One number, intelligent call processing system

• US 6,058,179 A
• Filed: 12/14/1998
• Issued: 05/02/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 06/10/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: NeuStar Information Services, Inc. (Neustar Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Murex Securities Limited (Wallsgrove Ltd.)
• Inventors: Moore, George G., Shaffer, James D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wolinsky, Scott
• Application Number:
  US09/211,475
• Time in Patent Office: 505 Days
• Field of Search: 379/127, 379/201, 379/207, 379/211, 379/212, 379/219, 379/220, 379/221, 379/210, 379/265, 379/266, 379/88.18, 379/88.13, 379/67.1
• US Class Current: 379/220.01
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/06 Recording class or number of calling , i.e. A-party or called party , i.e. B-party
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4228 in networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4931 Directory assistance systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0012 Details of application programming interfaces [API] for telephone networks; Arrangements which combine a telephonic communication equipment and a computer, i.e. computer telephony integration [CPI] arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/006 Networks other than PSTN/ISDN providing telephone service, e.g. Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) , including next generation networks with a packet-switched transport layer H04L65/00 takes precedence; aspects not specific to the type of network H04M3/00; special services in those networks H04M3/42
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0029 Provisions for intelligent networking

Abstract

A one number, multi-application, intelligent call processing system provides service benefits to a caller, a servicing location and/or a vanity number advertiser during a call, parallel to the call and/or post call in an integrated common architecture. To provide these benefits, the system utilizes Voice Response Unit (VRU) technology in conjunction with the national telecommunications network connected via Computer Telephone Integration (CTI) to a virtual telephone number database containing a nation-wide master list of telephone numbers with thousands of attribute data items associated by Spatial Key linkage to each telephone number. The process of the invention is initiated by a caller dialing a selected telephone number to request information and/or services. Based on the number dialed, a caller or network provided 10 digit telephone number and VRU prompted for and received caller input, the system retrieves the application requested data from the virtual telephone number database. The application uses the retrieved information to direct the VRU to speak selected retrieved information to the caller that is desired by the caller or needs to be verified by the caller, to automatically connect the caller with a servicing location whose service area can be geographically defined as any size or shape and encompasses the caller provided telephone number'"'"'s location, and/or to store portions of the received and retrieved information for later use.

Claims

1. A method of creating a database for use with a Computer Telephone Integration (CTI) network, the method comprising:

providing a master table comprising a plurality of records, each of said records in the master table including a telephone number and an associated spatial key of a potential caller;

providing a spatial key to information database comprising a plurality of records, each of said records in the spatial key to information database including a spatial key and associated information;

performing a computerized analysis of the spatial keys in the master table and the spatial keys in the spatial key to information database; and

linking records in the master table with records in the spatial key to information database according to the computerized analysis.

2. The method defined in claim 1, wherein the computerized analysis comprises determining matches between spatial keys in the master table and spatial keys in the spatial key to information database.

3. The method defined in claim 1, wherein the linking further includes merging the linked records.

4. A method of creating a database for use with a communication network, the method comprising:

providing a master table comprising a plurality of records, each of said records in the master table including a telephone number and an associated linking key of a potential caller;

providing a linking key to information database comprising a plurality of records, each of said records in the linking key to information database including a linking key and information associated with the linking key of the potential caller;

performing a computerized analysis of the linking keys in the master table and the linking keys in the liking key to information database; and

linking records in the master table with records in the liking key to information database according to the computerized analysis.

5. A method of creating a database for use with a communication network, the method comprising:

providing a master table comprising a plurality of records, each of said records in the master table including a telephone number and an associated key of a potential caller;

providing a key indexed database comprising a plural of records, each of said records in the key indexed database including a key and information associated with the key of the potential caller; and

performing a computerized linking of records in the maser table with records in the key indexed database according to at least a computerized analysis of the keys in the master table and the keys in the key indexed database.

6. The method defined in claim 5, wherein the linking links records having a common spatial key.

7. A method of creating a database for use with a Computer Telephone Integration (CTI network, the method comprising:

providing a master table comprising a plurality of records, wherein each record comprises a telephone number and an associated spatial key of a potential caller;

providing a spatial key translation index comprising a plurality of records, wherein each record comprises a spatial key and a secondary index;

providing a secondary index to information database comprising a plurality of records, wherein each record comprises a secondary index and associated information;

performing a computerized translation of the spatial keys in the master table to secondary indices utilizing the records in the spatial key translation index; and

linking records in the master table with records in the secondary index to information database in accordance with the computerized translation.

8. The method defined in claim 7, wherein the spatial key comprises one of a 19 digit ZIP Code, a lat/lon code, a Census geography code.

9. The method defined in claim 7, wherein the linking further includes merging the linked records.

10. The method defined in claim 7, wherein the computerized translation comprises determining matches between spatial keys in the master table and spatial keys in the spatial key translation index.

11. In a telephone network, a call processing system, comprising:

a master telephone number associated information database, wherein said master database comprises a plurality of records, each of said records in the master database including a telephone number of a potential caller and associated data, wherein the master telephone number associated information database is created by combining a master telephone number to spatial key database with a spatial key indexed database;

a call decoder capable of capturing a telephone number of a first caller at a first location;

a routing processor capable of indexing the telephone number of the first location into the master telephone number associated information database to retrieve information associated with the telephone number of the first location; and

a voice response unit capable of communicating the retrieved information associated with the telephone number of the first location to at least one recipient comprising a vanity number advertiser, the caller at the first location or a servicing location.

12. The system defined in claim 11, wherein the call decoder comprises a module for receiving network provided call information.

13. The system defined in claim 11, wherein the call decoder comprises:

means for producing a prompt signal to invite a caller to provide input to the call processing system; and

means for receiving said caller input.

14. The system defined in claim 11, additionally comprising a validation module for validating the captured telephone number.

15. The system defined in claim 11, wherein the voice response unit includes a process selected from a during call communications process, a post call communications process, or a parallel call communications process.

16. The system defined in claim 11, wherein the voice response unit provides a service to the recipient, the service comprising providing a selected servicing location telephone number to the network for automatically connecting the caller to the selected servicing location.

17. The system defined in claim 11, wherein the voice response unit provides a service to the recipient, the service comprising:

determining that the caller requires operator assistance; and

providing information required by the network to connect the caller to a vanity advertiser operator.

18. The system defined in claim 11, wherein the voice response unit provides a service to the recipient, the service comprising providing an informational item.

19. The system defined in claim 18, wherein the informational item comprises a caller provided telephone number;

a dialed number identification service (DNIS) number;

an automatic number identification (ANI) number;

a caller identification (ID) number;

a spatial key of a caller/network provided telephone number;

a list of one or more locations servicing the caller with a name and address of the servicing location and a distance to the location;

days and hours of operation for one or more servicing locations;

United States Postal Service (USPS) coding accuracy support system (CASS) certified address of the caller/network provided telephone number;

latitude and longitude associated with the caller/network provided telephone number;

latitude and longitude associated with the servicing location address;

driveable directions from a location of the caller/network provided telephone number to a servicing location;

driveable directions from a servicing location to a location of the caller/network provided telephone number;

a map showing the location of the caller/network provided telephone number, the servicing location and a street network between the location of the caller/network provided telephone number and the servicing location;

micro directions for the servicing location;

servicing location daily specials;

servicing location product availability, information and pricing;

servicing location special events and start times;

household information associated with the caller/network provided telephone number;

individual information associated with the caller/network provided telephone number;

business location information associated with the caller/network provided telephone number;

government location information associated with the caller/network provided telephone number;

business financial information associated with the caller/network provided telephone number;

geographic information associated with the caller/network provided telephone number;

property information associated with the caller/network provided telephone number;

or vanity advertiser product announcements and promotions.

20. A method of call processing for use in a Computer Telephone Integration (CTI) network comprising:

creating a telephone number associated database from at least a master table comprising telephone numbers and associated information keys and a key to information database comprising keys and associated information by performing a computerized analysis of the keys in the master table and keys in the key to information database and by linking telephone numbers in the master table with associated information in the key to information database to thereby form the telephone number associated information database according to the computerized analysis;

capturing a telephone number of a caller at a first location;

indexing the telephone number of the first location into the telephone number associated information database;

retrieving information associated with the indexed telephone number from the telephone number associated information database; and

communicating the retrieved information associated with the telephone number to at least one recipient.

21. The method defined in claim 20, additionally comprising validating the captured telephone number.

22. The method defined in claim 20, wherein each of the keys comprises a 19 digit ZIP Code.

23. The method defined in claim 20, wherein communicating the retrieved information to at least one recipient comprises:

determining a selected servicing location telephone number;

providing the servicing location telephone number to the network; and

automatically connecting the caller to the selected servicing location.

24. The method defined in claim 20, wherein the step of communicating the retrieved information to at least one recipient comprises the steps of:

determining that the caller requires operator assistance; and

providing the network with the information required to connect the caller to a vanity advertiser operator.

25. In a Computer Telephone Integration (CTI) network, a call processing system, comprising:

a master table of telephone numbers with spatial keys;

a voice response unit (VRU) capable of capturing a first location telephone number;

a validation module capable of validating the captured first location telephone number;

a retrieve spatial key module capable of indexing the validated first location telephone number into the master table and retrieving the spatial key of the first location'"'"'s telephone number;

a retrieve spatial key dependent data processor that indexes the retrieved spatial key into at least one spatial key indexed database to retrieve, by spatial key linkage, information associated with the telephone number of the first location; and

a communication processor capable of communicating the retrieved information associated with the telephone number of the first location to at least one recipient selected from a vanity number advertiser, a caller or a servicing location.

26. The system defined in claim 25, wherein the VRU comprises a module for receiving network provided call information.

27. In a Computer Telephone Integration (CTI) network, a call processing system comprising:

a master telephone number associated information database, wherein the master telephone number associated information database is created by combining a master telephone number to spatial key database with a spatial key indexed database;

a response unit capable of capturing a telephone number of a first location;

a retrieve spatial key module capable of indexing the first location telephone number into the master telephone number associated information database and retrieving information associated with the telephone number of the first location; and

a communication processor capable of communicating the retrieved information associated with the telephone number of the first location to at least one recipient comprising a vanity number advertiser, a caller or a servicing location.

28. In a Computer Telephone Integration (CTI) network, a call processing system, comprising:

a master telephone number associated information database, wherein said master database comprises a probity of records, each of said records in the master database including a telephone number of a potential caller, wherein the master telephone number associated information database is created by combining a master telephone number to spatial key database with it spatial key indexed database;

an interactive response unit capable of capping a telephone number of a caller at a first location;

a retrieve spat key module that indexes the telephone number of the first location into the master telephone number associated information database to retrieve information associated with the telephone number of the first location; and

a communication processor capable of communicating the retrieved information associated with the telephone number of the first location to at least one recipient comprising a vanity number advertiser, the caller at the first location or a servicing location.

29. The system defined in claim 28, wherein the spatial key indexed database comprises a spatial database, a geographic database, a United States Postal Service (USPS) address database, a household database, an individual database linked to a household database, a business locations database, a business financial database linked to a business locations database, a government locations database, a property database, a client table, or a service locations table.

30. The system defined in claim 28, wherein the spatial key comprises a 19 digit ZIP Code, a 10 digit telephone number, a 15 digit census block number, a combined latitude and longitude coordinate pair, or an identifier derived from latitude and longitude.

31. The system defined in claim 28, wherein the interactive response unit comprises a module for receiving network provided call information.

32. The system defined in claim 28, wherein the interactive response unit comprises:

means for producing a prompt signal to invite a caller to provide input to the call processing system; and

means for receiving said caller input.