Abstract:
A computerized telephony call center for serving a customer base has a central switch connected to a plurality of telephones at operator workstations and adapted to route calls to individual ones of the telephones, and also connected to a public switched telephone network, and a first processor connected to the central switch by a high-speed data link and to the telephone network by a digital network connection. The first processor is adapted to monitor transactional activity of the central switch, to process the activity information according to selected routines in the processor, and to communicate processed information to a second processor over the digital network connection. The digital network connection may be a TCP\IP connection. In a preferred embodiment the first processor is connected by a local area network (LAN) to network interfaces including a video display unit (VDU) and input apparatus proximate individual ones of the plurality of telephones connected to the central switch. In some embodiments the LAN is also connected to a data server running an instance of a database. In other embodiments the call center, and other similar call centers are all part of a call routing system wherein calls are routed from Service Control Points to call centers over telephone lines, and data is routed to the call centers over a separate digital network connection between processors coupled to the Service Control Points and to the call center central switches. In various embodiments aspects of the invention apply to Internet protocol network telephony (IPNT) calls as well as to conventional telephony calls.
Abstract:
A computerized telephony call center for serving a customer base has a central switch connected to a plurality of telephones at operator workstations and adapted to route calls to individual ones of the telephones, and also connected to a public switched telephone network, and a first processor connected to the central switch by a high-speed data link and to the telephone network by a digital network connection. The first processor is adapted to monitor transactional activity of the central switch, to process the activity information according to selected routines in the processor, and to communicate processed information to a second processor over the digital network connection. The digital network connection may be a TCP\IP connection. In a preferred embodiment the first processor is connected by a local area network (LAN) to network interfaces including a video display unit (VDU) and input apparatus proximate individual ones of the plurality of telephones connected to the central switch. In some embodiments the LAN is also connected to a data server running an instance of a database. In other embodiments the call center, and other similar call centers are all part of a call routing system wherein calls are routed from Service Control Points to call centers over telephone lines, and data is routed to the call centers over a separate digital network connection between processors coupled to the Service Control Points and to the call center central switches. In various embodiments aspects of the invention apply to Internet protocol network telephony (IPNT) calls as well as to conventional telephony calls.
Abstract:
A computerized telephony call center for serving a customer base has a central switch connected to a plurality of telephones at operator workstations and adapted to route calls to individual ones of the telephones, and also connected to a public switched telephone network, and a first processor connected to the central switch by a high-speed data link and to the telephone network by a digital network connection. The first processor is adapted to monitor transactional activity of the central switch, to process the activity information according to selected routines in the processor, and to communicate processed information to a second processor over the digital network connection. The digital network connection may be a TCP\IP connection. In a preferred embodiment the first processor is connected by a local area network (LAN) to network interfaces including a video display unit (VDU) and input apparatus proximate individual ones of the plurality of telephones connected to the central switch. In some embodiments the LAN is also connected to a data server running an instance of a database. In other embodiments the call center, and other similar call centers are all part of a call routing system wherein calls are routed from Service Control Points to call centers over telephone lines, and data is routed to the call centers over a separate digital network connection between processors coupled to the Service Control Points and to the call center central switches. In various embodiments aspects of the invention apply to Internet protocol network telephony (IPNT) calls as well as to conventional telephony calls.
Abstract:
A client-server telephone call router system as part of a customer premises system has a client-server router adapted to execute on a telephony switch, such as a public branch exchange (PBX) or other telephony switch, or on a processor connected by CTI link to a telephony switch. The telephony switch or processor executing the router is connected to a local area network (LAN) that also interconnects computer workstations proximate to telephones connected to the telephony switch. Client user interface applications run on the computer workstations, allowing clients to edit routing rules for the router, which has a list of routing rules keyed to users and workstations of the customer premises system. The editing rules are kept by the router in portions dedicated to individual users. With this system a user can edit at a workstation on the LAN his\her own routing rules, and transmit the edits to the client-server router where the rules will be followed to route calls for that user and protocol.
Abstract:
A packet-data network is made intelligent in the sense of a connection-oriented, switched telephony (COST) network by enhancing one or more interconnected IP routers in the network with computer-telephony integration (CTI) processors executing CTI applications. No-charge-to-calling-party IP addresses are assigned and sponsored by various enterprises, who may also maintain call centers having at least one CTI-enhanced IP router connected to the network, and agent stations having IP telephones connected to the call-center-located IP router. With appropriate software and the CTI link to IP routers the performance of well-known conventional telephone systems may be provided in packet networks like the Internet.
Abstract:
A telephone call distribution system for determining destination for an incoming telephone call in a telephony network including a service control point (SCP) operates with a plurality of workstations each comprising a telephone coupled to the telephony network and a proximate computer station having a video display unit (PC/VDU), the PC/VDU connected to the SCP via a wide area network (WAN), and a personal router associated with each PC/VDU. The SCP broadcasts data pertaining to the incoming telephone call and a request for a destination to individual ones of the PC/VDUs via the WAN, and the personal routers negotiate a destination based on individual routing rules and the data pertaining to the call. At least one of the individual routers responds to the SCP with a destination for the call. In some instances the workstations are associated with a call center, and the call center may be CTI-enhanced. Individual routers in this instance may be executed on a server on a local area network connecting workstations at the call center, the server providing individual routers to workstations in a client-server relationship.
Abstract:
A client-server telephone call router system as part of a customer premises system has a client-server router adapted to execute on a telephony switch, such as a public branch exchange (PBX) or other telephony switch, or on a processor connected by CTI link to a telephony switch. The telephony switch or processor executing the router is connected to a local area network (LAN) that also interconnects computer workstations proximate to telephones connected to the telephony switch. Client user interface applications run on the computer workstations, allowing clients to edit routing rules for the router, which has a list of routing rules keyed to users and workstations of the customer premises system. The editing rules are kept by the router in portions dedicated to individual users. With this system a user can edit at a workstation on the LAN his\her own routing rules, and transmit the edits to the client-server router where the rules will be followed to route calls for that user and protocol.
Abstract:
An Internet Protocol Network Telephony call center having a plurality of agents for serving clients also processes e-mails addresses to the call center, but not to specific agents. An e-mail server receives and routes the e-mail, and includes a router and a database storing skill set information regarding agents. The router extracts information from the e-mails, matches key words in the extracted information with key words from the skill sets, and routes the e-mails to appropriate agents having the necessary skills to respond to the service requirements in the e-mails.
Abstract:
An Internet Protocol Network Telephony call center having a plurality of agents for serving clients also processes e-mails addresses to the call center, but not to specific agents. An e-mail server receives and routes the e-mail, and includes a router and a database storing skill set information regarding agents. The router extracts information from the e-mails, matches key words in the extracted information with key words from the skill sets, and routes the e-mails to appropriate agents having the necessary skills to respond to the service requirements in the e-mails.
Abstract:
A client-server telephone call router system as part of a customer premises system has a client-server router adapted to execute on a telephony switch, such as a public branch exchange (PBX) or other telephony switch, or on a processor connected by CTI link to a telephony switch. The telephony switch or processor executing the router is connected to a local area network (LAN) that also interconnects computer workstations proximate to telephones connected to the telephony switch. Client user interface applications run on the computer workstations, allowing clients to edit routing rules for the router, which has a list of routing rules keyed to users and workstations of the customer premises system. The editing rules are kept by the router in portions dedicated to individual users. With this system a user can edit at a workstation on the LAN his\her own routing rules, and transmit the edits to the client-server router where the rules will be followed to route calls for that user and protocol.