Audio communications inferface, method and communications system for connecting a remote agent to a telephone switch
First Claim
1. An audio communications interface for establishing audio communications between a telephonic switch of an automatic call distribution network connected to a locally accessible telephonic console which may alternately be used by an agent to access the telephone switch when the agent is locally situated and a remotely located agent telephone via a telephone network comprising:
- an audio communications circuit for generating a call signal emulating a signal generated by a locally situated agent using the locally accessible telephonic console in response to instructions from the remotely located agent telephone to establish audio communications with the telephonic switch; and
a console interface for establishing audio communications with the telephonic switch through the locally accessible telephonic console in response to the call signal thereby establishing audio communications between the telephonic switch and the remotely located agent telephone.
14 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An audio communications interface 102 provides substantially automatic audio communications between a remote agent telephone 107 and a telephonic switch 104 through a telephonic console 106 connected to the telephonic switch 104. A remote agent dials a specified telephone number on the agent telephone 107 to access the audio communications interface 102. The audio communications interface 102 receives the dialed number from a telephone network 108 connected to the agent telephone 107 and generates a call signal which is transmitted to the telephonic switch 104 through the telephonic console 106. In response to the call signal, the telephonic switch 104 establishes audio communications with the agent telephone 107 through the console 106 and audio communications interface 102. A method for establishing audio communications through the audio communications interface 102 and data communications through an agent terminal 112, a computer network and a host computer 110 with the telephonic switch 104 is provided. In addition, a communications system for providing audio and data communications between a remote agent and the telephonic switch 104 is provided.
16 Citations
17 Claims
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1. An audio communications interface for establishing audio communications between a telephonic switch of an automatic call distribution network connected to a locally accessible telephonic console which may alternately be used by an agent to access the telephone switch when the agent is locally situated and a remotely located agent telephone via a telephone network comprising:
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an audio communications circuit for generating a call signal emulating a signal generated by a locally situated agent using the locally accessible telephonic console in response to instructions from the remotely located agent telephone to establish audio communications with the telephonic switch; and a console interface for establishing audio communications with the telephonic switch through the locally accessible telephonic console in response to the call signal thereby establishing audio communications between the telephonic switch and the remotely located agent telephone. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A method for providing communications between a telephonic switch and a remotely located agent, the agent being associated with a remotely located agent telephone and the telephonic switch having a locally accessible telephonic console connected thereto, which locally accessible telephonic console may alternately be used by the agent for access to the telephonic switch when the agent is locally situated, the method comprising the steps of:
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generating instruction signals by the remotely located agent telephone in response to the agent; transmitting the instruction signals over a telephonic network to access an audio communications interface coupled to the locally accessible telephone console; generating a call signal emulating a locally situated agent by the audio communications interface in response to the instructions signals; transmitting the call signal to the telephonic switch via the locally accessible telephonic console; and establishing audio communications between the telephonic switch and the remotely located agent telephone in response to the call signal. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9)
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10. A communications system for connecting an agent in a remote location to a telephonic switch of an automatic call distributor, the telephonic switch having a console connected thereto, which may alternately be used by the agent to access the telephonic switch when the agent is locally situated, the system comprising:
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a remotely located agent telephone which may be used by the agent to receive calls through the telephonic switch of the automatic call distributor; a telephone network connected to the remotely located agent telephone for providing communications with the remotely located agent telephone; an audio communications interface for interfacing with the console accessible by a locally situated agent and the remotely located agent telephone through the telephone network to provide communications between the console and the remotely located agent telephone; and a data system for providing data to the agent relating to the telephonic switch. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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Specification