The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Apr. 24, 2001
Filed:
Sep. 12, 1994
Michael C. Hollatz, Villa Park, IL (US);
Daniel F. Baker, Rolling Meadows, IL (US);
Joseph C. Steinlicht, Glen Ellyn, IL (US);
Mark J. Michelson, Elburn, IL (US);
Kurt E. Sunderman, Geneva, IL (US);
Rockwell International Corporation, Seal Beach, CA (US);
Abstract
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.