EP2253128A1

EP2253128A1 - Sharing licenses in a call center with per-seat licensing 1

Info

Publication number: EP2253128A1
Application number: EP09710507A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Paul Pearson
Original assignee: France Telecom SA
Current assignee: Orange SA
Priority date: 2008-02-13
Filing date: 2009-02-13
Publication date: 2010-11-24
Also published as: WO2009101190A1; GB0802643D0

Abstract

The invention relates to the processing of telephone calls to and from a call centre. The invention introduces virtual user agents which are agents associated with virtual users and which are able to register with a call centre call distributing system in association with agent positions. The call distributing system will subsequently distribute calls to the available virtual user agents in the same manner as the distribution of calls to actual user agents is performed. Instead of having a set agent position associated with a particular user agent, the invention allows any registered agent position to be used in conjunction with any user agent so that a registered agent position may be associated with a virtual user agent. A virtual user agent acts on behalf of a real user agent which is located remote from the virtual user agent.

Description

SHARING LICENSES IN A CALL CENTER WITH PER-SEAT LICENSING 1

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to the processing of telephone calls in a telecommunications network. In particular, the present invention relates to the processing of telephone calls to and from a call centre.

Background of the Invention

An incoming call to a call centre will typically be routed initially to an Integrated Voice Response (IVR) module which provides an interactive set of menu options with choice and control over the routeing of their call. A calling party may navigate through the various options by inputting data using their telephone keypad. IVRs are commonly used in businesses such as call centres to direct callers to an appropriate department. An IVR may provide sufficient information such that the calling party is satisfied so that the call can be terminated without the need for the calling party to speak to a human operator employed at the call centre to deal with such incoming calls. Such a human operator is hereinafter referred to as a user.

However, if the calling party wishes to speak to a user, then the call will preferably be routed to an automatic call distribution (ACD) system. An ACD is a telephone call distribution system that allows incoming calls to a call centre to be automatically distributed among a number of available user agents. A user agent is typically a telephony user terminal, such as a telephone, which is located somewhere in the telephone network. A user may make himself available to take incoming telephone calls at a user agent. An identifier of a user agent may be referred to as an agent position (also commonly called a 'seat' or 'place'). An agent position can be registered with the ACD to indicate that the ACD may begin to distribute incoming calls to the registered agent position accordingly. A user may notify the ACD of their availability at a particular agent position either using the user agent itself, or via a data processing device, such as a personal computer located in proximity to the user agent or a hand-held computing device carried by the user.

When the ACD receives an incoming call it will distribute the call to an available agent position according to a routeing strategy including one or more rules by which an appropriate agent position may be selected. The routeing strategy may be implemented by a Universal Routeing Server (URS) or other logical entity. If no agent positions are available, the ACD may place the call in a queue and the call will be distributed to an appropriate agent position when one becomes available, typically in a 'First-in, First-Out' manner. The ACD may play a suitable announcement and/or call waiting music to the calling party whilst they are queuing, or route the call to a media server which provides announcement and music playback functionality. An ACD may also include a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) server for communicating with user agents such as SIP telephones in packet-switched parts of the network, such communication being in the form of SIP messaging.

Some call centre telephone networks operate under access arrangements where a number of agent positions must be authorised for access to the call centre system. An access arrangement may be restricted by agent position, where a certain number of agent positions are authorised, by means of agent position registrations, to allow a certain number of users concurrent access to the telephone system at any one time. Such an access arrangement, referred to as a 'per-seat' licensing arrangement supports 'hot-desking' functionality where a user may log-in to the telephone system from different user agents at different agent positions. A predefined pool of agent positions are authorised for access to the call centre system, and upon log-in of a user in association with an agent position from the pool, the agent position is registered to receive incoming calls. In a 'per-seat' access arrangement, access must be granted for each agent position from which access may be required by a user at various times, for example an office telephone, a home telephone and a mobile telephone. However, this does not make efficient use of the pool of agent positions for which access has been granted. If for example 6500 agent positions are granted access to handle 3500 concurrent users in a call centre system, this only leads to a 54% usage of the total number of agent positions. Also, the agent positions for which access may be granted need to be predefined in the pool of agent positions. It would therefore be desirable to provide functionality for call centre telephone systems with 'per-seat' licensing models that allows more flexible and efficient use of agent positions.

Summary of the Invention In accordance with a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of processing incoming telephone calls from calling parties after receipt of said calls at a call centre call distributing system in a telecommunications network, said call distributing system being capable of registering a plurality of agent positions for the distribution of incoming telephone calls to a plurality of user agents, the incoming telephone calls being distributed according to availability of said plurality of user agents, said method comprising the steps of: arranging a first virtual user agent to be registered with said call distributing system in association with a first agent position selected from said plurality of agent positions, such that said call distributing system, on determining availability of a first user agent, distributes an incoming call to said first virtual user agent; receiving at said first virtual user agent said incoming telephone call from said call distributing system, said incoming call having been distributed to said first virtual user agent on the basis of availability of said first user agent; and routeing said incoming telephone call to said first user agent.

Hence, by use of the present invention, virtual user agents are able to register with a call centre call distributing system in association with agent positions. The call distributing system will subsequently distribute calls to the available virtual user agents in the same manner as the distribution of calls to actual user agents is performed. Instead of having a set agent position associated with a particular user agent, the present invention allows any registered agent position to be used in conjunction with any user agent. The registered agent position may instead be associated with a virtual user agent. A virtual user agent is an agent associated with a virtual user, i.e. an agent having no real user interacting directly with it. Instead, the virtual user agent acts on behalf of a real user agent which is located remote from the virtual user agent. A virtual user agent preferably does not include a telephony user terminal, and more preferably is embodied in a network infrastructure node. Preferably, the method comprises receiving an indication that said first user agent is available to receive an incoming telephone call; and transmitting a call distribution request to said call distributing system, prior to receiving said incoming telephone call from said call distributing system. Preferably, the call distribution request identifies the first agent position as an agent position for which an incoming call is to be distributed by said call distributing system in response to receipt by said call distributing system of said call distribution request.

Hence, the virtual user agent through which the user is available to take a further incoming call at may be identified and can be added to a list of available agent positions to which the call distributing system can distribute incoming calls to.

Preferably, the call distribution request is transmitted from a data processing device separate from said first user agent. Hence, the call distributing system may be informed that a user is available to take a further incoming call at a user agent, even if that user agent does not have sufficient data processing capabilities to inform the call distributing system itself. This may occur for example if the user agent is an analogue telephone. A request may be generated in response to an input from the user via their data processing device, for example a keyboard or mouse input or touch-screen input through a suitable display device. Preferably, the method comprises: arranging a plurality of virtual user agents to be registered with said call distributing system in association with at least some of said plurality of agent positions; maintaining a store of mapping data, said mapping data comprising data identifying user agents on behalf of which said plurality of virtual user agents are registered to receive incoming calls distributed by said call distributing system; in response to receipt of an incoming call by one of said plurality of virtual user agents, identifying a user agent on the basis of said mapping data; and routeing said call to said identified user agent.

Hence, a mapping store may be kept as a record of which virtual user agents have been mapped to which user agents and corresponding network identifiers by which incoming calls to the user agents may be routed. When an incoming call directed to a virtual user agent is received, the mapping store can be accessed in order to determine where the incoming call should be routed on to. The mapping store may contain network identifiers in the form of telephony dialling numbers or SIP identifiers or suchlike. Preferably, the method comprises registering said first virtual user agent with said call distributing system in association with one of said plurality of agent positions in response to receiving a mapping request from a user, said mapping request identifying said first user agent.

Alternatively, the method comprises registering said first virtual user agent with said call distributing system in association with one of said plurality of agent positions prior to receiving a mapping request from a user, said mapping request identifying said first user agent.

Hence, when a user wishes to take incoming calls at the first user agent, the user may request that the user agent be mapped to a virtual agent position by sending a mapping request identifying the user agent. Registration of the virtual user agent in association with an agent position to which the call distributing system may distribute incoming calls may take place before or after the mapping request is received. The mapping request may be transmitted in response to input from the user from the same data processing device as is used to transmit call distribution requests. Preferably, the method comprises creating a telephony connection between said first virtual user agent and said first user agent at least for the duration of said incoming telephone call. Hence, an incoming call may be routed to a user agent via the created telephony connection.

Preferably, the method comprises using said created telephony connection to conduct an outgoing telephone call from said first user agent.

Preferably, the method comprises maintaining the created telephony connection after said incoming telephone call has terminated and routeing a subsequent incoming telephone call distributed by said call distributing system to said virtual user agent via the maintained telephony connection. Hence, only a single telephony connection process needs to be carried out which can help reduce delays and resources associated with tearing down and creating multiple connections.

Alternatively, the method comprises terminating the telephony connection after said incoming telephone call has terminated and routeing a subsequent incoming telephone call distributed by said call distributing system to said virtual user agent via a subsequently initiated telephony connection. Hence, bandwidth and/or network infrastructure available for a telephony connection with a user agent may be reduced by creating a new connection only when specifically required for a call and subsequently tearing it down at the end of each call.

Preferably, the method comprises arranging a plurality of virtual user agents to be registered with said call distributing system in association with agent positions selected from said plurality of agent positions, each virtual user agent from said plurality being located at a common node in said network, such that said call distributing system distributes incoming telephone calls to said plurality of virtual user agents at said common network node. Hence, a single network node may accommodate multiple virtual user agents and associated agent positions and route incoming calls received from the call distributing system on behalf of a dynamic set of user agents.

In accordance with a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a system for processing incoming telephone calls from calling parties after receipt of said calls at a call centre call distributing system in a telecommunications network, said call distributing system being capable of registering a plurality of agent positions for the distribution of incoming telephone calls to a plurality of user agents, the incoming telephone calls being distributed according to availability of said plurality of user agents, said system comprising: means for arranging a first virtual user agent to be registered with said call distributing system in association with a first agent position selected from said plurality of agent positions, such that said call distributing system, on determining availability of a first user agent, distributes an incoming call to said first virtual user agent; means for receiving at said first virtual user agent said incoming telephone call from said call distributing system, said incoming call having been distributed to said first virtual user agent on the basis of availability of said first user agent; and means for routeing said incoming telephone call to said first user agent.

In accordance with a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided computer software for processing incoming telephone calls from calling parties after receipt of said calls at a call centre call distributing system in a telecommunications network, said call distributing system being capable of registering a plurality of agent positions for the distribution of incoming telephone calls to a plurality of user agents, the incoming telephone calls being distributed according to availability of said plurality of user agents, said computer software comprising: a function for arranging a first virtual user agent to be registered with said call distributing system in association with a first agent position selected from said plurality of agent positions, such that said call distributing system, on determining availability of a first user agent, distributes an incoming call to said first virtual user agent; a function for receiving at said first virtual user agent said incoming telephone call from said call distributing system, said incoming call having been distributed to said first virtual user agent on the basis of availability of said first user agent; and a function for routeing said incoming telephone call to said first user agent. Further features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description of preferred embodiments of the invention, given by way of example only, which is made with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Brief Description of the Drawings

Figure 1 is a system diagram of a call centre telecommunications network according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 2 is a diagram showing the components of a virtual user agent gateway according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 3 is a message flow diagram showing a service initiation procedure according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 4 is a message flow diagram showing a service initiation procedure according to a further embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 5 is a message flow diagram showing a service initiation procedure according to a yet further embodiment of the present invention.

Detailed Description of the Invention

Figure 1 is a system diagram of a call centre telecommunications network according to an embodiment of the present invention. The network includes an ACD system 104 responsible for distributing incoming telephone calls to a call centre amongst a number of users of the system. The users access the system via user agents 108, 126, 128, which are telephony user terminals such as telephone terminals.

ACD system 104 includes a media server 118 for playing announcements or call waiting music to calling parties, a URS 120 for routeing incoming calls to available agent positions, a SIP server 122 for processing SIP signalling information in relation to incoming calls and also data associated with registration of agent positions and log-in of users in association with agent positions, and agent position store 102 for storing data relating to agent positions. Agent position store 102 may include a pool of predefined access data, for example licensing data identifying agent positions for which access has been granted to the call processing system, and an indication of which of those agent positions are currently registered to take calls, i.e. those for which a user has logged-in to telephone system indicating that they are available to take calls.

A user also has an associated data processing device 106, for example a personal computer, which includes data input means such as a keyboard or mouse, a display device such as a liquid crystal display (LCD), and data processing means such as a central processing unit (CPU). Data processing device 106 has access to telecommunications network 130 and is able to communicate with SIP server 122 and network node 100, for example using SIP messaging.

It should be noted that Figure 1 only depicts one data processing device 106. In reality, each user agent 108, 126, 128 may have an associated data processing device, for example located in proximity to it on a desk or similar.

Once a call has been connected between a calling party and a user, for example between a calling party using telephone 110 and a user at telephone 108, voice data 116 for such a telephone call may pass to and from telephone 108 and telephone 110 via one or more circuit-switched and/or packet-switched networks 130 such as the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) and the Internet respectively. For a Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) call, the Real- time Transport Protocol (RTP) may be employed for data transfer with one or more RTP servers (not shown) capturing, compressing, packetising, and transmitting the voice data 116 over the network 130 in real time.

Signalling information for controlling and routeing such a telephone call may also pass through the PSTN and/or the Internet and be processed by and passed between one or more telephone call processing entities or switches (not shown), which may include one or more SIP servers. Signalling information in circuit-switched parts of the network may be transmitted according to the Signalling System Number 7 (S S7) system and in packet- switched parts of the network according to the SIP protocol in the form of SIP messaging. According to this embodiment of the invention, signalling information for telephone calls passes between SIP server 122 and a virtual user agent gateway 100, which is a network infrastructure node located in the network remote from the user agents. Virtual user agent gateway 100 supports a number of virtual user agents which are logical entities, i.e. addresses at the network node, as opposed to actual user agents. A virtual user agent can be registered with ACD system 104 in association with an agent position such that when ACD system 104 is notified that a user is available to take incoming calls, ACD system 104 can distribute an incoming telephone call to a virtual user agent associated with an agent position. Virtual user agent gateway 100 may include a hardware device such as a server having data processing capabilities and may be located remotely to ACD system 104 in the network. Alternatively, virtual user agent gateway 100 may be implemented as hardware within ACD system 104 itself or as a hardware or software enhancement to SIP server 122 in ACD system 104, or other suitable configuration.

Virtual user agent gateway 100 uses the SIP 'Register' function to register one or more virtual user agents with ACD system 104 in association with agent positions. Users can log-in to the system, and the virtual user agent gateway 100 uses these virtual user agents to register agent positions to which ACD system 104 may subsequently distribute incoming telephone calls to. As far as ACD system 104 knows, the virtual user agents are actual user agents associated with users, i.e. user agents with users ready to take calls through the user agents, although in reality these are in fact virtual user agents. In other words, virtual user agents are used to register at agent positions at which they represent actual user agents. Re-allocation of agent positions to user agents can be implemented without any change to the access arrangements which have been defined in the ACD system 104. By employing the present invention, any agent position may be used in conjunction with any user agent, i.e. one agent position becomes dynamically assignable to different user agents. A data store (described in further detail in relation to Figure 2 below) containing mapping data is located at, or located remotely to but accessible by, virtual user agent gateway 100. The mapping store contains data identifying user agents on behalf of which virtual user agents are registered to receive incoming calls from the call distributing system. As virtual user agents are registered with the call distributing system, mapping data is stored in the mapping data store. When an incoming call is received from the call distributing system at a virtual user agent, the mapping data store can be searched in order to identify the user agent which corresponds to the virtual user agent in question. Once the relevant user agent has been identified, the incoming telephone call can be routed on to the identified user agent accordingly.

The data identifying user agents in the network may for example include a telephony dialling number or SIP identifier or suchlike.

In embodiments of the present invention, once a user has finished dealing with an incoming call from a calling party, they may wish to notify ACD system 104 that they are ready to take a further incoming call at the user agent they are currently using. In one embodiment, a user triggers such a notification by selecting an appropriate input on a graphical user interface (GUI) or suchlike on a display device associated with a data processing device separate from the user agent they are using. The user input to the data processing device initiates transmittal of a call distribution request from the data processing device to ACD system 104. The call distribution request includes the identity of the agent position to which the corresponding virtual user agent is currently registered with ACD system 104. When ACD system 104 receives and processes such a request, it marks the agent position as an available agent position to which it may distribute incoming calls to. This may involve updating availability data in agent position store 102 of ACD system 104.

Figure 2 shows components of a virtual user agent gateway 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention. Virtual user agent gateway 100 includes a network interface 206 for interfacing incoming and outgoing data 212 such as signalling information to and from network 130, a user agent interface 208 for interfacing incoming and outgoing data 214 such as signalling information 114 with user agents 108, 126, 128. An interface mapping module 210 processes data passing between network interface 206 and user agent interface 208. Virtual user agent gateway 100 includes an agent position manager 204 responsible for managing the allocation and registration of virtual user agents in association with agent positions, and the mapping of virtual user agents to user agents. Virtual user agent gateway 100 also includes a mapping data store 216 for storing data identifying which virtual user agents are registered with ACD system 104 on behalf of which user agents that virtual user agent gateway 100 is responsible for receiving incoming calls for. When an incoming call from ACD system 104 is received, agent position manager 204 accesses mapping data store 216 in order to identify an entry corresponding to a virtual user agent to which the incoming call was directed to. By accessing mapping data store 216 in this way, agent position manager 204 is able to ascertain a network identifier such as a telephony dialling number or SIP identifier on to which the incoming call can be routed.

In Figure 2, mapping data store 216 is located integrally to virtual user agent gateway 100. However, mapping data store 216 may be located remotely to virtual user agent gateway 100. Figure 3 is a message flow diagram showing a service initiation procedure according to an embodiment of the present invention. The service initiation procedure relates to the process carried out from when a user requests access to the call centre system and is subsequently granted access so that they may begin receiving incoming calls from the call centre system at a particular user agent 308.

A user requests access to the call centre system by entering agent position request data on their data processing device 306, for example a username and password, along with an identifier of the user agent at which the user wishes to receive incoming calls at, using a keyboard or mouse. In response, data processing device 306 transmits an agent position request including data identifying user agent 308, as per step 3a, the agent position request being received at virtual user agent gateway 300. In response to receipt of the agent position request, virtual user agent gateway 300 accesses agent position store 302 in step 3b in order to determine an available agent position that can be allocated to the user. If an agent position is available, then virtual user agent gateway 300 is informed of an agent position for such in step 3c.

Virtual user agent gateway 300 transmits an agent position response containing data identifying the allocated agent position to data processing device 306 in step 3d. Once data processing device 306 receives the allocated agent position, it requests registration for use of the allocated agent position in the network. This is carried out by transmittal of a mapping request from data processing device 306 to virtual user agent gateway 300 as shown in step 3e.

The mapping request may include data identifying user agent 308 at which the user wishes to take incoming calls and the allocated agent position. The mapping request may also include data identifying the user, such as their name, associated employee number or suchlike.

In response, virtual user agent gateway 300 registers the allocated agent position with SIP server 304 of ACD system 104 using SIP 'Register' functionality. This registration process involves virtual user agent gateway 300 transmitting a SIP 'Register' message 3f containing data identifying the allocated agent position to SIP server 304. SIP server 304 responds with a '200 OK' SIP message in step 3g, indicating that registration was successful.

Virtual user agent gateway 300 then makes a telephony connection to user agent 308 using identification data supplied by data processing device 306 in step 3a. This is carried out using a SIP 'INVITE' message in step 3h. User agent 308 responds by transmitting a SIP '180 Ringing' message to virtual user agent gateway 300 in step 3i indicating that user agent 308 is ringing and awaiting the call to be answered. When the call is answered by the user, user agent 308 transmits a SIP '200 OK' message to virtual user agent gateway 300 in step 3j, which is acknowledged by virtual user agent gateway 300 with a SIP

'ACK' message in response, as shown in step 3k.

Virtual user agent gateway 300 informs data processing device 306 that registration with SIP server 304 and set-up of a telephone call to user agent 308 were successful by transmitting a mapping response in step 3m. Data processing device 306 now logs-in to the call centre system via SIP server 304 using the allocated agent position, and also possibly a username and password, as shown in step 3n. SIP server 304 informs virtual user agent gateway 300 that data processing device 306 has logged-in with the allocated agent position, as shown in step 3o. Once log-in has been completed, the user is subsequently able to receive incoming calls distributed by ACD system 104 at user agent 308 via the allocated agent position.

With such functionality in place, it can be seen that it is not important which agent position is mapped to which user agent, only that an available agent position can be allocated when a request for access to the call centre system is received. This means that the agent positions can be allocated more efficiently, allowing re-allocation of a pool of agent positions, without one user tying up more than one agent position at more than one device or location unnecessarily.

In the embodiment described above in relation to Figure 3, once the call between the virtual user agent gateway and user agent 308 is connected, it is placed on hold. This can be requested by including Session Description

Protocol (SDP) data '0.0.0.0' in SIP 'Invite' message 3h. In this embodiment, the telephony connection will remain as a persistent connection for at least the duration of the incoming telephone call, unless the call is dropped by the user, or the user logs-out of the telephone system via data processing device 306.

In embodiments of the invention, the telephony connection between virtual user agent gateway 300 and user agent 308 may be maintained for further incoming calls distributed by ACD system 104 to user agent 308. This can help reduce delays between incoming calls that a user deals with and hence help to increase efficiency and throughput of the call centre.

Note that in this embodiment, user agent 308 is a SIP compliant device, so is able to understand and process SIP messages from virtual user agent gateway 300 in order to set up the call connection in steps 3h-3k.

In other embodiments where user agent 308 is a non-SIP compliant device, such as an analogue telephone, or a SIP device with limited SIP messaging capabilities, which cannot understand or process the SIP messaging sufficiently, then all, or some, SIP messages cannot be sent directly to user agent

308. In such cases, SIP messages are sent to a media gateway (not shown) located in the network 130 which is responsible for handling such messaging on behalf of the user agent. The media gateway will then do any necessary data format conversion and communicate with the user agent in a form which the user agent does understand, for example using a non-SIP protocol.

In alternative embodiments of the present invention, a persistent telephony connection between virtual user agent gateway 300 and user agent 308 is not used. Instead, each time an incoming call is distributed by ACD system 104 to user agent 308, a connection between virtual user agent gateway 300 and user agent 308 is created. This may be preferable if for example user agent 308 is located offshore and creating and tearing down a telephony connection as and when necessary instead of a persistent connection may help to avoid any expense incurred in relation to use of foreign telephony bandwidth and/or network infrastructure. In the above embodiments of the invention, virtual user agent gateway

300 contacts and accesses agent position store 102 in order to obtain an available agent position to allocate to data processing device 306 and the associated user. In alternative embodiments of the invention, virtual user agent gateway 300 may access agent position store 102 and download a group of agent positions at once, or all available agent positions. Virtual user agent gateway 300 can then subsequently allocate agent positions directly upon request without having to revert to the agent position store 102 each time an allocation request is received.

Agent position store 302 may be situated locally to ACD system 104, or may be hosted remotely to ACD system 104, for example at a website or other file depository maintained by a third party who are responsible for providing agent positions and/or issuing licences for accessing the telephony system.

As an exemplary application of the invention, a user may wish to take calls at a user agent having have a telephone directory number such as 'extension 1000' which may have a corresponding SIP address of, say ' 1000@useragent'. However, virtual user agent gateway 300 may map this from a registered agent position with telephone directory number such as 'extension 1111 '. Virtual user agent gateway 300 will register to SIP Server 304 for calls being delivered to the telephone directory number of 'extension 1111 ' and the virtual user agent representing the user will register with the system on SIP server 304 using the directory number 'extension 1111 '. Subsequently, when virtual user agent gateway 300 receives a telephone call to directory number 'extension 1111 ', it will map and deliver the call to the actual user agent, in this example '1000@useragent' or 'extension 1000'.

Many of the steps in Figure 4 are similar to those shown in Figure 3 and described in detail above, i.e. steps 4a and 4d relate to an agent position request and corresponding response, steps 4b and 4c relate to accessing the agent position store and corresponding response, and step 4e relates to a mapping request. In the embodiment of Figure 4 however, instead of proceeding to registration of one or more allocated agent positions with SIP server 404 after transmittal of a mapping request in step 4e, a mapping response is transmitted from virtual user agent gateway 400 to data processing device in step 4m. Data processing device 406 then logs-in to the call centre system via SIP server 404 in step 4n and SIP server 404 informs virtual user agent gateway 400 that data processing device 406 has logged-in with the allocated agent position in step 4o.

Virtual user agent gateway 400 then makes a telephony connection to user agent 408 in steps 4h-4k, after which virtual user agent gateway 400 registers the allocated agent position with SIP server 404 of ACD system 104 in step 4f, with corresponding response in step 4g.

Once step 4g has been carried out, the user is able to receive incoming calls distributed by ACD system 104 at user agent 408 via the allocated agent position. Figure 5 is a message flow diagram showing a service initiation procedure according to a yet further embodiment of the present invention.

Many of the steps in Figure 5 are similar to those shown in Figure 3 and described in detail above, i.e. steps 5a and 5d relate to an agent position request and corresponding response, steps 5b and 5 c relate to accessing the agent position store and corresponding response, and step 5e relates to a mapping request.

Similarly, virtual user agent gateway 500 makes a telephony connection to user agent 508 in steps 5h-5k, step 5m entails transmittal of a mapping response, and step 5n and 5o involve data processing 506 logging-in to the call centre system via SIP server 504 and SIP server 504 informing virtual user agent gateway 500 of such respectively. Here, however, registration of one or more allocated agent positions with SIP server 504 occurs before any of steps 5a-5e,

5h-5k, or 5m-5o take place. Such pre-registration allows the virtual user agent gateway to pre-register one or more agent positions with ACD system 104, which can then subsequently be associated with a particular user agent when a user contacts virtual user agent gateway 500 identifying a user agent at which they wish to retrieve incoming calls distributed by ACD system 104.

The above embodiments are to be understood as illustrative examples of the invention. Further embodiments of the invention are envisaged. For example, the present invention is described above in relation to the processing of incoming telephone calls. The present invention could also be used in the processing of video calls and other related telephony services.

Various embodiments of the invention have been described where one or more entities communicate using SIP messaging. The invention is equally applicable to other suitable communication formats and protocols, or combinations thereof, such as the International Telecommunication Union (ITU)

H.323 standard.

It is to be understood that any feature described in relation to any one embodiment may be used alone, or in combination with other features described, and may also be used in combination with one or more features of any other of the embodiments, or any combination of any other of the embodiments.

Furthermore, equivalents and modifications not described above may also be employed without departing from the scope of the invention, which is defined in the accompanying claims.

Claims

1. A method of processing incoming telephone calls from calling parties after receipt of said calls at a call centre call distributing system in a telecommunications network, said call distributing system being capable of registering a plurality of agent positions for the distribution of incoming telephone calls to a plurality of user agents, the incoming telephone calls being distributed according to availability of said plurality of user agents, said method comprising the steps of: arranging a first virtual user agent to be registered with said call distributing system in association with a first agent position selected from said plurality of agent positions, such that said call distributing system, on determining availability of a first user agent, distributes an incoming call to said first virtual user agent; receiving at said first virtual user agent said incoming telephone call from said call distributing system, said incoming call having been distributed to said first virtual user agent on the basis of availability of said first user agent; and routeing said incoming telephone call to said first user agent.

2. A method according to claim 1, comprising: receiving an indication that said first user agent is available to receive an incoming telephone call; and transmitting a call distribution request to said call distributing system, prior to receiving said incoming telephone call from said call distributing system.

3. A method according to claim 2, wherein said call distribution request identifies said first agent position as an agent position for which an incoming call is to be distributed by said call distributing system in response to receipt by said call distributing system of said call distribution request.

4. A method according to claim 2 or 3, wherein said call distribution request is transmitted from a data processing device separate from said first user agent.

5. A method according to claim 4, wherein said data processing device comprises a separate user terminal having a graphical user interface capable of receiving input from a user to initiate the transmission of said call distribution request.

6. A method according to any preceding claim, wherein said user agents comprise telephony user terminals.

7. A method according to any preceding claim, comprising: arranging a plurality of virtual user agents to be registered with said call distributing system in association with at least some of said plurality of agent positions; maintaining a store of mapping data, said mapping data comprising data identifying user agents on behalf of which said plurality of virtual user agents are registered to receive incoming calls distributed by said call distributing system; in response to receipt of an incoming call by one of said plurality of virtual user agents, identifying a user agent on the basis of said mapping data; and routeing said call to said identified user agent.

8. A method according to claim 6 and 7, wherein said data identifying user agents comprise network identifiers for said telephony user terminals.

9. A method according to claim 8, wherein said network identifiers each comprise one or more of: a Session Initiation Protocol identifier; and a telephony dialling number.

10. A method according to any preceding claim, comprising registering said first virtual user agent with said call distributing system in association with one of said plurality of agent positions in response to receiving a mapping request from a user, said mapping request identifying said first user agent.

11. A method according to any of claims 1 to 9, comprising registering said first virtual user agent with said call distributing system in association with one of said plurality of agent positions prior to receiving a mapping request from a user, said mapping request identifying said first user agent.

12. A method according to claim 10 or 11, wherein said mapping request is transmitted from said data processing device.

13. A method according to claim 12, wherein said data processing device is capable of receiving input from a user to initiate the transmission of said mapping request.

14. A method according to any preceding claim, wherein said method comprises creating a telephony connection between said first virtual user agent and said first user agent at least for the duration of said incoming telephone call.

15. A method according to claim 14, comprising using said created telephony connection to conduct an outgoing telephone call from said first user agent.

16. A method according to claim 14 or 15, comprising maintaining the created telephony connection after said incoming telephone call has terminated and routeing a subsequent incoming telephone call distributed by said call distributing system to said virtual user agent via the maintained telephony connection.

17. A method according to claim 14 or 15, comprising terminating said telephony connection after said incoming telephone call has terminated and routeing a subsequent incoming telephone call distributed by said call distributing system to said virtual agent via a subsequently initiated telephony connection.

18. A method according to any preceding claim, wherein said method comprises arranging a plurality of virtual user agents to be registered with said call distributing system in association with agent positions selected from said plurality of agent positions, each virtual user agent from said plurality being located at a common node in said network, such that said call distributing system distributes incoming telephone calls to said plurality of virtual user agents at said common network node.

19. A system for processing incoming telephone calls from calling parties after receipt of said calls at a call centre call distributing system in a telecommunications network, said call distributing system being capable of registering a plurality of agent positions for the distribution of incoming telephone calls to a plurality of user agents, the incoming telephone calls being distributed according to availability of said plurality of user agents, said system comprising: means for arranging a first virtual user agent to be registered with said call distributing system in association with a first agent position selected from said plurality of agent positions, such that said call distributing system, on determining availability of a first user agent, distributes an incoming call to said first virtual user agent; means for receiving at said first virtual user agent said incoming telephone call from said call distributing system, said incoming call having been distributed to said first virtual user agent on the basis of availability of said first user agent; and means for routeing said incoming telephone call to said first user agent.

20. Computer software for processing incoming telephone calls from calling parties after receipt of said calls at a call centre call distributing system in a telecommunications network, said call distributing system being capable of registering a plurality of agent positions for the distribution of incoming telephone calls to a plurality of user agents, the incoming telephone calls being distributed according to availability of said plurality of user agents, said computer software comprising: a function for arranging a first virtual user agent to be registered with said call distributing system in association with a first agent position selected from said plurality of agent positions, such that said call distributing system, on determining availability of a first user agent, distributes an incoming call to said first virtual user agent; a function for receiving at said first virtual user agent said incoming telephone call from said call distributing system, said incoming call having been distributed to said first virtual user agent on the basis of availability of said first user agent; and a function for routeing said incoming telephone call to said first user agent.