving an attendant input signal from an attendant at the attendant interaction module; and

in response to receiving the attendant input signal at the attendant interaction module, routing the call from the attendant interaction module to the third module.

25. The method of claim 1, wherein the first identifier is generated at the first module in response to information gathered via the call that is received.

26. The method of claim 1, wherein a caller associated with the call does not speak during the call.

27. The method of claim 1, further comprising generating:

a second identifier associated with a second action that is being performed at the second module; and

a third identifier associated with a past action that has been performed at the data processing system.

28. The method of claim 27, further comprising storing the first identifier, the second identifier, and the third identifier at a memory that is coupled to the data processing system.

30. The method of claim 1, wherein the data processing system includes a controller, the controller configured to route the received call from the first module to the second module.

5. A data processing system comprising:

a first module, the first module configured to;

generate a first identifier that identifies a first action, wherein the first identifier is generated in response at least in part to receipt of a call; and

pass the call and the first identifier to a second module, wherein the second module is associated with one or more actions and wherein the first action identified by the first identifier differs from each of the one or more actions associated with the second module; and

the second module, wherein the second module is configured to;

perform one of the one or more actions; and

pass the call, or have the call passed, to a third module, wherein the third module is configured to perform the first action.

6. The data processing system of claim 5, wherein each of the first, second, and third modules is configured to pass a second identifier associated with the call to a corresponding subsequent module.

7. The data processing system of claim 5, wherein the second module is an attendant interaction module that is configured to:

transmit the first identifier to a first output port;

receive an attendant input signal from an attendant at a first input port of the attendant interaction module; and

transmit the attendant input signal to a disposition module.

8. The data processing system of claim 5, further comprising a disposition module and a routing module, wherein:

the second module is an attendant interaction module and is further configured to transmit the first identifier to a first output port in response to an attendant input signal received at a first input port of the attendant interaction module;

the disposition module is configured to;

receive the call, the first identifier, and the attendant input signal from the attendant interaction module; and

generate a disposition signal in response at least in part to the attendant input signal; and

the routing module is configured to;

receive the call, the first identifier, and the disposition signal from the disposition module; and

route the call and the first identifier to the third module in response at least in part to the disposition signal.

29. The data processing system of claim 5, wherein the first identifier is generated in response to information gathered via the call that is received.

31. The data processing system of claim 5, further comprising an input/output port operative to receive the call.

9. A computer-readable medium storing processor-executable instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to:

generate a first identifier at a first module in response to information gathered from a call that has been received, wherein the first identifier identifies a first action;

route the call and the first identifier to a second module, wherein the second module is associated with one or more actions and wherein the first action differs from each of the one or more actions associated with the second module; and

route the call to a third module that is associated with the first action after routing the call to the second module.

10. The computer-readable medium of claim 9, wherein the first identifier is associated with a future task pertaining to the call.

11. The computer-readable medium of claim 9, wherein the instruction to route the call to the third module comprises an instruction to pass the firstidentifier from the second module to the third module.

12. The computer-readable medium of claim 9, wherein:

one of the one or more actions includes determining an account status; and

the first action includes purchasing at least one of a product and a service.

13. The computer-readable medium of claim 9, wherein a first instruction to route the call to the third module is executed by the processor in response at least in part to the first identifier routed to the second module.

14. The computer-readable medium of claim 9, wherein the processor-executable instructions comprise an instruction to route the call from the second module to an attendant interaction module in response at least in part to receiving an interrupt signal when the call is being processed by the second module, wherein the instruction to route the call to the third module is executed in response at least in part to receiving an attendant input signal at the attendant interaction module.

19. The computer-readable medium of claim 9, wherein a plurality of distinct identifiers are generated that are simultaneously associated with the call and include:

a past identifier associated with a past task that has been performed;

a current identifier associated with a current task that is currently being performed; and

a future identifier associated with a future task that is to be performed at a future time.

15. A computer-readable medium having data to be used with a call routing system, wherein the data is embodied within the computer readable medium, the data storing a processor-executable instruction that, when executed by a processor, causes the processor to:

pass a call, a first identifier that is associated with a first action, and a second identifier from a first module to a second module, wherein the first and second modules are within the call routing system, wherein the first identifier and the second identifier are associated with the call and are generated in response to information received via the call, wherein the second module is associated with one or more actions, and wherein the first action differs from each of the one or more actions.

16. The computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein each of the first identifier and second identifier comprises one of a past identifier, a current identifier, and a future identifier.

17. The computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the processor-executable instruction further causes the processor to pass a third identifier from the first module to the second module, wherein:

the first identifier comprises a future identifier that is associated with a first task to be completed at a future time;

the second identifier comprises a current identifier that is associated with a second task to be completed at a present time; and

the third identifier comprises a past identifier that is associated with a third task that was completed at a prior time.

18. The computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein the second task comprises one of authenticate caller and check account.

20. The computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein the future identifier indicates that a caller originating the call desires to purchase a service, a product, or a combination thereof.

21. The computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein the second task comprises authenticate caller and the third task comprises receive the call.

22. The computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein the second task comprises check account and the third task comprises authenticate caller.

23. The computer-readable medium of claim 22, wherein the processor-executable instruction further causes the processor to pass a result identifier indicating that an account associated with a caller that initiated the call has a zero or positive balance.

24. The computer-readable medium of claim 22, wherein the processor-executable instruction further causes the processor to pass information including a reason associated with one of success and failure of the second task.