Systems and methods for handling calls associated with an interactive voice response application

• US 20060245574A1
• Filed: 04/27/2005
• Published: 11/02/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/27/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: MCI Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Badger, Brian S., Somes, Brian E., Phelps, David E.
• Granted Patent: US 8,139,729 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/229
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/2016 Call initiation by network rather than by subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/50 Centralised arrangements for answering calls; Centralised arrangements for recording messages for absent or busy subscribers H04M3/487 takes precedence; centralised dictation systems H04M11/10; Centralised arrangements for recording messages
• 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: H04M 7/1295 Details of dual tone multiple frequency signalling

Abstract

A method for processing a call is provided. The method includes receiving an inbound call leg via a network device. The inbound call leg is processed using an interactive voice response (IVR) device, and an outbound call leg is generated based on processing the inbound call leg. The outbound call leg is made available to the network device. The inbound call leg and the outbound call leg are handed off from the IVR device to the network device.

Claims

1. A first network device for establishing a communication session with a destination, the network device comprising:

a first network interface configured to;

receive a first inbound portion of an inbound call leg, and

make the first inbound portion available to a second network device, the first inbound portion between the first network device and the second network device referred to as a second inbound portion;

a second network interface configured to;

receive a first outbound portion of an outbound call leg originating from the second network device, and

make the first outbound portion available to the destination, the first outbound portion between the first network device and the destination referred to as a second outbound portion; and

a processor operatively associated with the first network interface and the second network interface, the processor configured to;

make the second inbound portion available to the second network device,

receive the first outbound portion when the second network device has interacted with the second inbound portion, and

bridge the first inbound portion to the second outbound portion.

2. The first network device of claim 1, wherein, when bridging the first inbound portion to the second outbound portion, the processor is configured to:

cause the second inbound portion to be dropped, and

cause the first outbound portion to be dropped.

3. The first network device of claim 2, wherein the processor bridges the first inbound portion to the second outbound portion in response to a bridging instruction received from a third network device.

4. The first network device of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to:

detect a dual tone multifrequency (DTMF) signal associated with at least one of the inbound call leg or the outbound call leg.

5. The first network device of claim 4, wherein the processor is further configured to:

cause at least one of the second inbound portion or the first outbound to be re-established when the DTMF signal is detected.

6. The first network device of claim 5, wherein the processor receives the DTMF signal from a session initiation protocol (SIP) device.

7. The first network device of claim 1, wherein the first network device includes a firewall device and the second network device includes an interactive voice response system.

8. The first network device of claim 7, wherein the interactive voice response system is associated with a contact center.

9. The first network device of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to:

cause the first inbound portion to be bridged to the second outbound portion in response to detecting a predetermined dual tone multifrequency (DTMF) signal.

10. The first network device of claim 1, wherein the inbound call leg is associated with an INVITE request processed by the second network device.

11. A media server comprising:

an interactive voice response (IVR) module for processing a dual tone multifrequency (DTMF) signal associated with an inbound call leg;

a first network interface for receiving the inbound call leg;

a second network interface for making an outbound call leg available to a network device; and

a processor configured to;

make the inbound call leg available to the IVR module,

establish the outbound call leg based on the processing performed by the IVR module, and

handoff the inbound call leg and the outbound call leg to the network device.

12. The media server of claim 11, wherein the processor establishes the outbound call leg in response to an INVITE request.

13. The media server of claim 11, wherein the processor is further configured to:

handoff the incoming call leg in response to a BYE request associated with the inbound call leg, and

handoff the outbound call leg in response to a BYE request associated with the outbound call leg.

14. The media server of claim 11, wherein the network device includes a firewall.

15. The media server of claim 11, wherein the inbound call leg and the outbound call leg are associated with a packet network.

16. A system configured to establish a communication session in a communications network, the system comprising:

a media server having a first media server port and a second media server port;

a media firewall configured to;

receive an inbound call leg via the network, the received inbound call leg being a first inbound call leg,

make the inbound call leg available to the first media server port to form a second inbound call leg,

receive an outbound call leg from the second media server port, the received outbound call leg being a first outbound call leg,

make the outbound call leg available to a destination device to form a second outbound call leg, and

bridge the first inbound call leg to the second outbound call leg, the bridging causing the media server to be removed from the communication session.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the media server disconnects the first media server port from the inbound call leg and the second server port from the outbound call leg.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the media firewall re-connects the inbound call leg to the first media server port and the outbound call leg to the second media server port in response to detecting a dual tone multifrequency (DTMF) signal.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the DTMF signal is associated with at least one of a re-originate request associated with a pre-paid calling card, a take back and transfer request associated with a calling session, or an enhanced call routing request.

20. The system of claim 16, further comprising:

a service controller for sending an INVITE request to the media server to facilitate establishing the communication session.

21. The system of claim 16, further comprising:

an interactive voice response system operatively associated with the media server for processing the inbound call leg.

22. The system of claim 16, wherein the media firewall further comprises:

a processor to monitor the first inbound call leg or the second outbound call for a predetermined dual tone multifrequency (DTMF) signal.

23. A method for processing a call, comprising:

.

receiving an inbound call leg via a network device;

processing the inbound call leg using an interactive voice response (IVR) device;

generating an outbound call leg based on processing of the inbound call leg;

making the outbound call leg available to the network device; and

handing off the inbound call leg and the outbound call leg from the IVR device to the network device.

24. The method of claim 23, further comprising:

receiving a handoff message from a service controller prior to handing off the inbound call leg and the outbound call leg, the handoff message causing the network device to bridge the inbound call leg and the outbound call leg.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the handoff message is a session initiation protocol message.

26. The method of claim 23, further comprising:

detecting a dual tone multifrequency (DTMF) signal; and

causing at least one of the inbound call leg or the outbound call leg to be reestablished with the IVR device in response to detecting the DTMF signal.

27. The method of claim 23, further comprising:

receiving an INVITE request associated with a caller, the INVITE request for initiating the inbound call leg.

28. The method of claim 23, wherein the IVR device is associated with a contact center.

29. The method of claim 23, wherein at least one of the inbound call leg or the outbound call leg is established with the IVR device via the network device.

30. The method of claim 23, wherein the inbound call leg is associated with an account number associated with a pre-paid calling card.