Call processing system with call screening

• US 7,035,384 B1
• Filed: 05/18/2000
• Issued: 04/25/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/17/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Convergys Customer Management Delaware LLC (Concentrix CVG Customer Management Group, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Convergys Corporation
• Inventors: Scherer, Gordon F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tsang, Fan
• Assistant Examiner(s): Anwah, Olisa
• Application Number:
  US09/573,734
• Time in Patent Office: 2,168 Days
• Field of Search: 379/67.1, 379/88.01, 379/201.01, 379/201.02, 379/201.07, 379/201.08, 379/207.02, 379/207.11, 379/207.13, 379/207.14, 379/207.15, 379/127.01, 379/88.19
• US Class Current: 379/88.19
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/2011 Service processing based on information specified by a party before or during a call, e.g. information, tone or routing selection
• 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 3/436 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5166 in combination with interactive voice response systems or voice portals, e.g. as front-ends
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13091 CLI, identification of calling line
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13097 Numbering, addressing
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13377 Recorded announcement
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/70 Identification of class of calling subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/72 Finding out and indicating number of calling subscriber

Abstract

A system is described in which call processing considers unique information about the call to better serve the caller and/or to enable the called party to more efficiently handle the call. In one embodiment, the unique information considered by the call processor is information indicator digits, which may indicate to the called party whether to accept the call before the voice portion of the call is initiated.

Claims

1. A method of handling a call, wherein the call is made from a certain type of telephone line by a caller, said method comprising the steps of:

providing a device with resources available to said call, the device being operable to receive and analyze information associated with said call;

receiving said information, including information indicator digits, associated with said call at said device, wherein the information indicator digits indicate the certain type of telephone line from which the call has been made;

processing said information associated with said call, including the information indicator digits;

determining the certain type of telephone line from which the call has been made based on the information indicator digits; and

handling said call in a particular way based on said certain type of telephone line from which the call has been made and said processing of said information associated with said call, wherein the act of handling said call comprises determining a type of input to be provided by the caller based on said certain type of telephone line from which the call has been made.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the information indicator digits indicate that the call has been made from a cellular phone, wherein the method further comprises handling the call based on the indication that the call has been made from a cellular phone.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the act of determining a type of input to be provided by the caller comprises determining whether touch tone input or voice input is to be provided by the caller based on said certain type of telephone line from which the call has been made.

2. A method of handling a call, wherein the call is made from a certain type of telephone device by a caller at a geographic location, said method comprising steps of:

providing a call processor which receives information associated with said call;

making resources available to said call,

receiving said information associated with said call, wherein said information comprises;

(i) information indicator digits associated with said call, wherein the information indicator digits indicate the certain type of telephone device from which the call has been made, and

(ii) automatic number identification (ANI) information associated with said call;

analyzing said information associated with said call, including the information indicator digits, wherein the act of analyzing said information comprises determining, based on said information indicator digits, whether the ANI associated with said call accurately indicates one or both of;

(i) the geographic location of the caller, or

(ii) the identity of the caller; and

handling said call based on said resources available to said call and said analyzed information associated with said call.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the information indicator digits indicate that the call has been made from a cellular phone, wherein the method further comprises handling the call based on the indication that the call has been made from a cellular phone.