Telephonic communications – Centralized switching system – Call distribution to operator
Reexamination Certificate
1997-09-19
2001-02-20
Hong, Harry S. (Department: 2742)
Telephonic communications
Centralized switching system
Call distribution to operator
C379S201060
Reexamination Certificate
active
06192121
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates generally to telecommunications systems, and more particularly, to a telephony server application program interface (API).
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
A typical call center includes a number of agents who handle inbound telephone calls and place outbound telephone calls on behalf of business clients. Each agent may receive or place calls for multiple business clients. Each agent has an associated station that includes a personal computer or workstation, a phone pad, and a headset. The agents are organized into groups that have associated supervisors who are responsible for managing and overseeing the agents in the respective groups. Each agent workstation typically runs multiple software application programs. These application programs may include an application program for controlling a telephone pad and call service application programs that assist the agent in handling calls for different business clients.
Certain conventional call centers include a computer/telephone interface (CTI) server that produces events regarding calling activity. The CTI server is typically connected to an automatic call distributor (ACD) that is responsible for distributing calls within the call center. The CTI server extracts call data from the ACD and encapsulates the extracted data in events that are output to clients. Typically, in order for an application running on an agent workstation to receive events from the CTI server, the application must register with the CTI server, and provide code for communicating directly with the CTI server. As a result, the complexity and cost of creating such application programs is increased substantially.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relieves application programs of the burden of having to directly interface with a CTI server. The present invention provides an application program interface (API) that acts as an intermediary between the CTI server and application programs. The API may register with the CTI server to receive all events that concerns calls destined to a particular agent. Application programs register with the API to receive events that are of interest to the application programs. The API then sends the events for which the application programs are registered onto the application programs. As a result, the application programs need not be concerned with interfacing with the CTI server.
In accordance with a first aspect of the present invention, a method is practiced on a selected computer system of a given agent station within a call center. The call center has multiple agents stationed at agent stations. The call center also includes a telephony server for generating events regarding calling activity within the call center. An application program interface (API) is provided that interfaces with the telephony server. At least one application program runs on the selected computer system. An event is received at the API from the telephony server, and the event is passed to the application program from the API.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, a first and second application program are provided in a selected computer system that is part of an agent station within a call center. An API is provided that interfaces with the telephony server to receive events. The telephony server generates events regarding calling activity within the call center. A first event is received from the telephony server at the API and passed to the first application program. A second event is received from the telephony server at the API and passed to the second application program.
In accordance with a further aspect of the present invention, a call center includes a telephony server for generating events regarding calling activity in the call center. The call center also includes an agent station for an agent to handle calls. The agent station has a telephone pad and a computer system. The computer system includes an application program and an API for interfacing with the telephony server to receive events from the telephony server and to pass the events to the application program.
In accordance with an additional aspect of the present invention, a computer system is located within a call center that has a telephony server for generating events regarding calling activity in the call center. The computer system includes a processor for running at least one application program and an API that receives events from the telephony server. The API forwards at least one of the events to the application program. The computer system additionally includes a storage for storing the application program and the API.
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Atkinson Wesley
Baxter Craig
McDuff Richard
Hong Harry S.
MCI Communications Corporation
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