System and method for routing calls

• US 7,864,942 B2
• Filed: 12/06/2004
• Issued: 01/04/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/06/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sbc Knowledge Ventures, L.P.
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Knott, Benjamin Anthony, Korth, Sarah, Bushey, Robert R.
• Primary Examiner(s): ADDY, THJUAN KNOWLIN
• Application Number:
  US11/005,498
• Publication Number:
  US 20080008308A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,220 Days
• Field of Search: 379/221.01, 379/266.1, 379/32.01, 379/88.18, 379/265.09, 379/88.01, 379/88.21, 379/114.19, 379/88.04, 379/211.02, 379/283, 379/282, 379/273, 379/212.01, 370/352, 704/251, 704/231, 704/275, 709/219
• US Class Current: 379/221.01
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5166 in combination with interactive voice response systems or voice portals, e.g. as front-ends

Abstract

A method and system of routing calls. In a particular embodiment, the method includes prompting a caller of a call for caller information with a first system. The first system has a first interface characteristic. The method further includes selecting a destination for the call based on the caller information. The destination has a second interface characteristic. The method also includes identifying a call interface characteristic change based on a difference between the first characteristic and the second characteristic, and advising the caller of the call interface characteristic change prior to routing the call.

Claims

1. A method of routing a call comprising:

prompting a caller for caller information with a first system, the first system having a voice recognition modality;

receiving, via the first system, a first natural language input from the caller;

selecting a destination for the call based on the first natural language input, the destination having a touch tone recognition modality;

prompting the caller to confirm the selected destination with the first system;

upon receipt of a second natural language input from the caller confirming the selected destination, informing the caller that the selected destination is a touch tone recognition system prior to routing the call to the selected destination.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting caller data with the call.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising notifying the caller of forthcoming events.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising referencing a table to determine a difference between the voice recognition modality and the touch tone recognition modality.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising selecting a first prompt based on the voice recognition modality.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein a modality of the destination is stored in a destination characteristics table that is accessible by the first system.