Patent · US Expired

Multilocation queuing for telephone calls

US4953204A · kind A · utility

261Cited by
4References
23Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateOct 17, 1989
Grant dateAug 28, 1990
Priority date
Expiry dateOct 17, 2009

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH04Q2213/1328
  • WIPO fieldTelecommunications
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

This invention relates to methods and apparatus for queuing calls to a multilocation service provider having a plurality of automatic call distributors (ACDs). If all circuits to the ACDs are unavailable, a call is queued in one of a plurality of queues. One or more of these queues will allow call completion to any ACD of the service provider as soon as an agent of that ACD becomes available. Advantageously, the average waiting time for customers to that service provider is reduced, thereby improving service. In accordance with one feature of the system, the caller can select one of a plurality of choices of music on hold as offered by the service provider.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.