Abstract: An arrangement (100) for monitoring contact-center (104-108) performance automates the monitoring process by using a database schema (250-270) that records (200-224) the contact center to be monitored, its skills, the locations where the skills are located (in the case of a distributed contact center), the objective or target value for a given skill attribute (such as average speed of answer, maximum delay, etc.), the acceptable deviation from the objective (tolerance), the maximum acceptable deviation between locations (in the case of a distributed contact center), the periodicity or frequency of the monitoring, and the comparison operator needed to determine how a given observed or actual value for the skill attribute is to be compared with its specified objective and tolerance. Monitoring is then effected (300-366) as follows.

Abstract: To improve the prediction of wait times of calls (23) waiting to be processed, or to improve the prediction of completion times of calls that are presently being processed, in low-volume call centers (10) or splits/skills (21), additional data points are created—either manually or automatically—during the processing of each call that is presently being processed, for use in effecting wait-time estimates of the waiting calls. At each of the plurality of points in the processing of each of the plurality of calls, information about the call that is relevant to how long completion of the processing of the call is likely to take is obtained (200). This information is applied to historical information about previously-processed calls to estimate (202) how long completion of the processing of each of those calls is likely to take, i.e., how long it will be before the agents (25) who are processing those calls become available to handle the waiting calls.

Abstract: An entity of a private communications network (24, 26, 28), such as a controller (70) of an ACD system (24), controls the operation of a network router (30) of a public communications network (12, 14, 16), thereby eliminating the need in a network-routing system to send sensitive event or status information of the private network to the network router. The entity collects and processes locally the status information about the private network, and whenever it detects (704) that the workload balance in the private network needs readjusting, it sends (710) a new routing sequence message to the network router. These messages specify the routing scheme to the network router. A routing sequence message contains a pair (404, 406) of routing sequences. Each is an ordered sequence of destination route points (408). The first establishes a load balance and the second maintains the load balance.

Abstract: A modular telephone handset (100) comprises an earpiece (102), a mouthpiece (104), and a handle (106) detachably attached at one end to the earpiece and at the other end to the mouthpiece. Attachment and detachment is effected by snap or twist joints (108,110). This allows one of the earpiece and the mouthpiece when detached to be used by a human user for listening or talking on a telephone call while simultaneously allowing the other of the earpiece and the mouthpiece to be used for receiving or transmitting data with an acoustic coupler (202) of a TDD device (200), thereby facilitating mixed-mode TDD-and-voice communication at any telephone that is equipped with the modular handset.

Abstract: A workflow-manager (150) reserves a resource for processing an anticipated real work item by sending a simulated, artificial, work item to the resource before the real work item becomes available. The resource does not process the simulated work item, but rather awaits the real work item. When the real work item becomes available, it is substituted for the simulated work item, and the resource processes it. For example, in an ACD system (101) that processes various types of communications, it is anticipated on a per-type basis how many agents (102-104) Will be needed (202) versus how many are available (204). Any shortfall is cured by generating (210) tokens representing that many simulated communications of that type and enqueuing, dequeuing, and assigning the tokens to agents like any other arriving communications. Any excess is cured by canceling (210) that many outstanding, pending, tokens of that type.

Abstract: An automated transaction distribution system assigns an incoming transaction (call, text chat, email, fax, etc.) to an agent who is selected to handle the transaction. If the best agent to select is not available because he or she is handling another transaction, taking a break, in a meeting, or otherwise unavailable, the incoming transaction may still be assigned if the selected agent is expected to become available within an acceptable time period for that type of transaction.

Abstract: A server appliance self-adaptively configures to the operating parameters of a communications network to enable remote configuration control exclusively via the communications network. The server appliance includes a host computer system including a network interface controller and an operating system, executable by the host computer system, that is configurable by a defined set of network values for transmitting and receiving data packets through the network interface controller without network configuration conflicts. A control program, executable by the host computer system in conjunction with the operating system, determines, on initial start-up and specifically with respect to the communications network, an initial set of network values to configure the operating system.

Abstract: The present invention includes a loudspeaker system having at least one loudspeaker drive unit; at least one loudspeaker enclosure for housing the loudspeaker drive unit(s), the loudspeaker enclosure(s) having resonating chamber(s), wherein the loudspeaker drive unit(s) produces at least one standing wave in the resonating chamber(s); and at least one internal resonance control structure, the internal resonance control structure being positioned within the loudspeaker enclosure to form a tapering cross-sectional area within the resonating chamber(s) in relation to the loudspeaker drive unit(s) to substantially diffuse the standing wave.

Abstract: An auto (i.e., self)-relative pointer (114, 115) in a data structure (103) of a computer (100) defines a pointed-to location (106, 107) by means of an offset from its own location (104, 105). The address (124, 125) of the pointer is offset by the value (M, N) of the pointer obtain the address (126, 127) of the pointed-to location.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for communication between an automatic branch exchange and a messaging system using a signaling channel. The signaling channel bearing at least some of the signaling exchanges between the automatic branch exchange and the messaging system. The automatic branch exchange and the messaging system are also interconnected by voice channels so as to implement voice services on the messaging system. The signaling channel is distinct from the voice channels.

Abstract: A computationally-efficient traffic shaper replaces per-virtual-circuit shaping queues that all must be processed during each cell-emission period, with a sequence (130) of shaping queues (131) shared by a plurality of virtual circuits and only one of which must be processed during each cell-emission period. N shaping queues are used, where N is the maximum cell delay effected by the traffic shaper divided by the cell emission period; for constant-bit-rate narrowband virtual circuits, N is 47. Each virtual circuit is assigned one or more of the shaping queues, spaced evenly in the sequence, as its serving queues, proportionally to its size. A dequeue state machine (141) cyclically transmits the contents of a current one of the shaping queues during each period. Per-virtual-circuit instances of an enqueue state machine (140) each enqueue received ATM cells of its corresponding virtual circuit.

Abstract: A new physical design for electronic devices (100) comprises a multi-layer stacked assembly (104-110) of a plurality of pan-shaped conductive units that form the layers of the assembly. Each unit is preferably formed from a single sheet of metal into which electronic components, such as an antenna array (208) or a filter array (314) of a transceiver, have been stamped, cut, or etched, and which is then bent around its periphery to form a pan shape. The pans are oriented to face the same direction, are stacked one on top of another, and are fixedly attached to each other by weld, solder, or adhesive. The electrical components defined by the different units are electrically interconnected in a connectorless manner, preferably by flanges (122, 124) formed in the same sheets of metal as the units themselves and extending between the units. Adjacent units in the stack define electromagnetically isolated chambers, e.g., for the filter array. Some layers perform double duty, e.g.

Abstract: The present invention provides methods and systems for balancing the load on a plurality of servers using a load balancing algorithm which continuously examines the loads on the plurality of servers and makes adjustments in the loads accordingly. Among the factors considered in the load balancing are the power of each server relative to other servers, the load on each server relative to the other servers, and a “credit” for each server based on their power and load.

Abstract: A traffic shaper (121) accommodates F5 maintenance cells of an ATM constant bit rate (CBR) virtual circuit without causing jitter or delay of the CBR traffic cells. Each virtual circuit is allocated two queues: a first queue (131) for enqueuing CBR traffic cells and a second queue (132) for enqueuing maintenance cells. Each virtual circuit is allocated twice its normal bandwidth on the transmission medium (120). A dequeue state machine (140) transmits contents of each first queue at twice the normal transmission rate during one half of each normal transmission interval of the queue's corresponding virtual circuit, and transmits contents of each second queue at twice the normal transmission rate during the other half of each normal transmission interval of the queue's corresponding virtual circuit.

Abstract: Disclosed is a way of enhancing capabilities of an interface, such as a communications bus (100), while retaining backwards compatibility of the interface. The bus has a plurality of signal lines (250) including critical control signal lines. Legacy devices (102-103) present a legacy interface to each other over the bus by communicating with each other via a legacy protocol (251) over the bus. Critical control signals of the legacy protocol are conveyed by the critical control signal lines. New devices (104-105) present an enhanced interface to each other over the same bus by communicating with each other via an enhanced protocol (252) over the bus. Control signals of the enhanced protocol are conveyed by signal lines other than the critical control signal lines for the legacy protocol, so that the critical control signal lines remain idle or invalid for the legacy protocol.

Abstract: An intelligent device controller (hub 100) for communications-enabled (“intelligent”) devices (120-140) implements a private network (102) of the devices, facilitating communications to and from only those devices that have been registered with the controller. Each device comes with a memory card (220) that stores interface programs for and information-including a unique device ID-about the device. A card reader (202) of the controller reads the memory card to register the device. Communications between the controller and the device are encrypted using the device ID as the encryption key. The private network is either based on standard building wiring or preferably is wireless to enable deployment and relocation of devices easily and,without need for a special infrastructure.

Abstract: Resolution of contention over resources (102-105) in an automatic call distribution (ACD) system (101) is effected as follows. Call attributes (202) are defined (140) for arriving calls (201), and resource attributes (222) are defined (130) for available resources (221). Rules (211) are defined (150) that match calls having particular call attributes with resources that have corresponding resource attributes. Priorities (212) are assigned to rules, comprising an initial value (213) and a time function (214) that defines how the value changes over time. Each rule preferably defines a coverage path (215) for calls, comprising one or more resource attributes (237) required of resources that can handle the call if the primary resources identified by the rule cannot handle the call in a timely manner (239). Each resource has an associated call queue (121-129).

Abstract: A time-slot interchanger (TSI 100) is used to control both time-slot access and distribution of signals to physical or virtual signal-processing circuits (106-116). The TSI includes a control table (200) with an entry (202) for each time slot, that specifies the source (204, 205) and destination (230, 231) of signals received during the corresponding time-slot interval and the processing (208-228) of those signals. The TSI is coupled to the signal processing circuits, and sends the received signals to the signal processing circuits for processing along with control signals to effect the processing specified by the corresponding control-table entries. For conferencing, the TSI sends all signals for each conference in sequence to the conferencing circuit (108) before starting and sending any signals for any other conference, thereby allowing a single conference accumulator to support any number of conferences of any size.

Abstract: A novel telephone call center split monitoring and display system, uses an integrated three-dimensional bar chart to display multiple split activity information in a single view, enabling easy comparison and multiple split monitoring by split managers without crowded views or frequent toggling between several views.

Abstract: A method for the management of an automatic branch exchange of the type interacting with a plurality of users by means of a plurality of user terminals comprises the following steps: the identification of each of said users by at least one user identifier; and the creation of a table of users (1), associating a user profile with said at least one user identifier of each user, each user profile comprising at least one attribute assigned to said user and especially a set of user terminals that is possibly vacant. The interaction between said automatic branch exchange and each user takes place as a function of the user profile associated with said user.