At&t Bell Laboratories

Avaya Technology LLC

At+t Corp.

Lucent Technologies Inc.

American Telephone and Telegraph, Co.

At&t Information Systems Inc.

American Telephone and Telegraph Company; At&t Information Systems

Frank J Bogart

David L Chavez

Larry J Hardouin

Nancy K Schmidt

Bruce D Butterfield

Frederick R Fix

Henry C Dittmer

Linda L Thomson

Andrew Derek Flockhart

Joylee E Kohler

Eugene P Mathews

Robin Harris Foster

Stephen L Skarzynski

Paul Lawrence Richman

Thomas S Fisher

Sarah Hildebrandt Kiefhaber

Gary S King

Camille Gabriel

Rainie M Bicknell

Charles J Fette

Henry C Ditmer

Fatsing Chou

Mary R Dedisse

Radhakrishna S Divakaruni

Keith S Knight

Thornton S Paxton

Karen L Page

Rebecca Kay Phelps

Nancy K Modisette

The architecture of a multimedia customer care center () is divided into three separate application layers: a contact layer (), a communications layer () and a business layer (). The contact layer comprises media-specific handlers () that manage their media-specific resources, connect customer contacts to resources () and report events, including status to the communications layer. The communication includes media-independent software () that manages shared resources, that tracks, accumulates, and reports events reported by the contact layer, and that directs handling of events by the contact layer according to business information. The business layer includes software () that provides an interface to the customer contact center for the business that is served by the center. It manages business services by supplying business information that defines the services and business goals to the communications layer, and generates reports from information accumulated by the communications layer. It effects scheduling and adherence tracking of resources. It also provides workflow control capability or interfaces to pre-existing workflow systems.

Multimedia customer care center having a layered control architecture

Selection of a call-center agent (,) to handle a call is based on which available agent's handling of the call will tend to optimize call-center performance criteria such as efficiency (e.g., minimize per-call handling time) or derived benefit (e.g., maximize revenue). Each agent has a service profile for each type of call that they handle. A service profile (,) comprises present values of a plurality of service metrics, such as proficiency, profitability, customer satisfaction, and agent satisfaction. When a call of a particular type becomes available, the present values of the service metrics of the service profile (,) of that call type of each agent who is available to handle the call are combined (,) into a score according to one of a plurality of formulas which corresponds to that call type, and the agent with the best score is assigned (,) to the call. When the assigned agent finishes handling the is call, his or her performance is evaluated (,) based on the service metrics, and the valuations are used (,) to revise the present values of the service metrics of that agent's service profile. The revision process gives (,) more weight to valuations of more-recently-handled calls to reflect both long-term and short-term agent performance trends and variations.

Optimizing call-center performance by using predictive data to distribute calls among agents

Selection of a call for handling by a call-center agent (106-108) is based on which call's handling by the available agent will tend to optimize call-center performance criteria such as efficiency (e.g., minimize per-call handling time) or derived benefit (e.g., maximize revenue). Each agent has a service profile for each type of call that they handle. A service profile (400-402) comprises present values of a plurality of service metrics, such as proficiency, profitability, customer satisfaction, and agent satisfaction. When an agent becomes available, the present values of the service metrics of the service profile (500-502) of that agent for each type (e.g. skill) of available call handled by the agent are combined (610) into a score according to one of a plurality of formulas which corresponds to that call type, and a call of the type for which the agent has the best (e.g., either highest or just-sufficient) score is assigned (612) to the agent. Preferably, a call score is also computed (807) for each available call type, based on factors such as the purpose of the call, the call's in-queue wait time, the priority of the call, etc. The call type for which the agent has the best score is selected (812) to be the one for which the call score best matches the agent's corresponding score. When the assigned agent finishes handling the call, his or her performance is evaluated (202-206) based on the service metrics, and the valuations are used (210) to revise the present values of the service metrics of that agent's service profile. The revision process gives (208) more weight to valuations of more-recently-handled calls to reflect both long-term and short-term agent performance trends and variations.

Optimizing call-center performance by using predictive data to

Transferring administration information from a switching system to a computer telephony integration (CTI) terminal via a standard telecommunication link by the CTI terminal executing a feature on the switching system. Advantageously, the information is transferred from the switching system to the CTI terminal utilizing standard display messages as would be displayed on a voice terminal having a display unit. Further, the user of the CTI terminal can request only subsets of the system administration information. Using a voice terminal having a display unit, the user can access individual segments of the administration information.

Telecommunication feature for exchange of translation information

Symbol sequences of varying lengths and having logical meanings other than as network addresses (e.g., subscriber names), are assigned and used as actual telecommunications network addresses, without imposition of predefined fixed lengths, formats, or orderings on their constituent segments (e.g., given name, surname), in a call-processing arrangement (200) that uses stored definitions of syntax (320, 350) and grammar (400, 410) of the network numbering plan. The syntax definitions include definitions (312) of individual address segments, called symbol strings, which have logical meanings. Each string's definition includes a string length range (332), a string type (331), and an indicator (VNI 334) of the string's influence on call treatment (e.g., route) selection. The grammar definitions include a matrix (400) that defines permissible sequences of string types, including string types (256) which cannot be dialed by users but only result from receipt of permissible sequences of strings of user-dialable types, and a matrix (410) that defines which string types' influences on call treatment selection may be combined to select a treatment for a call. A network digit analysis function (210) parses a received call-control symbol sequence by using the stored syntax and grammar definitions to select a treatment for the call.

Mnemonic and synonymic addressing in a telecommunications system

External invocation of features on a switching system (10) from a network (18) is made possible by aliasing otherwise-unused network numbers that are assigned to the switching system within the network numbering plan to feature-access codes of the switching system's internal numbering plan, in the switching system's call processing arrangement (200) that uses stored definitions of syntax (320, 350) and grammar (400, 410) of the internal and network numbering plans. The aliasing is accomplished as follows. The syntax definitions of the internal numbering plan include definitions (312) of individual feature access codes, while the syntax definitions of the network numbering plan include definitions (312) of the aliased network numbers, which either are the same as the definitions of the corresponding feature access codes or direct the aliased network numbers to be translated into the corresponding feature access codes. In use, symbol strings received by the switching systems are parsed (210) to identify them as feature access codes or aliased network numbers, requisite translations are performed (230), and feature modules (205) that are pointed to (334) within the definitions are invoked (220).

External-to-internal numbering plan aliasing

Use codes representative of uses of calls are defined as a part of a network numbering plan, and a route or a destination for a call is selected in full or in part on the basis of the use code dialed by a caller in conjunction with the called number via a call-processing arrangement (200) that uses stored definitions of syntax (320, 350) and grammar (400, 410) of the network numbering plan. The syntax definitions are definitions (312) of individual symbol strings, including the use codes, and include the string's associated virtual nodepoint index (VNI 334) which indicates the string's influence on call route selection, an indicator (339) of whether the VNI is to be combined with a VNI resulting from any preceding strings in the caller-dialed symbol-sequence, an indicator (338) of whether the VNI resulting from this symbol string is to be combined with a VNI of any succeeding symbol strings in the symbol sequence, and an indicator (333) of the string's influence on destination selection that specifies whether, and how, the symbols of the string are to be modified. The dialed symbol sequence is parsed (340) into symbol strings and the definitions of those symbol strings are used to selectively combine (341) their VNIs and modify (342) their symbols to form a resulting VNI and symbol sequence that specifies the route and the destination for the call.

Use-code based call-treatment selection

Recognition, including validation, of any dialed number may be fully accomplished entirely at an originating switching system (10) which includes a call-processing arrangement (200) that has stored definitions of the syntax (320, 350) and the grammar (400, 410) of one or more network numbering plans. The syntax definitions include definitions (312) of all individual symbol strings that are valid for the defined network numbering plans. The dialed number is parsed (340) to recognize therein all included symbol strings. Network facilities (16) for the call outside of the originating switching system are seized and used (344) only after all the included symbol strings are recognized and the entire dialed number is validated.

Dialed number recognition arrangement

Tone treatment given to callers by an originating switching system (10) during dialing may be customized in a call-processing arrangement (200) that uses stored definitions of syntax (320, 350) and grammar (400, 410) of the network numbering plan. The syntax definitions include definitions (312) of individual symbol strings and their associated tones (336), if any. Associations of tones with symbol strings are administratively reprogrammable to change the specified tone treatment. Following dialing and identification (340) of an individual symbol string, a caller is immediately fed back (906) the string's associated tone, if any. A caller is thus immediately advised during dialing of successful or unsuccessful input of a valid symbol string, and is selectively prompted for input of another string. Caller-perceivable feedback signals other than tones may be used with equal effect.

Dynamic tone-administration

In a shared-tenant services arrangement, numbering-plan independence and cross-plan access is provided to tenant groups by a call-processing arrangement (200) that stores separate definitions of both syntax (320, 350) and grammar (400, 410) of each group's own extension numbering plan. In response to receipt from a member of an individual tenant group of an extension number unaccompanied by a network dial-access code (DAC), the received extension number is analyzed (210) using the syntax and grammar definitions of the extension numbering plan of the individual group. But in response to receipt from the member of the extension number accompanied by a DAC, the DAC is analyzed using the syntax and grammar definition of the extension numbering plan of the individual group to determine an extension numbering plan that corresponds to the received DAC, and the received extension number is then analyzed using the syntax and grammar definitions of whichever extension numbering plan corresponds to the received DAC.

Shared-tenant services arrangement providing numbering-plan independence

Choice of what portions of a dialed number are important and what weight they carry in deciding how to route or otherwise treat a call is customized and made contextually dependent via a call-processing arrangement (200) that uses stored definitions of syntax (320, 350) and grammar (400, 410) of the network numbering plan. The syntax definitions are reprogrammable definitions (312) of individual symbol strings and include the string's associated virtual nodepoint index (VNI 334) which indicates the string's influence on call treatment, an indicator (335) of whether digit collection is to continue, an indicator (339) of whether the VNI is to be combined with a VNI resulting from any preceding symbol strings in the dialed number, and an indicator (338) of whether the VNI resulting from this symbol string is to be combined with a VNI of any succeeding symbol strings in the dialed number. The dialed number is parsed (340) to identify therein all included symbol strings, and the definitions of the included symbol strings are used to selectively combine (341) their VNIs to form a resulting VNI that specifies the route or other treatment for the call.

Dynamic routing-administration

A call-processing arrangement (200) views a network numbering plan as a language in the mathematical/computer science sense and takes a lexicographic approach to call processing. Numbering plan syntax is defined by data in tree data structures (320, 330), and numbering plan grammar is defined by data in matrix data structures (400, 410). The data structures are used by numbering plan-independent functions to determine the meaning of call-associated digit strings and to specify the treatment (e.g., routing, features,) to be given to the call based on that meaning. A string-identification function (340) applies collected digits to the trees and matrices to find leafs (312) that define digit strings that make up the number. A string-action function (341) uses the definitions in the found leafs to form a call-route-specifying or call-feature-specifying index (254) for the call. A generalized route-selection function (343) uses a set of first call characteristics including the route-or-feature-specifying index to select from multi-dimensional matrices (1200, 1202) either a feature module (205) to be invoked or a routing-pattern number (1201), and in the latter case uses a set of second call characteristics including the routing-pattern number to select a route preference (1701) from routing pattern-preference tables (1300). A digit-sending function (344) uses the route preference to select an entry of digit-sending information (1701) from a sending table (1700) and uses the sending information to establish a call path and to outpulse digits. A digit modification function (343) and a table (1000) of digit modifications are also provided for purposes of number conversion, such as between different network numbering plans when more than one is defined.

Telecommunications call-processing arrangement

Any valid displayed called number may be properly visually segmented by a call-processing arrangement (200) that uses stored definitions of syntax (320, 350) and grammar (400, 410) of the whole network numbering plan. The syntax definitions include definitions (312) of individual symbol strings and their associated display demarcations (360), if any--such as spaces or dashes or parentheses--or even their associated replacement strings. Display demarcations or replacement strings that are specified for individual symbol strings are administratively reprogrammable to change the specified display demarcations or replacement string. Following dialing of an individual symbol string, the symbol string is identified and it or its replacement is displayed (986) on the display (19) of the caller's telephone set (17) along with any previously-dialed symbol strings and is demarcated therefrom as specified in the definition of the symbol string. A caller thus always receives a display of any valid dialed number either properly visually segmented into its logical components or replaced by its logical meaning.

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Frank J Bogart