Virtual call center

US6049602A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• AT&T CORP. · US

Inventors

• Mark Jeffrey Foladare · East Brunswick Township, US
• Shelley B. Goldman · East Brunswick Township, US
• David Phillip Silverman · Somerville, US
• Shaoqing Q. Wang · Middletown, US
• Roy Philip Weber · Bound Brook, US
• Robert S. Westrich · Middletown, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Sep 18, 1997
• Grant date: Apr 11, 2000
• Expiry date: Sep 18, 2017

Classification

• Technology area (CPC H): Electricity
• CPC primary: H04M7/12
• WIPO field: Telecommunications
• WIPO sector: Electrical engineering

Abstract

Call center functions are provided to a plurality of remotely located customer service representatives (CSRs) via a data network, such as the Internet. Each CSR station includes a telephone and a computer. Separate log-in procedures for the computer and the telephone improve system security. Incoming calls are routed to an available CSR. A call control server provides call control pages that include a set of clickable commands (e.g., transfer, hold, conference, speed-dial buttons, and the like) and telephone digits to CSR computers that allow CSRs to remotely control telephone calls. A merchant server can also provide a merchant application page to CSR computers to allow CSRs to process customer calls.