JP3962183B2 - Multiple reception center call distribution method and switching system having multiple reception center call distribution function - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an inter-reception center inter-reception center call distribution method for distributing a reception call among a plurality of reception centers and an exchange system having a multi-reception center inter-call distribution function.
[0002]
[Prior art]
In recent years, an increasing number of companies have service centers that accept inquiries and declarations from customers by telephone (hereinafter referred to as reception centers), but companies with wide service areas often have multiple reception centers. . Usually, the reception center is provided with a plurality of reception desks (including telephones), and private branch exchanges or the like connect incoming calls to empty reception desks. However, in order to distribute calls evenly to the plurality of reception desks, ACDs are connected to the private branch exchanges. An automatic call distribution function called (Automatic Call Distributing) is often provided.
[0003]
The conventional ACD function distributes calls to reception desks accommodated in private branch exchanges with built-in or added functions, but generally does not distribute calls to reception desks at other reception centers. It was the target. In recent years, however, automatic call distribution methods and automatic call distribution devices that distribute calls to a plurality of reception centers in an in-house communication network are also available as companies expand in scale, improve customer service, and develop information processing technology. (Hereinafter, a method for distributing a call among reception desks at a plurality of reception centers is referred to as a call distribution method between a plurality of reception centers).
[0004]
However, the proposed inter-reception center call distribution method is based on a reception center (hereinafter referred to as a main reception center) that directly receives a call from a customer via a public communication network, or another reception center (hereinafter referred to as a subordinate reception center). One of the reception desks is selected and connected. For example, when a call received at the main reception center fails to connect to the reception desk within a certain period of time, or for a certain period of time. Compared to the method of transferring to the reception center when it is predicted that connection cannot be established within the network, and the congestion status (number of waiting calls and waiting time) between the main reception center and the secondary reception center, it is possible to connect to the reception desk earlier. The main method is to anticipate a deaf reception center and transfer the call to the reception center.
[0005]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
As described above, the call distribution method between multiple reception centers in the prior art is intended to equalize the load on the reception desks of multiple reception centers and shorten the waiting time of customers, but for multiple reasons, it is necessary to accept multiple reception centers. The reception process is not performed at the center at the same time. For example, if the main reception center cannot be connected or the response is delayed, the method of transferring to the reception center is likely to cause the customer to wait for a long time. The method of predicting the meeting time has technical and economic limitations, so it may happen that other reception centers are more likely to respond faster than the selected reception center. Many.
[0006]
In addition, the call distribution method between multiple reception centers of the prior art selects the reception center based on the operating status of the reception desk, but when the reception center is selected, the call channel to the reception center is not captured. Since it is normal, there is a possibility that a state in which there is no free space in the call channel may occur when it becomes possible to connect to the reception desk. In this case, since the reception center is selected, it cannot be returned to the main reception center, and the customer is kept waiting until the call channel becomes available.
[0007]
On the other hand, companies that provide services such as gas and electricity may receive reports on abnormalities in gas and electricity at the reception center, and some of them are urgent. It is required to connect to a vacant reception desk as soon as possible. In contrast to this type of usage, the inter-office call distribution method of the prior art, which is mainly responsible for equalizing the load on the reception desk, has the above-mentioned problems, so that the request can be satisfied. Have difficulty. For this reason, there is a demand for the realization of a call distribution method capable of connecting as soon as possible to a reception table that can be received in a plurality of reception centers, and an exchange system having such a call distribution function.
[0008]
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to enable a call received at one reception center to be answered at an early stage including other reception centers.
[0009]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
FIG. 1 is a basic configuration diagram illustrating the principle of a call distribution method between multiple reception centers according to the present invention and the basic configuration of an exchange system having a call distribution function between multiple reception centers. FIGS. 2 and 3 are multiple receptions according to the present invention. It is a basic operation | movement flowchart of the call distribution method between centers.
[0010]
In the figure, 1 is an in-company communication network having a plurality of reception centers, 2 is a public communication network, 3 is a telephone of a customer calling the reception center (hereinafter referred to as a customer), and 4 is a public communication network of the reception center. 2 is a reception line that accepts a call from the customer 3 via 2. Reference numerals 10 and 20 are reception centers. In the present invention, the reception center that directly receives a call from the customer 3 via the public communication network 2 is the main reception center, and the main reception center notifies the occurrence of the reception call and performs the reception process. The reception center to perform is called a secondary reception center. In FIG. 1, the reception center 10 is illustrated as a main reception center, and the reception center 20 is illustrated as a secondary reception center. Although there may be a plurality of reception centers serving as the secondary reception centers, FIG. 1 shows only one secondary reception center.
[0011]
100 and 200 are switching systems provided in the main reception center 10 and the subordinate reception center 20, respectively, 30 is a trunk line provided between the exchange system 100 of the main reception center 10 and the exchange system 200 of the subordinate reception center 20, 110 Reference numerals 210 and 210 denote reception tables in the main reception center 10 and the sub reception center 20, respectively. 101 to 104, 201, 203 and 205 are means provided in the exchange system of the present invention. In FIG. 1, only the means used when operating as the exchange system of the main reception center is provided in the exchange system 100. In 200, only the means used when operating as an exchange system of a subordinate reception center are described.
[0012]
101 to 104 are means used when operating as a switching system of the main reception center. When a call arrives on the reception line 4 from the public communication network 2, 101 notifies other means of the occurrence of the reception call. The main reception call reception means for managing the reception call until the call is connected to the reception desk of one of the reception centers, and 102 receives the reception call from the main reception call reception means 101. When a call is received, a secondary reception center call is made to secure a trunk line 30 to one or more other reception centers 20 predetermined in the secondary reception center and notify the secondary reception center 20 of the occurrence of a reception call. Means 103 manages the availability of the reception desk 110 in the own reception center 10, and the reception board 110 accommodated in the own exchange system 100 when the main reception call reception means 101 is notified of the occurrence of the reception call. Reception desk that can accept from among The main reception stand selection means 104 to be selected is received from the other reception center 20 when the main reception stand selection means 103 is notified that selection of the reception stand 110 that can be accepted has been completed or from the other reception center 20 that has notified the occurrence of the reception call. When notified that selection of possible reception desks has been completed, the reception desk of the reception center that has received the earliest notification is determined as the reception desk that receives the call, and the reception desk that connects to the reception desk that has determined the call It is a decision means.
[0013]
In addition, the reception desk determination means 104 receives the reception call from the primary reception desk selection means 103 before receiving the reception desk selection end notification from the secondary reception center 20, The relay line 30 to the subordinate reception center 20 that has notified the occurrence of the call is released, and the reception line 4 from the public communication network 2 is connected to the selected reception board 110 in the own reception center 10 to complete the call reception processing. If the reception desk selection end notification is received from the other reception center 20 before receiving the notification that the selection of the reception desk 110 that can be received from the main reception board selection means 103 is completed, The selection process is stopped, the reception line 4 from the public communication network 2 is connected to the trunk line 30 to the reception center 20 that has notified the selection completion of the reception desk, and the call reception process ends.
[0014]
201, 203, and 205 are means used when the switching system 200 operates as a switching system of a subordinate reception center. 201 is a relay line 30 from the main reception center 10 that has received a direct call from the public communication network 2. When notified of the occurrence of the acceptance call, the occurrence of the acceptance call is notified to other means, and the call is connected to the reception desk 210 in the own reception center 20 or the trunk line 30 from the main reception center 10 The subordinate acceptance call accepting means for managing the accepted calls until it is confirmed that the call is released, 203 manages the availability of the reception desk 210 in the self acceptance center 20, and the subordinate acceptance call accepting means 201 Subordinate reception stand selection means for selecting a reception stand that can be accepted from among the reception stands 210 accommodated in the own exchange system 200 when the occurrence is notified, 205 is a reception that can be accepted by the secondary reception stand selection means 203 That we have finished selecting the base Reception table selection completion notification means for notifying the main reception center 10 of the completion of selection of reception tables when notified.
[0015]
In addition, the secondary reception desk selection means 203 notifies the reception desk selection completion notification means 205 that the primary reception center 10 has decided the reception desk of the local reception center after the primary reception center 10 has notified the selection of the reception desk. Call the selected reception board when connecting or confirming that the trunk line from the main reception center 10 has not been released after a certain period of time, and connect the selected reception board to the transmission line 20 from the main reception center 10 To do.
[0016]
The operation and action of the inter-reception center call distribution method of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. 2 and 3 based on the configuration described in the basic configuration diagram of FIG. Note that reference numerals such as S1 described in parentheses below are reference numerals of steps shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 corresponding to the description.
[0017]
First, the case where the reception stand 110 in the main reception center 10 is selected will be described with reference to FIGS. When a call from the customer 3 arrives on the reception line 4 via the public communication network 2 (S1 in FIG. 2), the main reception center 10 has a relay line 30 ( (Call channel) is secured and the occurrence of an accepted call is notified (S2). Next, the main reception center 10 starts a process of selecting an acceptable reception table among the reception tables 110 in the main reception center 10 (S3).
[0018]
On the other hand, when the reception center 20 receives the notification of the reception call from the main reception center 10 (S11), the reception center 20 selects a reception table that can be received from the reception tables 210 in the self-reception center 20 as a secondary reception center. Start (S12).
[0019]
When the main reception center 10 confirms that there is a reception board 110 that can be received, the reception board is selected as a reception board for connecting calls (S4). It is confirmed whether or not there is a notice of finishing (S5). FIG. 2 shows the case where there is no notification of selection completion of the reception desk from the secondary reception center 20, but in this case, the reception desk 110 in the selected main reception center 10 is determined as a reception desk for receiving calls ( From S6 to S7), the trunk line 30 to the secondary reception center 20 is released (S8). When the main reception center 10 releases the trunk line 30, after calling the determined reception stand 110, the call is connected to the reception stand 110 (S9), and the reception processing in the main reception center 10 is terminated (S10).
[0020]
In the example of FIG. 2, the main reception center 10 releases the trunk line 30 before the secondary reception center 20 has secured an available reception desk, but the secondary reception center 20 has released the trunk line 30. (S13), the reception stand selection process is stopped and the reception process is terminated (S14).
[0021]
Next, the case where the reception desk 210 of the secondary reception center 20 is selected will be described with reference to FIG. 1 and FIG. 3. Selection processing of reception bases that can be received in the primary reception center 10 and the secondary reception center 20 Since the operation steps (S21 to S23 and S31 to S32 in FIG. 3) until the start of the operation are exactly the same as the operation steps in FIG. 2 (S1 to S3 and S11 to S12 in FIG. 2), description thereof is omitted.
[0022]
In this state, it is assumed that the secondary reception center 20 selects a reception table that can be received from the reception tables 210 in the secondary reception center 20 (S33). When the reception desk is selected, the secondary reception center 20 notifies the main reception center 10 that the selection of the reception desk has been completed (S34). When the main reception center 10 receives a notification of selection of reception desks from the secondary reception center 20 (S24), the reception desk selection status in the own reception center 10 is confirmed (S25). Since the example in which the selection of the reception table at the reception center 20 is completed before the reception table 210 is selected is shown in the figure, the reception table has not been selected at the main reception center 10 yet. For this reason, the main reception center 10 determines the reception table selected by the secondary reception center 20 as the reception table for receiving calls (S26 → S27).
[0023]
When the reception desk is determined, the main reception center 10 connects the call to the trunk line 30 to the secondary reception center 20 (S28), and ends the reception process (S29). On the other hand, after confirming that the trunk line 30 is in the connected state, the slave reception center 20 calls the selected reception board 210 and connects the trunk line 30 and the reception board 210 (S35). As a result, the reception line 4 of the main reception center 10 and the reception table 210 in the secondary reception center 20 are connected via the trunk line 30, and the reception call can communicate with the reception table 210 of the secondary reception center 20. In this state, the reception process at the secondary reception center 20 ends (S36).
[0024]
Next, the operation of the switching system having a call distribution function according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. 1, but the main operation of the switching system overlaps with the description of the functions of the above-mentioned means and the description of the operation flowchart. Keep simple explanations.
[0025]
When a call from the customer 3 arrives on the reception line 4 of the main reception center 10 via the public communication network 2, the main reception call reception means 101 of the main reception center 10 starts call management and reception processing as the main reception center. First, the subordinate reception center calling means 102 is requested to call the reception center. The secondary reception center calling means 102 secures a trunk line (call channel) 30 to the other reception center 20 that is set in advance in the secondary reception center and notifies the secondary reception center 20 of the occurrence of the reception call. To do. Next, the main reception call reception means 101 requests the main reception stand selection means 103 to select a reception stand. The main reception stand selection means 103 selects a reception stand that can be received from the reception stands 110 in the main reception center 10, and if the reception stand that can be received is confirmed, the selection of the reception stand is completed. Notify 104.
[0026]
If there is no notification from the other reception center (secondary reception center) 20 that selection of the reception table has been completed, the reception table determination means 104 determines the empty reception table in the own reception center 10 as the reception table for receiving calls, and the secondary reception center. The relay line 30 to 20 is released, and the reception line 4 is connected to the reception stand 110 in the own reception center 10 that has selected the reception line 4. Thereby, the reception process in the main reception center 10 ends.
[0027]
On the other hand, in the secondary reception center 20, when the reception of the incoming call is notified from the primary reception center 10, the secondary reception call reception means 201 starts the call management and reception processing as a secondary reception center, and the secondary reception center selection means 203 receives the call. Request selection of possible reception desks. When the reception desk selection means 203 selects a reception board that can be received from the reception boards 210 in the secondary reception center 20, it notifies the reception board selection end notification means 205 that the selection of the reception board has been completed. Upon receipt of this notification, the reception desk selection end notification means 205 notifies the main reception center 10 that selection of the reception desk has been completed on the side of the slave reception center 20.
[0028]
The reception desk determination means 104 that has received this notification at the main reception center 10 is a notification that the reception desk has been selected from the main reception desk selection means 103 of the main reception center 10 or another reception center (secondary reception center) not shown. If there is not, the reception desk of the secondary reception center 20 is determined as the reception desk that receives the call. If there is a notification from the main reception center 10 or another reception center that the reception desk has been selected, the reception desk of the reception center that has notified the earliest is selected, but here the reception reception center Suppose the notification from 20 was the earliest. When receiving table selection end notification is received from sub reception center 20, receiving table determining means 104 connects receiving line 4 and trunk line 30 and ends the receiving process.
[0029]
After the reception desk selection completion notification is made at the secondary reception center 20, when it is confirmed that the relay line 30 is in the connected state, the selected reception board is called and the relay line 30 is connected to the reception board 210. This completes the acceptance process. However, when the reception desk in the main reception center 10 is decided to be a reception desk for receiving calls, the main reception center 10 side releases the trunk line 30, so the sub reception center 20 confirms that the relay line 30 has been released. In such a case, the reception stand selection process is stopped and the reception process is terminated.
[0030]
As described above, in the switching system having a call distribution method between a plurality of reception centers and a call distribution function between a plurality of reception centers according to the present invention, the other reception center in which the main reception center is predetermined as a secondary reception center at the same time when a call arrives. Because the call is connected to the reception desk of the reception center that has finished the selection of the empty reception desk among the main reception center and the secondary reception center, it can be accepted at any reception center If there is a simple reception desk, it is possible to connect to the reception desk with almost no customer waiting. In addition, when the main reception center notifies the subordinate reception center of the occurrence of a call, a trunk line (call channel) is secured to the subordinate reception center. There is no situation where there is no free call channel after the reception desk is decided.
[0031]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
4 to 6 are configuration diagrams of an embodiment exchange system according to the present invention, FIG. 7 is a configuration diagram of an exemplary reception desk representative number registration table according to the present invention, and FIG. 8 is a configuration diagram of an exemplary secondary reception center registration table according to the present invention. 9 is a configuration diagram of the reception desk management table according to the embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 10 is a configuration diagram of the reception call management table of the embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 11 is a configuration diagram of the reception call processing content registration table of the embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. FIG. 13 is a configuration diagram of a traffic data recording unit according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 14 is a configuration diagram of a transmission / reception message buffer memory according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIGS. These are the operation | movement flowcharts of the Example of this invention. Throughout the drawings, the same reference numerals are used for components having the same function.
[0032]
4 to 6, 2 is a public communication network, 4 is a reception line, 30 is an ISDN trunk line, 100 (or 200) is a private branch exchange system (hereinafter also referred to as a switching system or PBX) provided in the reception center, 101 Is a primary reception call reception processing unit, 102 is a secondary reception center connection processing unit (in the embodiment of the secondary reception center calling means 102 in FIG. 1, the secondary reception center calling means 102 in FIG. (Including a cutting processing function part), 103 is a main reception stand selection processing unit, 104 is a reception stand determination processing unit, 105 is a sub reception center information reception processing unit (from the sub reception center of the reception base determination means 104 in FIG. 1) (Receiving function part of reception desk selection end notification), 106 is a common call processing section that performs common call processing including call processing other than reception calls within the call processing control section 131, and 110 (or 210) is a reception desk ( Reception stand 110 is illustrated with a stand symbol Are, the actual reception stage may be telephone), 201 call reception processing unit with 従受, 203 with base selection processor 従受, 205 is a reception block selection completion notification processing unit. Although the description of the reception centers 10 and 20 is omitted in FIG. 4, the reception center where the exchange system 100 is installed is the reception center (main reception center) 10 and the reception center where the exchange system 200 is installed. The reception center (secondary reception center) is 20 (see FIG. 1).
[0033]
In addition, 121 is a communication path network, 122 is a local line trunk (local line TRK), 123 is a trunk line trunk (relay line TRK), 124 is a line circuit, 130 is a central control unit (CC), 131 is a call processing control unit 132 is a maintenance operation control unit, 133 is a line control unit, 140 is a main memory (MM), 141 is a table storage unit, 142 is a temporary storage unit, 150 is a maintenance console control unit, 160 is a maintenance console, 171 is Reception desk representative number registration table, 172 is subordinate reception center registration table, 173 is reception desk group registration table, 174 is reception desk status management table, 175 is reception desk selection order specification table, 176 is reception call management table, 177 is reception A call processing content registration table, 178 is an acceptance call processing procedure designation table, 179 is a traffic data recording unit, 181 is a transmission / reception message buffer memory, and 190 is an acceptance processing related information registration processing unit.
[0034]
4 to 6 illustrate an embodiment of a block configuration when the switching system of the present invention is applied to a private branch exchange system (PBX). The exchange system shown in the figure shows a configuration that can operate as both the primary reception center and the secondary reception center, but FIG. 4 shows a reference numeral when operating as the exchange system 100 of the primary reception center 10 in FIG. In the parentheses, reference numerals for the operation as the exchange system 200 of the reception center 20 are indicated (the same applies to the reception stands 110 and 210).
[0035]
In FIG. 1, the switching system of the present invention is illustrated mainly with a functional configuration, but in FIG. 4, the functions of each means illustrated in FIG. 1 are the call processing control unit 131 in the central controller 130, the maintenance operation. This is accomplished by combining various processing units provided in the control unit 132 and the line control unit 133 with tables and buffer memories provided in the table storage unit 141 and the temporary storage unit 142 in the main storage device 140. FIG. 5 shows a configuration example of a processing unit provided in the central control device 130, and FIG. 6 shows a configuration example of tables and a buffer memory provided in the main storage device 140. In addition, although the line which connects between each process part in FIG. 5 has shown that main processes are succeeded between the process parts of both ends, it does not mean that information is not exchanged between the process parts which are not connected. .
[0036]
Hereinafter, an embodiment of an exchange system (hereinafter simply referred to as an exchange system) having a call distribution method between multiple reception centers and a call distribution function between multiple reception centers according to the present invention will be described. Embodiments of the call distribution method and the switching system will be described together. Specifically, an example in which the call distribution method between a plurality of reception centers of the present invention is implemented by an exchange system having the configuration of an embodiment of the present invention will be described.
[0037]
As described with reference to FIG. 1, the reception center is requested to receive a call from a customer via the public communication network 2 directly on the reception line 4 or from another reception center via the trunk line 30. The reception center that processes incoming calls on the reception line 4 is called the main reception center, and the reception center that has been requested for reception processing via the trunk line from the main reception center is called the secondary reception center. , “Reception process and reception stand selection process at the main reception center”, “Reception process and reception stand selection process at the sub reception center”, “Reception stand determination process at the main reception center” and “Process when connection to the reception stand is not possible” The explanation is divided into sections, and the supplementary explanation items common to these are described at the end.
[Reception process and reception desk selection process at the main reception center]
One of the office line trunks (office line TRK) 122 of FIG. 4 is connected to the reception line 4 connected by the representative number defined as the telephone number of the reception center from the public communication network 2, and the other is the switching system 100. The communication path network (NW) 121 is accommodated. In the call distribution method between multiple reception centers according to the present invention, a call arriving on the trunk trunk 122 is sent to an empty reception desk in the reception desk 110 (not shown) of the reception desk 110 of the own reception center or the PBX 200 of the other reception center. Connected, but in the case of a private branch exchange system (PBX), it is also common to perform connection processing for calls (hereinafter referred to as general calls) that are made to and received from office telephones or the like at the office where the PBX is installed. Therefore, in the present invention, a call incoming to the reception center (hereinafter referred to as reception call) and a general call are distinguished and processed.
[0038]
There are various methods for discriminating a reception call and a general call. For example, when an incoming call is made to the reception-only trunk line 122 in FIG. An incoming call can be identified as an accepted call. It is necessary to give information indicating that the call is an accepted call to the call identified as the accepted call, but in the following, it will be given to the group of reception desks to which the incoming call is connected (hereinafter referred to as reception desk group). The representative number (a number similar to the extension representative number known in PBX, hereinafter referred to as reception desk representative number) is used as information for identifying the reception call.
[0039]
When there is only one reception desk group, the same reception desk representative number is assigned to all trunk trunks 122 dedicated to reception calls. In the case of division, the office trunks 122 are grouped, and a different reception stand representative number is assigned to each group. Accordingly, the reception desk representative number is information for identifying a reception call and also information for designating a connection destination reception desk group (details will be described later).
[0040]
The reception desk representative number is registered in the main storage device 140 in advance, but in the case of registration, the reception desk representative number corresponding to the identification information (for example, accommodation position information) of the local trunk from the maintenance console 160 of FIG. Enter. The input information is processed by the reception processing related information registration processing unit 190 (FIG. 5) provided in the maintenance operation control unit 132 in the central control device 130, and stored in the table storage unit 141 in the main storage device 140. Is done. The reception table representative number registration table 171 in FIG. 6 is a table in which reception table representative numbers are registered. FIG. 7 shows an example of the configuration of the table. As shown in FIG. 7, the reception desk representative number is determined by the office line trunk connected to the incoming reception line 4. Since the registration process as described above is generally performed, detailed description thereof is omitted (the same applies to other tables).
[0041]
Based on the above assumptions, it is assumed that an incoming call arrives at the office trunk 122 in FIG. In the following, reference is made to the operation flow diagrams of the embodiments shown in FIGS. 15 to 21, and the reference numerals (S101, etc.) of the steps on the operation flow diagrams corresponding to the contents of description are shown in parentheses. When a reception call arrives at the local trunk 122 (see S101 in FIG. 15), the call processing control unit 131 in the central control device 130 accesses the reception desk representative number registration table 171 in the main storage device 140 and receives the incoming call. The reception desk representative number is extracted by using the identification information (accommodation position information, etc.) of the office line trunk 122 where the error occurred as a key to identify that this call is an acceptance call (S102 in FIG. 15). The processing until identification of the accepted call is performed by the common call processing unit 106 that also performs general call processing, but the processing of the call identified as the accepted call is moved to the main accepted call acceptance processing unit 101, and thereafter Treated as a call.
[0042]
The main reception call reception processing unit 101 assigns a call number identifying the call to this reception call (the call number may be assigned by the common call processing unit 106), and an acceptance call management table for managing the progress of each call 176 is created and stored in the table storage unit 141 of the main storage device 140 (S103 in FIG. 15).
[0043]
FIG. 10 shows an embodiment of the configuration of the accepted call management table 176. The items shown in FIG. 10 are set in the reception call management table 176. The reception table representative number extracted from the reception table representative number registration table 171 is set as the reception table representative number of the item (1). Set. The incoming call type (2) is information (accepted call) for identifying whether this accepted call is a call accepted as a primary acceptance center (denoted as a primary acceptance call) or a call accepted as a secondary acceptance center (denoted as a secondary acceptance call). For example, “0” is set for the former and “1” is set for the latter. Here, since it is a main reception call, “0” is set.
[0044]
In the item (3), the number of the reception desk group that receives this reception call is set. In FIG. 4, the reception stands 110 are not shown in groups, but FIG. 10 shows an example in which there are three reception stand groups (numbers of each group are A, B, and C) in the main reception center. ing. When setting {circle over (3)}, only the number of the reception desk group in charge of reception of the call (for example, A) is set. Since the setting of the reception stand group number is performed when entering the reception stand selection process, the setting method will be described in the description of the reception stand selection process.
[0045]
In the secondary reception center number of item (4), identification information of another reception center that simultaneously performs reception processing of one reception call is set. The figure shows an example in which there are two reception centers other than the main reception center (each of which has identification information P and Q), but only the identification information of the slave reception center that performs the reception process is set therein. . The setting method of the subordinate reception center identification information will be described later.
[0046]
The execution process step number of item (5) is a part for displaying which stage of processing this acceptance call is currently executing, but since this is the time when the process is started, it is the first process step number. A certain “1” is set. The processing content of the processing step number “1” is described in the description of the processing procedure designation table.
[0047]
By creating the reception call management table 176, a call waiting for connection to the reception board is registered. When the accepted call management table 176 is created, the main accepted call acceptance processing unit 101 executes the processing content of the processing step number “1” set in (5) of the accepted call management table 176 for this accepted call. Since the processing content of the number “1” is designated in the accepted call processing procedure designation table 178 (FIG. 6) in the main storage device 140, the accepted call processing procedure designation table 178 is read (S104 in FIG. 15).
[0048]
The reception call processing procedure designation table 178 is a table in which the reception processing procedure is defined in advance in correspondence with the reception desk representative number. An example of the configuration and setting example is shown in FIG. (1) in FIG. 12 is the basic format of the accepted call processing procedure specification table 178, (2) is an example of a table set as the main accepted call (referred to as the accepted call processing procedure specification table 178A), and (3) is the slave format. It is an example of a table (denoted as an accepted call processing procedure designation table 178B) set for an accepted call. As shown in (1) of FIG. 12, the acceptance call processing procedure specification table 178 is a table in which processing steps (order of processing) are set by serial numbers, and the processing contents of each processing step are specified by processing numbers. In this example, from the reception desk representative number set in the reception call management table 176 and the reception call type ("0" because it is a main reception call), the reception call processing procedure designation table for the main reception call of (2) in FIG. Since 178A is read, the processing number 5 designated in the processing step 1 is executed at this time.
[0049]
When the main reception call reception processing unit 101 confirms the processing number 5, it reads out the reception call processing content registration table 177 in the main storage device 140 of FIG. FIG. 11 shows an example of the configuration of the accepted call process content registration table 177. As shown in the figure, process contents are registered in the accepted call process content registration table 177 for each process number. Although the required number of processing contents can be set, FIG. 11 shows a configuration of a table in which up to 16 types of processing contents can be designated and a part of the processing contents. The main reception call reception processing unit 101 reads the reception call processing content registration table 177 (FIG. 11), thereby processing the processing number 5 set in the reception call processing procedure designation table 178A ((2) of FIG. 12). Is "subordinate reception center P call" (S105 in FIG. 15).
[0050]
As described above, a main reception call that has arrived at the trunk trunk 122 to which a certain reception desk representative number is assigned is processed according to the processing procedure designation table 178 defined for the reception desk representative number. Therefore, it is possible to change the designation of the secondary reception center and the below-described reception table group (multiple specification is possible) according to the reception table representative number. Also, several types of reception call processing procedure specification table 178 corresponding to the same reception desk representative number are prepared depending on the date and time, for example, weekdays and holidays, daytime hours and nighttime hours, etc. If it is made to use, it becomes possible to perform the process according to the reception system. The acceptance call processing procedure designation table 178B for the slave acceptance call in FIG. 12 will be described later.
[0051]
When the main reception call reception processing unit 101 (FIG. 5) confirms that the processing content of the execution process step number “1” in the reception call management table 176 is “subordinate reception center P call”, the reception call to the sub reception center P is accepted. The subordinate reception center connection processing unit 102 in the call processing control unit 131 is requested to perform a process of notifying the occurrence of this (also referred to as a subordinate reception center calling process).
[0052]
Upon receiving the request, the slave reception center connection processing unit 102 first confirms the telephone number of the slave reception center P based on the slave reception center registration table 172 stored in the table storage unit 141 in the main storage device 140 (FIG. 15). S106). FIG. 8 shows the configuration and setting example of the reception center registration table 172. As shown in the figure, the secondary reception center registration table 172 is a table that can extract the secondary reception center telephone number using the secondary reception center identification information (eg, P) as a key, but the telephone number is limited to the public communication network telephone number. For example, in the case of a network configuration as shown in FIG. 1, an office identification number (corresponding to a station number) and an extension number (reception extension number) used in the in-house communication network 1 are set. The
[0053]
When the telephone number of the secondary reception center P is confirmed, the secondary reception center connection processing unit 102 notifies the exchange system (PBX) 200 of the secondary reception center P that the reception call has occurred. Hereinafter, it is assumed that the PBX 200 of the other reception center in FIG. 4 is a PBX installed in the reception center P. The embodiment of the relay line 30 between the reception centers shown in FIG. 1 is an ISDN relay line as shown in FIG. 4, and the switching systems 100 and 200 of the main reception center and the secondary reception center are also ISDN-compatible switching systems. Since there is a principle, the notification of the reception call to the sub reception center P is made by a message conforming to ISDN. Therefore, the slave reception center connection processing unit 102 creates a message and stores it in a transmission / reception message buffer memory 181 provided in the temporary storage unit 142 of the main storage device 140.
[0054]
FIG. 14 shows an example of the configuration of a transmission / reception message buffer memory (hereinafter referred to as transmission / reception buffer) 181. Since the transmission / reception buffer 181 is also used for temporary storage of messages received from the slave reception center, a code for identifying transmission / reception in the transmission / reception type (1) (for example, “0” for a transmission message, “0” for a reception message) 1 ") is set. The message content storage unit (2) stores a created message (for example, a call setting message) in the case of transmission and edits it, and stores the received message in the case of reception (described later). In the case of a message for notifying the subordinate reception center that a reception call has occurred, the telephone number of the subordinate reception center P as the destination information in the message content storage section of (2), and the representative number of the reception desk if necessary Include. The reception desk representative number is not necessary when a part of the ISDN trunk line 30 is a reception dedicated line at the slave reception center, but it must be included in the message when the trunk line is a mixed line of general calls. For example, the reception desk representative number set when the other reception center receives a reception call as a slave reception center is set.
[0055]
The created message is transmitted to the slave reception center P via the control channel (corresponding to the so-called D channel) of the ISDN trunk line 30 (S107 in FIG. 15). In the present invention, the secondary reception center P is transmitted when this message is transmitted. It is confirmed that there is a vacancy in the call channel (corresponding to the so-called B channel) for, and the B channel is reserved. For this reason, there is no situation where the call channel is not available after it is decided to accept at the reception desk of the slave reception center P.
[0056]
The operation on the side of the secondary reception center P that receives the message will be described later, and the description of the operation in the main reception center will be continued. When the transmission of the message notifying the occurrence of the accepted call is completed, the secondary reception center connection processing unit 102 reports it to the main reception call reception processing unit 101 and returns the processing to the main reception call reception processing unit 101. When the main reception call reception processing unit 101 receives this report, it updates the execution process step number of (5) in the reception call management table 176 of FIG. 10 (S108 of FIG. 15). As a result, the execution process step number becomes “2”, so the main reception call reception processing unit 101 accesses the reception call processing procedure designation table 178 and confirms the processing content of “step 2” (S109 in FIG. 15).
[0057]
In the example of the acceptance call processing procedure designation table 178A of (2) in FIG. 12, “processing number 1” is designated in the processing step 2, but the main acceptance call acceptance processing unit 101 displays the processing contents of “processing number 1”. Confirmation is made with the acceptance call processing content registration table 177 in FIG. As a result, when it is confirmed that the processing content of the execution process step is “calling table group A call”, the main reception call reception processing unit 101 selects a reception table (referred to as main reception table) in the main reception center. The processing is moved to the main reception stand selection processing unit 103 (FIG. 5) in charge of the processing. The main reception desk selection processing unit 103 accesses the reception call management table 176 and sets “A (means reception desk group A)” to “Reception desk group number” in (3) (S110 in FIG. 16). This setting may be performed by the main reception call reception processing unit 101. Next, the main reception stand selection processing unit 103 starts a process of selecting one reception stand in the reception stand group. Prior to the description of the selection process, the tables for managing the reception stand are described with reference to FIG. explain.
[0058]
First, it is necessary to clarify individual reception stands belonging to each reception stand group. For this, a reception stand group registration table 173 in which reception stands belonging to each reception stand group are registered is created in advance and the main storage device 140 is stored. Are stored in the table storage unit 141. FIG. 9 (1) shows an example of the configuration of the reception stand group registration table 173. As shown in the figure, the range of the reception table belonging to the reception table group is indicated by the number of the first reception table and the number of the reception table corresponding to the reception table group number. In this case, it is assumed that a serial number (logical number) is given to the reception desk number in each reception desk group.
[0059]
Further, regarding the current availability status of each reception stand, a reception stand state management table 174 for managing the state of each reception stand is created and stored in the table storage unit 141 of the main storage device 140. Update every moment. An example of the reception desk state management table 174 is shown in (2) of FIG. As shown in the figure, the reception desk state management table 174 is provided corresponding to the reception desk number registered in the reception desk registration table 173. However, the "extension number" in (1) is each reception desk (a telephone may be used in some cases). A large number of extension numbers are stored. (2) “Reception stand status” indicates the current status of each reception stand, “0” if it is empty, “1” if it is in use, and “1” if it is closed (including a failure). It is memorized by a code such as 2 ”. Among these pieces of information, for example, empty or in-use information is, for example, operation information of the line circuit 124 in FIG. 4, and faulty or blocked information is input from, for example, the maintenance console 160 or blocking of the reception stand not shown. The central controller 130 monitors the presence / absence of key operation and updates it from time to time.
[0060]
When selecting a reception table, it is possible to select an empty reception table randomly using only the reception table state management table 174, but in the present invention, the load on the reception table is equalized as an ACD function. A function for distributing calls is provided. There are various types of call distribution methods. Hereinafter, a method using the reception desk selection order specification table 175 in which the selection order of reception desks is specified will be described.
[0061]
FIG. 9 (3) shows an embodiment of the reception table selection order designation table 175 used when selecting an empty reception table. As shown in the figure, the reception table selection order specification table includes a reception table selection order specification table 175A (hereinafter abbreviated as table A) provided for the reception table group, and a reception table selection order specification table 175B (hereinafter referred to as table) provided for the reception table. 6 and is stored in the table storage unit 141 of the main storage device 140 as shown in FIG. 6 (when table A and table B are collectively referred to as reception stand selection order) (Designated table 175).
[0062]
When creating the reception stand selection order designation table 175, for example, if the reception stand group A is composed of nine reception stands with logical numbers # 1 to # 9, the reception stand that is in an empty state is selected. Check the reception desk state management table 174, and on the other hand, check the past number of times of use of 9 reception desks (or only available reception desks). (Omitted). As a result, for example, if the reception tables # 3, # 5, and # 7 are in an empty state and the number of past uses is # 7, # 3, and # 5, the “selection” in (1) of Table A “# 7” is stored in the “first order reception desk number”, and “# 5” is stored in the “selection order last reception base number” in (2). In Table B, (1) “previous rank reception stand number” and (2) “next rank reception stand number” are “(1) blank, (2) # 3” in the table corresponding to # 7 reception stand, The table corresponding to the # 3 reception stand stores “(1) # 7, (2) # 5”, and the table corresponding to the # 5 reception stand stores “(1) # 3, (2) blank”.
[0063]
Under the above premise, when the main reception base selection processing unit 103 of the call processing control unit 131 starts selecting an empty reception base, it accesses the reception base selection order designation table 175A (table A) of the reception base group A. If the reception desk number is stored in (1) “Selection order first reception desk number” ((3) in FIG. 9) of the reception desk selection order specification table 175A, there is an empty reception desk. The top reception stand (reception stand # 7) is extracted (S111 → S112 → S113 in FIG. 16). However, since the reception desk selection order specification table 175 is updated at a fixed cycle, the reception desk state management that immediately reflects the status of the reception desk whether or not the selected reception board # 7 is still in a callable state. The table 174 is reconfirmed (S114 in FIG. 16). As a result, if the empty state is confirmed, the reception stand # 7 is selected as the main reception center (the flow from S115 in FIG. 16 to S123 in FIG. 17 will be described in detail later).
[0064]
If the selected reception stand # 7 is in a busy state in the reception stand state management table 174 and cannot be called, the process returns to the empty reception stand selection process (S115 → S111 in FIG. 16). In this case, however, the empty reception table extraction process in steps S111 and S113 in FIG. 16 is performed not on the reception table of the first rank in the reception table selection order designation table 175 but on the reception table of the next rank. For example, the main reception stand selection processing unit 103 accesses the reception stand selection order designation table 175B corresponding to the reception stand # 7 and confirms the reception stand number of the next order of the reception stand # 7. Then, the reception desk # 3) is extracted and the same confirmation as before is performed, and the selection of the reception desk as the main reception center is finished. If there is no notification of reception desk selection from the secondary reception center, at this point, the main reception desk selection processing unit 103 ends the process, and the reception desk number in the selected main reception center is set to the reception board determination processing unit 104. To take over the subsequent processing.
[0065]
On the other hand, the reception desk is selected at the secondary reception center in parallel with the above reception desk selection process at the primary reception center, so the final determination of the reception desk is completed from the secondary reception center. It will be done after confirming whether there has been a notification. This process is performed by the reception desk determination processing unit 104 in FIG. 5, but details will be described later. Here, it is assumed that there is no notification from the secondary reception center. When the reception desk determination processing unit 104 confirms that there is no notification from the slave reception center, the reception desk of the selected main reception center is determined as the reception desk for this reception call, but step S123 in FIG. Hit the steps taken. Hereinafter, the operation after step S123 will be described first.
[0066]
When the final reception desk is determined at the main reception center, the reception desk selection process at the other reception center (secondary reception center) becomes unnecessary, and the reception board determination processing unit 104 determines that the reception board has been determined. To the secondary reception center connection processing unit 102 and request to stop the processing of the secondary reception center. Upon receipt of this, the slave reception center connection processing unit 102 creates a message to be transmitted to the slave reception center using the transmission / reception message buffer memory 181 of the main storage device 140. The form of this message may be arbitrarily determined, but here, a message for releasing the reserved trunk line 30 is used, and specifically, a disconnection (DISC) message defined by ISDN is used. And
[0067]
Although the transmission / reception message buffer memory 181 has been described with reference to FIG. 14, “0” indicating transmission is set in the “transmission / reception type” of (1) in FIG. The message message storage section (2) creates, edits and stores a disconnect message according to the format defined by ISDN. The disconnect message is created for one or a plurality of slave reception centers (only the slave reception center P in this example) that has notified the occurrence of the reception call. However, since the contents of the disconnect message are publicly known, detailed description thereof is omitted. When the creation is completed, this disconnection message is transmitted to the subordinate reception center P (S134 in FIG. 18).
[0068]
On the other hand, the reception desk determination processing section 104 requests the slave reception center connection processing section 102 to transmit a disconnection message, and then moves to a process of calling the reception desk in its own reception center, and the reception board status management table in the main storage device 140 Access 174 and confirm the telephone number to call the reception desk. As the telephone number, (1) “Extension number” in the reception desk state management table 174 shown in (2) of FIG. 9 is used. However, when the reception desk is not a telephone, it is dedicated for connection to the reception desk instead of the extension number. May be used. Upon confirming the extension number of the reception desk, the reception desk determination processing section 104 requests the common call processing section 106 to call the reception desk. When the transmission is completed, the secondary reception center connection processing unit 102 returns the processing to the reception desk determination processing unit 104 in FIG.
[0069]
The common call processing unit 106 calls the designated reception board 110, and when the reception board 110 responds, the line circuit 124 to which the reception board is connected and the local trunk 122 to which the reception call is connected are connected to the communication path network 121. (S135 in FIG. 18). As a result, the incoming call is connected to the reception desk and the reception process is completed, so the reception call management table 176 of the reception call is deleted. The deletion of the accepted call management table 176 may be performed by the common call processing unit 106 or the reception desk determination processing unit 104, but in principle, it is performed by the main accepted call reception processing unit 101. When recording the traffic data of an accepted call, the number of calls connected in the main reception center of the main accepted call in the traffic data recording unit 179 is counted up before or after the deletion of the accepted call management table 176 (S136 in FIG. 18). ).
[0070]
FIG. 13 shows an example of the configuration and setting contents of the traffic data recording unit 189. The traffic data recording unit 189 is accessed by the reception desk representative number, but the traffic data to be recorded can be arbitrarily set. (1) in FIG. 13 is a part for recording traffic data of a call accepted as the main acceptance center, that is, main accepted call (accepted call type “0”). The “number of accepted main accepted calls” in (1) is The total number of calls accepted as the main reception center, and the “number of calls completed within the main reception center” in (2) is the number of calls accepted as the main reception center that are connected to the reception desk in the main reception center. The number of “connection completion calls in the subordinate reception center” of (3) is the number of calls accepted at the main reception center but connected to the reception desk on the subordinate reception center side (details will be described later). "Number" is the number of calls that could not be connected to the reception desk of the main reception center or the reception desk of the sub reception center. Although the description of the recording of “number of main accepted call accepted calls” in (1) is omitted, when this data is recorded, it is counted up when an accepted call is received as the main accepting center. In addition, if there is a need for an abandoned call or a forced disconnect call, the corresponding traffic data is updated in each processing step (detailed explanation is omitted).
[0071]
(2) in FIG. 13 is a part for recording traffic data of a call accepted as a slave reception center, that is, a slave reception call (accepted call type “1”). (1) “Subordinate reception call acceptance call” is the total number of calls accepted as a secondary reception center, and (2) “Submission reception center connection completed calls” is the connection to the reception desk in the secondary reception center. Is the number of calls that have been accepted as slave accepted calls but have not been connected to the reception desk in the slave acceptance center. (3) includes a call whose connection was not completed because a disconnect message was sent from the main reception center during the reception process as a subordinate reception center. There is a high possibility that the call is a connection completion call.
[0072]
This completes the description of the basic operation when the main reception center can be connected to the reception desk. However, in the above process, if the reception desk did not respond for some reason in step S135 (FIG. 18). In this case, the number of the selected reception table is used to access the reception table selection order designation table (Table B) 175B, the next-order reception table is extracted, and the same processing as before is performed again (this processing is shown in FIG. 18). Is omitted in the operation flow diagram).
[0073]
Further, when the reception table selection order specification table (table A) 175A of the reception table group (for example, reception table group A) designated in step S112 in FIG. 16 is accessed, there is no empty reception table in the reception table group. In this case, (5) “execution process step number” in the accepted call management table 176 (see FIG. 10) of the accepted call is updated to “3” (S116 in FIG. 16). It is clear from the fact that “Processing Step 3” in the acceptance call processing procedure designation table 178A of (2) in FIG. 12 is “process number 2 (waiting)” (see the acceptance call processing content registration table 177 in FIG. 11). As described above, a call in which “processing step 3” is set in “execution processing step number” in (5) of the received call management table 176 indicates an accepted call waiting for the reception desk to be free.
[0074]
When a reception call in such a waiting state occurs, the call numbers of the reception calls are registered in the order in which they are in a waiting state (a queue is created), and an empty reception board is selected at the primary reception center or the secondary reception center. (S117 in FIG. 16). The main reception desk selection processing unit 103 (FIG. 5) accesses the reception desk selection order designation table 175A at regular intervals when a waiting call occurs, and monitors the occurrence of an empty reception board (S118 in FIG. 16). When an empty reception desk is generated, processing for connecting to the empty reception board is performed in order from the reception call at the end of the queue, but the reception call that has started processing is removed from the queue. The process for connecting to an empty reception board is the same as the process when there is an empty reception board (S119 → S113 in FIG. 16). Since a known method can be applied to the queue, detailed description thereof is omitted.
[Reception process and reception desk selection process at the subordinate reception center]
Next, processing on the side of the reception center will be described, but processing having the same contents as the processing in the main reception center will be briefly described. In this section, the private branch exchange system (PBX) described in FIGS. 4 to 6 is described as being a PBX 200 installed in a slave reception center (the slave reception center P in the above example).
[0075]
As described above, in step S107 in FIG. 15, a message is sent from the main reception center to the subordinate reception center to notify that a reception call has occurred. The PBX 200 of the subordinate reception center in FIG. 4 sends this message to the ISDN trunk line. When receiving via 30 (S201 in FIG. 14 and FIG. 19), the operation is started as if the call was received. The operation flow on the slave reception center side is shown in FIGS. 19 to 21, but steps S107 and S201 in FIG. 19 are the same steps as S107 and S201 in FIG.
[0076]
The common call processing unit 106 (see FIG. 5) of the PBX 200 performs reception processing of the message, and first identifies that this message is reception of an accepted call. When the ISDN trunk line 30 that has received this message is a trunk line dedicated to the acceptance call, after identifying the line or the trunk trunk 123 (FIG. 4) as in the main acceptance call, the reception desk representative number registration table 17 (FIG. 7) is used to identify an accepted call. However, if the trunk line is also used for general calls, include the reception desk representative number in the message as described above, and the secondary reception center reads the reception desk representative number from the message, It is confirmed whether or not the reception table representative number registration table 171 (FIG. 7) matches the reception table representative number. If the two match, it is identified that the reception of this message corresponds to the reception of the accepted call (becomes a secondary accepted call) (S202 in FIG. 19). If it is identified that the call is an accepted call, the common call processing unit 106 moves the process to the subordinate accepted call acceptance processing unit 201 (FIG. 5).
[0077]
The secondary reception call reception processing unit 201 creates a reception call management table 176 (FIG. 10) by assigning a call number to this reception call. In this case, the reception desk representative number is set in the “reception desk representative number” in (1) of the reception call management table 167 shown in FIG. 10, and “subordinate reception call” is set in the “acceptance call type” in (2). "1" is set to indicate "." As in the main reception center, the “reception stand group number” in (3) is set at the time of receiving stand selection processing, and is not set at this point. The “subordinate reception center number” in (4) is left blank because the reception call is a subordinate reception call. Since the “execution process step number” in the next item (5) is the start time of the process, “1” is set (S203 in FIG. 19). As a result of the creation of the accepted call management table 176, a standby accepted call has occurred.
[0078]
Next, the subordinate acceptance call acceptance processing unit 201 proceeds to execution of the processing step 1, but for this purpose, the acceptance call processing procedure designation table 178 (FIG. 6) is read from the table storage unit 141 of the main storage device 140 (FIG. 19). S204). As described above, the accepted call processing procedure specification table 178 is different for the primary accepted call and the secondary accepted call. In this case, however, it is a secondary accepted call (accepted call type “1”), so that it is shown in FIG. The received call processing procedure designation table 178B is read out. In the example of the figure, “processing number 1” is set in “processing step 1”, but “processing number 1” is “acceptance group M call” (accepted call processing content registration table 177 in FIG. 11). “Processing number 1” of “No. reception desk group A call” is described, but in the case of the subordinate reception center P, “reception base group M call” is set). As is clear from comparison with the acceptance call processing procedure designation table 178A for the main acceptance call in (2) of FIG. 12, in the case of the acceptance call processing procedure designation table 178B of the slave reception center, “processing step 1” is changed to “processing”. No. 5 (subordinate reception center call) ”is not set, and“ processing number 1 (call reception group group) ”is entered immediately.
[0079]
As described above, the secondary reception call reception processing unit 201 confirms that the processing content of the processing step 1 is “reception base group M call” (S205 in FIG. 19), and the processing is determined as the secondary reception base selection processing unit 203 (FIG. Move to 5). The slave reception desk selection processing unit 203 accesses the reception call management table 176 and sets “M (means reception desk group M)” as the “reception desk group number” in (3) (S206 in FIG. 19). Thereafter, the slave reception desk selection processing unit 203 selects the reception desk in the same manner as the main reception desk selection processing unit 103 described above, but the content of the selection process is the same as in the main reception desk selection processing unit 103. Description of the operation from step S207 in FIG. 19 to step S213 in FIG. 20 is omitted. Since the processing in the case where there is no vacant reception desk is the same as that in the main reception center, FIG. 20 collectively describes in step 209, but in the case of a subordinate reception center, other reception centers (subordinate Since the reception desk selection notification is not received from the reception center), the related processing is not performed.
[0080]
When reception desks that can be called at the secondary reception center are selected as described above (S213 in FIG. 20), the secondary reception desk selection processing unit 203 determines that the reception desk has been selected at the primary reception center. To the reception stand selection end notification processing unit 205 (FIG. 5). The reception desk selection end notification processing unit 205 creates and transmits a notification message to the main reception center using the transmission / reception message buffer memory 181 (FIG. 6) in the main storage device 140 (S214 in FIG. 20). The message is sent by a facility message defined by ISDN.
[0081]
When this message is received at the main reception center (S120 in FIG. 20), one of the reception desk selected at the main reception center and the reception desk selected at the secondary reception center is determined as the reception desk connecting the reception call. Hereinafter, the reception desk determination process in the main reception center and the processes in the main reception center and the secondary reception center after the reception desk determination will be described.
[Reception desk decision processing at the main reception center]
In step S120 of FIG. 20, the main reception center receives a reception desk selection end notification from the secondary reception center. This notification is received while the reception desk selection process is being executed in the main reception center. However, it is uncertain how much the processing at the main reception center is received. For example, step S120 in FIG. 16 is the same as step S120 in FIG. 20 in the process of selecting the reception desk in the main reception center, but the position of step S120 is shown in FIG. Or it is not limited after S119. When the reception desk is selected in both the main reception center and the secondary reception center, which reception desk is determined depends on the time when the main reception center receives this notification.
[0082]
Step S115 in FIG. 16 is a point in time when a reception desk that can be called is selected in the main reception center. In FIG. If there is no notification, the reception desk of the main reception center is determined (S122 → S123). If there is a notification, the reception desk selection end time and the notification reception time at the main reception center are determined. If the selection at the main reception center is early, the reception desk at the main reception center is determined (S122 → S124 → S123), and if the notification at the sub reception center is earlier, the reception board at the sub reception center is determined (122 → S124 → S125) is shown. The principle of how to determine the reception desk is as described above. Actually, however, the reception desk is not compared with the reception desk selection end time, but the main reception desk is not notified at the end of reception desk selection. The reception desk of the center is determined, and if there is a notification from the secondary reception center before the selection of the reception desk, it is determined as the reception desk of the secondary reception center at that time.
[0083]
If there is no vacant reception board at the main reception center and the reception desk selection end notification is received from the reception center while the occurrence of the vacant reception board is being monitored, steps S119 in FIG. 16 to steps S126 → S127 → S125 in FIG. By the operation flow as described above, the reception desk of the secondary reception center is determined.
[0084]
Next, the operation after determining the main reception stand will be described. As described above, the operation in the main reception center when it is determined to be the main reception desk creates a disconnect message in the main reception center and transmits it to the secondary reception center via the ISDN trunk line 30 (S134 in FIG. 18). . In the slave reception center, the disconnect message is received by the common call processing unit 106 in FIG. 5 (S215 in FIG. 18), and then notified to the slave reception call reception processing unit 201. When confirming that the ISDN trunk line 30 in the call connection state has been released, the secondary reception call reception processing unit 201 deletes the reception call management table 176 for the corresponding reception call (S216 in FIG. 18). When the traffic data is recorded in the slave reception center, for example, (3) “3” “number of incomplete calls within the slave reception center” of the traffic data recording unit 179 in FIG. 13 (2) is counted up (S217 in FIG. 18). . Thereby, the reception process in the sub reception center is completed.
[0085]
Next, the operation after having been decided as a reception desk will be described. When the reception desk determination processing unit 104 (FIG. 5) of the primary reception center determines the reception desk of the secondary reception center as the reception board for connecting the reception call through the operations described above (S125 in FIG. 17), the reception desk determination is performed. The processing unit 104 deletes the call management table 176 for the received call (S137 in FIG. 21). As a result, the waiting reception call disappears. The reception desk determination processing unit 104 requests the common call processing unit 106 to connect the office trunk 122 and the trunk trunk 123. The common call processing unit 106 controls the communication path network 121 to connect the reception call. The trunk line trunk 123 that is in a connected state is connected between the existing trunk line 122 and the secondary reception center P (S138 in FIG. 21). Thereby, the reception process at the main reception center is completed, and thereafter, the common call processing unit 106 monitors the end of the call. In the case of recording traffic data, following the above, (3) “3)“ Number of calls completed in connection in slave reception center ”of traffic data recording unit 179 in FIG. 13 (1) is counted up (S139 in FIG. 21). ).
[0086]
On the other hand, at the subordinate reception center, after notifying the main reception center of the selection of the reception desk, after confirming that the trunk line 30 has not been released from the main reception center 10 side, call the selected reception board, When responding, the trunk trunk 123 and the reception board 110 are connected. If the main trunk 122 and the trunk trunk 123 are connected at the main reception center, the main trunk 122 at the main reception center and the reception desk 110 at the secondary reception center are connected here, and a call is made between the caller and the reception desk. (S218 in FIG. 21). When the traffic data is recorded, the number “2” “number of calls completed in the slave reception center” of the traffic data recording unit 179 of (2) in FIG. 13 is counted up (S219 in FIG. 21).
[Processing when connection to reception desk is not possible]
Step S119 in FIG. 16 is a state in which an empty reception desk has not been selected in the main reception center. In this state, if there is no reception desk selection completion notification from the secondary reception center, that is, from step S119 to FIG. A case where the process proceeds from step S126 to S127 to S128 will be described. Although explanation is omitted earlier, a timer (not shown) is started when an accepted call is registered in the reception desk waiting queue in step S117 of FIG. In step S128 of FIG. 17, it is confirmed whether or not the timer time limit has been exceeded. If the time limit has not yet been exceeded, the process returns to step S118 in FIG.
[0087]
After the above processing is repeated, if the time limit of the timer is exceeded in step S128 of FIG. 17, the execution processing step of the accepted call management table 176 is advanced by one to “processing step 4” (S129 of FIG. 17). In the example of the acceptance call processing procedure designation table 178A shown in FIG. 12, “processing number 3” is set in the processing step 4, but the processing content of “processing number 3” is the acceptance call processing content registration table 177 shown in FIG. In “Talkie transmission”. The processing up to the confirmation of the above processing contents is performed by the main reception stand selection processing unit 103 in FIG. 5. However, when it is confirmed that “Talkie transmission”, the main reception stand selection processing unit 103 transmits the talkie. A request is made to the common call processing unit 106. Although the description of the type of talkie to be sent in this case is omitted, the common call processing unit 106 is notified of the kind of talkie, so a talkie announcement according to it, for example, “It is currently busy, so it has been a while. A talkie with a content such as "Please call again later" is sent to the calling party (S130 in FIG. 17).
[0088]
When a talkie requesting re-calling is sent, the common call processing unit 106 monitors the disconnection of the calling party. When the calling party disconnects (S131 in FIG. 17), the received call management table 176 for this accepted call is stored. As a result, the waiting call disappears (S132 in FIG. 17). When performing traffic aggregation, since this accepted call is a main accepted call and the call has not been completed, set (4) “number of uncompleted calls” in the traffic data recording unit 179 in FIG. 13 (1). Count up (S133 in FIG. 17).
[Additional notes]
The embodiment of the present invention has been described above with reference to FIGS. 4 to 21. However, the configuration diagram and the operation flowchart used for the description are merely examples of the embodiment of the present invention. Needless to say, is not limited to the illustrated configuration or operation.
[0089]
For example, the exchange system of FIG. 4 has a function that can operate as both a primary reception center and a secondary reception center, but when a reception center that is used only as a secondary reception center is provided, a function that is necessary as a secondary reception center. It is good also as an exchange system with only.
[0090]
Further, in FIG. 4, the reception stand 110 is connected to the line circuit 124 to which the normal extension telephone is connected. However, even if the reception stand 110 is connected to a circuit dedicated to the reception stand, the effect of the present invention can be obtained. does not change. In FIG. 5, the common call processing unit 106 that performs common call processing for received calls and general calls and the various processing units that perform processing only for received calls are provided separately. For example, the contents of processing such as the main reception desk selection processing unit 102 and the subordinate reception center information reception processing unit 105 include contents that are not different from the processes performed in the general call processing. Even if the common call processing unit 106 performs part of the processing of the call processing unit, the effect of the present invention does not change. In the figure, the processing unit in the main reception center and the processing unit in the sub reception center are described separately. For example, the processing contents of the main reception base selection processing unit 103 and the sub reception base selection processing unit 203 are common. Therefore, even if both processing units are configured as one processing unit, the effect of the present invention is not changed.
[0091]
Also, in the embodiment, a reception call processing content registration table 177 and a reception call processing procedure specification table 178 are created, and the main reception call reception processing unit 101 confirms the process number of the corresponding processing step by the reception call processing procedure specification table 178. Later, an example was given in which the processing content of the processing number was confirmed by the reception call processing content registration table 177, but the creation of the reception call processing content registration table 177 was omitted and the processing content was directly set in the reception call processing procedure specification table 178. It is also possible to do this (the same applies to the secondary reception call).
[0092]
Moreover, although the Example of the tables used for this invention was described in FIG. 7 thru | or 12, these tables do not prevent taking a free structure in the range which does not deviate from the meaning of this invention. FIG. 13 shows an example of the configuration of the traffic data recording unit. The type of traffic data stored in the traffic data recording unit can be freely set. Of course, when traffic data recording is not required, the traffic data recording unit Even if is deleted, the effect of the present invention does not change.
[0093]
Further, in the present invention, when the main reception center receives a call, a message notifying the occurrence of the call is transmitted to the subordinate reception center. An appropriate message defined by ISDN, for example, call setting is transmitted to this message. A (SETUP) message may be used.
[0094]
Further, in the above embodiment, when the reception desk of the secondary reception center 20 is determined as the reception board that accepts calls, the secondary reception center 20 confirms that the trunk line 30 is not released and selects the reception board selected. Although it was described as calling, when the reception desk of the secondary reception center 20 is determined as the reception desk to receive the call, the reception desk of the secondary reception center 20 from the primary reception center 10 to the secondary reception center 20 The determination may be notified using an appropriate message.
[0095]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, in the present invention, when a reception call is received at one of the plurality of reception centers, the reception center becomes the main reception center and notifies other reception centers (subordinate reception centers) of the incoming call. Even if one reception center is busy, it can be received at any of the reception centers. For this reason, it is possible to avoid a situation in which it is not possible to accept a gas or electricity abnormality or a response is delayed. In the present invention, since the reception center that has become the primary reception center notifies the secondary reception center that is the secondary reception center that an incoming call has occurred, it is performed in a state in which the call channel of the trunk line is secured, Even though there is a reception desk, the reception channel is not delayed because the call channel is not available.
[0096]
As described above, the present invention greatly contributes to the improvement of reception services from customers in companies having a plurality of reception centers.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a basic configuration diagram of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a basic operation flowchart of the present invention (1).
FIG. 3 is a basic operation flowchart (2) of the present invention.
FIG. 4 is a configuration diagram of an embodiment exchange system according to the present invention (1).
FIG. 5 is a block diagram of an exchange system according to an embodiment of the present invention (2).
FIG. 6 is a configuration diagram of an exchange system according to an embodiment of the present invention (3).
FIG. 7 is a configuration diagram of a reception desk representative number registration table according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 8 is a configuration diagram of a secondary reception center registration table according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 9 is a configuration diagram of a reception desk management table according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 10 is a configuration diagram of an accepted call management table according to the embodiment of this invention.
FIG. 11 is a configuration diagram of an acceptance call processing content registration table according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 12 is a configuration diagram of an acceptance call processing procedure designation table according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 13 is a configuration diagram of a traffic data recording unit according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 14 is a block diagram of a transmission / reception message buffer memory according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 15 is an operation flowchart of the embodiment of the present invention (1).
FIG. 16 is an operation flowchart of the embodiment of the present invention (2).
FIG. 17 is an operation flowchart of the embodiment of the present invention (3).
FIG. 18 is an operation flowchart of the embodiment of the present invention (4).
FIG. 19 is a flowchart of the operation of the embodiment of the present invention (5).
FIG. 20 is an operation flowchart of the embodiment of the present invention (6).
FIG. 21 is an operation flowchart of the embodiment of the present invention (7).
[Explanation of symbols]
1 In-house communication network
2 Public communication network
3 Customer phone
4 reception lines
10 Reception Center (Main Reception Center)
20 reception center (secondary reception center)
30 trunk line
100, 200 exchange system
101 Main reception call reception means
102 Subordinate reception center calling means
103 Main reception stand selection means
104 Reception desk determination means
110, 210 reception desk
201 Subordinate call acceptance means
203 Subordinate reception desk selection means
205 Reception stand selection completion notification means

Claims (8)

A call distribution method between a plurality of reception centers in a corporate communication network having a plurality of reception centers for receiving calls from customers,
The reception center that accepts a direct call from the public communication network starts selection of reception desks that can be accepted in the reception center as the main reception center and secures a relay line to one or more predetermined other reception centers. To notify you of the incoming call,
The other reception center that has received the notification receives the call as a secondary reception center, selects a reception table that can be received in the reception center, and selects a reception table for the main reception center when the reception table is selected. That we have finished selecting
When the main reception center has finished selecting a reception desk within its own reception center or has received a notification from the secondary reception center that the reception desk has been selected, the reception desk that has completed selection of the reception desk earliest A call distribution method between a plurality of reception centers, wherein a reception desk of a center is determined as a reception desk for receiving the call and the call is connected. When the main reception center selects a reception desk that can be accepted in the reception desk before receiving the reception desk selection completion notification from the secondary reception center, the primary reception center will contact the secondary reception center secured when notifying the occurrence of the reception call. The trunk line is restored to an empty state, the call is connected to the selected reception desk in the reception center, and the call reception process is terminated.
The slave reception center that has confirmed that the trunk line notified of the occurrence of the reception call has been restored to an empty state stops the reception board selection process and ends the call reception process. The call distribution method between multiple reception centers as described. When the main reception center receives a notification of selection completion of the reception desk from the secondary reception center before completing selection of reception desks that can be received in the reception desk, the main reception center performs the reception desk selection process in the reception desk. Cancel, connect the call to the trunk line to the subordinate reception center, finish the call acceptance process,
2. The call distribution method between multiple reception centers according to claim 1, wherein the secondary reception center connects the reception stand in the selected own reception center and the trunk line from the main reception center and ends the call reception processing. An exchange that has a call distribution function between multiple reception centers that is installed in each reception center of an in-house communication network that has multiple reception centers that accept calls from customers and that allows one call to be received at any of the multiple reception centers. A system,
When a call arrives on the reception line from the public communication network, it notifies the other means of the occurrence of the reception call and requests the execution of the reception process, and the call is connected to the reception board of one of the reception centers Main reception call reception means for managing reception calls until,
When a reception call is notified from the main reception call reception means, a relay line to one or more other reception centers determined in advance in the sub reception center is secured and the reception call is generated in the sub reception center. Subordinate reception center calling means for notifying,
Reception desk that manages the availability of the reception desk in the reception desk and can be accepted from the reception desks accommodated in the own switching system when the reception of the reception call is notified from the main reception call reception means Main reception stand selection means for selecting,
When the main reception desk selection means notifies that the selection of the reception desk that can be accepted has been completed, or is notified that the selection of reception desks that can be accepted from the other reception center that has notified the occurrence of the reception call has been completed. A plurality of reception centers characterized in that the reception center of the reception center that received the earliest notification is determined as a reception table that receives the call and is connected to the reception table that has determined the call Switching system with inter-call distribution function. When the reception desk determination means receives a notification of completion of selection of reception desks that can be received from the main reception board selection means before receiving a reception desk selection completion notification from the secondary reception center, the reception desk determination means notifies the occurrence of a reception call. The relay line to the secondary reception center is restored to an empty state, and the reception line from the public communication network is connected to the selected reception board in the local reception center to finish the call reception process. 4. An exchange system having a call distribution function between a plurality of reception centers according to 4. When the reception desk determination means receives a notification of selection completion of reception desks from another reception center before receiving a notification of completion of selection of reception desks that can be received from the main reception desk selection means, the reception desk in the own reception center The call accepting process is terminated, the call accepting line from the public communication network is connected to the trunk line to the accepting center that has notified the end of the selection of the accepting stand, and the call accepting process is terminated. Item 5. A switching system having a call distribution function between multiple reception centers according to item 4. An exchange that has a call distribution function between multiple reception centers that is installed in each reception center of an in-house communication network that has multiple reception centers that accept calls from customers and that allows one call to be received at any of the multiple reception centers. A system,
When the main reception center that has received a direct call from the public communication network is notified of the occurrence of the accepted call via a trunk line, it notifies the other means of the occurrence of the accepted call, and the call is accepted in the own reception center. A sub-accepting call accepting means for managing accepted calls until it is connected to the terminal or confirming that the trunk line from the main accepting center has been released;
The reception desk that manages the availability of the reception desk in the own reception center and can be accepted from the reception desks accommodated in the own exchange system when the reception call is notified from the slave reception call reception means. Subordinate reception stand selection means for selecting,
A reception desk selection end notification means is provided for notifying the main reception center that selection of reception desks has been completed when it is notified by the secondary reception desk selection means that selection of reception desks that can be received has been completed. A switching system having a call distribution function between a plurality of reception centers. The slave reception desk selection means receives the notification determined from the primary reception center to the reception desk of the reception desk after the reception desk selection completion notification means notifies the main reception center of selection of the reception desk, or for a certain period of time. 8. The reception board selected when it is confirmed that the trunk line from the main reception center has not been released after the elapse of time, and the trunk line from the main reception center is connected to the reception board. A switching system having a call distribution function between a plurality of reception centers.

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