Providing interface support for application workspace persistence

• US 8,904,409 B2
• Filed: 07/12/2012
• Issued: 12/02/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/09/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Oracle International Corporation (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Oracle International Corporation (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Jaffer, Akbar, Day, Richard Dean
• Primary Examiner(s): Wathen, Brian W
• Application Number:
  US13/547,398
• Publication Number:
  US 20130013663A1
• Time in Patent Office: 873 Days
• Field of Search: 705/7.42
• US Class Current: 719/318
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06398 Performance of employee with respect to a job function
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/016 After-sales

Abstract

The method and system of the present invention include recording a first transition by an agent interface between a first session and a second session of a plurality of sessions in a communication utility. The first transition is recorded in a transition record. Responsive to receipt of a request to initiate a third session by the communication utility, a transition frequency is determined using the transition record. Whether to accept the request to initiate the third session is determined using the transition frequency, and the request to initiate the third session is accepted.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

establishing a first communication session via an agent interface, wherein

the first communication session supports communications between an agent and a first customer, and

the agent interface identifies information regarding the first customer;

establishing a second communication session via the agent interface, wherein

the second communication session is established while the first communication session is ongoing,

the second communication session supports communications between the agent and the second customer, and

the agent interface identifies information regarding the second customer; and

responsive to receipt of an event received via the agent interface,

in response to the event being a transition request, processing the transition request, wherein

the processing the transition request comprises

recording a status of the agent interface for a current communication session, wherein

 

the current communication session is one of the first communication session and the second communication session,

performing a transition between the current communication session and the other of the first communication session and the second communication session,

logging the transition in a transition log, and

restoring the status of the agent interface for the other of the first communication session and the second communication session.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

responsive to receipt of a request to initiate a third communication session, processing a new session request.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the processing the new session request comprises:

determining whether to accept the request, wherein

the determining uses a transition frequency.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the processing the new session request further comprises:

in response to a determination that the request should be accepted,

initiating the third communication session.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

responsive to receipt of an event,

in response to the event being a transmission request, processing a transmission, and

in response to the event being a closure request, processing a session closure.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the processing the transmission comprises:

determining whether the transmission is for an active communication session, wherein

the active communication session is a session for which data is currently displayed in the agent interface;

in response to the transmission being for the active communication session,

displaying the transmission in an active window in the agent interface, wherein

the active communication session is displayed in the active window; and

in response to the transmission being for a communication session other than the active communication session,

displaying an incoming transmission alert in the agent interface.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the processing the session closure comprises:

calculating an agent efficiency, wherein

the agent efficiency is calculated based, at least in part, on transition information recorded in the transition log;

reporting the agent efficiency; and

removing a session indicator from the agent interface.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

calculating an agent efficiency, wherein

the agent efficiency is calculated based, at least in part, on information logged in the transition log; and

reporting the agent efficiency.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein

the agent interface comprises a plurality of display controls, and

each of the plurality of display controls represents a corresponding one of a plurality of communication sessions.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

receiving a message, wherein

the message is associated with a corresponding communication session of a plurality of communication sessions; and

visually adjusting a display control of the plurality of display controls, wherein

the display control is associated with the corresponding communication session, and

the visually adjusting indicates the presence of the message.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein

the message is reviewed by passing a mouse pointer over the display control.

12. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

navigating between ones of the plurality of communication sessions using the agent interface, wherein

the plurality of display controls comprises a plurality of screen tabs, and

each of plurality of communication sessions is represented by one of the plurality of screen tabs.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein

each of a plurality of communication sessions support a corresponding one of a plurality of communications between the agent and one of a plurality of customers by virtue of the each of the plurality of communication sessions being conducted in a corresponding one of a plurality of persistent workspaces,

the plurality of communication sessions are conducted in parallel and comprise the first communication session and the second communication session, and

the plurality of customers comprise the first customer and the second customer.

14. A computer program product comprising:

a plurality of instructions, comprising

a first set of instructions, executable on a computer system, configured to establish a first communication session via an agent interface, wherein

the first communication session supports communications between an agent and a first customer, and

the agent interface identifies information regarding the first customer,

a second set of instructions, executable on the computer system, configured to establish a second communication session via the agent interface, wherein

the second communication session is established while the first communication session is ongoing,

the second communication session supports communications between the agent and the second customer, and

the agent interface identifies information regarding the second customer, and

a third set of instructions, executable on the computer system, configured to, in response to receipt of an event that is a transition request, process the transition request, wherein

the event is received via the agent interface, and

the third set of instructions comprises

a first subset of instructions, executable on the computer system, configured to record a status of the agent interface for a current communication session, wherein

 

the current communication session is one of the first communication session and the second communication session,

a second subset of instructions, executable on the computer system, configured to perform a transition between the current communication session and the other of the first communication session and the second communication session,

a third subset of instructions, executable on the computer system, configured to log the transition in a transition log, and

a fourth subset of instructions, executable on the computer system, configured to restore the status of the agent interface for the other of the first communication session and the second communication session; and

a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, wherein the instructions are encoded in the non-transitory computer-readable storage medium.

15. The computer program product of claim 14, wherein the instructions further comprise:

a fourth set of instructions, executable on the computer system, configured to receive a message, wherein

the agent interface comprises a plurality of display controls,

each of the plurality of display controls represents a corresponding one of a plurality of communication sessions, and

the message is associated with a corresponding communication session of a plurality of communication sessions; and

a fifth set of instructions, executable on the computer system, configured to visually adjust a display control of the plurality of display controls, wherein

the display control is associated with the corresponding communication session, and

the visually adjusting indicates the presence of the message.

16. The computer program product of claim 14, wherein the instructions further comprise:

a fourth set of instructions, executable on the computer system, configured to navigate between ones of the plurality of communication sessions using the agent interface, wherein

the agent interface comprises a plurality of display controls,

each of the plurality of display controls represents a corresponding one of a plurality of communication sessions,

the plurality of display controls comprises a plurality of screen tabs, and

each of plurality of communication sessions is represented by one of the plurality of screen tabs.

17. The computer program product of claim 14, wherein the instructions further comprise:

a fourth set of instructions, executable on the computer system, configured to, in response to receipt of an event that is a transmission request, process a transmission, wherein

the fourth set of instructions comprises

a first subset of instructions, executable on the computer system, configured to determine whether the transmission is for an active communication session, wherein

the active communication session is a session for which data is currently displayed in the agent interface, and

a second subset of instructions, executable on the computer system, configured to

in response to the transmission being for the active communication session,

 

display the transmission in an active window in the agent interface, wherein

 

the active communication session is displayed in the active window, and

in response to the transmission being for a communication session other than the active communication session,

 

display an incoming transmission alert in the agent interface.

18. The computer program product of claim 14, wherein the instructions further comprise:

a fourth set of instructions, executable on the computer system, configured to, in response to receipt of an event that is a closure request, process a session closure, wherein the fourth set of instructions comprises

a first subset of instructions, executable on the computer system,

configured to calculate an agent efficiency, wherein

the agent efficiency is calculated based, at least in part, on transition information recorded in the transition log,

a second subset of instructions, executable on the computer system, configured to report the agent efficiency, and

a third subset of instructions, executable on the computer system, configured to remove a session indicator from the agent interface.

19. The computer program product of claim 14, wherein the instructions further comprise:

a fourth set of instructions, executable on the computer system, configured to calculate an agent efficiency, wherein

the agent efficiency is calculated based, at least in part, on information logged in the transition log; and

a fifth set of instructions, executable on the computer system, configured to report the agent efficiency.

20. A computer system comprising:

one or more processors;

a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium coupled to the one or more processors; and

a plurality of instructions, encoded in the computer-readable storage medium and configured to cause the one or more processors to

establish a first communication session via an agent interface, wherein

the first communication session supports communications between an agent and a first customer, and

the agent interface identifies information regarding the first customer,

establish a second communication session via the agent interface, wherein

the second communication session is established while the first communication session is ongoing,

the second communication session supports communications between the agent and the second customer, and

the agent interface identifies information regarding the second customer, and

in response to receipt of an event that is a transition request, process the transition request, wherein

the event is received via the agent interface, and

the instructions configured to cause the one or more processors to process the transition request comprise instructions configured to cause the one or more processors to

record a status of the agent interface for a current communication session, wherein

 

the current communication session is one of the first communication session and the second communication session,

perform a transition between the current communication session and the other of the first communication session and the second communication session,

log the transition in a transition log, and

restore the status of the agent interface for the other of the first communication session and the second communication session.