Systems and methods for detecting call blocking devices or services

• US 20060256945A1
• Filed: 11/30/2005
• Published: 11/16/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/16/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Alvaria Cayman
• Original Assignee: Noble Systems Corporation
• Inventors: Noble, James K. Jr.
• Granted Patent: US 8,036,374 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/211.20
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/2027 Live party detection
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5158 in combination with automated outdialling systems devices for signalling identity of wanted subscriber H04M1/26

Abstract

Systems and methods for detecting call blocking devices or services. The devices monitor outbound call connections to determine if a connected call has been answered by a call blocking device or service rather than a person or answering machine. The verification is a comparison between the connection of an outbound call and a predefined parameter of data associated with that connection. For example, the predefined timing parameter may require detecting a connection before the first ring, or a connection occur within a predetermine period of time from when the outbound call is placed, or a connection occurring after a certain number of rings, etc. Which predefined parameter is associated with a particular outbound call may depend on the call blocking device or service the call center placing the outbound call expects to encounter on a particular connection attempt of a particular phone number. Once the call blocking device or service has been detected on a connected call, the call can be process as if a connection occurred including routing such calls to an available agent or other handling process customized to handle such calls such as automatically navigating prompts for voice or dialing responses from the privacy director systems.

Claims

1. A method of detecting call blocking devices or services comprising:

placing an outbound call on a telephone line;

monitoring the telephone line for a call connected signal on the outbound call;

processing the call as a privacy director call if the call connected signal on the outbound call is detected within a predefined timing parameter of the call being placed.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the predefined timing parameter is defined by at least one of (a) being before a first ring, and (b) being within a predetermine period of time from when the outbound call is placed.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein monitoring comprises monitoring with a predictive dialer.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein placing comprises placing the outbound call with a predictive dialer.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein processing includes routing the call to an agent.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising associating the predefined timing parameter with the outbound call known to be associated with a particular call blocking device or service.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising associating the predefined timing parameter with the telephone network on which the outbound call is placed known to be associated with a particular call blocking device or service.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving automated prompts of a call blocking device for the entry of caller identification data.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising navigating the automated prompts of a call blocking device to complete the outbound call.

10. A call center, comprising:

a predictive dialer that places outbound calls on a telephone network;

a processor that monitors the outbound call to determine when a connection occurs; and

at least one interface that connects the predictive dialer to the telephone network and routes the outbound call to an agent based at least in part on if the connection occurs before a predefined timing parameter.

11. The call center of claim 10, wherein the at least one interface includes a station interface that connects one or more agents to the call center.

12. The call center of claim 10, wherein the at least one interface includes a line interface that connects the call center to a telephone network.

13. The call center of claim 10, wherein the at least one interface includes a router that routes an outbound call to the agent.

14. The call center of claim 10, wherein the predefined timing parameter is defined by at least one of (a) being before a first ring, and (b) being within a predetermine period of time from when the outbound call is placed.