Prioritized Prompt Ordering and Call Processing In Interactive Voice Response Systems

• US 20100329435A1
• Filed: 06/25/2009
• Published: 12/30/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/25/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Jackson, James, Yasrebi, Mehrad
• Granted Patent: US 8,750,922 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/88.22
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/2044 Group features, e.g. closed user group
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/4509 Unified messaging with single point of access to voicemail and other mail or messaging systems unified messaging in packet switching networks H04L51/56
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/22 Automatic class or number identification arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42102 Making use of the called party identifier
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42238 in systems with telephone lines with multiple users
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/46 Arrangements for calling a number of substations in a predetermined sequence until an answer is obtained
• 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 3/527 Centralised call answering arrangements not requiring operator intervention

Abstract

A system and method for processing a call to a destination associated with multiple group members in a unified messaging system by determining a prioritized order of the group members for presentation to caller and receiving a selection from the caller. The order of the group members can be determined based on call histories, address books, and distribution lists of the calling party and the group members of the destination. A weighted score is computed for each group member, and the group members are sorted based on the weighted scores. The sorted list of group members is then presented to the calling party for selection. Based on the calling party'"'"'s selection the unified messaging system can further process the call.

Claims

1. A method comprising the steps of:

receiving a call from a caller to a number associated with a plurality of group members;

identifying the plurality of group members associated with the called number;

determining an order of the plurality of group members;

sequentially presenting the plurality of group members in accordance with the order for selection by the caller, at least until a selection of a particular group member is received;

receiving the selection from the caller; and

processing the call based on the received selection.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of determining an identity of the caller, wherein the step of determining the order of the plurality of group members is based at least on the identity of the caller.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising the steps of:

retrieving a call history associated with the caller; and

comparing the plurality of group members to the call history associated with the caller,

wherein the step of determining the order of the plurality of group members is based at least on a result of the comparison.

4. The method of claim 2, further comprising the steps of:

retrieving an address book of at least one of the plurality of group members; and

comparing the identity of the caller to the address book of at least one of the plurality of group members,

wherein the step of determining the order of the plurality of group members is based at least on a results of the comparison.

5. The method of claim 2, further comprising the steps of:

retrieving an address book of the caller; and

comparing the plurality of group members to the address book of the caller,

wherein the step of determining the order of the plurality of group members is based at least on a result of the comparison.

6. The method of claim 2, further comprising the steps of:

retrieving a call history associated with the caller;

retrieving an address book of at least one of the plurality of group members;

retrieving at least one distribution list associated with one of the plurality of group members;

comparing the identity of the caller to the address book of at least one of the plurality of group members,

comparing the identity of the caller to the at least one distribution list of the at least one of the plurality of group members; and

analyzing the call history associated with the caller;

wherein the order of the plurality of group members is based on a weighted evaluation of at least the comparison of the identity of the caller to the address book, the comparison of the identity of the caller to the distribution list, and the analysis of the call history of the caller.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of processing the call based on the received selection includes connecting the caller to a mailbox associated with the selected group member.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of determining a hunt group associated with the particular group member selected, wherein the step of processing the call based on the received selection includes hunting for the selected group member based on the hunt group.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the step of processing the call based on the received selection includes connecting the caller to a mailbox associated with the selected group member, in response to an unsuccessful hunt.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the hunt is performed concurrently across the hunt group.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the call is received at a unified messaging service.

12. A method of ordering a plurality of instructions of an interactive voice response system for presentation to an initiator of a communication to a destination, the method comprising the steps of:

identifying a plurality of options associated with the destination;

determining an identity of the initiator; and

determining an order of the plurality of instructions based at least on the identity of the options and the identity of the initiator.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the order of the plurality of instructions is further based on at least one of data concerning the communication, data concerning the at least one of the plurality of options, and data concerning the initiator.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising the steps of:

retrieving a communication history associated with initiator,

wherein determining the order of the plurality of instructions is based at least on the communication history.

15. The method of claim 12, further comprising the steps of:

retrieving an address book associated with at least one of the plurality of options; and

comparing the identity of the initiator to the address book,

wherein determining the order of the plurality of instructions is based on a result of the comparison.

16. The method of claim 12, further comprising the steps of:

retrieving an address book of the initiator; and

comparing the plurality of options to the address book of the initiator,

wherein determining the order of the plurality of instructions is based a result of the comparison.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein the step of determining the order of the plurality of instructions includes:

computing a relative ranking of each instruction based on at least one data concerning the communication, at least one data concerning at least one of the plurality of options, and at least one data concerning the initiator; and

ordering the instructions based on the computed relative ranking.

18. A system for providing call forwarding comprising a:

means for receiving a call from a caller for a number associated with a plurality of group members;

means for identifying a plurality of group members associated with the called number;

means for determining an order of the plurality of group members;

means for sequentially presenting the order of the plurality of group members for selection by the caller, at least until a selection of a particular group member is received;

means for receiving the selection of a selected group member from the caller; and

means for processing the call based on the received selection.

19. The system of claim 18, further comprising means for determining an identity of the caller, wherein the means for determining an order of the plurality of group members determines the order based at least on the identity of the caller.

20. The system of claim 19, further comprising a

means for retrieving a call history associated with the caller,

wherein the means for determining an order of the plurality of group members determines the order based at least on the call history.

21. The system of claim 19, further comprising a:

means for retrieving an address book of at least one of the plurality of group members,

wherein the means for determining the order of the plurality of group members compares the identity of the caller to the address book of at least one of the plurality of group members and determines the order based at least on a result of the comparison.

22. The system of claim 19, further comprising:

means for retrieving an address book of the caller,

wherein the means for determining an order of the plurality of group members compares the plurality of group members to the address book of the caller and determines the order based at least on a result of the comparison.

23. The system of claim 19, further comprising:

means for retrieving a call history associated with the caller;

means for retrieving an address book of at least one of the plurality of group members;

means for retrieving at least one distribution list of at least one of the plurality of group members; and

means for comparing the identity of the caller to the address book of at least one of the plurality of group members,

means for comparing the identity of the caller to the at least one distribution list of the at least one of the plurality of group members, and

means for comparing the plurality of the group members to the call history associated with the caller,

wherein the means for determining an order computes a weighted evaluation of at least a result of the means for comparing the identity of the caller to the address book of at least one of the plurality of group members, a result of the means for comparing the identity of the caller to the at least one distribution list of the at least one of the plurality of group members, and a result of the means for comparing the plurality of the group members to the call history associated with the caller, and determines the order of the plurality of group members based on the weighted evaluation.

24. The system of claim 18, wherein means for processing the call connects the caller to a mailbox associated with the selected group member.

25. The system of claim 18, further comprising:

means for determining hunt group associated with the selected group member; and

means for conducting a hunt for the selected group member based on the hunt group,

wherein the means for processing the call processes the call based at least on a result of the means for conducting the hunt.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein the means for processing the call connects the caller to a mailbox associated with the selected group member, in response to an unsuccessful hunt.

27. The system of claim 25, wherein the hunting means performs the hunt concurrently across the hunt group.