Abstract: An automatic call distribution system routes calls from a communications network that provides call arrival data and a controllable routing capability. The system includes several agent stations, a call server, and a routing controller. Each agent station has a processor and a communication element to receive calls routed thereto. The call server uses telephony lines to receive the call arrival data and to direct the routing capability of the network. The call server has a caller prompting unit to request and receive information from a caller. The call server generates call information from the information from the caller and/or the call arrival data. The routing controller receives agent status data from the agent stations and the call information and selects an agent station from the call information and the agent status data. The routing controller causes the call server to direct the network to route the call to the selected agent station.

Abstract: A system for establishing a telephone call between an outside telephone and an agent station, the outside telephone is associated with an outside computer that is connected to a public computer network and is used to request a call with an agent. The request is received at a server connected to the public computer network and is communicated by the server to a call router that is connected to a telephone network and monitors the status of agent stations connected to the telephone network. The call router identifies an available agent station, and signals are sent to establish a telephone call from the outside telephone to the available agent.

Abstract: A control system for processing calls comprising a call handling device and a device controller that are each connected to a network via a call connection interface that permits establishing and releasing a network connection, participation with another call connection interface in the same network connection, and either control over a network connection when the interface is the sole interface participating in that connection or control over a network connection to drop the last leg added to a network connection, the device controller and call handling device sending messages to each other over a message transfer interface. Also disclosed are a system for shifting control of a network connection and a system for monitoring the state of a network connection from a network interface that is not actively engaged in the network connection.