WO2001001662A1

WO2001001662A1 - Scalable call distribution system and method

Info

Publication number: WO2001001662A1
Application number: PCT/US2000/017702
Authority: WO
Inventors: Jason Andersson
Original assignee: Ericsson Inc.
Priority date: 1999-06-29
Filing date: 2000-06-27
Publication date: 2001-01-04
Also published as: AU6200800A

Abstract

A telephone call distribution system for routing incoming telephone calls is disclosed. The system includes a system configuration component which controls the routing of incoming telephone calls to agents associated with the system. The system further includes a plurality of call processing modules, each of which is capable of receiving a number of incoming telephone calls, gathering information relating to the incoming telephone calls, sending the gathered information to the system configuration component and routing the incoming calls to agents identified by the system configuration component. Each call processing module is individually connected into the system. In this way, the capacity of the telephone call distribution system to handle incoming telephone calls is scalable to meet substantially any call capacity requirement.

Description

SCALABLE CALL DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM AND METHOD

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Technical Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a call distribution system for managing incoming telephone calls, and particularly to a call distribution system whose call capacity may be selectively incrementally increased.

Background and Objects of the Invention In order to effectively handle incoming telephone calls from callers having varying needs, many companies now employ call distribution systems. Call distribution systems typically process incoming voice telephone calls to determine the information requested by the caller, determine the type and/or level of skills or capabilities required of an agent to suitably serve the caller, identify those agents who possess the necessary skills and capabilities to serve the caller and route the caller to an identified agent who is available to serve the caller.

Current call distribution systems may fall into one of three categories. Low capacity call distribution systems, such as enterprise PBX-based systems, provide for a very low call volume. Although hardware may be added within the core of the PBX, the call capacity nonetheless can only be marginally increased because the PBX infrastructure is simply incapable of handling a high volume of

telephone calls. High capacity call distribution systems primarily are only capable of efficiently handling a high volume of telephone calls. Applications which require a higher call capacity than the call capacity provided by low capacity call distribution systems but which do not approach the high capacity levels provided in typical high capacity call distribution systems are not efficiently served by a rather steeply priced, high capacity call distribution system. Additionally, an application which requires an even higher call capacity than the maximum call capacity available in the high capacity call distribution systems results in an even more costly solution involving a network of switches and a complex set of routing rules for routing telephone calls between the switches and agents associated with the system.

Computer telephony (CT) applications connect several switches together at a higher level and perform routing which allows for a call load to be relatively evenly distributed. Because CT applications are primarily directed to an efficient distribution of calls within a system, CT applications fail to suitably address the handling of higher call volumes.

Based upon the foregoing, there exists a need for a call distribution system and method for efficiently handling any of a number of different call volume requirements. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention overcomes the shortcomings of prior and existing call distribution systems and satisfies a significant need for a call distribution system having a call capacity that is scalable to efficiently match customer requirements. The present invention is directed to a call distribution system in which one or more call processing modules, each of which includes the necessary hardware and software for carrying a number of telephone calls, is partitioned from the system configuration component which defines the operational parameters of the system. Additional call processing modules may be added to the system in parallel arrangement with each other. The call capacity of the system is thus based upon the number of call processing modules connected into the system. In this way, the call handling capacity of the system may be incrementally increased to closely match the call capacity requirements of a company, without changing the routing structure of the system.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A more complete understanding of the system and method of the present invention may be obtained by reference to the following Detailed Description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying Drawings wherein: Figure 1 is a block diagram of a call distribution system according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention; and

Figure 2 is a flow chart of an operation of the system of Figure 1. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

The present invention will now be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings in which a preferred embodiment of the invention is shown. This invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as being limited to the embodiment set forth herein. Rather, the embodiment is provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art.

Referring to Figure 1, there is shown a block diagram of a call distribution system 1 according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. Call distribution system 1 preferably utilizes a skills-based methodology for routing incoming telephone calls 2 to available agents 3 associated with call distribution system 1. Call distribution system 1 includes a system configuration component

4 and a plurality of call processing modules 5 individually connected thereto.

System configuration component 4 defines the operational parameters under which call distribution system 1 handles, processes and/or serves incoming telephone calls 2. According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, system configuration component 4 is configured to perform a skills-based analysis to identify an available agent 3 that is suitably capable of serving an incoming telephone call 2. System configuration component 4 receives call information from any of the call processing modules 5 relating to an incoming telephone call 2 received thereby, identifies the appropriate available agent 3 based upon the received call information, and transmits routing information to the call processing module 5 which sent the call information so that the call processing module 5 may route the incoming telephone call 2 to the identified available agent 3.

In identifying an available agent 3 for serving an incoming telephone call 2, system configuration component includes a first database 6 containing rules 7 for routing an incoming telephone call to any of a number of potentially capable agents 3. For each type of incoming telephone call 2, the routing rules 7 may include a listing of agent skills and/or capabilities that are necessary for serving an incoming telephone call 2 of that type. In addition, database 6 includes a listing of agent definitions 8. For each agent 3 associated with call distribution system 1 , agent definitions 8 preferably include a listing of the skills and/or capabilities possessed by the agent 3. By comparing the capabilities that are necessary to suitably serve an incoming telephone call 2 with the agent definitions

8, system configuration component 4 is able to identify an available agent 3 which can best serve the incoming telephone call 2.

System configuration component 4 may further include a second database 9 containing messages information which is transferrable to a call processing module 5 for subsequent playback to an incoming caller served thereby.

Depending upon the type of service which is necessary to handle and/or serve an incoming telephone call 2, a message may be provided to the corresponding call processing module 5 which informs the incoming caller of the status of the service provided thereto, particularly if no capable agent 3 is readily available to serve the incoming caller.

Each call processing module 5 includes necessary hardware and software for cooperating with system configuration component 4 to route incoming telephone calls 2 to suitably capable agents 3. In particular, call processing module 5 is capable of receiving a number of incoming telephone calls 2, generating call information based upon the received incoming telephone calls 2, sending the generated call information to system configuration component 4, receiving routing information therefrom, and routing the incoming telephone calls

2 to the capable agents 3 identified by system configuration component 4 and communicated to call processing module 5 in the received routing information. In this way, call processing modules 5 cooperate with system configuration component 4 for routing incoming telephone calls 2 to suitably capable agents 3. According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, each call processing module 5 is capable of handling up to a predetermined number of incoming telephone calls 2. Further, each call processing module 5 is individually connectible into call distribution system 1 so as to cooperate with system configuration component 4 in handling incoming telephone calls 2. When operably connected into call distribution system 1 , call processing modules 5 are preferably arranged in parallel with each other such that a plurality of connected call processing modules 5 form a single unitary call processing unit capable of handle a relative large number of telephone calls 2.

Call processing modules 5, being individually connectible within call distribution system 1, allow for call distribution system 1 to have a scalable capacity to handle incoming telephone calls 2. Because system configuration component 4 is physically separate from call processing modules 5, call processing modules 5 may be added to call distribution system 1 without having to reconfigure the routing information. Consequently, call distribution system 1 may be quickly and easily sized to fit a customer's particular call volume needs. Further, the architecture of the preferred embodiment of the present invention is conducive to call processing modules being in remote locations. As shown in Figure 1, one or more call processing modules 5a may communicate with system configuration component 4 and yet be remotely located from other call processing modules 5. A remotely located call processing module 5a may, for instance, be adapted to receive incoming telephone calls 2 which originate from the remote area where call processing module 5a is located and/or a different geographical area from the other call processing modules 5. In addition, in the event that a group of agents 3 a are located in the same geographical area as the remotely located call processing module 5a, the system configuration component 4 may be configured such that call processing module 5a not only receives incoming telephone calls 2 from the geographical area in which call processing module 5a is located, but also routes such incoming telephone calls 2 only to remotely located agents 3, as directed by system configuration component 4. As a result, the present invention may be adapted for efficiently providing worldwide service.

The operation of call distribution system 1 according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figure

2. Initially, a call processing module 5 receives an incoming telephone call 2 at step 20. Information relating to the incoming telephone call 2 is gathered and sent from call processing module 5 to system configuration component 4 at step 21.

Based upon the information transmitted by call processing module 5, system configuration component 4 at step 22 determines the skills and/or capabilities which are necessary to sufficiently serve the incoming caller and identifies an available agent 3 having such capabilities.

In the event that system configuration component 4 cannot immediately identify an available agent 3 having the necessary capabilities to suitably serve the incoming caller, system configuration component 4 at step 23 retrieves an appropriate message from database 9 and sends the message to call processing module 5, whereupon call processing module 5 may play the message for the incoming caller.

Upon identifying a suitably capable agent 3, at step 24 system configuration component 4 sends to call processing module 5 information pertaining to the available agent 3 identified during step 22. Upon receiving the information relating to the agent 3 identified during step 22, call processing module 5 routes the incoming telephone call 2 to the identified agent 3 at step 25. The invention being thus described, it will be obvious that the same may be varied in many ways. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention, and all such modifications as would be obvious to one skilled in the art are intended to be included within the scope of the following claims.

Claims

WHAT IS CLAIMED IS:

1. A call distribution system, comprising: a system configuration component for receiving information pertaining to an incoming telephone call, determining the agent capabilities needed to serve the telephone call, and identifying an available agent having the determined agent capabilities; and a plurality of call processing modules for receiving incoming telephone calls, sending information relating to the incoming telephone calls to the system configuration component, and routing the incoming telephone calls to agents associated with the call distribution system based upon available agent information communicated by the system configuration component, each call processing module being individually connectible within the system configuration component so as to incrementally increase the call processing capacity of the call distribution system when connected to the system configuration component.

2. The call distribution system of claim 1, wherein: each call processing module routes incoming calls received thereby to less than all of the agents associated with the call distribution system.

3. The call distribution system of claim 2, wherein: at least one call processing module routes incoming calls received thereby only to agents in a distinct geographical area.

4. The call distribution system of claim 2, wherein: a first call processing module routes incoming calls received thereby only to a first group of agents; and the first call processing module and the first group of agents are remotely located from the other call processing modules and other groups of agents, respectively.

5. The call distribution system of claim 1, wherein: the system configuration component includes a database containing a plurality of messages relating to the handling of incoming calls and selectively sends a message from the database to a call processing module which received a first incoming call based upon the system configuration component failing to identify an available agent for serving the first incoming call.

6. The call distribution system of claim 1, wherein: the system configuration component includes a database of capabilities that are necessary to handle incoming telephone calls of any of a variety of different types, the database being accessed to identify an agent to serve an incoming telephone call.

7. The call distribution system of claim 1, wherein: the system configuration component includes a database containing a listing of capabilities for each agent associated with the call distribution system, the database being accessed by the system configuration component in order to identify available agents to serve incoming telephone calls.

8. The call distribution system of claim 1, wherein: each call processing module includes software and hardware for receiving and routing incoming telephone calls and communicating with the system configuration component.

9. The call distribution system of claim 1, wherein: a plurality of call processing modules which are operably connected to the system configuration component are connected in parallel relation to each other.

10. The call distribution system of claim 1, wherein: a plurality of call processing modules which are operably connected to the system configuration component are integrally formed as a unitary call processing module.

11. A system for routing incoming telephone calls to available agents associated with the system, comprising: control means for receiving call information relating to the incoming telephone calls and generating routing information for routing the incoming telephone calls to the available agents; and call processing means for receiving the incoming telephone calls and routing the incoming telephone calls to the available agents based upon the routing information, the call handling capacity of the call processing means being selectively scalable.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the call processing means comprises: a plurality of call processing modules, each of the call processing modules being individually connectible into the system.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein: the call processing modules are connected to each other in parallel when connected into the system.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein: each call processing module includes hardware and software for receiving and routing up to a predetermined number of incoming telephone calls.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein: each call processing module, when connected in the system, increases the call handling capacity of the system by the predetermined number.

16. The system of claim 12, wherein: a first call processing module is located remotely from the other call processing modules.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein: the first call processing module routes incoming telephone calls received thereby only to a first group of agents associated with the system.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein: the first call processing module routes incoming telephone calls to the first group of agents associated with the system based upon the routing information generated by the control means.

19. The system of claim 11 , wherein: the control means includes means for maintaining a list of capabilities for suitably serving each type of incoming telephone call received by the call processing means.

20. The system of claim 11 , wherein: the control means generates the routing information using a skills-based routing algorithm.

21. A telephone call distribution system, comprising: a system configuration component for controlling the routing of incoming telephone calls to agents associated with the telephone call distribution system; and a call processing component for routing the incoming telephone calls to the agents as specified by the system configuration component, the capacity of the telephone call distribution system to handle incoming telephone calls being scalable.

22. The telephone call distribution system of claim 21 , wherein: the call processing component comprising a plurality of call processing modules, each call processing module being individually removable from telephone call distribution system.

23. The telephone call distribution system of claim 22, wherein: each call processing module is selectively connected to the system configuration component.

24. The telephone call distribution system of claim 22, wherein: each call processing module has a predetermined maximum call handling capacity such that a call processing module increases the capacity of the telephone call distribution system to handle incoming telephone calls by the predetermined maximum call handling capacity amount when connected to the telephone call distribution system.