Abstract: A method of operating a server includes retrieving a document from a storage device. A variable is generated, the variable including information to enable another server to reproduce the document. The variable may, for example, be a compressed and encrypted complete copy of the document, or may be a JavaScript variable. The variable is appended to the document, and the document is transmitted.

Abstract: A system is provided that responds to a received transaction. The system detects a received transaction generated by a transaction initiator and associates a resource locator, such as a uniform resource locator (URL), with the received transaction. The URL is then provided to the transaction initiator. The URL associated with the received transaction may identify an Internet web page, which can be generated in response to the received transaction. The received transaction includes a request to receive a URL. The received transaction can be a telephone call initiated by a telephone caller. The system is also capable of identifying the transaction initiator and associating a URL with the received transaction based on the transaction initiator's identity. The transaction is received on a first communication medium and the URL is associated with a second communication medium.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for performing real-time transaction routing augmented with forecast data and agent schedules. According to one aspect of the present invention, transactions are distributed among multiple transaction processing systems using both scheduled and actual handling resources. Actual handling resources associated with each of the transaction processing systems, such as automatic call distributors (ACDs), is measured at time t. Scheduled handling resources associated with each of the transaction processing systems for time t are also are identified. Then, estimated handling resources are calculated for each of the transaction processing systems for time t+n based upon the actual handling resources and the scheduled handling resources. Based upon the estimated handling resources, transaction allocations for each of the transaction processing systems is determined.

Abstract: A telephony system for conducting multimedia telephonic communications across a packet-based network is described between a caller system and an agent system through a software switch. The software switch receives from the caller system a packet representing a request to conduct a multimedia telephonic conference with an agent system. The switch exchanges packets with the caller system to establish a call with the caller system. The switch provides an application program interface to a telephony application program through which the telephony application program can control multimedia telephonic conferences between the caller and agent systems. The switch then processes the call according to the commands received through the application program interface from the telephony application program. In one embodiment, the application is an Automatic Call Distributor (ACD), which routes calls through the software switch.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for universal call identification. One embodiment includes a method in a telephone call processing system for maintaining information about a call. The method includes creating a universal call identification for the call the call is received in the system. A call includes each of a multiple call segments that occur between a first connection of a caller resource to a call processing system resource and a disconnection of the caller resource from the call processing system. The method also includes creating a record of each of the call segments.

Abstract: A method of facilitating an outbound customer interaction involves monitoring user access activity, and automatically accumulating access data concerning such user access activity, with respect to a resource retrieved from one or more network locations (e.g., identified by URLs). The user access to the one or more network locations typically occurs via a user device coupled to a network to facilitate the access to the network locations. A trigger event is then detected based on the user access activity as reflected by the accumulated access data.

Abstract: A transaction control system is capable of receiving both real-time transactions and non-real-time transactions. The control system processes the received transactions using a transaction controller, which is capable of processing both real-time transactions and non-real-time transactions. The control system is also capable of identifying a transaction type associated with the received transaction and assigning a priority to the received transaction. Real-time transactions may be assigned a higher priority than non-real-time transactions. The control system can also associate a Quality of Service (QOS) with each received transaction. The control system is capable of queuing a received transaction in a transaction queue if no agents are available to process the received transaction. A highest priority transaction is removed from the transaction queue when an agent becomes available to process a new transaction.

Abstract: A system is provided for establishing a connection between a telephone agent and a computer user. A request is received from the user requesting a return call by an agent. The request is received through a web server and includes an identifier associated with the web page being viewed by the user. The identifier associated with the web page is transmitted to an agent that will contact the user. This allows the agent to view the web page that was being viewed by the user when the request was entered. A telephone connection is then established between the user and the agent. An agent can be selected based on the content of the web page being viewed by the user at the time the request for agent contact is entered. Additionally, for an incoming call, a web page can be generated that contains information about the incoming call. An identifier associated with the generated web page is transmitted to an agent that will answer the call. The agent then accesses the web page using the received identifier.

Abstract: A system is provided that establishes communication between a first system and a second system. A request is received to establish a connection between the first system and the second system. The system establishes a first connection between the first system and the second system. The first connection is capable of communicating visual data between the first system and the second system. The system also establishes a second connection between the first system and the second system. The second connection is capable of communicating audible data between the first system and the second system. The first system and the second system communicate using both the first connection and the second connection. The first connection can include a network communication link such as an Internet communication link. The second connection may include a telephone communication link capable of communicating telephony signals between the first system and the second system.

Abstract: A communication system comprising a first communication device configured to receive an audio based transaction, wherein the first communication device supplies formatted transaction data to a network through an associated communication link. Additionally, a plurality of alternate communication devices are coupled to the network through respective communication links associated with each of the alternate communication devices. At least one alternate communication device is configured to receive the formatted transaction data from the network through the associated respective communication link.

Abstract: A method of constructing a record utilizing information contained in an information stream sent from a detection device that monitors a transaction processing system, to a reporting device, commences with the detection of an expiration of a predetermined time interval with respect to the detection device. A time delimiter is then inserted into the information stream propagated from the detection device to the reporting device. The time delimiter indicates the expiration of predetermined time interval with respect to the detection device. Information derived from the instruction stream is assimilated into a record at the reporting entity. Time delimiters in the instruction stream are utilized to measure, at the reporting device, the expiration of the predetermined time interval at the detection device.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for performing staffing-based percentage-allocation routing using real-time data. According to one aspect of the present invention, transaction allocation is determined using both scheduled and actual handling resources. Actual handling resources associated with each of several transaction processing systems, such as automatic call distributors (ACDs), are measured at times t and t+n. Scheduled handling resources associated with each of the transaction processing systems for times t and t+n are also identified. Then, estimated handling resources are calculated for each of the transaction processing systems for time t+n based upon the actual handling resources and the scheduled handling resources. Finally, based upon the estimated handling resources, transaction allocations for each of the transaction processing systems are determined. According to another aspect of the present invention, a virtual call center is provided.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for managing a telecommunications call in a telecommunications network from a caller to an end user. The method includes the steps of: (a) receiving the call from the caller, the call including caller identification information; (b) screening the call based on the caller identification through automated access to a data base; then (c) transmitting a first radio signal to a computer having a display screen which computer is locationally independent of the telecommunications network; (d) receiving the first radio signal; (e) presenting a first message including data relating to the call; (f) receiving user selection data representing a selection by the end user to identify the a function to be performed in response to the call; (g) transmitting a second radio signal representing a second message identifying the function to be performed; (h) processing the second message in response to said second radio signal; and (i) performing the identified function in the telecommunications network.

Abstract: Methods for servicing queued requests include the step of queueing at least one request for an initial wait time until at least one agent is available for accepting the queued request. A delay element is provided so that assignment of the queued request is delayed for a delay time. The queued request is then assigned to an available agent. In one embodiment, the delay time is a pre-determined availability pendency time independent of the initial wait time. In another embodiment the request is delayed until a pre-determined queue time has elapsed. In another embodiment, the request may be delayed up to a pre-determined availability pendency time as long as a pre-determined queue time is not exceeded. The delay element need not change the queue discipline. Various queue disciplines including first-in-first-out (FIFO), group FIFO, and modified group FIFO are described for a queueing mechanism incorporating a delay element.

Abstract: A method for accessing a transaction processing system. In one embodiment, the method includes the step of receiving a remote request for access to the transaction processing system from a client device. The method further includes the step of, in response to the remote request, executing at least one server function by a server, where the at least one server function includes performing a security check to authenticate the remote request.

Abstract: A communications control system is disclosed which includes: a computer including means for storing a schedule for subscribers of the system, the schedule including time and call-processing information for the subscribers which indicate at least one call processing mode and at least one time for a subscriber to have telephone calls processed via the system; a switch controlled by the computer; a communication network for connecting a call from a caller to one or more points on the network; a two-way communications device; a communication apparatus for communicating with the communications device, the apparatus being coupled with the computer for communicating information therewith, the computer being programmed to control the switch to connect the caller, in response to a telephone call placed by the caller, to one or more points on the network selected by the computer using information supplied to the computer by the schedule, the subscriber and the communication apparatus.

Abstract: An apparatus for routing a transaction message, such as for example a telephone call, e-mail, web chat request, video conferencing session, or non-call event, includes a queue engine and a transaction message router. The queue engine provides an integrated mechanism for queuing transaction messages of varying transaction types within a number of queues according to transaction type. Each queue within the queue engine may be dedicated to queuing transaction messages of a specific transaction type. The transaction message router functions to identify a queue within the queue engine within which a transaction message is to be stored. The identification of a queue by the router may be performed with reference to the transaction type of a transaction message, and with reference to context or addressing information associated with a transaction message.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for integrating business data and transaction data in a transaction processing environment comprises a telephone call processing system including a call distribution device connected to several agent devices through one type of communication link. The call distribution device is connected to an information server through another type of communication link. The information server includes a database for storing business data associated with call data for a particular call. A machine implemented method for storing data related to a call comprising the steps of transmitting a host data value from an agent device to the information server during a transaction, and, if a host data signal is received by the data warehouse during the transaction, associating the host data value with a transaction identifier and storing the host data value in the database a predetermined time after a termination of the call.

Abstract: A system is provided for establishing communication between a transaction initiator and a transaction processing system, in which the transaction processing system has received a transaction from the transaction initiator. The system receives an identifier associated with the received transaction. This identifier is received from the transaction processing system. The transaction initiator is identified based on the identifier associated with the received transaction. A resource locator, such as a uniform resource locator (URL), is then provided to the transaction initiator. The resource locator is also provided to the transaction processing system. The system also determines a network address associated with the transaction initiator and provides the network address to the transaction processing system. The identifier associated with the received transaction can be the transaction initiator's telephone number, the transaction initiator's account number, or other information.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is disclosed that generates a message in response to an inquiry. The present invention generates such a message by applying the inquiry to a data table contained within a receiving device, wherein a call identifier is associated with the inquiry. An agent is then selected from an agent group corresponding to the call identifier. The call identifier is then supplied to an interface message device, wherein an agent message associated with the selected agent is chosen from an agent message database based upon the call identifier. The agent message is then supplied to the source of the inquiry.