Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim
76 words
A method of providing Automatic Call Distribution (ACD) service from an agent not connected to the ACD system, comprising: responsive to receipt of a call by said ACD system, establishing an audio connection from said incoming ACD call to an agent station for said agent via a public switched telephone network; and establishing a data connection from the agent station to a Home Agent Server (HAS) unit for communicating agent status data to said ACD system.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method of claim 1 further comprising: accessing a host computer serving said ACD for providing application data to said agent station from said HAS over said data connection.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 1 further comprising: providing agent status data to a Management Information System (MIS) from said HAS.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
41 words
The method of claim 1 further comprising: logging on from said agent station to said HAS; and responsive to successful processing of a logon from said agent station, said HAS unit informing said ACD system that said agent is logged on.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
58 words
The method of claim 1 further comprising: maintaining availability status for agents of said ACD including said agent station; wherein the step of establishing an audio connection is performed responsive to receipt of a call by said ACD system and responsive to said agent station being available in a record of status of agents of said ACD system.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
46 words
The method of claim 1 further comprising said agent station making an outgoing call; said agent station informing said HAS unit that an outgoing call is being made; and said HAS unit informing said ACD system that said agent station is not available for ACD calls.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method of claim 1 further comprising responsive to receipt of a signal indicating that said agent station is busy said HAS unit informing the ACD system that said agent station is unavailable.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
47 words
Apparatus for serving agents of an automatic call distributor (ACD), comprising: means for receiving data messages from an agent station; means responsive to a receipt of an agent availability message from said agent station for informing said ACD of availability of said agent station for serving calls.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
32 words
The apparatus of claim 8 further comprising: means responsive to a receipt of a log on message from said agent station for informing said ACD that said agent station is logged on.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
39 words
The apparatus of claim 8 further comprising: means responsive to a receipt of a message from said agent station indicating that said agent station has initiated an outgoing call for informing said ACD of unavailability of said agent station.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
34 words
The apparatus of claim 8 further comprising: means responsive to a receipt of a call event message from said station for notifying a management information system (MIS) of said call event for said station.