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:
A system for rerouting misrouted calls between call centers has multiple call centers (501, 502, 503) all connected by digital link (511, 512, 513) to a central rerouter (510), which maintains a data list of a unique pool of destination numbers assigned to each of the call centers (501, 502, 503). The central rerouter (510) sends rerouted calls to destination numbers in the destination number pool for each call center (501, 502, 503) in a sequential manner such that any destination number in the pool for any call center (501, 502, 503), once used, is not used again until all of the remaining destination numbers in the pool for that call center are used once each. In a preferred embodiment call centers (501, 502, 503) are interconnected by private lines, and rerouted calls are sent over the private lines.
Abstract:
A communication router receives incoming communications and assigns a priority to each, which are then placed in descending order of priority from the head of the queue, to be routed from the head of the queue to selected destinations (31, 33). The invention is particularly applicable to routing telephone calls in a call center (21). Destinations (31, 33), in the call center agent stations, are selected on a basis of agent availability, and an agent status may be available if the agent is involved in a call of lower priority than a call to be routed. In some embodiments displaced calls may be placed back in the routing queue in order of priority. The invention is applicable to routing a wide variety of communications, such as telephone calls (13), e-mails, video calls, and Internet Protocol (11) calls.
Abstract:
In the figure, a queueing system in a call center (19) is adapted to queue voice mails as well as live telephone calls. In a preferred embodiment the calls include both connection-oriented switched telephony (COST) calls (13) and Data Network Telephony (DNT) calls (12). Callers are enabled to leave voice mails as an alternative to waiting, and records of the voice mails are queued, preferably in the same queue processing the live calls. In some embodiments the call center is enabled to process e-mails, video mails and facsimile messages as well as live calls and voice mail messages, and all types of multimedia communication can be queued in the same queue according to prestored routing rules and priority rules.
Abstract:
A system for rerouting misrouted calls between call centers has multiple call centers (501, 502, 503) all connected by digital link (511, 512, 513) to a central rerouter (510), which maintains a data list of a unique pool of destination numbers assigned to each of the call centers (501, 502, 503). The central rerouter (510) sends rerouted calls to destination numbers in the destination number pool for each call center (501, 502, 503) in a sequential manner such that any destination number in the pool for any call center (501, 502, 503), once used, is not used again until all of the remaining destination numbers in the pool for that call center are used once each. In a preferred embodiment call centers (501, 502, 503) are interconnected by private lines, and rerouted calls are sent over the private lines.
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 Internet Protocol Network Telephony call-routing system is disclosed comprising a routing-processor (223) adapted for receiving and forwarding calls and a router (342) associated with the routing processor (223) and having different selectable routing protocols associated with different levels of system condition or performance. A system monitor (352) determines system condition and performance, including system degradation and cause of degradation. The router (342) 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.
Abstract:
An Internet Protocol Network Telephony call-routing system is disclosed comprising a routing-processor (223) adapted for receiving and forwarding calls and a router (342) associated with the routing processor (223) and having different selectable routing protocols associated with different levels of system condition or performance. A system monitor (352) determines system condition and performance, including system degradation and cause of degradation. The router (342) 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.
Abstract:
An Internet Protocol Network Telephony call-routing system is disclosed comprising a routing-processor (223) adapted for receiving and forwarding calls and a router (342) associated with the routing processor (223) and having different selectable routing protocols associated with different levels of system condition or performance. A system monitor (352) determines system condition and performance, including system degradation and cause of degradation. The router (342) 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.