Call-load-control arrangement for an emergency-call-answering center

A call-load control arrangement comprising:

• means for routing calls to call-answering centers;
• first means in a primary call-answering center for automatically periodically checking parameters of call-answering performance of the primary call-answering center while the primary call-answering center is in service, to determine from the parameters whether a call that has not yet been routed to the primary call-answering center is likely to be answered within a predetermined period of time if it were routed to the primary call-answering center;
• second means in the primary call-answering center, responsive to a determination that the call is unlikely to be answered within the predetermined period of time, for commanding the call-routing means to not route calls to the primary call-answering center;
• and
• the call-routing means are responsive to absence of the command, for routing calls that have not yet been routed to a call-answering center and are destined for the primary call-answering center, to the primary call-answering, and responsive to the command, for routing the calls that have not yet been routed to a call-answering center and are destined for the primary call-answering center, to an alternate call-answering center.

An arrangement for controlling a call load of a call-answering center that has a signaling connection to a call-routing node which connection, when activated, causes the routing node to reroute calls destined for the call-answering center to an alternate call-answering center, comprising:

• first means in the call-answering center for automatically periodically determining whether a call routed to the center while the center is in service is likely to be answered within a predetermined period of time;
• second means in the call-answering center, responsive to each determination by the first means that the call is likely to be answered within the predetermined period of time, for automatically ensuring deactivation of the signaling connection to cause calls that have not yet been routed to the center to be routed to the center;
• and
• third means in the call-answering center, responsive to each determination by the first means that the call is likely not to be answered within the predetermined period of time, for automatically ensuring activation of the signaling connection to cause calls that have not yet been routed to the center to be routed to an alternate call-answering center.

An arrangement for controlling an emergency-call load of an emergency-call-answering center that has a manually-activateable "night service" or "trunk make-busy" signaling connection to a central-office switch which connection, when activated, places the call-answering center out of service and causes the switch to reroute calls destined for the call-answering center to an alternate call-answering center, comprising:

• first means in the emergency-call-answering center for automatically periodically determining whether an emergency call routed to the emergency-call-answering center while the emergency-call-answering center is in service is likely to be answered within a predetermined period of time;
• second means in the emergency-call-answering center, responsive to each determination by the first means that the emergency call is likely to be answered within the predetermined period of time, for automatically deactivating the signaling connection if it is activated, to cause emergency calls that have not yet been routed to the emergency-call-answering center to be routed to the emergency-call-answering center;
• and
• third means in the emergency-call-answering center, responsive to each determination by the first means that the emergency call is likely not to be answered within the predetermined period of time, for automatically activating the signaling connection if it is deactivated to cause emergency calls that have not yet been routed to the emergency-call-answering center to be routed to an alternate emergency-call-answering center.

A method of controlling the call-load experienced by a call-answering center in a system having a primary call-answering center, an alternate call-answering center, and a call-routing node for routing calls to the call-answering centers, the method comprising the steps of:

• automatically periodically determining in the primary call-answering center whether a call routed to the primary call-answering center while the primary call-answering center is in service is likely to be answered within a predetermined period of time;
• in response to a determination that the call is unlikely to be answered within the predetermined period of time, commanding the call-routing node from the primary call-answering center to not route calls to the primary call-answering center;
• and
• in response to absence of the command, routing calls, that have not yet been routed to a call-answering center and are destined for the primary call-answering center, from the call-routing node to the primary call-answering center;
• and
• in response to the command, routing the calls, that have not yet been routed to a call-answering center and are destined for the primary call-answering center, from the call-routing node to the alternate call-answering center.

A method of controlling the call-load experienced by a call-answering center, comprising the steps of:

• automatically periodically checking parameters of call-answering performance of a primary call-answering center while the primary call-answering center is in service, to determine at the primary call-answering center from the parameters whether a call that has not yet been routed to the primary call-answering center is likely to be answered within a predetermined period of time if it were routed to the primary call-answering center;
• in response to a determination that the call is unlikely to be answered within the predetermined period of time, the primary call-answering center commanding a call-routing arrangement for routing calls to call-answering centers to not route calls to the primary call-answering center;
• in response to absence of the command, the call-routing arrangement routing calls that have not yet been routed to a call-answering center and are destined for the primary call-answering center, to the primary call-answering center;
• and
• in response to the command, the call-routing arrangement routing the calls that have not yet been routed to a call-answering center and are destined for the primary call-answering center, to an alternate call-answering center.

A method of controlling a call load of a call-answering center that has a signaling connection to a call-routing node which connection, when activated, causes the routing node to reroute calls destined for the call-answering center to an alternate call-answering center, comprising the steps of:

• automatically periodically determining in the call-answering center whether a call routed to the center while the center is in service is likely to be answered within a predetermined period of time,
• automatically ensuring deactivation in the call-answering center of the signaling connection to cause calls that have not yet been routed to the center to be routed to the center, in response to each determination that the call is likely to be answered within the predetermined period of time;
• and
• automatically ensuring activation in the call-answering center of the signaling connection to cause calls that have not yet been routed to the center to be routed to an alternate call-answering center, in response to each determination that the call is not likely to be answered within the predetermined period of time.