Transaction center for processing customer transaction requests from alternative media sources

US5903877A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• LUCENT TECHNOLOGIES INC. · US

Inventors

• Patricia Ann Berkowitz · Little Silver, US
• Robin H. Foster · Little Silver, US
• David Abraham Horovitz · Highland Park, US
• Andrew D. Flockhart · Thornton, US
• Myron Eugene Drapal · Longmont, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Sep 30, 1996
• Grant date: May 11, 1999
• Expiry date: Sep 30, 2016

Classification

• Technology area (CPC H): Electricity
• CPC primary: H04M2203/4536
• WIPO field: Telecommunications
• WIPO sector: Electrical engineering

Abstract

A transaction center including a transaction processing platform having an automatic call distribution system for queuing customer transaction requests, for choosing an appropriate service agent according to information gathered about the transaction requests, and for determining when the appropriate service agent is available. Also provided is a transaction request server for receiving and storing the transaction requests. In operation, the message is first received and stored by the transaction request server. Next, the presence of the message is detected and in response thereto a signal is sent to the transaction processing platform. Finally, the message is sent to the appropriate service agent in response to a signal from the transaction processing platform indicating that the appropriate service agent is available to service the transaction request.