Rockwell International Corporation

Joseph C Steinlicht

Daniel F Baker

Kurt E Sunderman

Michael C Hollatz

Mark J Michelson

Robert C Signaigo

Thomas S Holtaway

Dan M Righi

An automatic call distributor,and method for selectively connecting incoming telephone calls from telephonic units,to a plurality of available agents located at agent telephonic units,is provided. The automatic call distributor,includes a central processing unit,which controls a multiport switch,to interconnect the incoming telephone calls and the agent telephonic units,. Each agent is assigned one or more agent-skill indicators indicative of the agent's skills. A proficiency rating indicative of the skill level of the agent is also assigned for each agent-skill indicator. Skill groups,and,are formed from available agents having a common agent-skill indicator. Within the skill groups, the agents are arranged by decreasing proficiency rating. Agents with identical proficiency ratings are further arranged by the amount of time each agent has been available to accept an incoming telephone call. When received, an incoming telephone call is matched with a common agent-skill indicator deemed useful in satisfying a need of the caller and a minimum proficiency rating and the telephone call is routed to the skill group associated with the matched agent-skill indicator. The telephone call is offered to the agent within the skill group having the highest proficiency rating and, amongst the agents having an identical proficiency rating, having been available for the longest time.

Automatic call distributor and method for routing incoming telephone calls based on proficiency ratings of agents

A method and automatic call distribution system,for routing incoming telephone calls,from external telephonic units,to selected ones of a plurality of agents A,-A,wherein the agents A,-A,are grouped into skill groups,are provided. Each of the skill groups,is comprised of agents having a common agent-skill indicator. An agent-skill indicator being representative of a skill of the agent. Further, the agents in a skill group are arranged by length of time the agent has been available. An incoming telephone call,is initially assigned a call-skill indicator representative of a skill deemed useful in satisfying a need of the external caller. The call-skill indicator is then matched to a common agent-skill indicator of one of the skill groups. The telephone call is routed to the available agent in the matched skill group having been available the longest time. If no agents are available, the external caller is placed in queue until an available agent enters the matched skill group. Unavailable agents are stored in an unavailable group,and are inserted into corresponding skill groups,when they become available.

Method and system for routing incoming telephone calls to available agents based on agent skills

An automatic call distributor (20) connected with a plurality of agent telephonic sets (12) for audio communication with customers at customer telephonic sets (16) of an external telephonic switching system (18), visual displays (32) on the agent telephonic sets (12) for display of information concerning customers with an automated preannouncement system (10) having a hard disk (25) for storing preannouncement voice messages in a voice of a particular agent, a sign-in code stored in a main memory (24) of the automatic call distributor (20) associated with the particular agent, a key pad (34) at the agent sets (12) for entering in a sign-in code, and a digital audio source card circuit (30) for playing a preannouncement voice message received from the hard disk (25) in the voice of the particular agent associated with the sign-in code to a customer at a customer set (16) connected by the automatic call distributor (20) to the agent set (12) at which the sign-in code of the particular agent has been entered.

Call distributor with automatic preannouncement system and method

An automatic port capability assignment system for assigning port capabilities to communication ports (20) of a telephonic switching system (10) with a switch (12) controlled by a central processing unit (14) having a memory (15) to interconnect an external network (16) of external telephonic units with interior telephonic units (18) respectively connected with communication ports (20) of the switch (12) and having various communications capabilities. The physical capabilities of an interior telephonic unit (18) connected to a port (20) are determined by a system administration unit (13) assigning a logical device type and a predetermined set of personal capabilities for the individual user. In response to receipt of a sign-in code of an individual user on an interior telephonic unit (18), the automatic port capability assignment system ascertains the personal capabilities permitted for the individual user. Port capabilities are assigned by the control processing unit (14) to communication ports (20) based on the ascertained personal capabilities and the determined physical capabilities of the interior communication unit (20) connected to the port (20).

Telephonic switching system with automatic port assignment capability

In an automatic call director-type system, it is often more desirable to direct an incoming call to an immediately available agent who has less than perfect knowledge of the subject matter rather than forcing a caller to wait for the best qualified agent. The present invention relates to an algorithm implemented in computer software for placing an incoming call in a plurality of queues and then offering the call to primary and secondary desirability agents in each of the queues in a prescribed order if any one of these groups of agents has an agent standing by and able to accept a call. Otherwise, the call is offered to the next available agent regardless of the capability of that agent. The concept includes the capability of expanding the pool of potential agents in the queue with age of a call when the incremental expansion pool of agents selected can be based on their backlog of calls for other applications where they may have primary responsibility.

Two dimensional routing apparatus in an automatic call director-type

An automatic call distributor (10) with a multichannel communication bus, a plurality of bus maintenance units (13, 15), and at least one status and control circuit (11) for preventing erroneous resetting of a bus maintenance unit (13) by a status and control circuit (11).

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Glen Ellyn, IL, United States of America

Joseph C Steinlicht