Apparatus, system, and method for disposing of a call

• US 20050207558A1
• Filed: 03/17/2005
• Published: 09/22/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/17/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Noguar Lc
• Original Assignee: Noguar Lc
• Inventors: Baker, Forest III, Baker, Forest IV, Shimpi, Anirudha, Sirstins, John
• Granted Patent: US 7,653,195 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/265.20
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5158 in combination with automated outdialling systems devices for signalling identity of wanted subscriber H04M1/26

Abstract

An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for disposing of calls. The apparatus includes a call initiation module, a transfer module, and a presentation module. The call initiation module initiates a plurality of calls. The transfer module transfer a plurality of calls to at least one agent. The presentation module simultaneously presents a plurality of transferred calls to an agent for disposition.

Claims

1. An apparatus to dispose of a plurality of calls, the apparatus comprising:

a call initiation module configured to initiate a plurality of calls;

a transfer module configured to transfer a plurality of calls to at least one agent; and

a presentation module capable of simultaneously presenting a plurality of transferred calls to an agent.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the transfer module is further configured to stagger the transfer of calls such that no two calls arrive to the same agent at the same time

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the transfer module is further configured to transfer a call when a connection is established between the caller and a person associated with the phone number called.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the transfer module is further configured to adjust the rate at which calls are transferred.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the presentation module is further configured to display call interaction options corresponding to each transferred call to a viewer.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the presentation module is further configured to display call interaction options for simultaneous transferred calls to separate and distinct locations on the viewer.

7. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the call interaction options are displayed to locations based upon the order in which transferred calls are first received by the agent.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein information relating to a call is highlighted.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the presentation module is further configured to play a transferred call to a speaker.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein simultaneous transferred calls are played to separate and distinct speakers.

11. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein a transferred call is played to a speaker based upon the order in which transferred calls are first received by the agent.

12. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the call is inaudible to the agent unless a voice associated with the transferred call is audible.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the presentation module displays call interaction options associated with transferred calls to distinct locations on a viewer and plays the call on one or more speakers, each speaker corresponding to a distinct viewer location.

14. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the presentation module is further configured to display the progress of calls to be transferred to an agent.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein displaying the progress of calls to the agent comprises identifying when the calls will be transferred.

16. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a rate control module for controlling the rate of transferred calls by playing scripts of variable length before transferring the call.

17. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an automatic disposition module for automatically dispositioning the call based on one or more predetermined call statuses.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the status is one of encountering a recording, encountering a wrong number, a disconnect, dead air, and a failed transfer.

19. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an interaction module for allowing an agent to interact with a person associated with the transferred call.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein interacting with the call comprises playing prerecorded scripts.

21. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the interaction module is configured to allow the agent to use live voice with the person associated with the call.

22. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a tracking module for keeping statistical information regarding each transferred call.

23. A system for disposing of telephone calls, the system comprising:

a dialer configured to connect to and utilize a phone system;

a controller coupled to the dialer;

Input/Output (I/O) devices configured to interact with a user;

a script player;

a memory containing modules for execution on a processor, the modules comprising;

a call initiation module configured to initiate a plurality of calls;

a transfer module configured to transfer a plurality of calls to at least one agent; and

a presentation module capable of simultaneously presenting a plurality of transferred calls to an agent; and

a communication network coupling the dialer, controller, processor, I/O devices, and memory.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the memory further comprises a rate control module for controlling the rate of calls transferred by the transfer module.

25. The system of claim 23, wherein the memory further comprises an interaction module allowing an agent to interact with a person associated with a call transferred by the transfer module.

26. The system of claim 23, wherein the memory further comprises a tracking module for keeping statistical information regarding calls transferred by the transfer module.

27. The system of claim 23, wherein the memory further comprises an automatic disposition module for automatically dispositioning the call based on one or more predetermined call statuses.

28. A method for disposing of a plurality of telephone calls, the method comprising:

initiating a plurality of telephone calls;

transferring a plurality of calls to at least one agent; and

simultaneously presenting a plurality of transferred calls to an agent.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein the transferring of calls is staggered such that no two calls arrive to the same agent at the same time.

30. The method of claim 28, wherein calls are transferred when a connection is established between the caller and a person associated with the phone number called.

31. The method of claim 28, wherein transferring comprises adjusting the rate at which calls are transferred.

32. The method of claim 28, wherein presenting a call comprises displaying call interaction options, corresponding to each transferred call, to a viewer.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein the call interaction options for simultaneous transferred calls are presented to separate and distinct locations on the viewer.

34. The method of claim 32, wherein the call interaction options are displayed to locations based upon the order in which transferred calls are received by the agent.

35. The method of claim 28, wherein information related to a call is highlighted.

36. The method of claim 28, wherein presenting a call comprises playing the call to a speaker.

37. The method of claim 36, wherein simultaneous transferred calls are played to separate and distinct speakers.

38. The method of claim 36, wherein the call is played to a speaker based upon the order in which transferred calls are received by the agent.

39. The method of claim 28, wherein the call is inaudible to the agent unless a voice associated with the transferred call is audible.

40. The method of claim 28, wherein presenting the call comprises displaying call interaction options associated with each transferred call to distinct locations on a viewer and by playing the call on one or more speakers, each speaker corresponding to a distinct viewer location.

41. The method of claim 28, further comprising displaying the progress of calls to be transferred to an agent.

42. The method of claim 41, wherein displaying the progress of calls to the agent comprises identifying when the calls will be transferred.

43. The method of claim 28, further comprising controlling the rate of transferred calls by playing scripts of variable length before transferring the call.

44. The method of claim 28, further comprising automatically dispositioning the call based on one or more predetermined call statuses.

45. The method of claim 28, further comprising interacting with the call.

46. The method of claim 28, wherein interacting with the call comprises playing prerecorded scripts.

47. The method of claim 45, wherein interacting with the call comprises speaking in live voice to the person called.

48. The method of claim 28, further comprising keeping statistical information regarding each transferred call.

49. A signal bearing medium tangibly embodying a program of machine-readable instructions executable by a digital processing apparatus to perform an operation to dispose of calls, the operation comprising:

initiating a plurality of telephone calls;

transferring a plurality of calls to at least one agent; and

simultaneously presenting a plurality of transferred calls to an agent.

50. The signal bearing medium of claim 49, wherein the transferring of calls is staggered such that no two calls arrive to the same agent at the same time.

51. The signal bearing medium of claim 49, wherein calls are transferred when a connection is established between the caller and a person associated with the phone number called.

52. The signal bearing medium of claim 49, wherein transferring comprises adjusting the rate at which calls are transferred.

53. The signal bearing medium of claim 49, wherein presenting a call comprises displaying call interaction options, corresponding to each transferred call, to a viewer.

54. The signal bearing medium of claim 53, wherein the call interaction options for simultaneous transferred calls are presented to separate and distinct locations on the viewer.

55. The signal bearing medium of claim 53, wherein the call interaction options are displayed to locations based upon the order in which transferred calls are received by the agent.

56. The signal bearing medium of claim 53, wherein information related to a call is highlighted.

57. The signal bearing medium of claim 49, wherein presenting a call comprises playing the call to a speaker.

58. The signal bearing medium of claim 57, wherein simultaneous transferred calls are played to separate and distinct speakers.

59. The signal bearing medium of claim 57, wherein the call is played to a speaker based upon the order in which transferred calls are received by the agent.

60. The signal bearing medium of claim 49, wherein the call is inaudible to the agent unless a voice associated with the transferred call is audible.

61. The signal bearing medium of claim 49, presenting the call comprises displaying call interaction options associated with transferred calls to distinct locations on a viewer and by playing the call on one or more speakers, each speaker corresponding to a distinct viewer location.

62. The signal bearing medium of claim 49, wherein the instructions further comprise an operation to display the progress of calls to be transferred to an agent.

63. The signal bearing medium of claim 62, wherein the instructions further comprise an operation to display the progress of calls to the agent by identifying when the calls will be transferred.

64. The signal bearing medium of claim 49, wherein the instructions further comprise an operation to control the rate of transferred calls by playing scripts of variable length before transferring the call.

65. The signal bearing medium of claim 49, wherein the instructions further comprise an operation to automatically disposition the call based on one or more predetermined call statuses.

66. The signal bearing medium of claim 49, wherein the instructions further comprise an operation to interact with the call.

67. The signal bearing medium of claim 49, wherein interacting with the call comprises playing prerecorded scripts.

68. The signal bearing medium of claim 66, wherein interacting with the call comprises speaking in live voice to the person called.

69. The signal bearing medium of claim 49, wherein the instructions further comprise an operation to track each transferred call.