Call transfer using session initiation protocol (SIP)

• US RE46,751 E1
• Filed: 12/10/2014
• Issued: 03/06/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 06/17/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Genesys Telecommunications Laboratories Incorporated (Genesys Cloud Services Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Genesys Telecommunications Laboratories Incorporated (Genesys Cloud Services Incorporated)
• Inventors: Zhakov, Vyacheslav I., Sayko, Vyacheslav V., Tikin, Aleksandr V.
• Primary Examiner(s): Corsaro, Nick
• Application Number:
  US14/566,609
• Time in Patent Office: 1,182 Days
• Field of Search: 370352, 370353
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 29/06027 Protocols for multimedia communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1006 SIP
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1043 Gateway controllers, e.g. media gateway control protocol [MGCP] controllers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1096 Supplementary features, e.g. call forwarding or call holding systems providing special services or facilities to telephony subscribers H04M3/42
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/4007 Services involving a main real-time session and one or more additional parallel sessions real time messaging, e.g. instant messaging, interacting with other applications or services H04L51/046; multichannel or multilink protocols H04L69/14; services and arrangements where telephone services are combined with data services H04M7/0024
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/24 Presence management use and manipulation of presence information in instant messaging H04L51/043
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/327 whereby the routing of a service request to a node providing the service depends on the content or context of the request, e.g. profile, connectivity status, payload or application type
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42323 PBX's with CTI arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42374 where the information is provided to a monitoring entity such as a potential calling party or a call processing server
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/493 Interactive information services, e.g. directory enquiries ; Arrangements therefor, e.g. interactive voice response [IVR] systems or voice portals
• 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 3/5232 Call distribution algorithms
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5237 Interconnection arrangements between ACD systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/56 Arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities video conference systems H04N7/15
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/58 Arrangements for transferring received calls from one subscriber to another; Arrangements affording interim conversations between either the calling or the called party and a third party substation line holding circuits H04M1/80
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/006 Networks other than PSTN/ISDN providing telephone service, e.g. Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) , including next generation networks with a packet-switched transport layer H04L65/00 takes precedence; aspects not specific to the type of network H04M3/00; special services in those networks H04M3/42
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0075 Details of addressing, directories or routing tables
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/72 Finding out and indicating number of calling subscriber

Abstract

A system is provided for providing communication event routing and transfer capability in a multi-site communication-center environment. The system utilizes a presence protocol application and a routing application for determining availability of an agent or system and for setting up the transfer from a point of transfer on a network to a destination of transfer on the same or connected network. In a preferred use the presence protocol application is shared by communication-center sites cooperating in the transfer and routing of events and the presence protocol enables at least one event-handling process normally performed by the routing application.

Claims

1. A system for providing communication event routing and transfer capability in a multi-site communication-center environment comprising:

a plurality of communication-center sites cooperating in the transfer and routing of communication events;

a single application server apparatus coupled to and shared by the communication sites;

a presence protocol application executing on the application server apparatus;

a first processor associated with a first site of the plurality of communication-center sites, the first processor being configured to execute a routing protocol application;

a point of transfer on a network; and

a destination of transfer on the same or connected network;

characterized in that the presence protocol application is shared by the communication-center sites wherein the presence protocol performs at least one event-handling process normally performed by the routing application, including determining that the event requires transfer, which may include includes notification to a transfer destination selected from the plurality of communication-center sites, of one or both of the pending communication events event for transfer and availability of an agent representing the a final destination for the event to be transferred,

wherein, the presence protocol application is configured to send a first routing request to a second processor associated with a second site, the first routing request adhering to a first communication protocol, the first routing request for determining presence state of the agent prior to transfer of the pending communication event, and

wherein, the first processor is configured to transmit a second routing request to the second processor associated with the second site, the second routing request adhering to the presence protocol different from the first communication protocol,

wherein, the first processor is further configured receive a response indicative of whether transfer is permitted, the response being based on processing the first and second routing requests.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the presence protocol may be any version or edition of Session Initiation Protocol or Instant Messaging and Presence Protocol.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein the presence protocol may include any version or edition of Session Advertisement Protocol and Session Description Protocol.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the point of transfer is a telephony switch.

5. The system of claim 4 wherein the destination of transfer is an IP-capable device in an agent workstation.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the destination of transfer is a telephony switch.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the destination of transfer is an IP-capable device in an agent workstation.

8. The system of claim 1 further comprising a communication server shared by at least two of the multiple communication-center sites.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein the communication server is hosted on one of the Internet, an Ethernet, or on a Virtual Private Network.

10. The system of claim 8 wherein the presence protocol may be any version or edition of Session Initiation Protocol or Instant Messaging and Presence Protocol.

11. The system of claim 8 wherein the point of transfer is a telephony switch.

12. The system of claim 8 wherein the destination of transfer is a telephony switch.

13. The system of claim 12 wherein the destination of transfer is an IP-capable device in an agent workstation.

14. The system of claim 8 wherein the destination of transfer is an IP-capable device in an agent workstation.

20. The system of claim 1, wherein the first and second routing requests are transmitted concurrently with one another.

21. The system of claim 1, wherein the first and second routing requests include an identifier associated with the pending communication event, wherein the second processor is further configured to match the first and second routing requests to the pending communication event based on the identifier.

22. The system of claim 1, wherein the first communication protocol is a proprietary protocol and the second protocol is a standards-based protocol.

15. In a multi-site communication-center environment a method for transferring a telephony communication event from one communication-center site switch to another comprising steps of:

(a) receiving an event at a first telephony switch at a first site;

(b) identifying the event by a first processor associated with the first site;

(bc) determining that the event requires transfer to a second identified telephony switch at the location of a second site;

(cd) sending by a processing device, a first routing request in the form of a presence protocol message to a second processor controlling the switch at the second site, the first routing request adhering to a first communication protocol, the first routing request for determining presence state of an agent prior to transfer of the pending communication event;

(e) transmitting by the first processor a second routing request to the second processor associated with the second site, the second routing request adhering to the presence protocol different from the first communication protocol

(df) receiving at a the first processor controlling the switch at the first site a response in the form of a presence protocol message giving permission for the transfer, wherein the response giving permission for the transfer is based on processing the first and second routing requests; and

(eg) executing the call transfer;

wherein in step (bc) determining that the event requires transfer may include includes notification to the transfer destination second site of one or both of pending communication events the event for transfer and availability of an the agent representing the a final destination for the event to be transferred.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein in step (a) the event is a COST telephone call and the switch is a CTI-enabled telephony switch.

17. The method of claim 15 wherein in step (bc) determination of transfer requirement is established through IVR interaction with the caller.

18. The method of claim 15 wherein in step (cd) the presence protocol may be any version or edition of Session Initiation Protocol or Instant Messaging and Presence Protocol.

19. The method of claim 15 wherein in steps (cd) and (df), a request and response interaction also occurs using a routing protocol for exchanging information not handled in the presence protocol request/response interaction.