Abstract:
An e-mail processing application (43, 45) executable on a computer station having a video display unit searches (47) a received e-mail for one or more words, phrases, and addresses for comparison with stored words, phrases and addresses in a stored table, and upon finding a match (49) in the stored table, inserts (51) one or more of words, phrases, or addresses associated in the stored table with the words, phrases or addresses from the received e-mail in any reply (53) to the received e-mail. A 'send to' address in a received e-mail triggers automatically one or both of a particular 'from' and 'reply to' address in any response to the received e-mail. In another embodiment, a 'send to' address in a received e-mail, resulting from a table look-up, automatically prepares and sends a new e-mail identical to the received e-mail except for a new 'send to' address retrieved from the stored table.
Abstract:
A telephone switching and routing system has a first switching apparatus (15) for receiving incoming calls (29), a first processor (17) connected to the first switching apparatus (15), and a plurality of destination sites (33) each connected to the first switching apparatus (15) by a telephony trunk (37), each destination site (33) including a destination processor (41) coupled to the first processor (17) by a communication link (39) separate from the telephony trunk (37). The first processor (17) connected to the first switching apparatus (15) maintains a list of incoming calls (29) received at the first switching apparatus (15) as a virtual queue (25), wherein individual ones of the destination processors (41) at the destination sites (33) monitor local agent status and skill sets, and request switching of calls from the published lists as agents become available to handle new calls and the first processor (17) in response to requests from the destination processors (41) controls the first switching apparatus (15) to switch calls to the requesting destinations sites (33).
Abstract:
A system for tracking client contacts for a host organization utilizes a multimedia database and a user interface at a connected computer device. The database stores client communications as full content, and relates contacts by issue, and the user interface displays client contact communications as objects, such as icons, in issue related chronological strings. In a preferred embodiment the interface also provides an input facility for a host agent to select appropriate responses to client communications, to make commitments for response, to assign responsibility for commitments, and to notify personnel effected by entered commitments in various ways, such as reminders. Other notifications include fulfilled and unfulfilled commitments.
Abstract:
A customer-maintained routing system for providing routing to a network provider (241) for incoming calls (107) from clients to the customer comprises a processor (103) having a data link adapted for connection to a customer access point (310) provided by the network provider, a router adapted to execute on the processor (214) and to provide routing to the network via the customer access point, and a metadata-based information system (310) maintained in RAM accessible to the processor and containing a condensed client characteristics (300). Upon receiving a request from the network including a call identifier, the router accesses the database using the identifier as a key, retreives client characteristics from the information system and provides a destination for the call to the network based on the retrieved client characteristics.
Abstract:
A telephony call-waiting system for clients having a computer (112) with a video display unit (PC/VDU) and a public-switched telephony network (PSTN) telephone (111) connected to the PSTN (151) by a single line (150), keeps a status indication of the client's Internet connection status and, during periods of time the PC/VDU is connected to the Internet (101), alerts the clients by an alert signal over the Internet connection of any waiting PSTN calls. In a preferred embodiment the client's PC/VDU is adapted to provide an audio and/or visual alert event when an alert signal is received, and to provide for a user-initiated response to an alert, accepting or rejecting a call. In the event a call is accepted, provision is made for connecting the accepted call to the client's PC/VDU as an IP call. In some embodiments several calls may be dealt with at the PC/VDU, and features are provided such as caller-ID on the client's VDU. Several ways of accomplishing the call-waiting system are taught.
Abstract:
A client-server telephone call router system as part of a customer premises system has a client-server router adapted to execute on a telephony switch, such as a public branch exchange (PBX) or other telephony switch, or on a processor connected by CTI link to a telephony switch. The telephony switch or processor executing the router is connected to a local area network (LAN) that also interconnects computer workstations proximate to telephones connected to the telephony switch. Client user interface applications run on the computer workstations, allowing clients to edit routing rules for the router, which has a list of routing rules keyed to users and workstations of the customer premises system. The editing rules are kept by the router in portions dedicated to individual users. With this system a user can edit at a workstation on the LAN his/her own routing rules, and transmit the edits to the client-server router where the rules will be followed to route calls for that user and protocol.
Abstract:
A computerized telephony call center (121) for serving a customer base has a central switch (123) connected to a plurality of telephones (136, 138) at operator workstations (131, 132) and adapted to route the calls to individual ones of the telephones, and also connected to a public switched telephone network (100), and a first processor (223) connected to the central switch (123) by a high-speed data link (212) and to the telephone network by a digital network connection. The first processor (223) is adapted to monitor transactional activity of the central switch (123), to process the activity information according to selected routines in the processor, and to communicate processed information to a second processor (224) over the digital network connection. The digital connections may be a TCP/IP connection. In a preferred embodiment, the first processor is connected by a LAN (301) to network interfaces including a video display unit and input apparatus proximate individual ones of the plurality of telephones connected to the central switch.
Abstract:
A system (Fig. 1) for assuring quality of service for Data Network Telephone calls such as Internet Protocol Network Telephony calls (180, 81, 203) has software (SW) for monitoring established DNT calls for adequate bandwidth. If the available bandwidth falls below a threshold, an alternative conventional call (118). Such as a PSTN or ISDN (100) call is made to replace the DNT call. Once the alternative call (118) is established, the original call (180, 181, 203) is ended. After the original call (180, 181, 203) is ended, tests of the DNT path continue and in some cases, if adequate DNT bandwidth becomes available, the call is switched back to DNT (180, 181, 203).
Abstract:
An Intelligent network call center system (160) has switching apparatus at plural call centers (162, 180) connected to telephones at local agent stations at each call center. The call centers are adapted to receive calls from clients at internal routing points. A router (192) coupled to each of the switches at the call centers is adapted to execute routing rules to select agent stations for transferring calls received at the routing points, and the agent station selected can be at any of the call centers involved. In one aspect the router, having selected an agent station at a call center remote from the call center where a call to be routed is first received, requests a routing point virtual number at the remote call center, then transfers the call to that new routing point. The second call center then further routes the transferred call to the final agent station. Statistics may be used in routing, and data regarding client-callers may be routed to the same agent station to which calls are routed for display.
Abstract:
A client-server telephone call router system as part of a customer premises system (123) has a client-server router adapted to execute on a telephony switch (121), such as a public branch exchange (PBX) or other telephony switch (121), or on a processor (223) connected by CTI link to a telephony switch (121). The telephony switch (121) or processor (223) executing the router is connected to a local area network (LAN) (301) that also interconnects computer workstations (361, 362) proximate to telephones (131, 132) connected to the telephony switch (121). Client user interface applications run on the computer workstations (361, 362), allowing clients to edit routing rules for the router (207), which has a list of routing rules keyed to users and workstations (361, 362) of the customer premises system (123). The editing rules are kept by the router in portions dedicated to individual users. With this system a user can edit at a workstation (361, 362) on the LAN (301) his/her own routing rules, and transmit the edits to the client-server router (207) where the rules will be followed to route calls for that user and protocol.