Method and system for multi-channel data automatic call distribution

• US 5,563,937 A
• Filed: 03/09/1995
• Issued: 10/08/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 03/18/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: AT&T IPM Corp. (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T, Inc.
• Inventors: Rich, Michael R., Chen, Mon-Mei, Bruno, Richard F., Markowitz, Robert E., Harris, Rosemary H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Zele, Krista M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Dharia, Parag
• Application Number:
  US08/401,315
• Time in Patent Office: 579 Days
• Field of Search: 379/94, 379/96, 379/97, 379/201, 379/207, 379/218, 379/265, 379/266, 379/202, 379/142, 348/14, 348/15, 348/16, 370/110.1, 370/62, 370/79, 370/84
• US Class Current: 379/265.11
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/50 Telephonic communication in combination with video communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/158 Call-type dependent routing route determination based on the nature of the carried application in packet switching networks H04L45/306
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/2066 Call type detection of indication, e.g. voice or fax, mobile of fixed, PSTN or IP
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/08 ISDN systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/203 composed of PSTN and data network, e.g. the Internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/22 Automatic class or number identification arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42059 Making use of the calling party identifier
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42102 Making use of the called party identifier
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4228 in networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42306 Number translation services, e.g. premium-rate, freephone or vanity number services
• 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 3/523 with call distribution or queueing
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0033 Notification or handling of incoming calls by a computer
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 11/0428 Integrated services digital network, i.e. systems for transmission of different types of digitised signals, e.g. speech, data, telecentral, television signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13512 800 - freefone
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13541 routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0029 Provisions for intelligent networking

Abstract

A method of operating a telecommunication network to route a first phone call, from a caller to a channel of a free position of a plurality of positions at a selected destination of a network subscriber, based on voice and data transport capability, and for connecting a second phone call from the caller to a second channel of the same free position to create a multi-channel data call is disclosed. The selected destination is one of a plurality of destinations selected by the network subscriber identified by a common telephone number. Each of the plurality of positions is associated with a discrete telephone number. A plurality of discriminators common to both voice and data calls are established for the call. An additional data rate discriminator is established for a data call corresponding to a requested data rate for the calling party. A database is accessed in response to receiving the common telephone from the calling party for obtaining a destination number for data calls. A subscriber selected destination number for the first phone call is obtained and the first phone call is completed to the destination number by hunting the call to a first channel of a free position of the plurality of positions. A discrete telephone number associated with the free position is provided to the caller over the first channel. A second call, made by the caller to the discrete telephone number is received at a second channel of the free position to created a multi-channel data call.

Claims

1. A method of operating a telecommunication network to route a first phone call, from a caller to a first channel of a free position of a plurality of positions at a selected destination of a network subscriber, based on voice and data transport capability, and for connecting a second phone call from the caller to a second channel of the same free position to create a multi-channel data call, wherein the selected destination is one of a plurality of destinations selected by the network subscriber identified by a common telephone number and each of the plurality of positions is associated with a discrete telephone number, the method comprising:

associating with the first phone call a plurality of discriminators common to both voice and data calls, and an additional data rate discriminator corresponding to a data rate used by the calling party, when the first phone call is a data call,

accessing a database in response to receiving the common telephone number from the calling party for obtaining a subscriber selected destination number for a voice call based on the common discriminators and a separate subscriber selected destination number for a data call, wherein the separate subscriber selected destination number for the data call is based on the common discriminator and the data rate used by the caller,

obtaining the separate subscriber selected destination number fix the first phone call,

completing the first phone call to the separate subscriber selected destination number and hunting the first phone call to a first channel of a free position of the plurality of positions,

providing the discrete telephone number associated with the free position over the first channel to the caller, and

receiving the second phone call, made by the caller to the discrete telephone number associated with the free position, at a second channel of the free position.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of providing a database, behind a PBX, identifying positions of the plurality of positions which are in use, and

querying the database to determine which of the plurality of positions is a free position.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of providing a database, behind a CTX, identifying positions of the plurality of positions which are in use, and

querying the database to determine which of the plurality of positions is a free position.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of reading the data rate from a call setup message when the caller has an ISDN connection.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the first channel is one of an ISDN A-channel or ISDN B-channel.

6. A method for connecting a caller through a public switched telephone network to multiple channels of an agent position to create an increased bandwidth data call between the caller and the agent position, the method comprising:

receiving a first data call made from a caller to a destination number selected by a network subscriber based on voice and data transport capability, wherein the destination number is one of a plurality of destination numbers selected by the subscriber identified by a common telephone number and each of the destination numbers is associated with a plurality of agent positions each identified by a discrete telephone number and for each of the agent positions there is provided a first channel and second channel which is associated with the discrete telephone number,

associating with said first data call made by the caller a plurality of discriminators common to both voice and data calls and an additional data rate discriminator corresponding to the data rate used by the caller,

accessing a first database in response to receiving the common telephone number from the caller to obtain a routing number,

selecting a second database based on the routing number,

accessing the second database for obtaining one of said plurality of destination numbers selected by the subscriber for data calls, wherein the destination number selected by the subscriber is based on the common discriminators and the data rate used by the caller,

completing the first data call by directing first data call to the destination number selected by the subscriber,

hunting the first data call to an agent position selected from the plurality of positions,

connecting the first data call to the first channel associated with the selected agent position,

passing the discrete telephone number associated with the selected agent position to the caller over the first channel,

receiving a second data call made by the caller to the discrete telephone number at the selected agent position and connecting the second data call to the second channel associated with the selected agent position so as to create a multi-channel data call between the caller and the selected agent position.

7. The method of claim 6 further comprising the steps of providing a third database identifying agent positions of the plurality of agent positions which are in use, and

determining the selected agent position using the third database.

8. A system for creating a multi-channel data call between a caller and an agent position at a destination number selected by a network subscriber, based on voice and data transport capability, wherein the destination number is one of a plurality of destination numbers selected by the subscriber identified by a common telephone number and each of the agent positions has an associated plurality of channels to which data calls may be connected, the system comprising:

means for associating with a first phone call a plurality of discriminators common to both voice and data calls and an additional data rate discriminator for a data call corresponding to the data rate used by the caller,

means for accessing a database in response to receiving the common telephone number from the caller for obtaining a destination number selected by the network subscriber for a data call, wherein the destination number selected by the network subscriber is based on the common discriminator and the data rate used by the caller,

means for completing the first phone call by hunting the phone call to the agent position and for connecting the first phone call to one channel of the plurality of channels of the agent position,

means for passing a discrete telephone number associated with the agent position to the caller over the one channel and for connecting a second phone call from the caller to another of the plurality of channels of the agent position.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein the means for completing the first phone call by hunting the phone call to the agent position and for connecting the first phone call to one channel of the plurality of channels is part of an automatic call distribution center.

10. The system of claim 8 wherein the means for passing the discrete telephone number associated with the agent position to the caller over the one channel is part of an automatic call distribution center.

11. The system of claim 8 wherein the means for passing the discrete telephone number associated with the agent position to the caller over the one channel is behind a PBX.

12. The system of claim 8 wherein the means for passing the discrete telephone number associated with the agent position to the caller over the one channel is behind a CTX.

13. A system to route a plurality of phone calls from a caller to an agent, of a plurality of agents, at a destination number selected by a network subscriber based on voice and data transport capability, wherein the one of the plurality of phone calls is a first data call of a multi-channel data call and another of the plurality of phone calls is a second data call of the multi-channel data call, and wherein each agent is further identified by a discrete telephone number and is equipped with a terminal configured with a first channel and a second channel for receiving the first data call on the first channel and the second data call on the second channel, and wherein the destination number is one of a plurality of destination numbers selected by the network subscriber identified by a common telephone number, the system comprising:

means for associating with a first of a plurality of phone calls from a caller a plurality of discriminators common to both voice and data calls and an additional data rate discriminator for a data call corresponding to the data rate used by the caller,

means for accessing a first database in response to receiving the common telephone number from the caller to obtain a routing number,

means for selecting a second database based on the routing number,

means for accessing the second database for obtaining a destination number selected by the network subscriber for data calls, wherein the separate destination number selected by the network subscriber is based on the common discriminator and the data rate used by the caller,

means for completing the first phone call by hunting the first phone call to a first channel of an agent terminal at the destination number selected by the network subscriber,

means for passing a discrete telephone number associated with the agent to the caller over the first channel and receiving a second phone call made by the caller to the discrete telephone number at a second channel of the agent terminal.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein the means for passing the discrete telephone number associated with the agent is behind a PBX.

15. The system of claim 13 wherein the means for passing the discrete telephone number associated with the agent is behind a CTX.