System and method for responding to an emergency at a call center

• US 20070025543A1
• Filed: 07/14/2005
• Published: 02/01/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/14/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Vadlakonda, Sravan, Vadlakonda, Vijetha
• Granted Patent: US 7,957,520 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/265.20
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/04 for emergency applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/12 Marking faulty circuits "busy"; Enabling equipment to disengage itself from faulty circuits ; Using redundant circuits; Response of a circuit, apparatus or system to an error
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5237 Interconnection arrangements between ACD systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/53383 Message registering commands or announcements; Greetings

Abstract

A system and method for servicing a caller at a contact center includes a plurality of call centers, each including an automatic call distributor (ACD), and an emergency response system that issues an emergency notification signal to the ACD of a call center in response to an emergency condition affecting the call center. In response, the ACD of the call center informs callers of the emergency condition, and then performs a bulk transfer of each of the active calls from the call center to one or more other call centers. It is emphasized that this abstract is provided to comply with the rules requiring an abstract that will allow a searcher or other reader to quickly ascertain the subject matter of the technical disclosure. It is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims. 37 CFR 1.72(b).

Claims

1. A call center for servicing a call from a caller comprising:

means for informing the caller of an emergency condition at the call center; and

means for forwarding the call to another call center responsive to a signal indicative of the emergency condition, the another call center being located geographically remote from the emergency condition at the call center.

2. A processor-implemented method of handling active calls at a call center comprising:

informing callers associated with the active calls of an emergency at the call center responsive to an emergency notification signal; and

transferring each of the active calls to one or more other call centers located geographically remote to the emergency.

3. The processor-implemented method of claim 2 wherein the emergency notification signal comprises a data packet message.

4. The processor-implemented method of claim 2 wherein the emergency notification signal comprises a wireless signal.

5. A processor-implemented method of handling active calls at a call center comprising:

issuing an emergency notification signal to a caller center;

automatically playing a voice script that informs callers associated with the active calls of an emergency at the call center responsive to the emergency notification signal; and

performing a bulk transfer of the active calls from the call center to one or more other call centers geographically remote from the emergency across an Internet protocol (IP) network.

6. The processor-implemented method of claim 5 wherein the emergency notification signal comprises an IP-based message.

7. The processor-implemented method of claim 5 wherein the bulk transfer is performed by a dispatching authority associated with the call center.

8. The processor-implemented method of claim 5 wherein the bulk transfer is performed by the call center.

9. A call center for servicing a plurality of calls from a corresponding plurality of callers, comprising:

an input/output (I/O) system that connects with a network to receive the calls; and

an automatic call distributor (ACD) coupled with the I/O system, the ACD being operable to receive an emergency notification signal and, in response, to play a voice message informing the callers of an emergency condition at the call center, the ACD being further operable to perform a bulk transfer of the calls to one or more other call centers after the voice message has been played, the one or more other call centers being located geographically remote from the emergency condition at the call center.

10. The call center of claim 9 wherein the emergency notification signal comprises an Internet Protocol (IP) message.

11. The call center of claim 9 wherein the bulk transfer is performed by a processor associated with the ACD.

12. The call center of claim 9 wherein the call center further comprises a plurality of agents to service the calls prior to receiving the emergency notification signal.

13. The call center of claim 9 wherein the network comprises an Internet Protocol (IP) network.