Abstract: A telephone switching system (100) including an automatic call distributor (102) for routing incoming telephone calls over a telephone network (116) to agent telephonic units (112, 114) is provided. Data relating to each of the incoming telephone calls is collected by the automatic call distributor (102), in particular a central processing unit (110). As each incoming telephone call is being routed to an agent telephonic unit (112, 114) over a telephone network (116), its associated data is substantially simultaneously transmitted over a computer network (126) to an agent computer terminal (122, 124). The agent located at the agent telephonic unit (112 or 114) which receives an incoming telephone call has first party call control via the associated agent computer terminal (122 or 124).

Abstract: A system and method for allocating an incoming call to a desired one of a plurality of destination candidates in response to data in at least one predetermined category concerning a caller, e.g. the area, the company or the department of the caller (a source address mode). There may be other modes such as a direct in line (DIL) mode and global mode. When a call is received by one of trunk circuits, the termination mode for the call is set for one associated with the trunk circuit that received the call. In case of the source address mode, the call is allocated to one of the destination candidates which is associated with the caller number or a part thereof. An association between a caller number (a part thereof) and a destination candidate is preferably achieved using a destination information table containing at least such information.

Abstract: An exchanging and controlling system which manages terminal groups, has a plurality of terminals. Terminal numbers of the terminals used as a group are registered in the system. A group number corresponding to a switch service is assigned to each of a plurality of terminal groups used for an exchange service. A plurality of terminals of which each has an individual terminal number are registered to belong to each of the terminal groups. The number dialed by a subscriber includes at least one digit corresponding to its group number and at least one digit which corresponds to the terminal number of the destination terminal.

Abstract: An automated customer service system which maintains and uses a customer sensitivity profile to contact the customer in a manner, at a time and date, and at a location which are preferred by the customer. This maximizes the likelihood that the customer will be favorably responsive to the contact, whether the contact be to make a sale, to discuss collection of a balance due, or just to obtain current information about the customer. The automated customer service system also maintains and uses a list of available resources, such as an agent qualification profile, in conjunction with the customer sensitivity profile, to automatically assign available resources, such as agents, to the various campaigns. The agent qualification profile identifies any special skills or qualifications that an agent may possess, such as language skills, type of voice, efficiency, and type of call processing skills.

Abstract: A method for controlling the flow of a first call record campaign to a second call record campaign, by a telephony system. Wherein after determining that a first call record campaign is not being driven to its maximum capacity and there are no more call records to dial, the system assigns a second campaign attribute to agents having a first campaign attribute. In response, the system initiates processing of the second call record campaign by processing a call record from the second call record campaign. The system detects the completion of additional call records from the first call record campaign and initiates processing of a corresponding number of call records from the second call record campaign, thereby seamlessly transitioning from the ending of the first call record campaign to the beginning of the second call record campaign.

Abstract: A method and system for allocating agents possessing predetermined qualifying attributes to an outbound telephone call campaign is disclosed. The method includes the steps of assigning qualifying attributes to agents of a telephony system and further include the step of generating requests for agents possessing specific qualifying parameters within campaign call scripts. Agents meeting the agent request parameters are allocated to the outbound telephone call campaign for servicing call records within the outbound telephone call campaign.

Abstract: In a call distribution control method for terminating an incoming call from a trunk or another extension at a pilot extension in a private branch exchange and routing the incoming call from the pilot extension to an idle agent in an agent group, a routing table corresponding to the pilot extension is provided for designating one or plural agent groups to which the incoming call is to be routed. Priorities are assigned to agents constituting the agent groups, and an agent group to which the incoming call is to be routed is decided, based upon the routing table when the incoming call is terminated at the pilot extension. The incoming call is routed to an idle agent, in the order of priority thereof, in the agent group to which the incoming call has been routed. Further, a prescribed agent is allocated to a plurality of agent groups upon assigning a priority to this agent.

Abstract: Disclosed is a system and method for adding and integrating outbound calling and overall system control to an existing inbound telephone system. The existing inbound telephone call distribution system is coupled to a number of telephone lines, and connects incoming calls to an available operator having a voice signal processing unit. The present system detects at least one available operator and an absence or a threshold condition of incoming calls to connect to the operator. An automated telephone dialer, coupled to the inbound call distributor, is also provided. The automated telephone dialer is responsive to the detection of at least one available operator and the absence or threshold condition of incoming calls to connect to the operator, for placing an outbound telephone call. The system directs that the voice portion of an answered outbound telephone call be connected to the existing voice signal processing unit of the available operator.

Abstract: An interface (204) for an automatic call distributor (102) which connects incoming telephone calls to selected ones of a plurality of agents provides communications with a host computer (108). An agent (112) communicates to the automatic call distributor (102) through a host terminal (104) connected to the host computer (108). The interface (204) permits the agent (112) to request the assistance of a supervisor (116), to initiate an emergency and to repeat an announcement. The interface (204) receives signals from the host computer (108) via a data link (110). The signals being representative of the desired function requested by the agent (112). The interface (204) conditions the signals for proper receipt by the automatic call distributor (102) such that the automatic call distributor (102) performs the requested function.

Abstract: In a system for providing telecommunications relay service, the delay in assigning an attendant to an established relay session after the text-to-speech conversion process may be controlled by establishing new relay sessions, in response to requests therefor, only if a) less than a predetermined maximum number K of relay sessions have already been established, b) none of the established relay sessions are queued and waiting for an attendant and c) an attendant is available. An established relay session is one that is 1) being served by an attendant, 2) is waiting to be reconnected to an attendant or 3) is in the midst of the text-to-speech conversion process. The value of K is greater than or equal to the number of attendants. It is determined dynamically, as a function of 1) a given set of performance objectives, 2) the current set of traffic characteristics, 3) the current performance characteristics and 4) the resources available at the telecommunications relay service center.

Abstract: There is disclosed a system and method for controlling the call placement rates of a predictive dialer telephone system in which outbound calls are automatically placed in anticipation of telephone agents becoming available. The system allows a system supervisor to specify target values of agent utilization, customer hold time, and drop rate for the system. The system then paces outbound telephone calls to maintain the specified parameter as close as possible to the target value specified by the system supervisor.

Abstract: An embodiment of the present invention is a method for dynamically routing incoming calls through a private branch exchange (PBX) in response to commands issued by a host computer and, in particular, for routing incoming calls after routing information has been obtained from conventional ACD call handling techniques. In particular, an embodiment of the present invention is a method for dynamically routing incoming calls through a private branch exchange (PBX), which method comprises the steps of: (a) receiving an incoming call; (b) requesting a route request from a call processing module of the PBX, the route request being referred to as an internal route request; (c) receiving a route request for the incoming call from an alternate source, the route request being referred to as an external route request; and (d) rejecting the internal or the external route request on the basis of a priority scheme.

Abstract: For distributing calls in a communication network, a central network authority that forwards calls from subscribers to servers for further servicing of the calls provides an optimally successful distribution, i.e. a low load-conditioned cleardown rate by the servers, even when it cannot directly register the workload of a server. In order to achieve this, the central network authority monitors the reason for the cleardown of a call by a server and excludes a server from the call distribution procedure for a specific time span when this server clears an allocated calldown due to lack of adequate capacity.

Abstract: A system and method for solving problems associated with limited attended answering of telephone calls during peak periods is provided. The system implements a method for controllably and responsively spreading telephone answering activity initiated during peak periods into the periods of lesser activity while maintaining a contact with callers who might otherwise hang-up and be lost. From a system point of view, the system uses a unique organization of commercially available equipment in combination with an original computer software package. The combination provides judicious automatic and unmanned intercession of telephone calls resident in an overflow "HOLD" queue, relieving a manned portion of the system from having to answer all calls during peak periods. Sufficient information is derived by automatic operation of the invention to permit manned call backs when time and equipment become available.

Abstract: An automatic call distributor reporting system (100) and method is provided wherein data reports representative of operation of an automatic call distributor (ACD) (102) are transmitted to a remote electronic display device, such as a pager (120) or telephone (126), over a telephone network (118). The ACD (102) collects data relating to its operation in a well known manner and sends the data to a data reporting system which formats the data for proper transmission by the telephone network (118). The data reporting system comprises a data reporting computer (110) for organizing the data into data reports which are designed for each supervisor. Each report with an unique supervisor identification number is then sent to a remote maintenance computer (112). The remote maintenance computer (112) matches the supervisor identification number with a table in a pager database (116) which contains a table for each supervisor. The old data report is erased from the table and the new data report is entered.

Abstract: This invention permits transferring calls along with data that identifies the caller's name, pertinent account information, any transaction information acquired prior to the need to transfer the call and why the caller is being transferred between a plurality of call centers. The method and system of the invention, therefore, coordinate a voice component and a data component of a call to transfer the call from a first call center across a communication path such as a switching network to a second call center. The first call center includes the necessary network control circuitry to direct an associated switching network to transfer to the second call center the voice component of the call together with an identifier for uniquely identifying the call. The identifier may be generated using DNIS and/or ISDN protocol principles. The invention also generates and directs a transfer screen from the first call center to the second call center. The unique identifier also attaches to the transfer screen.

Abstract: System and method for outdialing telephone calls on a basis which takes into account the availability of agents who are assigned to process telephone calls placed. In accordance with the invention, telephone calls are placed ahead of the availability of agents so that the overall productivity of the agents is increased. The number of telephone calls that should be placed is determined in light of the actual measurements of system performance and in light of performance objectives. The determinations are dynamically refined based on measurements of actual agent and telephone call activity provided by the telephone system.

Abstract: A telecommunication system (10) having an automatic call distributor (12) with a multiport switch (14) controlled by a central control processing unit (16) in conjunction with a main memory (18) and in which the automatic call distributor (12) is coupled with an external telephonic network (26) having external telephonic units (22) for automatically distributing outdialed calls answered at the external units (22) to an agent telephonic unit (20) and for automatically distributing inbound calls received at the multiport switch (14) for the external units (22) to the agent telephonic unit (20), the automatic call distributor (12) is coupled with a tandem computer (34) which determines the pacing of outdialed calls by coordinating the number of outdial calls made with the number of inbound calls received to reduce the average incoming call waiting time due to excessive distribution of outdialed calls to the agent telephonic unit.

Abstract: An automatic call distributor (20) connected with a plurality of agent telephonic sets (12) for audio communication with customers at customer telephonic sets (16) of an external telephonic switching system (18), visual displays (32) on the agent telephonic sets (12) for display of information concerning customers with an automated preannouncement system (10) having a hard disk (25) for storing preannouncement voice messages in a voice of a particular agent, a sign-in code stored in a main memory (24) of the automatic call distributor (20) associated with the particular agent, a key pad (34) at the agent sets (12) for entering in a sign-in code, and a digital audio source card circuit (30) for playing a preannouncement voice message received from the hard disk (25) in the voice of the particular agent associated with the sign-in code to a customer at a customer set (16) connected by the automatic call distributor (20) to the agent set (12) at which the sign-in code of the particular agent has been entered.

Abstract: An automatic call distributor system and an automatic call dialer system that are integrated so that each system has its own set of dedicated agents and the combined integrated system has a set of universal agents that can be switched between systems.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for handling incoming calls to a service provider facility having a number of agent terminals. The method includes the steps of routing an initial call to an original agent at one of the agent terminals; storing for a predetermined time a caller identifier for the initial call and a corresponding agent identifier; identifying a subsequent call placed within the predetermined time by a caller having the stored caller identifier; and routing the subsequent call to one of the agent terminals in accordance with the stored agent identifier. If the original agent corresponding to the stored agent identifier is busy, the caller may be prompted to elect between waiting in a queue for the original agent, or connection to any available agent. The caller identifier may be, for example, a Calling Line Identity (CLI), an Automatic Number Identification (ANI), a telephone number of a caller terminal, or a portion of a calling card number.

Abstract: An automatic call distributor 16 and method for routing incoming telephone calls from a central office telephone switching system 14 to a plurality of agent stations 18 and 20 and for providing different types of audio communications, preferably music, to incoming telephone calls based on the gate 28 and 30 through which the telephone calls are routed are provided. The automatic call distributor 16 includes a control computer 24 for routing incoming telephone calls to the gates 28 and 30. Music sources 38 and 40 generate predetermined types of music in response to the control computer 24. The music sources 38 and 40 are connected to the gates 28 and 30, respectively, to provide the predetermined types of music to incoming telephone calls routed through the respective gates 28 and 30.

Abstract: An automatic call distributor (20) having a multiport switch (22) controlled by a central processing unit (26) in conjunction with a main memory (24) for connecting calls made from customers at customer telephonic units (16) through an external telephonic switching network (18) with agents stationed at a plurality of agent telephonic sets (12) coupled with the call distributor (20), an automated port conversation announcement system having a hard disk (25) for storing a postconversation voice messages in the voice of a particular agent stationed at an agent telephonic set (12), and a digital audio source card circuit (30) for playing a postconversation voice message in the voice of the particular agent to the customer at the customer telephonic unit (16) connected with the agent telephonic unit (12) in response to a disconnection from the agent telephonic set (12) at which the particular agent is stationed of a two way voice path established between the multiport switch (22) and the agent telephonic set (12).

Abstract: A virtual call center is formed by use of real-time insertion of call-listing requests of new phone calls into existing calls-waiting lists of several ACDs according to time information such as the global age of the calls. Each ACD normally lists the calls by the local age, so the inserted requests can receive priority over calls listed only locally. A network of connected ACDs allows the calls to be answered by any available service agent in the order in which the phone calls were received by any ACD anywhere in the network of connected ACDs.

Abstract: Method for multiplexing inbound and outbound calls from a call center to improve the efficiency of call center agents since an idle agent can sometimes place an outbound call rather than wait for another inbound call. A parameter k is used to have an ACD agent place an outbound call instead of waiting to receive an inbound call. Specifically, if more than k agents in an inbound/outbound ACD call group are idle, and no calls are in the inbound call queue, then, in accordance with the present invention, callback or outbound calls are assigned to idle ACD agents until k agents are idle. For example, in a preferred embodiment of the present invention, callback calls will be assigned to an ACD agent before outbound calls. Note that, in accordance with the present invention, at any instant, at most k agents will be idle, because as soon as k+1 agents are idle, an agent will be assigned to a callback or to an outbound call.

Abstract: A method for allocating resources, such as agents, to multiple tasks such as call campaigns in a telephony system includes establishing at least first and second tasks, each task including a pacing ratio, a task attribute, and at least one group of processes to be executed. The first and second task attributes are assigned to at least one resource which is provided for servicing the first and second group of processes. After the tasks are initiated, the resource having the first and second task attributes is allocated to servicing at least one process from each of the first and second groups of processes. The method also includes computing the balanced condition of each task and if the task is out of balance, reallocating system resources to each task for which the resource maintains a task servicing attribute.

Abstract: A method of resource management for elements interfacing a communication control system is comprised of firstly providing a queue list containing a sequence of fields. Each field contains at least the number of a queue in which the element is contained. A table of queue records is provided, each containing at least a head pointer to a first element in the queue list. A record of the table is accessed, and the head pointer stored therein is retrieved. The element number represented by the head pointer is accessed for use by the control system.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is shown for holding callers in a queue for the broadcast of a message. Callers are assembled by a common attribute such as a caller I.D. The callers are assembled in a queue according to this attribute and according to a suitable priority process. Once the callers are assembled into a set, the priority process has been completed, then all of the callers within the set are connected to receive the same broadcasted message.

Abstract: An integrated voice and data business transaction detail reporting system for a telephone system (12), having a switch (14) for directing incoming telephone calls, a device (14) for generating information pertaining to voice of the incoming calls, a device (26) for generating business transaction data pertaining to the incoming calls, and a device (24) for correlating the voice information and business transaction data.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for routing and handling a plurality of in-coming telephone calls initiated by a plurality of anonymous callers, each of the anonymous callers having previously provided a specimen for evaluation to a medical testing laboratory. A telephone call initiated by an anonymous caller is received by the call routing and handling system. The anonymous caller is prompted by the call routing and handling system to transmit a personal identification code corresponding to a specimen previously provided to the medical testing laboratory by the anonymous caller. The personal identification code transmitted by the anonymous caller is received by the call routing and handling system, and test result information associated with the specimen previously provided to the medical testing laboratory by the anonymous caller is retrieved based on the personal identification code previously received. A call handler for processing the telephone call is selected in response to the test result information.

Abstract: Billing records for call attempts directed to an inbound subscriber are sorted by originating telephone number, date and time of day in order to group together a) sequences of call attempts initiated at each telephone number, and b) corresponding disposition for each call attempt in that sequence. When the billing records indicate that all call attempts initiated from an originating telephone number have been unavailing (blocked calls, ring-no-answer), a caller associated with that telephone number is deemed "lost" with respect to a selected time window. The number of lost callers within a predetermined period of time is then used to determine the desirability of committing additional resources to a call center.

Abstract: In an automatic call distribution (ACD) system, an improved estimated waiting time arrangement derives a more accurate estimate of how long a call that is or may be enqueued in a particular queue will have to wait before being serviced by an agent, by using the average rate of advance of calls through positions of the particular queue. For a dequeued call, the arrangement determines the call's individual rate of advance from one queue position to the next toward the head of the queue. It then uses this individual rate to recompute a weighted average rate of advance through the queue derived from calls that preceded the last-dequeued call through the queue. To derive a particular call's estimated waiting time, the arrangement multiplies the present weighted average rate of advance by the particular call's position number in the queue. The arrangement may be called upon to update the derivation at any time before or while the call is in queue.

Abstract: A telecommunication system (10) having a single automatic call distributor (12) with a multiport switch (14) controlled by a central control processing unit (16) and an associated memory (18) for selectively interconnecting telephonic calls between external telephonic units (20) of an external telephonic network (24) and internal telephonic units (26A, 26B, 26C, 26D) coupled with the multiport switch (14) with a multilink host computer call control interface system (25) having a plurality of host computers (32A, 32B, 32C, 32D) coupled to the automatic call distributor and logical link interfaces (36A, 36B, 36C, 36D) each having a pair of physical link lines (38A, 38B, 38C, 38D) which correspond to an associated host computer (32A, 32B, 32C, 32D) to enable communication between the single automatic call distributor (12) and the plurality of host computers (32A, 32B, 32C, 32D) to provide the host computers with control of call handling operations performed at the automatic call distributor (12).

Abstract: A call-management system (14) for a call center (FIG. 1) having a plurality of terminals (12) staffed by agents (13) includes a program-implemented arrangement (24) for communicating each agent's schedule to the agent via the agent's corresponding terminal and for monitoring the agent's adherence to the communicated schedule via the agent's corresponding terminal, thereby relieving a supervisor (19) of having to perform these functions. Other programs (25-27) that enable the supervisor to automatically communicate with the agents via their terminals are also included in the call-management system.

Abstract: An automatic call distributor (20) having a multiport switch (22), a central processing unit (24) with a switch operations memory (26) for controlling the switch (22), a plurality of internal telephones (40, 40A, 40B, 40C-N) interconnectable through the multiport switch (22) to external telephones (28) of an external telephonic network (32) and a plurality of display terminals (36, 36A, 36B, 36C-N) for display of information relating to the operation of the switch (22), with an internal written message communication system (21) having an associated switch memory (46) for storing written messages (66) for display at a display terminal (36), a display screen (44) at the display terminal (36) for providing an indication of storage of a written message at the associated switch memory (46) for display at the display terminal (36) and a keyboard (42) at the display terminal (36) for electing to have the written message displayed at the display terminal (36) in lieu of information relating to the operation of the sw

Abstract: An automatic call distributor (10) having a multiport switch (12) controlled by a central processing unit (14) for interconnecting external telephonic units (20) of an external telephonic network (22) with internal telephonic units (18) of the call distributor (10) and a data display terminal (32) coupled with the automatic call distributor and having a display screen (34) employing a programmable window display system and method of establishing a priority for a plurality of different types of information stored (40'-48') for display at a plurality of different window areas (40-48) and in which the priority of the window areas (40-48) controls a selectable order in which nonactive window areas (40-48) overlap on the display screen when there is insufficient room on the screen (36) for full simultaneous display of an active window area and all the nonactive window areas.

Abstract: In an automatic call distribution (ACD) system having a controller function, a primary system controller and a redundant system controller wherein the secondary system controller is in active operation and the primary system controller is out of synchronization with the redundant system controller, a method is provided for resynchronizing the primary system controller to the redundant system controller wherein selected database update functionality of the redundant system controller is suspended and database files and shared memory are copied in phases from the redundant system controller to the primary system controller with the means provided to continue to do data collection, call answering and queuing of calls, except for a brief period immediately preceding resynchronization.

Abstract: An agent supervising system is used in a telephone call management and distribution system having a plurality of telephone stations assigned to a plurality of agents. The agent supervising system displays agent activities using distinctive color highlighting and text or icon depictions corresponding to agent identification, location and status information on a map representation and in a directory listing graphically represented on a display at the supervisor's station. The agent supervising system also interacts with an agent locating system for locating agents and displaying the agents on the map representation on the supervisor's display. The prediction of pending abandonment of queued calls and color alarms indicating such pending loss of calls are also provided and the potential financial impact of pending loss of calls are determined and displayed.

Abstract: An outbound call management capability is provided for a public switched telephone network by a network based outbound call management (NOCM) complex, which can be accessed by all subscribers to the public switched network through one or more central offices in the network. A predetermined list of telephone numbers is stored in a data base in the NOCM complex for each subscriber who uses the NOCM services. The telephone numbers are automatically dialed at one or more predetermined scheduled times. When one of the dialed telephones is answered, the NOCM complex sets up a connection through the public switched telephone network between the called party and one or more attendants at one or more telephone numbers specified by a customer of the NOCM services.

Abstract: An arrangement for providing Automatic Call Distribution (ACD) service from a mixture of local and remote agents. The remote agents are connected via a voice connection to the home switch of the ACD and voice data connection to a Home Agent Server (HAS). The HAS passes call event data to a Management Information System (MIS) of the ACD, which informs the ACD switch of call events that make a remote agent available or unavailable, and passes applications data to a host processor for serving the applications of the ACD. Call set-up time is reduced by establishing longer term connections between the ACD and the remote server and using these connections for a plurality of calls; such connections are established or disconnected when the traffic level suggests the desirability of having more or fewer remote servers. Advantageously, ACD service can be provided efficiently and economically from a remote server.

Abstract: A method is described for routing calls outside of a carriers network based on characteristics of the call, the attributes of the caller, the status of subscriber-provided resource, and the status of network telephone provided facilities. Information about the call and the caller's identification is sent from the public switched telephone network to a subscriber call routing processor. The carrier is directed by the routing processor to route the call to the subscriber's resource best able to handle the call. Information about the call and the business relationship the caller has with the subscriber is used by the routing processor to determine which type of resource is needed to handle the call. The routing processor then chooses the particular resource of that type to which the call is to be routed based on the current status of the resource, the status of the network-provided facilities, and the criteria established by the subscriber for selecting between alternative resources.

Abstract: An automatic call distributor (10A) with a multiport switch (12) which selectively interconnects agent telephonic units (18) of an internal telephonic network with an external telephonic unit (22) of an external telephonic network (24) and having at least one conference telephonic unit 20 interconnected with a port of the switch, an emergency key (40) on the agent unit (18) for requesting the ACD (10A) to automatically outdial and establish a two way voice path connection between another internal telephonic unit (20) and the requesting agent unit (18) to create a conference call. A memory (14) automatically stores information concerning conference calls.

Abstract: A system and a method of generating outbound telephone contact campaigns is disclosed, which has an optimized probability of contacting targeted individuals during the campaign using a predictive dialer system, telephone operators with computer consoles and stored account records, where each account is associated with an individual with one or more telephone numbers and a history of attempts to contact the individual associated with each account.

Abstract: In response to a first party (19) being on hold a call that had been established between the first party and a second party (11), the second, holding, party is given an option, by an automated arrangement such as an adjunct processor (21) associated with the first party's local switching system (15), of either remaining on hold or being called back. If the holding party chooses to be called back, the held call is torn down. Later, when the first party attempts to take the call off hold, the automated arrangement instead causes a new call to be placed to the calling telephone number of the torn-down call and to be established between the parties to serve as a substitute for the torn-down call.

Abstract: An automatic telephone calling system that characterizes the responses from telephone subscribers' telephone stations to placed calls from the system. The system comprises communication lines which enable the system to place a call to a subscriber's station, to receive the response thereto, and exchange information therebetween. Operator stations enable operators of the calling system to communicate, via a respective communication line, with a subscriber's station upon an operable connection of the line to the subscriber's station and to the operator station. A call processor places calls to subscribers' stations and operably connects and disconnects each communication line to a respective subscriber's station and to a respective operator station. A trunk processor characterizes the response from a respective subscriber's station to a placed call and determines whether a response characterized as a voice signal is delivered by an answering machine.

Abstract: An automatic call distributor system and an automatic call dialer system that are integrated so that each system has its own set of dedicated agents and the combined integrated system has a set of universal agents that can be switched between systems.

Abstract: A digital switch serves a number of terminal units for switching signal traffic therebetween, the traffic being logically divided into data time slots and control time slots with control packets. It comprises a switch memory for receiving the data time slots, a control memory containing information for facilitating through connection of the data time slots in the switch memory, a control memory terminal for receiving the control time slots and control packets located therein, for writing information into the control memory, and for transmitting acknowledgement packets to called and calling ones of the terminal units, and an occupied/unoccupied memory cooperating with the control memory terminal and storing actual status of each of the terminal units.

Abstract: A multiprocessor alarm data processing system includes a database with identifying information for all the central stations and their subscribers who use the system. Several input processors receive alarm data from the central stations to identify subscribers incurring alarm events. The input processors generate event records for alarm data validated against the database. Several output processors are provided to process the event records to select the appropriate municipal authority and transmit thereto identifying information for a sucscriber incurring an alarm event. The processors may be switched between input and output processing for dynamic internal load shifting and redundant processing systems are provided for inter-system load sharing. A busy-out capable modem is provided to facilitate such inter-system load sharing.

Abstract: An arrangement for providing Automatic Call Distribution (ACD) service from a mixture of local and remote agents. The remote agents are connected via a voice connection to the home switch of the ACD and voice data connection to a Home Agent Server (HAS). The HAS passes call event data to a Management Information System (MIS) of the ACD, which informs the ACD switch of call events that make a remote agent available or unavailable, and passes applications data to a host processor for serving the applications of the ACD. Advantageously, ACD service can be provided efficiently and economically from a remote server.

Abstract: An automatic call distribution network (10) with an originating automatic call distributor (ACD) (12A) which transfers a received call to a destination ACD (12B) through an external telephonic network (24), a call overflow system (32) with a central processing unit (16A) at the originating ACD (12A) to compile data relating to an overflow call to be transmitted through the external telephonic network (24) to the destination ACD (12B) of at least one of the types of information of: identification of a selected gate (26B) of the destination ACD (12B) to which the overflow call is to be routed, identification of the originating ACD (12A), a time information relating to a time the overflow call was in a queue at the originating ACD (12A), an ANI number representation of a telephone number of the call received at the originating ACD (12A) and a priority level of the overflow call, the central processing unit (16A) at the originating ACD (12A) sending the compiled data to the destination ACD ( 12B) to route the cal