# US 12,160,543 B2 · System and method for automatic indication of contact center status using an illumination device

> Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt

- Number: US 12,160,543 B2
- Document ID: US12160543B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/962,322
- Filed: 2022-10-07
- Published: 2023-02-02
- Granted: 2024-12-03
- Earliest claimed: 2018-10-18
- Assignees: Teleperformance SE
- Applicants: Teleperformance SE
- Inventors: Evan Davis; Lyle Hardy
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12160543B2

## CPC

- G06Q 10/063114: {Status monitoring or status determination for a person or group}
- H04M 3/5133: {Operator terminal details}
- G06Q 10/06398: {Performance of employee with respect to a job function}
- H04M 3/5175: {Call or contact centers supervision arrangements}
- H04M 3/5191: {interacting with the Internet}
- G06Q: INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- H04M: TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION (circuits for controlling other apparatus via a telephone cable and not involving telephone switching apparatus G08)

## Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention provide systems and methods for automatically controlling an electronic illumination device to indicate information pertaining to workstations or agents of a customer contact center. Some embodiments are useful in the context of employee management because the illumination devices are used to indicate information about tasks that employees are engaged in, the performance of the employees, and the status of the employees. A computer system coupled to the illumination device executes control software configured to send control signals over a communication interface, such as USB or Bluetooth. The data sent to the electronic illumination device can cause the illumination device to turn off or on, change color, blink, strobe, etc., for producing desired lighting effects representative of a status or event associated with an employee or workstation.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An electronic device comprising:
a communication interface operable to communicate with a computer system, wherein said computer system comprises: a processor; and a network interface operable to receive an information request from a remote monitor;
a circuit board operable to receive control signals from the computer system over the communication interface and control an illumination element; and
the illumination element disposed on one end of the electronic device and operable to produce a color that corresponds to a real-time status associated with said computer system,
wherein said real-time status is determined by said processor and information read by said processor from said computer system responsive to said information request, and wherein said circuit board controls said illumination element responsive to said information request.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the remote monitor comprises a display device operable to render a graphical user interface (GUI), and wherein the GUI is operable to display the real-time status.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The electronic device of claim 1, wherein said communication interface comprises at least one of: a universal serial bus (USB) port; and a Bluetooth interface.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The electrical device as described in claim 1 wherein said illumination element is operable to indicate said real-time status by varying at least one of: an intensity of light emitted by the illumination element; and a duration of light emitted by the illumination element.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The electrical device as described in claim 1 wherein said real-time status represents an agent work period that exceeds in duration a predetermined threshold.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The electrical device as described in claim 1 wherein said real-time status represents a break being taken by an agent.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The electrical device as described in claim 1 wherein the illumination element is operable to:
emit a first color to indicate a case in which an agent requires assistance; and
emit a second color to indicate a case in which an agent's request for assistance has been acknowledged.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The electrical device as described in claim 1 wherein said illumination element is operable to change an intensity of light emitted corresponding to an amount of time that an agent has been on hold.

### Claim 9

A method of monitoring contact center status among a plurality of agents of a contact center, the method comprising:
a remote monitor sending an information request to agent computer systems of the contact center over a communication port, wherein said contact center comprises the plurality of agents, and wherein said agent computer systems respectively comprise: a processor; the communication port; and an electronic illumination device;
responsive to receiving said information request, the agent computer systems of said plurality of agents each determining respective real-time status information; and
electronic illumination devices of the agent computer systems illuminating respective colors representative of said respective real-time status information determined by the associated agent computer systems responsive to said information request, wherein said electronic illumination devices each comprise:
an illumination element; and
a circuit board operable to receive control signals from the communication port of the agent computer systems for controlling the illumination element.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9 wherein said real-time status information comprises representations of tasks currently performed by agents of said plurality of agents.

### Claim 11 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9 wherein said real-time status information comprises an identity of a first agent of said plurality of agents, and wherein the first agent has a highest performance level of said plurality of agents based on a prescribed metric.

### Claim 12

A method of monitoring contact center status among a plurality of agents, the method comprising:
receiving an information request;
determining a plurality of real-time status of agent computer systems associated with the plurality of agents in response to said information request, wherein the agent computer systems respectively comprise a processor and a communication port;
reading from a light configuration to determine lighting effects that correspond to the plurality of real-time status; and
causing electronic illumination devices associated with the agent computer systems to produce the lighting effects reflective of the plurality of real-time status determined in response to the information request via a circuit board of the illumination devices operable to receive control signals from the communication port of the agent computer systems for controlling the electronic illumination devices.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12 wherein one real-time status of said plurality of real-time statuses indicate if a respective agent has requested assistance.

### Claim 14 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12 further comprising the electronic devices illuminating a new color when an associated agent no longer requires assistance.

### Claim 15 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12 wherein the agent computer systems further respectively comprise a network interface, and further comprising the agent computer systems sending the plurality of real-time status to a remote monitor system using the network interface.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The method of claim 15 wherein said remote monitor system comprises a display device operable to render a graphical user interface (GUI), and wherein said GUI is operable to display said plurality of real-time statuses.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The method of claim 16 wherein said light configuration comprises a first color associated with required software and a second color associated with undesired software, and further comprising:
causing a first electronic illumination devices to illuminate using the first color when required software is missing from a first agent computer system; and
causing a second electronic illumination devices to illuminate using the second color when undesired software is present on a second agent computer system.