Vendor facility customer assignment

• US 8,559,617 B2
• Filed: 12/20/2007
• Issued: 10/15/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Cramer, Brent, Black, Tyson
• Primary Examiner(s): ADDY, THJUAN KNOWLIN
• Application Number:
  US11/961,243
• Publication Number:
  US 20090161857A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,126 Days
• Field of Search: 379/243, 379/265.01, 379/265.02, 379/265.11, 379/265.13, 379/265.05, 379/266.07, 379/207.12, 379/207.15
• US Class Current: 379/265.11
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/14 with services dependent on location where the service is an information service H04M2242/15; services independent of location H04M3/42229
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5125 with remote located operators
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13072 Sequence circuits for call signaling, ACD systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13103 Memory
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/72 Finding out and indicating number of calling subscriber

Abstract

A system and method may be configured for assigning initiated communications to a particular branch, location, or facility associated with a vendor. An exemplary system may include an assignment server in communication with a data network that includes a primary data line for a vendor having a plurality of associated vendor facilities. The system further may include a plurality of vendor facility data lines, each of which is associated with one of the vendor facilities. The assignment server is configured to locate a group of vendor facilities from the plurality of vendor facilities that are within a predetermined range of a location associated with the initiated communication. The assignment server is further configured to assign one of the eligible vendor facilities to the initiated communication and connect the initiated communication with the vendor facility data line of the assigned vendor facility.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving an initiated communication from an external device to a primary data line of a vendor system, where a plurality of vendor facilities is associated with the vendor system;

detecting a communication identification of the initiated communication to determine a location associated with said external device;

accessing a predetermined range of distance;

determining a first group of vendor facilities from said plurality of vendor facilities, each of said first group of vendor facilities located within said predetermined range of distance from said location;

assigning one of said first group of vendor facilities as of an assigned vendor facility based on said communication identification; and

connecting said initiated communication with a data line of said assigned vendor facility.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a subsequent initiated communication from the external device to said primary data line;

detecting a subsequent communication identification of the subsequent initiated communication; and

automatically connecting said subsequent initiated communication with said assigned vendor facility.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein assigning said one of said vendor facilities includes randomly selecting one of said first group of vendor facilities.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein assigning said one of said first group of vendor facilities includes selecting a vendor facility based at least upon a proximity of said one of said first group of vendor facilities to said location.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein assigning said one of said first group of vendor facilities includes selecting a vendor facility based at least upon an available capacity of said one of said first group of vendor facilities.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising receiving an indication of said available capacity from said one of said vendor facilities.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising distributing said first group of vendor facilities amongst a plurality of initiated communications to said primary data line, thereby generally balancing an overall capacity of said first group of vendor facilities amongst each of said first group of vendor facilities.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining a busy status of said assigned vendor facility;

assigning said initiated communication to a second one of said vendor facilities; and

connecting said initiated communication with said second one of said vendor facilities.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein said predetermined range of distance is based on an average distribution density of said plurality of vendor facilities in an area of said location associated with said external device.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein said predetermined range of distance is determined by accounting for characteristics of the vendor system and a distribution density of said plurality of vendor facilities in the vendor system.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein said accounting for said characteristics of the vendor system includes at least balancing an overall call volume for the vendor system, and

wherein said accounting for said distribution density of said plurality of vendor facilities includes determining whether said plurality of vendor facilities is concentrated or sparsely distributed relative to the location.

9. A communication system comprising:

an assignment server configured to store a vendor facility assignment heuristic for the communication system having a primary data line, where a plurality of vendor facilities is associated with the communication system; and

a plurality of vendor facility data lines in communication with said assignment server, each associated with one of said plurality of vendor facilities;

wherein said assignment server is configured to determine a first group of vendor facilities from said plurality of vendor facilities in response to receiving an initiated communication to said primary data line by being configured to detect a communication identification of the initiated communication, said first group of vendor facilities located within a predetermined range of distance from a location associated with said communication identification, said assignment server configured to assign one of said first group of vendor facilities to said initiated communication and connect said initiated communication with the vendor facility data line associated with said assigned vendor facility.

10. The communication system of claim 9, further comprising a database in communication with said assignment server, said database configured to receive data from said assignment server associating initiated communications with a vendor facility.

11. The communication system of claim 9, wherein said assignment server is configured to assign said one of said first group of vendor facilities to said initiated communication by randomly selecting one of said first group of vendor facilities.

12. The communication system of claim 9, wherein said assignment server is configured to assign said one of said first group of vendor facilities to said initiated communication by determining a proximity of said one of said first group of vendor facilities to said location.

13. The communication system of claim 9, wherein said assignment server is configured to assign said one of said first group of vendor facilities to said initiated communication by determining an available capacity of said one of said first group of vendor facilities.

21. The communication system of claim 9, wherein said predetermined range of distance is determined by accounting for characteristics of the communication system and a distribution density of said plurality of vendor facilities in the communication system.

22. The communication system of claim 21, wherein said accounting for said characteristics of the vendor system includes at least balancing an overall call volume for the vendor system, and

wherein said accounting for said distribution density of said plurality of vendor facilities includes determining whether said plurality of vendor facilities is concentrated or sparsely distributed relative to the location.

14. A system, comprising:

an assignment server in communication with a data network, said data network including a primary data line for a vendor, where a plurality of vendor facilities is associated with the data network; and

a plurality of vendor facility data lines, each associated with one of said vendor facilities, said plurality of vendor facility data lines in communication with said assignment server over said data network;

wherein said assignment server is configured to determine a first group of vendor facilities from said plurality of vendor facilities according to a communication identification of an initiated communication to said primary data line, said first group of vendor facilities located within a predetermined range of distance from a location associated with said communication identification, said assignment server configured to assign one of said first group of vendor facilities to said initiated communication and connect said initiated communication with the vendor facility data line associated with said assigned vendor facility.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein said assignment server is configured to assign said one of said first group of vendor facilities to said initiated communication by randomly selecting one of said first group of vendor facilities.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein said assignment server is configured to assign said one of said first group of vendor facilities to said initiated communication according to a proximity of said one of said first group of vendor facilities to said location.

17. The system of claim 14, wherein said assignment server is configured to assign said one of said first group of vendor facilities to said initiated communication according to an available capacity of said one of said first group of vendor facilities.

23. The system of claim 14, wherein said predetermined range of distance is determined by accounting for characteristics of the data network associated with the vendor and a distribution density of said plurality of vendor facilities in the data network.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein said accounting for said characteristics of the vendor system includes at least balancing an overall call volume for the vendor system, and

wherein said accounting for said distribution density of said plurality of vendor facilities includes determining whether said plurality of vendor facilities is concentrated or sparsely distributed relative to the location.