Using location based services for determining a calling window

• US 9,350,861 B1
• Filed: 03/03/2014
• Issued: 05/24/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 05/09/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Alvaria Cayman
• Original Assignee: Noble Systems Corporation
• Inventors: Leary, Howard S., Neuer, Ellwood I. III, Ouimette, Jason P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hoque, Nafiz E
• Application Number:
  US14/194,941
• Time in Patent Office: 813 Days
• Field of Search: 379/265.01, 379/265.02, 379/266.07
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/30 Determination of the location of a subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5158 in combination with automated outdialling systems devices for signalling identity of wanted subscriber H04M1/26

Abstract

Telemarketing calls may originate from a call center based on processing a telephone number record which includes a telephone number. The telephone number record may also include other information pertaining to the telephone number, including whether it is a wireline or wireless number. Further information may indicate whether the solicitation call is being originated on behalf of a wireless carrier serving the wireless subscriber associated with the telephone number. The call center may use location information associated with the wireless number to ascertain a location of the wireless subscriber and to then ascertain a time zone of the wireless subscriber, so as to originate the telemarketing call within the appropriate regulatory calling time window. A dialer may originate calls for an agent using a list of wireline numbers and then using a list of wireless numbers.

Claims

1. A method for originating an outbound call for an agent in a call center comprising:

retrieving a contact record comprising a telephone number used to originate the outbound call;

determining by an outbound dialing device within the call center whether the telephone number is a wireless telephone number; and

in response to determining the telephone number is a wireless telephone number;

querying a current location of a wireless device associated with the telephone number by the call center from a database populated by a wireless carrier associated with the wireless device;

determining a local time associated with the telephone number based on the current location of the wireless device;

determining whether the local time associated with the telephone number is within a defined calling window; and

in response to the local time associated with the telephone number being within the defined calling window, originating the outbound call under control of an agent associated with the call center.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the local time comprises a local time zone.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

in response to determining the telephone number is not a wireless telephone number;

determining the local time associated with the telephone number based on at least one of a numbering plan area and a central office code associated with the telephone number;

determining whether the local time is within the defined calling window; and

in response to the local time associated with the telephone number being within the defined calling window, originating the outbound call by the outbound dialing device and connecting the outbound call to the agent.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein originating the outbound call under Control of the agent is performed by the agent manual dialing the wireless telephone number.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein determining whether the telephone number is a wireless telephone number is carried out by the outbound dialing device querying a database of known wireless telephone numbers.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising, in response to determining the telephone number is a wireless telephone number:

determining whether authorization has been received by a party associated with the telephone number authorizing the call center to call the telephone number; and

in response to determining authorization has been received;

determining the local time associated with the telephone number;

determining whether the local time is within the defined calling window; and

in response to the local time associated with the telephone number being within the defined calling window, originating the outbound call by the outbound dialing device and connecting the outbound call to the agent.

7. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium having stored instructions that when executed by a processor in an outbound dialer within a call center cause the processor to:

retrieve a contact record comprising a telephone number used to originate an outbound call;

determine whether the telephone number is a wireless telephone number; and

in response to determining the telephone number is a wireless telephone number;

query a current location of a wireless device associated with the telephone number from a database populated by a wireless carrier associated with the wireless device;

determine a local time associated with the telephone number based on the current location of the wireless device;

determine whether the local time associated with the telephone number is within a defined calling window; and

in response to the local time associated with the telephone number being within the defined calling window, originate the outbound call by having the bound call placed under control of an agent associated with the call center.

8. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 7, wherein the local time comprises a local time zone.

9. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 7, wherein the stored instructions, when executed by the processor in the outbound dialer, cause the processor to:

in response to determining the telephone number is not a wireless telephone number;

determine the local time associated with the telephone number based on at least one of a numbering plan area and a central office code associated with the telephone number;

determine whether the local time is within the defined calling window; and

in response to the local time associated with the telephone number being within the defined calling window, originate the outbound call and connect the outbound call to the agent.

10. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 7, wherein the agent places the outbound call to the wireless number by manual dialing the wireless telephone number.

11. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 7, wherein the stored instructions, when executed by the processor in the outbound dialer, cause the processor to determine whether the telephone number is a wireless telephone number by querying a database of known wireless telephone numbers.

12. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 7, wherein the stored instructions, when executed by the processor in the outbound dialer, cause the processor to, in response to determining the telephone number is a wireless telephone number:

determine whether authorization has been received by a party associated with the telephone number authorizing the call center to call the telephone number; and

in response to determining authorization has been received;

determine the local time associated with the telephone number;

determine whether the local time is within the defined calling window; and

in response to the local time associated with the telephone number being within the defined calling window, originate the outbound call and connect the outbound call to the agent.

13. A system for placing an outbound call for an agent in a call center comprising:

memory storing a list of contact records comprising a plurality of telephone numbers used for originating outbound calls; and

an outbound dialing device comprising a processor configured to;

retrieve a contact record comprising a telephone number from the list of contact records;

determine whether the telephone number is a wireless telephone number; and

in response to determining the telephone number is a wireless telephone number;

query a current location of a wireless device associated with the telephone number from a database populated by a wireless carrier associated with the wireless device;

determine a local time associated with the telephone number based on the current location of the wireless device;

determine whether the local time associated with the telephone number is within a defined calling window; and

in response to the local time associated with the telephone number being within the defined calling window, originate the outbound call by having the bound call placed under control of the agent in the call center.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the local time comprises a local time zone.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the outbound dialing device is further configured to:

in response to determining the telephone number is not a wireless telephone number;

determine the local time associated with the telephone number based on at least one of a numbering plan area and a central office code associated with the telephone number;

determine whether the local time is within the defined calling window; and

in response to the local time associated with the telephone number being within the defined calling window, originate the outbound call and connect the outbound call to the agent.

16. The system of claim 13, further comprising:

an agent workstation configured to provide a manual dialing indicator to the outbound dialer to have the outbound call placed under the control of the agent.

17. The system of claim 13, wherein the outbound dialing device determines whether the telephone number is a wireless telephone number based on querying a database of known wireless telephone numbers.

18. The system of claim 13, wherein in response to determining the telephone number is a wireless telephone number, the outbound dialing device is configured to:

determine whether an authorization has been received by a party associated with the wireless telephone number authorizing the call center to call the wireless telephone number, and

in response to determining authorization has been received;

determine the local time associated with the wireless telephone number;

determine whether the local time is within the defined calling window; and

in response to the local time associated with the wireless telephone number being within the defined calling window, originate the outbound call and connect the outbound call to the agent.

19. A method for originating an outbound call for an agent in a call center comprising:

retrieving a contact record comprising a telephone number used to originate the outbound call;

determining by an outbound dialing device within the call center whether the telephone number is a wireless telephone number; and

in response to determining the telephone number is a wireless telephone number;

querying a local time for a wireless device associated with the telephone number by the call center from a database populated by a wireless carrier associated with the wireless device;

determining whether the local time associated with the telephone number is within a defined calling window; and

in response to the local time associated with the telephone number being within the defined calling window, originating the outbound call under control of an agent associated with the call center.

20. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium having stored instructions that when executed by a processor in an outbound dialer within a call center cause the processor to:

retrieve a contact record comprising a telephone number used to originate an outbound call;

determine whether the telephone number is a wireless telephone number; and

in response to determining the telephone number is a wireless telephone number;

query a local time for a wireless device associated with the telephone number from a database populated by a wireless carrier associated with the wireless device;

determine whether the local time associated with the telephone number is within a defined calling window; and

in response to the local time associated with the telephone number being within the defined calling window, originate the outbound call by having the bound call placed under control of an agent associated with the call center.

21. A system for placing an outbound call for an agent in a call center comprising:

memory storing a list of contact records comprising a plurality of telephone numbers used for originating outbound calls; and

an outbound dialing device comprising a processor configured to;

retrieve a contact record comprising a telephone number from the list of contact records;

determine whether the telephone number is a wireless telephone number; and

in response to determining the telephone number is a wireless telephone number;

query a local time for a wireless device associated with the telephone number from a database populated by a wireless carrier associated with the wireless device;

determine whether the local time associated with the telephone number is within a defined calling window; and

in response to the local time associated with the telephone number being within the defined calling window, originate the outbound call by having the bound call placed under control of the agent in the call center.