Personalized automatic call routing

• US 5,027,384 A
• Filed: 07/11/1988
• Issued: 06/25/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 09/22/1986
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Aspect Communications Corporation (Alvaria Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Dytel Corp. (Enghouse Systems Limited)
• Inventors: Morganstein, Sanford J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dwyer, James L.
• Application Number:
  US07/217,426
• Time in Patent Office: 1,079 Days
• Field of Search: 379/211, 379/213, 379/214, 379/212, 379/210, 379/88, 379/89, 379/67, 379/194
• US Class Current: 379/88.23
• 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: H04M 3/527 Centralised call answering arrangements not requiring operator intervention
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/533 Voice mail systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/53391 dependent on calling party
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/537 Arrangements for indicating the presence of a recorded message , whereby the presence information might include a preview or summary of the message
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/54 Arrangements for diverting calls for one subscriber to another predetermined subscriber based on the calling party profile H04M3/42059; based on location H04M3/42348; based on presence H04M3/42365; to voice mail H04M3/53308
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/625 Arrangements in the private branch exchange

Abstract

A user programmable telecommunication system for allowing calling parties to select optional call completion destinations during busy and no-answer status conditions. A telephone user can program the system to provide personalized voice responses to calling parties in response to busy and no-answer conditions. In addition, the voice prompts include one or more alternate destinations for assisting the calling party in completing the call. The telephone user preprograms the communication system for defining the alternate destinations so that the calling party is provided with a high likelihood of completing the call to a best possible destination under the circumstance.

Claims

1. A method for providing personalized routing of telephone calls in a telecommunication system, comprising the steps of:

receiving information from a programmer of the system defining a programming mode;

transmitting an instructional message to the programmer soliciting the input of information regarding at least one alternative destination information to be used when an intended called party is busy; and

receiving information from the programmer indicating at least one destination for routing incoming telephone calls in response to said busy condition, said destination selected by the programmer from destination including real-time destinations other than the programmer.

2. The method of claim 1, further including transmitting an instructional message to the programmer soliciting the input of a greeting for general telephone calls and receiving information from the programmer indicating destination information for routing incoming telephone calls according to the general call greeting.

3. The method of claim 1, and further comprising the steps of:

transmitting an instructional message to the programmer soliciting the input of second alternative destination information to be used when an intended called party does not answer; and

receiving information from the programmer indicating at least one destination for routing incoming telephone calls in response to the called party not answering, the destination selected from destinations including real-time destinations other than the called party.

4. The method of claim 3, further including storing a greeting received from the programmer for transmission to a calling party in response to a busy condition, and storing the greeting for subsequent transmission to the calling party in response to a no-answer condition.

5. The method of claim 3, further including storing a voice instruction received from the programmer for subsequent transmission to a calling party for directing the calling party to input information for selecting a destination in response to the no-answer condition.

6. The method of claim 1, further including storing voice information received from the programmer for transmission to a calling party which identifies the called party and signifies that the call is being connected to the called party.

7. The method of claim 1, further including storing a voice instruction received from the programmer for subsequent transmission to a calling party for directing the calling party to input information for selecting a destination in response to the busy condition.

8. The method of claim 1, further including programming different instructional messages for transmission to the calling party, depending on the time of day.

9. The method of claim 1, further including receiving from the programmer digit information indicating plural destinations selectable by a calling party in response to the busy condition.

10. A telecommunication system for carrying out the steps of claim 1.

17. Apparatus for providing personalized routing of a telephone call in accordance with the method of claim 1.

11. A method for providing personalized routing of telephone calls in a telecommunication system, comprising the steps of:

storing in the telecommunication system a programming mode for allowing a person to individually program said system to complete calls according to individual desires, said programming including;

storing a security code which is unique to users of the telecommunication system;

correlating the security code with the user'"'"'s telephone extension number to verify authority to program a routing of calls initially directed to a telephone set;

storing a personalized voice message unique to each said user to be later transmitted to a respective calling party; and

storing instruction information from each user regarding a destination with which a calling party can be connected if communications cannot then be established with the respective users.

12. The method of claim 11, further including storing destination information related to busy and no-answer conditions of the users.

13. The method of claim 12, further including detecting a busy condition of a user and in response thereto transmitting to the calling party said personalized voice message relating to said busy condition and instructing the calling party of the selection of optional destinations.

14. The method of claim 13, further including receiving digit information from the calling party regarding said optional destinations and connecting the calling party to the selected destination.

15. The method of claim 11, further including detecting a no-answer condition of a user and in response thereto transmitting to said calling party said personalized voice message relating to said no-answer condition and instructing the calling party of the selection of an optional destination.

16. The method of claim 15, further including receiving digit information of said optional destination and connecting the calling party to the selected destination.

18. A method for providing personalized routing of telephone calls in a telecommunication system, comprising the steps of:

receiving information from a programmer of the system defining a programming mode;

receiving information from the programmer defining a telephone extension for which programming is to be associated;

transmitting an instructional message to the programmer soliciting the input of a personalized greeting uniquely associated with said telephone extension for subsequent transmission to calling parties desiring to communicate to the telephone extension; and

receiving information from the programmer indicating destination information for programming a call route to direct incoming telephone calls to a desired destination, said incoming telephone calls to a desired destination, said destination selectable by the programmer from a plurality of destinations including real-time destinations other than the first and telephone extension.

19. The method of claim 18, further including the step of receiving and storing voice test information from said programmer in response to said instructional message which test identifies by name a person associated with the first said telephone extension.

20. The method of claim 18, further including programming the telecommunication system to respond to all incoming calls directed to the first said telephone extension in a manner particularly programmed for such extension.

21. The method of claim 20, further including receiving from calling parties telephone extension digits, and directing call processing of the telecommunication system according to a route programmed for such telephone extension.

22. A telecommunication system for carrying out the steps of claim 18.

23. A method for providing personalized routing of telephone calls in a telecommunication system, comprising the steps of:

storing a first voice greeting of a telephone user concerning a busy status of the user'"'"'s telephone, and voice instructions regarding a manner in which to reach a first alternate destination programmably selected by the user from destinations including real-time destination other than the user'"'"'s telephone;

storing destination information input by the telephone user for defining said first alternate destination;

storing a second voice greeting of a telephone user concerning a no-answer status of the user'"'"'s telephone and voice instructions regarding the manner in which to read a second alternate destination programmably selected by the user from destinations including real-time destinations other than the user'"'"'s telephone;

storing destination information input by the telephone user for defining said second alternate destination;

detecting a busy telephone status and in response thereto transmitting said first voice greeting to a calling party, and connecting the calling party to the first alternate destination; and

detecting a no-answer telephone status and in response thereto transmitting said second voice greeting to a calling party, and connecting the calling party to the second alternate destination.

24. The method of claim 23, further including storing voice instructions for transmission to the calling party regarding multiple alternate first destinations, and receiving from the calling party a selected one said alternate destination of said multiple and connecting the calling party to the selected alternate destination.

25. The method of claim 23, further including storing voice instructions for transmission to the calling party regarding multiple second alternate destinations, and receiving from the calling party a selected one said alternate second destination of said multiple and connecting the calling party to the selected second alternate destination.

26. The method of claim 23, further including storing a programming mode indicator, and receiving from a telephone user a programming mode code, and comparing the stored programming mode indicator with the received programming mode code to determine correspondence therebetween.

27. The method of claim 23, further including storing a security code unique to each telephone user of said telecommunication system, and comparing a security code input by a telephone user desiring to program said telecommunication system.

28. The method of claim 27, further including comparing the security code input by the user with a stored security code for correspondence therebetween.

29. A telecommunication system for carrying out the steps of claim 23.

30. Apparatus for providing personalized routing of telephone calls in a telecommunications system, comprising:

means for receiving information from a programmer of the system defining a programming mode;

means for receiving information from the programmer defining a telephone extension for which programming is to be associated;

means for transmitting an instructional message to the programmer soliciting the input of a personalized greeting for subsequent transmission to calling parties desiring to communicate to the telephone extension; and

means for receiving information from the programmer indicating destination information for programming a call route to direct incoming telephone calls to a desired destination, said desired destination programmably selected by the programmer for a plurality of destinations including real-time destinations other than said telephone extension.

31. The apparatus of claim 30, further including means for receiving and storing voice text from said programmer which identifies by name a person associated with the telephone extension.

32. The apparatus of claim 30, further including means for programming the telecommunication system to respond to all incoming calls directed to the telephone extension in a manner particularly programmed for such extension.

33. The apparatus of claim 32, further including means for receiving from calling parties telephone extension digits, and directing call processing of the telecommunication system according to a route programmed for such telephone extension

34. A telecommunications system programmable by a user having an extension for routing telephone calls in a personalized manner, comprising:

a memory for storing a first voice greeting of the telephone user concerning a telephone busy status, and for storing voice instructions instructing a calling party as to the manner in reaching a first alternate destination;

a memory for storing destination information input by the telephone user for defining a first alternate destination, said first alternate destination selected by the user from a plurality of destination including real-time destinations other than the user'"'"'s extension;

a memory for storing a second voice greeting of a telephone user concerning a telephone no-answer status and for storing voice instructions instructing a calling party as to the manner in reaching a second alternate destination;

a memory for storing destination information input by the telephone user for defining said second alternate destination;

a detector for detecting a busy telephone status;

a transmitter for transmitting said first voice greeting to the calling party in response to the busy telephone status;

means for connecting the calling party to the first alternate destination;

a detector for detecting a no-answer telephone status;

a transmitter for transmitting said second voice greeting to the calling party in response to the no-answer status; and

means for connecting the calling party to the second alternate destination.

35. The telecommunication system of claim 34, further including a memory for storing voice instructions regarding multiple first alternate destinations, a receiver for receiving from the calling party a selected one said alternate destination of said multiple, and means for connecting the calling party to the selected first alternate destination.

36. The telecommunication system of claim 34, further including means for storing voice instructions regarding multiple second alternate destinations, a receiver for receiving from the calling party a selected one said alternate second destination of said multiple, and means for connecting the calling party to the selected second alternate destination.

37. The telecommunication system of claim 34, further including a programming mode selectable by telephone users of said telecommunication system for allowing personalized programming thereof.

38. The telecommunication system of claim 34, further including means for storing a security code assigned to each telephone user of the telecommunication system, and means for comparing a security code input by the user with a telephone extension number assigned to the user.

39. The telecommunication system of claim 34, wherein said second alternate destination is personal and dependent upon prior selectable programming by the user from a plurality of destinations including real-time destinations.

40. A method for providing personalized routing of telephone calls in a telecommunication system, comprising the steps of:

receiving information from a programmer of the system defining a programming mode;

transmitting an instructional message to the programmer soliciting the input of information regarding at least one alternative destination to be used when an intended called party does not answer; and

receiving information from the programmer indicating at least one destination for routing incoming telephone calls in response to the called party not answering said destination selected by the programmer from destinations including real-time destinations other than the programmer.

41. The method of claim 40, further including transmitting an instructional message to the programmer soliciting the input of a greeting for general telephone calls, and receiving information from the programmer indicating destination information for routing incoming telephone calls according to the general call greeting.

42. The method of claim 40, further including storing voice information received from the programmer for transmission to a calling party which identifies the called party and signifies that the call is being connected to the called party.

43. The method of claim 40, further including programming different instructional messages for transmission to the calling party, depending on the time of day.

44. A telecommunication system for carrying out the steps of claim 40.

45. The method of claim 40, further including receiving from the programmer digit information indicating plural destinations selectable by a calling party in response to the no-answer condition.