AUTOMATIC CONFIGURATION OF SOFT PHONES THAT ARE USABLE IN CONJUNCTION WITH SPECIAL-PURPOSE ENDPOINTS

• US 20110075821A1
• Filed: 09/29/2009
• Published: 03/31/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Arlington Technologies, LLC (Dominion Harbor Enterprises, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Avaya Incorporated
• Inventors: Michaelis, Paul Roller
• Granted Patent: US 8,565,386 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/88.13
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1059 End-user terminal functionalities specially adapted for real-time communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2475 for a hearing impaired user
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2535 adapted for voice communication over an Internet Protocol [IP] network Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) network equipment and services H04M7/006; implementation or adaptation of Internet protocol [IP], of transmission control protocol [TCP] or of user datagram protocol [UDP] H04L69/16
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42391 where the subscribers are hearing-impaired persons, e.g. telephone devices for the deaf
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5183 Call or contact centers with computer-telephony arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0015 First party call control architectures

Abstract

The present disclosure is directed, in some embodiments, to automatic switching of a telephony module between different operational modes in response to the identification of different types of incoming contacts.

Claims

1. A process, comprising:

(a) providing a telephony module having discrete first and second modes for a given contact, the second mode enabling voice-only communications and the first mode enabling a communication media other than voice;

(b) determining, by a computer-executable contact type identification module, a corresponding media type for a first incoming contact;

(c) selecting, by a computer-executable mode controller and based on the determined corresponding media type, one of the first and second modes; and

(d) causing, by the computer-executable mode controller, the telephony module to switch to the selected one of the first and second modes.

2. The process of claim 1, wherein the telephony module executes on a computer station of a contact center agent and further comprising:

(e) providing at least one of a media support module executing on the computer station and an auxiliary telecommunication device associated with at least one of the contact center agent and computer station;

(f) selecting, by the computer-executable mode controller and based on the determined corresponding media type, the at least one of a media support module and auxiliary telecommunication device to receive the first incoming contact; and

(g) requesting, by the computer-executable mode controller, the routing of the first incoming contact to the selected at least one of a media support module and auxiliary telecommunication device.

3. The process of claim 1, wherein the determined corresponding media type is associated with a telecommunication device for the deaf and the first mode is selected.

4. The process of claim 2, wherein the at least one of the media support module and auxiliary telecommunication device comprises a plurality of telecommunication devices for the deaf, wherein each of the telecommunication devices for the deaf corresponds to a different teletypewriter protocol, and wherein each of the teletypewriter protocols corresponds to a different media type.

5. The process of claim 1, wherein the determined corresponding media type is associated with a voice-only call and the second mode is selected.

6. The process of claim 1, wherein the first incoming contact has a first media type, wherein a second incoming contact has a second media type, wherein the first and second media types are active simultaneously, wherein the first and second media types involve a common calling party and a common called party, wherein, with respect to the first contact, the telephony module has the first mode, wherein, with respect to the second contact, the telephony module has the second mode, and wherein the first and second contacts are bridged.

7. The process of claim 1, wherein the first incoming contact has a first media type, wherein a second incoming contact has a second media type, wherein the first and second media types are active simultaneously, wherein the first and second media types involve a common calling party and a common called party, wherein, with respect to the first contact, the telephony module has the first mode, wherein, with respect to the second contact, the telephony module has the second mode, and wherein the first and second contacts use a common bearer channel.

8. An article of manufacture comprising a computer readable medium comprising computer-executable instructions that, when executed, perform the steps of claim 1.

9. A machine, comprising:

(a) a telephony module having discrete first and second modes for a given contact, the second mode enabling voice-only communications and the first mode enabling a communication media other than voice;

(b) a computer-executable contact type identification module operable to determine a corresponding media type for a first incoming contact; and

(c) a computer-executable mode controller operable to select, based on the determined corresponding media type, one of the first and second modes and cause the telephony module to switch to the selected one of the first and second modes.

10. The machine of claim 9, wherein the telephony module executes on a computer station of a contact center agent and further comprising:

(d) at least one of a media support module executing on the computer station and an auxiliary telecommunication device associated with at least one of the contact center agent and computer station; and

wherein the computer-executable mode controller is operable to select, based on the determined corresponding media type, the at least one of a media support module and auxiliary telecommunication device to receive the first incoming contact and request the routing of the first incoming contact to the selected at least one of a media support module and auxiliary telecommunication device.

11. The machine of claim 9, wherein the determined corresponding media type is associated with a telecommunication device for the deaf and the first mode is selected.

12. The machine of claim 10, wherein the at least one of the media support module and auxiliary telecommunication device comprises a plurality of telecommunication devices for the deaf, wherein each of the telecommunication devices for the deaf corresponds to a different teletypewriter protocol, and wherein each of the teletypewriter protocols corresponds to a different media type.

13. The machine of claim 9, wherein the determined corresponding media type is associated with a voice-only call and the second mode is selected.

14. The machine of claim 9, wherein the first incoming contact has a first media type, wherein a second incoming contact has a second media type, wherein the first and second media types are active simultaneously, wherein the first and second media types involve a common calling party and a common called party, wherein, with respect to the first contact, the telephony module has the first mode, wherein, with respect to the second contact, the telephony module has the second mode, and wherein the first and second contacts are bridged.

15. The machine of claim 9, wherein the first incoming contact has a first media type, wherein a second incoming contact has a second media type, wherein the first and second media types are active simultaneously, wherein the first and second media types involve a common calling party and a common called party, wherein, with respect to the first contact, the telephony module has the first mode, wherein, with respect to the second contact, the telephony module has the second mode, and wherein the first and second contacts use a common bearer channel.

16. A process, comprising:

(a) providing a plurality of communication devices, each device having a corresponding electronic address and a different set of media requirements;

(b) determining, by a computer-executable contact type identification module, a corresponding media type for a first incoming contact;

(c) determining, by a computer-executable controller and based on the determined corresponding media type, an electronic address of one of the plurality of communication devices compatible with the determined corresponding media type; and

(d) causing, by the computer-executable controller, the incoming call to be directed to the determined electronic address.

17. The process of claim 16, further comprising:

(e) providing a telephony module having discrete first and second modes for a given contact, the second mode enabling voice-only communications and the first mode enabling a communication media other than voice;

(b) selecting, by a computer-executable mode controller and based on the determined corresponding media type, one of the first and second modes; and

(d) causing, by the computer-executable mode controller, the telephony module to switch to the selected one of the first and second modes.