Intelligent interactive call handling

• US 8,355,731 B2
• Filed: 05/06/2010
• Issued: 01/15/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/12/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Uber Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Kent, Larry G. Jr., Daniell, W. Todd, Arnoff, Mary S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ramakrishnaiah, Melur
• Application Number:
  US12/774,825
• Publication Number:
  US 20100215039A1
• Time in Patent Office: 985 Days
• Field of Search: 455/445, 455/458, 455/459, 370/352, 370/354, 379/88.13, 379/88.17, 379/88.19, 379/93.24, 379/142.01, 379/142.08, 379/211.01, 379/215.01, 379/221.08, 379/230
• US Class Current: 455/445
• 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 3/51 Centralised call answering arrangements requiring operator intervention , e.g. call or contact centers for telemarketing
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5191 interacting with the Internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/54 Arrangements for diverting calls for one subscriber to another predetermined subscriber based on the calling party profile H04M3/42059; based on location H04M3/42348; based on presence H04M3/42365; to voice mail H04M3/53308
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0033 Notification or handling of incoming calls by a computer
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13091 CLI, identification of calling line
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13345 Intelligent networks, SCP
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13389 LAN, internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0045 involving hybrid, i.e. a mixture of public and private, or multi-vendor systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/72 Finding out and indicating number of calling subscriber

Abstract

An intelligent interactive call handling system is provided that typically includes a central office, a call-handling device, and an internet call routing system. The central office typically triggers a query responsive to receiving a call request. The call-handling device is coupled to the central office, receives the query, and triggers an internet call routing query. The internet call routing system, which is coupled to the call-handling device, typically receives the internet call routing query, determines presence of the called party with respect to at least one registered communication device, sends a prompt to the called party at said at least one registered communication device responsive to the presence determination, receives a reply from said at least one registered communication device, and routes the call responsive to the reply. Methods and other systems are also provided.

Claims

1. An intelligent interactive call handling system, comprising:

a central office operable to trigger a query responsive to receiving a call request for a called party;

a call-handling device coupled to the central office, the call-handling device operable to receive the query, and trigger an internet call routing query; and

an internet call routing system coupled to the call-handling device, the internet call routing system being operable to receive the internet call routing query, determine presence of the called party with respect to a registered communication device, send a prompt to the called party at said registered communication device responsive to the presence determination, receive a reply from said registered communication device and forward the reply to the call-handling device;

wherein the call-handling device forwards the reply from the internet call routing system to the central office and the central office routes the call responsive to the reply.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising a certificate authority coupled to the internet call routing system, the certificate authority being operable to authenticate the called party by searching a customer database for current subscription and payment information.

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising a presence engine coupled to the internet call routing system, the presence engine being operable to determine the presence of any of said one registered communication device.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the internet call routing query comprises an account number associated with the called party, a phone number associated with the called party, a registration identification associated with the called party, and a certificate associated with the called party.

5. The system of claim 1, further comprising a gateway coupled between the call-handling device and the internet call routing system, the gateway being operable to translate protocols between the signaling system-7 protocol and the internet protocol.

6. The system of claim 1, further comprising message server being coupled to the internet call routing system, and forwarding the prompt to said registered communication device responsive to instructions from the internet call routing system.

7. An internet call routing system, comprising:

receive logic operable to receive a call query from a call-handling device;

presence logic coupled to the receive logic, the presence logic being operable to determine whether a called party associated with the call query is present with respect to a registered communication device associated with the called party;

user-interface logic coupled to the presence logic, the user-interface logic being operable to send a prompt to the called party via said registered communication device responsive to the presence determination, and receive a reply from the called party; and

forwarding logic coupled to the user interface logic, the forwarding logic being operable to forward the reply to the call-handling device for forwarding the reply to a central office for routing the call responsive to the reply.

8. The system of claim 7, further comprising:

a database operable to store a profile associated with the called party including a list comprising said registered communication device, the database being operable to provide the list associated with the called party to the presence logic.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the user-interface logic comprises.

10. The system of claim 7, wherein the call query comprises an account number associated with the called party, a phone number associated with the called party, a registration identification associated with the called party, and a certificate associated with the called party.

11. The system of claim 10, further comprising authentication logic coupled to the receive logic operable to employ the certificate associated with the called party to authenticate the called party.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the authentication logic authenticates the called party, and assures that the called party continues to subscribe to a service provided by the internet call routing system.

13. The system of claim 7, further comprising a rules engine, the rules engine being coupled to the presence logic, the rules engine being operable to parse a rule associated with the called party, and the user-interface logic is operable to send a prompt to the called party via said registered communication device responsive to the presence determination and rules engine, and receive a reply from the called party.

14. A method of providing intelligent interactive call handling, comprising:

receiving a call query from a call-handling device;

determining whether a called party associated with the call query is present with respect to a registered communication device associated with the called party;

sending a prompt to the called party via said registered communication device responsive to the presence determination;

receiving at an internet call routing system a reply from the called party via said registered communication device; and

forwarding the reply to the call-handling device for forwarding the reply to a central office for routing the call responsive to the reply.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the method further comprises:

storing a profile associated with the called party including a list comprising said registered communication device, the database being operable to provide the list associated with the called party to the presence logic.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the method further comprises:

storing a profile associated with the called party, the profile also including a rule for sending the prompt to the called party.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

parsing said rule prior to sending the prompt to the called party; and

sending a message to the called party via said registered communication device responsive to the parsing and the presence determination.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

using a message server to send the message to the called party via said registered communication device responsive to the presence determination.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein the call query comprises an account number associated with the called party, a phone number associated with the called party, a registration identification associated with the called party, and a certificate associated with the called party.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising using the certificate associated with the called party to authenticate the called party.