Method And Means For Controlling The Availability Of Mobile Agents In A Call Centre Environment

• US 20080032679A1
• Filed: 08/05/2005
• Published: 02/07/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/08/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SAP SE
• Original Assignee: SAP AG (SAP SE)
• Inventors: Purontaus, Jouni, Salkala, Ville
• Granted Patent: US 7,983,661 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/417
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/18 wireless networks
• 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 3/5125 with remote located operators
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/16 Communication-related supplementary services, e.g. call-transfer or call-hold
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/18 Service support devices; Network management devices

Abstract

Method and apparatus for controlling the ability of mobile agents to receive customer service calls to their mobile phone from a call center. A mobile station is installed with a client application featuring an agent profile and call processing rules that are updated from the call center. The mobile agent uses the mobile station for work by turning on a “work profile”, and the client application registers the mobile agent to the call center. With the work profile on, the client application will block personal calls, or any other calls originating elsewhere than the call center. Significant advantages are accrued as the companies running the call centers will gain greater control of their mobile agent workforce and can prioritize tasks better within the organization, without having to construct complex solutions that consult different network elements within the cellular radio network.

Claims

1-42. -42. (canceled)

43. A method for controlling the availability of a mobile agent (440, 441), comprising at least one mobile station (420, 421, 422, 60b), at least one client application (430, 431, 432) installed on a mobile station and at least one call centre server (400, 401, 500), characterised in that,

the client application and the call centre server communicate data wirelessly or through a wireline connection,

the client application (430, 431, 432) controls the availability of at least one mobile agent (440, 441) to receive calls (102) with the mobile station.

the client application (430, 431, 432) contains a rule or a set of at least one rule for processing incoming and outgoing calls to and from the mobile station (420, 421, 422, 600) (140),

44. A method as claimed in claim 43, characterised in that, the call centre server (400, 401, 500) manages the said rules stored in the client application (430, 431, 432) by communicating wirelessly with the mobile station (420, 421, 422, 600) and the said client application (210).

45. A method as claimed in claim 43, characterised in that, the client application (430, 431, 432) programmatically produces a busy signal to an incoming call.

46. A method as claimed in claim 43, characterised in that, the client application (430, 431, 432) defines incoming calls to certain categories and processes said incoming calls with rules assigned to the said category.

47. A method as claimed in claim 43, characterised in that, the client application (430, 431, 432) blocks incoming and/or outgoing calls.

49. A method as claimed in claim 43, characterised in that, the client application (430, 431, 432) passes calls through always from at least one certain specified number.

50. A method as claimed in claim 43, characterised in that, the client application (430, 431, 432) hangs up intermittent phone calls and passes calls through from the call centre server (400, 401, 500).

51. A method as claimed in claim 43, characterised in that, the client application (430, 431, 432) and/or the call centre server (400, 401, 500) maintains a call queue.

52. A method as claimed in claim 43, characterised in that, the client application (430, 431, 432) and/or the call centre server (400, 401, 500) analyses the priority of incoming calls in the said call queue, and processes the incoming calls to the said mobile agent in the order of priority (340).

54. A method as claimed in claim 43, characterised in that, the call centre server (400, 401, 500) comprises any of the following:

database server (530), disk array (540), gateway server (550), application server (520), external phone centre (512), virtual phone (511) and/or a SIP and/or H.323 phone (510).

55. An arrangement for controlling the availability of a mobile agent (440, 441), comprising at least one mobile station (420, 421, 422, 600), at least one client application (430, 431, 432) installed or arranged to be installed on at least one mobile station, at least one call centre server (400, 401, 500), characterised in that,

the client application and the call centre server are arranged to communicate data wirelessly or through a wireline connection,

the client application (430, 431, 432) is arranged to control the availability of at least one mobile agent (440, 441) to receive calls with the mobile station.

the client application (430, 431, 432) is arranged to contain a rule or a set of at least one rule for processing incoming and outgoing calls to and from the mobile station (420, 421, 422, 600)

56. An arrangement as claimed in claim 55, characterised in that, the call centre server (400, 401, 500) is arranged to manage the said rules stored in the client application (430, 431, 432) by communicating wirelessly with the mobile station (420, 421, 422, 600) and the said client application.

57. An arrangement as claimed in claim 55, characterised in that, the client application (430, 431, 432) is arranged to programmatically produce a busy signal to an incoming call.

58. An arrangement as claimed in claim 55, characterised in that, the client application (430, 431, 432) is arranged to define incoming calls to certain categories and process said incoming calls with rules assigned to the said category.

59. An arrangement as claimed in claim 55, characterised in that, the client application (430, 431, 432) is arranged to block incoming and/or outgoing calls.

60. An arrangement as claimed in claim 55, characterised in that, the client application (430, 431, 432) is arranged to feature different profiles that contain different processing rules for incoming and outgoing calls.

61. An arrangement as claimed in claim 55, characterised in that, the client application (430, 431, 432) is arranged to pass calls through always from at least one certain specified number.

62. An arrangement as claimed in claim 55, characterised in that, the client application (430, 431, 432) is arranged to hang up intermittent phone calls and pass calls through from the call centre server (400, 401, 500).

63. An arrangement as claimed in claim 55, characterised in that, the client application (430, 431, 432) and/or the call centre server (400, 401, 500) is arranged to maintain a call queue.

64. An arrangement as claimed in claim 63, characterised in that, the client application (430, 431, 432) and/or the call centre server (400, 401, 500) is arranged to analyse the priority of incoming calls in the said call queue, and arranged to process the incoming calls to the said mobile agent in the order of priority.

65. An arrangement as claimed in claim 55, characterised in that, the mobile station (420, 421, 422, 600) is a GSM-, GSM-data, IP-RAN-, UMTS-, WAP-, Teldesic-, Inmarsat-, Iridium-, GPRS-, CDMA-data-, WCDMA-data-, HTTP-, H.323-, SIP-, SMS-, MMS-, email-LAN-, TCP/IP-, imode-, Globalstar- and/or WLAN-compliant mobile phone, PDA and/or a portable computer.

66. An arrangement as claimed in claim 55, characterised in that, the call centre server (400, 401, 500) comprises any of the following:

database server (530), disk array (540), gateway server (550), application server (520), external phone centre (512), virtual phone (511) and/or a SIP and/or H.323 phone (510).

67. A software program product comprising a software program stored on a computer readable memory unit for controlling the availability of a mobile agent (440, 441), comprising at least one client application (430, 431, 432, 700) arranged to be installed on a mobile station (420, 421, 422, 600), the client application being arranged to wirelessly communicate data with at least one call centre server software (810), characterised in that,

the client application (430, 431, 432, 700) is arranged to control the availability of the mobile agent (440, 441) to receive calls with the mobile station from at least one call centre.

the client application (430, 431, 432, 700) contains a rule or a set of at least one rule for processing incoming and outgoing calls to and from the mobile station (420, 421, 422, 600).

68. Software program product as claimed in claim 67, characterised in that, the client application (430, 431, 432, 700) is arranged to programmatically produce a busy signal to an incoming call.

69. Software program product as claimed in claim 67, characterised in that, the client application (430, 431, 432, 700) is arranged to define incoming calls to certain categories and process said incoming calls with rules assigned to the said category.

70. Software program product as claimed in claim 67, characterised in that, the client application (430, 431, 432, 700) is arranged to block incoming and/or outgoing calls.

71. Software program product as claimed in claim 67, characterised in that, the client application (430, 431, 432, 700) is arranged to feature different profiles that contain different processing rules for incoming and outgoing calls.

72. Software program product as claimed in claim 67, characterised in that, the client application (430, 431, 432, 700) is arranged to pass calls through always from at least one certain specified number.

73. Software program product as claimed in claim 67, characterised in that, the client application (430, 431, 432, 700) is arranged to hang up intermittent phone calls and pass calls through from the call centre server.

74. Software program product as claimed in claim 67, characterised in that, the client application (430, 431;

432, 700) is arranged to maintain a call queue.

75. Software program product as claimed in claim 74, characterised in that, the client application (430, 431, 432, 700) is arranged to analyse the priority of incoming calls in the said call queue, and processes the incoming calls to the said mobile agent (440, 441) in the order of priority.

76. Software program product as claimed in claim 67, characterised in that, the client application (430, 431, 432, 700) is a GSM-, GSM-data, IP-RAN-, UMTS-, WAP-, Teldesic-, Inmarsat-, Iridium-, GPRS-, CDMA-data-, WCDMA-data-, HTTP-, H.323-, SIP-, SMS-, MMS-, email-LAN-, TCP/IP-, imode-, Globalstar- and/or WLAN-compliant mobile phone software application, PDA and/or a portable computer application.

77. A software program product comprising a software program stored on a computer readable memory unit for controlling the availability of a mobile agent (440, 441), comprising at least one call centre server software (810) arranged to wirelessly communicate data with at least one client application (430, 431, 432, 700) installed on a mobile station (420, 421, 422, 600), characterised in that,

the call centre server software (810) is arranged to control the availability of at least one mobile agent to receive calls with the mobile station by controlling the client application (430, 431, 432, 700) on the mobile station of the said mobile agent (440, 441).

the call centre server software (810) is arranged to manage rules for processing incoming and outgoing calls stored in a client application (430, 431, 432, 700) by communicating wirelessly with the mobile station (420, 421, 422, 600) and the said client application.

78. Software program product as claimed in claim 77, characterised in that, the call centre server software (810) is arranged to maintain a call queue.

79. Software program product as claimed in claim 78, characterised in that, the call centre server software (810) is arranged to analyse the priority of incoming calls in the said call queue, and processes the incoming calls to the said mobile agent (440, 441) in the order of priority.

80. Software program product as claimed in claim 77, characterised in that, the call centre server software (810) comprises any of the following:

database server software, disk array software, gateway server software, application server software, external phone centre software, virtual phone software and/or a SIP and/or H.323 phone software.