Patent ID: 9560210
Date: 2017-01-31
CPC Classifications: H04L,H04M,H04Q

Claim:
1. A method for processing an incoming call comprising a voice call at a call handler in a contact center wherein the incoming call originates from a calling party, the method comprising: receiving a call establishment request at an interface to a carrier offering the incoming call to the call handler, wherein the call establishment request includes a number corresponding to a telephone number dialed by the calling party; starting a call acceptance timer in the call handler after receiving the call establishment request, wherein expiry of the call acceptance timer causes the call handler to send a call acceptance message to the carrier accepting the incoming call; using the number corresponding to the telephone number dialed by the calling party to ascertain a group comprising one or more agents configured to accept calls directed to the telephone number; queuing the incoming call for the group prior to accepting the incoming call; detecting in the call handler an event comprising an earlier occurrence of one of: sending the call acceptance message over the interface to the carrier accepting the incoming call in response to detecting the event; routing the incoming call to the agent if the agent is available to accept the incoming call prior to the expiry of the call acceptance timer; and providing an announcement to the calling party if the agent is not available to accept the incoming call prior to the expiry of the call acceptance timer.