Autodialer Flow Control via Delay Detection

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Solution Overview

Problem

Autodialers and predictive dialers often overload telecommunications switches, leading to call traffic congestion, which can diminish service quality and availability for both call centers and other subscribers, as they are not adequately equipped to adjust their call placement rates to accommodate network capacity limitations.

Innovation Solution

An autodialer system that measures time delays and adjusts its call placement rate by regulating the guard time between calls to prevent overload, using delay detection modules to monitor dial tone delays and post-dial delays, and adjust the call rate accordingly to maintain optimal network utilization.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If the autodialer places calls as rapidly as its capabilities allow, then call placement productivity is improved, but the switch and end office become overloaded leading to call traffic congestion

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecall placement rateVSAvoidservice quality

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system measures time delays between call events (such as dial tone delays and post-dial delays) and uses this feedback to dynamically adjust the call placement rate. When delays indicate network congestion, the autodialer automatically reduces its call placement rate to prevent overload, thereby maintaining service quality while maximizing productivity under current network conditions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

2Productivity

If the autodialer places calls as rapidly as its capabilities allow, then call placement productivity is improved, but switch overload occurs leading to network congestion

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecall placement rateVSAvoidnetwork congestion

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The autodialer transitions from a static, fixed call placement rate to a dynamic rate that automatically adjusts based on real-time network conditions. By continuously monitoring time delays and modifying the call placement rate accordingly, the system adapts to changing network capacity, placing calls as rapidly as possible without causing congestion.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

3Productivity

If the call placement rate is increased to maximize agent utilization, then productivity is improved, but agent connection delays increase due to switch overload

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveagent utilizationVSAvoidagent connection delay

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system monitors time delays including agent connection delays and uses this feedback to adjust the call placement rate. When connection delays increase, indicating switch overload, the autodialer automatically reduces the call placement rate to ensure calls are connected to agents in a timely manner, thereby maintaining both productivity and acceptable connection times.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentUS8023634B2Autodialer flow control

Publication Date: 2011.09.20 WSOU INVESTMENTS LLC

AI summary

A method for regulating a call placement rate (CPR) of an autodialer (AD) (100) includes: measuring a time delay between a first event and a second event; and, adjusting the CPR of the AD (100) in response to the measured time delay.