Method for communication in a communication network

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for communication of a telephone service provider (10) in a communication network comprising a data network (1) and a telephone network (2). Simultaneously, a plurality of data connections (27) of the employees is established, in each case with the telephone service provider (10), via a respective paired data processing device (23) and the data network (1), and a plurality of telephone connections (24) are established between the employees and subscribers (31) via the telephone network (2) and the telephone service provider (10). The telephone connections and the data connections can be assigned to one another automatically and in a simple manner on the basis of audio recordings of the employees and / or subscribers during the telephone call, said recording being carried out by a recording device; an analysis of the generated audio recordings with respect to at least one conversation parameter (GP1, GP2, GP3); a process of ascertaining time-based data connection parameter values in response to the at least one conversation parameter; a simultaneous analysis of the telephone calls, which are transmitted to the telephone service provider via the telephone connections, between the employees and the respective subscriber with respect to the at least one conversation parameter; and a process of ascertaining time-based telephone connection parameter values in response to the at least one conversation parameter and on the basis of a comparison of the time-based telephone connection parameter values with the time-based data connection parameter values.

Description

[0001] Method for communication in a communication network

[0002] The present invention relates to a method for communication between a telephone service provider and a first employee and a plurality of further employees of a company in a communication network having a data network and a telephone network, as well as a data processing unit, a computer program product and a computer-readable data carrier therefor.

[0003] Nowadays, information is often transmitted from companies to customers (subscribers, consumers) via telephone, for example, in the context of advertising or service calls. The term "company" includes private and public companies, service providers, public authorities, or similar institutions.

[0004] The goal here is to provide telecommunications functionality through a telephone service provider for audio and video calls between a company and a subscriber that a company's local telephone system does not offer or only offers to a limited extent. For example, telephone calls should be recorded partially or completely by the telephone service provider, with particular emphasis on channel-separated stereo recording, which offers advantages for call quality control, or the possibility of interrupting recordings for particularly sensitive sections of the conversation. Further examples of these telecommunications functionalities include special conference calls or forwarding to other services, such as authentication procedures.

[0005] For example, advertising contact with a subscriber requires prior explicit consent from that subscriber. This declaration of consent is also known as opt-in and refers to the transmission of advertising and information via a specific communication channel, such as email, telephone, or SMS. Obtaining these declarations of consent to contact via specific channels is often done by telephone. An audio recording of the telephone conversation between an employee of the advertising company and the subscriber is created. This telecommunications functionality is implemented by a telephone service provider.

[0006] To achieve this, the telephone service provider must be able to map the telephone connections between company employees and subscribers over the telephone network to a data connection established between the employee and the telephone service provider. Employees communicate with the telephone service provider via the respective data processing equipment at their workplace and the data network.

[0007] The telephone service provider's technical infrastructure allows a subscriber to establish a telephone connection with a company, or conversely, to forward an employee's call to a subscriber. However, the telephone service provider's technical infrastructure does not reveal which company employee is making a particular call unless complex CTI integration with the company's telephone system has been implemented. This is because, while a call to a company is received via the telephone lines from the telephone network, the internal assignment of a call to a specific employee or their telephone is handled by the company's telephone system, which generally does not transmit any information to the telephone service provider.In the opposite case, when calls from a company employee are routed via the internal telephone system to the telephone network's telephone lines, the telephone system does not transmit any details about the internal assignment to a specific telephone or the employee using the call to the telephone service provider. Even when a company employee works from home, the connection to a subscriber via the telephone network at the telephone service provider (especially if the home office employee's connection is implemented via the company's telephone system) cannot be easily associated with an existing connection between the employee's data processing device (computer) and the telephone service provider.

[0008] In this regard, the publication DE 698 39 033 T2 discloses a virtual call center through which the complete call center functionality of the call center's (or company's) telephone system is made available to remotely located customer service representatives (CSRs) via a data network. A customer service representative logs into the system via a CSR computer. The customer service representative and / or the CSR computer are authenticated. After the customer service representative has logged in via the computer and has been authenticated by the computer, a voice output unit connects a call to a previously known remote telephone number of the customer service representative and requests a telephone password. Once the customer service representative has logged in via computer and telephone, they are ready to receive and process incoming customer calls. This creates a permanent connection between the CSR and the company's telephone system.

[0009] A method for communication between a telephone service provider and a first employee of a company is known from document DE 10 2012 002 186 A1. In this method, a data connection exists from the data processing device of the first employee via the data network, and a telephone connection exists from the telephone of the first employee via the telephone network, each to the telephone service provider. Furthermore, the following steps are performed: a) Requesting individual identification information from the telephone service provider using the data processing device by the first employee via the previously established data connection; b) Sending the requested individual identification information from the telephone service provider to the data processing device of the first employee via the data connection;c) if necessary, setting up a telephone connection from the first employee's telephone via the telephone network to the telephone service provider, if such a telephone connection does not yet exist, whereby at the latest after step c) the telephone connection and the data connection with the telephone service provider exist simultaneously, d) transmitting the individual identification information previously sent by the telephone service provider from the first employee's telephone via the existing telephone connection back to the telephone service provider, and e) receiving the identification information sent back via the telephone connection at the telephone service provider and assigning the telephone connection with the first employee to the data connection with the first employee based on the returned identification information by the telephone service provider. The known method therefore uses a method created for the respective telephone-data connection,Unique identification information to achieve a match between the telephone connection and the data connection. The return transmission of the identification information from the first employee's telephone to the telephone service provider can be complex, as this transmission must take place in the background and be unnoticeable for a participant in a call with the first employee to avoid irritating the external participant. The process requires the employee's cooperation, which is cumbersome and time-consuming for the employee. Furthermore, communication with the participant must be interrupted to transmit the identification information, so the telephone calls take a longer time overall and are therefore more costly. At the same time, the identification information must be recognized in a non-conflicting and error-tolerant manner, enabling a clear match between the data and telephone connections.

[0010] The object of the present invention is therefore to provide a simpler, more reliable method that does not disrupt the conversation with a subscriber, enabling communication between a company employee and a telephone service provider in a communications network in such a way that the telephone service provider's extended telecommunications functionalities can be utilized during a telephone call and controlled by the respective employee. The object is further to create a corresponding data processing unit or a corresponding computer program product.

[0011] The above object is achieved by the method having the features of claim 1.

[0012] In particular, the above object is achieved by a method for communication between a telephone service provider and a first employee and a plurality of other employees of a company in a communications network comprising a data network and a telephone network, wherein, in parallel, a plurality of data connections of the employees exist via a data processing device assigned to the respective employee and the data network, each to the telephone service provider, and a plurality of telephone connections of the employees to subscribers via the telephone network and the telephone service provider, wherein the first employee conducts a telephone call with a first subscriber via a first telephone connection. The method comprises the following steps: a) creating an audio recording of the first employee and / or the first subscriber during the telephone call by a recording device,which is connected to the data processing device assigned to the first employee, b) analysis of the created audio recording of the first employee and / or the first subscriber with regard to at least one conversation parameter and determination of time-dependent data connection parameter values ​​for the at least one conversation parameter in relation to the first employee and / or the first subscriber, c) temporally parallel analysis of the telephone call transmitted via the telephone connection to the telephone service provider between the first employee and the first subscriber with regard to the at least one conversation parameter and determination of time-dependent telephone connection parameter values ​​for the at least one conversation parameter in relation to the first employee and / or the first subscriber,d) performing steps a) and b) in parallel for further data connections of further employees without assignment and / or step c) for further telephone connections of further employees with further participants without assignment, so that for the plurality of these data connections, time-dependent data connection parameter values ​​are available for the at least one call parameter and / or for the plurality of these telephone connections, time-dependent telephone connection parameter values ​​are available for the at least one call parameter with respect to the respective employees and / or participants,e) comparing the determined time-dependent telephone connection parameter values ​​for the at least one conversation parameter of the telephone connection of the first employee and, if applicable, the plurality of further telephone connections with the determined time-dependent data connection parameter values ​​for the at least one conversation parameter of the telephone call of the first employee (i.e., the data connection of the first employee) and, if applicable, the plurality of further data connections, f) assigning the telephone connection of the first employee and, if applicable, the telephone connections of further employees to a data connection based on the result of the comparisons specified in step e).

[0013] The above method, with the term telephone network, encompasses at least the analog telephone network, the digital telephone network (e.g., ISDN), the radio network (e.g., GSM), and the packet-transmitting data network (e.g., VoIP), and the like. With regard to a data connection via the data network, the present invention encompasses all connections that involve the transmission of digital data from one data processing device (e.g., a computer) to another data processing device. Such a data connection is established, for example, via the Internet. The two connections (telephone connection and data connection) can be established by the employee from a single device, for example, a smartphone.

[0014] The telephone service provider also uses a data processing device that receives the audio recording transmitted by the employee over the data connection and / or the time-dependent data connection parameter values ​​determined from the audio recording for the at least one conversation parameter relating to the employee and / or the subscriber. Furthermore, this data processing device at the telephone service provider also receives and / or processes the telephone call transmitted over the respective telephone connection between the employee and the respective subscriber with regard to the at least one conversation parameter relating to the employee and / or the subscriber. Appropriate telephony hardware and / or telephony software, each of which is provided in the data processing device of the telephone service provider, can be used for this purpose.According to the invention, the telephone connection between an employee of a company and the telephone service provider can, in particular, represent a section of the employee's connection with an (external) subscriber. In this case, the telephone connection includes the connection between the subscriber and the employee of the company via the telephone service provider. In particular, the telephone call can be transferred to another employee of this or another company by means of forwarding. In the latter case, the method steps according to the invention must be carried out again with regard to the employee who continues the telephone call, so that a correct assignment of this employee's data connection to the telephone connection with the telephone service provider is realized. In a further embodiment, the employee can be located outside the company, e.g., in a home office.In this case, the telephone connection is usually also made via the company's telephone system and the inventive method described above can be implemented analogously for such an employee.

[0015] If necessary, the telephone connection to another company employee or to an (external) subscriber may be established via additional telephone service providers. The telephone connection from the active company employee to the (first) telephone service provider may also be established via additional telephone service providers.

[0016] In the method according to the invention, a plurality of data connections exist simultaneously in parallel between the employees of a company (e.g. call center) and the telephone service provider via the data network. The first employee, who has been chosen as an example to explain the method, is one of the employees. Furthermore, a telephone connection already exists from the telephone of the first employee via the telephone network to the telephone service provider, with the first employee conducting a telephone call (conversation) with a first subscriber via this telephone connection. Further telephone connections between other employees and other subscribers can also be present. Furthermore, a recording device, i.e. a microphone or the like, is connected to the data processing device at the employee and can record the telephone call between the employee and the subscriber and thus create an audio recording.The audio recording can be generated via a microphone in the data processing device for both the employee's channel and the participant's channel, or for a shared channel. The audio data can be generated separately by the microphone, for example, or, if the employee uses a headset during the call, can be retrieved from a driver in the operating system software.

[0017] In the method, in step a), an audio recording of the first employee and / or the first subscriber is created by a recording device during the telephone call. From this audio recording(s), time-dependent data connection parameter values ​​are determined in step b) and then transmitted via the data connection to the telephone service provider (or its data processing device). Therefore, this audio recording or the time-dependent data connection parameter values ​​obtained from this recording are characteristic of the existing data connection to the first employee. The telephone call is recorded at least in sections; for example, a stream of the telephone call of a predetermined length is recorded, buffered if necessary, and corresponding audio data is generated. The audio recording can contain only the channel of the first employee and / or the channel of the first subscriber, or the shared channel.In one embodiment, the audio recordings obtained from the corresponding channels can then be digitized, for example with a sampling rate of 8 kHz or 22 kHz or 44 kHz and using the WKS sampling theorem, so that digital data of the audio recordings for the respective channels are available. This data is then analyzed in more detail with regard to at least one conversation parameter, as explained in more detail below. For each conversation parameter and for each channel, time-dependent data connection parameter values ​​(i.e. the temporal progression of data connection parameter values ​​over the selected section, whereby the section can also include the employee's entire telephone call) are determined on the basis of the (optionally digitized) audio recording. This will be explained below using an example and is carried out in an analogous manner for other conversation parameters, for example.

[0018] In this example, the audio recording of the respective channel is divided into equidistant time periods (also called buffer periods) for analysis with regard to predefined conversation parameters. A buffer period is a temporal segment of the digitized audio data that is evaluated as a single unit / entity with respect to the respective conversation parameter. This has the advantage of reducing the amount of data required for comparison.

[0019] For analysis, in one embodiment, the audio data of each channel, which was generated time-dependently, is divided into buffer sections. A buffer section can, for example, represent a section of 10 ms, 50 ms, 100 ms, 150 ms, or 200 ms. When analyzing the audio recording, in one embodiment, sections of 50 ms can be analyzed with regard to a conversation parameter. For example, an average volume level can be determined for all level values ​​of the audio recording in the respective buffer section. This average volume level (determined as the arithmetic mean) is the data connection parameter value for this buffer section and the conversation parameter "average level value." The temporal progression of the data connection parameter values ​​is determined by sequencing the data connection parameter values ​​of each buffer section in the correct time.The result is a sequence of chronologically consecutive data connection parameter values ​​for each channel and each call parameter (one value for each buffer section and each call parameter). Viewed another way, there are single-column matrices of data connection parameter values ​​for each buffer section and each channel, with each row of this matrix containing the recording parameter value for a call parameter and the respective buffer section.

[0020] The buffer sections can be selected to be of different lengths for different call parameters, e.g. 50 ms for one call parameter and 200 ms for another call parameter.

[0021] The result of this analysis step for the first employee and / or first subscriber is therefore a representation of time-dependent data connection parameter values ​​for each conversation parameter and each channel, whereby it has been previously determined whether the employee channel and / or the subscriber channel or a common channel is determined from the audio recording. For the embodiment described above, the result for each channel thus consists of a one-column matrix of data connection parameter values ​​for each buffer section over a predetermined recording period. Each matrix contains a single value for each conversation parameter (the recording parameter value). The buffer section can have a specific length for the respective conversation parameter - i.e., different specific lengths for different conversation parameters.

[0022] The steps described above for creating the audio recording and analyzing the created audio recording can be performed in parallel for additional telephone calls between other employees and other participants for data connections that have not yet been assigned to a telephone connection, i.e., are unassigned. Each of the additional employees or their data processing device has a recording device for this purpose, which may be connected to the respective data processing device. The result of the analysis thus consists of corresponding time-dependent data connection parameter values ​​for each data connection that has not yet been assigned to a telephone connection, including that of the first employee.

[0023] Parallel to the above steps, the telephone call between the first employee and the first subscriber, transmitted via the telephone connection to the telephone service provider, is also analyzed with regard to the same call parameters in a similar way to the analysis of the audio recording described above. Accordingly, a temporal progression of telephone connection parameter values ​​(i.e., time-dependent parameter values ​​determined via the telephone connection) for the at least one call parameter in relation to the first employee and / or the first subscriber (i.e., again in relation to the employee channel and / or the subscriber channel or a shared channel) is determined. It is important that the same call parameters and the same channels are examined as are used to determine the data connection parameter values.For the above exemplary embodiment, a one-column matrix of telephone connection parameter values ​​is created analogously for each corresponding channel or both channels and each buffer section of a predetermined recording period. The matrix contains a single value (the telephone connection parameter value) for each call parameter. Accordingly, for further telephone calls from further employees for which no assignment to a data connection has yet been made, the respective telephone calls can be analyzed analogously with regard to the at least one call parameter, resulting in a plurality of time-dependent telephone connection parameter values ​​for the at least one call parameter. The analysis of the audio recordings of the first employee and / or the further employees or the analysis of the telephone call via the telephone connection can be carried out by the data processing device belonging to the respective employee.Alternatively, the audio recordings of the telephone calls created by the recording device can be forwarded to the telephone service provider, which then performs the analysis using the telephone service provider's existing data processing equipment. Alternatively, the analysis can be performed using cloud computing. If the analysis is performed using the employee's data processing equipment or cloud computing, the corresponding results are then forwarded to the telephone service provider's data processing equipment.

[0024] In one embodiment, the above steps (analysis of the telephone call via the data connection and the telephone connection as well as a plurality of audio data transmitted via parallel data and / or telephone connections) are carried out in parallel and continuously during a predetermined analysis period from the start of a telephone call. The data processing device of the telephone service provider detects that a telephone call has begun. In one embodiment, the telephone service provider maintains a data queue for each telephone connection and each data connection with a predetermined data volume (the length of the queue), from which the oldest data is dropped when the predetermined data volume is exceeded. Each queue contains the data connection parameter values ​​or the telephone connection parameter values ​​of the at least one call parameter in the chronological order as determined based on the telephone call, i.e.they correspond to the chronological course of the telephone call.

[0025] In the step following the analysis, as explained above in step e), the determined data connection parameter values ​​and the determined telephone connection parameter values ​​for the respective channel or both channels are compared with each other. This is done using the telephone service provider's data processing equipment. The data connection parameter values ​​and the telephone connection parameter values ​​of the first employee are included in the comparison data. In order to obtain a comparison over time, this comparison is carried out over a specified period of time for specified time intervals (in the example: buffer sections). The parameter values ​​for the same call parameter are compared with each other, whereby if there are multiple call parameters, a comparison is carried out for each call parameter. The comparison is also carried out based on a temporal assignment, i.e.With regard to the telephone call, it is necessary to compare the parameter values ​​that correspond to one another with respect to a time interval of the telephone call, i.e., that can be assigned to the same time in the telephone call (i.e., for example, that have the same position in the queue with respect to the queue described above). Furthermore, a comparison of the temporal progression of the telephone connection parameter values ​​with the temporal progression of the data connection parameter values ​​is carried out for each data connection that has not yet been assigned to a telephone connection, including that of the first employee. Based on the above embodiment, the parameter values ​​of the single-column matrices are compared with one another channel by channel for each buffer section. During the comparison, it is determined, for example, by what value the parameter values ​​differ from one another (i.e.,the difference is calculated) and this deviation is compared with a predetermined threshold. In one embodiment, a separate call parameter threshold is assigned for each call parameter. Alternatively, a uniform threshold can be used for all call parameters or at least for some of the call parameters. If a deviation is determined for at least a predetermined part of the call parameters that is smaller than the predetermined threshold, it is determined that the parameter values, ie the data connection parameter values ​​and the telephone connection parameter values, are similar.

[0026] Based on the above comparison, the telephone connection of the first employee can then be automatically assigned to that of the existing data connections if the comparison for that data connection and the telephone connection shows that the parameter values ​​are similar over a predetermined period of time, for example 1 s to 10 s. Therefore, the comparison of the temporal progression includes recording the change in the parameter values ​​during the telephone call. In the example, the data connection with the first employee is assigned to the telephone connection of the first employee with the first subscriber. It should be expressly pointed out at this point that before carrying out the method according to the invention in the communications network it was not known that the telephone connection of the first employee to the first subscriber belonged to the data connection of the first employee.The same applies to other telephone and data connections of other employees that have not yet been assigned.

[0027] The advantage of the method according to the invention lies in the fact that no (separate) identification information needs to be exchanged between the telephone service provider and the employee. The assignment of the data connection to the telephone connection (or vice versa), including the recording step, the analysis steps, and the comparison step on which the assignment is based, is carried out automatically in parallel with the telephone call, without disrupting the communication between the employee and the subscriber. The assignment of the telephone connection and the data connection thus takes place in the background, so to speak, during the telephone call between the employee and the subscriber. It is also very reliable, fast, and cost-effective, since the employee does not have to interrupt their verbal conversation with the subscriber for the assignment, and the telephone call can therefore be conducted more quickly.An interruption would prolong the call and therefore be more costly. Furthermore, the system can be adapted to the specific circumstances of the employee and the participant. For example, the recording device's operation can be adapted to each employee (e.g., via level adjustment, additional amplification, filters), or the thresholds can be adjusted based on automatic analyses.

[0028] The assignment of an existing data connection to an existing telephone connection achieved with the method according to the invention thus enables the employee to control their telephone call with the subscriber via the (first) telephone service provider using the data connection, based on the telecommunications functionalities of the telephone service provider. For example, the company employee could enable or disable the telephone service provider's recording functionalities for recording telephone calls or parts of telephone calls with a mouse click. In other words, the company's first employee can trigger the audio recording functionality offered by the telephone service provider via the data connection with the telephone service provider.Likewise, other CTI functionalities, such as establishing telephone connections with additional participants, forwarding the call to a second employee, or establishing a conference call in the telecommunications functionalities of the telephone service provider, could be initiated by the first employee of the company. The telephone service provider can also provide the first employee with feedback about the functionality they have initiated via the data connection. Such feedback could concern, for example, the quality of the audio recordings, the status of a call forwarding, or similar. Additional telecommunications functionalities can include translation and speech recognition functionalities, noise suppression, emotion detection, or other functionalities relevant to a telephone call or a section of a telephone call.

[0029] The present inventive method is also suitable for the still-present case in which the telephone connection runs at least partially over the analog telephone network. Especially in this case, a clear association between the employee's telephone and the telephone service provider is often not possible with the conventional method. Even in the age of mobile communications, telephoning over the analog telephone network has not completely disappeared. Therefore, the inventive method offers telephone service providers a new opportunity to provide modern telephony functions even for telephone calls over the "landline."

[0030] In one embodiment, the at least one conversation parameter includes, for example, predetermined words, speech rhythm, volume level, pitch, dominant frequency and / or emotions.For example, the "predefined words" parameter defines a predefined frequency pattern within a predefined period of time; the "speech rhythm" parameter defines a moving average of the pauses and / or word lengths of the call in seconds over a predefined period of time, which may extend across multiple buffer lengths; the "volume level" parameter defines the mean of the absolute decibel levels as a percentage of the maximum decibel level over a predefined period of time; the "pitch" parameter defines the mean or maximum frequency over a predefined period of time; the "dominant frequency" parameter defines the most frequently used frequency over a predefined period of time; and the "emotions" parameter defines the mel-frequency cepstrum coefficient (MFCC) within a predefined period of the call. The predefined period of time can, for example, represent the length of one or more buffer sections.In a further embodiment, it can be analyzed whether the volume level in a buffer section is below a predetermined minimum level value or above a maximum level value, or an average value (e.g., the arithmetic mean) of all volume levels in the buffer section, or a maximum value of all volume levels in the buffer section, or a weighted maximum value of all volume levels in the buffer section (average value (e.g., the arithmetic mean) of the 10%, 25%, or 50% highest volume level values ​​in the buffer section) is determined for the buffer section. Alternatively or additionally, a dominant frequency can be determined by performing a Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) of the volume level values, and the frequency of the buffer section that has the highest, smallest, or second-highest, or second-smallest absolute value can be determined.The specified call parameters are considered to be well suited to achieve a quick and secure assignment of the data connection to the telephone connection.

[0031] If, as in the exemplary embodiment described above, it is analyzed whether the volume level in a buffer section is below a predetermined minimum level value, the temporal position and length of pauses (or silence) between speech (or other articulated sounds) are determined. The buffer section in which the volume level is below the minimum level value is considered a pause (silence). The length of the pause corresponds to the number of consecutive buffer sections in which the volume level is below the predetermined minimum level value. This is an easily determined and meaningful conversation parameter. However, this specific conversation parameter should not be used as the only conversation parameter for assigning a data connection to a telephone connection.The reliability of the assignment is increased by the fact that, when using the call parameter, which describes the temporal position and length of the pauses, further (other) call parameters are used to compare the telephone connection parameter values ​​with the data connection parameter values. In an embodiment described above, the advantageous procedure was described in which the comparison of the temporal progressions of the telephone connection parameter values ​​and the data connection parameter values ​​is carried out separately for the employee and the subscriber. The employee's channel and the subscriber's channel are differentiated. One of these channels or both channels can be used to compare the telephone connection parameter values ​​with the data connection parameter values. For example, using stereo recording, the employee's and subscriber's channels can be determined separately and therefore differentiated.

[0032] In one embodiment, the time-dependent telephone connection parameter values ​​and the time-dependent data connection parameter values ​​are compared at least twice by the telephone service provider, wherein in the second comparison the telephone connection parameter values ​​and the data connection parameter values ​​are offset from one another by a predetermined time interval compared to the first comparison, i.e. they have an offset. This takes into account that the temporal progression of the data connection parameter values ​​and the telephone connection parameter values ​​is often shifted. This offset can arise, for example, from the calculation of the values ​​and the propagation time of the data in the networks or from the time required to create the audio recording using the recording device. For example, the predetermined time interval can represent the length (PL) of one or more buffer sections (offset = N x PL, where N = 1, 2, 3, ...).If the length of a single buffer section (PL) is, for example, 50 ms, the time offset (i.e., the predetermined time interval) used in the second comparison can be, for example, 50 ms, 100 ms, 150 ms, 200 ms, etc. The predetermined time interval can, for example, be less than or equal to 500 ms. This means for the exemplary embodiment that the comparison is not only carried out with regard to recording and telephone connection parameter values ​​in relation to buffer sections that are the same in time, but for each data connection also for recording and telephone connection parameter values ​​that are shifted forwards and backwards in time by N buffer sections (N = 1, 2, 3, ....). In one exemplary embodiment, if over a predetermined time interval (e.g.If an assignment of a telephone connection to a specific data connection with the same offset could be determined (the length of at least 3 buffer sections), the corresponding offset is used as the starting point for further determination of the assignment. In order to speed up the process, it is then no longer checked for all predefined offset variants whether an assignment exists, but only for the same offset for which the agreement of the parameter values ​​was previously determined. So if, to return to the example, it was previously determined that a specific data connection can be assigned to the telephone connection with an offset of 150 ms over 3 buffer sections in succession, then the comparison of the parameter values ​​for the following buffer sections is only carried out for the offset of 150 ms in the same direction.Furthermore, in this embodiment, the offset is used as an additional criterion for assigning a data connection to a telephone connection. Only if the similar parameter values ​​have the same offset is it concluded that the respective data connection can be assigned to the telephone connection.

[0033] In one embodiment, the respective duration of a data connection parameter value and a telephone connection parameter value that remain constant over the course of the telephone call is additionally included in the comparison according to step e). For this purpose, it is determined when the time-dependent parameter value changes and, for this point in time, it is established over which time interval (e.g. over how many buffer sections) the respective parameter value was constant up to that point. This can be expressed, for example, in the number of respective buffer sections PL. During the comparison, both the parameter values ​​and the time intervals can then be compared with one another (or subtracted from one another and the difference compared with a corresponding threshold value). This has the advantage that a comparison of time-dependent parameter values ​​leads to good results even if the offset does not exactly correspond to a multiple of the length of a buffer section.Furthermore, this comparison embodiment saves time and resources because it eliminates the need to analyze different offset variants. Furthermore, only the respective parameter values, which may be constant across multiple buffer sections, are compared with each other, which is also less complex than an individual comparison for each buffer section. Furthermore, the offset can be determined by the interval between the points in time at which a concurrent change in the parameter values ​​occurs with respect to the respective telephone and data connection, and can be used, if necessary, for further analysis of the parameter values.

[0034] In one embodiment, the comparison of the determined time-dependent telephone connection parameter values ​​for the at least one call parameter of the telephone connections with the determined time-dependent data connection parameter values ​​for the at least one call parameter of the data connections can be carried out using artificial intelligence methods (AI methods). For this purpose, methods that work with neural networks, for example, can be used, as these are particularly suitable for pattern recognition.

[0035] In one embodiment, the analysis of the call parameters involves processing the call data in such a way that it is impossible to draw conclusions about the content of the telephone call. This can be achieved by determining the parameter values ​​for the call parameters using buffer sections arranged in chronological order, e.g., 50 ms buffer sections, as described above. In the context of the given example, which uses temporal division into buffer sections, the data connection parameter values ​​are determined, for example, in the employee's data processing device, and only the determined data connection parameter values ​​are sent to the telephone service provider. The call content cannot be inferred from the data connection parameter values.

[0036] In one embodiment, the comparison is carried out over a minimum period of time and / or a predetermined number of call parameters are used for the comparison and / or call parameter-specific matching criteria between the temporal progression of the data connection parameter values ​​and the telephone connection parameter values ​​are taken into account. In order to achieve the greatest possible reliability, the comparison of the data connection parameter values ​​with the telephone connection parameter values ​​for the call parameters is carried out over a minimum period of the telephone call. This means that the assignment of the data connection to the telephone connection must be present for at least the predetermined minimum period of time (e.g., 20 buffer sections of 50 ms each = 1 s up to 200 buffer sections or 1 s to 10 s) in order to reliably assume that this telephone connection actually belongs to this data connection.Sufficient assignment reliability is also achieved if the similarity of the parameter values ​​is determined for a specified number of call parameters (e.g., 10 absolute or at least 80% relative to the processed call parameters). Furthermore, call-parameter-specific matching criteria between the temporal progression of the data connection parameter values ​​and the telephone connection parameter values ​​can be taken into account. This includes criteria such as the threshold value for assessing the difference (amount of deviation of the telephone connection parameter value from the data connection parameter value for a call parameter, a channel, and a buffer section), which are used to decide whether the respective parameter values ​​differ significantly or to a tolerable extent from one another and therefore speak for or against assigning the telephone connection to the respective data connection.These matching criteria can vary depending on the call parameter. For example, for the call parameter "average volume," a threshold of 95% match and / or for the call parameter "dominant frequency," a threshold of 90% match between the telephone connection parameter value and the data connection parameter value is applied. No such threshold is applied for the call parameter "pause / silence," where the call parameter value can be either 1 (pause / silence) or 0 (no pause / silence).

[0037] In one embodiment, for security reasons, the telephone connection to the first employee is interrupted if none of the plurality of data connections to the telephone service provider can be assigned to the telephone connection of the first employee. Alternatively, other assignment methods can be used.

[0038] In a first exemplary embodiment, the determination of the time-dependent telephone connection parameter values ​​and the time-dependent data connection parameter values ​​and the above-described comparison of these parameter values ​​is terminated after the assignment of the telephone connection to the data connection on the basis of the comparison for the respectively assigned telephone connection and the respectively assigned data connection. In a further exemplary embodiment, after an employee's telephone connection has been assigned to a data connection, the method described above can also be continued for already assigned telephone connections and already assigned data connections, either permanently or at predetermined time intervals, with the above-described determination of the time-dependent telephone connection parameter values ​​and the time-dependent data connection parameter values ​​and the above-described comparison of these parameter values ​​in order to detect incorrect assignments.In one embodiment, after assigning a telephone connection of a first employee to a data connection, the telephone service provider can, upon a corresponding request from the first employee, establish a second telephone connection with at least a second subscriber via the data connection and switch the telephone connection of the first employee with the first subscriber to the second subscriber via the telephone service provider or forward it to the second subscriber. The switching of the telephone connection is to be understood in such a way that before the switching, the first subscriber is connected to the first employee of the company via the telephone service provider. After the switching, the second subscriber is connected by telephone to the first employee via the telephone service provider. The assignment of the data connection and the telephone connection of the first employee with the telephone service provider does not need to be renewed after the switching.

[0039] When a telephone call is forwarded, the telephone service provider, under the control of the first employee of the company, establishes a second telephone connection with at least one second employee of the first company or of a second company, to which the first telephone connection of the first subscriber with the telephone service provider can be transferred (switched), also under the control of the first employee. This means that the telephone call of the first subscriber with the first employee is switched or forwarded via the telephone service provider to a telephone connection between this subscriber and the second employee, both via the telephone service provider.If the second employee also wishes to use the telephone service provider's telecommunications functions, the second telephone connection must again be correctly assigned to a data connection between the telephone service provider and the second employee using the assignment method according to the invention. This allows, for example, a telephone call with a subscriber to be initially answered by an employee of a company and then forwarded to an employee of an external call center to complete the call. This is advantageous because the company employee who was initially on the call is quickly available again for the company's core business after the call is forwarded to a call center.

[0040] It is also advantageous if the first subscriber and / or the second subscriber have a data connection to the telephone service provider, as this also allows the respective subscriber to control the telephone service provider's telecommunications functions via the respective data connection. This allows the first subscriber and / or the second subscriber to also use the telephone service provider's functions.

[0041] In a further embodiment, at least a portion of a telephone call transmitted via the telephone connection between the first subscriber and / or the second subscriber and the first employee or the second employee is recorded and preferably associated with the data connection with the respective employee or with at least one piece of data information transmitted via this data connection. Such data information includes, for example, a start or stop signal for the beginning and end of the call recording, personal data, or a customer or contract number of the subscriber calling the employee.This makes it easy for the telephone service provider to record telephone calls or parts of telephone calls, for example as part of an opt-in process, and link them to various data such as the subscriber's name and address. If necessary, the data can be stored with this additional data for verification purposes. Because call recordings can be linked to data information, this call information, such as opt-ins, can be managed by the telephone service provider. Management can also be achieved by regularly checking the status of subscribers' opt-ins and whether any opt-ins are missing or have expired. The missing or expired opt-ins can be reported to the responsible employee of a company so that they can complete or renew them.In the event of a complaint, previous recordings of telephone conversations with the respective subscriber can be played into the ongoing telephone conversation via the telephone service provider at the request of the employee of a company associated with the subscriber.

[0042] The above object is further achieved with the advantages explained above with regard to the method by a data processing unit having the features of claim 11, a computer program product having the features of claim

[0043] 12 and a computer-readable data carrier with the features of the claim

[0044] 13 solved.

[0045] In particular, the object is achieved by a data processing unit for use by a telephone service provider for communication with a first employee and a plurality of other employees of a company in a communication network with a data network and a telephone network, wherein a plurality of data connections of the employees, including the first employee, can be established in parallel via the data network to the telephone service provider, as well as a telephone connection from the telephone of the first employee and possibly a plurality of other employees of the company to the telephone service provider via the telephone network, wherein a telephone call can be made with a first subscriber by the first employee via the telephone connection and a telephone call can be made with a further subscriber by the further employee via the telephone connection,The data processing unit is configured to carry out the method described above. The data processing unit has the advantages stated above with regard to the method. Furthermore, the object is achieved by a computer program product for communication between a telephone service provider and a first employee and a plurality of other employees of a company in a communications network comprising a data network and a telephone network. The computer program product has instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause the respective processor to carry out the steps of the method described above. The processors can be arranged locally at different locations in the data network, but are connected to one another via a data connection. The computer program product also has the advantages stated above.

[0046] Accordingly, the computer program product for communication of a telephone service provider with a first employee and a plurality of other employees of a company in a communication network with a data network and a telephone network is set up with program code means for executing a computer program after its implementation in a data processing unit, wherein the program code means are intended to execute the method described above after implementation in the data processing unit.

[0047] The object is achieved in particular by a computer-readable data carrier which stores a computer program product as described above.

[0048] Further features, advantages, and possible applications of the invention will become apparent from the following description of an exemplary embodiment and the figures. All described and / or illustrated features, individually or in any combination, constitute the subject matter of the present invention, regardless of their summary in the claims or their references. They schematically show:

[0049] Fig. 1 shows a communication network in which the method according to the invention takes place,

[0050] Fig. 2 the communication network shown in Figure 1 with a specified data and telephone connection,

[0051] Fig. 3 and 4 show a first embodiment for the comparison of the determined time-dependent telephone connection parameter values ​​for the telephone call of a first employee with a subscriber and the determined time-dependent data connection parameter values ​​for a data connection with respect to a single call parameter and

[0052] Fig. 5 to 9 show a second embodiment for the comparison of the determined time-dependent telephone connection parameter values ​​for the telephone call of a first employee with a subscriber and the determined time-dependent data connection parameter values ​​for a data connection with respect to a single call parameter.

[0053] Figure 1 depicts a data network 1 and a telephone network 2, which together form the communications network. Data network 1 is preferably the Internet, while telephone network 2 includes, in particular, the analog telephone network, the digital telephone network, the radio network, and VoIP.

[0054] A company, service provider, call center, or the like, hereinafter referred to as company 20, is connected to the communications network and has a number of employees 21 (employee a, employee b, employee c, employee d, employee z). Each employee 21 has a telephone 22 (telephone a, telephone b, telephone c, telephone d, telephone z) and a data processing device 23 (computer a, computer b, computer c, computer d, computer z). The telephone can be integrated into the data processing device. Each telephone 22 of the employees 21 a, b, c, z located locally in the company is connected to the telephone network 2 via a telephone connection 24 and the telephone system 25. Furthermore, each computer 23 is also connected to the data network 1 via a data connection 27. The employees 21 do not necessarily have to be present locally on the company premises, but can also work mobile (e.g., in a home office). This is shown in Fig.1 is indicated for employee 21d, who has a telephone 22d and a data processing device 23d. This employee can also be connected to the telephone network 2 via the telephone system 25, as shown. Furthermore, he is also connected to the data network 1 via a data connection 27d.

[0055] In the communication network 1, 2, a number of telephone service providers 10, 40, 50 and 60 are active, which offer a range of telecommunications functionalities in the field of telephony and data processing outside the system of a company 20.

[0056] The communications network may also include at least one subscriber 31, which is also connected to the telephone network 2 via a telephone 32 and a telephone connection 34. In addition, the subscriber 31 may also have a data processing device (not shown) that is connected to the data network 1. A telephone system may also be connected between the telephone 32 of the subscriber 31 and the telephone network 2.

[0057] If a call is to be made to subscriber 31 by an employee 21 of company 20, employee 21 (e.g., employee b) can first establish a data connection 27b via data processing device 23 (e.g., computer b) to data processing device 13, in particular to the data processing unit of telephone service provider 10, equipped with the method according to the invention and contained therein. This data processing device 13 of telephone service provider 10 is, for example, a web server with web applications; however, it can also comprise a (possibly cloud-based) computer system consisting of a plurality of servers and applications. Furthermore, employee 21 (e.g., employee b) initiates a telephone call with subscriber 31 via telephone system 25 via data processing device 13 of telephone service provider 10 with telephony hardware and software.Accordingly, a telephone connection 24b is established with the telephone service provider and a telephone connection 34 is established with the subscriber 31. Before the inventive method is initiated, the data processing device 13 of the telephone service provider is unaware that the data connection 27b of the employee 21b belongs to the telephone connection 24b. This means that this assignment is unknown.

[0058] In Figure 2, the respective connections of the selected employee 21b to the telephone service provider 10 are separately marked, namely the telephone connection 24b with a double line and the data connection 27b with a dotted line. This is intended to highlight the respective connections that are to be assigned to each other using the method below. In this figure, the employee 21d with his data processing device 23d and his telephone 22d, as well as the respective connections to the telephone network 2 and the data network 1, are omitted.

[0059] In order to enable the telephone service provider 10 to provide its extended telecommunications functionalities for telephone calls and to enable the company's employee (e.g., employee 21b) to control these functionalities, the telephone service provider 10 must assign a data connection between an employee (e.g., employee 21b) and a subscriber 31, i.e., to this telephone connection running via the telephone service provider, which exists between this employee and the telephone service provider. This applies both to the employees 21a, b, c, z located locally in the company 20 and to the employee 21d working from home.

[0060] For this purpose, an audio recording is made by the recording device 26b (e.g., microphone) of employee 21b during the telephone call with subscriber 31. The recording device 26b can also be integrated into the data processing device 26. For the sake of simplicity, it is assumed below that only the channel of employee 21b is used for analysis and assignment. However, it is also possible to use only the channel of subscriber 31 or both channels for analysis and assignment. This is then carried out analogously to the procedure for the employee channel.

[0061] The audio recording / audio signal of employee 21b is recorded by the recording device 26b and digitized by the employee's computer 23b using a known sampling method (e.g., at 8 kHz). Afterwards, or during the recording and / or digitization, the recorded conversation segments are divided into 50 ms buffer sections. For each section A1, A2, A3, the data connection parameter values ​​of the conversation parameters are determined. For example, the following conversation parameters are examined:

[0062] GP1 : Silence (are all volume level values ​​of the respective buffer section less than a specified minimum level value? Yes=1 , No=0),

[0063] GP2: the average volume of the buffer section (the arithmetic mean of the volume level values ​​over the entire buffer section is calculated), GP3: after FFT - frequency with the highest absolute value (an FFT (Fast Fourier Transformation) analysis of all volume level values ​​of the buffer is carried out and the frequency with the highest absolute value is determined from the determined frequency components).

[0064] As a result (ie the temporal progression of the data link parameter values), a one-column matrix with three rows is obtained for each buffer section, where each row contains the data link parameter value for this buffer section

[0065] Gl '1.A1 G P1. A2 contains, e.g. Gl '2. Al for the first buffer section, G P2. A2 for the second

[0066] Gl '3. Al. G P3. A2.

[0067] GPl.y \3 GP1.A 4

[0068] Buffer section, GP2.J X3 for the third buffer section GP2.A 4 for the fourth

[0069] GP3.7 \3 . GP3.A 4.

[0070] Buffer section, etc. The single-column matrices with the data connection parameter values ​​for the one data connection are then forwarded to the telephone service provider 10 for comparison with the telephone connection parameter values. The recording of the telephone call, the digitization, the division into buffer sections, and the analysis of each buffer section with regard to the call parameters GP1, GP2, and GP3, as well as the forwarding of the determined data connection parameter values ​​for the call parameters, are also carried out by the respective computers 23 of all existing data connections that are not yet assigned to a telephone connection. Consequently, the data connection parameter values ​​for a plurality of data connections are known at the data processing device 13 of the telephone service provider 10 for at least a predetermined period of time.

[0071] At the same time, the employee's channel of the already digitized telephone call reaching the telephone service provider 10 via the telephone connection 24 (procedure as with the audio recordings) is divided into buffer sections T1, T2, T3 of 50 ms in length by means of the data processing device 13 of the telephone service provider 10, and each buffer section is analyzed with regard to the same call parameters GP1, GP2, and GP3. Accordingly, the result for each buffer section is a one-column matrix with three rows (corresponding to the temporal progression of the telephone connection parameter values), with each row containing the telephone connection parameter value for this buffer.

[0072] GP1. T1 GP1. T2 contains the first buffer section, e.g. GP2. T1 for the first buffer section, GP2. T2 for the

[0073] GP3.T1 - GP3.T2.

[0074] GP1. T3 for the second buffer section, GP1. T4 for the third buffer section, GP2. T3 for the third buffer section, GP2. T4 for the fourth buffer section, etc.

[0075] The determined telephone connection parameter values ​​are then compared by the data processing device 13 of the telephone service provider 10 with the determined data connection parameter values ​​of the plurality of data connections for the same period. A possible offset is taken into account. For the sake of simplicity, it is assumed that the offset in the present example is ± 50 ms, i.e., the time interval of one buffer section. The offset can be smaller or larger than the offset of ± 50 ms and thus extend over significantly more buffer sections.

[0076] Taking this offset into account, the following parameter values ​​are now compared:

[0077] GP1.T2 GP1.A1 GP1.A2 GP1.A3

[0078] GP2. T2 each with GP2.A1 GP2.A2 and GP2.A3 -GP3. T2. -GP3.A1. -GP3.A2. -GP3.A3.

[0079] GP1.T3 GP1.A2 GP1.A3 GP1.A4

[0080] GP2.T3 with GP2.A2, GP2.A3 and GP2.A4, etc. -GP3.T3 -GP3.A2 -GP3.A3 -GP3.A4, where corresponding parameter values ​​of the same call parameter GP1, GP2 or GP3 are compared with each other, e.g., GP1.T2 with GP1.A1, GP2.T2 with GP2.A1 and GP3.T2 with GP3.A1. The parameter values ​​are considered similar if the difference between the parameter values ​​to be compared is below a threshold value specific to the respective call parameter GGP1, GGP2, GGP3, i.e., they are similar if, for example,

[0081] I GP1 ,T2 - GP1 ,A1 I < GGP1 , I GP2.T2 - GP2.A1 I < GGP2 and

[0082] I GP3.T2 - GP3.A1 I < GGP3.

[0083] If the parameter values ​​are similar for a specified minimum number of consecutive buffer sections with the same offset (offset by + 1 buffer section, the same buffer section, or - 1 buffer section) and for a specified percentage of the call parameters, it is provisionally assumed that the data connection underlying the data connection parameter values ​​can be assigned to the employee conducting the telephone call transmitted over the telephone connection and underlying the telephone connection parameter values. The offset at which the similarity was determined for the specified minimum number of consecutive buffer sections is considered the "detected temporal offset." For this detected temporal offset (here, for example, - 1 buffer section), the similarity of the parameter values ​​is further monitored until a specified period of time, e.g.3 seconds, is reached, over which the overall similarity of the parameter values ​​exists. In this case, the respective data connection can be assigned to the telephone connection. If further analysis reveals that similarity cannot be achieved over such a specified period, the preliminary assumption that the respective data connection can be assigned to the respective telephone connection is dropped. The comparison of the data connection parameter values ​​with the telephone connection parameter values ​​is then continued for additional data connections.

[0084] The comparison described above is shown again as an example in Figs. 3 and 4 for the telephone connection of the first employee and any data connection as well as the call parameter GP2 (average volume of the buffer section). Fig. 3 shows the measured buffer sections (in ms) in the top line t, whereby the last time value of the respective buffer section is always given. The first buffer section therefore covers a time less than or equal to 50 ms, the second buffer section a time greater than 50 ms and less than or equal to 100 ms, and so on. The second line of Fig. 3 shows the respectively determined data connection parameter value of the call parameter GP2.A1 .... A14 (average volume) for the respective buffer section. Fig. 3 contains, for example, the data connection parameter values ​​GP2.A1 = 0, GP2.A2 = 0, GP2.A3 = 1, etc. The second line “GP2.A" thus contains the time-dependent data connection parameter values ​​for the call parameter GP2. Accordingly, the third line "GP2.T" contains the time-dependent telephone connection parameter values ​​for the call parameter GP2 or the individual values ​​GP2.T1 = 0, GP2.T2 = 2, GP2.T3 = 2 etc. The fourth line of Fig. 3 contains the difference between the respective parameter values, for example GP2.T1 - GP2.A1, GP2.T2 - GP2.A2, GP2.T3 - GP2.A3 etc. Since the absolute values ​​of the difference values ​​in the fourth line differ significantly from zero (i.e. are often above a threshold value of e.g. 1), no similarity can be determined for these telephone and data connections and for this offset of the parameter values ​​and therefore no assignment of the telephone and data connections in question can be made.

[0085] In the example shown in Fig. 4, the time-dependent telephone connection parameter values ​​GP2.t in the third line result from the values ​​GP2.T from Fig. 3 with an offset of 1 buffer section (50 ms) to the right compared to the data connection parameter values ​​GP2.A from Fig. 3. The difference indicated in the fourth line of Fig. 4 between the now superimposed parameter values, e.g., GP2.t2-GP2.A2 = GP2.T1 -GP2.A2, GP2.t3-GP2.A3 = GP2.T2-GP2.A3, GP2.t4-GP2.A4 = GP2.T3-GP2.A4, etc., fluctuates essentially around zero, so that a similarity can be determined for these parameter values ​​with a detected time shift of 50 ms. The telephone connection of the first employee can therefore be assigned to the data connection for which the specified data connection parameter values ​​GP2.A were determined.

[0086] A further exemplary embodiment for comparing the determined time-dependent data connection parameter values ​​for a specific data connection and the determined time-dependent telephone connection parameter values ​​for the telephone connection of the first employee will now be described with reference to Figs. 5 to 9. The data connection parameter values ​​GP2.A, determined analogously to the exemplary embodiment according to Fig. 3, are shown again for the respective buffer sections t in Fig. 5. The same applies to the telephone connection parameter values ​​GP2.T listed in Fig. 3 for the respective buffer sections t, which are illustrated in Fig. 7. In order to achieve a quick and simple comparison of the parameter values, as already described above, the parameter values ​​GP2.A and GP2.T are processed in such a way that when a parameter value is changed for the respective preceding buffer sections, it is summarized over how many buffer sections of the same length (e.g.50 ms) the parameter value present before the change existed. This is shown in Fig. 6 for the data connection parameter values ​​GP2.A of the call parameter GP2 and in Fig. 8 for the telephone connection parameter values ​​GP2.T of the call parameter GP2. For example, in the buffer section 100 ms < t < 150 ms, a change in the data connection parameter value GP2.A from 0 to 1 is detected. Accordingly, for the buffer section that begins at 0 < t < 50 ms, it is recorded that the parameter value 0 was determined over two buffer sections of 50 ms length (2 x parameter value 0). In the buffer section 200 ms < t < 250 ms, a change in the data connection parameter value GP2.A from 1 to 0 is detected. Accordingly, for the buffer section that begins at 100 < t < 150 ms, it is recorded that the parameter value 1 was determined over 2 buffer sections of 50 ms length (2 x parameter value 1 ), etc. The line GP2.FA in Fig.Figure 6 thus contains, in a sense, a summary or convolution of line GP2.A shown in Figure 5, by specifying the number of buffer sections and the respective parameter value, which is constant across these buffer sections (2 x 0, 2 x 1). Line "Ft1" illustrates the period of the respective change in the parameter value. The time-dependent telephone connection parameter value GP2.T shown in Figure 7 is processed analogously. The result of this processing is shown as GP2.FT in the second line of Figure 8. The first line Ft2 contains, analogously to Figure 6, the buffer section of the parameter value change.

[0087] A comparison of the parameter values ​​GP2.FA and GP2.FT is now performed both for the determined number of buffer sections of the constant parameter value and for the respective parameter value separately. In addition, the corresponding buffer section values ​​of the parameter value change (Ft1 and Ft2) are compared. The comparison values ​​(differences) are shown in Fig. 9. It can be seen that the differences in the buffer section values ​​of the parameter value change, the differences in the parameter values, and the differences in the number of buffer sections deviate only slightly from zero, so that a similarity of the parameter values ​​can be determined and, therefore, the telephone connection of the first employee can be assigned to the specific data connection.

[0088] If no data connection can be identified using the above procedure for which the parameter values ​​are equal to the parameter values ​​of the telephone connection, the telephone connection is terminated or another method for assignment is used. Alternatively, the telephone call can be continued without assignment and thus without using the telephone service provider's extended telecommunications functionalities or without the employee or subscriber being able to control these functionalities.

[0089] After the telephone service provider 10 has assigned the individual telephone connection 24 to the data connection 27 of the employee 21 (e.g. employee b), the employee 21 can now control the telecommunications functionalities of the telephone service provider 10 via the data connection 27. As an example of a telecommunications functionality, when the employee 21 is on the phone with the subscriber 31 via the telephone service provider 10, for example via other telephone service providers 40, 50 and 60, he can activate a recording device 14 at the telephone service provider 10 with a mouse click via the data connection 27, i.e. switch it on or off. The recording device 14 is connected to the data processing device 13 or integrated into the data processing device 13 and (in both cases) connected via the data processing device 13 and via the data connection 27 to the data processing device 23 of the employee 21.Furthermore, the recording device 14 is connected via the data processing device 13 to the telephone connections 24, 34 with the employee 21 and the subscriber 31. During the telephone call between employee 21 and subscriber 31, the employee 21 can thus start and stop recording part of this telephone call with a mouse click on their data processing device 23. The forwarding of a telephone call or the establishment of a telephone conference by the telephone service provider 10 can also be initiated via the data connection 27 and the data processing device 23, for example, with a mouse click by the employee 21.

[0090] The telephone call recorded by the recording device 14 can then be linked in the data processing device 13 with further data relating to the telephone call, e.g., the date of the call, the subscriber 31 (e.g., the name of the subscriber 31 and their customer or contract number), and / or the employee 21 (e.g., the name of the employee), and stored in a memory of the data processing device 13 at the telephone service provider 10, for example, in a correspondingly configured database. A management system can then operate in the data processing device 13 of the telephone service provider 10 to manage the call recordings made in this way.

[0091] Such call recordings can be created and used, for example, as part of the opt-in process. In this context, a management system can, for example, inform employee 21 regarding the opt-in status for various media (telephone, SMS, fax), about missing opt-ins, or about the expiration of opt-ins, and initiate further steps, such as obtaining participant confirmation in a timely manner. Furthermore, it is possible to insert recordings into a telephone call between employee 21 and participant 31.

[0092] The data collected by the telephone service provider 10, in particular call recordings, may also be transmitted to the company 20 for further use.

[0093] The method according to the invention makes it possible for a telephone service provider 10 for the first time to perform a simple and secure assignment of a data connection to a telephone connection without additional identifiers, which is carried out automatically and easily in the background during the telephone call between employee 21 and subscriber 31.

[0094] 1 data network

[0095] 2 Telephone network

[0096] 10 telephone service providers

[0097] 13 Data processing facility of the telephone service provider 10

[0098] 14 Recording device

[0099] 20 companies

[0100] 21 employees

[0101] 22 Employee's telephone number 21

[0102] 23 Employee's data processing device 21

[0103] 24 telephone connection

[0104] 24b telephone connection

[0105] 25 Telephone system

[0106] 26 Recording device

[0107] 27 Data connection

[0108] 27b Data connection

[0109] 31 participants

[0110] 32 Subscriber's telephone 31

[0111] 34 Telephone connection

[0112] 40 telephone service providers

[0113] 50 telephone service providers

[0114] 60 telephone service providers

Claims

Patent claims:

1. A method for communication between a telephone service provider (10) and a first employee (21) and a plurality of other employees of a company (20) in a communications network having a data network (1) and a telephone network (2), wherein a plurality of data connections (27, 27b) of the employees exist in parallel via a data processing device (23) assigned to the respective employee and the data network (1), each to the telephone service provider (10), and a plurality of telephone connections (24) of the employees to subscribers (31) exist via the telephone network (2) and the telephone service provider (10), wherein the first employee (21) conducts a telephone call with a first subscriber (31) via a first telephone connection (24, 24b), comprising the following steps: a) creating an audio recording of the first employee (21) and / or the first subscriber (31) during the telephone call by a recording device (26),which is connected to the data processing device (23) assigned to the first employee (21), b) analysis of the created audio recording of the first employee (21) and / or the first subscriber (31) with regard to at least one conversation parameter (GP1, GP2, GP3) and determination of time-dependent data connection parameter values for the at least one conversation parameter (GP1, GP2, GP3) with regard to the first employee (21) and / or the first subscriber (31), c) temporally parallel analysis of the telephone call between the first employee (21) and the first subscriber, transmitted via the telephone connection (24, 24b) to the telephone service provider, with regard to the at least one conversation parameter (GP1, GP2, GP3) and determination of time-dependent telephone connection parameter values for the at least one conversation parameter with regard to the first employee (21) and / or the first subscriber (31), d) carrying out steps a) and b) for further data connections of further employees without assignment and / or step c) for further telephone connections of further employees with further subscribers without assignment in parallel, so that for the plurality of these data connections, time-dependent data connection parameter values for the at least one call parameter are available and / or for the plurality of these telephone connections, time-dependent telephone connection parameter values for the at least one call parameter with regard to the respective employees and / or subscribers are available, e) comparing the determined time-dependent telephone connection parameter values for the at least one call parameter (GP1, GP2, GP3) of the telephone connection of the first employee (21) and, if applicable, the plurality of further telephone connections with the determined time-dependent data connection parameter values for the at least one call parameter (GP1, GP2,GP3) of the telephone call of the first employee and, if applicable, the plurality of further data connections, f) assignment of the telephone connection (24, 24b) of the first employee (21) and, if applicable, the telephone connections of further employees to a data connection (27, 27b) based on the results of the comparisons specified in step e).

2. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the at least one conversation parameter (GP1, GP2, GP3) represents a parameter which comprises predetermined words, the speech rhythm, the volume level, the pitch, a dominant frequency and / or emotions.

3. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the time-dependent telephone connection parameter values and the time-dependent data connection parameter values are compared by the telephone service provider (10) at least twice, wherein in the second Comparison of the telephone connection parameter values and the data connection parameter values are offset from each other by a specified time interval compared to the first comparison.

4. Method according to one of claims 1 to 2, characterized in that the respective duration of a data connection parameter value and a telephone connection parameter value that are constant over the course of the telephone call is additionally included in the comparison according to step e).

5. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that during the analysis with regard to the call parameters (GP1, GP2, GP3) the call data is processed in such a way that it is impossible to draw conclusions about the content of the telephone call.

6. Method according to one of claims 2 to 5, characterized in that the speech rhythm is determined by determining the temporal position and length of pauses between speech.

7. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the comparison of the temporal courses of the telephone connection parameter values and the data connection parameter values is carried out separately for the employee (21) and the subscriber (31).

8. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the comparison is carried out over a minimum period of time and / or that a predetermined number of call parameters (GP1, GP2, GP3) are used for the comparison and / or that call parameter-specific matching criteria (GGP1, GGP2, GGP3) between the time profiles of the data connection parameter values and the telephone connection parameter values are taken into account.

9. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that telecommunication functionalities of the telephone service provider (10) are controlled by the first employee (21) via the respective data connection (27, 27b) to the telephone service provider (10) assigned to the telephone connection (24, 24b) of the first employee.

10. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that in the event that none of the plurality of data connections (27, 27b) to the telephone service provider can be assigned to the telephone connection (24, 24b) of the first employee (21), the telephone connection to the first employee is interrupted.

11. Data processing unit for use by a telephone service provider (10) for communication with a first employee (21) and a plurality of other employees of a company (20) in a communications network with a data network (1) and a telephone network (2), wherein a plurality of data connections (27, 27b) of the employees, including the first employee (21), can be established in parallel via the data network (1) in each case to the telephone service provider (10), and a telephone connection (24, 24b) can be established from the telephone (22) of the first employee (21) and optionally of a plurality of other employees of the company (20) via the telephone network (2) to the telephone service provider (10), wherein the first employee can use the telephone connection (24) to...24b) a telephone call can be made with a first subscriber and a telephone call with a further subscriber can be made for the further employee via the telephone connection, characterized in that the data processing unit is set up to carry out the method according to one of claims 1 to 10.

12. Computer program product for communication of a telephone service provider with a first employee (21 ) and a plurality of other employees of a Company (20) in a communications network having a data network (1) and a telephone network (2) which has instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause the respective processor to carry out the steps of the method according to one of claims 1 to 10.

13. A computer-readable medium storing a computer program product according to claim 12.

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