System and method for consumer-initiated business solicitation calling system

• US 6,404,875 B2
• Filed: 05/24/1999
• Issued: 06/11/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/24/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hanger Solutions, LLC (IP Investments Group LLC)
• Original Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Koch, Robert A., Malik, Dale W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Matar, Ahmad F.
• Assistant Examiner(s): BUI, BING Q
• Application Number:
  US09/317,217
• Publication Number:
  US 20010040950A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,114 Days
• Field of Search: 379/201, 379/209, 379/210, 379/221, 379/265, 379/266, 379/284, 379/309, 379/93.23, 379/211.01, 379/211.02, 379/211.03, 379/93.12, 379/221.08, 379/207.14
• US Class Current: 379/211.03
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/2027 Live party detection
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/254 where the visual mode comprises menus
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/12 intelligent networks
• 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 3/465 Arrangements for simultaneously calling a number of substations until an answer is obtained
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/48 Arrangements for recalling a calling subscriber when the wanted subscriber ceases to be busy
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4931 Directory assistance systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4935 Connection initiated by DAS system

Abstract

The present invention discloses a telecommunications system initiating telephone connections between, for example a consumer and a service provider based on the criteria provided by the consumer and the services available from the service provider. The system is suitable for consumers requiring direct communication with a staff member of a service provider capable of meeting the consumer'"'"'s service requirements. The system compiles a prioritized list of service providers matching the consumer'"'"'s criteria. Starting with the first service provider on the list the system rings the service provider and determines whether or not a staff member answers the call. If the line is busy or the call is not answered by a staff member, the system moves on to the next service provider on the list until a service provider having a staff member is located. Once such a service provider is located, the system rings the consumer and connects the two parties. If the system cannot locate such a service provider the (consumer is given an opportunity to repeat or modify the search.

Claims

1. A method for selecting a service provider based on a user'"'"'s service requirements and for establishing a telephone connection between the user and the service provider comprising the steps of:

(a) establishing a database on an SCP comprising records of similar service providers, wherein each record comprises at least one telephone number and information related to the service provider;

(b) collecting service requirements from the user;

(c) selecting a subset of records from the database that more closely corresponds to the service requirements than non-selected records;

(d) creating a list comprising at least one telephone number from at least record in the subset of records;

(e) selecting a first telephone number from the list and defining it as a current telephone number;

(f) initiating a call from the SCP over a PSTN to the current telephone number;

(g) determining if the call is answered by a person or an automated system;

(h) if the call is answered by a person, completing the call by connecting the subscriber to the service provider associated with the current telephone number;

(i) if the call is not answered by a person, defining a next telephone number from the list as the current telephone number and repeating steps (t), (g), (h) and (i) until a person answers a call or the list is exhausted.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the list is prioritized.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein step (g) comprises the steps of:

(i) requesting a first code and collecting a second code;

(ii) comparing the first code to the second code;

(iii) if the first code matches the second code, the call was answered by a person; and

(iv) if first code does not match the second code, the call was not answered by a person.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of repeating step (b), if a next telephone number does not exist in step (i).

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of repeating step (b), if the subset of records selected in step (c) comprises zero records.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of updating the database when a call is answered by a person.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of gathering feedback from the subscriber;

and, updating the database with the feedback.

8. A telephone system for selecting a service provider based on a subscriber'"'"'s service requirements and establishing a telephone connection between the subscriber and the service provider comprising:

(a) a service switching point connected to a plurality of telephone lines;

(b) a service node communicating with the service switching point; and

(c) a service control point communicating with the service switching point and communicating with the service node, having a database comprising a plurality of records for a plurality of service providers, wherein each record of the plurality of records comprises a telephone number and a plurality of data fields storing information for each service provider of the plurality of service providers;

wherein, the service switching point routes a subscriber'"'"'s call to the service node;

the service node collects a first plurality of service requirements, the service node sends the first plurality of service requirements to the service control point;

the service control point selects a second plurality of service providers from the database matching the first plurality of service requirements;

the service control point instructs the service switching point to create a first call between the service node and a first service provider from the second plurality of service providers;

the service switching point notifies the service control point when the first call is answered, busy or unanswered;

the service control point determines if a first answered call should be connected to the subscriber by determining if the first call is answered by a person or an automated system; and

, if the first is answered by a person, the service control point instructs the service switching point to connect the first answered call to the subscriber, otherwise, the service control point instructs the service switching point to create a second call between the service node and a next service provider from the second plurality of service providers.

9. The telephone system of claim 8, wherein the service control instruct the service switching point to create a third call between the subscriber and the service node if the second plurality of service providers comprises no service providers.

10. The telephone system of claim 9, wherein the service node collects a second plurality of service requirements.

11. The telephone system of claim 8, wherein the service control point instructs the service switching point to create a fourth call between the subscriber and the service node if no answered call is connected to the subscriber.

12. The telephone system of claim 11, wherein the service node collects the subscriber'"'"'s third service requirements.

13. The telephone system of claim 8, wherein the service control point updates the database when any answered call is connected to the subscriber.

14. A telephone system for selecting a service provider based on a subscriber'"'"'s service requirements and establishing a telephone connection between the subscriber and the service provider comprising:

(a) a service switching point;

(b) a service node communicating with the telephone service switching point, having a means for collecting the subscriber'"'"'s service requirements;

(c) a service control point communicating with the service switching point, comprising;

(i) a database comprising records of service providers, wherein each record comprises at least one telephone number and a first plurality of data fields

(ii) means for selecting a subset of records from the database wherein the subset of records comprises at least one record having a second plurality of data fields matching the subscribers requirements;

(iii) means for creating a list identifying the at least one telephone number from each record in the subset of records;

(iv) means for selecting a first telephone number from the list;

(v) means for initiating a call to the first telephone number;

(vi) means for determining if the call is answered by a person or an automated system;

(vii) means for connecting the subscriber to the call if the call is answered by a person; and

(viii) means for selecting a next telephone number from the list if the call is not answered by a person.

15. The telephone system of claim 14, wherein the service control point further comprises a means for prioritizing the list.

16. The telephone system of claim 14, wherein the means for determining if the call is answered by a person comprises:

(a) means for a first code and collecting a second code; and

(b) means for comparing the first code to the second code.

17. The telephone system of claim 14, wherein the service node further comprises a means for collecting the subscriber'"'"'s service requirements.

18. A telephone system for selecting a service provider based on a subscriber'"'"'s service requirements and for establishing a telephone connection between the subscriber and the service provider comprising

(a) a telephone service switching point;

(b) a service node communicating with the telephone service switching point, comprising a first computer-readable medium encoded with a first computer-readable program code for causing the service node to collect from the subscriber information regarding services required;

(c) a service control point communicating with the telephone service switching point, comprising a second computer-readable medium encoded with at least one computer-readable data structure for storing records of service providers, wherein each record of the database of records of service providers comprises at least one telephone number and a plurality of data fields;

(d) a third computer-readable medium encoded with a second computer-readable program code for causing the service control point to select a subset of records from the at least one data structure, wherein the information collected from the subscriber matches at least one data field in the subset of records selected;

(e) a fourth computer-readable medium encoded with a third computer-readable program code for causing the service control point to create a list identifying the at least one telephone number from each record in the subset of records;

(f) a fifth computer-readable medium encoded with a computer-readable program code for causing the service control point to select a first telephone number from the list;

(g) a sixth computer-readable medium encoded with a fifth computer-readable program code for causing the service control point to initiate a call to the first telephone number;

(h) a seventh computer-readable medium encoded with a sixth computer-readable program code for causing the service control point to determine if the call is answered by a person or an automated system;

(i) an eighth computer-readable medium encoded with a seventh computer-readable program code for causing the service control point to connect with subscriber to the call if the call is answered by a person; and

(j) a ninth computer-readable medium encoded with an eighth computer-readable program code for causing the service control point to select a next telephone number from the list and to repeat steps (f), (g), (h) and (i) if the call is not answered by a person until a person answers a call or the list is exhausted.

19. The telephone system of claim 18, wherein the service control point further comprises a tenth computer-readable medium encoded with a ninth computer-readable program code for causing the service control point to prioritize the list.

20. The telephone system of claim 18, wherein the seventh computer-readable program code comprises:

(a) an eleventh computer-readable medium encoded with a tenth computer-readable program code for causing the service control point to generate a random code;

(b) a twelfth computer-readable medium encoded with an eleventh computer-readable program code for causing the service switching point to play the random code and for causing the service switching point to collect an input code; and

(c) a thirteenth computer-readable medium encoded with a twelfth computer-readable program code for causing the service control point to compare the random code to the input code.

21. The telephone system of claim 18, wherein the service control point further comprises a thirteenth computer-readable medium encoded with a twelfth computer-readable program code for causing the service control point to instruct the service node to collect from the subscriber information regarding the services required.

22. The telephone system of claim 18, wherein the second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, and eight computer-readable program code are all encoded on a single computer-readable medium.

23. A method for automatically selecting a service provider based on a plurality of requirements and for automatically establishing a telephone connection between a subscriber and a human representative of the selected service provider, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) establishing on a service control point a database comprising records of service providers, wherein each record comprises at least one telephone number and a plurality of data fields;

(b) receiving on a switch a first telephone call from the subscriber;

(c) forwarding the first telephone call from the switch to a service node;

(d) collecting on the service node the plurality of requirements from the subscriber;

(e) ending the first telephone call;

(f) sending a signal from the service node to the service control point, wherein the signal corresponds to the plurality of requirements;

(g) selecting on the service control point a subset of records from the database, wherein the plurality of requirements matches at least one of the data fields in the subset of records selected;

(h) creating on the service control point a list comprising the at least one telephone number from each record in the subset of records;

(i) selecting a telephone number from the list;

(j) providing the selected telephone number to the switch;

(k) initiating a second telephone call from the switch to the selected telephone number;

(I) making a determination on the switch whether the second telephone call is answered by a human representative or an automated system;

(m) providing the determination from the switch to the service control point;

(n) if the second telephone call is answered by a human representative, instructing the switch to initiate a third telephone call from the switch to the subscriber, wherein the third telephone conferences the subscriber into the second telephone call; and

(o) if the second telephone call is not answered by a human representative, selecting on the service node a next telephone number from the list and repeating steps (k) through (o) until a person answers the second telephone call or the list is exhausted.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the list is prioritized.

25. The method of claim 23, wherein step (1) comprises the steps of

(i) requesting a first code and collecting a second code;

(ii) comparing the first code to the second code;

(iii) if the first code matches the second code, determining that the second telephone call was answered by a human representative; and

(iv) if first code does not match the second code, determining that the second telephone call was not answered by a human representative.

26. The method of claim 23, further comprising the step of initiating a fourth telephone call from the service node to the subscriber and repeating steps (d) through (o), if the list is exhausted in step (o).

27. The method of claim 23, further comprising the step of repeating step (d), if the subset of records selected in step (h) comprises zero records.

28. The method of claim 23, further comprising the step of updating the database when a call is answered by a person.

29. The method of claim 23, further comprising the steps of gathering feedback from the subscriber and updating the database with the feedback.