IP Library Granted Patent US 9,961,211
Granted Patent B1
US 9,961,211 · App. 15/299,831 · Granted May 1, 2018

System and method for tracking call billing

Inventors: Dara Geary (Galway, IE); Shane Kelly (Galway, IE); Eoghan O'Hare (Galway, IE)
Assignee: Avaya Inc.
H04M15/39H04L65/1006H04M3/5166H04M3/5175H04M2207/08
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,961,211
App. No.
15/299,831
Granted
May 1, 2018
Kind
B1
Abstract

Tracking a status of an ongoing call includes monitoring, by a computer of a contact center, the ongoing call that is connected with a human agent and that originated from a provider network and determining when an automated agent instead of the human agent is connected with the ongoing call. The computer of the contact center can then send a first message to the provider network, wherein the first message comprises first data indicative that the automated agent instead of the human agent is connected with the ongoing call.

Claims (55)

1. A method for tracking a status of an ongoing call, comprising:

determining, by a computer of a contact center, that a human agent is presently connected with the ongoing call that originated from a provider network;

subsequent to determining that the human agent is connected with the ongoing call, monitoring, by a computer of the contact center, the ongoing call while the ongoing call is connected with the human agent;

based on the monitoring of the ongoing call connected with the human agent, determining, by the computer of the contact center, when an automated agent instead of the human agent is connected with the ongoing call; and

in response to determining that the automated agent instead of the human agent is connected with the ongoing call, sending, by the computer of the contact center, a first message to the provider network,

wherein the first message comprises first data indicative that the automated agent instead of the human agent is connected with the ongoing call.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining comprises:

detecting, by the computer of the contact center, when the ongoing call is transferred from the human agent of the contact center to the automated agent.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the ongoing call comprises a session initiation protocol (SIP) based call.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the automated agent comprises an interactive voice response (IVR) system.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the provider network comprises an ISDN network.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the computer of the contact center communicates with an ISDN gateway connected to the provider network and sending the first message comprises:

sending, by the computer of the contact center, a SIP-based message to the ISDN gateway.

7. The method of claim 1 , comprising:

determining, by the computer of the contact center, when the ongoing call connected with the human agent is placed on hold; and

in response to determining the ongoing call connected with the human agent is placed on hold, sending, by the computer of the contact center, a second message to the provider network,

wherein the second message comprises data indicative of the ongoing call being placed on hold.

8. The method of claim 7 , comprising:

subsequent to the ongoing call being placed on hold, determining, by the computer of the contact center, when the human agent takes the ongoing call off hold; and

in response to the ongoing call being taken off hold, sending, by the computer of the contact center, a third message to the provider network,

wherein the third message comprises data indicative that the human agent is connected with the ongoing call.

9. The method of claim 1 , comprising:

subsequent to determining that the automated agent instead of the human agent is connected with the ongoing call, reconnecting, by the computer of the contact center, the human agent to the ongoing call; and

in response to reconnecting the human agent to the ongoing call, sending, by the computer of the contact center, a second message to the provider network,

wherein the second message comprises first data indicative that the human agent is reconnected with the ongoing call.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the second message comprises second data indicative of a billing rate associated with the human agent.

11. A system for tracking a status of an ongoing call that originated from a provider network, comprising:

a memory device storing executable instructions;

a processor in communication with the memory device, wherein executing the executable instructions by the processor causes the processor to:

determine that a human agent is presently connected with the ongoing call;

subsequent to determining the ongoing call is connected with the human agent, monitor the ongoing call that while the ongoing call is connected with the human agent;

based on monitoring the ongoing call connected with the human agent, determine when an automated agent instead of the human agent is connected with the ongoing call; and

in response to determining that the automated agent instead of the human agent is connected with the ongoing call, send a first message to the provider network,

wherein the first message comprises first data indicative that the automated agent instead of the human agent is connected with the ongoing call.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein executing the executable instructions by the processor causes the processor to:

detect when the ongoing call is transferred from the human agent of the contact center to the automated agent.

13. The system of claim 11 , wherein the ongoing call comprises a session initiation protocol (SIP) based call.

14. The system of claim 11 , wherein the automated agent comprises an interactive voice response (IVR) system.

15. The system of claim 11 , wherein the provider network comprises an ISDN network.

16. The system of claim 15 , comprising:

an ISDN gateway connected to the provider network; and

wherein executing the executable instructions by the processor causes the processor to send the first message as a SIP-based message to the ISDN gateway.

17. The system of claim 11 , wherein executing the executable instructions by the processor causes the processor to:

determine when the ongoing call connected with the human agent is placed on hold; and

in response to determining the ongoing call connected with the human agent is placed on hold, send a second message to the provider network,

wherein the second message comprises data indicative of the ongoing call being placed on hold.

18. The system of claim 17 , wherein executing the executable instructions by the processor causes the processor to:

subsequent to the ongoing call being placed on hold, determine when the human agent takes the ongoing call off hold; and

in response to the ongoing call being taken off hold, send a third message to the provider network,

wherein the third message comprises data indicative that the human agent is connected with the ongoing call.

19. The system of claim 11 , wherein executing the executable instructions by the processor causes the processor to:

subsequent to determining that the automated agent instead of the human agent is connected with the ongoing call, reconnect the human agent to the ongoing call; and

in response to reconnecting the human agent to the ongoing call, send a second message to the provider network,

wherein the second message comprises first data indicative that the human agent is reconnected to the ongoing call.

20. The system of claim 19 , wherein the second message comprises second data indicative of a billing rate associated with the human agent.

Assignments (14)
(SECURITY INTEREST) GRANTOR'S NAME CHANGE Recorded Sep 21, 2023
From: AVAYA INC.
To: AVAYA LLC
Reel/Frame 065019/0231 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS (REEL/FRAME 045034/0001) Recorded May 18, 2023
From: GOLDMAN SACHS BANK USA., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: AVAYA INC.; INTELLISIST, INC.; AVAYA INTEGRATED CABINET SOLUTIONS LLC; OCTEL COMMUNICATIONS LLC; VPNET TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; ZANG, INC. (FORMER NAME OF AVAYA CLOUD INC.); HYPERQUALITY, INC.; HYPERQUALITY II, LLC; CAAS TECHNOLOGIES, LLC; AVAYA MANAGEMENT L.P.
Reel/Frame 063779/0622 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS (REEL/FRAME 53955/0436) Recorded May 18, 2023
From: WILMINGTON TRUST, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
To: AVAYA MANAGEMENT L.P.; AVAYA INC.; INTELLISIST, INC.; AVAYA INTEGRATED CABINET SOLUTIONS LLC
Reel/Frame 063705/0023 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS (REEL/FRAME 61087/0386) Recorded May 18, 2023
From: WILMINGTON TRUST, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS NOTES COLLATERAL AGENT
To: AVAYA MANAGEMENT L.P.; AVAYA INC.; INTELLISIST, INC.; AVAYA INTEGRATED CABINET SOLUTIONS LLC
Reel/Frame 063690/0359 →
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded May 4, 2023
From: AVAYA INC.; AVAYA MANAGEMENT L.P.; INTELLISIST, INC.
To: CITIBANK, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 063542/0662 →
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded May 3, 2023
From: AVAYA MANAGEMENT L.P.; AVAYA INC.; INTELLISIST, INC.; KNOAHSOFT INC.
To: WILMINGTON SAVINGS FUND SOCIETY, FSB [COLLATERAL AGENT]
Reel/Frame 063742/0001 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS AT REEL 45124/FRAME 0026 Recorded Apr 26, 2023
From: CITIBANK, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: AVAYA HOLDINGS CORP.; AVAYA INC.; AVAYA MANAGEMENT L.P.; AVAYA INTEGRATED CABINET SOLUTIONS LLC
Reel/Frame 063457/0001 →
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Aug 5, 2022
From: AVAYA INC.; INTELLISIST, INC.; AVAYA MANAGEMENT L.P.; AVAYA CABINET SOLUTIONS LLC
To: WILMINGTON TRUST, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 061087/0386 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Sep 25, 2020
From: AVAYA INC.; AVAYA MANAGEMENT L.P.; INTELLISIST, INC.; AVAYA INTEGRATED CABINET SOLUTIONS LLC
To: WILMINGTON TRUST, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
Reel/Frame 053955/0436 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jan 23, 2018
From: AVAYA INC.; AVAYA INTEGRATED CABINET SOLUTIONS LLC; OCTEL COMMUNICATIONS LLC; VPNET TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; ZANG, INC.
To: CITIBANK, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 045124/0026 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jan 10, 2018
From: AVAYA INC.; AVAYA INTEGRATED CABINET SOLUTIONS LLC; OCTEL COMMUNICATIONS LLC; VPNET TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; ZANG, INC.
To: GOLDMAN SACHS BANK USA, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 045034/0001 →
BANKRUPTCY COURT ORDER RELEASING ALL LIENS INCLUDING THE SECURITY INTEREST RECORDED AT REEL/FRAME 041576/0001 Recorded Dec 15, 2017
From: CITIBANK, N.A.
To: VPNET TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; AVAYA INC.; AVAYA INTEGRATED CABINET SOLUTIONS INC.; OCTEL COMMUNICATIONS LLC (FORMERLY KNOWN AS OCTEL COMMUNICATIONS CORPORATION)
Reel/Frame 044893/0531 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jan 27, 2017
From: AVAYA INC.; AVAYA INTEGRATED CABINET SOLUTIONS INC.; OCTEL COMMUNICATIONS CORPORATION; VPNET TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
To: CITIBANK, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 041576/0001 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 21, 2016
From: GEARY, DARA; KELLY, SHANE; O'HARE, EOGHAN
To: AVAYA INC.
Reel/Frame 040085/0784 →