Apparatus and method for intelligent call routing and call return

• US 6,850,600 B1
• Filed: 08/25/2000
• Issued: 02/01/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: SBC Laboratories Incorporated (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: SBC Laboratories Incorporated (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Plunkett, William E., Boeckman, Michael W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tsang, Fan
• Assistant Examiner(s): ELAHEE, MD S
• Application Number:
  US09/645,325
• Time in Patent Office: 1,621 Days
• Field of Search: 379/220.01, 37922108-2211, 379/221.12, 379/221.14, 379/221.02, 379/219, 379/45, 379/37, 379/46
• US Class Current: 379/45
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0029 Provisions for intelligent networking

Abstract

According to the present invention, intelligent call routing and call return capabilities are provided in an Advanced Intelligent Network (AIN) or AIN-type network environment. The intelligent call routing features of the present invention may be utilized for routing service calls to an appropriate service or control center (e.g., a Poison Control Answering Point (PCAP)), in accordance with the location of the calling party and one or more routing options. For example, the Number Plan Area (NPA) and Central Office Code (NXX) of the calling party'"'"'s telephone number may be analyzed in order to determine where to route the call. In addition, other routing features may be provided to facilitate handling of the call. For instance, calls may be routed according to the time-of-day and/or day-of-week, and recorded announcements may be provided to indicate when a particular service call cannot be completed. The routing features of the present invention may also be combined with the intelligent call return capabilities, for returning the service call over the network to a location from which the call was transferred (e.g., to a 911 operator located at a Public Service Answering Point (PSAP)).

Claims

1. An intelligent call routing method for routing a service call from a calling party to a service network comprising a plurality of service network locations, the method comprising:

receiving a service call request to connect said calling party to one of said service network locations;

determining a location of said calling party by searching an NPA table, the NPA table comprising a plurality of entries indicating an NPA respectively corresponding to a plurality of combinations of an incoming trunk line number and an NPA code, to determine an NPA of a calling number of the calling party;

identifying one of said service network locations for receiving said service call request, and identifying routing information for routing said service call request to said receiving service network location; and

completing said service call request to said receiving service network location.

2. The intelligent call routing method according to claim 1, wherein the location of said calling party is determined based on one of the NPA and a Central Office Code (NXX) of the calling number of said calling party.

3. The intelligent call routing method according to claim 2, further comprising comparing at a service network location number table having a plurality of NPA-NXX entries, the NPA and NXX of the calling number of said calling party to each of said NPA-NXX entries to determine a number identifying said receiving service network location that corresponds to the NPA and NXX of the calling number of said calling party.

4. The intelligent call routing method according to claim 3, further comprising identifying said routing information, by determining a route index and an outpulse number from a route table, said route index and said outpulse number being included as part of said routing information.

5. The intelligent call routing method according to claim 2, further comprising searching a routing options table comprising a plurality of entries containing numbers identifying alternate service network locations to route a service call request according to predetermined routing options, to determine if said service call request should be routed to an alternate service network location based on said predetermined routing options.

6. The intelligent call routing method according to claim 5, wherein said predetermined routing options comprise routing options to route to an alternate service network location based on at least one of a time-of-day and a day-of-week.

7. The intelligent call routing method according to claim 1, wherein said service network comprises an emergency service network and said service network locations comprise emergency answering points that are adapted to provide assistance and counseling to calling parties regarding emergencies.

8. The intelligent call routing method according to claim 7, wherein said emergency service network comprises a Primary Rate Interface (PRI) network.

9. The intelligent call routing method according to claim 1, further comprising initiating said service call request by dialing a predefined number.

10. The intelligent call routing method according to claim 9, further comprising receiving said service call request at a tandem switch in response to said predefined number being dialed, and transferring said service call request from said tandem switch to one of said service network locations.

11. An intelligent call routing system for routing a service call from a calling party to a service network comprising a plurality of service network locations, the system comprising:

a receiving system that is adapted to receive a service call request to connect said calling party to one of said service network locations;

a Number Plan Area (NPA) table;

a determining system that is adapted to determine a location of said calling party, the determining system including a searcher to search said NPA table, the NPA table comprising a plurality of entries indicating an NPA respectively corresponding to a plurality of combinations of an incoming trunk line number and an NPA code, to determine the NPA of the calling number;

an identifying system that is adapted to identify, based on the location of said calling party, one of said service network locations for receiving said service call request, and to identify routing information for routing said service call request to said receiving service network location; and

a completing system that is adapted to complete said service call request to said receiving service network location based on said routing information.

12. The intelligent call routing system according to claim 11, wherein said determining system comprises a system that determines the location of said calling party based on an NPA and a Central Office Code (NXX) of the calling number of said calling party.

13. The intelligent call routing system according to claim 12, further comprising:

a service network location number table including a plurality of NPA-NXX entries; and

a system for comparing the NPA and NXX of the calling number of said calling party to each of said NPA-NXX entries to determine a number identifying said receiving service network location that corresponds to the NPA and NXX of the calling number of said calling party.

14. The intelligent call routing system according to claim 13, further comprising a route table, said identifying system for identifying routing information being configured to identify said routing information by determining a route index and an outpulse number from said route table, said route index and said outpulse number being included as part of said routing information.

15. The intelligent call routing system according to claim 12, further comprising:

a routing options table comprising a plurality of entries containing numbers identifying alternate service network locations to route a service call request according to predetermined routing options; and

a system that is adapted to search said routing options table to determine if said service call request should be routed to an alternate service network location based on said predetermined routing options.

16. The intelligent call routing system according to claim 15, wherein said predetermined routing options comprise routing options to route said service call request to an alternate service network location based on at least one of a time-of-day and a day-of-week.

17. The intelligent call routing system according to claim 11, wherein said service network comprises an emergency service network and said service network locations comprise emergency answering points that are adapted to provide assistance and counseling to calling parties regarding emergencies.

18. The intelligent call routing system according to claim 17, wherein said emergency service network comprises a Primary Rate Interface (PRI) network.

19. The intelligent call routing system according to claim 11, further comprising a system that is adapted to initiate said service call request by dialing a predefined number.

20. An intelligent call routing system according to claim 19, further comprising a receiving system that is adapted to receive said service call request at a tandem switch in response to said predefined number being dialed, and a transferring system that transfers said service call request from said tandem switch to one of said service network locations.