Automatic routing and information system for telephonic services

• US 6,091,810 A
• Filed: 12/14/1998
• Issued: 07/18/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 02/22/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• 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:
  US09/211,137
• Time in Patent Office: 582 Days
• Field of Search: 379/201, 379/207, 379/211, 379/219, 379/220, 379/221, 379/127, 379/113
• US Class Current: 379/221.02
• 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 defamed 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. An automatic method for selecting service locations during a telephone call, the method for use within a computer telephone integration (CTI) network having a master list of caller telephone numbers that is indexed by telephone number, each telephone number having a coordinate corresponding to a location of a telephone associated with the telephone number, and a client dependent location list that is indexed by a spatial index of service locations associated with corresponding service areas of substantially any selected shape and size, each service location having a coordinate associated with a service location address, the method comprising:

receiving a caller'"'"'s telephone number and a dialed telephone number;

using the received caller'"'"'s telephone number to access the master list of caller telephone numbers and retrieve a corresponding caller coordinate from the master list indicating a location of a caller;

determining an index key using the retrieved caller coordinate;

determining one or more service locations having coordinates spatially proximal to the retrieved caller coordinate using the index key;

retrieving the service location coordinates and service area definitions for said one or more service locations; and

determining the distance from the caller coordinate to the coordinates of said one or more service locations and selecting service locations having a service area that contains the caller coordinate.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising ordering, in distance order, the selected service locations with the distance to the caller location to create an ordered list.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the service areas are polygonal.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the client dependent location list further includes business information and the ordered list is reduced according to the business information associated with the ordered service locations.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the business information comprises hours of operation of the service locations.

6. The method of claim 4, further comprising communicating the business information associated with one or more of the ordered service locations to the caller.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the index key comprises a window key for a spatial key window.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein determining said one or more service locations utilizes a window file derived from the client dependent location list.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the client dependent location list further includes telephone numbers associated with the service locations and the method further comprises connecting the caller to the telephone number of a selected service location.

10. For use within a computer telephone integration (CTI) network, a system for automatically selecting one or more service locations during a telephone call, the system comprising:

a master list of caller telephone numbers that is indexed by telephone number, each telephone number having a spatial key corresponding to a location of a telephone associated with the telephone number;

a spatial key to geographic coordinate translation table including a list of spatial keys and their corresponding geographic coordinates;

a client service location table including geographic coordinates for client service locations; and

a processing system configured for

using a caller'"'"'s full telephone number to access the master list of caller telephone numbers and retrieve a corresponding spatial key from the master list,

using the retrieved spatial key to access the spatial key to geographic coordinate translation table and retrieve a corresponding geographic coordinate from the translation table, and

using the retrieved geographic coordinate to determine which client service location is spatially proximate to the location of the telephone associated with the caller'"'"'s full telephone number.

11. The system of claim 10, further comprising software operating within said processing system capable of using the retrieved corresponding geographic coordinate to spatially index into the client service location table to retrieve geographic coordinates and service area definitions of spatially proximal client service locations.

12. The system of claim 11, further comprising software operating within said processing system capable of using the geographic coordinate, service location coordinates and service area definitions to build a list, in distance order, of service locations whose service areas encompass the caller location and providing the ordered list to the CTI network.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the length of the ordered list is reduced to a predetermined number of closest service locations.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein the processing system includes software capable of determining, during the telephone call, the distance between a caller location and spatially proximal servicing dealer locations.

15. A method of automatically building, during a telephone call, a results list in distance order of servicing locations to be used within a computer telephone integration (CTI) network, the method comprising:

providing a master list of potential caller telephone numbers, each telephone number having a coordinate associated with a location corresponding to the telephone number;

providing a client dependent service location list, each service location having a coordinate associated with a service location address and having corresponding service location information;

receiving a caller'"'"'s full telephone number;

accessing the master list of potential caller telephone numbers using the received caller'"'"'s full telephone number to obtain a caller coordinate corresponding to the received caller'"'"'s full telephone number;

accessing the client dependent service location list using the caller coordinate to retrieve spatially proximal service location address coordinates and service location information; and

building a results list, in distance order, of service locations using the caller coordinate, service location coordinates and service location information.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the service location information includes service area definitions.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the service location information includes hours of operation.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the service location information includes a service location identification (ID).

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the service location ID comprises a service location telephone number.

20. The method of claim 15, further comprising selecting a service location from the results list that meets a distance criteria.

21. The method of claim 15, further comprising selecting a service location from the results list that satisfies a service location information criteria.

22. The method of claim 15, further comprising selecting a service location from the results list that meets a distance criteria and satisfies a service location information criteria.

23. The method of claim 15, further comprising providing the results list to the CTI network.

24. The method of claim 15, further comprising selecting a single service location from the results list and providing the corresponding service location information to the CTI network to be provided to the caller.

25. An automatic telephone call processing 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 locations, wherein each service location is geographically defined by spatial coordinates and indexed by spatial coordinate windows; and

a processor system configured to index a caller telephone number in the master list of telephone numbers to obtain a selected spatial coordinate corresponding to a location of a telephone associated with the caller telephone number, indexing the selected spatial coordinate in a spatial coordinate window index of the client service locations file to determine which service locations are spatially proximate to the location of the telephone associated with the caller telephone number, and selecting a service location from the determined spatially proximate service locations according to at least one predetermined criteria.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein the predetermined criteria is distance.

27. The system of claim 25, wherein the file of client service locations further includes business information for the service locations.

28. An automatic call processing system, comprising:

a routing processor linked to a telephone network;

a predefined master table of telephone numbers having spatial keys indexed by full telephone number wherein the master table is accessible by the routing processor, and wherein the spatial keys correspond to locations of telephones associated with telephone numbers;

one or more client location tables accessible by the routing processor, wherein each client location table includes spatial keys corresponding to client service locations and business information; and

a real-time processing module executed by the routing processor, the real time processing module configured to index a caller'"'"'s full telephone number in the master table of telephone numbers to obtain a selected spatial key corresponding to the location of the telephone associated with the caller'"'"'s full telephone number and determining which client service location is the closest to the location of the telephone associated with the caller'"'"'s full telephone number utilizing said one or more client location tables.

29. The system of claim 28, wherein the spatial keys are geographic coordinates.

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

receiving a caller'"'"'s full telephone number;

using the received caller'"'"'s full telephone number to index a predefined master list of telephone numbers with spatial keys to obtain a selected spatial key associated with the caller'"'"'s full telephone number, wherein the master list is indexed by telephone number and the spatial keys correspond to locations of telephones associated with the telephone numbers; and

automatically selecting a client service location from one or more client tables utilizing the selected spatial key, wherein each client table includes spatial keys corresponding to the locations of client service locations and business information.

31. A method, for use with a computer telephone integration (CTI) network, of generating a database of potential caller telephone numbers linked to client service location identifications for one or more client service locations associated with each caller telephone number, the method comprising:

providing a master list of caller telephone numbers, each telephone number having a spatial coordinate corresponding to a location of a telephone associated with the telephone number;

providing a list of client service locations with client location identifications and client location spatial coordinates; and

automatically linking telephone numbers from the master list to client location identifications from the list of client service locations based on the spatial coordinate corresponding to the location of the telephone associated with the telephone number being within a client defined distance of the spatial coordinate of the client service location.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein the location identifications are telephone numbers.

33. The method of claim 31, wherein the client defined distance is within a global maximum service radius for all client service locations.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein the distance from a potential caller location to the closest service location is less than the client defined distance.

35. The method of claim 31, wherein the client defined distance is within a maximum distance around a client service location, where the maximum distance is defined by a location service radius.

36. The method of claim 35, wherein the distance from a potential caller location to the closest service location is less than the client defined distance.

37. The method of claim 31, wherein the client defined distance is the shortest distance from a caller location to a service location and the caller location is not outside a polygon defined service boundary for the service location.

38. A method, for use with a computer telephone integration (CTI) network, of generating a database of potential caller telephone numbers linked to client service locations, the method comprising:

a) providing a master list of caller telephone numbers, each caller telephone number having a spatial coordinate corresponding to a location of a telephone associated with the caller telephone number;

b) providing a list of client service locations with location spatial coordinates and defined service areas; and

c) automatically linking caller telephone numbers from the master list to client service locations from the list of client service locations based on the spatial coordinate corresponding to the location of the telephone associated with the caller telephone number being a shortest distance to the spatial coordinate of a client service location and the spatial coordinate corresponding to the location of the telephone associated with the caller telephone number being inside a service location'"'"'s defined service area.

39. The method of claim 38, wherein the client service location has associated client service location information.

40. The method of claim 38, wherein the list of client service locations of b) further includes an associated telephone number for each client service location, and wherein c) includes linking each caller telephone number to a telephone number of a client service location.

41. The inethod of claim 40, wherein the linked caller telephone number and the client service location telephone number are stored in a record of the generated database.

42. The method of claim 38, wherein the linking includes storing the distance between the spatial coordinate associated with the caller telephone number and the spatial coordinate of the client service location.

43. The method of claim 42, wherein the distance comprises a vector, the vector including a compass direction between the spatial coordinate associated with the caller telephone number and the spatial coordinate of the client service location.

44. An automatic call processing system, comprising:

a routing processor linked to a telephone network;

a predefined master table of telephone numbers having spatial keys indexed by telephone number wherein the master table is accessible by the routing processor, and wherein the spatial keys correspond to locations of telephones associated with caller telephone numbers;

one or more client location tables accessible by the routing processor, wherein said one or more client location tables include spatial keys corresponding to service areas of client service locations, wherein the service areas are of substantially any selected shape and size; and

a processing module executed by the routing processor, the processing module configured to index a caller telephone number in the master table of telephone numbers to obtain a selected spatial key corresponding to a location of a telephone associated with the caller telephone number and selecting one or more client service locations utilizing said one or more client location tables, wherein a client service location is selected if the location of the telephone associated with the caller telephone number spatially lies within the service area of the client service location.

45. The system of claim 44, wherein the spatial keys are geographic coordinates.

46. The system of claim 44, wherein the spatial keys are postal codes.