Patent US6535600B1 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US6535600B1
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US
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System for automatically routing calls to call center agents in an agent surplus condition based on service levels
Assignee: Avaya Inc
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Filing: 1999-12-06
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Granted: 2003-03-18
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Expires: 2019-12-06
Abstract
Abstract The system for automatically routing calls to call center agents in an agent surplus condition provides the call center administrator with an automatic agent assignment paradigm which functions to automatically increase the efficiency of assigning multiple skill agents to contacts. The presence of an agent surplus condition provides the present system with a plurality of choices in the assignment of the agent to process a presently received contact. Since the agents who staff the call center include multiple skill agents, the system must make a determination of not only which of the available agents is the best equipped to handle the present contact, but also how that assignment statistically effects the efficiency of successive assignments of agents to contacts next received, based upon the past performance of the agents and the call center. Since the traffic load presented to the call center tends to be highly variable and of content that is difficult to predict, the present system provides several automatic agent assignment paradigms that each have a statistically different impact on the performance of the call center, based upon the quality and quantity of the incoming calls.
Inventors
- 👤 Thomas S. Fisher
- 👤 Roy A. Jensen
- 👤 Martin I. Reiman
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-03 20:29
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04L; H04L12/00; H04M; H04M3/00; H04M3/42; H04M3/50; H04M3/51; H04M3/523; H04M3/5232; H04M3/5233; H04M3/5238
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 20
Claim 1
Independent Claim
164 words
A call management system, that is operational in a call center system, for interconnecting a customer who is using a communication device, with a selected one of a plurality of agents who are connected to said call center system, said call management system comprising: means for retrieving data relating to said customer to determine a service need of said customer; means, responsive to said determined service need, for selecting a one of said plurality of agents to serve said customer, comprising: means for storing an identity of each agent, the skills assigned to each agent, and the service level target of each skill, means for computing a Weighted Service Level for each skill, means for selecting an agent whose skills as a whole have the best average Weighted Service Level relative to the target service level; and means for establishing a communication connection through said call center system to said selected one of said plurality of agents who is capable of serving said customer.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
164 words
A call management system, that is operational in a call center system, for interconnecting a customer who is using a communication device, with a selected one of a plurality of agents who are connected to said call center system, said call management system comprising: means for retrieving data relating to said customer to determine a service need of said customer; means, responsive to said determined service need, for selecting a one of said plurality of agents to serve said customer, comprising: means for storing an identity of each agent, the skills assigned to each agent, and the service level target of each skill, means for computing a Weighted Service Level for each skill, means for selecting an agent whose skills as a whole have the best average Weighted Service Level relative to the target service level; and means for establishing a communication connection through said call center system to said selected one of said plurality of agents who is capable of serving said customer.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
33 words
The call management system of claim 1 wherein said means for computing a Weighted Service Level comprises: means for determining a ratio of the Expected Wait Time and the administered acceptable service level.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
61 words
The call management system of claim 2 wherein said means for computing further comprises: means for updating said Weighted Service Level for each skill; means for updating the Expected Wait Time based on the number of agents eligible to receive a call for the skill, the number of calls queued for that skill, and the weighted advance time for that skill.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
47 words
The call management system of claim 2 wherein said means for comprises: means, responsive to the weighted service level for any of the agent's skills, with the exception of the presently selected skill, being less than the target service level for that skill, for selecting said agent.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
73 words
The call management system of claim 2 wherein said means for selecting further comprises: means for intentionally leaving a multi-skilled agent idle, even though one or more calls are in queue for one or more of the agent's skills, when the value of the Weighted Service Level for any of the multi-skilled agent's skills, except for the presently selected skill, is determined to be less than the target service level for that skill.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
142 words
A method of operating a call management system, that is operational in a call center system, for interconnecting a customer who is using a communication device, with a selected one of a plurality of agents who are connected to said call center system, said call management system comprising the steps of: retrieving data relating to said customer to determine a service need of said customer; activating a one of a plurality of automatic agent assignment paradigms; selecting, in response to said determined service need, a one of said plurality of agents to serve said customer as a function of a selected one of said plurality of automatic agent assignment paradigms, with respect to said service need; and establishing a communication connection through said call center system to said selected one of said plurality of agents who is capable of serving said customer.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
142 words
A method of operating a call management system, that is operational in a call center system, for interconnecting a customer who is using a communication device, with a selected one of a plurality of agents who are connected to said call center system, said call management system comprising the steps of: retrieving data relating to said customer to determine a service need of said customer; activating a one of a plurality of automatic agent assignment paradigms; selecting, in response to said determined service need, a one of said plurality of agents to serve said customer as a function of a selected one of said plurality of automatic agent assignment paradigms, with respect to said service need; and establishing a communication connection through said call center system to said selected one of said plurality of agents who is capable of serving said customer.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
46 words
The method of operating a call management system of claim 6 wherein said step of selecting comprises: storing an identity of each agent, the skills assigned to each agent, and the service level target of each skill; and computing a Weighted Service Level for each skill.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
35 words
The method of operating a call management system of claim 7 wherein said step of computing a Weighted Service Level comprises: determining a ratio of the Expected Wait Time and the administered acceptable service level.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
63 words
The method of operating a call management system of claim 8 wherein said step of computing further comprises: periodically updating said Weighted Service Level for each skill; periodically updating the Expected Wait Time based on the number of agents eligible to receive a call for the skill, the number of calls queued for that skill, and the weighted advance time for that skill.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
50 words
The method of operating a call management system of claim 8 wherein said means for comprises: selecting, in response to the weighted service level for any of the agent's skills, with the exception of the presently selected skill, being less than the target service level for that skill, said agent.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
75 words
The method of operating a call management system of claim 7 wherein said step of selecting further comprises: intentionally leaving a multi-skilled agent idle, even though one or more calls are in queue for one or more of the agent's skills, when the value of the Weighted Service Level for any of the multi-skilled agent's skills, except for the presently selected skill, is determined to be less than the target service level for that skill.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
39 words
The method of operating a call management system of claim 7 wherein said step of selecting further comprises: selecting the agent whose skills as a whole have the best average weighted service level relative to the target service level.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
211 words
A call management system, that is operational in a call center system, for interconnecting a customer who is using a communication device, with a selected one of a plurality of agents who are connected to said call center system, said call management system comprising: customer characterization means for retrieving data relating to said customer to determine a service need of said customer; process activation means for activating a one of a plurality of automatic agent assignment paradigms; agent selector means, responsive to said determined service need, for selecting a one of said plurality of agents to serve said customer as a function of a selected one of said plurality of automatic agent assignment paradigms, with respect to said service need, comprising: agent identification means for storing an identity of each agent, the skills assigned to each agent, and the service level target of each skill, service definition means for periodically computing a Weighted Service Level for each skill, means for selecting an agent whose skills as a whole have the best average Weighted Service Level relative to the target service level; and switching fabric means for establishing a communication connection through said call center system to said selected one of said plurality of agents who is capable of serving said customer.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
211 words
A call management system, that is operational in a call center system, for interconnecting a customer who is using a communication device, with a selected one of a plurality of agents who are connected to said call center system, said call management system comprising: customer characterization means for retrieving data relating to said customer to determine a service need of said customer; process activation means for activating a one of a plurality of automatic agent assignment paradigms; agent selector means, responsive to said determined service need, for selecting a one of said plurality of agents to serve said customer as a function of a selected one of said plurality of automatic agent assignment paradigms, with respect to said service need, comprising: agent identification means for storing an identity of each agent, the skills assigned to each agent, and the service level target of each skill, service definition means for periodically computing a Weighted Service Level for each skill, means for selecting an agent whose skills as a whole have the best average Weighted Service Level relative to the target service level; and switching fabric means for establishing a communication connection through said call center system to said selected one of said plurality of agents who is capable of serving said customer.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
30 words
The call management system of claim 13 wherein said service definition means comprises: calculation means for determining a ratio of the Expected Wait Time and the administered acceptable service level.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
51 words
The call management system of claim 13 wherein said agent selector means comprises: means for periodically updating the Expected Wait Time based on the number of agents eligible to receive a call for the skill, the number of calls queued for that skill, and the weighted advance time for that skill.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
47 words
The call management system of claim 15 wherein said means for comprises: means, responsive to the weighted service level for any of the agent's skills, with the exception of the presently selected skill, being less than the target service level for that skill, for selecting said agent.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
76 words
The call management system of claim 16 wherein said agent selector means further comprises: agent occupancy control means for intentionally leaving a multi-skilled agent idle, even though one or more calls are in queue for one or more of the agent's skills, when the value of the Weighted Service Level for any of the multi-skilled agent's skills, except for the presently selected skill, is determined to be less than the target service level for that skill.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2006-03-17 | 2006-09-16 | 2007-03-18 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2010-03-17 | 2010-09-16 | 2011-03-18 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2014-03-17 | 2014-09-16 | 2015-03-18 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |