Rules-based queuing of calls to call-handling resources
US6434230B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Feb 2, 1999 |
| Grant date | Aug 13, 2002 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Feb 2, 2019 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04M3/523
- WIPO fieldTelecommunications
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
Resolution of contention over resources (102-105) in an automatic call distribution (ACD) system (101). Call (201) attributes (202) and resource (221) attributes (222) are defined (140,130). Rules (211) match calls' attributes with resources' attributes, Rules have priorities (212) comprising an initial value (213) and a function (214) that changes the value over time. Rules preferably define call coverage paths (215). Each resource has its own call queue (121-129). Rules are matched (230) to arriving call's attributes, to determine (240) resources that can handle the call. A token (250) for every matching rule is placed in the queues of all resources that can handle the call, at a position determined by the rule's priority. The priority and queue position changes over time according to the rule's time function. When a resource dequeues the call's token to process the call, tokens for the call are removed from all queues.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.