Call and data correspondence in a call-in center employing virtual restructuring for computer telephony integrated functionality

• US RE45,606 E1
• Filed: 03/07/2013
• Issued: 07/07/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/10/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Genesys Telecommunications Laboratories Incorporated (Genesys Cloud Services Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Genesys Telecommunications Laboratories Incorporated (Genesys Cloud Services Incorporated)
• Inventors: Neyman, Igor, Miloslavsky, Alec, Bondarenko, Oleg, Karpenko, Pavel, Barskyy, Myhailo, Issayev, Valeriy, Petrov, Andrei
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Hemant
• Application Number:
  US13/789,640
• Time in Patent Office: 852 Days
• Field of Search: 370351-356, 379/265.01, 379/265.02, 379/265.09, 379/265.11, 379/266.01, 379/266.09, 709201-203, 709/206, 709216-219, 709227-229
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/006 Call diverting means
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2473 Telephone terminals interfacing a personal computer, e.g. using an API (Application Programming Interface) details of API H04M7/0021
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/57 Arrangements for indicating or recording the number of the calling subscriber at the called subscriber's set at the operator set in a manual exchange H04M5/20
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/663 Preventing unauthorised calls to a telephone set
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/42 Graphical user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/2044 Group features, e.g. closed user group
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/02 Calling substations, e.g. by ringing selective calling H04Q
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42059 Making use of the calling party identifier
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42102 Making use of the called party identifier
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42323 PBX's with CTI arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42331 Direct inward dialling
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/436 Arrangements for screening incoming calls , i.e. evaluating the characteristics of a call before deciding whether to answer it based on the calling party profile H04M3/42059; based on location H04M3/42348; based on presence H04M3/42365; diversion H04M3/54
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/465 Arrangements for simultaneously calling a number of substations until an answer is obtained
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/51 Centralised call answering arrangements requiring operator intervention , e.g. call or contact centers for telemarketing
• 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: H04Q 2213/13072 Sequence circuits for call signaling, ACD systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13093 Personal computer, PC
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13175 Graphical user interface [GUI], WWW interface, visual indication
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13204 Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/1322 : PBX
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/1328 : Call transfer, e.g. in PBX
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13345 : Intelligent networks, SCP
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13349 : Network management
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13389 : LAN, internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0029 : Provisions for intelligent networking

Abstract

A call center having agent stations comprising telephones connected to computer stations by a Telephone Application Programming Interface (TAPI)-compliant bridge has data pertaining to callers stored in a database on a local area network (LAN) to which the computer stations are also connected. Origination data for incoming calls, both conventional calls to the telephones and computer-simulated calls to the computer platforms, is used as a key to extract data pertaining to calls from the database for display on video display units (VDUs) of the computer workstations where the calls are terminated. In some cases, data is only extracted and displayed for calls from previously listed origination points.

Claims

1. A call center, comprising:

a plurality of agent stations having a telephone connected to computerized equipment enabling a user agent to interact with Internet Protocol (IP) calls over the telephone;

a local area network (LAN) connecting at least some of the agent stations;

a server having an Internet connection adapted to receive IP calls from the Internet;

an IP switch connected to the LAN having access to a data repository;

wherein the server attaches data initially received with an IP call and forwards the IP call to the IP switch which uses the attached data to retrieve further data associated with the IP call or caller from the data repository, and to provide the further data to an agent to which the call is routed.

2. The call center of claim 1 wherein the IP switch is adapted to service IP calls from specific servers in the Internet and to block display of data at agent stations for any call not identified as originating at one of the specific servers.

3. The call center of claim 1 wherein the computerized equipment comprises personal computers (PCs).

4. A call-routing system, comprising:

a server connected to the Internet, the server adapted to receive IP telephone calls originating from the Internet and attach data initially received with the IP call;

an IP switch for queuing the calls for agents at agent stations in a communication center; and

a call router executing in the IP switch, the call router adapted to route the IP calls to the agent stations;

wherein the IP switch uses data initially received with an IP call to retrieve further data associated with a caller from the data repository, and to provide the further data to an agent to which the call is routed.

5. The system of claim 4 wherein the IP switch is adapted to service calls from specific servers in the IP network and to block display of data at agent stations for any call not identified as originating at one of the specific servers.

6. The call-routing system of claim 4 wherein one or more of the agent stations comprise personal computers (PCs).