← Back to Patent Explorer
EP0236013A2 Expired / Lapsed EP ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Call distribution arrangement

Assignee: AT&T Inc
•
Filing: 1987-02-19
•
Granted: —
•
Expires: 2007-02-19
📄 Original PDF 🌐 Google Patents 🔄 Sync Now

Abstract

Abstract In a telecommunication switching system, incoming calls of various call types directed to a group of associated subscriber terminals (109). A separate queue (210, 215) is created for each call type and a table (410) is provided which defines a number of priority levels and the call types to be served in each priority level. A priority frequency array (510) is used for each of the terminals to assure that each terminal serves calls at the various priority levels with a prescribed frequency. When calls of different types but having the same priority level are waiting to be served, the oldest call will be selected on the basis of a time-of-day stamp recorded with each call on queue.

Inventors

  • 👤 Martin Joel Glapa
  • 👤 Dorothy Ellen Harris
  • 👤 Anthony Edward Lenard
  • 👤 Brian Patrick Mcmahon

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction EP
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-02 02:30
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04M; H04M3/00; H04M3/38; H04Q; H04Q11/00; H04Q11/04; H04Q11/0428; H04M3/42; H04M3/50; H04M3/51; H04M3/523

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 9
Claim 1
Independent Claim 149 words
The method of distributing incoming calls to server terminals in a telecommunication switching system connectable to a group of server terminals and including a processor for detecting incoming calls and storing waiting calls in a queue, the method including detecting incoming calls and storing calls in a queue, detecting an available terminal and controlling the connection of a call stored in the queue to an available terminal, CHARACTERIZED BY a priority table within the processor for storing data defining priority levels and corresponding call type data, storing incoming calls of different call types in different queues corresponding to different call types to create a separate queue for each call type, and upon detection of an available terminal obtaining from the priority table call type data corresponding to a predetermined priority level and connecting to the available terminal an incoming call from a queue corresponding to the obtained call type.
Claim 2
Independent Claim 149 words
The method of distributing incoming calls to server terminals in a telecommunication switching system connectable to a group of server terminals and including a processor for detecting incoming calls and storing waiting calls in a queue, the method including detecting incoming calls and storing calls in a queue, detecting an available terminal and controlling the connection of a call stored in the queue to an available terminal, CHARACTERIZED BY a priority table within the processor for storing data defining priority levels and corresponding call type data, storing incoming calls of different call types in different queues corresponding to different call types to create a separate queue for each call type, and upon detection of an available terminal obtaining from the priority table call type data corresponding to a predetermined priority level and connecting to the available terminal an incoming call from a queue corresponding to the obtained call type.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 68 words
The method in accordance with claim 1 wherein the processor comprises a priority array defining a sequence of priority values CHARACTERIZED IN THAT the step of obtaining call type data from the priority table includes the step of reading a designated position of the priority array defining a priority level and the step of reading from the priority table call type data corresponding to the defined priority level.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 113 words
The method in accordance with claim 2 CHARACTERIZED IN THAT the priority array comprises a sequential array having a number of positions each defining a priority level and in which certain priority levels are defined with greater frequency than other priority levels and the processor further comprises a pointer table storing a pointer address defining a position xn the array for each terminal of a group of terminals, and wherein the step of reading a designated position of the array includes the step of reading the entry of the pointer table for the available terminal and reading a position of the priority array defined by the pointer address read from the pointer table.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 43 words
The method in accordance with claim 3 CHARACTERIZED IN THAT the method includes the step of incrementing a terminal pointer address in the pointer table to a new value each time after the step of reading the corresponding entry of the pointer table.
Claim 6
Independent Claim 89 words
The method in accordance with claim I CHARACTERIZED IN THAT the priority table includes more than one call type for a single priority level and the step of storing call data includes entering a time stamp in the queue indicative of the time of arrival of an incoming call and the step of connecting an incoming call to an available terminal includes the steps of determining which of the queues corresponding to a selected priority level has the oldest call and connecting the oldest call to the available terminal.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 106 words
- A telephone switching system for use in combination with a group of subscriber terminals including a processor for storing call data identifying incoming calls and for controlling the connection of incoming calls in queue to available terminals CHARACTERIZED IN THAT the processor includes a priority table containing data defining a priority level for each of a plurality of different call types, a separate queue for each call type for storing incoming calls in the queues by call type and the processor reads the priority table and connects an incoming call corresponding to the call type data obtained from the priority table to an available terminal.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 106 words
- A telephone switching system for use in combination with a group of subscriber terminals including a processor for storing call data identifying incoming calls and for controlling the connection of incoming calls in queue to available terminals CHARACTERIZED IN THAT the processor includes a priority table containing data defining a priority level for each of a plurality of different call types, a separate queue for each call type for storing incoming calls in the queues by call type and the processor reads the priority table and connects an incoming call corresponding to the call type data obtained from the priority table to an available terminal.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 77 words
The system n accordance with claim 6 CHARACTERIZED IN THAT the processor further includes a priority array for defining a sequence of priority values and a pointer table for defining for each terminal a location in the array and the processor reads the pointer table and a location in the priority array defined in table for the available terminal to obtain from the priority array a priority value defining the priority level to be read in table.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

No citation records indexed.

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Maintenance schedule is calculated for granted US utility patents.

Assigned Categories & Tags

No categories assigned to this patent yet.

Assign Category Tag