Dynamic management and redistribution of contact center media traffic

• US 9,270,827 B2
• Filed: 09/07/2012
• Issued: 02/23/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/07/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Genesys Telecommunications Laboratories Incorporated (Genesys Cloud Services Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Genesys Telecommunications Laboratories Incorporated (Genesys Cloud Services Incorporated)
• Inventors: Kovalenko, Galina, Sayko, Slava, Zhakov, Slava
• Primary Examiner(s): HOANG, HIEU T
• Application Number:
  US13/607,592
• Publication Number:
  US 20140075009A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,264 Days
• Field of Search: 709/234, 709/235
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1827 Network arrangements for conference optimisation or adaptation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/04 Processing captured monitoring data, e.g. for logfile generation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0882 Utilisation of link capacity
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/16 Threshold monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/22 Alternate routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/80 Responding to QoS
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/406 Rerouting calls between call centers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/407 Call center operated for multiple customers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/2227 Quality of service monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5183 Call or contact centers with computer-telephony arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5191 interacting with the Internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/523 with call distribution or queueing
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5233 Operator skill based call distribution
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5235 Dependent on call type or called number [DNIS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5237 Interconnection arrangements between ACD systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5238 with waiting time or load prediction arrangements

Abstract

A system that supports multiple contact centers includes a communications network that is coupled between a private network (e.g. MPLS network) and a remote computing environment (e.g. cloud environment). A server system in the remote computing environment monitors health of different network segments (e.g. bandwidth of the connection between the communications network and the remote computing environment, bandwidth of a link used by a tenant to access the private network, etc.). When it is determined that quality of service for voice conversations for one or more contact centers is at risk due to a health status parameter of a network segment reaching a threshold, an appropriate system reaction is triggered. The system reaction may be to offload future calls to a peer remote computing environment to service future calls. The system reaction may also be to cancel outbound campaigns, provide pre-determined “sorry” messages, and the like.

Claims

1. A system for managing media traffic for a plurality of customer contact centers, the system comprising:

first and second server systems in respectively first and second computing environments, the first and second server systems hosting contact center applications for processing communication to and from the one or more contact centers; and

an edge device deployed in a first communications network for facilitating a first communication involving a first end device and for signaling the first server system to service the first communication, wherein media traffic is transmitted between the first end device and the first server system during the first communication in response to the servicing, the servicing invoking a first contact center application hosted by the first server system, the media traffic traversing a first network link coupling the first communications network and the first computing environment,

wherein, the first server system is configured to monitor status of the first network link and in response to the monitoring, signal the second server system in the second computing environment to service a second communication involving a second end device, wherein the servicing of the second communication invokes a second contact center application hosted by the second server system, and

wherein the first end device is configured to access a private network over a second link, the private network being coupled to the first communications network, wherein the first server system is configured to identify one of the plurality of customer contact centers associated with the first communication, determine availability of the second link for the identified customer contact center, and in response to the determined availability, trigger an action for preserving a particular quality of service for the voice communication.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the first and second communications are voice communications.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the media traffic is voice traffic.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the first and second computing environments are cloud computing environments.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the monitoring of the status of the first network link includes monitoring the bandwidth of the first network link.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein a second communications network is coupled to the first communications network over a second network link, the second communications network being further coupled to the second computing environment, wherein the first server system is further configured monitor status of the second network link and select the second computing environment for servicing the second communication based on the monitored status of the second network link.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the second communication is configured to generate traffic that traverses the second network link.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein a second communications network is coupled to the second computing environment over a second network link, wherein the first server system is further configured monitor status of the second network link and select the second computing environment for servicing the second communication based on the monitored status of the second network link.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the first server system is configured to select a contact center service level from a plurality of available service levels, and further configured to signal the second server system in the second computing environment if the second communication is associated with a customer contact center assigned to the selected contact center service level.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein determining availability of the second link includes determining estimated available bandwidth of the second link.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein the second link is accessed by an agent of the identified customer contact center via the first end device.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein the triggered action is canceling an outbound campaign for the identified customer contact center.

17. The system of claim 1, wherein the triggered action is activating a greeting for delivery to the first end user, the greeting for indicating inability for servicing the voice communication.

9. The system of claim I, wherein the first server system is configured to select a media type, the first server system being further configured to signal the second server system in the second computing environment if the second communication is of the selected media type.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the selected media type is voice treatment in an outbound campaign by one or more of the plurality of customer contact centers.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the selected media type is voice treatment for an inbound call directed to one or more of the plurality of customer contact centers.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the selected media type is a multi-party call.

18. A system for managing media traffic for a plurality of customer contact centers, the system comprising:

first and second server systems in respectively first and second computing environments, the first and second server systems hosting contact center applications for processing communication to and from the one or more contact centers; and

an edge device deployed in a first communications network for facilitating a first communication involving a first end device and for signaling the first server system to service the first communication, wherein media traffic is transmitted between the first end device and the first server system during the first communication in response to the servicing, the servicing invoking a first contact center application hosted by the first server system, the media traffic traversing a first network link coupling the first communications network and the first computing environment,

wherein, the first server system is configured to monitor status of the first network link and in response to the monitoring, signal the second server system in the second computing environment to service a second communication involving a second end device, wherein the servicing of the second communication invokes a second contact center application hosted by the second server system, and

wherein the first end device accesses the first communications network over a second link coupling the first communications network to a private network, wherein the first server system is configured to determine availability of the second link based on calls traversing the second link, wherein, in response to the determined availability of the second link, the first server system is configured to trigger an action with respect to calls associated with contact centers subscribed to a first service level for preserving a particular quality of service for calls associated with contact centers subscribed to a second service level different from the first service level.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein determining availability of the second link includes determining estimated available bandwidth of the second link.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein the second link is shared by customers of the contact centers subscribed to the first and second service levels.

21. The system of claim 18, wherein the triggered action is canceling an outbound campaign for one or more of the contact centers subscribed to the first service level.

22. The system of claim 18, wherein the triggered action is activating a greeting for delivery to one or more customers of one or more of the contact centers subscribed to the first service level, the greeting for indicating inability for servicing a call by the one or more customers.

23. A method for managing media traffic for a plurality of customer contact centers accessing a computer network, the method comprising:

receiving by an edge device a first communication involving a first end device, the edge device being coupled to a first communications network;

signaling by the edge device a first server system to service the first communication, wherein in response to the signaling, the first server system invokes a first contact center application hosted by the first server system, the first server system being hosted by a first computing environment;

transmitting media traffic between the first end device and the first server system during the first communication in response to the servicing, the media traffic traversing a first network link coupling the first communications network and the first computing environment,

monitoring status of the first network link;

in response to the monitoring of the first network link, signaling a second server system in a second computing environment for servicing a second communication involving a second end device, wherein the servicing of the second communication invokes a second contact center application hosted by the second server system,

wherein the first end device is configured to access a private network over a second link, the private network being coupled to the first communications netowrk, wherein the first server system is configured to identify one of the plurality of customer contact centers associated with the first communication, determine availability of the second link for the identified customer contact center, and in response to the determined availability, trigger an action for preserving a particular quality of service for the voice communication.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the first and second communications are voice communications.

25. The method of claim 23, wherein the media traffic is voice traffic.

26. The method of claim 23, wherein the first and second computing environments are cloud computing environments.

27. The method of claim 23, wherein the monitoring of the status of the first network link includes monitoring the bandwidth of the first network link.

28. The method of claim 23, wherein a second communications network is coupled to the first communications network over a second network link, the second communications network being further coupled to the second computing environment, wherein the first server system is further configured monitor status of the second network link and select the second computing environment for servicing the second communication based on the monitored status of the second network link.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein the second communication is configured to generate traffic that traverses the second network link.

30. The method of claim 23, wherein a second communications network is coupled to the second computing environment over a second network link, wherein the first server system is further configured monitor status of the second network link and select the second computing environment for servicing the second communication based on the monitored status of the second network link.

31. The method of claim 23, wherein the first server system is configured to select a media type, the first server system being further configured to signal the second server system in the second computing environment if the second communication is of the selected media type.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein the selected media type is voice treatment in an outbound campaign by one or more of the plurality of customer contact centers.

33. The method of claim 31, wherein the selected media type is voice treatment for an inbound call directed to one or more of the plurality of customer contact centers.

34. The method of claim 31, wherein the selected media type is a multi-party call.

35. The method of claim 23, wherein the first server system is configured to select a contact center service level from a plurality of available service levels, and further configured to signal the second server system in the second computing environment if the second communication is associated with a customer contact center assigned to the selected contact center service level.

36. The method of claim 23, wherein determining availability of the second link includes determining estimated available bandwidth of the second link.

37. The method of claim 23, wherein the second link is accessed by an agent of the identified customer contact center via the first end device.

38. The method of claim 23, wherein the triggered action is canceling an outbound campaign for the identified customer contact center.

39. The method of claim 23, wherein the triggered action is activating a greeting for delivery to the first end user, the greeting for indicating inability for servicing the voice communication.

40. A method for managing media traffic for a plurality of customer contact centers accessing a computer network, the method comprising:

receiving by an edge device a first communication involving a first end device, the edge device being coupled to a first communications network;

signaling by the edge device a first server system to service the first communication, wherein in response to the signaling, the first server system invokes a first contact center application hosted by the first server system, the first server system being hosted by a first computing environment;

transmitting media traffic between the first end device and the first server system during the first communication in response to the servicing, the media traffic traversing a first network link coupling the first communications network and the first computing environment,

monitoring status of the first network link;

in response to the monitoring of the first network link, signaling a second server system in a second computing environment for servicing a second communication involving a second end device, wherein the servicing of the second communication invokes a second contact center application hosted by the second server system,

wherein the first end device accesses the first communications network over a second link coupling the first communications network to a private network, wherein the first server system is configured to determine availability of the second link based on calls traversing the second link, wherein, in response to the determined availability of the second link, the first server system is configured to trigger an action with respect to calls associated with contact centers subscribed to a first service level for preserving a particular quality of service for calls associated with contact centers subscribed to a second service level different from the first service level.

41. The method of claim 40, wherein determining availability of the second link includes determining estimated available bandwidth of the second link.

42. The method of claim 40, wherein the second link is shared by customers of the contact centers subscribed to the first and second service levels.

43. The method of claim 40, wherein the triggered action is canceling an outbound campaign for one or more of the contact centers subscribed to the first service level.

44. The method of claim 40, wherein the triggered action is activating a greeting for delivery to one or more customers of one or more of the contact centers subscribed to the first service level, the greeting for indicating inability for servicing a call by the one or more customers.