66results about "Semi-automatic systems" patented technology

Selection of a suitable call-center agent (106-108) to handle a call is based on which available suitable agent's handling of the call will tend to optimize call wait times. When a call needing a particular skill becomes available (200), all skills of agents in the agent queue (131-139) corresponding to the particular skill are determined (202, 204). The agent queues corresponding to the determined skills are checked (206) to determine which ones identify only one agent. For each available agent having the particular skill, the number of agent queues which identify this agent as their only agent is computed (208). The available agent having the lowest computed number is selected (210) to handle the call. This minimizes the number of skills that will be left without an available agent to handle subsequent calls, and thus tends to maximize the probability that a next call will also have a suitable agent already available and not have to wait for one to become available, thereby optimizing call wait times.

A system for monitoring incoming communications to a telecommunications device. The system includes a switch and a service control point in communication with each other. The switch is for detecting an incoming communication to the telecommunications device from a calling party, wherein the switch is in communication with the telecommunications device by a first communications link. The service control point is for receiving a first message from the switch regarding detection of the incoming communication and for sending a second message to a data communications device, the second message containing information regarding the calling party, wherein the service control point is in communications with the data communications device by a second communications link.

A method for operating an integrated communications system providing voice and data communications to a plurality of users and simulating a key system. An outside line appearance is provided on a telephone coupled to the system; the outside line appearance is associated with a predetermined outside telecommunications trunk and has associated therewith a button and a lighting implement. In response to activation of the button, a lighting condition of the lighting implement is changed and a dial tone to the telephone by the integrated system. Digits are entered by a user depressing keys on the telephone and collected by the system. Restriction rule are applied to determine if a telephone number dialed by the user is restricted, and if restricted an error tone is provided. Caller ID information may be determined for the user. A determination is made as to whether the outside telecommunications trunk is available, and if not available an error indication is provided, and if available the caller ID information is applied and a call is initiated via the predetermined outside telecommunications trunk. Upon completion of the call, call statistics for the call in the integrated system are recorded within the system. The integrated system simulates a key system for the user and the particular telecommunications trunk, wherein for other users the integrates provided PBX telephone services.

A system for enabling music to be provided to callers placed on hold in a LAN network used for voice communications. Bandwidth consumption is minimized by ensuring that music-on-hold is provided in a manner that enables most necessary tasks to be executed by a client instead of a server. In specific embodiment, the music-on-hold system is configured to transfer a small application program or applet, having a music file and a media player, from the server to the client if necessary. Concurrently, a real time protocol (RTP) stream carrying music is used to provide music to the client from the server during the applet transfer to ensure that the held caller receives music at all times. The RTP stream is initially used to provide music to held callers.

A method and system for automatically distributing calls from calling parties to agents in a telephonic service provider facility, in which a database associates specific calling parties with specific agents. An identifier of a calling party is compared to identifiers in the database and the calling party is connected to the agent with whom the calling party has been associated if the identifier matches one in the database. If the identifier of the calling party does not match one of the identifiers in the database, a voice message is provided to the calling party to urge the calling party to provide a further identifier, which is then compared to the identifiers in the database. If the further identifier matches one of the identifiers in the database, the calling party is connected to the agent with whom the calling party has been associated.

A system for monitoring incoming communications to a telecommunications device. The system includes a switch and a service control point in communication with each other. The switch is for detecting an incoming communication to the telecommunications device from a calling party, wherein the switch is in communication with the telecommunications device by a first communications link. The service control point is for receiving a first message from the switch regarding detection of the incoming communication and for sending a second message to a data communications device, the second message containing information regarding the calling party, wherein the service control point is in communications with the data communications device by a second communications link.

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.

A user calls a directory assistance service provider to search for a desired telephone number and be connected to a party at the desired number. In one such connection, the user is afforded enhanced directory assistance upon a user command in the form of an out-of-band signaling message, e.g., SS7 signaling message. For example, the user may be afforded further operator assistance by pressing on the user telephone a predetermined key (e.g., “*” key), which is detectable by the directory assistance service provider as an SS7 signaling message.

A call selection process in a call center is configured to utilize a continuum of skill levels, in one or more categories, for a given multi-skill agent. In an illustrative embodiment, categories of levels are associated with skills supported by the given agent, with each of the categories including a level, e.g., a numerical value, for each of the skills. The levels are used in a call selection computation that determines which of a number of waiting calls should be delivered to the agent. The categories may include, for example, a speed category including levels indicative of the speed at which the agent can process calls for each of the corresponding skills, a yield category including levels indicative of results likely to be obtainable by the agent for each of the corresponding skills, and a preference category including levels indicative of preferences of the agent for calls requiring each of the corresponding skills. The process may involve selecting different subsets of one or more of the categories in a given set of categories for use at different times, depending on factors such as call volume. The call selection computation may involve, for example, computing a value for each of the skills, as a function of the corresponding level or levels and a wait time measure, e.g., a current wait time, a predicted wait time, or a ratio of predicted wait time to a service objective, for a call in a corresponding skill queue.

A method and apparatus are provided for assigning agents of an automatic call distributor to incoming calls of a plurality of call types handled by the automatic call distributor. The method includes the steps of determining a target occupancy matrix including a target occupancy for each agent of the agents of the automatic call distributor for each call type of the plurality of call types. The method further includes the steps of processing a call of a first type of the types determined in the target occupancy matrix and assigning the call to an agent of the agents of the automatic call distributor with a largest relative difference between an actual occupancy of calls of the first type handled by the agent and the target occupancy of calls of the first type determined for the agent in the target occupancy matrix.

The Invention is an apparatus and method of providing a valet telephone service. A dedicated wireless telephone is provided to a subscriber as a benefit of subscription. The dedicated wireless telephone will place calls only to and receive calls only from a service provider central computer. Incoming and outgoing calls to or from subscriber over said dedicated wireless telephone are screened or completed by an operator. Outgoing calls are completed by the operator to private contacts at locations ranked by time of day and day of the week. Incoming calls to subscriber are connected to subscriber at locations ranked by time of day and day of the week. Calls to subscriber outside telephone numbers are forwarded permanently to the central computer and screened by the operator.

The present invention relates to an incoming call processing method for enabling immediate answering of the greatest possible number of incoming calls without generating unserviced phone calls, by determining whether to answer the incoming call immediately or to answer the incoming call at a later time at which the volume of incoming call traffic intensity is light. To this end, the method includes a call receiving step for causing an electronic exchanger to receive an incoming call, an incoming call acceptance step for determining whether to answer the incoming call received in the call receiving step immediately or to answer the incoming call at a later time at which the volume of incoming call traffic intensity is light, and an answer step for answering the incoming call according to the type of answer determined by the incoming call acceptance step.

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.

This invention relates to a novel method of providing location data of a 911 call placed by a cellular telephone. More particularly, this invention relates to combining transmitting circuitry in the cellular telephone and receiving circuitry in the landline telephone. When a 911 cellular telephone call is placed within proximity of a landline telephone i.e. the same house, apartment, office, business, school etc., an interaction takes place between the two enabled telephones. Upon receiving and decoding the RF transmission from the cell telephone-initiated by dialing 911-a pre-dialer, connected to the landline transmits the 911 call. The result is the landline customers ID [address] data being immediately displayed on the 911 operators' screen. Note: Type of transmission is available: radio wave transmission including spread spectrum, infra red, Blue Tooth.

A user calls a directory assistance service provider to search for a desired telephone number and be connected to a party at the desired number. In one such connection, the user is afforded enhanced directory assistance upon a user command in the form of an out-of-band signaling message, e.g., SS7 signaling message. For example, the user may be afforded further operator assistance by pressing on the user telephone a predetermined key (e.g., “*” key), which is detectable by the directory assistance service provider as an SS7 signaling message.

The present invention relates to providing precise location data to a 911 operator of a cell phone operator who initiates a 9-1-1 call and, more particularly, to the interaction of transmitting circuitry in a cellular telephone and complementary receiving circuitry in a landline telephone or stand-alone unit. When a cellular 9-1-1 call is made within proximity of a landline telephone or a stand-alone unit, an interaction takes place between the enabled cell phone and the landline telephone. Upon receiving and decoding the cellular transmission, the landline telephone or stand-alone unit transmits a 9-1-1 call which provides more precise location data (in the form of the landline telephone's subscriber's identification) to a 911 operator than if the 9-1-1 call was simply connected to the operator from the cell phone. The present invention has further applications for locating a 9-1-1 call from a landline telephone connected through a PBX-type master switching box.

In traditional call center, calls are forwarded to local manual positions through system module. In virtual call center, calls are forwarded through phone wires or junction lines to voice terminals or calling center. The said voice terminals can be handsets, 'Xiaolingtong' general telephone and network phone etc. The said call center can be as a call center of other cooperated partner. Thus, the invention makes provider of virtual call center possible to hire lots of service personnel in part time mode instead of service personnel in manual positions; or provider cooperated with other call centers provides whole information.

A telephone call processing system and method for providing operator service. The system maintains a number of customer directories, each customer directory having information pertaining to a number of subscribers of the customer. When an incoming telephone call is received by the system, the system automatically identifies the customer directory corresponding to the customer indicated by the telephone number dialed by the caller. Upon locating the appropriate customer directory, the system automatically switches access by the system operator thereto. Thereafter, the system operator may perform a search in the customer directory for the subscriber who the caller wishes to contact. Upon successfully locating information pertaining to the subscriber in the customer directory, the subscriber information may be communicated to the caller.

A secure valet telephone system is provided having a computer accessible by a live operator, a private encrypted database containing a plurality of contact numbers for one or more parties, with the contact numbers accessible by the computer, a telephone number through which a caller may contact the live operator and be connected by the live operator to a preferred contact number of a party chosen by the computer based upon data in said database, wherein the preferred contact number is hidden from the live operator. This system facilitates more efficient calling by connecting the calling party with the call location at which the contact party is most likely to be reached. The actual number dialed is concealed from the operator in the interests of privacy and security.

A method for inhibiting and allowing alarm handling in a digital cellular system, the method can quickly and easily inhibit and allow specified alarm of the specified BTS by inputting various commands when required, and can display results, so that the controller can easily know which alarm is inhibited, and if appearing inhibited alarm handing and the alarm can be recovered. So, the controller can easily manage the system, the developer can easily manage program.

An operator number setting control unit 45 sets the number of contracted operators for a commissioned call center service in response to a request of a user. A log-in time collecting control unit 42 calculates the log-in time of the operator. A log-in time computing unit 43 adds respective log-in times for each user. A billed service charge computing device 44 calculates an amount of charge billed in accordance with the total sum of log-in time added for each user. A charge is calculated and billed as such for the amount of use of commissioned call center services in accordance with the usage pattern of users, thereby promoting the commissioning of call center services and making it possible to operate a call center system without a huge amount of capital investment.

The present invention relates to an incoming call processing method for enabling immediate answering of the greatest possible number of incoming calls without generating unserviced phone calls, by determining whether to answer the incoming call immediately or to answer the incoming call at a later time at which the volume of incoming call traffic intensity is light. To this end, the method includes a call receiving step for causing an electronic exchanger to receive an incoming call, an incoming call acceptance step (incoming call acceptance means for determining whether to answer the incoming call received in the call receiving step immediately or to answer the incoming call at a later time at which the volume of incoming call traffic intensity is light, and an answer step (callback means, reservation means, on-time execution means, and connection processing means) for answering the incoming call according to the type of answer determined by the incoming call acceptance step.

A mobile telephone, or personal communication services subscriber who wishes directory assistance services is connected in the conventional manner to an operator who identifies a destination telephone number desired by the subscriber. As known in the prior art, the operator then initiates a call connecting the subscriber to the destination telephone number. In a preferred embodiment, the operator locates a desired destination telephone number in a computer database, and can select automatic dialing of the located number. Further, rather than dropping all further involvement with the call, the preferred embodiment of the present invention continually monitors the connection thereby established for a predetermined DTMF signal issued by the customer, such as that obtained by pressing the “★” button. If such a signal is detected, the customer is transferred to a directory assistance operator, who can then provide whatever further assistance is needed (e.g., providing further directory assistance). If a busy signal or non-answering party is detected, a customer is given a plurality of options including leaving a recorded message or page, or a predetermined alphanumeric message or page for the called party. In this case, the system automatically tries, repeatedly, to deliver the recorded message or page and, optionally, confirms successful or failed message delivery to the calling party.

A method and apparatus for call-limiting one or more candidate calls received by a router is disclosed. The method and apparatus may be configured to determine whether ringing one or more candidate calls will exceed a predetermined power limit. If ringing the calls will not exceed said power limit, the calls may be forwarded. If ringing the calls will exceed the power limit, the calls may be placed in a queue.

A multi-call-center operations system is provided with a collective operator management device for determining an increase or a decrease in the number of operators in charge of outbound service at each of call centers and for transferring the resulting determination to an associated call center, and collectively manages at one location the number of operators in charge of outbound service at a plurality of call centers. The human resource of a call center and the facility resource dependent also on the number of operators are effectively used. Databases are also efficiently maintained and toll charges for calls to customers are minimized, thereby minimizing the overall cost of operating the call center.