Call center apparatus and functionality in telephony

Abstract

A client-server telephone call router system as part of a customer premises system has a client-server router adapted to execute on a telephony switch, such as a public branch exchange (PBX) or other telephony switch, or on a processor connected by CTI link to a telephony switch. The telephony switch or processor executing the router is connected to a local area network (LAN) that also interconnects computer workstations proximate to telephones connected to the telephony switch. Client user interface applications run on the computer workstations, allowing clients to edit routing rules for the router, which has a list of routing rules keyed to users and workstations of the customer premises system. The editing rules are kept by the router in portions dedicated to individual users. With this system a user can edit at a workstation on the LAN his\her own routing rules, and transmit the edits to the client-server router where the rules will be followed to route calls for that user and protocol.

1 . (canceled)  
   
   
       2 . A telephone call management system comprising: 
 an Internet Protocol Network Telephony (IPNT) capable computerized appliance having an electronic display; and    a code set executable on the computerized appliance providing a Graphical User Interface (GUI) on the electronic display and call management functions;    wherein incoming calls are represented on the electronic display as graphical symbols, and call management is enabled by drag-and-drop techniques.    
   
   
       3 . The system of  claim 2  wherein call management comprises answering a specific call by clicking on the symbol representing the call.  
   
   
       4 . The system of  claim 2  wherein call management comprises hanging up or disconnecting a specific call by double clicking on the symbol representing the call.  
   
   
       5 . The system of  claim 2  wherein call management comprises transferring a specific call to another destination by dragging the symbol representing the call to a symbol representing another destination.  
   
   
       6 . The system of  claim 2  wherein moving a cursor to the symbol representing a specific call causes an information display to activate with information regarding that call.  
   
   
       7 . The system of  claim 2  wherein call management comprises sending a specific call to an automatic answering function by dragging the symbol representing the specific call to a symbol representing the answering function.  
   
   
       8 . A method for managing incoming Internet Protocol Network Telephony calls at an Internet-connected computerized appliance, comprising: 
 (a) displaying, by a code set executable on the computerized appliance, one or more graphical symbols on an electronic display of the computerized appliance, each symbol representing an incoming call;    (b) executing, via the code set, call management functions by drag-and-drop techniques on the electronic display.    
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 8  wherein in step (b) call management comprises answering a specific call by clicking on the symbol representing the call.  
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 8  wherein in step (b) call management comprises hanging up or disconnecting a specific call by double clicking on the symbol representing the call.  
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 8  wherein in step (b) call management comprises transferring a specific call to another destination by dragging the symbol representing the call to a symbol representing another destination.  
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 8  wherein in step (b) moving a cursor to the symbol representing a specific call causes an information display to activate with information regarding that call.  
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 8  wherein in step (b) call management comprises sending a specific call to an automatic answering function by dragging the symbol representing the specific call to a symbol representing the answering function.