Calling party number selection for outbound telephone calls to mitigate robocall processing impacts

• US 10,182,034 B1
• Filed: 07/03/2018
• Issued: 01/15/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 10/10/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Alvaria Cayman
• Original Assignee: Noble Systems Corporation
• Inventors: Koster, Karl H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Khai N
• Application Number:
  US16/026,466
• Time in Patent Office: 196 Days
• Field of Search: 37921001, 37926501, 37926502, 37926503, 37926504, 37926505, 37926506, 37926507, 37926508, 37926509, 3792651, 37926511, 37926512, 37926513, 37926514, 37926601, 37926602, 37926603, 37926604, 37926605, 37926606, 37926607, 37926608, 37926609, 3792661
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2101/65 Telephone numbers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/5061 Pools of addresses
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/06 Recording class or number of calling , i.e. A-party or called party , i.e. B-party
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/41 Billing record details, i.e. parameters, identifiers, structure of call data record [CDR]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/47 Fraud detection or prevention means
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/58 based on statistics of usage or network monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/62 based on trigger specification
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/551 Call history
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/558 Databases
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0164 Billing record, e.g. Call Data Record [CDR], Toll Ticket[TT], Automatic Message Accounting [AMA], Call Line Identifier [CLI], details, i.e. parameters, identifiers, structure
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42059 Making use of the calling party identifier
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5158 in combination with automated outdialling systems devices for signalling identity of wanted subscriber H04M1/26

Abstract

A contact center maintains a pool of calling party telephone numbers (“CPTN”) that can be selected for call origination. A new CPTN can be selected based on various criteria in order to avoid, or respond to, a determination that the current CPTN is “tagged” as being a robocall. The triggering of a new CPTN can be initiated based on various factors, including a number of calls made, a time period, a change in call outcomes, direct input, or by querying a database maintaining status information. Upon triggering the selection of a new number, the old calling party number may be placed in a “dead” pool if tagged, or placed in an “aging” pool for where it is not used for a given time. Once aged, the number is placed in an “available for use” pool. Thus, impacts of service provider robocall processing can be mitigated.

Claims

1. A system for selecting calling party telephone numbers for outgoing calls, the system comprising:

a memory storing;

a calling list comprising a plurality of call records;

a pool comprising a plurality of calling party telephone numbers; and

at least one computer processor in a dialer configured to;

retrieve a first called party telephone number in a first call record in the calling list for a first outgoing call;

originate the first outgoing call directed to the first called party telephone number using a first calling party telephone number from the pool when originating the first outgoing call;

associate a robocall tag with the first calling party number in the memory reflecting the first calling party number is tagged as a robocall;

select a second calling party telephone number from the pool after determining the first calling party number is associated with the robocall tag, wherein the second calling party telephone number from the pool is not associated with the robocall tag;

retrieve a second call record comprising a second called party number from the calling list for a second outgoing call; and

originate the second outgoing call based using the second calling party telephone number when originating the second outgoing call.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the memory comprises a data structure reflecting that the pool comprises:

a first sub-pool comprising a first subset of the plurality of calling party telephone numbers that are available for use in originating outbound calls,

a second sub-pool comprising a second subset of the plurality of calling party telephone numbers that are in use,

a third sub-pool comprising a third subset of the plurality of calling party telephone numbers that are unavailable for use, and

wherein the data structure reflects that;

the first calling party telephone number is associated with the second sub-pool prior the first calling party telephone number being associated with the robocall tag;

the second calling party telephone number is associated with the first sub-pool prior to selecting the second calling party telephone number; and

the first calling party telephone number is no longer associated with the second sub-pool and associated with the third sub-pool as a result of determining the first calling party telephone number is associated with the robocall tag.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one computer processor is configured to:

receive an input indicating the first calling party number is associated with the robocall tag.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one computer processor is configured to:

generate a query comprising the first calling party number, where a response to the query comprises an indication that the first calling party number is associated with the robocall tag.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein first called party number is a wireless number and the query is directed to a wireless service provider associated with the first called party number.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein a first area code of the first calling party telephone is the same as a second area code of the second calling party number.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the determination that the first calling party telephone number is associated with the robocall tag is based on an analysis of call outcomes of prior calls using the first calling party telephone number.

8. The system of claim 1, where the analysis of call outcomes is based on a busy rate of the prior calls using the first calling party telephone number.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the calling list comprises called party telephone numbers comprising wireless telephone numbers.

10. A method for selecting calling party telephone numbers for outgoing voice telephone calls by a dialer, the method comprising:

retrieving by a computer processor in the dialer a first called party telephone number from a first record in a calling list stored in a memory for originating a first outgoing call, wherein the calling list comprises a pool of a plurality of calling party telephone numbers;

originating the first outgoing call by the dialer to the first called party telephone number using a first calling party telephone number from the pool when originating the first outgoing call;

associating the first calling party telephone number with a robocall tag in response to an input;

selecting by the dialer a second calling party telephone number from the pool stored in the memory in response to determining by the dialer that the first calling party telephone number is associated with the robocall tag, wherein the second calling party telephone number is not associated with the robocall tag;

selecting a second record in the calling list from the memory comprising a second called party telephone number for a second outgoing call; and

originating the second outgoing call by the dialer to the second called party telephone number using the second calling party telephone number when originating the second outgoing call.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

modifying a data structure in the memory to reflect the first calling party telephone number is associated with the robocall tag after determining the first calling party telephone number is associated with the robocall tag; and

modifying the data structure in the memory to reflect the second calling party telephone number is currently being used for call origination after selecting the second calling party telephone number from the pool.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

receiving the input indicating the first calling party number is associated with the robocall tag as a signal from an external processing system.

13. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

generating a query comprising the first calling party number, wherein a response to the query indicates the first calling party number is associated with the robocall tag.

14. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

transmitting the query to a communications service provider associated with the first called party number.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein the first called party number is a wireless number and the communications service provider is a wireless carrier, and further comprising:

determining the wireless carrier serves the first called party number;

determining a web address of a database associated with the wireless carrier for directing the query to; and

directing the query to the web address to the database of the wireless carrier for determining whether the first calling party number is associated with the robocall tag.

16. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

using call outcome information of prior calls originated using the first calling party number to determine that calling party telephone number is associated with the robocall tag.

17. The method of claim 10, wherein the call outcome information comprises a busy rate indication of the prior calls originated using the first calling party number.

18. The method of claim 10, wherein the calling list comprises wireless telephone numbers.

19. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing instructions that when executed cause one or more computer processors in a dialer to:

retrieve a first called party telephone number from a first record in a calling list stored in a memory for a first outgoing call, wherein the memory further stores a pool of a plurality of calling party telephone numbers;

originate the first outgoing call to the first called party telephone number using a first calling party telephone number from the pool when originating the first outgoing call;

associate the first calling party number in the pool with a robocall tag in response to an input;

select a second calling party telephone number from the pool stored in the memory in response to determining the first calling party telephone number is associated with the robocall tag, wherein the second calling party telephone number from the pool is not associated with the robocall tag;

select a second record in the calling list from the memory comprising a second called party telephone number for a second outgoing call; and

originate the second outgoing call to the second called party telephone number using the second calling party telephone number when originating the second outgoing call.

20. The non-transitory computer readable instructions of claim 19, wherein the instructions when executed further cause the one or more computer processors to:

modify a data structure in the memory to reflect the first calling party telephone number is associated with the robocall tag in response to determining the first calling party telephone number is associated with the robocall tag; and

modify the data structure in the memory to reflect the second calling party telephone number is currently used for call origination in response to selecting the second calling party telephone number.