Automatic routing and information system for telephonic services

• US 5,982,868 A
• Filed: 06/06/1996
• Issued: 11/09/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 02/22/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: NeuStar Information Services, Inc. (Neustar Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Murex Securities Limited (Wallsgrove Ltd.)
• Inventors: Shaffer, James D., Moore, George G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Zele, Krista
• Assistant Examiner(s): Wolinsky, Scott
• Application Number:
  US08/659,318
• Time in Patent Office: 1,251 Days
• Field of Search: 379/127, 379/142, 379/201, 379/202, 379/207, 379/210, 379/211, 379/216, 379/220, 379/219, 379/230, 379/265, 379/67, 379/88, 379/89, 379/93
• US Class Current: 379/220.01
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/22 Automatic class or number identification arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/30 Determination of the location of a subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42 Systems providing special services or facilities to subscribers specially adapted for wireless communication networks H04W4/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42059 Making use of the calling party identifier
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42093 Notifying the calling party of information on the called or connected party
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42102 Making use of the called party identifier
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4228 in networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42306 Number translation services, e.g. premium-rate, freephone or vanity number services
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42323 PBX's with CTI arrangements
• 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: H04Q 2213/13034 A/D conversion, code compression/expansion
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13091 CLI, identification of calling line
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13093 Personal computer, PC
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13095 PIN / Access code, authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13097 Numbering, addressing
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13103 Memory
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13141 Hunting for free outlet, circuit or channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13204 Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/1322 PBX
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13352 Self-routing networks, real-time routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13353 : Routing table, map memory
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/1337 : Operator, emergency services
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13376 : Information service, downloading of information, 0800/0900 services
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13377 : Recorded announcement
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13378 : Speech recognition, speech analysis
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13405 : Dual frequency signaling, DTMF
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13541 : routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13547 : subscriber, e.g. profile, database, database access
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0029 : Provisions for intelligent networking
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/66 : Traffic distributors
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/72 : Finding out and indicating number of calling subscriber

Abstract

A system and method for automatically and seamlessly routing telephone calls across a telephone network. The system includes a telephone network interface box having a computer, a master file and client file stored in the computer. The master file is dynamically linked to the client file at routing time to produce a selected client location telephone number which is transmitted across the telephone network. The system utilizes Automatic Number Identification to identify the calling party. The master file has a plurality of records having a telephone number and a spatial key and is updated frequently. The client file has a plurality of records having a spatial key and a client telephone number. Methods of generating client file records for both radius and polygon defined service areas through an automated computer process are included in the present invention. Another embodiment of the system merges the records of the client file with the records of the master table to generate a single table to create a one table system. The one table system increases speed of the call routing process. A second embodiment of the one table system is provided by a special case of the client file build process which yields a caller telephone number to service location telephone number file. A further embodiment provides real-time processing in situations where high call volumes and transaction processing speed are not a major issue. The real-time processing system is simple to update and requires minimal storage.

Claims

1. In a telephone network call processing system, a real-time method of identifying client service areas spatially containing a location corresponding to a caller-provided telephone number, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a predefined master list of telephone numbers with spatial coordinates indexed by telephone number, wherein the spatial coordinates correspond to locations of telephones associated with caller-provided telephone numbers;

providing a file of client service areas of substantially any desired shape and size, wherein each service area is geographically defined by spatial coordinates and indexed by spatial coordinate windows, and wherein each service area includes a service location;

indexing a caller-provided telephone number in the master list of telephone numbers to obtain a selected spatial coordinate corresponding to the location of the caller-provided telephone number;

indexing the selected spatial coordinate in a spatial coordinate window index of the client service areas file to generate a potential list of service locations whose service area potentially contain the location corresponding to the caller-provided telephone number;

determining which service areas spatially overlap the location corresponding to the caller-provided telephone number; and

generating a list of service locations whose service areas contain the location corresponding to the caller-provided telephone number.

2. The method defined in claim 1, wherein the determining step utilizes the spatial coordinates of the location corresponding to the caller-provided telephone number and the spatial definition of the client service areas in the potential list.

3. The method defined in claim 1, additionally comprising the step of determining a distance from the location corresponding to the caller-provided telephone number to the service location.

4. The method defined in claim 3, additionally comprising the step of sorting the list of service locations whose service areas contain the location corresponding to the caller-provided telephone number by ascending distance.

5. The system defined in claim 1, wherein the geographical definition of a polygonal service area comprises a latitude and a longitude of each vertex of the polygon.

6. The system defined in claim 1, wherein the geographical definition of a radius-defined service area comprises a latitude and a longitude of a center point and a radius.

7. A telephone network call processing system for real-time determination of client service areas that spatially contain a location corresponding to a caller-provided telephone number, the system comprising;

a predefined master list of telephone numbers with spatial coordinates indexed by telephone number, wherein the spatial coordinates correspond to locations of telephones associated with said telephone numbers;

a file of client service areas of substantially any desired shape and size, wherein each service area is geographically defined by spatial coordinates and indexed by spatial coordinate windows, and wherein each service area includes a service location;

means for indexing a caller telephone number in the master list of telephone numbers to obtain a selected spatial coordinate corresponding to the location of the caller telephone number;

means for indexing the selected spatial coordinate in a spatial coordinate window index of the client service areas file to generate a potential list of service locations whose service areas potentially contain the location corresponding to the caller telephone number;

means for determining which client service areas spatially overlap the location corresponding to the caller telephone number; and

means for generating a list of service locations whose service areas contain the location corresponding to the caller-provided telephone number.

8. The system defined in claim 7, wherein the means for determining utilizes the spatial coordinates of the location corresponding to the caller telephone number and the spatial definition of the client service areas in the potential list.

9. The system defined in claim 7, additionally comprising a process for determining a distance from the location corresponding to the caller-provided telephone number to the service location.

10. The system defined in claim 9, additionally comprising a process for sorting the list of service locations whose service areas contain the location corresponding to the caller-provided telephone number by ascending distance.

11. A call processing system for use in a telephone network comprising:

a call decoding module capable of receiving a caller-provided telephone number a dialed number identification service (DNIS) number;

a real-time processing module responsive to the caller-provided telephone number and the DNIS number for providing a client service location telephone number corresponding to a selected service location, wherein the client service location telephone number is provided if a location associated with the caller-provided telephone number spatially lies within a service area having a client defined geographic configuration of substantially any desired shape and size; and

a plurality of client service location files, wherein each of the files comprise information including spatial coordinates which geographically define the boundaries of a plurality of service areas of substantially any desired shape and size, and wherein each service area is related to a service location.

12. The system defined in claim 11, additionally comprising an outbound calling module for transmitting the provided client service location telephone number to the telephone network.

13. The system defined in claim 12, wherein the real-time processing module utilizes the DNIS number to select one of the client service location files corresponding to a client identified by the DNIS number.

14. The system defined in claim 12, wherein one of the client service location files comprises a plurality of records, each record having a client service location identification (ID), a telephone number, and a boundary description of the service area for the service location.

15. The system defined in claim 14, wherein the boundary description of a polygonal service area comprises a latitude and longitude of each vertex of the polygon.

16. The system defined in claim 14, wherein the boundary description of a radius-defined service area comprises a latitude and longitude of a center point and a radius.

17. The system defined in claim 11, wherein the caller-provided telephone number comprises a third party number.

18. The system defined in claim 11, wherein the caller-provided telephone number comprises a telephone number corresponding to the caller'"'"'s telephone.

19. An automated call processing system in a telephone network, comprising:

a switch connected to the telephone network;

a routing computer connected to the switch;

a predefined master list of telephone numbers with spatial coordinates indexed by telephone number accessible by the routing computer, wherein the spatial coordinates correspond to locations of telephones associated with caller telephone numbers;

a plurality of client service area files accessible by the routing computer, wherein each of the files comprise information defining a plurality of service areas of substantially any desired shape and size, wherein each service area is geographically defined by spatial coordinates and indexed by spatial coordinate windows, and wherein each service area includes a service location;

a call decoding module for receiving a caller telephone number and a dialed telephone number from the telephone network and for selecting one of the plurality of client service area files based on the dialed telephone number; and

a real-time processing module responsive to the caller telephone number for retrieving a client service location telephone number corresponding to a selected service location, said processing module utilizing the master list and the selected client service area file, wherein the client service location telephone number is retrieved if a location associated with the caller telephone number spatially lies within a client service area.

20. The system defined in claim 19, wherein the caller telephone number comprises a third party number.

21. The system defined in claim 19, additionally comprising means for providing selected information to be substituted for the caller telephone number.

22. The system defined in claim 19, additionally comprising an outbound calling module associated with the switch for transmitting the retrieved client service location telephone number to the telephone network.

23. In a call processing system, a real-time method of call processing for use in a telephone network, comprising the steps:

receiving a caller-provided telephone number and a dialed number identification service (DNIS) number;

making a computerized determination, in response to the caller-provided telephone number and the DNIS number, of whether a location associated with the caller-provided telephone number spatially lies within a service area by utilizing information from a client service location file which geographically defines the boundaries of a plurality of service areas of substantially any desired shape and size, and wherein each service area is related to a client service location; and

transmitting the provided client service location telephone number to the telephone network.

24. The method defined in claim 23, additionally comprising the step of supplying a plurality of client service location files.

25. The method defined in claim 24, wherein the step of providing utilizes the DNIS number to select one of the client service location files corresponding to a client identified by the DNIS number.

26. The method defined in claim 24, wherein one of the client service location files comprises a plurality of records, each record having a client service location identification (ID), and a boundary description of the service area for the service location.

27. The method defined in claim 26, wherein one of the service areas is a polygonal service area and the boundary description of the polygonal service area comprises a latitude and longitude of each vertex of the polygon and a latitude and longitude of the service location.

28. The method defined in claim 26, wherein one of the service areas is a radius-defined service area and the boundary description of the radius-defined service area comprises a latitude and longitude of a center point and a radius.

29. The method defined in claim 26, wherein the ID is a telephone number.

30. The method defined in claim 23, wherein the caller-provided telephone number comprises a third party number.

31. The method defined in claim 23, wherein the caller-provided telephone number comprises a telephone number corresponding to the caller'"'"'s telephone.

32. An automated call processing system, comprising:

a switch connected to a telephone network;

a routing computer connected to the switch;

a predefined master list of telephone numbers with spatial coordinates indexed by telephone number accessible by the routing computer, wherein the spatial coordinates correspond to locations of telephones associated with caller telephone numbers;

a plurality of client service area files accessible by the routing computer, wherein each of the files comprise business information and information defining a plurality of service areas of substantially any desired shape and size, wherein each service area is geographically defined by spatial coordinates and indexed by spatial coordinate windows, and wherein each service area is related to a service location; and

a real-time processing module, executed by the routing computer, responsive to a dialed telephone number received from the telephone network for selecting one of the plurality of client service area files and responsive to a caller telephone number received from the telephone network for retrieving, from the selected client service area file, a client service location identification (ID) corresponding to a selected service location, wherein a service location is selected if a location associated with the caller telephone number spatially lies within a defined service area and for indexing the selected client service area file by use of the client service location ID to access the business information.

33. The system defined in claim 32, wherein the caller telephone number comprises a third party number.

34. The system defined in claim 32, additionally comprising, means for providing selected information to be substituted for the caller telephone number.

35. The system defined in claim 32, additionally comprising an outbound calling module associated with the switch for transmitting the retrieved business information to the telephone network.

36. The system defined in claim 32, wherein the business information comprises at least one of the following:

service location telephone number;

days of business operation;

hours of business operation;

name of business;

address;

micro-area directions;

time zone; and

daylight savings indicator.

37. In a call processing system, a real-time method of call processing for use in a telephone network, comprising the steps:

receiving a caller-provided telephone number and a dialed number identification service (DNIS) number;

providing a client service location identification (ID) corresponding to a selected service location in response to the caller-provided telephone number and the DNIS number, wherein the service location is selected if a location associated with the caller-provided telephone number spatially lies within a service area having a predefined geographic configuration of substantially any desired shape and size; and

indexing one of a plurality of client service location files by use of the client service location ID to access information about the service location, wherein each of the files comprise information including spatial coordinates which geographically define the boundaries of a plurality of service areas of substantially any desired shape and size, and wherein each service area is related to a service location.

38. The method defined in claim 37, additionally comprising the step of transmitting the accessed information about the service location to the telephone network.

39. The method defined in claim 37, wherein the step of providing utilizes the DNIS number to select one of the client service location files corresponding to a client identified by the DNIS number.

40. The method defined in claim 37, wherein each client service location file comprises a plurality of records, each record having a client service location identification (ID), a boundary description of the service area for the service location, and other location-specific information.

41. The method defined in claim 40, wherein the location-specific information comprises at least one of the following:

a service location telephone number;

days of business operation;

hours of business operation;

name of business;

address;

micro-area directions;

time zone; and

daylight savings indicator.

42. The method defined in claim 40, wherein the boundary description of a polygonal service area comprises a latitude and longitude of each vertex of the polygon.

43. The method defined in claim 40, wherein the boundary description of a radius-defined service area comprises a latitude and longitude of a center point and a radius.

44. The method defined in claim 37, wherein the caller-provided telephone number comprises a third party number.

45. The method defined in claim 37, wherein the caller-provided telephone number comprises a telephone number corresponding to the caller'"'"'s telephone.

46. A call processing system for use in a telephone network, comprising:

a call decoding module capable of receiving a caller-provided telephone number and a dialed number identification service (DNIS) number;

a real-time processing module responsive to the caller-provided telephone number and the DNIS number for providing a client service location identification (ID) corresponding to a selected service location, wherein the service location is selected if a location associated with the caller-provided telephone number spatially lies within a service area having a client defined geographic configuration of substantially any desired shape and size; and

a plurality of client service location files, wherein each of the files comprise information including spatial coordinates which geographically define the boundaries of a plurality of service areas of substantially any desired shape and size, wherein each service area is related to a service location, and wherein one of the files is indexed by the client service location ID to retrieve information about the service location.

47. The system defined in claim 46, additionally comprising an outbound calling module for transmitting the retrieved information about the service location to the telephone network.

48. The system defined in claim 46, wherein the real-time processing module utilizes the DNIS number to select one of the client service location files corresponding to a client identified by the DNIS number.

49. The system defined in claim 46, wherein each client service location file comprises a plurality of records, each record having a client service location identification (ID), a boundary description of the service area for the service location, and other location-specific information.

50. The system defined in claim 49, wherein the location-specific information comprises at least one of the following:

a service location telephone number;

days of business operation;

hours of business operation;

name of business;

address;

micro-area directions;

time zone; and

daylight savings indicator.

51. The system defined in claim 49, wherein the boundary description of a polygonal service area comprises a latitude and longitude of each vertex of the polygon.

52. The system defined in claim 49, wherein the boundary description of a radius-defined service area comprises a latitude and longitude of a center point and a radius.

53. The system defined in claim 46, wherein the caller-provided telephone number comprises a third party number.

54. The system defined in claim 46, wherein the caller-provided telephone number comprises a telephone number corresponding to the caller'"'"'s telephone.