Method of routing calls in an automatic call distribution network

Abstract

The alternate destination redirection (ADR) feature (102) of telephone switching systems (101) or an equivalent is used to implement a “post-route” routing architecture having the benefits of a “pre-route” routing architecture in a network ACD (FIG. 1). The ADR feature is administered in the network (100) for individual ACD systems and individual call types at each ACD system to identify another ACD system as an alternative destination for calls of the individual call type rejected by the individual ACD system. The network distributes (302) calls to the plurality of ACD systems (110-112) on a basis (e.g., fixed percentage, round-robin) that does not require the network to know the status of the individual ACD systems. Upon having a call of an individual type routed thereto, an individual ACD system checks (304) the status of the ACD system that is administered as the alternative destination for its rejected calls of the individual type. If it determines that it can provide the better service, the individual ACD system services (314) the call. If it determines that the alternative destination ACD system can provide the better service, the individual ACD system rejects (308) the call, whereupon the network, operating under influence of the ADR feature, releases (310) the connection of the call to the individual ACD system and reroutes (312) the call to the alternative destination ACD system.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.