Abstract: A video communications system 100, a video switching system 108 and method are provided for establishing video communications with a video communications device 104 utilizing the agent selection and reporting features of an automatic call distributor (ACD) 102. The ACD 102 receives an initial request from the video communications device 104 and rejects the initial request. A computer system 112 detects the initial request and acquires destination information in the initial request identifying the video communications device 104. The computer system 112 sends a simulated call to the ACD 102 requesting an agent for video communications. The ACD 102 selects an agent and notifies the computer system 112 which agent is selected. The computer system 112 then instructs an agent terminal 110 associated with the selected agent to establish video communications with the video communications device 104. The ACD 102 generates reports relating to the video communications.

Abstract: A schedule adherence system for a plurality of agents having a device (30) for defining a daily work schedule for the agents, a device (30) for determining the actual activity of the agents and comparing the activity of the agents with the work schedule, a device (30) for defining threshold limits for the variance between the actual activity of the agents and the work schedule, and a device (30) for indicating when the variance between the actual activity and the work schedule is an amount greater than the threshold limits.

Abstract: A diagnostic device (12) for a telephone system (14) having a computer (10) having a memory, a compiler in the memory, and a plurality of high level statements (16) for controlling the flow of telephone calls in the system (14), and a device (10) responsive to a set of statements (16) defined for the program for determining diagnostic information associated with the steps of the program.

Abstract: An apparatus and a method are provided for switching an information signal from a selected input to a selected output of a telecommunications switch. The method includes the steps of digitally sampling the information signal at the selected input of the telecommunication switch and writing the sampled information signal into a predetermined location of a data frame within a circulating data loop at a first station of the circulating data loop. The method further includes the steps of capturing the sampled information signal at a second station of the circulating data loop and transferring the captured information signal to the selected output of the telecommunications switch.

Abstract: A telephonic switching system 100 including a telephonic switch 102 services telephone calls received from telephonic units 104 through a telephonic network 106. The telephone calls are received at input ports 107 and placed in virtual memory spaces 118 by the telephonic switch 102. There is one virtual memory space 118 for each input port 107, or voice channel, in the telephonic switch 102 such that all telephone calls received by the switch 102 are placed in a different virtual memory space. Virtual agents 119 service the telephone calls in the virtual memory spaces 118. Each virtual agent 119 is associated with one of the virtual memory spaces 118. The virtual agents 119 may connect the telephone calls to any of a number of resources. Exemplary resources include a voice response unit 108, local agent units 110 and/or remote agent units 112.

Abstract: A device for upgrading a reporting system (12) associated with an automatic call distributor (10) in a telephone system having a first utility program for saving a plurality of custom reports to a temporary directory, an upgrade of the reporting system (12), and a second utility program which imports the custom reports from the temporary directory into the upgrade of the reporting system (12).

Abstract: A call recording system and method records telephone calls routed by a telephonic switch 104 to agents located at computer terminals 108. A call information circuit 110 associated with the telephonic switch 104 detects information, such as DNIS via a DNIS circuit 112 and/or information provided by the caller, relating to the telephone calls. The computer terminal 108 includes a recording device 114 which records the telephone calls based on the call information relating to the calls. The recordings of the calls are stored in a storage device 116. To facilitate later replaying a call, a call sequence indicator 118 attaches a call sequence number to a recording of telephone call. Alternatively, or in addition to, a call time indicator 118 attaches a time and day indicator to the recording based on when the call was received. An automatic recorder 122 automatically records specified telephone calls based on the call information.

Abstract: An interface circuit 104 provides audio and data communications between a telephonic switch 102 and an agent computer 106. The agent computer 106, telephonic switch 102 and interface circuit 104 are comprised by a communications system 100. The interface circuit 104 includes an integrated circuit 204 for receiving signals from, and transmitting signals to, the telephonic switch 102. A driver circuit 206 interconnects a data interface 200 in an agent terminal 112 to provide data communications from the integrated circuit 204 to the agent computer 106. An audio level control 208 provides audio communications between the integrated circuit 204 and the agent computer 106 and a headset.

Abstract: An apparatus and method are provided for identifying a call record of a telephone call received from a PSTN and overflowed from a source automatic call distributor to a destination automatic call distributor, the call record having been stored under a call identifier of the source automatic call distributor in a memory of a host computer serving both the source automatic call distributor and the destination automatic call distributor. The method includes the step of storing a call action provided message in a call overflow table of the host computer including a call identifier assigned by the source automatic call distributor and an identifier of the source automatic call distributor. An overflow request is transferred over an ISDN facility to the destination automatic call distributor including the call identifier.

Abstract: An integrated micro-electromechanical (MEM) optical resonator comprises a cantilever beam which is fixed to a substrate at one end and extends freely over the substrate at the other end, and a bimorph actuator stacked atop the beam at its fixed end. A reflective surface partially covers the top of the beam at its free end. The bimorph actuator comprises material layers having different thermal expansion coefficients. A DC-biased AC voltage connected across the actuator causes it to heat and cool as the current passing through it increases and decreases, creating a thermal bimorph effect which causes the cantilever beam and the reflective surface to oscillate in accordance with the varying current, preferably at the beam and actuator structure's fundamental resonant frequency. Combining the resonator with a light source and actuator excitation circuitry creates an optical scanner engine which delivers a scan angle in excess of 20 degrees and a scan rate of up to 2000 Hz, using a driving voltage of only 2 V.

Abstract: An automatic call distributor (ACD) for routing application, external position and internal position telephone calls to one of a plurality of agents is disclosed. Priority levels of the different types of calls are selectively assigned for each individual agent and can be changed as desired. When a plurality of incoming calls having different call types are received concurrently for a particular agent, the call of the call type having the highest priority as determined for the particular agent is connected to the particular agent first.

Abstract: A monitoring system (200) and method for an automatic call distributor (100) which selectively interconnects an incoming telephone call from a caller and one of a plurality of agents are provided. The monitoring system (200) detects a length of time the agent is talking and a length of time the caller is talking during the incoming telephone call. Pauses in the incoming telephone call are timed, as is the length of time of the total incoming telephone call. The automatic call distributor (100) contains a first bus (204) on which voice signals from the agent to the caller are transmitted and a second bus (208) on which voice signals from the caller to the agent are transmitted. A digital signal processor (210) monitors the first and second busses (204) and (208) to detect voice signals from the agent and the caller, respectively. The detected information regarding the incoming telephone call is reported to the agent and/or supervisory personnel.

Abstract: An alarm notification system 100 and method for automatically reporting an alarm condition related to a telephonic switch 102 to a remote communications device, such as a display unit 104 or a paging unit 106, is provided. The system 100 may communicate with the display unit 104 and/or the paging unit 106 through a modem 115 and a network 114. Alternatively, a paging circuit 128 may provide cellular communications with the paging unit 106 and/or the display unit 104. An alarm sensing circuit 116 senses an alarm condition. Alarm conditions are defined and modified by an alarm setting circuit 118. After an alarm condition is sensed, an alarm notification circuit detects and logs various alarm information relating to the sensed alarm condition. The alarm notification circuit automatically transmits the alarm information to the remote communications device.

Abstract: A call path system generates a graphical representation of a call path of a selected type of telephone call routed by a telephonic switch 100. An administrator computer system 110 includes a computer 112 and administrator display 114 for generating and displaying the graphical representation. The graphical representation may be a block diagram 200 consisting of telephone call type 202, application 204, scripts 206, agent group 208, agents/staff 210, supervisor 214 and a particular agent group I 212. Each of the blocks include available selections in the particular category. Such as a listing of agent groups 304, a listing of telephone types 300, a listing of available DNIS numbers 302 and a listing of agents/staff 306. The call path system further permits an administrator, via the administrator computer system 110 to select and any of the above. Applications may be modified such that the telephonic switch 100 thereafter routes telephone calls in accordance with the modified applications.

Abstract: A device for programming script sets in a telephone system having a network, a programmable routing vector to route incoming calls from the network, an application to selectively receive calls from the routing vector, a programmable application vector to selectively receive calls from the application, and a plurality of agent groups to selectively receive calls from the application.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for driving a fluorescent lamp is described wherein the fluorescent lamp is operated in the phanotronic, or hot-cathode, mode. The filament preheat current is decoupled from the arc current through synchronization of the filament voltage and arc voltage waveforms to provide sense windows during which the filament condition may be precisely and accurately determined. Sensing circuits provide correctional feedback to the filament voltage signal to provide optimal filament heating.

Abstract: An organically modified sol-gel method of preparing substantially crack-free aluminosilicates films is provided. Chelated aluminum alkoxide and polydimethylsiloxane are mixed in a 1:1 ratio by weight in a solvent and refluxed at approximately the boiling temperature of the solvent to produce a sol-gel liquid including polymerized aluminosilicates. The sol-gel liquid is cooled to room temperature. Additional solvent is added to the sol-gel liquid to reduce its viscosity. A substrate is coated with the reduced viscosity sol-gel liquid. The coating of sol-gel liquid on the substrate is dried to produce an organically modified aluminosilicates sol-gel film. The sol-gel film is heated, to enhance polymerization of the sol-gel film and to evaporate residual solvent, and then cooled.

Abstract: A system 200 and method for monitoring audio power level of speech of an agent in an automatic call distributor 100 is provided. The system 200 comprises an agent audio power circuit for detecting the audio power level of the agent's speech. The audio power circuit includes an agent maximum circuit 216 for comparing the detected audio power level to a predetermined maximum threshold power level. An agent minimum circuit 218 compares the detected audio power level to a predetermined minimum threshold power level. When the detected audio power level exceeds, or equals, the maximum threshold power level, or when the detected audio power level is less than, or equals, the minimum threshold power level, an appropriate message is displayed on an agent terminal 118 to "Speak Softer" or to "Speak Louder". An agent gain control 220 may be provided for automatically adjusting the audio power level of the agent's speech.

Abstract: A delay announcer groups and delay announcement time controller for a telephone system having a host computer for directing an incoming call based on information provided in the incoming call, for issuing a delay message based on information in the call, and for controlling the time of issuing the delay message based upon information in the incoming call.

Abstract: A system (200) and method for simulating operation of an autonomic call distributor (100) is provided. The system (200) provides an indication of hardware resources, such as digit collector cards (120) and digital audio source cards (118), required for any given call volume and configuration of the automatic call distributor (100). The system (200) obtains system configuration data relating to the configuration of the automatic call distributor (100) from a user and/or by downloading the data from the automatic call distributor (100). Call traffic data relating to a desired call volume is similarly provided to the system (200). The system (200) simulates operation of the automatic call distributor (100) based on the system configuration and call traffic data and determines hardware resources required in the automatic call distributor (100) for the desired call volume based on the simulated operation of the automatic call distributor (100).