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US6822945B2 Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Method and apparatus for anticipating and planning communication-center resources based on evaluation of events waiting in a communication center master queue

Assignee: Genesys Cloud Services Inc
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Filing: 2002-08-27
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Granted: 2004-11-23
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Expires: 2022-08-27
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Abstract

Abstract A software application for recommending workforce resource allocation in a communication center based on requirements of events represented in a communication-center queue has a first interface for accessing information from the queue; a second interface for accessing information from a data source about workforce availability and state information; a processing component for processing queue information and workforce information; and a message generation and delivery component for generating a workforce allocation recommendation based on processing results and sending the recommendation to a target entity. In a preferred embodiment, the application periodically accesses the queue and the data source to obtain the most recent information for processing and generates periodic recommendations based on real-time requirements of events and availability states of resources, the recommendations sent ahead of time before the resources are required.

Inventors

  • 👤 Yevgeniy Petrovykh

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-05 21:45
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04M; H04M3/00; H04M3/42; H04M3/50; H04M3/51; H04M3/5183; H04M3/5191; H04L; H04L41/00; H04L41/18; H04L43/00; H04L43/08; H04L43/0805; H04L43/0817; H04L51/00; H04L51/04; H04L63/00; H04L63/02; H04L63/0281; H04L65/00; H04L65/40; H04L65/401; H04L67/00; H04L67/01; H04L67/02; H04L67/04; H04L67/14; H04L67/142; H04L67/50; H04L67/54; H04M3/5175; H04M7/00; H04M7/0024; H04M7/003; H04Q; H04Q3/00; H04Q3/64; H04L43/06; H04L65/10; H04L65/1016; H04L65/1066; H04L65/1101; H04M2203/00; H04M2203/20; H04M2203/2011; H04M2203/40; H04M2203/402; H04M2203/45; H04M2203/4536; H04M3/22; H04M3/2218; H04M3/36; H04M3/42025; H04M3/42085; H04M3/42093; H04M3/42365; H04M3/523; H04M3/5231; H04M3/5232; H04M3/5238; H04M7/006; H04M7/12; H04Q2213/00; H04Q2213/1305; H04Q2213/13072; H04Q2213/13103; H04Q2213/13164; H04Q2213/13335; H04Q2213/13349

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 39
Claim 1
Independent Claim 124 words
In a communication center, a software application for recommending workforce resource allocation in a communication center based on requirements of events represented in a communication-center queue comprising: a first function for accessing information from the queue; a second function for accessing information from a data source about workforce availability and state information; a processing function for processing queue information and workforce information; and a message generation and delivery function for generating a workforce allocation recommendation based on results from processing and sending the recommendation to a target entity; characterized in that the application periodically accesses the queue and the data source to obtain the most recent information for processing, and generates periodic recommendations based on real-time requirements of events and availability states of resources.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 124 words
In a communication center, a software application for recommending workforce resource allocation in a communication center based on requirements of events represented in a communication-center queue comprising: a first function for accessing information from the queue; a second function for accessing information from a data source about workforce availability and state information; a processing function for processing queue information and workforce information; and a message generation and delivery function for generating a workforce allocation recommendation based on results from processing and sending the recommendation to a target entity; characterized in that the application periodically accesses the queue and the data source to obtain the most recent information for processing, and generates periodic recommendations based on real-time requirements of events and availability states of resources.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 19 words
The software application of claim 1 wherein the communication-center queue is a virtual queue capable of representing multimedia events.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 25 words
The software application of claim 2 wherein represented events include COST calls, VoIP calls, e-mails, voice-mails, video calls, session initiation events, and IMPP-based communication events.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 16 words
The software application of claim 1 wherein the workforce includes both live agents and automated systems.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 20 words
The software application of claim 1 wherein event requirements include media type, requested routing destination identification, and event purpose information.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 29 words
The software application of claim 1 wherein the first function is enabled by a data network link from a server hosting the application and a server hosting the queue.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 35 words
The software application of claim 1 wherein the second function is enabled by a data network link from a server hosting the application and a server functioning as the data source hosting the workforce information.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 17 words
The software application of claim 1 wherein the data source serves information according to a presence protocol.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 30 words
The software application of claim 1 wherein the processing function performs a comparative analysis between the queue requirements and the workforce information the results thereof used to form the recommendation.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 13 words
The software application of claim 1 wherein the recommendation is an IMPP-based message.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 18 words
The software application of claim 1 wherein the target entity is a supervising agent responsible for workforce allocation.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 24 words
The software application of claim 1 wherein the target entity is an automated system and the recommendation is a direct order to that system.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 39 words
The software application of claim 1 further including a third function for making interface with and accessing data from a historical database for the purpose of generating probability statistics concerning incoming events yet to be registered into the queue.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim 17 words
The software application of claim 13 wherein the generated probability statistics are used to help generate recommendations.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim 22 words
The software application of claim 1 wherein the presence information includes availability information, individual agent schedule information, and resolute activity state information.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim 131 words
In a communication center environment, an automated system for generating workforce resource allocation recommendations based on requirements for queued events and current workforce presence and state parameters comprising: a first server having network access to the queued events; a second server having network access to the first server and having network access to the workforce presence and state parameters; and a software application running on the first server, the application including a processing function for processing queue information and workforce information; and a message generation and delivery function for generating a workforce allocation recommendation based on results from processing and sending the recommendation to a target entity; characterized in that the recommendation provides direction for allocation of resources ahead of a time when the considered events would require actual event handling.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim 131 words
In a communication center environment, an automated system for generating workforce resource allocation recommendations based on requirements for queued events and current workforce presence and state parameters comprising: a first server having network access to the queued events; a second server having network access to the first server and having network access to the workforce presence and state parameters; and a software application running on the first server, the application including a processing function for processing queue information and workforce information; and a message generation and delivery function for generating a workforce allocation recommendation based on results from processing and sending the recommendation to a target entity; characterized in that the recommendation provides direction for allocation of resources ahead of a time when the considered events would require actual event handling.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim 19 words
The automated system of claim 16 wherein the communication-center queue is a virtual queue capable of representing multimedia events.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim 26 words
The automated system of claim 16 wherein queued events include COST calls, VoIP calls, c-mails, voice-mails, video calls, and session initiation events, and IMPP-based communication events.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim 16 words
The automated system of claim 16 wherein the workforce includes both live agents and automated systems.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim 20 words
The automated system of claim 16 wherein current event requirements include media type, requested destination identification, and event purpose information.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim 23 words
The automated system of claim 16 wherein the workforce presence and state parameters are server by the second server according to IMPP-based messaging.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim 30 words
The automated system of claim 16 wherein the processing function performs a comparative analysis between the queue requirements and the workforce information the results thereof used to form the recommendation.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim 18 words
The automated system of claim 16 wherein the target entity is a supervising agent responsible for workforce allocation.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim 24 words
The automated system of claim 16 wherein the target entity is an automated system and the recommendation is a direct order to that system.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim 21 words
The automated system of claim 16 wherein the presence information includes availability information, individual schedule information, and resolute activity state information.
Claim 28
Independent Claim 98 words
A method for anticipating resources needed for events represented in a communication-center queue comprising steps of: (a) using a software application, accessing the queue to gain access to requirements and parameters of events represented therein; (b) quantifying and sorting the accessed requirements; (c) using the same software application accessing a data source to gain access to presence and state information of center resources; (d) performing a comparative analysis of requirements against available resources; (e) generating a resource allocation recommendation based on the results of analysis; and (f) sending the recommendation to a target entity responsible for resource allocation.
Claim 29
Independent Claim 98 words
A method for anticipating resources needed for events represented in a communication-center queue comprising steps of: (a) using a software application, accessing the queue to gain access to requirements and parameters of events represented therein; (b) quantifying and sorting the accessed requirements; (c) using the same software application accessing a data source to gain access to presence and state information of center resources; (d) performing a comparative analysis of requirements against available resources; (e) generating a resource allocation recommendation based on the results of analysis; and (f) sending the recommendation to a target entity responsible for resource allocation.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim 74 words
The method of claim 26 wherein in step (a) the software application includes a first function for accessing information from the queue; a second function for accessing information from a data source about workforce availability and state information; a processing function for processing queue information and workforce information; and a message generation and delivery function for generating a workforce allocation recommendation based on results from processing and sending the recommendation to a target entity.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim 26 words
The method of claim 26 wherein in step (a) requirements and parameters include media type, requested event destination identification, event origination identification and event purpose information.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim 16 words
The method of claim 26 wherein in step (b) the requirements are prioritized by pre-selected criteria.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim 17 words
The method of claim 26 wherein in step (c) data access is based on a push model.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim 17 words
The method of claim 26 wherein in step (c) data access is based on a pull model.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim 15 words
The method of claim 26 wherein in step (c) the data source is a server.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim 28 words
The method of claim 26 wherein in step (c) the presence and state information includes work schedules, shift change information, and resolute activity states of differing media types.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim 19 words
The method of claim 26 wherein in step (e) knowledge of un-allocated resources is also incorporated in recommendation generation.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim 16 words
The method of claim 26 wherein in step (f) the target entity is a supervising agent.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim 20 words
The method of claim 26 wherein the target entity is an automated system and the recommendation is a direct order.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US5825869A Cited
US6650748B1 Cited
US6327364B1 Cited
US6611590B1 Cited
US6661889B1 Cited
US6724884B2 Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 2007-11-23 2008-05-24 2008-11-23 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 2011-11-23 2012-05-24 2012-11-23 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2015-11-23 2016-05-24 2016-11-23 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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