IP Library Granted Patent US 8,649,491
Granted Patent B1
US 8,649,491 · App. 12/277,734 · Granted Feb 11, 2014

System and method for real-time geographical call display of automatic call distributor calls

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,649,491
App. No.
12/277,734
Granted
Feb 11, 2014
Kind
B1
Abstract

In a call center, a caller's geographical position may be mapped together with a geographical position of a call agent allocated to handle the call. A map may display tags depicting the respective positions of the caller and the call agent with a visual link indicating the call connection. The call agent may be selected dependent on the relative proximity to the caller.

Claims (49)

1. A call system comprising:

an Automatic Call Distributor for a call center at a first geographic location that utilizes a plurality of geographically distributed call agents at locations remote from the call center, the Automatic Call Distributor configured to:

receive a call from a caller;

determine a geographic location of the caller;

allocate a remote call agent to the call; and

determine a geographic location of the remote call agent that is independent of the location of the call center; and

a display configured to display a geographic relationship between the caller and the agent, wherein the display is separate from a telecommunications device of the allocated call agent.

2. The call system according to claim 1 wherein the display comprises a map configured to plot the geographic relationship between the caller and the call agent.

3. The call system according to claim 2 wherein the map is configured to display the geographic location of a plurality of call agents.

4. The call system according to claim 2 wherein the geographic relationship comprises a call agent symbol indicating the geographic location of the call agent, a caller symbol indicating the geographic location of the caller and a visual link connecting the call agent symbol and the caller symbol.

5. The call system according to claim 4 wherein at least one of the call agent symbol, caller symbol and visual link provides a hyperlink to call data relating to the call.

6. The call system according to claim 1 further comprising a database that stores positional data.

7. The call system according to claim 6 wherein the positional data comprises a mapping between an area code and a geographical position.

8. The call system according to claim 7 wherein the Automatic Call Distributor is configured to determine an area code of the caller.

9. The call system according to claim 8 wherein the Automatic Call Distributor is configured to reference the database using the area code of the caller to determine the geographic location of the caller.

10. The call system according to claim 6 wherein the positional data comprises geographical positions for a plurality of call agents.

11. The call system according to claim 1 wherein the Automatic Call Distributor is configured to allocate the call agent to the call dependent on the geographical position of the call agent relative to the caller.

12. A method for displaying call data relating to a call between a caller and a remote call agent of a call center at a first geographic location that utilizes a plurality of geographically distributed call agents at locations remote from the call center, the method comprising:

mapping, by at least one programmed processor, a position of the caller;

mapping, by the at least one programmed processor, a position of the remote call agent that is independent of the location of the call center; and

displaying on a display that is separate from a telecommunications device of the allocated call agent, by the at least one programmed processor, a link between the position of the caller and the position of the remote call agent.

13. The method according to claim 12 further comprising:

determining online call agents;

selecting the call agent from the online call agents; and

allocating a selected call agent to the caller.

14. The method according to claim 13 further comprising:

determining the position of the caller;

determining the positions of the online call agents; and

selecting the call agent dependent on the relative position between the caller and the selected call agent.

15. The method according to claim 12 wherein mapping the position of the call agent comprises retrieving a stored position of the call agent from a database.

16. The method according to claim 12 wherein mapping the position of the caller comprises:

determining an area code of the caller; and

retrieving a position associated with the area code from a database.

17. The method according to claim 12 comprising:

generating a map;

displaying a call agent symbol on the map, the call agent symbol indicating the geographic location of the call agent;

displaying a caller symbol on the map, the caller symbol indicating the geographic location of the caller;

displaying a visual link that connects the call agent symbol and the caller symbol.

18. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising computer-executable instructions for execution by a first processor and a second processor in communication with the first processor, that, when executed:

cause the first processor to:

determine a geographical position of a caller; and

allocate a call agent to the caller dependent on the relative position between the allocated call agent and the caller; and

cause the second processor to:

generate a display of call data comprising an indication of the call agent allocated to the caller;

display a map comprising:

the geographical position of the caller;

the geographical position of the call agent; and

a visual link between the geographical position of the caller and the geographical position of the allocated call agent, wherein the display of call data and the display of the map is on a display that is separate from a telecommunications device of the allocated call agent.

19. The non-transitory computer readable medium according to claim 18 comprising instructions, that, when executed, cause the first processor to reference a database to determine positions of online call agents.

Assignments (12)
OMNIBUS ASSIGNMENT OF SECURITY INTEREST IN INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY Recorded Nov 25, 2024
From: UBS AG, STAMFORD BRANCH (AS SUCCESSOR TO CREDIT SUISSE AG, CAYMAN ISLANDS BRANCH IN ITS CAPACITY AS COLLATERAL AGENT)
To: WILMINGTON TRUST, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS THE SUCCESSOR COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 069438/0775 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Apr 3, 2023
From: WEST CORPORATION
To: INTRADO CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 063239/0900 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Apr 3, 2023
From: INTRADO CORPORATION
To: WEST TECHNOLOGY GROUP, LLC
Reel/Frame 063239/0876 →
NOTICE OF GRANT OF SECURITY INTEREST (SECOND LIEN) IN PATENTS Recorded Jan 31, 2023
From: CX360, INC.; WEST TECHNOLOGY GROUP, LLC (FKA INTRADO CORPORATION, FKA WEST CORPORATION); INTRADO INTERACTIVE SERVICES CORPORATION (FKA WEST INTERACTIVE SERVICES CORPORATION, FKA COBALT ACQUISITION COMPANY)
To: U.S. BANK TRUST COMPANY, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 062571/0018 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Dec 20, 2022
From: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS SUCCESSOR TO WACHOVIA BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
To: INTERCALL, INC.; INTRADO INC.; WEST CORPORATION; WEST DIRECT, LLC; WEST NOTIFICATIONS GROUP, INC.
Reel/Frame 062201/0960 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Dec 20, 2022
From: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
To: WEST CORPORATION; WEST NOTIFICATIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 062201/0987 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded May 1, 2018
From: U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
To: WEST CORPORATION; WEST INTERACTIVE SERVICES CORPORATION; WEST SAFETY SERVICES, INC.; WEST UNIFIED COMMUNICATIONS SERVICES, INC.; RELIANCE COMMUNICATIONS, LLC
Reel/Frame 046046/0547 →
NOTICE OF GRANT OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS (FIRST LIEN) Recorded Oct 10, 2017
From: WEST CORPORATION
To: CREDIT SUISSE AG, CAYMAN ISLANDS BRANCH, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 044166/0901 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jun 20, 2016
From: WEST CORPORATION; WEST INTERACTIVE SERVICES CORPORATION; WEST SAFETY SERVICES, INC.; WEST UNIFIED COMMUNICATIONS SERVICES, INC.; RELIANCE COMMUNICATIONS, LLC
To: U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
Reel/Frame 039093/0944 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jun 20, 2014
From: WEST CORPORATION, AS GRANTOR; WEST NOTIFICATIONS, AS GRANTOR
To: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 033204/0215 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Apr 16, 2010
From: INTERCALL, INC.; INTRADO, INC.; WEST CORPORATION; WEST DIRECT, LLC; WEST NOTIFICATIONS GROUP, INC.
To: WACHOVIA BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 024244/0216 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 2, 2008
From: BOUTCHER, JAMES K; PARMELEY, MICHAEL JOSEPH
To: WEST CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 021910/0212 →