Peer-to-Peer Contact Center Node Resource Sharing

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Contact centers face challenges in maintaining local survivability and resource sharing across distributed nodes, particularly when branches lose connection to the central data center or become overloaded, leading to service disruptions and inefficiencies.

Innovation Solution

A system and method for local survivability in a distributed contact center environment, where contact center nodes communicate via a peer-to-peer network to monitor connections and resource capacity, allowing nodes to handle interactions locally and share resources with peers to manage overload situations, ensuring continuous service and efficient capacity utilization.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If contact center nodes rely on central data center for resource handling, then resource utilization is optimized, but service continuity is compromised when connection is lost

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveservice continuityVSAvoidsystem architecture

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The contact center system is segmented into autonomous nodes that can operate independently. Each node maintains local resources and can handle interactions locally when disconnected from the central data center, eliminating the single point of failure and ensuring service continuity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system dynamically switches between centralized and decentralized operation modes. Nodes can transition from relying on the central data center to local autonomous operation based on connection status, optimizing both resource utilization and service continuity adaptively.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

2Reliability

If contact center nodes operate autonomously locally, then service continuity is maintained during disconnection, but resource efficiency decreases due to duplicate local resources

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvelocal survivabilityVSAvoidresource efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

Multiple contact center nodes are merged into a peer-to-peer network where they share resources collectively. This allows nodes to maintain local autonomy for survivability while sharing computational and media resources across the network to avoid duplication and improve efficiency.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

Nodes in the peer-to-peer network serve multiple functions: they can handle local interactions autonomously, share resources with other nodes, and participate in network-wide load balancing. This multi-functionality resolves the contradiction between local autonomy and resource efficiency.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Productivity

If contact center nodes share resources in a peer-to-peer network, then capacity is optimized during overload, but connection management complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecapacity utilizationVSAvoidconnection management

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The peer-to-peer network implements feedback mechanisms where nodes continuously monitor their own capacity status and the status of neighboring nodes. This feedback enables automatic load balancing and resource sharing decisions, optimizing capacity utilization while managing connection complexity through decentralized control.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

Nodes in the peer-to-peer network autonomously manage their own connections and resource sharing without requiring centralized coordination. Each node independently decides which neighbors to connect with and how to share resources, simplifying connection management while maintaining high capacity utilization.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

4Reliability

If local branches have full resource capacity for independent operation, then service continuity is ensured, but cost increases due to redundant resources

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveindependent operation capabilityVSAvoidresource quantity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of providing full resource capacity at every local branch, the system implements partial resource allocation with the understanding that excess capacity will be shared through the peer-to-peer network. This reduces local resource quantity while maintaining independent operation capability through network support.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Data Source

PatentUS10567587B2Resource sharing in a peer-to-peer network of contact center nodes

Publication Date: 2020.02.18 GENESYS CLOUD SERVICES INC

AI summary

A system and method for local survivability in a distributed contact center environment has a first processor in a first contact center node receiving a first request for interaction. The first processor transmits a first message to a second contact center node in response to the request for interaction. The first message is configured to invoke a first resource associated with the second contact center node for handling the interaction via the first resource. The first processor monitors connection with the second contact center node. The first processor receives a second request for interaction, and further determines lack of connection with the second contact center node. In response to determining lack of connection with the second contact center node, the first processor refrains from transmitting a second message to the second contact center node. According to one embodiment, the second message is for invoking a second resource associated with the second contact center node for handling the interaction via the second resource.