Call processing system with call screening

• US 20050286688A1
• Filed: 07/05/2005
• Published: 12/29/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/17/1996
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Convergys Corporation
• Original Assignee: Convergys Corporation
• Inventors: Scherer, Gordon F.
• Application Number:
  US11/174,827
• Publication Number:
  US 20050286688A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/88.21
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/2011 Service processing based on information specified by a party before or during a call, e.g. information, tone or routing selection
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/22 Automatic class or number identification arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42042 Notifying the called party of information on the calling party details within substation equipment H04M1/57, signalling details H04Q3/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42059 Making use of the calling party identifier
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/436 Arrangements for screening incoming calls , i.e. evaluating the characteristics of a call before deciding whether to answer it based on the calling party profile H04M3/42059; based on location H04M3/42348; based on presence H04M3/42365; diversion H04M3/54
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5166 in combination with interactive voice response systems or voice portals, e.g. as front-ends
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13091 CLI, identification of calling line
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13097 Numbering, addressing
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13377 Recorded announcement
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/70 Identification of class of calling subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/72 Finding out and indicating number of calling subscriber

Abstract

A system is described in which call processing considers unique information about the call to better serve the caller and/or to enable the called party to more efficiently handle the call. In one embodiment, the unique information considered by the call processor is information indicator digits, which may indicate to the called party whether to accept the call before the voice portion of the call is initiated.

Claims

1-105. -105. (canceled)

106. A method of processing a call, the method comprising:

(a) providing a call processor, wherein the call processor is configured to receive and process information associated with a call;

(b) receiving a call, wherein the call is made from a type of line by a caller at a geographic location, wherein the call includes information associated with the call, wherein the information associated with the call comprises at least one of;

(i) information indicating the type of line from which the call has been made, or

(ii) information indicating the geographic location of the caller;

(c) processing at least one of;

(i) the information indicating the type of line from which the call has been made, or

(ii) the information indicating the geographic location of the caller; and

(d) making a script selection based on at least one of;

(i) the indicated type of line through which the call has been made,

(ii) the indicated geographic location of the caller.

107. The method of claim 106, wherein the information indicating the type of line from which the call has been made is represented at least in part by information indicator digits.

108. The method of claim 106, wherein the information indicating the geographic location of the caller is represented at least in part by an NPA-NXX exchange assignment associated with the call.

109. The method of claim 106, wherein the act of making a script selection comprises selecting an IVR prompt.

110. The method of claim 106, wherein the act of making a script selection comprises selecting a script requesting the caller to confirm information associated with the call.

111. The method of claim 106, wherein the act of making a script selection comprises selecting a script that indicates a form of subsequent input to be entered by the caller.

112. The method of claim 111, wherein the selected script indicates that the form of subsequent input to be entered by the caller comprises voice form.

113. The method of claim 112, wherein the information associated with the call indicates that the call has been made from a mobile phone, wherein the script is selected in response to the indication that the call has been made from a mobile phone.

114. The method of claim 106, wherein the act of making a script selection comprises determining whether to have an IVR or a live agent perform a script.

115. The method of claim 106, further comprising transferring the call based on the information associated with the call.

116. The method of claim 115, wherein the act of transferring the call comprises generating a call by the call processor.

117. The method of claim 116, wherein the call processor is in communication with an IVR, wherein the act of transferring the call comprises instructing the IVR to transfer the call, wherein the act of instructing is performed by the call processor.

118. The method of claim 116, wherein the call processor maintains communication with the call after the call has been transferred.

119. The method of claim 106, wherein the call is made in an on-net network.

120. The method of claim 106, wherein the call is made from a device comprising an Analog Display Serial Interface.

121. A method of processing a call, the method comprising:

(a) providing a call processor, wherein the call processor is configured to receive and process information associated with a call;

(b) receiving a call, wherein the call includes information associated with the call, wherein the call comprises a user-to-user data field, wherein the information associated with the call comprises information represented in the user-to-user data field of the call;

(c) processing information represented in the user-to-user data field of the call; and

(d) processing the call in accordance with information represented in the user-to-user data field of the call, wherein the act of processing the call comprises at least one of;

(i) making a script selection based on information represented in the user-to-user data field of the call, or

(ii) transferring the call based on information represented in the user-to-user data field of the call.

122. The method of claim 121, wherein information represented in the user-to-user data field of the call is represented by a data-gram.

123. The method of claim 122, wherein the data-gram carries information relating to at least one of:

(i) the identity of the caller,

(ii) what the caller wants,

(iii) authentication of the caller or the call, or

(iv) call routing.

124. The method of claim 121, wherein the call is made using a PC.

125. A method of processing a call, the method comprising:

(a) providing a call processor, wherein the call processor is configured to process information associated with a call;

(b) receiving a call, wherein the call is made through a type of line by a caller at a geographic location, wherein the call includes information associated with the call, wherein the information associated with the call comprises information indicator digits, wherein the information indicator digits indicate the type of line from which the call has been made;

(c) processing the information indicator digits in the call processor;

(d) processing the call in accordance with the information indicator digits, wherein the act of processing the call comprises at least one of;

(i) making a script selection based on information represented by the information indicator digits, or

(ii) transferring the call based on information represented by the information indicator digits.