Method and apparatus for data-linking a mobile knowledge worker to home communication-center infrastructure

Abstract

A proxy system enables a worker remote from a communication center and limited to a light computer device unable to operate as a workstation at the communication center to operate with full access to data and software at the communication center. A proxy server, which may be a LAN-connected server at the communication center, has a two-way data link to the light computer device operated by the remote agent, and executes software which ascertains the hardware and software characteristics of the light device. The proxy server accesses communication center data at direction from the light device, operates communication center software tools, and provides results to the light device over the communication link in a form usable by the light device.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A system for enabling remote interworking with a communication center, comprising:
 a communication center comprising a plurality of communication and computing devices; 
 a Local Area Network (LAN) for coupling the plurality of communication and computing devices; 
 a proxy server executing a software suite and coupled to the first network LAN; 
 characterized in that the proxy server is further coupled to the Internet for managing communications between a portable device and the plurality of communication and computing devices in a form usable by each, wherein the portable device is enabled at least to participate in live Internet Protocol Network Telephony (IPNT) voice communications with agents operating individual ones of the communication and computing devices at the communication center and to interoperate with any a software application executing on the computing devices coupled to the LAN, 
 wherein the portable device is configured to transmit a command to the proxy server for displaying a list of scripts, wherein in response to the portable device selecting a particular script from the list of scripts, a command is issued to a particular device of the plurality of communication and computing devices for causing the particular device to access a digital voice attendant over the LAN to replace a message output by the digital voice attendant with a new message. 
 
     
     
       2. The system of  claim 1  wherein the portable device is one of a hand-held computer, a personal digital assistant, a portable laptop computer, or a cellular telephone. 
     
     
       3. The system of  claim 1  wherein the second proxy server is coupled to the Internet over a two-way data link, wherein the two-way data link is one of a hard-wired telephone connection, a wireless connection, or a data-packet connection via the Internet. 
     
     
       4. The system of claim  1  3 wherein the proxy server and the portable device each execute an instance of a Nano-browser enabling Internet Protocol communication over the second two-way data link. 
     
     
       5. The system of  claim 1  wherein the proxy server is a first proxy server connected to a plurality of remote proxy servers, each at a separate remote call center, and the portable device connects to and operates software and accesses data at least one of the plurality of remote call centers. 
     
     
       6. A method for enabling remote interworking with a communication center, comprising the steps of:
 (a) coupling a plurality of communication and computing devices in a communication center to a Local Area Network (LAN); 
 (b) executing a software suite on a proxy server, the proxy server also coupled to the LAN; 
 (c) coupling the proxy server to the Internet; 
 (d) managing communications on the Internet by the proxy server between a portable device and the plurality of communication and computing devices in a form usable by each device wherein the portable device is enabled at least to participate in live Internet Protocol Network Telephony (IPNT) voice communications with agents operating individual ones of the communication and computing devices at the communication center and to interoperate with any a software application executing on the computing devices coupled to the LAN, 
 wherein the portable device is configured to transmit a command to the proxy server for displaying a list of scripts, wherein in response to the portable device selecting a particular script from the list of scripts, a command is issued to a particular device of the plurality of communication and computing devices for causing the particular device to access a digital voice attendant over the LAN to replace a message output by the digital voice attendant with a new message. 
 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 6  wherein the portable device is one of a hand-held computer, a personal digital assistant, a portable laptop computer, or a cellular telephone. 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 6  wherein the first proxy server is coupled to the Internet over a two-way data link, wherein the two-way data link is one of a hard-wired telephone connection, a wireless connection, or a data-packet connection via the Internet. 
     
     
       9. The method of claim  6  8 wherein the proxy server and the portable device each execute an instance of a Nano-browser enabling Internet Protocol telephony voice communication over the second two-way data link. 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 9  wherein the a plurality of remote proxy servers, each at a separate remote call center, and wherein portable device connects to and operates software and accesses data at least one of the remote call centers. 
     
     
       11. The system of claim 1, wherein the proxy server is configured to route voice calls to and from the portable device. 
     
     
       12. The system of claim 11, wherein the command is transmitted during a particular one of the voice calls. 
     
     
       13. The system of claim 1, wherein the particular device is a workstation of a worker of the communication center. 
     
     
       14. The method of claim 6, wherein the proxy server is configured to route voice calls to and from the portable device. 
     
     
       15. The method of claim 14, wherein the command is transmitted during a particular one of the voice calls. 
     
     
       16. The method of claim 6, wherein a particular one of the plurality of communication and computing devices is a workstation of a worker of the communication center.