Abstract: A dynamic paging system and method, especially adapted for use in a computer telephony system wherein the dynamic paging system includes a condition monitor adapted to monitor conditions of a computer telephony system and, upon the occurrence of one or more pre-defined conditions, to trigger the placement of a pager telephone call by a pager telephone call processor that generates and sends a pager telephone call. The system also includes a pager graphical user interface (P-GUI) which is configured to facilitate the changing or modification of a pager telephone number to be dialed by a person with little or no computer programming expertise.

Abstract: A system and method of providing interactive data exchange between a plurality of outside parties utilizing a plurality of telephone apparatus, a voice response unit, at least one operator terminal, and at least one database regardless of the configuration of the voice response unit to a voice path switch. The system includes a voice response unit interface, for receiving and storing data acquired by the voice response unit. The data includes an automatic number identifier for each call. When calls are to be transferred to an operator terminal, the call is inserted into a queue that is monitored by a data controller. The data controller identifies each call by its ANI and searches the voice response unit interface to retrieve data stored therein, which is associated with the call. The data is then provided to an operator terminal for an operator assigned to handle the call.

Abstract: A method and system for customizing caller ID information can be used in a call center or other telephony system to present customized caller ID information to a called party independent of the telephone line from which the call is made in the call center. The system retrieves at least one call record including a telephone number to be called and a customized caller ID telephone number associated with the call record. The number to be called and customized caller ID number are placed in a setup message formatted using an Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN) protocol. The setup message is sent to the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) to establish a telephonic connection with the called party. If the called party subscribes to the caller ID service, the customized caller ID telephone number and any associated information will be presented to the called party.

Abstract: A call list update processing system including a call list controller, responsive to a source of call records, a predictive dialer, and a call list update processing system. The call list update processing system including a call list update processor, said processor including a call list update file. The call record update data including an updated call record that corresponds to a call record in the call list and a comparator. The source of call records includes a host processor and the call list update processor includes a host update file, for storing call records update data received by an agent during a telephone call with a third party until said call record update data is transmitted to said host processor by said call list update processor.

Abstract: A telecommunications system (10) is provided that provides for telephone functions to be accessed through client computer system (14). A server computer system (16) provides telephony services, database services and access to E-mail, voice mail, video conferencing and facsimile systems. A graphical user interface 116 is presented to a user to allow the user to perform a large number of functions and to access databases of information associated with calling and called parties.

Abstract: A system and method of integrating outbound text messaging capabilities to a telephone call center management system, wherein outbound text messages are a secondary means by which a customer can be contacted, the primary means being voice communications between a call center agent and the customer. The system includes a telephone call management system including a dialer for dialing a plurality of contact telephone numbers included in said at least one call record in a call list. Each call record includes a primary customer contact identifier, such as a voice line telephone number and at least one text message destination identifier, which is included as a secondary customer contact identifier. The system also includes a text message processing system, including text message memory for accepting and storing at least one text message for transmission to a text message receiving device and for transmitting the text message upon connection to the text message receiving device.

Abstract: In accordance with the present invention, a call list update processing system is provided. The system is incorporated into a predictive dialing system, which includes a call list controller, responsive to a source of call records for establishing and storing at least one call list. Each call record includes at least one telephone number to be called. The system includes a predictive dialer, which is responsive to the call list controller for dialing the telephone numbers included in the call records in the call list. The system is used to update a call list on a periodic basis and includes, at least a call list update processor, which itself includes at least a call list update file and a comparator. The call list update file is where call record update data, which is received periodically from the source of call records, is stored. The comparator compares the call record update data stored in the call list update file with call record data stored in the stored call records.

Abstract: A system and method for mapping a plurality of data base fields from an arbitrary ODBC-compliant data base to a plurality of attributes in a knowledge base having a known data attribute format is provided. The system includes a data base selection interface displayed on a display associated with a system user. The data base selection interface is configured to allow a system user to select the data base to map to the knowledge base having a known data attribute format. The system also includes a data attribute mapping interface, which is also displayed on the system user display. The data attribute mapping interface is configured to display a plurality of data attributes included in the knowledge base and to allow the system user to select at least one data attribute to map to at least one data field in the arbitrary data base to be converted. Also included is an edit field mapping interface, which is also displayed on the system user display.

Abstract: An automated take back and transfer (TBX) telephone call routing system for interfacing a party connected to a first call center agent located at a first call center with at least a second call center agent located at a second call center, wherein the second call center is remotely located from the first call center, is disclosed. The system includes a transfer call interface, which is displayed on an agent display associated with the first call center agent. The transfer call interface is configured to accept a remote agent identifier, which, in the preferred embodiment is the name of a remote agent or the name of a group of remote agents. The system also includes a database that includes a plurality of call center agent data records. Each call center agent data record includes a destination identifier field, where a remote agent name or group name is entered, and a destination address field, where a dial string is entered.

Abstract: An inbound/outbound call record processing system and method processes outbound call records for use with inbound telephone calls. The call record processing system includes a call record finder that finds outbound call records that match an inbound telephone call, for example, by searching a call record index table including a plurality of indexed call records corresponding to a plurality of outbound call records in one or more outbound call lists. One way of finding matching outbound call records is by receiving and automatically identifying a telephone number associated with the inbound telephone call and searching for an indexed call record having a searchable key field that matches the telephone number. If no records are found by searching for the telephone number, a search can be made based upon requested information provided by the calling party.

Abstract: A system and method for providing an electronic chat session between at least one inquiring party and at least one agent includes an inquiring party data terminal through which an inquiring party requests an electronic chat session with a call center agent over a data flow path that the inquiring party establishes with an information provider. A computer network and associated network interfaces, interface the inquiring party data terminal, the information provider server, and the electronic chat session distribution system to the computer network and allows data to be exchanged there between. A call center controller, responsive to a chat session request, generates a routing signal which establishes a data flow path between the inquiring party and at least one call center agent.

Abstract: A system and method of retrieving customer records regardless of area code change affecting customer telephone numbers stored in customer records is provided. The method begins by providing an area code changes user interface on a system user display, which is configured to accept area code changes input by the system. Area code changes, which include actual area codes and old area codes are input using the interface. Next, each input area code change is stored in an area code changes memory. An ANI string corresponding to an incoming telephone call is then received and at least one customer record database is searched to identify any call records that include a telephone number corresponding to the ANI string. If no customer records are identified, then the area code changes memory is searched to identify if the ANI string includes an area code corresponding to an actual area code stored in the area code changes memory.

Abstract: A command scheduling and precedent processing system especially suitable for use in a computer telephony system is provided. The system includes a command scheduler, which includes a graphical user interface that is configured to facilitate the input and scheduling of computer telephony system commands. A system supervisor selects commands from a list of available telephony system commands and assigns a command execution priority attribute to each selected command, both of which are provided by the graphical user interface. The system also includes a command server, including a command precedent processor, a command precedent database, an event database and at least one command table. Selected commands are forwarded by the command scheduler to the command precedent processor, which stores each received command in one of the provided command tables. The command precedent processor retrieves and executes a command if all the events that are precedent to the execution of a retrieved command have occurred.

Abstract: A telecommunications system (10) is provided that provides for telephone functions to be accessed through client computer system (14). A server computer system (16) provides telephony services, database services and access to E-mail, voice mail, video conferencing and facsimile systems. A graphical user interface 116 is presented to a user to allow the user to perform a large number of functions and to access databases of information associated with calling and called parties.

Abstract: A task processing system such as a telephony call center and telephony call center management system downloads and processes unscheduled events such as inbound and outbound call records, in real time. A real time event server such as a real time call record server receives unscheduled events such as call records from an external record source, and places them in a real time call record table. The outbound campaign manager requests call records, and processes the real time call records in the same manner as other call records. A method for processing such real time events includes scheduling an ordered list of tasks, and commencing processing. When an unexpected event occurs, a predetermined task is selected in response to the event. The predetermined task is then integrated into the ordered list of scheduled tasks and processed.

Abstract: A system and method for optimizing a scripting program, such as utilized on a telephone system adapted to place and receive telephone calls includes a selectable script database having stored therein a plurality of selectable scripts each script having a unique script identifier. The system also includes at least one script branch definition table for routing a call through a logical series of scripts calculated to achieve a desired result. A script branch history record stores a sequence of selectable scripts accessed during a particular call and a call end table stores data on each terminated call. A branch script controller is also included, which is responsive to a predetermined event, to the script database and to the script branch definition table for selecting one of the selectable scripts to be accessed, for allowing the script message text to be provided to a party, for generating the indication of each script accessed and for generating the data on each terminated contact.

Abstract: A telecommunications system (10) is provided that provides for telephone functions to be accessed through client computer system (14). A server computer system (16) provides telephony services, database services and access to E-mail, voice mail, video conferencing and facsimile systems. A graphical user interface 116 is presented to a user to allow the user to perform a large number of functions and to access databases of information associated with calling and called parties.

Abstract: A multi-lingual data processing system can operate in a source language and one or more target languages by automatically translating text, such as application text and system message text. The multi-lingual data processing system includes computer software that can be developed and deployed in a source language and that obtains translated text from one or more translation tables corresponding to the target languages as the computer software is runs on the system. The translation system includes a translation table builder that creates and/or modifies the translation tables by importing translated text and/or by allowing a user to insert translated text. A translation configuration selector allows the user to select translation configuration setting, such as the selected locality. The translation tables include application text translation tables containing translated application text that is obtained by the application programs as each object is created by the application programs.

Abstract: An audio communications device adapter connects a plurality of audio communications devices, such as headsets, to digital data paths, such as T1 or E1 data paths in a telephony system. The adapter comprises one or more analog audio signal connectors that connect to analog audio signal paths coupled to the audio communications devices for receiving and transmitting outgoing and incoming analog audio signals. The adapter also includes a digital data connector for connecting to digital data paths to transmit and receive outgoing and incoming digital data streams containing digital encoded audio signal data. A digital data formatter coupled to the digital data connector extracts the incoming digital encoded audio signal data from the incoming digital data stream and formats the outgoing digital encoded audio signal data. The digital data formatter includes a T1 framer and interface, serial PROMs for programming the T1 framer and interface, timing and control circuits, and a T1 transmit equalizer.

Abstract: A telecommunications system (10) is provided that provides for telephone functions to be accessed through client computer system (14). A server computer system (16) provides telephony services, database services and access to E-mail, voice mail, video conferencing and facsimile systems. A graphical user interface 116 is presented to a user to allow the user to perform a large number of functions and to access databases of information associated with calling and called parties.