Method and system for correlating telephone calls with information delivery

• US 6,766,009 B2
• Filed: 03/07/2002
• Issued: 07/20/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/07/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Windstream Intellectual Property Services, Inc. (Windstream Holdings II LLC)
• Original Assignee: Newstep Networks, Inc. (Canada) (Windstream Holdings II LLC)
• Inventors: Johnston, David Edward, Williams, L. Lloyd, Markman, Alexander
• Primary Examiner(s): TIEU, BENNY QUOC
• Application Number:
  US10/092,809
• Publication Number:
  US 20030169866A1
• Time in Patent Office: 866 Days
• Field of Search: 379/229, 379/230, 379/207.02, 379/219, 379/220.01, 379/221-8-2, 379/221.15, 379/265.02, 379/265.09
• US Class Current: 379/229
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/22 Automatic class or number identification arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42042 Notifying the called party of information on the calling party details within substation equipment H04M1/57, signalling details H04Q3/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42059 Making use of the calling party identifier
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5191 interacting with the Internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/1307 Call setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13072 Sequence circuits for call signaling, ACD systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13091 CLI, identification of calling line
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13175 Graphical user interface [GUI], WWW interface, visual indication
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/1322 PBX
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/1336 Synchronisation
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13389 LAN, internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/64 Distributing or queueing
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/74 Identification of subscriber calling from a party-line

Abstract

A method and system for correlating information retrieved from a data network, with a telephone call initiated by an initial address message (IAM) at a multi-line facility, such as a call center or a voice access server (VAS), hinges on extracting an identifier string inserted into the user-user-interface field of the IAM, and accompanying the information. The information is used to perform an enhanced service feature which may include aiding the selection of an internal line at call center'"'"'s call distributor, or the selection and customization of delivery of a service feature, at a VAS. The information may also be displayed at a display terminal associated with a call center agent handling the call.

Claims

1. A method for correlating information delivered through a data network with a call established through a switched telephone network to a facility adapted to serve a plurality of calls simultaneously, comprising steps of:

inserting an identifier string into a call setup signaling message used to establish the call to the facility;

delivering the information with the identifier string through the data network to the facility; and

using the respective identifier strings to correlate the information with the telephone call after receiving the call setup signaling message and the information at the facility, in order to provide an enhanced service feature.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein inserting the identifier string into the call setup signaling message further comprises steps of:

forwarding the call setup signaling message through a virtual switching point (VSP) in the switched telephone network; and

controlling the virtual signaling point to insert the identifier string into the call setup signaling message before forwarding the call setup signaling message through the switched telephone network, toward the facility.

3. A method as claimed in claim 2 wherein the call setup signaling message is an Integrated Services Digital Network User Part (ISUP) Initial Address Message (IAM) and the VSP inserts the identifier string into a User-User Interface field of the IAM.

4. The method as claimed in claim 2 wherein the step of delivering comprises steps of:

receiving the call setup signaling message at the VSP in the switched telephone network;

extracting content from the call setup signaling message, the content being used to launch a query to a database in the data network;

generating the identifier string; and

formulating a query message containing the content, and the identifier string, effecting the delivery of a response to the query containing the information and the identifier string, to the facility.

5. A method as claimed in claim 4 further comprising a step of determining, with the extracted content, at least one database to be queried in order to provide the enhanced service feature requested for the call.

6. A method as claimed in claim 4 wherein the response to the query message is forwarded, from the database, to the facility without being re-directed by the call control application.

7. A method as claimed in claim 6 wherein the response to the query message comprises at least one packet, and contains the identifier string.

8. A method as claimed in claim 6 wherein the step of delivering further comprises steps of:

receiving the response to the query message at a data server associated with the facility;

extracting the identifier string from the response to the query message;

sending the identifier string to telephony equipment adapted to terminate the telephone calls at the facility; and

waiting for the telephony equipment to return data to permit the information to be delivered to a display terminal associated with a telephone extension served by the telephony equipment.

9. The method as claimed in claim 8 wherein the data returned by the telephony equipment is an extension number, and the method further comprises steps of:

receiving the extension number from the telephony equipment;

using a lookup table to determine a data address of a display terminal associated with the extension number; and

forwarding at least some of the information contained in the response to the data address to be displayed by the display terminal.

10. The method as claimed in claim 6 further comprising steps of:

receiving the response to the query message at a data server associated with the facility;

extracting information from the response;

using the information to determine a preferred extension number for terminating the call;

extracting the identifier string from the response to the query message;

instructing the telephony equipment to connect the call initiated with the call setup signaling message containing the identifier string, to the preferred call extension number; and

delivering at least some of the extracted information to a display terminal associated with the extension number sent to the telephony equipment.

11. The method as claimed in claim 10 wherein the step of using the information comprises steps of:

using the information to determine a set of agents having skills required to handle the call;

selecting a member of the set of agents that is available to take the call; and

obtaining an extension number of the telephone-of the agent.

12. A method as claimed in claim 6 further comprising steps of:

receiving the response to the query message through a data network interface of the facility, which is a voice access server; and

analyzing the information contained in the response, in order to determine a set of service features to perform for the call;

receiving the call setup signaling message with the same identifier string via a telephone network interface;

correlating the call setup signaling message with the response, using the identifier strings; and

performing the set of service features to the correlated call initiated with the call setup signaling message.

13. A method as claimed in claim 12 wherein the step of analyzing comprises a step of using the information to select a client interaction routine to serve the calling party.

14. A method as claimed in claim 12 wherein the step of analyzing comprises a step of using the information to customize a client interaction routine to serve the calling party.

15. A method of coordinating the delivery of information through a data network with a call initiated using a call setup signaling message to a predetermined directory number (DN) through a switched telephone network (STN), comprising steps of:

forwarding the call setup signaling message to a trunk in the STN controlled by a virtual switching point (VSP), so that the VSP lies in a signaling message path for the call;

inserting an identifier string into the call setup signaling message, when the call setup signaling message is received at the VSP;

inserting the identifier string and predetermined data from the call setup signaling message into a query message sent to a database in the data network to effect the retrieval of information associated with a calling party;

forwarding the information and the identifier string to a data server associated with a facility that also terminates calls to the DN; and

correlating the call setup signaling message with the information using respective identifier strings.

16. The method as claimed in claim 15 wherein the step of inserting an identifier string into the call setup signaling message comprises steps of:

receiving, at a call control application that controls a call control node that serves as the VSP in the call connection path, data extracted from the call setup signaling message;

generating a unique identifier string to reference the call; and

sending a control message to the call control node, which prompts the call control node to forward the call setup signaling message with the identifier string toward the facility.

17. The method as claimed in claim 16 wherein the call control application also inserts the identifier string and data from the call setup signaling message into the query message sent to a database in the data network.

18. The method as claimed in claim 15 wherein the step of correlating comprises steps of:

forwarding the identifier string from the server to telephony equipment that handles calls routed through the STN to the DN;

waiting for the telephony equipment to return an extension number to which the call is to be terminated;

on receipt of the extension number, using the extension number to determine a data workstation to deliver the information to; and

delivering the information to the data workstation.

19. A system for correlating information received from a data network at a facility with a call made through a switched telephone network (STN) to the facility'"'"'s telephony equipment, which is adapted to serve a plurality of calls simultaneously, the system comprising;

a call control node interfacing a trunk in a telephone network adapted to perform call control messaging as commanded by a call control application, including the ability to insert an identifier string into a call setup signaling message;

the call control application adapted to exchange messages with the call control node and to effect the delivery of the information with a copy of the identifier string, to a data server associated with the facility; and

a data server of the facility that receives the information, and uses the accompanying identifier string to correlate the information with the call, wherein said information is used to perform an enhanced service feature.

20. A system as claimed in claim 19 further comprising an information database which is adapted to;

receive an information delivery request from the call control application, retrieve information, and send the information to the server along with an accompanying identifier string contained in the information delivery request.

21. A system as claimed in claim 20 wherein the information database is further adapted to obtain a network address of the data server from a search with parameters supplied by the information delivery request, and to send the information accompanied by the identifier string, to the network address.

22. A system as claimed in claim 20 wherein the information database is a server farm.

23. A system as claimed in claim 19 wherein the data server is a call center server interconnected with the telephony equipment, which is a call distributor, the call center server being adapted to provide the enhanced service feature with the PBX.

24. A system as claimed in claim 23 further comprising a display terminal associated with each internal line of the PBX, wherein said display terminal is adapted to display information regarding a calling party, as at least a part of the enhanced service feature.

25. A system as claimed in claim 23 wherein the information is used by the facility, which is a call center, to select an internal line to serve the call, as at least a part of the enhanced service feature.

26. A system as claimed in claim 25 wherein the PBX is adapted to, upon receipt of a message from the call center server correlating an identifier string with an extension number, switch a call initiated with a call setup signaling message containing the identifier string, to the internal line identified by the extension number.

27. A system as claimed in claim 19 wherein the facility comprises a data server connected with the telephony equipment, which is a voice access server (VAS), wherein the data server is adapted to analyze the information received with the identifier string in order to select a client interaction routine that the VAS is adapted to perform for the call established with the call setup signaling message containing the same identifier string.

28. A system as claimed in claim 19 wherein the facility comprises a server connected with the telephony equipment, which is a voice access server (VAS), wherein the server is adapted to analyze the information received with the identifier string in order to customize a client interaction routine that the VAS is adapted to perform for the call established with the call setup signaling message containing the same identifier string.