ATT DEFINITY Generic 3 Call Vectoring/Expert Agent Instructions Manual

							Detailed Call Flow for Converse—VRI Calls
H-2Issue  4   September 1995 
Converse Call Placement
The first action taken by the c onverse-on step is to deliver the call to the 
converse sp lit. Ringback tone is not heard by the caller. Any audible feedback 
supplied by vector processing remains until the VRU answers the call and all 
d i gits (if administered) have been outpulsed to the VRU. Vector processing is 
suspended. Callers remain in any nonconverse split q ueues, and they retain their 
position in queue while  the converse session is active.
If a Call Promp ting TN744 TTR  is allocated to the call, the TTR is released. Any 
dial-ahead digits are discarded. However, any digits collected prior to the 
converse-on step are kept.
Calls to busy converse splits are allowed to queue. The priority of the call in 
queue is administrable within the 
converse-on step. Again, any audible feedback 
supplied by vector processing  continues until the call is answered by the VRU 
and any data is outpulsed. Calls to busy converse splits have either no queue or 
a full  queue  fail. For this scenario, a vector event is logg e d, and vector 
processing continues at the next vector step.
Whenever a 
converse-on step places a call to an auto-available split whose 
agents are all logged out, the call is not q ueued. Instead, the 
c onverse-on step 
fails, a vector event is logg e d, and vector p rocessing continues at the next vector 
step.
NOTE:
Usually, this scenario occurs whenever the Voice Response Unit (VRU) 
goes down, the p orts are members of an Auto-Available Split (AAS) and the 
Redirection on No Answer (RONA) feature has taken all the p orts out of 
service.
The originator’s display is not changed by the terminating or answering of a 
converse call. Also, whenever a call is delivered to a display station via a 
converse-on step, the station displays the following information: ‘‘Originator 
Name to VDN Name.’’ Conventional Call Vectoring rules for Override are in effect.
Valid destinations for converse calls must b e vector-controlled and include the 
following:
— Hunt groups
— ACD (including Auto-Available) splits
— Agent (including Auto-Available) skill groups
— AUDIX hunt groups.
Undefined and nonvector-controlled hunt group, sp lit or skill numb ers  are 
rejected at administration time. 
						

							Data Passin g
Issue  4   Septemb er 1995
H-3
Any attempt to remove a hunt group, split or skill administered within a converse-
on
 vector ste p is denied until the vector has been changed. Also, any attemp t to 
make a hunt group, s plit, or skill nonvector-controlled is denied if the hunt group, 
split, or skill is called by a 
converse-on step.
Data Passing
NOTE:
This phase is optional and is in effect only if the application calls for 
DEFINITY to pass information in-band to the VRU.
The 
converse-on step may outpulse up to two groups of digits to the VRU. Two 
sets of d igits are available for outpulsing. The digits can serve two major 
purposes, as follows:
nNotify the VRU of the a p plication to be executed
nShare call-related d ata, such as ANI (BN) or caller digits collected by 
DEFI NI TY
In many applications both a p plication selection and data sharing are required.
Since in many cases the d igit strings are of variable length, DEFI NI TY always 
appends a pound sign (#) to the end of each digit string. 
Promp t and collect 
steps in the VRU script must therefore always be administered to expect the 
pound sign (#) as the end-of-string symbol and to include the pound sign in the 
d i git count.
Sending the pound sign (#) prevents excessive delays and other problems 
caused by digit timeouts.
The complete outpulse sequence is summarized as follows:
1. VRU answers the call
2. Delay for the time administered in the ‘‘Converse first data delay’’ field in 
the System Parameters-Features  form occurs
3. < data_1> is outpulsed
4. ‘‘#’’ is outp ulsed
5. Delay for the time administered in the ‘‘Converse second data delay’’ field 
in  the System Parameters-Features  form occurs
6. < data_2> is outpulsed
7. ‘‘#’’ is outp ulsed 
						

							Detailed Call Flow for Converse—VRI Calls
H-4Issue  4   September 1995 
NOTE:
DTMF tones (digits) with a length of 350_msec and with an interdigit pause 
of 100_msec are currently outpulsed by DEFI NI TY.  This results in a rate of 
approximately 2.2 digits p er second.
Any audible feedback supplied by DEFINITY  i s disconnected only after the 
outpulse sequence is completed. Also, any touch-tone dialing by the calling 
party during the data passing phase does not result in data corruption.
The following values may be administered for < data_1> and   within the 
converse-on command:
nAdministered digit string:  This string can contain up to six characters 
consisting of one or more digits (0 through 9) or asterisks (*). The pound 
sign (#) may not be included in a digit string because it is reserved as the 
end-of-string character. However, a single ‘‘#’’ may be a dministered.
nani: If the call is a local call  or an incoming DCS call, this data type 
causes the extension of the calling party to be outpulsed. If the call is an 
incoming ISDN PRI call with ANI (BN) provided to DEFINITY , t h e  calling 
party number/billing numb er (CPN/BN)  of the calling party is outpulsed to 
the voice information system. If there is no ANI (BN) to send, the end-of-
string pound sign (#) is the only character outpulsed. Any other typ e of 
incoming call results in ‘‘#’’ being outpulsed.
nvdn:  This data type causes the VDN extension to be outpulsed. In cases 
where multiple VDNs are a c cessed, normal VDN override rules  d etermine 
which VDN extension is outpulsed.
ndigits:  This  data type can b e used only if Call Promp ting is op tioned, and 
it c auses the most recent set of digits collected in vector  processing to b e 
outpulsed. If no digits are available, the end-of-string p ound sign (#) is the 
only character outpulsed.
nqpos:  This d ata type causes the value of the queue position of a call in a 
nonconverse split to be outpulsed. This value is a variable length data 
item from which between one and three digits can be outpulsed. Valid 
ranges for the value are 1 through 200 in G3iV2, G3sV2, and G3vsV2 and 
1 through 999 in G3rV2. If the call is not queued, the end-of-string pound 
sign (#) is the only character outpulsed.
NOTE:
The use of this keyword is not recommended with multiple split 
queuing because any queue position value sent may not be 
meaningful. However, if the call is queued to multiple nonconverse 
splits, the value of the caller’s queue position in the first nonconverse 
split is sent.
This data may b e used b y the voice information system to inform callers of 
their position in queue or to decide whether to execute a long or short 
version of a voice response script. 
						

							Data Passin g
Issue  4   Septemb er 1995
H-5
nwait: This data type sends the expected wait time for a call in vector 
processing that is queued to at least one sp lit. It is a value from 0 to 9999 
seconds. If the call is not queued, or is queued only to sp lits with no 
working agents, only the # is outpulsed.
n‘‘#’’:  This is the only character outpulse d. Outpulsing this character 
causes the corresponding prompt and collect command in the voice 
response script to be skipped.
n‘‘none’’:  This data type causes no characters to be outpulsed. Also, no 
end-of-string pound character (#) is outpulsed, and no time delays are 
invoked.
DEFI NI TY always outp ulses a pound c haracter (#) at the end of each digit string. 
Where ‘‘#’’ is administered, or where the ‘‘digits’’ keyword  is administered and the 
last digit collected from the caller is ‘‘#,’’ only one ‘‘#’’ is outp ulsed. No ‘‘#’’ is 
outpulsed when the keyword ‘‘none’’ is administered.
If  is a dministered as ‘‘none,’’ < data_2>  must also be ‘‘none.’’
Any data to b e p assed to the VRU from DEFINITY is outpulsed in-b and. Two time 
delays on the System Parameter-Features form (‘‘Converse first data delay’’ and 
‘‘Converse second data delay’’) are administrable by customers. These delays 
may range from 0 through 9 seconds, with a default of zero seconds for the 
converse first data delay and  a default of two seconds for the converse second 
data delay. The delays may be needed to give the VRU time to invoke an 
application and allocate a touch-tone receiver to receive the passed digits.
If  is not ‘‘none,’’ the converse first data delay timer starts when the call 
is answered by the VRU. Once the timer expires, the data_1 digits are outpulsed 
in-band to the VRU, followed by the end-of-string pound sign (#).
If   is not ‘‘none,’’ the converse second data delay timer starts when the 
end-of-string p ound sign (#) from the first digit string is outpulsed. Once the timer 
expires, the data_2 d i gits are outpulsed in-band  to the VRU, followed b y the 
end-of-string pound sign (#).
No time delays are invoked when the keyword ‘‘none’’ is administered.
NOTE:
The outpulsing of digits is not heard by the caller.
If the VRU hangs up during the data passing phase, DEFINITY will log a vector 
event, reactivate vector processing at the next vector step, and ensure the VRU 
port is accessible for  future calls.
Once all digits have been passed to the VRU, any audible feedback is 
disconnected.
NOTE:
At this point, control has effectively been passed to the VRU. 
						

							Detailed Call Flow for Converse—VRI Calls
H-6Issue  4   September 1995 
To ensure the robust operation of the VRU data passing operation, be sure to 
implement the following  recommendations:
nInclude the prompt and collect command in the VRU script for each data 
field passed in the 
converse-on step.
nAdminister each p rompt and collect command to recognize the ‘‘#’’ 
character as the end-of-string character.
nEnsure the number of d i gits expected is one greater than the numb er of 
d i gits passe d to allow for the ‘‘#’’ character, which terminates every 
converse data field.
Also, ensure  no announcement is played in these 
prompt and collect 
steps.
nEnsure the first d igit timeout in the p rompt and collect ste ps is five 
seconds greater than the corresponding converse  data delay. (For 
example, if the 
c onverse-on step p asses two data fields, and if the 
converse first data delay is 0 secs and the  converse second d ata delay is 
4 secs, the first d i git  timeouts for the two 
prompt and collect commands 
should be at least 5 and 9 seconds, respectively.)
nEnsure the interdigit timeout in the prompt and collect ste ps is at least five 
seconds.
nAdminister the converse first d ata delay to give  a VRU under a heavy load 
sufficient time to allocate a DTMF  touch-tone receiver after answering the 
call.
nAdminister the converse second data d elay to give a VRU under a heavy 
load sufficient time to comp lete any tasks between the first and second 
prompt and collect command. (For examp le, the VRU can invoke a new 
application if the first data field passed is used to identify the application 
script to be executed.)
nIn g eneral, for converse-on ste ps p ass data to the VRU, ensure the VRU 
script does not execute any commands between the time the call is 
answered and the time when the first 
p rompt and collect command is 
executed.
VRU Data Collection
When d i gits are passed from DEFINITY to the VRU, the first VRU script 
commands executed are 
answer phone and p rompt and collect. No 
announcement is programme d for the 
promp t and collect command, and the 
pound sign (#) is programmed as the end-of-string sign. If two sets of digits (that 
is, < data_1> and ) are passed by DEFINITY, there will be two 
promp t 
and collect
 commands on the VRU to receive them.
If the first digit string ( < data_1>) passed to the VRU is for application selection, 
the CONVERSANT Script Builder 
exec command invokes the a p propriate script. 
If a second digit string () is also used to pass an argument to this  
						

							Script Execution
Issue  4   Septemb er 1995
H-7
selected application, the first command in the exec’ed script is a prompt and 
collect
 command with no announcement promp t programmed and with the 
pound sign (#) programmed as the end-of-string character.
The ‘‘Converse second data delay’’ is used to  give the VRU time to invoke the 
selected application before the < data_2> digit string is outpulsed.
The a p plication developer should ensure the administered 
converse first data 
delay
 and converse second data delay timers allow sufficient time for the VRU to 
successfully collect all outpulsed d i gits, even during periods of heavy call 
volume. Loss of d i gits from  < data_2> is an indication the  converse second data 
delay timer needs to be increased.
Script Execution
During script execution, digits input by the calling party in response to prompt 
and collect
 commands are collected by the VRU but are not collected by 
DEFI NI TY  a s d ial-ahead d i gits. Also, audible feedback is determined by the 
VR U .
If an agent from a nonconverse split becomes available to service the call while 
the VRU script is being executed, the VRU  port is dropped from the call, and the 
caller is immediately connected to the agent. Any digits collected prior to 
executing the 
converse-on step are still available and may be displayed using 
the CALLR-INFO button.
The entire call is dropped if the caller abandons during the execution of a 
converse-on step.
Data Return
This phase is optional and is in effect only if the application calls for the VRU to 
return information to DEFINITY b efore returning control to vector processing.
Digits returned by the VRU are treate d as dial-ahead digits. The rules for 
collecting and processing VRU-returned digits are identical to those for 
collecting and processing Call Prompting digits (see Chapter 5, Call 
Promp ting).
VRU data return is done in a manner similar to an analog transfer.  Sp e cifically, 
the VRU d oes an analog switchhook flash, outpulses DTMF digits, and then 
hangs up.  If converse data is returned, the DTMF digits comprise two parts.  The 
first sequence of digits is the converse data return feature access code 
administered on the DEFI NI TY Feature-Access-Codes form.  The second 
sequence of digits is the sequence to be passed by the VRU. These d i gits are 
collected later during vector processing. 
						

							Detailed Call Flow for Converse—VRI Calls
H-8Issue  4   September 1995 
The CONVERSANT VRU offers a built-in external function called 
‘‘converse_data.’’  This function allows a p plications developers to perform this 
operation in a convenient and robust fashion.
To ensure the robust operation of the VRU d ata return o peration, b e sure to follow 
these recommendations:
nSet the analog flash timing to 600 msecs
nEnsure DTMF tones last at least 70 msec
nEnsure interdigit pauses last at least 50 msec
n(CONVERSANT only) Use the ‘‘converse_d ata’’ external function to return 
data to DEFINITY
For ap plications involving VRUs other than CONVERSANT VRUs, b e sure to 
follow these recommendations:
nAfter the flash, ensure the VRU p erforms dialtone d etection (stutter 
dialtone) for five seconds before outp ulsing the converse data return 
feature access code.
nIf no dialtone is received before the timeout, ensure the VRU does two 
more retries of the analog flash. Also, if no dialtone is detected after two 
retries, ensure the VRU logs an error.
nWhenever dialtone is detected, ensure the digits of the converse data 
return feature access code are outpulsed.
nAfter the converse data return feature a c cess c o de is outp ulsed, ensure 
the VRU p erforms dialtone d etection (steady dialtone) again for five 
seconds before outpulsing the returned digits.  If no dialtone is detected, 
ensure an error is logged by the VRU.
nWhenever dialtone is detected, ensure the VRU digits are outpulsed and 
the line to DEFINITY is dropped.
The TN744 Call Classifiers required by the Call Prompting feature are not 
required for returning digits in-band from the VRU to DEFINITY. Instead, general 
purpose TTR b oards (TN748s) are used. As long as dial-ahead digits are 
available, any 
c ollect digits steps following a converse-on step do not require a 
TN744 to be allocated to the call.
If no g eneral purpose TTRs are immediately available, and if the call q ueues for a 
TTR, no d ial tone is provided. For this sc enario, the VRU does not outpulse any 
d i gits until a TTR is available and dial tone is provided.
If there are no general purpose TTRs available on DEFI NIT Y,  a n d  if there is no 
space in the TTR queue, the operation fails. Usually, the VRU logs an error and 
then quits, and vector processing continues at the next vector step. Existing 
system measurements reports inform customers when the system is configured 
with an insufficient number of TTRs. 
						

							Script Completion
Issue  4   Septemb er 1995
H-9
The ‘‘Converse Data Return Code’’ can be followed by a maximum of 24 digits. 
The VRU touch-tones the code and the digits in-band. However, the c o de and 
the digits are not heard by the caller. The di gits are stored in DEFINITY as Call 
Promp ting dial-ahead digits. If ‘‘x’’ d igits are collected by vector processing 
before the 
converse-on step is executed, the maximum number of d i gits that can 
be returned is reduced to ‘‘24-x.’’ Any add itional d i gits returned by the VRU are 
discarded. The data return is completed once the VRU hangs up.
The d i git string returned by the VRU can consist of the digits (0 through 9) and 
pound signs (#). The pound sign (#) is interpreted by the 
collect digits ste p as an 
end-of-string character. If the digit string being returned is of variable length, the 
VRU can terminate the string with a pound sign (#) to avoid the ten second 
timeout delay that occurs when the digits are collected. If the digit string being 
returned is ‘‘multi-part’’ (that is, to be collected by multiple 
c ollect digits steps), 
and if some of the parts are of variable length, the pound sign (#) can b e used to 
terminate each of the variable length parts.
NOTE:
An asterisk (*) may be included as part of the converse data return c o de. 
However, since the asterisk is interpreted as a ‘‘delete’’ character by 
DEFINITY, it makes little sense to use it as a returned digit. If it is used as 
such, all characters returned prior to the asterisk are discarded.
During the data return p hase, the caller is temporarily put on hold. Music-on-
hold, if administered, is suppressed. Since the caller hears silence during this 
phase, feedback should be provided to the caller as soon as possible after the 
converse-on step is executed.
Any touch-tone d igits d ialed b y the calling party during the data return p hase are 
discarded.  These digits d o not c ause data corruption, and they are not collected 
as dial-ahead digits by DEFINITY.
If an interdigit timeout occurs during the data return phase, the switch logs a 
vector event, keeps the digits already returned, drops the VRU, and reactivates 
vector processing at the next vector step.
If the timeout o c curs b efore the converse data return code is returned, the 
operation is the same except that no discarded digits will be available.
Script Completion
The VRU sc rip t returns control to vector processing on DEFI NI TY b y  si m p ly  
hanging up the line. In cases where no data is returned to DEFINITY, this is  done 
usually by executing the 
quit command. In cases where data is returned, this 
occurs whenever the VRU hangs up on completion of the VRU data return 
operation. 
						

							Detailed Call Flow for Converse—VRI Calls
H-10Issue  4   September 1995 
The last set of d i gits collected before the converse-on split step is executed is 
still available and may be displayed by an answering agent on the nonconverse 
split by using the CALLR-INFO b utton.
A VRU sc ript c an b e p rogrammed to continue running after hanging up the voice 
line. This after-call work is usually very short, and it may involve either a final 
message to a host or a final update to a local database. For this scenario, the 
VRU port (c hannel) is still associated with the running script even though there is 
no longer a voice connection.
From DEFINITY’s point of view, the agent (port) is available for the next call. If a 
call is delivered to this port, the VRU does not answer the call until the previous 
script has comp leted.  As long as the VRU script’s after call work is short in 
duration, this p oses no significant problem for the VRI feature. However, high 
volume VRI a p plications with lengthy after call work periods should be avoid e d, 
especially if such p eriods are so lengthy they approach the administered timeout 
period on DEFINITY for the Redirection on No Answer (RONA) feature. In such a 
case, RONA might think the VRU p orts are faulty and might therefore start to take 
these ports out of service.
DEFINITY Switch Data Collection
NOTE:
This phase is in effect only if the VRU returns information to DEFINITY .
Once the VRU script has completed and vector processing is reactivated, the 
returned digits are collected and processed by vector commands in the usual 
manner. Since the digits must be collected by a 
collect digits command, data 
may be returned and processed only if the Call Prompting option is enabled.
The data returned can consist of multiple parts. For example, the VRU could 
return a stream of seven digits in which a single digit success/fail code is 
followed by a six-digit account code. For this scenario, the 
converse-on step 
would be followed by a sequence of vector steps including two 
collect digits 
steps. The first 
c ollect digits step would collect one d i git and then chec k the 
result code; the second 
collect digits step would collect the six-d igit account 
code.
Any touch-tone d igits d ialed b y the calling party during the d ata collection phase 
are discarded, do not cause data c orruption, and are not collected as dial-ahead 
d i gits b y DEFINITY. 
						

							DEFI NI TY Switch Data Collection
Issue  4   September 1995
H-11
If VRU  data is returned, the calling  party is able to touch-tone a resp onse to a  
DEFI NI TY prompt only after the data collection phase is comp leted  and another 
collect digits step is executed. This is true because each executed c ollect digits 
step does not allocate a TTR when dial-ahead digits are present. Since VRU-
returned digits are treated as dial-ahead digits, a TTR is attached to the call only 
after all returned digits are collected and another 
collect digits ste p is 
encountered. Only at this point can the caller hear an announcement for the 
collect digits command and successfully enter digits.