Method and apparatus for connecting terminals in a remote consulting system

#The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for connecting a lobby terminal to a special clerk terminal for corresponding to a consulting detail in a remote consulting support system using a network.

#As one of the connection methods between a lobby terminal and a remote service terminal, there is a method of realizing dispersion of processing load for avoiding concentrated connection to a specific terminal. This is a method that a remote service manager controlling remote service terminals for supplying information in a uniform manner sounds out each remote service terminal as to whether information can be supplied. When each remote service terminal sounded can correspond to it, each terminal returns the load value thereof to the remote service manager. The remote service manager selects the remote service terminal having the minimum among the load values returned from the remote service terminals, connects the terminal, and supplies information to it. A prior art for realizing such a function is described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open 5-134959.

#In a remote consulting system using general telephones, a counselor in charge of consultation sends information that he leaves his seat to the communication control unit for batch controlling telephone connection when he leaves his seat. When a user inquires the counselor who cannot correspond because he leaves his seat and is out, the communication control unit stores the inquiry information from the user in the communication control unit. When the counselor takes his seat and sends information of cancel of leaving his seat to the communication control unit, the communication control unit sends the inquiry information sent to the counselor during leaving his seat to the counselor. As a result, even if the counselor is not always in the corresponding state, he can receive an inquiry from a user and can reply to the user though asynchronously. A prior art for realizing such a function is described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open 7-74844.

#FIG. 1 is a system block diagram of the present invention.

#FIG. 2 is a hardware and network constitution for realizing the system constitution of the present invention.

#FIG. 3 is a table constitution of a control table of clerk terminal connection.

#The first embodiment of the present invention will be explained hereunder. Symbols (a), (b), and others quoted in the following explanation indicate the correspondence with data flow between the terminal and other terminal and data flow into the terminal. FIG. 1 shows a system constitution for realization of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1, in this system, a plurality of lobby terminals 2 for use by a user when requesting consultation, a plurality of clerk terminals 4 used by a special expert clerk, a server for making a connection with clerk terminals 1 for controlling the connective status of the clerk terminals 4 in a uniform manner when the lobby terminals 2 are connected to the clerk terminals 4, and an unattended agent server 3 for corresponding to an inquiry from the user when there is no expert clerk who can correspond to a consultation from the lobby terminals 2 are connected via a network.

#The server for making a connection with clerk terminals 1 has a database 14 of clerk terminal codes able to connect to lobby terminals for controlling information on a clerk terminal which is able to connect in a uniform manner and performs a control function 11 of clerk terminal connection for selecting a connectable expert clerk using data stored in the database 14 of clerk terminal codes able to connect to lobby terminals, a control function 12 of priority connection of clerk terminal for deciding the connection priority to the lobby terminals 2 according to the past consulting frequency of an expert clerk, and a control function 13 of lobby terminal connection for controlling the lobby terminals 2.

#The lobby terminals 2 perform a connective function 21 to clerk terminal (call instruction) for sending connection request information for connecting to the clerk terminals 4 to the server 1 for making a connection with clerk terminals 1, a display function 22 of clerk terminal codes able to connect to lobby terminals for displaying a list of clerk terminals able to connect to the server 1 for making a connection with clerk terminals on the lobby terminals 2, and a selective function 23 of clerk terminal able to connect to lobby terminal for connecting to the clerk terminal 4 selected from the displayed clerk terminal codes (p).