Telephonic communications – Diagnostic testing – malfunction indication – or electrical... – Testing of subscriber loop or terminal
Reexamination Certificate
1997-12-24
2001-01-30
Zele, Krista (Department: 2742)
Telephonic communications
Diagnostic testing, malfunction indication, or electrical...
Testing of subscriber loop or terminal
C379S265080, C379S266070, C379S309000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06181776
ABSTRACT:
MICROFICHE APPENDIX
Conforming to 37 C.F.R. 1.96(c), relevant computer codes are included herein as the Microfiche Appendix I, which has a total of 137 frames.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates in general to a computer management system and, more particularly, to automated management of an automatic call distributor center.
Current methods of monitoring a network, such as a call center with a plurality of switches, rely upon manual or human detection of problem conditions. Each call center is capable of simultaneously receiving and handling thousands of incoming calls into the call center. Each incoming call is routed by an automatic call distributor (ACD) to a call receiving agent. The call receiving agent can be an automated agent, such as an interactive voice response unit, or a person.
Call centers vary in size, from a few agents to several thousand agents. Typically, one or more supervisor work-stations are established to monitor the status of the agents and the calls received. Each supervisor work-station employs an individual (supervisor) to monitor a real-time agent status graphical display to visually watch for specific status patterns to detect failures of their respective agents. For example, a change in status of an agent could be represented by a change in color on the graphical display. Rapid detection of any failure relies on the supervisor's constant and astute attention. The supervisor must then determine and resolve the problem condition. However, human detection is ineffective and inefficient given that each supervisor may potentially monitor several call centers, with each call center having thousands of call receiving agents. Additionally, when the operator detects that the status of the call receiving agent has changed to a problem condition, the operator can not readily determine the cause of the problem.
Therefore, what is needed is a method and a system to automate monitoring of call centers for problem conditions that are detected based on defined parameters such that the cause of the problem condition is readily apparent from a triggered alarm condition.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The foregoing problems are solved and a technical advance is achieved by a method and a network that automates monitoring of call centers for problem conditions. The problem conditions are detected based on defined parameters such that the cause of the problem condition is readily apparent from a triggered alarm condition. To this end, the method includes the steps of creating a management information base (MIB), defining a threshold for the condition to be stored in the MIB, selecting the external destination to notify, monitoring the condition for violations of the threshold, and generating a trap message in response to violation of the condition.
An advantage of the present invention is that it allows an operator to define alarm conditions using an interface, which automates the detection of problem conditions. Accordingly, problem conditions are detected based on parameters established by the defined alarm conditions. The alarm conditions are established in accordance with a simple network management protocol (SNMP) to allow for querying of a management agent supported by a MIB. The MIB can be queried by a network management system (NMS) using the SNMP interface and the agent implements the variables defined by the MIB, the automatic call distributor (ACD) configuration, and the alarms defined via the interface.
Another advantage of the present invention is that a Call Center Management Information System (CCMIS) supervisor has a user interface with an alarm definition screen that allows alarm parameters to be established for the CCMIS. Furthermore, the alarm parameters can be based on any real time statistics collected for each ACD group.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5299259 (1994-03-01), Otto
patent: 5325292 (1994-06-01), Crockett
patent: 5802146 (1998-09-01), Dulman
patent: 5911134 (1999-06-01), Castonguay et al.
patent: 5946375 (1999-08-01), Pattison et al.
patent: 5968124 (1999-10-01), Takahashi et al.
patent: 6115393 (2000-09-01), Engel et al.
Crossley Steven John
Rambo Michael Dean
Bui Bing
Haynes and Boone LLP
Nortel Networks Limited
Zele Krista
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