Systems and methods for automated call-handling and processing

• US 10,129,399 B1
• Filed: 04/27/2017
• Issued: 11/13/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Allstate Insurance Company (Allstate Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Allstate Insurance Company (Allstate Corporation)
• Inventors: Roberts, Clay F., Skala, Joseph D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Matar, Ahmad F
• Assistant Examiner(s): Pope, Kharye
• Application Number:
  US15/499,065
• Time in Patent Office: 565 Days
• Field of Search: 37926503, 37926506, 37926509, 37926512, 37926601
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/22 Indexing; Data structures therefor; Storage structures
• CPC Class Codes: G06N 5/025 Extracting rules from data
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/551 Call history recording a computer conference H04L12/1831
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/558 Databases
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42068 where the identifier is used to access a profile
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/493 Interactive information services, e.g. directory enquiries ; Arrangements therefor, e.g. interactive voice response [IVR] systems or voice portals
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/51 Centralised call answering arrangements requiring operator intervention , e.g. call or contact centers for telemarketing

Abstract

Methods, systems, and computer-readable media consistent with the present disclosure manage multiple telephone calls by managing a session record associated with the call, amending the session record according to a plurality of rules to reflect a plurality of instructed actions, evaluating an amended session record to derive at least one of the plurality of instructed actions, and implementing a derived instructed action on the call under the control of an automated apparatus.

Claims

1. A system for managing telephone calls comprising:

at least one computing device configured to;

assign a first vector directory number to a call using a rules-based session engine;

create a session record for the call;

generate a unique identifier associated with the call;

store the generated unique identifier associated with the call in the session record for the call;

select, using the rules-based session engine, a call flow record from a plurality of call flow records stored at a call flow database table, the call flow record specifying the first vector directory number, a first menu option selected during the call, and a second vector directory number;

assign the second vector directory number to the call;

write the second vector directory number to the session record;

access a vector using the second vector directory number;

perform an action associated with the vector;

determine that the call is terminated; and

responsive to determining that the call is terminated, populating a call log master table.

2. The system of claim 1 further comprising:

storing the session record in a call log detail table of a relational database.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein:

the session record of the call log detail table comprises the unique identifier, a segment identifier, a vector directory number selected based on a Dialed Number Information Service (DNIS) number, a previously selected menu option, and a destination vector directory number.

4. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

storing a plurality of rule records for routing the call in a call flow detail table of a relational database.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein:

each rule record in the call flow detail table comprises a vector directory number selected based on a Dialed Number Information Service (DNIS) number, a previously selected menu option, and a destination vector directory number.

6. The system of claim 4, further comprising:

modifying call process flow logic by updating at least one of the plurality of rule records stored in the call flow detail table.

7. The system of claim 4, wherein:

the call flow detail table is located remotely relative to the computing device.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the call is one of a plurality of calls received concurrently at the computing device; and

the rules-based session engine is one of a plurality of rules-based session engines operating in parallel; and

wherein each rules-based session engine handles one of the plurality of calls.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the action comprises at least one of;

playing a message during the call,

presenting a plurality of menu options available for selection during the call,

prompting for selection of one of the plurality of menu options,

receiving a selection of one of the plurality of menu options,

receiving information entered during the call, and

routing the call to an extension.

10. The system of claim 1 wherein:

the rules-based session engine is located remotely relative to the computing device.

11. A method, comprising:

assigning a first vector directory number to a call using a rules-based session engine;

creating, by a computing device, a session record for the call;

generating, by the computing device, a unique identifier associated with the call;

storing, by the computing device, the generated unique identifier associated with the call in the session record for the call;

selecting, by the computing device and using the rules-based session engine, a call flow record from a plurality of call flow records stored at a call flow database table, the call flow record specifying the first vector directory number, a first menu option selected during the call, and a second vector directory number;

assigning, by the computing device, the second vector directory number to the call;

writing, by the computing device, the second vector directory number to the session record;

accessing, by the computing device, a vector using the second vector directory number;

performing, by the computing device, an action associated with the vector;

determining, by the computing device, that the call is terminated; and

responsive to determining that the call is terminated, populating, by the computing device, a call log master table.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

storing the session record in a call log detail table of a relational database.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein:

the session record of the call log detail table comprises the unique identifier, a segment identifier, a vector directory number selected based on a Dialed Number Information Service (DNIS) number, a previously selected menu option, and a destination vector directory number.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

storing a plurality of rule records for routing the call in a call flow detail table of a relational database.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein:

each rule record in the call flow detail table comprises a vector directory number selected based on a Dialed Number Information Service (DNIS) number, a previously selected menu option, and a destination vector directory number.

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

modifying call process flow logic by updating at least one of the plurality of rule records stored in the call flow detail table.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein:

the call flow detail table is located remotely relative to the computing device.

18. The method of claim 11, wherein:

the call is one of a plurality of calls received concurrently at the computing device; and

the rules-based session engine is one of a plurality of rules-based session engines operating in parallel; and

wherein each rules-based session engine handles one of the plurality of calls.

19. The method of claim 11, wherein:

the action comprises at least one of;

playing a message during the call,

presenting a plurality of menu options available for selection during the call,

prompting for selection of one of the plurality of menu options,

receiving a selection of one of the plurality of menu options,

receiving information entered during the call, and

routing the call to an extension.

20. The method of claim 11, wherein:

the rules-based session engine is located remotely relative to the computing device.