JP7018359B2 - Relay server and relay method - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a relay server and a relay method.

When adding a function to an existing system, it is desirable to design the system in advance so that it is suitable for adding the function.
Patent Document 1 describes a method for facilitating renewal and expansion of functions in a message processing system suitable for processing a predetermined message.
Patent Document 2 describes a method of extending a file remote operation function for a server without extending a command of a protocol for transferring a file and without adding another protocol.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2016-18316 Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2010-117914

The call center system for performing call center operations is built with a client-server system. Telegrams are exchanged between the client and the server via a relay server that relays data communication.
In order to realize the multiple functions implemented in the call center system, it is necessary to send and receive telegrams multiple times between the client and the server, between the clients, and between the servers. Furthermore, in terms of operation, the call center system needs to perform inter-system communication in order to cooperate with other systems. In addition, future enhancements may enable communication with new systems.

In this way, since the communication procedure differs for each function of the call center system, it is necessary to construct a relay server corresponding to each communication procedure, and the repair cost required for adding the function is a burden on the developer.
In particular, the relay server needs to determine a forwarding destination suitable for the telegram for each telegram, and the repair cost for changing the function to increase or decrease the forwarding destination for the existing telegram has increased. However, the conventional techniques such as Patent Documents 1 and 2 do not have a system on the premise that the transfer destination of the telegram is frequently changed.

Therefore, the main object of the present invention is to provide a relay server that can easily expand the transfer destination of the relay message.

In order to solve the above problems, the relay server of the present invention has the following features.
The present invention is a relay server used in a call center system that handles a call between an IP telephone and a client terminal and a call between the client terminals.
For each type of message from the client terminal that indicates a request or answer for holding a call or forwarding a call, storage presence / absence information that specifies whether to store the message and the message in the call center system. A storage unit that stores the external setting file that specifies the transfer destination information as a rewritable file ,
It has a transfer unit that specifies the device of the transfer destination of the received message by referring to the information of the transfer destination specified in the external setting file from the type of the received message.
The transfer destination information is information that identifies the transfer destination device in the message about the request, and the sender of the message about the request previously stored based on the storage presence / absence information is received this time in the message about the response. It is characterized in that it is information used as a device to which a telegram about a response is transferred .
Other means will be described later.

According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a relay server that can easily expand the transfer destination of the relay message.

It is a block diagram of the call center system which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. It is a block diagram of the relay server which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. It is a table of the transfer management master which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. It is a table of the request management master which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. It is a table of the system master which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. It is a table of the request data list which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. It is a table in which the transfer destination is added as the same message to the transfer management master of FIG. 3 according to the embodiment of the present invention. It is a table which added the transfer destination as another message to the transfer management master of FIG. 3 which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. It is a sequence diagram when the operator which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention makes a call with a customer. It is a sequence diagram in the case where the operator which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention does not make a call with a customer. It is a sequence diagram which expanded the function of the sequence diagram of FIG. 9 regarding one Embodiment of this invention. It is a sequence diagram which expanded the function of the sequence diagram of FIG. 10 concerning one Embodiment of this invention.

Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a call center system 1.
The call center system 1 is introduced in the mail-order company Z so that the operators A and B of the mail-order company Z can receive a telephone order from the customer C. The IP telephone 7 of the customer C is connected to the IP telephony server 5 of the call center system 1 via the IP communication network 6. The IP telephony server 5 is connected to each client terminal 2 of the mail-order company Z and other devices such as the business management server 8 via the LAN line 9.

The client telephone system 3 of the client terminal 2 is prepared for each operator of the mail-order company Z, and each operator is used for a call with the customer C or another operator. In the following, it is assumed that the operator A in charge of order reception handles the client terminal 2a, and the operator B in charge of inventory management handles the client terminal 2b.

The relay server 4 relays communication between devices connected to the LAN line 9 via the LAN line 9. For example, the relay server 4 receives a transmission message from the client terminal 2a and transfers it to the IP telephony server 5. Here, the main feature of the present embodiment is that the relay server 4 is designed in advance so that the forwarding destination of the message received from the LAN line 9 can be flexibly set (details are shown in FIG. 2).
The relay server 4 is configured as a Web relay server capable of processing the VoIP protocol when making a voice call using VoIP (Voice over IP) technology.

FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram of the relay server 4.
The relay server 4 is configured as a computer having a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a memory, a storage means (storage unit) such as a hard disk, and a network interface.
In this computer, the CPU operates a control unit (control means) composed of each processing unit by executing a program (also referred to as an application or an abbreviation thereof) read in the memory.

The relay server 4 includes a user management unit 41, a system master 44 (details are shown in FIG. 5), a request management unit 42, a request management master 45 (details are shown in FIG. 4), an action management unit 43, and a request data list 46. It has (details in FIG. 6), a transfer management master 47 (details in FIG. 3), a dedicated telegram transmission / reception unit 48, and a LAN interface 49.
Of these, the system master 44, the request management master 45, the request data list 46, and the transfer management master 47 are external setting files (pattern masters) for facilitating the change of the transfer destination from the relay server 4. be. Hereinafter, each data structure constituting the pattern master will be described, and in the subsequent explanation of "pattern master-> transfer destination determination processing", the user management unit 41, the request management unit 42, and the behavior management unit of the dedicated function processing unit 40 will be described. The details of 43 will be revealed.

FIG. 3 is a table of the transfer management master 47a (hereinafter, appropriately referred to as reference numeral 47). The transfer management master 47 is data in which the request CD and the transfer destination system CD are associated with each other. The request CD is an ID indicating the type of the received telegram. The transfer destination system CD is an ID that identifies the transfer destination device in the call center system 1.
The action management unit 43 manages the actions that the relay server 4 can take for each request type (request CD) in the transfer management master 47 (here, an action called a transfer process and a parameter called a transfer destination required for the action).

FIG. 4 is a table of the request management master 45. The request management master 45 is data in which the request CD, the request name, and the presence / absence of storage are associated with each other. The request name is a name indicating the type of the received telegram. The storage presence / absence is a flag indicating whether or not the received telegram needs to be temporarily stored in the request data list 46. The request management unit 42 sets the request type of the received data as the request CD, and manages it as the request management master 45 associated with the presence / absence of storage.

FIG. 5 is a table of the system master 44. The system master 44 is data in which the system CD and the system name are associated with each other. The system name is a name indicating a transfer destination device corresponding to the system CD. In the system master 44, the user management unit 41 names the relay target as a "system name", classifies it into a system CD, and manages it.

FIG. 6 is a table of the request data list 46. The request data list 46 is data in which a request No., a request CD, a request source user ID, storage 1. request No., and storage 2. request No. are associated with each other. The request No. is an ID individually assigned to each received telegram, and for example, a unique value obtained by digitizing a time stamp is assigned. The requesting user ID is an ID for identifying the user who is the source of the received telegram.
The storage 1. request No. and the storage 2. request No. are the request numbers of other telegrams stored to specify the transfer destination of the received telegram, respectively.
The request management unit 42 registers the received telegram in the last record of the request data list 46. The request management unit 42 sequentially specifies the transfer destination from the first record of the request data list 46. When the message of the first record of the request data list 46 has been transferred to the specified transfer destination, the request management unit 42 deletes the first record of the request data list 46 (presence / absence of storage "none"). (Case) or save the first record in another location (when storage presence / absence is "Yes"), and move the second and subsequent records to the first record.

Returning to FIG. 2, the LAN interface 49 notifies the dedicated telegram transmission / reception unit 48 of the received telegram. The dedicated telegram transmission / reception unit 48 decodes the content of the notified telegram and notifies the request management unit 42 of the telegram.
The request management unit 42 determines an appropriate transfer destination with reference to the pattern master for the notified telegram (hereinafter, referred to as “pattern master → transfer destination determination process”). Then, the request management unit 42 transfers the telegram from the dedicated telegram transmission / reception unit 48 to the determined transfer destination via the LAN interface 49.

Hereinafter, the “pattern master → transfer destination determination process” when the request management unit 42 receives the “transfer response” will be described.
(Procedure 1) The request management unit 42 refers to the request management master 45 and requests the request CD “1007” corresponding to the “forwarding response”.
(Procedure 2) The request management unit 42 inquires of the behavior management unit 43 about the transfer destination of the telegram of the request CD "1007". The action management unit 43 returns the system CD "101", which is the transfer destination of the telegram corresponding to the request CD "1007", from the transfer management master 47.
(Procedure 3) The request management unit 42 inquires the user management unit 41 about the device corresponding to the system CD "101". The user management unit 41 refers to the system master 44 and returns the system name "IP telephony server" corresponding to the system CD "101" as the transfer destination.
(Procedure 4) The request management unit 42 transfers the transfer response to the IP telephony server 5. Then, the request management unit 42 refers to the request management master 45 and obtains the storage presence / absence “none” corresponding to the request CD “1007” of the transfer response. Therefore, the request management unit 42 deletes the transfer response transferred this time from the request data list 46 because it does not need to be stored.

On the other hand, the forwarding destination of a certain telegram may be obtained based on another stored telegram.
FIG. 7 is a table of the transfer management master 47b in which "500" is added to the system CD "101" as the transfer destination of the transfer response (1007) and the transfer refusal (1008) to the transfer management master 47a of FIG. be. Hereinafter, the details of the "pattern master-> transfer destination determination process" from the transfer destination system CD "500" will be described.
(Procedure 1a) The request management unit 42 refers to the request management master 45 and requests the request CD “1007” corresponding to the “forwarding response”.
(Procedure 2a) The request management unit 42 inquires of the behavior management unit 43 about the transfer destination of the telegram of the request CD "1007". The action management unit 43 returns the system CD "500", which is the transfer destination of the telegram corresponding to the request CD "1007", from the transfer management master 47b.
(Procedure 3a) The request management unit 42 inquires the user management unit 41 of the device corresponding to the system CD “500”. The user management unit 41 refers to the system master 44 and returns the system name "storage 1. request No." corresponding to the system CD "500" as the transfer destination.
(Procedure 4a) In the request management unit 42, the returned system name "storage 1. request No." is not in the device itself existing on the call center system 1, but in the "storage 1. request No." column of the request data list 46. Understand that you will refer to the other telegrams listed.
(Procedure 5a) The request management unit 42 refers to the “Store 1. Request No.” column of the record (second record) of the transfer response (1007) in the request data list 46, and the stored transfer request (1006). ) Request No. "022012" is obtained. The request management unit 42 refers to the request source user ID of the record (first record) corresponding to the request No. "022012" in the request data list 46, and the user ID "20001" of the client terminal 2 as the transfer destination = Obtain the client terminal 2a.

As described above, the client terminal 2a of the source of the stored transfer request (1006) can be obtained as the transfer destination of the transfer response (1007). Similarly, the request management unit 42 can obtain the client terminal 2a of the source of the stored transfer request (1006) by referring to the transfer management master 47b for the transfer destination of the transfer refusal (1008).

In some cases, the transfer destination client terminal 2a is an old system that cannot handle the transfer response (1007) and transfer refusal (1008) transferred from the relay server 4. In that case, as an editing operation for adding the transfer destination to the transfer management master 47, instead of adding a new transfer destination to the system CD column of the existing transfer destination as shown in FIG. 6, a new request CD and a new request CD are used. You may add it as a set with the forwarding destination.

FIG. 8 is a table of the transfer management master 47c to which the system CD “500” is added as the transfer destination of the new transfer response (1017) and the new transfer refusal (1018) to the transfer management master 47a of FIG. be. Like the transfer management master 47c, by managing the old and new processing contents separately with the request CD, if the request is from the old system, the old request CD (1007,1008) can be used, even if the request is from the new system. For example, the new request CD (1017,1018) can be used together to use the request type.
As a result, since the function can be expanded only by registering the added function in the pattern master, it is possible to recover by simply deleting the added pattern. By adding a new pattern while retaining the old pattern when changing functions, it is possible to operate a system in which old and new systems coexist.

FIG. 9 is a sequence diagram when the operator B makes a call with the customer C.
Customer C calls the mail-order company Z from the IP telephone 7 to order the product D. The IP communication network 6 connects an incoming call from the IP telephone 7 to the IP telephony server 5 (S101).
The IP telephony server 5 calls the client terminal 2a in order to connect the incoming call from the IP telephone 7 to the operator A (S102). The operator A receives the call of S102 via the client terminal 2a, and starts a conversation with the customer C via the IP telephone 7 (S103).

Here, the operator A remembers that the product D requested by the order may be out of stock, so he explains to the customer C that the telephone is temporarily suspended to confirm the arrival status of the product D. do. During this hold period, the operator A attempts to have the operator B take over the call with the customer C and have the operator B in charge of inventory management directly explain the arrival status of the product D.

Therefore, first, the operator A inputs an operation for holding the call of S103 to the client terminal 2a. The client terminal 2a transmits a hold request (1004) for requesting hold processing to the IP telephony server 5 to the relay server 4 (S111).
The relay server 4 transfers the hold request (1004) to the IP telephony server 5 obtained by "pattern master-> transfer destination determination process" (S112). When the IP telephony server 5 receives the hold request (1004), it confirms the contents and transmits a signal for holding the call of S103 to the client terminal 2a and the IP telephone 7 (S113, S114). As a result, the call (S103) between the operator A and the customer C is suspended.

Next, the operator A inputs an operation for transferring the call with the customer C to the operator B to the client terminal 2a. The client terminal 2a transmits a transfer request (1006) for requesting the transfer process to the IP telephony server 5 to the relay server 4 (S121).
The relay server 4 transfers the transfer request (1006) to the IP telephony server 5 obtained by "pattern master-> transfer destination determination process" (S122). When the IP telephony server 5 receives the transfer request (1006), it calls the client terminal 2b of the operator B specified in the transfer request (1006) (S123).

When the operator B receives the transfer of the call with the customer C from the operator A, the reception process is performed to the client terminal 2b. The client terminal 2b transmits a transfer response (1007) for notifying the IP telephony server 5 that the transfer response is to be made to the relay server 4 (S124).
The relay server 4 transfers the transfer response (1007) to the IP telephony server 5 obtained by "pattern master-> transfer destination determination process" (S125). When the IP telephony server 5 receives the transfer response (1007), it confirms the content and releases the hold of the client terminal 2a (S126).
Then, the IP telephony server 5 connects the client terminal 2a and the client terminal 2b, and starts an internal call of the mail-order company Z (S131). Operator A conveys the transfer request to operator B, such as "I want customer C to explain to customer C on behalf of me whether the product D requested by customer C, which is currently on hold, is out of stock." After that, hang up the call.

The IP telephony server 5 receives the disconnection of the internal call of S131 (S132), releases the hold of the IP telephone 7 (S133), and then connects the client terminal 2b and the IP telephone 7 to enable a call (S132). S134).
As a result, the operator B can respond to the customer C, such as "I changed the phone, the ordered product D can be delivered in one week".

FIG. 10 is a sequence diagram when the operator B does not make a call with the customer C.
The processing (S101 to S114) before the call of the order exchange between the operator A and the customer C is suspended is the same as the processing described with reference to FIG. 9, and the illustration and description are omitted in FIG. .. Further, the processes (S121 to S123) until the operator B is called to transfer the call to the customer C are the same processes in FIGS. 9 and 10.
On the other hand, each process (S211 to S216) in FIG. 10 described below replaces the process (S124 to S134) in the latter half of FIG.

Since the operator B is in a situation where he / she cannot receive an incoming call such as during other work, he / she inputs an operation for rejecting the call of S123 to the client terminal 2b. The client terminal 2b transmits a transfer refusal (1008) for rejecting the transfer from the operator A to the IP telephony server 5 to the relay server 4 (S211). The relay server 4 transfers the transfer refusal (1008) to the IP telephony server 5 obtained by "pattern master-> transfer destination determination process" (S212).

Upon receiving the transfer refusal (1008), the IP telephony server 5 confirms the content, cancels the call (S123) of the client terminal 2b (S213), and releases the hold of S113 (S214, S215). Then, the IP telephony server 5 connects the client terminal 2a and the IP telephone 7 and returns to the call state (S216). Here, the reason why the call state is "returned" is that both the call destinations of the S103 call before the hold and the S216 call after the hold are the same.

As described above, when the operator B grants the transfer request of S121, the call partner of the operator A becomes the operator B (S131 in FIG. 9). On the other hand, when the operator B rejects the transfer request of S121, the call partner of the operator A is the customer C (S216 in FIG. 10). That is, the operator A had no choice but to actually have a conversation in order to determine whether the resumed call partner was the customer C or the operator B.
Therefore, the operator A gives an unpleasant impression to the customer C by asking "Are you the customer C?" Or assuming that the other party is the operator B and starting talking without using honorifics. There was a problem that it would end up.

FIG. 11 is a sequence diagram in which the function of the sequence diagram of FIG. 9 when the operator B makes a call with the customer C is extended so that the operator A can grasp the other party. The processing (S101 to S114) before the call of the order exchange between the operator A and the customer C is suspended is the same as the processing described with reference to FIG. 9, and is not shown in FIG. The processes added in FIG. 11 are S125n and S125p described below.
The relay server 4 of FIG. 11 specifies the transfer destination of the transfer response (1007) by the “pattern master → transfer destination determination process” based on the transfer management master 47 of FIG. Here, in addition to the IP telephony server 5 of S125, the client terminal 2a of S125n is also newly specified as a transfer destination.

By displaying the transfer response (1007) received in S125n on the screen as "transfer response" (S125p), the client terminal 2a grasps to the operator A that "operator B has responded (permitted) to the transfer request in S121". Let me. Therefore, the function of the client terminal 2 is expanded so that the type (request name) of the telegram received from the relay server 4 is displayed on the screen.
As a result, the operator A knows that the other party to be called is the operator B, and therefore, "on behalf of me, whether or not the product D requested by the customer C who is currently on hold is out of stock. I want you to explain to customer C. "

FIG. 12 is a sequence diagram in which the function of the sequence diagram of FIG. 10 when the operator B does not make a call with the customer C is extended so that the operator A can grasp the other party. The processes added in FIG. 12 are S212n and S212p described below.
The relay server 4 of FIG. 12 specifies the transfer destination of the transfer refusal (1008) by the “pattern master → transfer destination determination process” based on the transfer management master 47 of FIG. Here, in addition to the IP telephony server 5 of S212, the client terminal 2a of S212n is also newly specified as a transfer destination.

The client terminal 2a displays the transfer refusal (1008) received by S212n on the screen as "transfer refusal" (S212p), so that the operator A understands that "operator B rejects the transfer request of S121". Therefore, the function of the client terminal 2 is expanded so that the type (request name) of the telegram received from the relay server 4 is displayed on the screen.
As a result, the operator A knows that the other party to be called is the customer C. "Due to the absence of the person in charge, it will take a little more time to check the inventory of the product D, so we will call the customer C back. I can explain it carefully.

In the present embodiment described above, the relay function of the relay server 4 is made into a pattern master so that the transfer destination of the relay message can be easily expanded. As a result, when a new function is added to the call center system 1, instead of modifying the internal program of the relay function of the relay server 4, the transfer destination registered in the pattern master (transfer management master 47) of the relay server 4 is used. All you have to do is increase or decrease the specific information of.

The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and includes various modifications. For example, the above-described embodiment has been described in detail in order to explain the present invention in an easy-to-understand manner, and is not necessarily limited to the one including all the configurations described.
Further, it is possible to replace a part of the configuration of one embodiment with the configuration of another embodiment, and it is also possible to add the configuration of another embodiment to the configuration of one embodiment.
Further, it is possible to add / delete / replace a part of the configuration of each embodiment with another configuration. Further, each of the above configurations, functions, processing units, processing means and the like may be realized by hardware by designing a part or all of them by, for example, an integrated circuit.
Further, each of the above configurations, functions, and the like may be realized by software by the processor interpreting and executing a program that realizes each function.

Information such as programs, tables, and files that realize each function can be stored in memory, hard disks, recording devices such as SSDs (Solid State Drives), IC (Integrated Circuit) cards, SD cards, DVDs (Digital Versatile Discs), etc. Can be placed on the recording medium of.
In addition, the control lines and information lines indicate those that are considered necessary for explanation, and do not necessarily indicate all the control lines and information lines in the product. In practice, it can be considered that almost all configurations are interconnected.

1 Call center system 2 Client terminal 3 Client telephone system 4 Relay server 5 IP telephony server 6 IP communication network 7 IP telephone 8 Business management server 9 LAN line 40 Dedicated function processing department 41 User management department 42 Request management department (forwarding department)
43 Behavior management unit 44 System master 45 Request management master 46 Request data list 47 Transfer management master (external setting file, storage unit)
48 Dedicated telegram transmitter / receiver 49 LAN interface

Claims (4)

A relay server used in a call center system that handles a call between an IP telephone and a client terminal and a call between the client terminals.
For each type of message from the client terminal that indicates a request or answer for holding a call or forwarding a call, storage presence / absence information that specifies whether to store the message and the message in the call center system. A storage unit that stores the external setting file that specifies the transfer destination information as a rewritable file ,
It has a transfer unit that specifies the device of the transfer destination of the received message by referring to the information of the transfer destination specified in the external setting file from the type of the received message.
The transfer destination information is information that identifies the transfer destination device in the message about the request, and the sender of the message about the request previously stored based on the storage presence / absence information is received this time in the message about the response. A relay server characterized in that it is information used as a device to which a telegram about a response is transferred . A relay server used in a call center system that handles a call between an IP telephone and a client terminal and a call between the client terminals.
A rewritable file that specifies the information of the transfer destination of the message in the call center system for each type of message from the client terminal indicating the request or answer for holding the call or transferring the call. A storage unit that remembers as
It has a transfer unit that specifies the device of the transfer destination of the received message by referring to the information of the transfer destination specified in the external setting file from the type of the received message.
The transfer destination information specified in the external setting file includes the first transfer destination device supported by the new system and the second transfer destination device supported by the old system for the same telegram type. Can be registered separately,
When the new system receives the corresponding first message, the transfer unit identifies the first transfer destination device, and when the old system receives the corresponding second message, the transfer unit identifies the first transfer destination device. A relay server characterized by specifying the device of the transfer destination of 2 . The relay server used in the call center system that handles a call between an IP telephone and a client terminal and a call between the client terminals has a storage unit and a transfer unit.
The storage unit contains storage presence / absence information that specifies whether or not to store the message for each type of message from the client terminal indicating a request or response for holding a call or transferring a call, and the message. The external setting file that defines the transfer destination information in the call center system is stored as a rewritable file .
The transfer unit identifies the device of the transfer destination of the received message by referring to the information of the transfer destination specified in the external setting file from the type of the received message .
The transfer destination information is information that identifies the transfer destination device in the message about the request, and the sender of the message about the request previously stored based on the storage presence / absence information is received this time in the message about the response. A relay method characterized in that it is information used as a device to which a telegram about a response is transferred . The relay server used in the call center system that handles a call between an IP telephone and a client terminal and a call between the client terminals has a storage unit and a transfer unit.
The storage unit contains an external setting file that specifies information on the transfer destination of the telegram in the call center system for each type of telegram from the client terminal indicating a request or answer for holding the call or transferring the call. However, it is stored as a rewritable file ,
The transfer unit identifies the device of the transfer destination of the received message by referring to the information of the transfer destination specified in the external setting file from the type of the received message .
The transfer destination information specified in the external setting file includes the first transfer destination device supported by the new system and the second transfer destination device supported by the old system for the same telegram type. Can be registered separately,
When the new system receives the corresponding first telegram, the transfer unit identifies the first transfer destination device, and when the old system receives the corresponding second telegram, the transfer unit identifies the first transfer destination device. A relay method characterized by specifying a transfer destination device of 2 .

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