Methods and systems for routing a call

• US 6,914,966 B2
• Filed: 02/13/2003
• Issued: 07/05/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 02/13/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: BBNT Solutions LLC (Rtx Corporation), Verizon Laboratories Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Virzi, Robert Anthony, Meteer, Marie Wenzel
• Primary Examiner(s): WEAVER, SCOTT LOUIS
• Application Number:
  US10/366,013
• Publication Number:
  US 20040161079A1
• Time in Patent Office: 873 Days
• Field of Search: 379/67.1, 379/88.01, 379/88.02, 379/88.03, 379/88.04, 379/142.05, 379/142.06, 379/201.01, 379/201.11, 379/207.13, 379/372, 379/373.02, 704/270
• US Class Current: 379/88.02
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/40 using speech recognition speech recognition per se G10L15/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/41 using speaker recognition speaker recognition per se G10L17/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/12 intelligent networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/436 Arrangements for screening incoming calls , i.e. evaluating the characteristics of a call before deciding whether to answer it based on the calling party profile H04M3/42059; based on location H04M3/42348; based on presence H04M3/42365; diversion H04M3/54

Abstract

Schemes for routing a call using caller identification are described herein. These schemes are termed “real caller ID” and can be capable of determining the identity of a calling party independent of a telephone number from which the call originated. According to one exemplary embodiment, a method of routing a call from a calling party to a receiving party may include accessing a database containing a plurality of voice templates of prior calling parties. Each voice template may have correlated therewith a call disposition parameter defined by the receiving party. Next, a voice response from the calling party may be compared with one of the plurality of voice templates stored in the database. Subsequently, the call may be routed to the receiving party based on a match between the voice response and the one of the plurality of voice templates.

Claims

1. A method of routing a call from a calling party to a receiving party, the method including:

accessing a database containing a plurality of voice templates of prior calling parties, each voice template having correlated therewith a call disposition parameter defined by the receiving party,

comparing a voice response from the calling party with one of the plurality of voice templates stored in the database,

routing the call to the receiving party based on a match between the voice response and the one of the plurality of voice templates, and

providing an indentification of the calling party to the receiving party based on the match, the indentification including calling party information corresponding with the voice template matched.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein routing further includes:

determining whether the call disposition parameter correlated with the one of the plurality of voice templates includes a call acceptance parameter.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein routing further includes:

determining whether the call disposition parameter correlated with the one of the plurality of voice templates includes a call rejection parameter, and

routing the call to an interactive voice response system based on the call rejection parameter.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein providing further includes:

providing at least one of the voice response, a ringing signal representing the voice template matched, and data representing the identity of the calling party.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein routing further includes:

updating a stored voice template associated with the calling party based on a match between the voice response and the stored voice template associated with the calling party.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein routing further includes:

for the voice response that does not match a stored voice template, providing the voice response to the receiving party,

allowing the receiving party to define the call disposition parameter, and

determining whether the call disposition parameter includes a call acceptance parameter.

7. The method of claim 6, further including:

converting the voice response from the calling party to a calling party voice template,

correlating the call disposition parameter with the calling party voice template, and

storing the calling party voice template having the call disposition parameter correlated thereto in the database.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising generating a database entry for routing calls from the calling party to the receiving party, when the voice response does not match a stored voice template, the method of generating including:

providing the voice response from the calling party to the receiving party,

allowing the receiving party to define a call disposition parameter,

correlating the call disposition parameter with the voice response, and

storing the voice response having the call disposition parameter correlated thereto in the database.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein correlating further includes:

converting the voice response from the calling party to a voice template, and

correlating the call disposition parameter with the voice template.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein storing further includes:

storing the voice template in the database.

11. The method of claim 8, further including:

allowing the receiving party to modify the call disposition parameter correlated with the stored voice response.

12. A processor program for routing a call from a calling party to a receiving party, the processor program being stored on a processor-readable medium and including instructions to cause the processor to:

access a database containing a plurality of voice templates of prior calling parties, each voice template having correlated therewith a call disposition parameter defined by the receiving party,

compare a voice response from the calling party with one of the plurality of voice templates stored in the database,

route the call to the receiving party based on a match between the voice response and the one of the plurality of voice templates, and

provie an indentification of the calling party to receiving party based on the match, the indentification including calling party information corresponding with the voice template matched.

13. The processor program of claim 12, wherein the instructions to route the call further include instructions to:

determine whether the call disposition parameter correlated with the one of the plurality of voice templates includes a call acceptance parameter.

14. The processor program of claim 12, wherein the instructions to route the call further include instructions to:

determine whether the call disposition parameter correlated with the one of the plurality of voice templates includes a call rejection parameter, and

route the call to an interactive voice response system based on the call rejection parameter.

15. A system for routing a call from a calling party to a receiving party, the system including:

a communications network for routing the call,

a database containing a plurality of voice templates of prior calling parties, each voice template having correlated therewith a call disposition parameter defined by the receiving party, the database further being coupled to the communications network, and

an intelligent peripheral coupled to the communications network, the intelligent peripheral including;

a comparator for accessing the database and comparing a voice response from the calling party with one of the plurality of voice templates,

a router for generating an instruction to the communications network to route the call to the receiving party based on a match between the voice response and a selected one of the plurality of voice templates, and

an identifier for generating an instruction to the communications network to provide an identification of the calling party to the receiving party based on the match the indentification including calling party information corresponding with the selected one of the plurality of voice template.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the router is designed to retrieve a call disposition parameter correlated with a stored voice template matching the voice response and generate an instruction to route the call to the receiving party based on the call disposition parameter including a call acceptance parameter.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the router is designed to retrieve a call disposition parameter correlated with a stored voice template matching the voice response and generate an instruction to route the call to an interactive voice response system based on the call disposition parameter including a call rejection parameter.

18. A method of routing a call from a calling party to a receiving party, the method including:

accessing a database containing a plurality of data files of prior calling parties, each data file having correlated therewith a call disposition parameter defined by the receiving party,

comparing information identifying the calling party, with as received the call, with the plurality of data files,

comparing a voice response of the calling party with voice templates of the plurality of data files,

routing the call to the receiving party based on a first match between the information identifying the calling party and one of the plurality of data files and further based on a second match between the voice response and one of the voice templates, and

providing an identification of the calling party to the receiving party based on the first and second matches, the identification including calling party information corresponding with the one of the plurality of data files matched and the one of the voice templates matched.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the plurality of data files include at least one of:

data representing identities, and data representing local links of prior calling parties.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein comparing information identifying the calling party with the one of the plurality of data files further includes:

comparing at least one of;

data representing the identity of the calling party, and

data representing the local link of the calling party with the one of the plurality of data files.