Patent ID: 6157655
Filing Date: 2000-12-05
Classification: H04L,H04M,H04Q

Abstract:
A method for estimating, by a processor coupled to a call waiting queue, waiting time for a designated call in the call-waiting queue, wherein a plurality of agents handle calls in multiple queues, comprising steps of:(a) determining the number of calls ahead of the designated call;(b) determining the historical average call handling time T(h) for calls in the queue;(c) for each agent handling calls in the queue determining the portion of the agent's time devoted to the queue;(d) determining an effective number of agents devoted to the queue by summing the time portions over all of the agents; and(e) multiplying the number of calls ahead from step (a) by the historical call handling time from step (b), and dividing the result by the effective number of agents determined in step (d).