One number, intelligent call processing system

• US 8,085,924 B2
• Filed: 12/20/2006
• Issued: 12/27/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/10/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: NeuStar Information Services, Inc. (Neustar Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Targus Information Corporation (Neustar Incorporated)
• Inventors: Shaffer, James D., Moore, George G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Matar, Ahmad
• Assistant Examiner(s): SHAH, ANTIM G
• Application Number:
  US11/613,984
• Publication Number:
  US 20070127657A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,833 Days
• Field of Search: 379/211.02, 379/220.01, 379/221, 379/221.14, 379/272, 379/88.01, 379/88.13, 379/219
• US Class Current: 379/221.14
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/06 Recording class or number of calling , i.e. A-party or called party , i.e. B-party
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4228 in networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4931 Directory assistance systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0012 Details of application programming interfaces [API] for telephone networks; Arrangements which combine a telephonic communication equipment and a computer, i.e. computer telephony integration [CPI] arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/006 Networks other than PSTN/ISDN providing telephone service, e.g. Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) , including next generation networks with a packet-switched transport layer H04L65/00 takes precedence; aspects not specific to the type of network H04M3/00; special services in those networks H04M3/42
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0029 Provisions for intelligent networking

Abstract

A one number, multi-application, intelligent call processing system provides service benefits to a caller, a servicing location and/or a vanity number advertiser during a call, parallel to the call and/or post call in an integrated common architecture. The system utilizes VRU technology in conjunction with the national telecommunications network connected via Computer Telephone Integration (CTI) to a virtual telephone number database containing a nationwide master list of telephone numbers with attribute data items associated by Spatial Key linkage to each telephone number. The process of the invention is initiated by a caller dialing a selected telephone number to request information and/or services. Based on the number dialed, a caller or network provided ten-digit telephone number and VRU prompted for and received caller input, the system retrieves the application requested data from the virtual telephone number database and provides it to the network.

Claims

1. In a Computer Telephone Integration (CTI) network, a call processing system, comprising:

a master table of telephone numbers with linkage keys, wherein each linkage key is associated with a telephone number, and wherein the linkage key comprises a hierarchical match key encoding an address associated with the telephone number;

means for capturing a telephone number for a first location;

means for validating the captured telephone number;

means for indexing the validated the telephone number into the master table to retrieve a linkage key of the telephone number;

means for indexing the retrieved linkage key into at least one key indexed database to retrieve, by key linkage, information associated with the telephone number of the first location; and

means for communicating the retrieved information associated with the telephone number of the first location to at least one recipient selected from a vanity number advertiser, a caller or a servicing location.

2. The system defined in claim 1, wherein the means for communicating the retrieved information provides a service to the recipient, the service comprising providing a selected servicing location telephone number to the network for automatically connecting the caller to the selected servicing location.

3. The system defined in claim 1, wherein the means for communicating the retrieved information provides a service to the recipient, the service comprising:

determining that the caller requires operator assistance; and

providing information required by the network to connect the caller to a vanity advertiser operator.

4. The system defined in claim 1, wherein the means for communicating the retrieved information provides a service to the recipient, the service comprising providing an informational item.

5. The system defined in claim 4, wherein the informational item comprises a caller provided telephone number;

a dialed number identification service (DNIS) number;

an automatic number identification (ANI) number;

a caller ID number;

a key of a caller/network provided telephone number;

a list of one or more locations servicing the caller with a name and address of the servicing location and a distance to the location;

days and hours of operation for one or more servicing locations;

United States Postal Service (USPS) coding accuracy support system (CASS) certified address of the caller/network provided telephone number;

latitude and longitude associated with the caller/network provided telephone number;

latitude and longitude associated with the servicing location address;

driveable directions from a location of the caller/network provided telephone number to a servicing location;

driveable directions from a servicing location to a location of the caller/network provided telephone number;

a map showing the location of the caller/network provided telephone number, the servicing location and a street network between the location of the caller/network provided telephone number and the servicing location;

micro directions for the servicing location;

servicing location daily specials;

servicing location product availability, information and pricing;

servicing location special events and start times;

household information associated with the caller/network provided telephone number;

individual information associated with the caller/network provided telephone number;

business location information associated with the caller/network provided telephone number;

government location information associated with the caller/network provided telephone number;

business financial information associated with the caller/network provided telephone number;

geographic information associated with the caller/network provided telephone number;

property information associated with the caller/network provided telephone number;

or vanity advertiser product announcements and promotions.

6. The system defined in claim 1, wherein the means for capturing a telephone number comprises a module for receiving network provided call information.

7. The system defined in claim 6, wherein the module for receiving network provided call information captures a number selected from an automatic number identification (ANI) number, a caller ID number, or a dialed number identification service (DNIS) number.

8. The system defined in claim 1, wherein the means for capturing a telephone number comprises:

means for producing a prompt signal to invite a caller to provide input to the call processing system; and

means for receiving said caller input.

9. The system defined in claim 8, wherein the means for producing a prompt signal comprises a voice response unit (VRU) utilizing a prompt comprising a recorded voice, computer synthesized text to speech, a message displayed on a videophone, or a live operator.

10. The system defined in claim 8, wherein the means for receiving said caller input comprises a Voice Response Unit (VRU) utilizing a recognition method selected from voice recognition or Dual Tone Multi-Frequency (DTMF) recognition.

11. The system defined in claim 8, wherein the means for receiving said caller input comprises a live operator, and wherein the live operator enters the input to the call processing system via a keyed input device.

12. The system defined in claim 1, wherein the linkage key is selected from a United States Postal Service Delivery Point Code, a 10 digit telephone number, a 15 digit census block number, an interleaved latitude and longitude coordinate pair, a V and H coordinate pair, a zip code, a United States Postal Service Delivery Point Code, or a derived coordinate pair from latitude and longitude.

13. The system defined in claim 1, wherein the key indexed database comprises a database selected from a spatial database, a geographic database, a United States Postal Service (USPS) address database, a household database, a individual database linked to a household database, a business locations database, a business financial database linked to a business locations database, a government locations database, a property database, a client table, or a service locations table linked to a client table.

14. The system defined in claim 1, wherein the means for communicating the retrieved information to at least one recipient comprises a during call communications process, a post call communications process, or a call parallel communications process.

15. The system defined in claim 14, wherein the during call communications process is configured to utilize a message type comprising a pre-recorded voice message received by a telephone, a synthesized text-to-speech voice received by a telephone, an operator voice received by a telephone after an operator obtains information from a CTI network visual display, text displayed on a videophone, a map displayed on a videophone, a picture displayed on a videophone, or information stored for post call retrieval.

16. The system defined in claim 14, wherein the post call communications process is configured to utilize a message type comprising a pre-recorded voice message received by a telephone, a synthesized text-to-speech voice received by a telephone, an operator voice received by a telephone after an operator obtains information from a CTI network visual display, text displayed on a videophone, a map displayed on a videophone, a picture displayed on a videophone, a facsimile, an E-mail, a mailing to a United States Postal Service (USPS) address, or a computer with a visual display connected to the CTI network.

17. The system defined in claim 14, wherein the call parallel communications process is configured to utilize a message type selected from a facsimile, an E-mail, or a computer with a visual display connected to the CTI network.

18. The system defined in claim 17, wherein the computer is connected to the CTI network by a connection type comprising a dedicated point-to-point connection, a dial-up modem connection to a CTI network modem server, or an Internet connection to a CTI Internet server.

59. The method of claim 1 wherein the hierarchical match key can be used to retrieve data from one or more data sources coded having at least a part of the same hierarchical match key.

19. In a Computer Telephone Integration (CTI) network, a method of call processing comprising the steps of:

capturing a telephone number associated with a first location;

indexing the captured telephone number into a master table of telephone numbers and associated linkage mechanisms, wherein each linkage mechanisms is associated with a telephone number and links the telephone number to a specific geographic location;

retrieving a first linkage mechanism of the indexed telephone number;

indexing the first linkage mechanism into at least one key indexed database;

retrieving, by key linkage, information associated with the telephone number; and

communicating the retrieved information associated with the telephone number to at least one call recipient that comprises a vanity number advertiser, a caller or a servicing location.

20. The method defined in claim 19, additionally comprising the step of validating the captured telephone number.

21. The method defined in claim 20, wherein the step of validating the captured telephone number comprises the steps of:

comparing a NPANXX portion of the captured telephone number against an area code split file; and

updating the NPANXX portion of the captured telephone number with a NEW NPANXX from the split file.

22. The method defined in claim 20, wherein the step of validating the captured telephone number comprises the steps of:

indexing a NPANXX portion of the captured telephone number against a local exchange routing guide (LERG) file; and

determining the validity of the captured telephone number using the information in the LERG file.

23. The method defined in claim 20, wherein the step of validating the captured telephone number comprises the steps of:

comparing a NPANXX portion of the captured telephone number against a V&

H coordinate file; and

determining a type of the NPANXX and a location corresponding to the NPANXX.

24. The method defined in claim 20, wherein the step of validating the captured telephone number comprises the steps of:

determining whether the telephone number includes a specified number of digits; and

determining whether selected digits of the telephone number have values present in valid telephone numbers.

25. The method defined in claim 24, wherein the step of determining whether selected digits of the telephone number have values present in valid telephone numbers comprises the steps of:

determining whether the second, third, and fifth through tenth digits each have a value between zero through nine inclusive; and

determining whether each of the first digit and the fourth digit has a value between two through nine inclusive.

26. The method defined in claim 19, wherein the step of communicating the retrieved information to at least one call recipient comprises the steps of:

determining a selected servicing location telephone number;

providing the servicing location telephone number to the network; and

automatically connecting the caller to the selected servicing location.

27. The method defined in claim 19, wherein the step of communicating the retrieved information to at least one call recipient comprises the steps of:

determining that the caller requires operator assistance; and

providing the network with the information required to connect the caller to a vanity advertiser operator.

28. The method defined in claim 19, wherein the step of capturing the telephone number comprises the steps of:

producing a prompt signal to invite a caller to provide input; and

receiving said caller input.

29. The method defined in claim 19, wherein the step of capturing the telephone number comprises the step of recognizing voice input.

30. The method defined in claim 19, wherein the linkage mechanism comprises a United States Postal Service Delivery Point Code.

31. The method defined in claim 19, wherein the key indexed database comprises a spatial database, a geographic database, a USPS address database, a household database, an individual database linked to a household database, a business locations database, a business financial database linked to a business locations database, a government locations database, a property database, a client table, or a service locations table linked to a client table.

60. The method of claim 19 wherein each linkage mechanism also links a telephone number to household information for a household associated with the telephone number, the household information comprising information associated with members of the household.

32. In a Computer Telephone Integration (CTI) network, a method of generating a master telephone number to key database including a plurality of records, one of the records comprising a telephone number, a key, and information related to the telephone number and the key, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a master database of telephone numbers including a plurality of records, one of the records comprising a telephone number;

utilizing a data provider verification file, said file having a plurality of records, wherein one of the records comprises a telephone number, a key, and related data, wherein the key comprises a hierarchical match key encoding an address associated with the telephone number;

identifying a record from the master database of telephone numbers having a telephone number that matches a telephone number in a record of the data provider verification file;

appending a key and related data from the data provider verification file to the matching record of the master database of telephone numbers, thereby generating an intermediate database;

providing a master database of keys, comprising a plurality of records, one of the records comprising a key;

comparing a record from the intermediate database to records of the master database of keys to identify a key match; and

appending the telephone number and the data provider related data from the record of the intermediate database to the matching record of the master key database, wherein the resultant record does not include the telephone number and the key from the data provider verification file.

33. The method defined in claim 32, wherein the related data comprises a linkage item, said linkage item indicative of a linkage between the telephone number and the key.

34. The method defined in claim 33, wherein the linkage item comprises a connected status code.

35. The method defined in claim 33, wherein the linkage item comprises a disconnected status code.

36. The method defined in claim 33, additionally comprising the step of updating one telephone number to key linkage item in the master telephone number to key database based on a change in the data provider verification file.

37. The method defined in claim 36, wherein the change in the data provider verification file is one of a plurality of changes made necessary by consumers and businesses moving, and thereby disconnecting and connecting telephone numbers.

38. The method defined in claim 36, wherein the change in the data provider verification file is one of a plurality of changes made necessary by a caller initially calling a service provider.

39. The method defined in claim 32, wherein the key comprises a United States Postal Service Delivery Point Code.

40. The method defined in claim 32, wherein the master database of telephone numbers is generated using a local exchange routing guide (LERG) file.

41. The method defined in claim 32, wherein the master database of telephone numbers is generated using a V&

H Coordinate file.

42. The method defined in claim 32, wherein the master key database is generated using a United States Postal Service delivery sequence file (DSF).

43. The method defined in claim 32, wherein the master key database is generated using a United States Postal Service ZIP+4 file.

44. The method defined in claim 32, wherein an official nation-wide administrator is the source of the telephone numbers in the master telephone number to key database.

45. The method defined in claim 32, wherein a United States Postal Service is the source of the key in the master telephone number to key database.

46. The method defined in claim 32, additionally comprising the step of assigning a key to a record of the data provider verification file using United States Postal Service coding accuracy support system (CASS) certified software.

47. The method defined in claim 32, additionally comprising the step of updating a telephone number of the data provider verification file using a NPANXX split file.

48. The method defined in claim 32, additionally comprising the step of updating a telephone number in the master telephone number to key database based on changes in telephone numbers maintained by a nation-wide administrator.

49. The method defined in claim 32, additionally comprising the step of updating a key in the master telephone number to key database based on ZIP Code changes by a United States Postal Service.

61. The method of claim 32 wherein the hierarchical match key can be used to retrieve data from one or more data sources coded having at least a part of the same hierarchical match key.

50. In a Computer Telephone Integration (CTI) network, a method of call processing comprising the steps of:

capturing a first location telephone number during a call;

validating the captured telephone number;

indexing the validated telephone number into a master table of telephone numbers and associated hierarchical keys, wherein each hierarchical key is associated with a telephone number, and wherein each hierarchical key comprises a hierarchical match key encoding an address associated with the telephone number;

transferring the call to an exceptions handling operator if the validated number is not present in the master table;

obtaining an address associated with the validated telephone number;

assigning a first hierarchical key for the address;

connecting the call to a service location based on the first hierarchical key and a dialed telephone number; and

storing the validated telephone number and the first hierarchical key.

51. The method defined in claim 50, additionally comprising the steps of:

indexing the first hierarchical key into at least one key indexed database; and

retrieving, by key linkage, information to connect the call.

52. The method defined in claim 50, additionally comprising the step of updating the master table by use of the stored validated telephone number and the first hierarchical key.

53. The method defined in claim 50, additionally comprising the step of displaying the validated telephone number and the dialed telephone number to the operator.

54. The method defined in claim 50, additionally comprising the step of requesting the address associated with the validated telephone number.

55. The method defined in claim 50, additionally comprising the step of standardizing the address.

56. The method defined in claim 55, additionally comprising the step of validating the standardized address.

57. The method defined in claim 50, wherein the step of connecting the call comprises the steps of:

retrieving a list of service locations, each service location having an associated telephone number; and

selecting one of the service locations from the list.

62. The method of claim 50 wherein the hierarchical match key can be used to retrieve data from one or more data sources coded having at least a part of the same hierarchical match key.

58. In a Computer Telephone Integration (CTI) network, a method of maintaining a call processing master table, comprising the steps of:

capturing a first location telephone number during a call;

validating the captured telephone number;

indexing the validated telephone number into a master table of telephone numbers and associated records, the records comprising direct translator mechanisms, wherein each direct translator mechanism is associated with a telephone number and translates the telephone number to a specific geographic location associated with the telephone number;

transferring the call to an exceptions handling operator if the validated number is not present in the master table;

obtaining an address associated with the validated telephone number;

assigning a first of the associated records to the address;

storing the validated telephone number and the first of the associated records; and

updating the master table by use of the stored validated telephone number and the first of the associated records.

63. The method of claim 58 wherein each direct translator mechanism also links a telephone number to household information for a household associated with the telephone number, the household information comprising information associated with members of the household.