Location-based call center filtering

• US 8,971,863 B2
• Filed: 01/23/2012
• Issued: 03/03/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 01/23/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Moshrefi, Afshin, Nasir, Azim, Gharachorloo, Nader, Xiao, Hong
• Primary Examiner(s): Eng, George
• Assistant Examiner(s): HAMMONDS, MARCUS C
• Application Number:
  US13/355,907
• Publication Number:
  US 20130190013A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,135 Days
• Field of Search: 4554041-4042, 4554141-4144, 4554561-457, 370/142.1, 370/221.14, 370/223, 37026511-26514, 37026601-26609
• US Class Current: 455/414.2
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/30 Determination of the location of a subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5237 Interconnection arrangements between ACD systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup

Abstract

A device may receive a request for a service call and location information associated with a user device, and may determine an address of a customer, associated with the user device, based on the location information. The device may determine customer information based on the address, and may filter a list of call centers, for the service call, based on the customer information and the address. The device may generate trouble ticket information for the service call, and may provide the customer information and the trouble ticket information to call centers provided in the filtered list of call centers.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving, by a device, a request for a service call and location information associated with a user device;

determining, by the device, an address of a customer, associated with the user device, based on the location information;

determining, by the device, customer information based on the address;

filtering, by the device, a list of call centers, for the service call, based on the customer information and the address;

generating, by the device, trouble ticket information for the service call;

providing, by the device, the customer information and the trouble ticket information to call centers provided in the filtered list of call centers;

providing, by the device, the filtered list of call centers to the user device; and

providing, by the device and to the user device, online service information based on the customer information.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing, to the user device, advertisements based on the customer information.

3. The method of claim 1, where the user device connects to one of the call centers provided in the filtered list of call centers.

4. The method of claim 1, where the location information includes global positioning system (GPS) coordinates that identify a current location of the user device.

5. The method of claim 1, where the location information includes information identifying a location other than a current location of the user device.

6. The method of claim 1, where the customer information includes information identifying one or more of:

one or more services associated with the customer, or

one or more products associated with the customer.

7. The method of claim 1, where the trouble ticket information includes:

one or more trouble tickets previously generated for the customer, and

a new trouble ticket generated for the service call.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising at least one of:

filtering the list of call centers based on a time of day associated with the service call;

filtering the list of call centers based on diagnostics associated with the service call;

filtering the list of call centers based on loads on the call centers;

or

filtering the list of call centers based on a priority of the customer compared to priorities of other customers.

9. A device, comprising:

a memory; and

a processor to;

receive a request for a service call and location information associated with a user device,

determine an address of a customer, associated with the user device, based on the location information,

determine customer information based on the address,

filter a list of call centers, for the service call, based on the customer information and the address,

generate trouble ticket information for the service call,

provide the customer information and the trouble ticket information to call centers provided in the filtered list of call centers,

provide the filtered list of call centers to the user device, and

provide, to the user device, online service information based on the customer information.

10. The device of claim 9, where the user device connects to one of the call centers provided in the filtered list of call centers.

11. The device of claim 9, where the location information includes one of:

global positioning system (GPS) coordinates that identify a current location of the user device, or

information identifying a location other than the current location of the user device.

12. The device of claim 9, where the customer information includes information identifying one or more of:

one or more services associated with the customer, or

one or more products associated with the customer.

13. The device of claim 9, where the trouble ticket information includes at least one of:

one or more trouble tickets previously generated for the customer, or

a new trouble ticket generated for the service call.

14. The device of claim 9, where the processor is further to at least one of:

filter the list of call centers based on a time of day associated with the service call,

filter the list of call centers based on diagnostics associated with the service call,

filter the list of call centers based on loads on the call centers, or

filter the list of call centers based on a priority of the customer compared to priorities of other customers.

15. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions, the instructions comprising:

one or more instructions that, when executed by a processor of a device, cause the processor to;

receive a request for a service call and location information associated with a user device,

determine customer information of a customer, associated with the user device, based on the location information,

filter a list of call centers, for the service call, based on the customer information,

generate trouble ticket information for the service call,

provide the customer information and the trouble ticket information to call centers provided in the filtered list of call centers,

provide the filtered list of call centers to the user device, and

provide, to the user device, online service information based on the customer information.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, where the service call is routed to a call center, provided in the filtered list of call centers, that is selected by the customer.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, where the location information includes global positioning system (GPS) coordinates that identify a current location of the user device.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, where the location information includes information identifying a location other than a current location of the user device.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, where the customer information includes information identifying services or products subscribed to by the customer.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, where the trouble ticket information includes:

one or more trouble tickets previously generated for the customer, and

a new trouble ticket generated for the service call.

21. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, further comprising:

one or more instructions that, when executed by the processor of the device, cause the processor to at least one of;

filter the list of call centers based on a time of day associated with the service call,

filter the list of call centers based on diagnostics associated with the service call,

filter the list of call centers based on loads on the call centers, or

filter the list of call centers based on a priority of the customer compared to priorities of other customers.