Escalatory reactive call routing

• US 6,011,792 A
• Filed: 10/10/1997
• Issued: 01/04/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 02/10/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Genesys Telecommunications Laboratories Incorporated (Genesys Cloud Services Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Genesys Telecommunications Laboratories Incorporated (Genesys Cloud Services Incorporated)
• Inventors: Miloslavsky, Alec
• Primary Examiner(s): VU, HUY DUY
• Application Number:
  US08/948,837
• Time in Patent Office: 816 Days
• Field of Search: 370/352, 370/353, 370/354, 370/355, 370/356, 370/351, 370/389, 370/392, 370/400, 370/401, 379/210, 379/211, 379/212, 379/265, 379/266, 379/309, 379/220, 379/221, 379/88.17, 340/826, 340/827
• US Class Current: 370/352
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/64 Hybrid switching systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/401 wherein the services involve a main real-time session and one or more additional parallel real-time or time sensitive sessions, e.g. white board sharing or spawning of a subconference
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/63 Routing a service request depending on the request content or context
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/551 Call history recording a computer conference H04L12/1831
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/12 intelligent networks
• 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 3/36 Statistical metering, e.g. recording occasions when traffic exceeds capacity of trunks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/367 Traffic or load control
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42323 PBX's with CTI arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/51 Centralised call answering arrangements requiring operator intervention , e.g. call or contact centers for telemarketing
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5166 in combination with interactive voice response systems or voice portals, e.g. as front-ends
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5183 Call or contact centers with computer-telephony arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5191 interacting with the Internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/523 with call distribution or queueing
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5232 Call distribution algorithms
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5233 Operator skill based call distribution
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5236 Sequential or circular distribution
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5237 : Interconnection arrangements between ACD systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5238 : with waiting time or load prediction arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/54 : Arrangements for diverting calls for one subscriber to another predetermined subscriber based on the calling party profile H04M3/42059; based on location H04M3/42348; based on presence H04M3/42365; to voice mail H04M3/53308
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/56 : Arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities video conference systems H04N7/15
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/58 : Arrangements for transferring received calls from one subscriber to another; Arrangements affording interim conversations between either the calling or the called party and a third party substation line holding circuits H04M1/80
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/00 : Arrangements for interconnection between switching centres
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/006 : Networks other than PSTN/ISDN providing telephone service, e.g. Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) , including next generation networks with a packet-switched transport layer H04L65/00 takes precedence; aspects not specific to the type of network H04M3/00; special services in those networks H04M3/42
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/12 : for working between exchanges having different types of switching equipment, e.g. power-driven and step by step or decimal and non-decimal
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13034 : A/D conversion, code compression/expansion
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13072 : Sequence circuits for call signaling, ACD systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13093 : Personal computer, PC
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13103 : Memory
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13106 : Microprocessor, CPU
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13141 : Hunting for free outlet, circuit or channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13164 : Traffic (registration, measurement,...)
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13174 : Data transmission, file transfer
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13204 : Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/1322 : PBX
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13345 : Intelligent networks, SCP
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13349 : Network management
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13389 : LAN, internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0029 : Provisions for intelligent networking
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0045 : involving hybrid, i.e. a mixture of public and private, or multi-vendor systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/64 : Distributing or queueing
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/66 : Traffic distributors

Abstract

An Internet Protocol Network Telephony (IPNT) system having a router for IPNT calls has a plurality of selectable routing protocols and a system monitoring facility adapted for periodically determining the condition and performance of the system, where the system may be any collection of connected computers on the same wide area network. Routing protocols are selected according to one or both of system condition and performance. In a system subject to degradation of performance under certain conditions, routing protocols may be selected that are relatively immune to causes of degradation in performance. As performance degrades, escalatory selection of more simple routing protocols may be provided.

Claims

1. In an Internet Protocol Network Telephony (IPNT) system incorporating intelligent call routing to selected computer stations and having a plurality of routing protocols with different protocols associated with different levels of system performance, a method for selecting a routing protocol, comprising steps of:

(a) while executing a first routing protocol, monitoring one or both of system condition and performance including system degradation and cause of degradation; and

(b) selecting a second routing protocol based on detection in step (a) of a change in system condition or performance to a new level, according to the appropriate protocols associated with the new level of stem condition or performance, and on a basis of relative insusceptibility to the causes of system degradation.

2. An Internet Protocol Internet Telephony (IPNT) call center comprising:

a managing processor coupled to a wide area network for receiving IPNT calls;

agent stations each having a computer connected to the managing processor;

a router associated with the managing processor, the router having alternative selectable routing protocols with different protocols associated with different levels of system condition or performance; and

a system monitor determining one or more of system condition and performance, including system degradation and causes of degradation;

wherein the router selects a routing protocol based on detection in step (a) of a change in system condition or performance to a new level, according to the appropriate protocols associated with the new level of system condition or performance, and on a basis of relative insusceptibility to the causes of system degradation.

3. An Internet Protocol Network Telephony call-routing system comprising:

a routing-processor adapted for receiving and forwarding calls;

a router associated with the routing processor and having different selectable routing protocols associated with different levels of system condition or performance; and

a system monitor a system monitor periodically determining system condition and performance, including system degradation and cause of degradation;

wherein the router selects a routing protocol based on a change in system condition or performance to a new level, according to the appropriate protocols associated with the new level of system condition or performance, and on a basis of relative insusceptibility to the causes of system degradation.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the router is a network router.

5. The system of claim 3 wherein the router is a router at a customer premises call-center site.