System and method for reducing toll charges to a customer service center using VoIP

• US 7,492,879 B1
• Filed: 12/28/2005
• Issued: 02/17/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: United Services Automobile Association
• Original Assignee: United Services Automobile Association
• Inventors: King, Joel Fred, Beene, Jerry Scott
• Primary Examiner(s): Anwah; Olisa
• Application Number:
  US11/319,958
• Time in Patent Office: 1,147 Days
• Field of Search: 379/221.01, 379/221.02, 379/114.02, 379/222, 379/223, 370/352, 370/356
• US Class Current: 379/114.02
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/00 Arrangements for metering, time-control or time indication ; Metering, charging or billing arrangements for voice wireline or wireless communications, e.g. VoIP
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/56 for VoIP communications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8083 involving reduced rates or discounts, e.g. time-of-day reductions or volume discounts
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0184 involving reduced rates or discounts, e.g. time-of-day reductions, volume discounts, cell discounts, group billing, frequent calling destination(s) or user history list
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/202 VoIP; Packet switched telephony

Abstract

A method and system are disclosed where a call center operator having multiple locations, including a call center is able to utilize existing network infrastructure to route telephone communications to the call center to the location where the lowest toll rate is applicable. The telephone communications are converted into data packets and routed to the call center using VoIP technology. No toll would apply to the transmission of the data to the call center.

Claims

1. A system for reducing toll charges for voice communication calls to a customer support entity having at least a first location and a second location, comprising:

a connection to a toll network;

a connection to a packet switched network;

at least one subsystem that recognizes a call to the first location that bears a higher toll than if the call was placed to the second location;

at least one subsystem that redirects the call to the second location only if a call to the first location bears a higher toll than a call to the second location;

at least one subsystem that receives data packets representing voice of a caller to the customer support entity from the second location;

at least one subsystem that converts the data packets into an analog signal;

at least one subsystem that transmits the analog signal to a customer support representative in the first location; and

at least one subsystem that converts the voice communications of the customer support representative into data packets.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein said subsystem that converts the voice communications of the customer support representative into data packets comprises:

at least one subsystem that converts analog phone signals to digital signals; and

at least one subsystem that transforms said digital signals into data packets.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein said subsystem that recognizes a call to the first location that bears a higher toll than if the call was placed to the second location comprises:

at least one subsystem that determines the originating location of the call;

at least one subsystem that identifies a first rate applicable to calls made from the originating location to the first location;

at least one subsystem that identifies a second rate applicable to calls made from the originating location to the second location; and

at least one subsystem that selects the destination of the call based on the lowest of the first and second rates.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein said subsystem that receives the data packets over the packet switched network comprises at least one subsystem that receives the data packets over the packets switched network using TCP/IP protocols.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein said subsystem that receives the data packets to a voice signal comprises at least one subsystem that:

at least one subsystem that converts the data packets into a digital signal and;

at least one subsystem that converts the digital signal into an analog sound signal.

6. The system of claim 1 further comprising at least one subsystem that connects a local area network with the connection to the packet switched network.

7. The system of claim 6 wherein said subsystem that connects the local area network with the connection to the packet switched network comprises at least one subsystem that interfaces with the packet switched network using TCP/IP protocols.

8. A method for reducing toll charges for voice communication calls to a customer support entity having at least a first location and a second location, comprising:

recognizing a call to the first location that bears a higher toll than if the call was placed to the second location;

redirecting the call to the second location only if a call to the first location bears a higher toll than a call to the second location;

connecting with a packet switched network at the first location;

receiving data packets representing voice of a caller to the customer support entity over the packet switched network from the second location;

converting the data packets into an analog signal;

transmitting the analog signal to a customer support representative; and

converting the customer representative voice signal into data packets.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein said method element for converting the customer representative voice signal into data packets comprises:

converting analog phone signals to digital signals; and

transforming said digital signals into data packets.

10. The method of claim 8 wherein said method element for recognizing a call to the first location that bears a higher toll than if the call was placed to the second location comprises:

determining the originating location of the call;

identifying a first rate applicable to calls made from the originating location to the first location;

identifying a second rate applicable to calls made from the originating location to the second location; and

selecting the destination of the call based on the lowest of the first and second rates.

11. The method of claim 8 wherein said method element for receiving the data packets over the packet switched network comprises receiving the data packets over the packet switched network using TCP/IP protocols.

12. The method of claim 8 wherein said method element for converting the data packets into an analog signal comprises:

converting the data packets into a digital signal and;

converting the digital signal into an analog sound signal.

13. The method of claim 8 wherein said method element for connecting with the packet switched network comprises

connecting a local area network with the packet switched network.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein said method element for connecting the local area network with the packet switched network comprises interfacing with the packet switched network using TCP/IP protocols.

15. A computer-readable medium comprising computer-readable instructions for reducing toll charges for voice communication calls to a customer support entity having at least a first location and a second location, said computer-readable instructions comprising:

instructions to recognize a call to the first location that bears a higher toll than if the call was placed to the second location;

instructions to redirect the call to the second location only if a call to the first location bears a higher toll than a call to the second location;

instructions to connect with a packet switched network at the first location;

instructions to receive data packets representing voice of a caller to the customer support entity over the packet switched network;

instructions to convert the data packets into an analog signal;

instructions to transmit the analog signal to a customer support representative; and

instructions to convert the voice communications of the customer support representative into data packets.

16. The computer readable medium of claim 15 wherein said instructions to convert the voice communications of the customer support representative into data packets comprises:

instructions to convert analog phone signals to digital signals; and

instructions to transform said digital signals into data packets.

17. The computer readable medium of claim 15 wherein said instructions to recognize a call to the first location that bears a higher toll than if the call was placed to the second location comprises:

instructions to determine the originating location of the call;

instructions to identify a first rate applicable to calls made from the originating location to the first location;

instructions to identify a second rate applicable to calls made from the originating location to the second location; and

instructions to select the destination of the call based on the lowest of the first and second rates.

18. The computer readable medium of claim 15 wherein said instructions to receive the data packets over the packet switched network comprise instructions to receive the packets over the packet switched network using TCP/IP protocols.

19. The computer readable medium of claim 15 wherein said instructions to convert the data packets to a voice signal comprise:

instructions to convert the data packets into a digital signal and;

instructions to convert the digital signal into an analog sound signal.

20. The computer readable medium of claim 15 wherein said instructions to connect with the packet switched network comprise instructions to

connect a local area network with the packet switched network.

21. The computer readable medium of claim 20 wherein said instructions to connect the local area network with the packet switched network comprises instructions to interface with the packet switched network using TCP/IP protocols.