Systems and methods for location based call routing

• US 8,036,160 B1
• Filed: 04/02/2008
• Issued: 10/11/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/02/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: United Services Automobile Association
• Original Assignee: United Services Automobile Association
• Inventors: Oakes, Charles Lee III
• Primary Examiner(s): Phan; Tri H
• Application Number:
  US12/061,336
• Time in Patent Office: 1,287 Days
• Field of Search: 370310-350, 370/351, 370/392, 3703952-401, 455403-4041, 455414-417, 4554561-461, 705/7.34, 705/14.57, 705/14.58, 705/346
• US Class Current: 370/328
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0205 Location or geographical consideration
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42348 Location-based services which utilize the location information of a target
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/021 Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences

Abstract

Disclosed herein are a system, method, and computer-readable medium with instructions for recommending a service provider based on a user'"'"'s approximate current location. The service provider may be recommended for a service that is verified under a user'"'"'s insurance policy and is also within proximity to the user'"'"'s approximate current location. The user'"'"'s approximate current location may be determined by location-based technology. The entity that receives and/or recommends the service provider may initiate a request for the service from the service provider. Further embodiments are related to routing a call to provide information to the user that is responsive to the user'"'"'s location-relevant request. For example, systems, such as an automotive telematics system, may request information and be routed to the appropriate division of a user'"'"'s insurance provider such that the automotive telematics system can provide services to the user that are user-specific (e.g., covered by the user'"'"'s insurance policy).

Claims

1. A method of routing a call from a user to provide access to information responsive to the user'"'"'s location-relevant request, the method comprising:

hosting a plurality of nodes, wherein each node is associated with a location and with a type of insurance offered by an insurance provider;

receiving an incoming call with a user'"'"'s location-relevant request, wherein the incoming call is received over a communication channel that corresponds to the plurality of nodes;

determining a user'"'"'s current location via location-based technology;

routing the call to at least one of the plurality of nodes, wherein at least one of the plurality of nodes is associated with the user'"'"'s current location; and

providing information responsive to the user'"'"'s location-relevant request and the user'"'"'s current location.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the communication channel is a single communication channel dedicated to the plurality of nodes.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the location-relevant information is at least one of:

insurance providers, health care providers, weather information, or entertainment information.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the call is received from a device associated with a mobile user.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the device associated with the mobile user is capable of communicating with location-based technology.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the location-based technology is at least one of Assisted global positioning system (GPS), Time of Arrival, Time Difference of Arrival, or Cell ID.

7. A system for routing a call from a user to provide access to information responsive to the user'"'"'s location-relevant request, the system comprising at least one subsystem that:

hosts a plurality of nodes, wherein each location node is associated with a location and with a type of insurance offered by an insurance provider;

receives an incoming call with a user'"'"'s location-relevant request, wherein the incoming call is received over a communication channel that corresponds to the plurality of nodes;

determines a user'"'"'s current location via location-based technology;

routes the call to at least one of the plurality of nodes, wherein the at least one of the plurality of nodes is associated with the user'"'"'s current location; and

provides information responsive to the user'"'"'s location-relevant request and the user'"'"'s current location.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the communication channel is a single communication channel dedicated to the plurality of nodes.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the location-relevant information is at least one of:

insurance providers, health care providers, weather information, or entertainment information.

10. The system of claim 7, wherein the call is received from a device associated with a mobile user.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the device associated with the mobile user is capable of communicating with location-based technology.

12. The system of claim 7, wherein the location-based technology is at least one of Assisted global positioning system (GPS), Time of Arrival, Time Difference of Arrival, or Cell ID.

13. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising computer-readable instructions for routing a call from a user to provide access to information responsive to the user'"'"'s location-relevant request, the computer-readable instructions comprising instructions that:

host a plurality of nodes, wherein each location node is associated with a location and with a type of insurance offered by an insurance provider;

receive an incoming call with a user'"'"'s location-relevant request, wherein the incoming call is received over a communication channel that corresponds to the plurality of nodes;

determine a user'"'"'s approximate-current location via location-based technology;

route the call to at least one of the plurality of nodes, wherein the at least one of the plurality of nodes is associated with the user'"'"'s current location; and

provide information responsive to the user'"'"'s location-relevant request and the user'"'"'s current location.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein the communication channel is a single communication channel dedicated to the plurality of nodes.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein the location-relevant information is at least one of:

insurance providers, health care providers, weather information, or entertainment information.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein the call is received from a device associated with a mobile user.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein the device associated with the mobile user is capable of communicating with location-based technology.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein the location-based technology is at least one of Assisted global positioning system (GPS), Time of Arrival, Time Difference of Arrival, or Cell ID.