Abstract:
The distribution of calls to directory inquiry centers is concentrated in a server which reduces the traffic between the centers. For a given center, the server cyclically determines a forecast waiting time of the calls as a function of an average waiting time per call which it estimates for the given center, and compares the forecast waiting time with two thresholds so as to decide to route the calls to the given center or to another, less heavily loaded, inquiry center, and with two other thresholds so that the given center accepts calls from other, more heavily loaded centers, or refuses them if it is itself saturated.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    1. Field of the Invention  
           [0002]    The present invention relates to the waiting time of telephone calls in inquiry centers, also called call centers or telephone-call response centers, and more particularly a distribution of calls to directory inquiry centers depending on the waiting time of the calls in them.  
           [0003]    2. Description of the Prior Art  
           [0004]    The U.S. Pat. No. 5,506,898 presents a method of estimating a waiting time in an inquiry center having several call queues as a function of priorities, so as to signal, by voice messaging, to each person requesting a call, the actual waiting time for obtaining an agent of the center.  
           [0005]    If Q calls are already present in the queue, and if the inquiry center is dealing with one call on average every S seconds, the forecast waiting time AP is defined by AP=Q×S. The forecast waiting time AP is therefore the time which it would take for a call to go from the last place, in this instance the Qth place, to the first place in the queue.  
           [0006]    The service duration perceived by the user is defined as being the average rate of progress in the queue, that is to say the time which it takes for a call to progress from one place to the next in the queue. The service duration perceived by the user is then updated upon each pick-up by an operator in the inquiry center, i.e. upon each response to a current call by the time which the current call has been on hold divided by the number of calls enqueued in the queue at the instant when the current call was parked in the queue. The service duration S n  perceived by the user is deduced from the following relationship according to the U.S. Pat. No. 5,506,898: 
             S   n   =β×S   n−1 +(1−β)× TAF.   
           [0007]    S n−1  designates the service duration perceived by the user for the last call preceding the current call, and TAF designates the average rate of advance through the queue for the last call. β is a factor, typically 0.95, corresponding to a very heavy weighting of the irregularities in the service duration perceived by the user.  
           [0008]    The reactivity to the change of the number of agents in the inquiry center is immediate according to the U.S. Pat. No. 5,506,898, since the staff numbers allocated to each group of queues are known. Consequently, the variations in the numbers of agents are reflected instantly on the service duration S n  perceived by the user by applying the multiplying factor 
           ρ=(new staff number)/(old staff number). 
           [0009]    The European patent application No. 772,335 describes a distribution of the calls in a system comprising several inquiry centers independent of one another. Each call is associated with a local inquiry center which should deal with the call in priority. If the local inquiry center is overloaded, calls which are associated with it can be directed to another, less heavily loaded, remote inquiry center.  
           [0010]    The estimating of the load is based on the forecast waiting time AP described in the abovementioned U.S. patent.  
           [0011]    For each incoming call, all the inquiry centers which offer the same skills are capable of being interrogated, via the telephone network, so as to compare their forecast waiting times and to determine the best queue for the call, i.e. the queue where the waiting time is the shortest.  
           [0012]    The priority of the local inquiry center, by comparison with the other inquiry centers interrogated, is accentuated by adding a time quantum (constant) to the forecast waiting times of the remote centers by comparison with the forecast waiting time of the local center, for determination of the best queue.  
           [0013]    However, in the case of a heavy load on the entire network, the time quantum is not sufficient, and the calls are no longer dealt with by their local inquiry centers without the service in them being enhanced.  
           [0014]    The call distribution according to the abovementioned European patent application requires a dialog between the centers which interrogate each other in order to ascertain their forecast waiting times, because of the absence of a centralized processing facility between the inquiry centers. These interrogations take place upon each call, or periodically, so as to reduce the service traffic between the inquiry centers generated by these interrogations, and they therefore generate supplementary traffic between the centers.  
           [0015]    The absence of centralization also poses problems of administration of the system of the inquiry centers and, in general, exhibits the drawbacks of the non-centralized solutions such as duplication of data, difficult administration and difficult upgrade of the center-management software.  
         OBJECT OF THE INVENTION  
         [0016]    The principal objective of the invention is to remedy the drawbacks of the methods according to the prior art set out above, and thus to concentrate the management of the calls of the inquiry centers and to reduce all supplementary traffic between the inquiry centers.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0017]    Accordingly, a method for distributing calls to directory inquiry centers, comprises a cycle of succeeding steps for a given inquiry center:  
           [0018]    determining a forecast waiting time of the calls on the basis of a number of calls in waiting and of an estimated average waiting time per call in the given center,  
           [0019]    routing the calls to the given center when the determined forecast waiting time is below a first threshold, and accepting calls from other inquiry centers the forecast waiting times of which are above the first threshold, when the determined forecast waiting time is below a third threshold,  
           [0020]    routing the calls intended for the given center to another inquiry center on condition that the forecast waiting time in it is below the third threshold, when the determined forecast waiting time lies between the first threshold and a second threshold higher than the first threshold, and accepting calls from another inquiry center only if the forecast waiting time thereof is above the second threshold, when the determined forecast waiting time lies between the third threshold and a fourth threshold higher than the third threshold, and  
           [0021]    routing calls intended for the given center to another inquiry center the forecast waiting time of which is below the fourth threshold, when the determined forecast waiting time is above the second threshold, and refusing all calls from other inquiry centers when the determined forecast waiting time is above the fourth threshold.  
           [0022]    This latter step of routing and refusing guarantees that the given inquiry center, when it is saturated, no longer receives traffic from other centers and thus ensures the stability of the centers as a whole.  
           [0023]    In practice, each inquiry center to which calls from the given center are routed is selected from a predetermined list of inquiry centers attributed to the given center. When each inquiry center has a forecast waiting time below the third threshold, it is found among the inquiry centers which are available by running cyclically through said predetermined list. According to another embodiment, when said each inquiry center has a forecast waiting time below the fourth threshold, it exhibits the shortest forecast waiting time of the list.  
           [0024]    The method is less complex when the first and third thresholds are equal, and the second and fourth thresholds are equal.  
           [0025]    In order to ensure better operating stability for all the inquiry centers, they do not instantaneously change state upon one of the four thresholds being crossed by the forecast waiting time. In respect, the crossing of each threshold in a given direction by the determined forecast waiting time in the course of the cycle increments a count, and the step of routing or of accepting or of refusing depending on this threshold is performed only when the count reaches a predetermined number during cycles preceding said cycle.  
           [0026]    The invention also resolves another problem posed by the main object, because of the lack of knowledge of the number of agents present in each center, and thus of the average waiting time in each center, by any system for concentrating the management of the centers which is situated outside the centers themselves.  
           [0027]    According to the invention, the forecast waiting time of the calls is equal to the product (Np+1)S k *. Np denotes the number of calls placed in waiting in the given inquiry center which is incremented by one unity responsive to each call directed to the given center and which is decremented responsive to a pick-up for this call in the given center. S k * denotes an estimated average waiting time between two pick-ups in the given center.  
           [0028]    The average waiting time is estimated with the lack of knowledge of the number of agents in the given inquiry center. The estimated average waiting time S k * is refreshed in response to the pick-up for each significant call in a queue in the given center according to the following relationship: 
             S   k   *=αS   k−1 *+(1−α)Δ td.   
           [0029]    S k−1 * denotes the estimated average waiting time for a preceding significant call, α a smoothing factor, and Δtd a difference between the instant of the pick-up for the significant call and the instant of the pick-up of the preceding call, whether it was or was not placed in waiting.  
           [0030]    The smoothing factor is preferably determined as a function of the number of significant calls NAS per predetermined period, according to the formula: 
           α= NAS {square root}{square root over (0.1)} 
           [0031]    The invention concerns too a system for managing calls to directory inquiry centers. It is characterized in that it comprises a server which is linked to telephone exchange means serving the inquiry centers in order to receive call-processing signals from them, and which concentrates the management of the routing of the calls to the centers in accordance with the method of the invention. This concentration eliminates data exchanges between the inquiry centers and ensures better control for the operator of the inquiry centers as a whole. For example, the method of the invention may be implemented only during times of heavy traffic.  
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0032]    Other features and advantages of the present invention will become more clearly apparent on reading the following description of several preferred embodiments of the invention, which description is given with reference to the corresponding accompanying drawings, in which:  
         [0033]    [0033]FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an inquiry-center system comprising a call-distribution server for implementing the method of the invention;  
         [0034]    [0034]FIG. 2 is a call-distribution algorithm relating to an inquiry center, which is implemented in the call-distribution server;  
         [0035]    [0035]FIG. 3 is another implementation of a part of the call-distribution algorithm of FIG. 2 for hysteresis filtering of the changing of forecast waiting time;  
         [0036]    [0036]FIG. 4 is an algorithm for predicting the estimated average waiting time according to the invention; and  
         [0037]    [0037]FIG. 5 is a graph for determining a smoothing factor of the estimated average waiting time. 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0038]    As shown diagrammatically in FIG. 1, in the switched telephone network RTC, a telephone-user terminal TU is attached to an autonomous-routing automatic exchange CA 1 .  
         [0039]    In an intelligent-network architecture, each automatic telephone exchange is associated with a service-access exchange (Service Switching Point, SSP) which handles the access to predetermined services for the user terminals which it serves. In particular, in the context of the invention, the automatic exchange CA 1  is linked to a call-distribution server SRA having the role of Service Control Point (SCP) in the intelligent network via a transit center CT serving several automatic exchanges and here having the role of service-access exchange SSP.  
         [0040]    A local directory inquiry center CRL is also represented in FIG. 1, and handles inquiry calls originating from the user terminals, especially those attached to the automatic exchange CA 1 , such as the terminal TU, and which is served by several lines, for example B data channels of an ISDN primary access, via a second automatic exchange CA 2 . Another directory inquiry center CR linked to an automatic exchange CA 3  is also shown in FIG. 1, although, in practice, many other inquiry centers are linked to the network RTC.  
         [0041]    More generally, the call-distribution server SRA handles the routing of the inquiry calls for an entire territory, such as France, and serves several transit centers which are themselves each linked to several automatic telephone exchanges.  
         [0042]    The intelligent-network architecture allows a concentration of the handling of the routing of the calls to all the inquiry centers CR in the server SRA without requiring interrogations between the inquiry centers CR. For implementing the invention, an inquiry telephone call results from the dialing of the conventional call number  12  from any fixed telephony terminal TU and the routing of the call via the connecting automatic exchange CA 1  to the call-distribution server SRA.  
         [0043]    To each user terminal TU of a predetermined geographical zone, for example all the terminals attached to the automatic exchange CA 1 , the server SRA allocates a “local” inquiry center, designated by CRL in the case of the terminal illustrated TU in the remainder of the description. With each inquiry center CRL, the server SRA associates a list of inquiry centers LCR to one of which the inquiry call from the terminal TU could be directed when the local inquiry center CRL is in a waiting state or in a saturated state, as will be seen later on. An inquiry call sent by a user terminal TU is thus handled by the call-distribution server SRA which, on the basis of the cyclic algorithm described below by reference to FIG. 2, decides to direct the call to the local inquiry center CRL to which the terminal TU is attached, or else to one of the inquiry centers set out in the list LCR associated with the inquiry center CRL.  
         [0044]    In order to manage the distribution of the calls, the server SRA has available a copy of the call-processing signals of all the inquiry centers CR, and, in particular, knows the instant of pick-up by the telephone agents in each inquiry center so as to determine a forecast waiting time A for each inquiry center, without exchange of service data between the inquiry centers.  
         [0045]    Typically, the server SRA manages the routing of inquiry calls to about thirty inquiry centers CR in which about 4500 telephone agents are distributed.  
         [0046]    [0046]FIG. 2 relates to the distribution of the inquiry calls originating from user terminals attached to the local inquiry centers CRL, while knowing that the server SRA, in parallel, manages in the same way inquiry calls originating from other terminals attached to the other inquiry centers.  
         [0047]    As indicated at the start of the cyclic algorithm, at an initial step P 0 , the cycle of the succeeding steps is carried out at each period δt, so as to determine the states of the inquiry center CRL and to take the decision on routing of the calls to this inquiry center or to one of the inquiry centers from the list LCR associated with it, throughout the entire period δt. The period δt is programmable in the server SRA, typically between one second and one minute.  
         [0048]    At the following step P 1 , it is assumed that, during the period δt, a load indicator of the inquiry center CRL consisting of the forecast waiting time A has already been determined, as will be described in detail later on in the description. The forecast waiting time A for an inquiry center CR is equal to the product of the number of parked calls Np+1, i.e. the number of calls put in waiting in the inquiry center, including the call currently being processed, multiplied by an estimate of the average time between two successive agent pick-ups in the inquiry center. Thus, the forecast waiting time A is the forecast of the duration for which an inquiry call should be in waiting before being attended to by an operator of the inquiry center if the call were sent to this inquiry center.  
         [0049]    As indicated by parallel steps PN 2  and PD 2  succeeding the step P 1 , the local inquiry center CRL is characterized by a nominal capacity CN and an overflow capacity CD. The nominal capacity CN represents the capacity of the inquiry center CRL to absorb its own local traffic so as to determine whether this local traffic should be dealt with by the inquiry center CRL itself or else should be routed to another inquiry center selected from the associated list LCR. The overflow capacity CD is the capacity of the inquiry center to absorb external telephone traffic originating from the other inquiry centers with which lists are associated including the local inquiry center CRL, so as to determine whether the overflow traffic originating from the other inquiry centers can be dealt with by the local inquiry center CRL.  
         [0050]    Each of the nominal CN and overflow CD capacities exhibits three states, an available state CN 1 , CD 1 , a waiting state CN 2 , CD 2 , and a saturated state CN 3 , CD 3 . The state of each capacity CN, CD is determined on the basis of the forecast waiting time A and of two respective thresholds AN 1  and AN 2  in the case of the nominal capacity CN, and AD 1  and AD 2  in the case of the overflow capacity CD.  
         [0051]    By reference to the left-hand part of the algorithm of FIG. 2, the determining of the state of the nominal capacity CN will first of all be described, during a period δt. At the start of the cycle with period δt, it is assumed, at step PN 2 , that the nominal capacity of the center CRL is in the state CN i , with i=1, 2 or 3, the state CN i  corresponding to the variable A lying between two thresholds AN i−1  and AN i , with AN 0 =0 and AN 3  equal to a large number representing infinity.  
         [0052]    At the following steps PN 3 , PN 4  and PN 5 , the variable A is compared with the lower threshold AN 1  and with the upper threshold AN 2  which determine the three states of the nominal capacity:  
         [0053]    if A&lt;AN 1 , then the state of the nominal capacity is CN 1  (step PN 6 ), which means that the inquiry center CRL is available to handle local inquiry calls;  
         [0054]    if AN 1 &lt;A&lt;AN 2 , then the nominal capacity is in the state CN 2  (step PN 7 ), and the inquiry center places in waiting the inquiry calls which it is receiving;  
         [0055]    if A&gt;AN 2 , the nominal capacity is in the state CN 3  (step PN 8 ), indicating that the inquiry center CRL is saturated by the calls and is not capable of handling them all.  
         [0056]    According to a first embodiment, the state of the nominal capacity is changed as soon as the variable A has crossed one of the thresholds AN 1  or AN 2 . Thus, if the variable A is below AN i−1 , the state of the capacity changes to the lower state CN i−1 , and if the variable A has crossed the threshold above AN i , the state of the nominal capacity changes to the higher state CN i+1 .  
         [0057]    Depending on the state CN of the nominal capacity determined above, which may be the available state CN 1 , the waiting state CN 2  or the saturated state CN 3 , as indicated in steps PN 6 , PN 7  and PN 8 , the call-distribution server SRA determines the routing of the calls normally to be routed to the inquiry center CRL.  
         [0058]    If the state CN is the available state CN 1 , i.e. if the variable A is below the first threshold AN 1 , the waiting time for a call is too small to be significant. The server SRA directs all the calls to the local inquiry center CRL which deals with its local traffic, even if other inquiry centers CR exhibit forecast waiting times A which are below those of the center CRL (step PN 9 ).  
         [0059]    If the state CN is the waiting state CN 2 , i.e. if the variable A lies between the lower threshold CN 1  and the upper threshold CN 2 , the server SRA directs the local traffic intended initially for the inquiry center CRL to another inquiry center CR on condition that the latter is in the available state CD 1  as regards its overflow capacity (step PN 10 ). The server SRA cyclically runs through the list of inquiry centers LCR in order to find an available inquiry center in this list. If, at step PN 10 , no other inquiry center on the list LCR is available to receive the traffic of the center CRL, the local traffic is then directed to the inquiry center CRL itself (step PN 9 ).  
         [0060]    If the state CN of the nominal capacity is the saturated state CN 3  at step PN 8 , i.e. if the variable A is above the threshold AN 2 , the server SRA looks, at step PN 11 , to see whether another inquiry center CR on the associated list LCR exhibits an overflow capacity in the available state CD 1 , or in the waiting state CD 2  so as to be able to absorb the traffic intended normally for the inquiry center CRL. In order to choose the other available or waiting inquiry center, the server SRA selects the one which exhibits the smallest forecast average waiting time A. Hence, the other inquiry center to which the calls of the center CRL are directed is, in priority, a center with an overflow capacity in the available state, and, if none exists, a center with an overflow capacity in the waiting state.  
         [0061]    If, at step PN 11 , the server SRA does not find any other inquiry center the overflow capacity of which is in the available state or in the waiting state on the list LCR, i.e. if all the other inquiry centers have their overflow capacity in the saturated state CD 3  (step PN 12 ), the server SRA decides, according to a first variant, to direct the calls, notwithstanding, to the inquiry center CRL which will then be placed in waiting state (step PN 9 ), or else, according to a second variant, to reject the calls.  
         [0062]    After the steps PN 9 , PN 10  and PN 11 , the call-distribution method comes back to step P 0 .  
         [0063]    As shown on the right in FIG. 2, steps PD 2  to PD 11  determine the state CD i  of the overflow capacity of the local inquiry center CRL with respect to thresholds AD i−1  and AD i  of the forecast waiting time A, i.e. with respect to a lower threshold AD 1  and an upper threshold AD 2 , in a way which is similar to steps PN 2  to PN 11 , the letter N being changed for the letter D in the identifiers.  
         [0064]    If the state CD of the overflow capacity is the available state CD 1  (step PD 6  ), i.e. if the variable A is below the lower threshold AD 1 , the server SRA marks the local inquiry center CRL so that it will accept traffic originating from other inquiry centers CR the nominal capacities of which are in the waiting state CN 2  or in the saturated state CN 3  (step P 9 ).  
         [0065]    If the overflow capacity CD of the inquiry center CRL is in the waiting state CD 2  (step PD 7 ), i.e. if the variable A lies between the lower threshold AD 1  and the upper threshold AD 2 , the center CRL refuses traffic from any other inquiry center CR except if the latter exhibits a nominal capacity in the saturated state CN 3  (step PD 10 ).  
         [0066]    When the overflow capacity CD of the center CRL is in the saturated state CD 3  (step PD 8 ) , the server SRA refuses to direct calls originating from other inquiry centers CR to the inquiry center CRL (step PD 11 ).  
         [0067]    After the steps PD 9 , PD 10  and PD 11 , as after the steps PN 9 , PN 10  and PN 11 , the method returns to step P 1  for a new cycle with a period δt.  
         [0068]    In FIG. 2, the thresholds AN 1  and AN 2  for the nominal capacity are, a priori, different from the thresholds AD 1  and AD 2  for the overflow capacity. However, in order to simplify the algorithm, provision is made in a variant for the thresholds AN 1  and AD 1  to be equal and the thresholds AN 2  and AD 2  to be equal; in this variant, the nominal and overflow capacities CN and CD are coincident and thus the steps PN 2  to PN 11  are respectively merged with steps PD 2  to PD 11 .  
         [0069]    In the preceding embodiment shown in FIG. 2, the forecast waiting time variable A causes a change of state of one of the nominal and overflow capacities CN and CD, as soon as the variable A crosses one of the thresholds AN 1 , AN 2 , AD 1  and AD 2 ; for example, one of the capacities can change directly from the available state to the saturated state and conversely. Such a rapid change of state is thus upsetting for the operation, all the more so as the period δt is small, of the order of one second.  
         [0070]    The second embodiment shown in FIG. 3 remedies this drawback by “hysteresis” filtering of the crossing of each threshold AN 1 , AN 2 , AD 1  and AD 2 , which imposes inertia on the change of state. This filtering thus avoids each inquiry center changing state at each period δt.  
         [0071]    This second embodiment is described by reference to FIG. 2 as regards the crossing of the thresholds AN 1  and AN 2  relating to the nominal capacity CN between the pairs of steps PN 3 -PN 6  to PN 5 -PN 8  and the steps PN 9  to PN 11 , the “hysteresis” filtering relating to the overflow capacity CD being similar to that shown in FIG. 3, the letter N in the identifiers being changed for the letter D.  
         [0072]    The nominal-capacity state CN(t) for the cycle period in progress at the instant t is compared with the nominal-capacity state CN(t−δt) for the preceding period at the step PN 13  succeeding the steps PN 6 , PN 7  and PN 8 . If these nominal-capacity states CN(t) and CN(t−δt) are identical, there is no change of state as indicated at step PN 14 , and the method carries on with the steps PN 9  to PN 11  depending on whether the state CN(t) is the available state CN 1 , the waiting state CN 2  or the saturated state CN 3  to be verified at respective steps PN 15 , PN 16  and PN 17 .  
         [0073]    In contrast, at step PN 13 , if the successive states CN(t−δt) and CN(t) are different, step PN 18  or PN 19  checks whether state CN(t) for the period in progress is less than or higher than the preceding state CN(t−δt). If one of the thresholds AN 1  and AN 2  has been crossed in descending from the state CN 2 , CN 3  to the state CN 1 , CN 2 , the count c of a counter, initially set to zero and associated with the center CRL, is decremented by one unity (step PN 20 ) and the state CN is not modified (step PN 14 ), as long as the count c is greater than a minimum limit −cm (step PN 21 , no). In contrast, as soon as the count c reaches the minimum limit −cm, the state CN(t) of the nominal capacity changes to the lower state CN 1 , CN 2  (step PN 22 ) and the count c is reset to zero.  
         [0074]    Conversely, if one of the thresholds AN 1 , and AN 2  has been crossed on rising from the state CN 1 , CN 2  to the state CN 2 , CN 3 , the count c of the counter is incremented by one unity (step PN 23 ). As long as the count c has not reached a maximum limit +cm (step PN 24 , no), the state CN(t) of the nominal capacity is not modified (step PN 14 ). In contrast, as soon as the count c reaches the maximum limit cm, the state CN(t) of the nominal capacity changes to the higher state CN 2 , CN 3  (step PN 22 ) and the count c is reset to zero.  
         [0075]    After the steps PN 14  and PN 22 , the method continues with the steps PN 15 , PN 16  and PN 17 .  
         [0076]    By virtue of this “hysteresis” filtering according to FIG. 4, transitions from the available state to the saturated state or from the saturated state to the available state of each of the capacities CN, CD are no longer possible: passing through the waiting state is systematic. Since the count c is reset to zero upon each change of state (step PN 22 ), at least cm comparisons are necessary in order to change state. The state of loading of each inquiry center CRL being determined every period δt, that means that there are at least cm.δt seconds between two successive changes of capacity state. The filtering according to this second embodiment thus guarantees a minimum stability on the state of the inquiry centers.  
         [0077]    A high value of the limit cm, for example cm.δt=45 sec., eases operation since the state of the inquiry centers thereby becomes more stable.  
         [0078]    The choice of the limit cm therefore arises from a compromise to be found in operation between performance and stability.  
         [0079]    As was said at step P 1  (FIG. 2), the forecast waiting time A is a function of the number of parked calls Np, i.e. calls placed in the queue in the inquiry center CRL, and of an estimate of the average time for processing a call S* between two agent pick-ups in the center CR, i.e. A=(Np+1)S*.  
         [0080]    The foregoing formula for determining the forecast waiting time A was deduced from the following reasoning.  
         [0081]    If an inquiry center CRL is considered, including NOP agents for whom the average duration of conversation for an inquiry request is H, an inquiry call is in waiting on average H/NOP seconds before being attended to by an agent in the center CRL if it is sent to this center by the server SRA. This average waiting time perceived by the user is denoted S.  
         [0082]    If, at a given instant, the queue of calls in the inquiry center CRL includes Np calls, with Np&gt;0, then a call arriving in the queue should wait for: 
         ( Np+ 1) H/NOP =( Np+ 1) S  seconds, 
         [0083]    before being attended to by an agent of the center CRL. This average waiting time constitutes the actual call load on the center CRL.  
         [0084]    However, the server SRA is unaware of the number of agents NOP in each inquiry center, as well as the average duration of conversation H. The average waiting time duration S perceived by the user is therefore not known to the server SRA.  
         [0085]    The average waiting time S is estimated according to the invention. The average waiting time estimated is denoted S*, and is determined according to the algorithm of FIG. 4 described later on. The forecast waiting time A is determined at step P 1  in the following way: 
         if  Np≠ 0 then  A =( Np+ 1) S*   
         if  Np= 0 then  A= 0. 
         [0086]    As is apparent from the incrementing of an index k at a first step E 1  in the algorithm of FIG. 4, the variables Np and S* are updated upon each current call A k , although the forecast waiting time A is updated every period δt.  
         [0087]    In the case in which Np=0, i.e. in the case where the queue in the inquiry center CRL is empty, it is assumed that at least one agent is free, and thus the forecast waiting time is zero.  
         [0088]    In order to keep the two variables Np and S* up to date, the call-distribution server SRA knows, for each call, on the one hand, the instant of reception tr k  of a call A k  placed in the queue, since the server signals this call reception to the inquiry center CRL, as indicated at a step E 2  in FIG. 4, and, on the other hand, the instant td k  of the end of the period for which the call A k  was in waiting, signaled by an agent pick-up message, or else a hang-up or release message, transmitted by the center CRL to the server SRA, as indicated at a step E 3  in FIG. 4. Hence, upon each arrival of a call, the number Np is incremented by one unity (step E 2 ) and, upon each pick-up by an agent, the number Np is decremented by one unity (step E 3 ). The number Np is thus known to the server SRA.  
         [0089]    The estimated value S* of the average waiting time S on the basis of the average of the differences in time between two successive pick-ups is determined in the following way according to the invention.  
         [0090]    When the queue in the inquiry center CRL is not empty, the duration separating two successive pick-ups Δtd, i.e. as indicated at step E 6  in FIG. 4, the difference between the time td k  at which an agent has picked up in response to the call A k  which has been placed in the queue, and the time tdd of the last pick-up by an agent in the inquiry center, is quite representative of the capacity of the center CRL to deal with the call. In contrast, if the call queue in the center CRL is empty, a call which arrives at the center CRL is attended to immediately, without waiting. The duration between this pick-up for a call with no waiting time and the last pick-up is no longer representative of the capacity of the center CRL, but depends on the instant of arrival td k  of the current call A k .  
         [0091]    For this reason, the invention considers that an instant of pick-up is “significant” when the agent takes a call A k  which has waited for in the queue. Hence, as indicated at a step E 4  in FIG. 4, when the difference between the time td k  of the pick-up of the call A k  and the time of reception tr k  of this call is substantially zero, i.e. when the call A k  is attended to practically immediately, the pick-up is regarded as not significant (step E 41 ) and the current estimated value of the average waiting time S k * is not refreshed, the algorithm of FIG. 4 passing from step E 4  to a step E 17 .  
         [0092]    As indicated at a step E 5  succeeding the step E 4 , upon each significant pick-up, i.e. after each placing of a call A k  in waiting, for which the waiting time duration td k -tr k  is other than zero, the server SRA increments, by one unity, a number NAS of significant calls and calculates a new estimated value S* of the average waiting time S in the following steps.  
         [0093]    The estimated value S k * for the current call A k  is determined by weighting of the last estimated value S k−1 * and of the time difference Δtd between the instant of pick-up td k  of the current significant call A k  and the instant of the last pick-up tdd, whether the last pick-up tdd was or was not significant as determined at a step E 6  succeeding the step E 5 , according to the following formula 
           S   k   *=S   k−1 *+(1−α)Δtd. 
         [0094]    Δtd is thus the drawing of a random variable the average of which is equal to S by definition, and α denotes a smoothing factor lying between predetermined minimum and maximum limits less than 1.  
         [0095]    If the factor α is close to 1, the last sample of pick-up difference Δtd is not important in the estimate. The estimated value S k * is thus very stable and does not vary abruptly in the case of a peak in traffic. It is smoothed. However, it requires a large number of samples in order to vary.  
         [0096]    Conversely, when the smoothing factor α diminishes, the estimated value S k * is less smoothed and thus more reactive. The number of Δtd samples necessary to cause the value of S k * to vary is less high. In contrast, the estimated value S k * is less stable and more sensitive to the variations in traffic.  
         [0097]    As indicated at a step E 7  succeeding the step E 6 , the predictive algorithm shown in FIG. 4 comprises an initialization period of duration T/2, typically of 15 min which, for each call A k , comprises steps E 71  to E 78 . During this initialization period, the first estimated value of the average waiting time S k * is determined by way of all the samples of pick-up time difference Δtd during the period T/2, as indicated at steps E 71  and E 75 :  
         S   k     *=       1   NAS            ∑     k   =   1       k   =   NAS            Δ                   t   d                                 
 
         [0098]    Thus, the first estimate is made in step with the picking-up of significant calls during the first period T/2. At the end of the initialization of step E 72 , the first value of the smoothing factor α is also determined. If, during the initialization, there has not been any significant call, i.e. NAS=0, the estimated value S k * of the average waiting time is equal to zero (change from step E 4  to step E 72  via step E 41 ), and the smoothing factor α is set to a minimum limit α min  typically equal to 0.8 as indicated at steps E 73  and E 74 . In contrast, when there is at least one significant call during the initialization (step E 73 , no), the smoothing factor α is calculated according to a formula detailed below at step E 76  as long as this formula does not give a smoothing factor greater than a maximum limit α max  as indicated at step E 77 . In the opposite case, at step E 78 , the value of the smoothing factor is set equal to the limit α max , typically equal to 0.95. Finally, the number of significant calls NAS is set to zero for the second period T/2 at step E 79 .  
         [0099]    The values S k * and a thus determined at steps E 74  to E 78  initiate the prediction algorithm of FIG. 4 in order, upon each significant call, to determine the estimated value of the average waiting time S k * and to update the value of the smoothing factor α at each T/2 period, as explained below.  
         [0100]    The choice of the smoothing factor α stems from the following constraints, in order to obtain a good estimate of the average waiting time S:  
         [0101]    the estimation error should be low, that is to say the estimate should be stable;  
         [0102]    the predictive algorithm should be sufficiently reactive to take account of abrupt variations in numbers of agent staff in the inquiry center CRL, and thus of abrupt variations in the average waiting time S, during a reasonable time.  
         [0103]    During daytime, especially during working hours, when the number of agents of the inquiry centers CR is fairly high and the traffic is sufficiently heavy for the queues of the inquiry centers not to be empty, the acquisition of a large number of Δtd samples takes place over a very short duration. The smoothing factor α can then be chosen to be close to 1. Although the smoothing is powerful, the high number of samples Δtd allows fairly rapid updating of the estimated value of average waiting time S*. The high smoothing thus ensures a reliable estimate, with low variance, in which the noise spikes are well damped.  
         [0104]    In contrast, in the case of small inquiry centers CR, or during slack periods, such as during the night or during meal times, the number of operators is fairly restricted and such an inquiry center receives low traffic, typically of the order of 100 calls at most about every hour. The acquisition of about a hundred Δtd samples may then take up to one hour. The invention then reduces the number of samples in the calculation of the estimated value S* so as to increase the reactivity of the prediction algorithm, which amounts to reducing the smoothing factor α. The prediction algorithm retains sufficient reactivity, although the estimated value S* is much less stable.  
         [0105]    The smoothing factor α is determined by assuming that, if an impulse Δtd=1 is observed, followed by n zero Δtd samples, then the response S n * to this impulse is deduced by the recurrence of the formula for the estimated value: 
           S   1 *=(1−α) 
           S   2   *=αS   1 * 
           S   n *=α n   .S   1 *, 
         [0106]    i.e.: 
           S   n *=α n (1−α) with 0&lt;α&lt;1. 
         [0107]    [0107]FIG. 5 represents the variation α n =S n */(1−α) as a function of the index n.  
         [0108]    If N neglect  denotes the number of Δtd samples necessary for the impulse response to be less than 1%, N neglect  represents the period during which the weight of the sample is still significant in the calculation of the estimate. This duration varies as a function of α; if α is close to 1, N neglect  is large, and, the more α reduces, the more N neglect  reduces.  
         [0109]    Let T be the time necessary to acquire N neglect  samples Δtd. In order for the predictive algorithm to be sufficiently reactive, the invention stipulates that the estimated value S* be completely refreshed in T minutes at most. The duration T can be set as a parameter in the server SRA and is chosen typically to be equal to 30 min.  
         [0110]    In order to determine the value of the smoothing factor α, the number of samples NAS during the last T/2 minutes is counted, and n=2. NAS samples Δtd are assumed to be received during the following T minutes. In accordance with an impulse response of &lt;1% as indicated above, the relationship between α and NAS is: α 2.NAS =0.01, i.e. 
         α= NAS {square root}{square root over (0.1)} 
         [0111]    Thus, as indicated in the lower part E 8  to E 15  on the left of FIG. 4, at the end of each T/2 period, at step E 8 , the value of the smoothing factor α is determined according to the preceding formula (step E 9 ). Then the α value determined is compared with an upper limit α max , typically equal to 0.95 (step E 10 ) and with a lower limit α min , typically equal to 0.8 (step E 11 ) and so as to keep the smoothing factor α lying between α min  and α max . Otherwise, the value of  60  is replaced by the maximum limit α max  (step E 12 ) or the minimum limit α min  (step E 13 ). Then the number of significant calls NAS is reset to zero for the next T/2 period (step E 14 ).  
         [0112]    Next, the estimated value of the average waiting time S k * is refreshed by determining it according to the formula mentioned above at step E 15 , and notified to step P 1  of the call-distribution algorithm (FIG. 2), at step E 16 , so as to determine the forecast waiting time A according to the invention. Finally, the variable S k−1 * is set equal to the variable S k * (step E 17 ) and the time variable of the last pick-up tdd is set to be equal to td k  (step E 18 ).  
         [0113]    In a variant, in order to lighten the workload on the server SRA, the value of the estimated average waiting time S k * is refreshed at the end of each T/2 period at the same time as the determination of the smoothing factor α; the “no” link between the steps E 8  and E 15  in FIG. 4 is replaced by a “no” link between the steps E 8  and E 18 , and step E 6  stores the time-difference sample Δtd in memory only for the significant call at the end of the period T/2 at step E 8 .  
         [0114]    According to yet another variant, the majority of the steps of the predictive algorithm of FIG. 4 can be incremented in the inquiry center in question CRL so that, after each pick-up for a significant call, it transmits not the instant of pick-up td k  at step E 3 , but the refreshed value of the estimated average waiting time S k * at step E 15  so as to notify it to step P 1  of the algorithm of FIG. 2, implemented in the server SRA.  
         [0115]    Although the foregoing description refers to inquiry centers CR for fixed user telephony terminals “TU”, the invention is also applicable in the fixed network of a radiotelephony network for mobile user telephone terminals. In FIG. 1, for this context in a radiotelephony network, TU designates a mobile radiotelephony terminal, CA 1  designates a mobile-service switching center MSC, CT designates the signaling network specific to the radiotelephony network, and SRA and CR designate a call-distribution server according to the invention for radiotelephony user terminals and local inquiry centers for the radiotelephony network. The inquiry centers CR are then accessible, for example, by dialing the inquiry call numbers 512 or 712 in the case of France.