|||||||||||||||||||||||
`
`
`
`|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
`
`US 20020055967A1
`
`(19) United States
`(12) Patent Application Publication (10) Pub. No.: US 2002/0055967 A1
`(43) Pub. Date: May 9, 2002
`
`Coussement
`
`(S4) SYSTEM FOR REPORTING CLIENT STATUS
`INFORMATION TO
`COMMUN ICA'I‘IONS-CENTI'IR AGENTS
`
`(5?)
`
`ABSTRACT
`
`(76)
`
`Inventor: Stefaan Valera Albert Coussement.
`Korlruk (BE)
`
`Correspondence Address:
`CENTRAL COAST PA'I‘EN'I‘ AGENCY
`PO BOX 187
`AROMAS, CA 95004 (US)
`
`(21) Appl. No.:
`
`091757328
`
`(2?.
`
`Filed:
`
`Jan. 9, 2001
`
`Related U.S. Application Data
`
`(63)
`
`(.‘ontinuation—in—part of application No. 09fll0,042,
`filed on Nov. 8, 2000.
`
`Publication Classification
`
`Int. Cl.7 ..................................................... G06F 15116
`(51)
`(52) U.S. Cl.
`.............................................................. 7091202
`
`A network-based system is provided for enabling agent-
`users of the system to obtain current client~status informa—
`tion related to clients of an infon'nation-wurce facility
`connected to the network in order to optimize callback-
`connection success from the agent-users to the monitored
`clients. The system comprises, a first server node connected
`to the information—source facility and to the network, a
`second server node connected to the first server node and to
`the network, the second server node accessible to the llrst
`server node, a network-capable appliance connected to the
`network, the second server node accessible to the network-
`capahle appliance, an agent workstation connected to the
`network and to the first server node, the lirst server node
`accessible to the agent workstation and a software applica-
`tion distributed on at least the first and second server nodes,
`the software application enabling distribution of the client—
`slatusinformation. The agent-user operating the agent work-
`station accesses the first server node and subscribes to the
`client-status information,
`the client-status information is
`accessed from the second server node by the first server node
`and delivered to the requesting agent-user.
`
`Customer Side
`
`User logs on to
`Internet
`
`
`
`84
`
`System Side
`WPS
`receives
`
`
`request
`
` Request
`forwarded to
`
`CCPS
`
`
`
`
`U ser navigates
`to Webpage hosted
`
`
`
`in WPS
` Data sent
`
`as response to
`
`WPS
`User inputs
`
`intent
`
`01' 1385011
`
`
`Data is sent
`
`
`to customer
`33
`
`Interface
`
`User Submits
`
`Information
`
`
`Agent status
`
`
`information displayed
`
`
`at Customer
`interface
`
`
`
`GOOGLE 1008
`
`GOOGLE 1008
`
`1
`
`

`

`Patent Application Publication
`
`May 9, 2002 Sheet 1 of 7
`
`US 2002/0055967 A1
`
`a:
`
`a“
`
`a“
`
`U '
`
`7
`
`no
`
`E.55memcmmafim
`MELon
`
`HQEOHQH
`
`
`
`.5
`
`2
`
`
`
`
`
`

`

`Patent Application Publication
`
`May 9, 2002
`
`Sheet 2 0f 7
`
`US 2002/005596? A]
`
`
`magnumS855EmHEELEOEcopmaummH”wfiufia
`
`
`
`REESE58830
`
`m.mmm
`
`33%€3280/o
`
`h
`
`mm
`
`£30
`
`a..oEm:w><Eco?»
`
`
`
`”H3505&on
`
`gonna—oh0/
`
`Nb
`
`mamOJ
`
`Sn
`
`3
`
`

`

`Patent Application Publication May 9, 2002 Sheet 3 of 7
`
`US 2002/0055967 A]
`
`System Side
`
`
`WPS
`Customer Side
`
`receives
`
` User logs on to
`
`request
`
`Internet
`
`
`84
`
`
`Request
`
`
`forwarded to
`
`CCPS
`
`
`
`
`User navigates
`
`to Webpage hosted
`in WPS
`
`
`Data sent
`
`as response to
`WPS
`
`
`User inputs
`intent
`
`or reason
`
`
`
`Data is sent
`
`to customer
`Interface
`
`
`User Submits
`
`
`
`Agent status
`
`information displayed
`
`at customer
`
`
`83
`
`Information
`
`interface
`
`Fig. 3
`
`4
`
`

`

`Patent Application Publication
`
`May 9, 2002 Sheet 4 of 7
`
`US 2002/0055967 A1
`
`8ma-ho-_H_EamHO>HDm
`cwmmhomm0550m858$Siamgmama.8:305=mmnBESmsu
`
`
`
`
`ram
`
`Ha
`
`552:.
`
`
`
`
`
`.__aD“EM..............................7.5-..-....:.::.::..::....u...................5.“
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`allall-“J
`
`
`
`E5.800:ofimoEEdEoU\a3.3.3....g aME
`
`
`
`5
`
`
`
`

`

`Patent Application Publication
`
`May 9, 2002 Sheet 5 of 7
`
`US 2002/005596?‘r A]
`
`68$$3H326
`
`m23
`
`mmmm
`
`m:
`
`amzmmm92
`
`I:
`
`mm”
`
`DEC:Om._225
`
`323258500
`
`.5300
`
`Eaflflflflfluflflflflflflflfl
`
`IIIIIIIIIIIIII
`
`mm:
`
`m.mE
`
`fi325
`
`Dom—HOUAWIIIIIII'IIIIII
`
`_
`
`3”,“-QO
`
`mmflm2
`
`6
`
`
`
`
`

`

`Patent Application Publication
`
`May 9, 2002 Sheet 6 of 7
`
`US 2002/005596?‘r A]
`
`Joe Customer
`
`Status: ONLINE
`
`Call Back Medium:
`
`@ VOIP
`0 COST
`0
`
`Pager
`Pager
`
`101
`
`Joe Customer
`
`Status: OFF—LINE
`
`0 VoIP
`OCOST
`®
`
`Subscribing Agent Interface
`
`Fig. 6
`
`7
`
`

`

`Patent Application Publication May 9, 2002 Sheet 7 of 7
`
`US 2002/0055967 A1
`
`107
`Agent Side
`
` Agent
`
`Subscribes to
`
`CPS
`
`109
`
` Agent receives
`
`
`customer-status
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`data
`
`111
`
`113
`
`Agent observes
`
`Agent observes
`customers
`
`
`
`
`customers
`
`
`
`
`Status
`
`call back preference
`
`
`Agent takes action
`based on customer's
`
`status and preferences
`
`
`
`
`115
`
`
`
`Fig. 7
`
`8
`
`

`

`US 2002/0055967 A1
`
`May 9, 2002
`
`SYSTEM FOR REPORTING CLIENT STATUS
`INFORMATION TO COMMUN ICATIONS-CI‘JN'I‘ER
`AGENTS
`
`CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELA’I‘ED
`DOCUMENTS
`
`invention is a continuation-in-part
`[0001] The present
`(CI?) to a U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09t'710,042
`entitled "A System for Improved Reporting of Communi—
`cation Center Presence Information to Prospective Clients”,
`filed on Nov. 8, 2000, disclosure of which is incorporated
`herein in its entirety by reference.
`
`FIELD OF THE INVENTION
`
`[0002] The present invention is in the field of telecommu-
`nication encompassing all existing sorts of interaction mul-
`timedia technology, and pertains more particularly to a
`system for reporting active client status information to
`com munications—center agents.
`BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
`
`there
`In the field of telephony communication,
`[0003]
`have been many improvements in technology over the years
`that have contributed to more efficient use of telephone
`communication within hosted call-center environments.
`
`Most of these improvements involve integrating the tele-
`phones and switching systems in such call centers with
`computer hardware and software adapted for, among other
`things, better routing of telephone calls, faster delivery of
`telephone calls and associated information, and improved
`service with regard to client satisfaction. Such computer-
`enhanced telephony is known in the art as computer-tele-
`phony integration (C’I'I). Generally speaking, C 1'!
`imple—
`mentations of various design and purpose are implemented
`both within individual call-centers and, in some cases, at the
`telephone network level. For example, processors running
`CFI software applications may be linked to telephone
`switches, service control points (SCP), and network entry
`poian within a public or private telephone network. At the
`call—center
`level, (TI-enhanced processors, data servers,
`transaction servers, and the like, are linked to telephone
`switches and, in some cases, to similar C'I‘I hardware at the
`network level, often by a dedicated digital link. CTI pro-
`cessors and other hardware within a call-center is commonly
`referred to as. customer premises equipment (CPE). It is the
`CH processor and application software in such centers that
`provides computer enhancement to a call center.
`
`In a CTI-enhanced call center, telephones at agent
`[0004]
`stations are connected to a central
`telephony switching
`apparatus, such as an automatic call distributor (ACD)
`switch or a private branch exchange (PBX). The agent
`stations may also be equipped with computer terminals such
`as personal computert'video display units (PCJ'VDU) so that
`agents manning such stations may have access to stored data
`as well as being linked to incoming callers by telephone
`equipment. Such stations may be interconnected through the
`I’CNDU by a local area network (LAN). One or more data
`or transaction servers may also be connected to the LAN that
`interconnects agent stations. The LAN is, in turn, typically
`connected to the CT] processor, which is connected to the
`call switching apparatus of the call center.
`
`[0005] When a call arrives at a call center, whether or not
`the call has been pie-processed at an SCP, typically at least
`
`the telephone number of the calling line is made available to
`the receiving switch at
`the call center by the network
`provider. This service is available by most networks as
`caller—ID information in one of several formats such as
`Automatic Number Identification (ANI). Typically the num-
`ber called is also available through a service such as Dialed
`Number Identification Service (DNIS). If the call center is
`computer-enhanced (CTI), the phone number of the calling
`party may be used as a key to access additional information
`from a customer information system (CIS) database at a
`server on the network that connects the agent workstations.
`In this manner information pertinent
`to a call may be
`provided to an agent, often as a screen pop on the agent’s
`PCNVDU.
`
`In recent years, advances in computer technology,
`[0006]
`telephony equipment, and infrastructure have provided
`many opportunities for improving telephone service in pub-
`licly switched and private telephone intelligent networks.
`Similarly, development of a separate information and data
`network known as the Internet, together with advances in
`computer hardware and software have led to a new multi-
`media telephone system known in the art by several names.
`In this new systemology, telephone calls are simulated by
`multimedia computer equipment, and data, such as audio
`data, is transmitted over data networks as data packets. In
`this system the broad term used to describe such computer-
`simulated telephony is Data Network Telephony (DNT).
`
`For purposes of nomenclature and definition, the
`[0007]
`inventors wish to distinguish clearly between what might be
`called conventional telephony, which is the telephone ser-
`vice enjoyed by nearly all citizens through local telephone
`companies and several
`long—distance telephone network
`providers, and what has been described herein as computer-
`simulated telephony or data~network telephony. The con-
`ventional systems are referred to herein as Connection-
`Oriented Switched-'I'elephony
`(COST)
`systems, C'I'I
`enhanced or not.
`
`[0008] COST telephony is not limited to wired, or land-
`line systems, but may include wireless network systems as
`well. The purpose of the definitions here is to distinguish
`clearly between data~packet systems, which share available
`bandwidth, and non-packet systems which use dedicated
`connections or channels.
`
`[0009] The computer-simulated, or DNT systems are
`familiar to those who use and understand computers and
`data»network systems Perhaps the best example of DNT is
`telephone service provided over the Internet, which will be
`referred to herein as Internet Protocol Network Telephony
`(IPNT), by far the most extensive, but still a subset of DNT.
`DN’I‘ systems may also include wireless sub-systems.
`
`[0010] Both systems use signals transmitted over network
`links. In fact, connection to data networks for DNT such as
`IPNT is typically accomplished over local telephone lines,
`used to reach points in the network such as an Internet
`Service Provider (ISP). The definitive difference is that
`COST telephony may be considered to he connectionn
`oriented telephony. In the COST system, calls are placed and
`connected by a specific dedicated path, and the connection
`path is maintained over the time of the call. Bandwidth is
`basically assured. Other calls and data do not share a
`connected channel path in a COST system. A [)N'I‘ system,
`on the other hand, is not dedicated or connection-oriented.
`
`9
`
`

`

`US 2002/005596?‘ A1
`
`May 9, 2002
`
`That is, data, including audio data. is prepared, sent, and
`received as data packets over a data-network. The data
`packets share network links, and may travel by varied and
`variable paths.
`
`improvements to available technologies
`[0011] Recent
`associated with the transmission and reception of data
`packets during real-time DNT communication have enabled
`companies to successfully add IJNT, principally IPN'I‘, capa-
`bilities to existing CT] call centers. Such improvements, as
`described herein and known-to the inventor, include meth-
`ods for guaranteeing available bandwidth or quality of
`service (008} for a transaction, improved mechanisms for
`organizing, coding, compressing, and carrying data more
`efficiently using less bandwidth, and methods and apparatus
`for intelligently replacing lost data via using voice supple-
`mentation methods and enhanced buffering capabilities.
`
`In addition to Internet protocol (IPNT) calls, a
`[0012]
`DNT center may also share other forms of media with
`customers accessing the system through their computers.
`E—mails, video mails, fax, file share, file transfer, video calls,
`and so forth are some of the other forms of media, which
`may be used. This capability of handling varied media leads
`to the term multimedia communications center. A multime-
`dia communications center may be a combination CT! and
`DNT center, or may be a DNT center capable of receiving
`COST calls and converting them to a digital DNT format.
`The term communication center will replace the term call
`center hereinafter in this specification when referring to
`multi—media capabilities.
`
`In typical communication centers, DNT is aocorn~
`[0013]
`plished by Internet connection and Il’N'l' calls. For this
`reason, Il’N’l‘ and the Internet will be used in examples to
`follow. IT should be understood, however, that this usage is
`exemplary, and not limiting.
`
`In systems known to the inventors, incoming IPNT
`[0014]
`calls are processed and routed within an iPNT—capable
`communication center in much the same way as COST calls
`are routed in a CTIenhanccd callncenter, using similar or
`identical routing rules, waitingqueues, and so on, aside from
`the fact
`that
`there are two separate networks involved.
`Communication centers having both CTI and IPNT eapa»
`bility utilize LAN-connected agent-stations with each sta-
`tion having a telcphony-switch-connectcd headset or phone,
`and a PC connected, in most cases via LAN, to the network
`carrying the lPNTcalls. Therefore, in most cases, IPNT calls
`are routed to the agent’s PC while conventional telephony
`calls are routed to the agent’s conventional
`telephone or
`headset. Typically separate lines and equipment must be
`implemented for each type of call weather COST or II’NT.
`
`[0015] Due in part to added costs associated with addiw
`lional equipment, lines, and data ports that are needed to add
`IPN'I‘ capability to a CPI-enhanced call-center, companies
`are currently experimenting with various forms of integra-
`tion between the older COST system and the newer IPNT
`system. For example, by enhancing data servers, interactive
`voice response units (IVR), agent—connecting networks, and
`so on, with the capability ofconforming to Internet protocol,
`call data arriving from either netWork may be integrated
`requiring less equipment and lines to facilitate processing,
`storage, and transfer of data.
`
`[0016] With many new communication products support-
`ing various media types available to businesses and custom-
`
`ers, a communication center must add significant application
`software to accommodate the diversity. For example. e-mail
`programs have difl‘ering parameters than do 1P applications.
`11’ applications are different regarding protocol than COST
`calls, and so on. Separate routing systems andfor software
`components are needed for routing e—mails, [1’ calls, COST
`calls, file sharing, etc. Agents must then be trained in the use
`ofa variety of applications supporting the different types of
`media.
`
`[0017] Keeping contact histories, reporting statistics, cre-
`ating routing rules and the like becomes more complex as
`newer types of media are added to communication center
`capability. Additional hardware implementations such as
`servers, processors, etc. are generally required to aid full
`multimedia communication and reporting. Therefore,
`it is
`desirable that interactions of all multimedia sorts be ana-
`lyzed, recorded, and routed according to enterprise {busi-
`ness) rules in a manner that provides seamless integration
`between media types and application types. thereby allowA
`ing agents to respond intelligently and eflieiently to cus-
`tomer queries and problems.
`
`[0018] One challenge that is ever present in a communi-
`cations center is the ability to communicate current com-
`munication center status to customers attempting to reach
`the center for service. Older call-centers relying on COST
`communication techniques simply play recorded messages,
`the recordings informing the customers of the status of an
`agent being called. More advanced communication centers.
`including multimedia centers, have more extensive auto-
`mated services in place for interacting with customers in the
`event that no agents are available. Most of these services are
`IVR driven and inform callers of options, as well as status
`of those persons the callers are attempting to connect with.
`
`[0019] Estimated call-waiting times may be determined
`during a call attempt and communicated to the caller through
`IV'R interaction. The number of calls ahead of current calls
`may also be provided as status information. Acustomer must
`invest the time and suffer the inconvenience of placing a call
`to the communication center in order to receive the status
`information. As described above, this information is made
`available through IVR interaction in prior art systems. In
`general, a call placed into the communications center must
`be paid for either by the customer placing the call, or by the
`center itself. It has occurred to the inventor that money and
`center resource could be conserved by providing status
`information to customers without requiring a physical call to
`be placed to the center.
`
`[0020] A network-based system known to the inventor
`enables users of the system to obtain current agent—status
`information related to agents of an information-sou rce facil-
`ity connected to the network before initiating contact with
`the agent or agents. of the infon'nation-source facility. The
`system comprises a status-server node connected to the
`information—source facility (communication center) and to
`the network, an interface—server node connected to the status
`node and to the network, the status-server node accessible to
`the interface node, a user-operated network-capable appli-
`ance connected to the network, the interface node accessible
`to the network-capable appliance, and a software application
`distributed on at least the status and interface server nodes,
`the software application enabling distribution of the agent.-
`status information to the user-operated appliance.
`
`10
`
`10
`
`

`

`US 2002/005596?‘ A1
`
`May 9, 2002
`
`L»)
`
`[0021] The user operating the network-capable appliance
`connects to the network and accesses the interfacing server
`node and requests the agent—status information, the agentw
`status information is then accessed from the status server
`node connected to the communication center by the inter-
`facing server node and delivered to the requesting user over
`the operating network. Such a system saves phone costs for
`customers andtor agents as well as reduces utilization
`requirements of communication-center interface technolo-
`gies such as IVR technology.
`
`It has occurred to the inventor that in addition to
`[0022]
`enabling users to view status information and estimated
`waiting times associated with contacted agents, it would also
`be useful to enable agents to be able to view availability
`status and callback preferences of users.
`
`[0023] What is clearly needed is a network-based system
`that allows agean operating from a connected information-
`source facility to monitor online status of clients of the
`facility and to view real-time contact information concom-
`ing users who are in transition from one state to another.
`Such a system would enable agents to determine optimum
`time and method for initiating contact with patrons of the
`facility and save costs related to expensive out-bound calling
`systems and the like.
`
`SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
`
`In a preferred embodiment of the present invention,
`[0024]
`a network-based system is provided for enabling agent-users
`of the system to obtain current clientvstatus information
`related to clients of an information-source facility connected
`to the network in order to optimize callback-connection
`success from the agent~users to the monitored clients. The
`system comprises, a first server node connected to the
`information-source facility and to the network, a second
`server node connected to the first server node and to the
`network, the second server node accessible to the first server
`node, a network-capable appliance connected to the net-
`work, the second server node accessible to the network-
`capable appliance, an agent workstation connected to the
`network and to the first server node, the first server node
`accessible to the agent workstation and a software applica~
`tion distributed on at least the first and second server nodes,
`the software application enabling distribution of the client-
`status information. The agent-user operating the agent work-
`station accesses the first server node and subscribes to the
`client-status
`information,
`the
`client-status
`information
`accessed from the second server node by the first server node
`and delivered to the requesting agent-user.
`
`In a preferred embodiment, the system is imple-
`[0025]
`mented on the Internet network.
`In one aspect of the
`network-based system, the information-source facility is a
`communication center marketing products and or services to
`the clients. In a preferred aspect,
`the agents are human
`resources employed by the communication center.
`In
`another aspect
`the agents are automated systems imple-
`mented at the communications center to provide specialized
`services.
`
`In a preferred aspect, the client—status information
`[0026]
`includes onlinetoff—line status of the client and the client’s
`callback preferences including medium preferences and
`device preferences. In one aspect, an alert is propagated to
`clients, the alert indicating a time for callback and propa-
`
`gated at a predetermined time before the estimated time of
`callback. In another aspect, an alert is propagated to clients,
`the alert indicating the status of the communication center
`such as, but not limited to, the number of calls in queue and
`the estimated waiting time, enabling the client to plan or to
`initiate a call with higher probability of success.
`In a
`preferred aspect,
`the optional callback or alert mediums
`include cellular, IP, and wired communications mediums. In
`this aspect, the optional callback or alert devices include
`cellular telephones, pagers, telephones, computer stations,
`handheld computers, and laptop computers.
`
`In one aspect of the system, client-status informa-
`[0027]
`tion automatically updates periodically. In another aspect,
`the client-status information is continually streamed to the
`subscribing agent-user. Also in one aspect, the client-status
`information is pulled from the second server node by the first
`server node according to the subscribing agent-user’s
`request. In another aspect, the client-status information is
`pushed to the first server node by the second server node and
`is available to be pulled by the agent—user operating from the
`agent workstation. In some aspects, the software application
`uses instant message technology in the transfer of client—
`status information. In other aspects, the software application
`uses streaming technology in the transfer of client-status
`information. In still other aspects, the software application
`embeds the client-status information into a Web page sub-
`scribed to by the agent-user.
`
`In one aspect of the system, the functions of the
`[0028]
`first and second server nodes are implemented within a
`single server node connected to the communications center,
`the network, and accessible to the network-capable appli-
`ance and to the agent workstation. In another aspect, the
`second server node is a third-party server node providing
`instant messaging services. in still another aspect, the sccv
`ond server node is hosted by the information-source facility
`and dedicated for agent-client communications.
`In still
`another aspect, the second server node functions as a call-
`waiting queue of the information-source facility.
`
`[0029] According to another aspect of the present inven—
`tion, a method is provided for enabling agent-users of an
`informationwsource facility connected to a network to obtain
`current client-status information related to clients of the
`information-source facility. The method comprises the steps
`of; (a) maintaining a client-interface server connected to the
`network and accessible to the information-source facility;
`(b) compiling and packaging the client-status information
`related to clients connected to the client interface and (c)
`serving the client-status information or a portion thereof to
`subscribing agent workstations over the network.
`
`In a preferred embodiment, the method is practiced
`[0030]
`the Internet network. In one aspect of the method in step (a),
`the information-source facility is a communication center. In
`this aspect, the communication center markets products and
`or services to the clients. In another aspect of the method in
`step (a), the client-interface server is a third-party server
`hosting an instant messaging service. In a preferred aspect,
`the client—interface server is hosted by the communication
`center and dedicated for agent-client communications. In
`still another aspect, the client-interface server is adapted as
`a call-waiting queue of the communication center.
`
`in step (b), the
`In on application of the method,
`[0031]
`client-status information is packaged in the form of instant
`
`11
`
`11
`
`

`

`US 2002/0055967 A1
`
`May 9, 2002
`
`messages containing the information. In another application
`of the method,
`in step (b), the client-status information is
`embedded into an electronic information page served by the
`client—interface server. The method, in some embodiments,
`further comprises a step for alerting clients as to an esti-
`mated time of response from an agent in a callback situation
`or as to an estimated time of the communication center being
`available to receive a call. In this aspect, the alert is of the
`form of, but not limited to, one of a page to paging device,
`and instant message, an e-mail, or a telephone beep.
`
`In a preferred aspect of the method in step (c) the
`[0032]
`agent workstation comprises a personal computer connected
`to a local—area—nelwork (LAN). Also, in a preferred aspect,
`in step (c), the client-status information includes onlinefioff—
`line status of the client and the client’s callback preferences
`including medium preferences and device preferences. In
`this aspect, in step {c}, the client-status information auto-
`matically updates periodically.
`
`[0033] Now, for the first time, a network-based system that
`allows agents operating from a connected information—
`source facility to monitor online status of clients of the
`facility and to view real-time contact information coneern~
`ing users who are in transition from one state to another is
`provided. Such a system enables agents to determine opti-
`mum time and method for initiating contact with patrons of
`the facility and saves costs related to expensive out—bound
`calling systems and the like.
`
`BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
`FIGURES
`
`[0034] FIG. I is an overview of a communication network
`wherein reporting of communication-center presence infor-
`mation is practiced according to an embodiment of the
`present invention.
`
`[0035] FIG. 2 is a plan view of a client-side media-
`interface containing status information according to an
`embodiment of the present invention.
`
`[0036] FIG. 3 is a flow diagram illustrating client and
`system procedural steps for practicing communication—cen—
`ter presence reporting according to an embodiment of the
`present invention.
`
`[0037] FIG. 4 is an overview of a communications net-
`work wherein agent monitoring of client status is practiced
`according to an embodiment of the present invention.
`
`[0038] FIG. 5 is a logical connection diagram showing
`functionality and logical connection of principally software
`elements in an embodiment of the present invention.
`
`[0039] FIG. 6 is a plan view of exemplary agent-side
`media-interfaces 99 and 101 containing availability status
`and callback parameters according to an embodiment of the
`present invention.
`
`[0040] FIG. 7 is a flow diagram illustrating agent and
`system procedural steps for observing customer status and
`call back preferences according to an embodiment of the
`present invention.
`
`DESCRIPTION OF "fl-IE PREFERRED
`EMBODIMENTS
`
`In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the
`[0041]
`present invention, the inventor provides a novel software-
`
`hardware driven system for improving the reporting of
`communication-center presence information to prospective
`communication-center clients. The method and apparatus of
`the present invention is described in enabling detail below.
`
`[0042] FIG. 1 is an overview ofa communication network
`52 wherein reporting of communication-center presence
`information is practiced according to an embodiment of the
`present invention. Communication network 52 comprises, in
`this example, a public-switched-lelephone network (PSTN)
`55,
`a data—packct—nctwork (DPN) 61,
`a communication
`center 21, and an exemplary user 9.
`
`PS'IN 55, in this example, represents a preferred
`[0043]
`network connecting all connection—oriented-switchcd—telew
`phony (COST) clients who call into communication center
`21 for the purpose of doing business with the center. In
`another embodiment, a private telephone network may be
`utilized in place of or in combination with PSTN 55. The
`inventor chooses PSTN 55 because of its high public-access
`characteristic.
`
`[0044] A local telephony switch (LSW) S9 is illustrated
`within PS'I'N 55 and represents automated switching capa-
`bility within the network. LSW 59 may be an Automatic Call
`Distributor (ACID), a Public Branch Exchange (PBX), or any
`other type of telephony switching apparatus, in the broadest
`sense,
`including but not
`limited to DNT type switches;f
`gateways as used in VoIP etc. LSW 59 is enhanced for
`computer-telephony-integration (CH) by a CT] processor
`62 connected thereto by a CF] connection. LSW 59 and C II
`processor 62 may encompass various communication func-
`tionalities made available at network level by communica-
`tion center 21. For example, an instance of CT] software
`known to the inventor and termed Transaction Server (TS)
`is provided within C'l‘l processor 62 and adapted to enable
`communicationcenter 21 to certain call~switching and rout—
`ing aspects performed by LSW 59
`
`[0045] LSW 59 is connected to a central telephony switch
`(CSW) 53, illustrated within communication center 21, by a
`COST telephony trunk 57. CSW 53 may be any one of
`several
`types of call processing switches as previously
`described with respect to LSW 59 above.
`
`[0046] CSW 53 is enhanced by a CT] processor 65, which
`is connected thereto by a CH connection as was described
`with reference to LSW 59. ("fl processor 65 also has an
`instance of TS software provided therein and adapted to
`communicate with TS software of processor 62. Processors
`62 (network) and 65 (communication center) are connected
`by virtue of a separate data network 64 enabling the above~
`described communication between T8 instances. By using
`network 64 to connect processor 62 and 65, communication
`center 21 may, in addition to controlling call switching and
`routing within PS'I‘N 55, receive information about callers
`ahead of actual calls arriving at CSW 53 for
`internal
`processing. This enhancement is known as double-dipping
`by the inventors.
`
`[0047] DPN 61 is, in this example, the well-known Inter-
`net network and will hereinafter be termed Internet 61.
`Internet 61 facilitates all Internet—protocol (IP) callers reach—
`ing communication center 21 through the Internet. Internet
`61 may instead be a private or corporate Wide Area Network
`(WAN), or any other type of DPN as long as Internet
`communication protocols are supported. The inventor
`
`12
`
`12
`
`

`

`US 2002/0055967 A1
`
`May 9, 2002
`
`chooses Internet 61 as a preferred network because of it’s
`high public-access characteristic.
`IP callers calling into
`communication center 21 may interface from any Internet~
`connected server, which provides network access to corn—
`munication center 21. Moreover, there may be many such
`servers distributed throughout network 61, each server being
`a point of access.
`
`Internet 61 has an Internet backbone 13 illustrated
`[0048]
`therein. Backbone 13 represents all the lines, equipment, and
`connection poian making up the Internet network as a
`whole, including sub networks. A Web Server (WS) 15 is
`provided within Internet til and is connected to backbone
`13. WS 15 is adapted as an Internet file server as is known
`in the art. WS 15 represents one of a possible plurality of
`distributed customer-interfacing servers as described above.
`WS 15 serves electron