Integrating SIP control messaging into existing communication center routing infrastructure

Abstract

A software suite is disclosed for routing communication events over a data-packet-network using an IP session initiation and management protocol. The software suite comprises, a server application running on the network for computing and serving routing determinations per request, a session management application running on the network for initiating and managing routed and established session events, a parsing application running on the network for parsing request data received under session initiation protocol and a conversion application running on the network for converting data received under session initiation protocol into a routing request. All received communication requests for routing are in the form of the session initiation protocol wherein they are parsed and converted into routing requests processed by the server application and routed to determined destinations and wherein events are established as session events conducted under the session initiation and management protocol.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A system for routing a communication event in a call center having routing provided by a computer-telephony intergration (CTI) server, the event initiated by an originator at a computerized workstation outside the call center, the system comprising:
 a software-enabled session initiation protocol (SIP) mechanism operable on the workstation by the originator to prepare and send anmeans in the workstation for preparing and sending a SIP-protocol routing request along with an event initiation; and 
 a software enabled reformatting mechanism in the call centermeans in the call center for receiving and processing the SIP-protocol routing request; 
 characterized in that the reformatting mechanism converts, converting the SIP routing request into non-SIP protocol understood by the CTI server, and sends sending the resulting non-SIP request to the CTI-server CTI server for processing and response, and wherein the CTI server determines and returns a routing for the communication event. 
 
     
     
       2. The system of  claim 1  wherein the communication event arrives at the call center from a data packet network. 
     
     
       3. The system of  claim 2  wherein the data-packet-network comprises the Internet network. 
     
     
       4. The system of  claim 3  wherein the Internet network further connects to a loca area network (LAN) network. 
     
     
       5. The system of  claim 1  wherein the CTI server controls routing within the call center. 
     
     
       6. The system of  claim 1  wherein the communication events are event is received from clients a client of the call center and routed to agents an agent or automated systems system at work within the call center. 
     
     
       7. A method for routing a communication event in a call center having routing provided by a computer-telephony intergration integration (CTI) server, the event initiated by an originator at a computerized workstation outside the call center, the method comprising the steps of:
 a) step for preparing and sending a session initiation protocol (SIP) routing request along with the initiated event by a software-enabled SIP mechanism operable on the workstation by the originator; 
 b) step for receiving end and processing the SIP-protocol routing request by a software enabled reformatting mechanism in the call center; 
 c) step for converting the SIP routing request into non-SW non-SIP protocol understood by the CTI server by the reformatting mechanism; 
 d) sending the non-SIP request to the CTI-server for processing and response; and 
 e) determining a routing for the communication event by the CTI-server CTI server. 
 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 7  wherein the communication event arrives at the call center from a data packet network. 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 8  wherein the data packet network comprises the Internet network. 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 9 , wherein the Internet network further connects to a local area network (LAN) network. 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 7  wherein the (CTI) CTI server controls routing within the call center. 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 7  wherein the communication events are event is received from clients a client of the call center and routed to agents or automated systems an agent or automated system at work within the center. 
     
     
       13. A system for routing a communication event in a call center having routing provided by a computer-telephony integration (CTI) server, the event initiated by an originator at a computerized workstation outside the call center, the system comprising:
 a workstation accessible to the originator, the workstation including a processor and memory, wherein the memory stores instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:
 prepare and send a SIP-protocol routing request along with an event initiation; 
 receive and process the SIP-protocol routing request; 
 convert the SIP routing request into non-SIP protocol understood by the CTI server; and 
 send the resulting non-SIP request to the CTI server for processing and response, wherein the CTI server determines and returns a routing for the communication event. 
   
     
     
       14. The system of claim 13 wherein the communication event arrives at the call center from a data packet network. 
     
     
       15. The system of claim 13 wherein the CTI server controls routing within the call center. 
     
     
       16. The system of claim 13 wherein the communication event is received from a client of the call center and routed to an agent or automated system at work within the call center. 
     
     
       17. A method for routing a communication event in a call center having routing provided by a computer-telephony integration (CTI) server, the event initiated by an originator at a computerized workstation outside the call center, the computerized workstation preparing and sending a session initiation protocol (SIP) routing request along with the initiated event, the preparing and sending including detecting a data transmission request from a user interface of the computerized workstation, the method comprising:
 receiving and processing, by an electronic processing device in the call center, the SIP-protocol routing request, the receiving and processing including parsing the request for separating header information from content data;   converting, by the electronic processing device, the SIP-protocol routing request into non-SIP protocol understood by the CTI server, wherein the converting includes reformatting the SIP-protocol routing request into a non-SIP request;   sending, by the electronic processing device, the non-SIP request to the CTI server for processing and response; and   determining, by the electronic processing device, a routing for the communication event by the CTI server.   
     
     
       18. The method of claim 17 wherein the communication event arrives at the call center from a data packet network. 
     
     
       19. The method of claim 17 wherein the CTI server controls routing within the call center. 
     
     
       20. The method of claim 17 wherein the communication event is received from a client of the call center and routed to an agent or automated system at work within the call center.