Automatic information and routing system for telephonic services

• US 5,848,131 A
• Filed: 02/08/1996
• Issued: 12/08/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 02/22/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: NeuStar Information Services, Inc. (Neustar Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Murex Securities Limited (Wallsgrove Ltd.)
• Inventors: Moore, George G., Shaffer, James D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Zele, Krista
• Assistant Examiner(s): Wolinsky, Scott
• Application Number:
  US08/598,392
• Time in Patent Office: 1,034 Days
• Field of Search: 379/127, 379/142, 379/201, 379/202, 379/207, 379/210, 379/211, 379/216, 379/220, 379/221, 379/230, 379/265, 379/67.1, 379/88.2, 379/88.19, 379/93.01, 379/88.22, 395/2.4, 704/231
• US Class Current: 379/88.2
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/22 Automatic class or number identification arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/30 Determination of the location of a subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42 Systems providing special services or facilities to subscribers specially adapted for wireless communication networks H04W4/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42059 Making use of the calling party identifier
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42093 Notifying the calling party of information on the called or connected party
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42102 Making use of the called party identifier
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4228 in networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42323 PBX's with CTI arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/493 Interactive information services, e.g. directory enquiries ; Arrangements therefor, e.g. interactive voice response [IVR] systems or voice portals
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13091 CLI, identification of calling line
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13097 Numbering, addressing
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13103 Memory
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13141 Hunting for free outlet, circuit or channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/1337 Operator, emergency services
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13377 Recorded announcement
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13378 Speech recognition, speech analysis
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0029 Provisions for intelligent networking
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/66 Traffic distributors
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/72 Finding out and indicating number of calling subscriber

Abstract

A system and method for automatically and seamlessly routing telephone calls across a telephone network. The system includes a telephone switch having a computer, a master file and client file stored in the computer. The master file is dynamically linked to the client file at routing time to produce a selected client telephone number which is transmitted across the telephone network. The system utilizes Automatic Number Identification to identify the calling party. The master file has a plurality of records having a telephone number and a spatial key and is updated frequently. The client file has a plurality of records having a spatial key and a client telephone number. Methods of generating client file records for both radius and polygon defined service areas through an automated computer process are included in the present invention. Another embodiment of the system utilizes a location ID in place of the client telephone number of the client file. A client location file containing client-specific information on an individual service location basis is additionally utilized. The client-specific service location information may be recited to the caller via a voice response unit and the call may optionally be routed to the service location. The client service locations may be unattended by a human and may not have a telephone associated with the location.

Claims

1. In a telephone network, an automated call processing system, comprising:

an automated communications subsystem capable of receiving a caller-provided telephone number;

means for determining a spatial key of the caller-provided telephone number;

means responsive to the spatial key for retrieving client service location information corresponding to a selected service location, wherein the service location is selected if a location associated with the caller-provided telephone number spatially lies within a service area defined by the client as a geographic configuration of substantially any desired shape and size around the service location;

means for communicating the selected service location and the retrieved client service location information to the caller;

means for receiving and responding to a caller'"'"'s service location information request; and

an outbound calling module responsive to the caller'"'"'s service location information request for transmitting the retrieved client service location information to the telephone network.

2. The system defined in claim 1, wherein the caller communicates with the selected service location by a routed telephone call.

3. The system defined in claim 1, wherein the telephone network comprises a computer-telephone integrated network.

4. The system defined in claim 1, wherein the selected service location is one of a list of service locations, and wherein the system further comprises:

means responsive to the retrieved client service location information for eliminating service locations from the list of service locations to generate a final list of service locations; and

means for communicating the final list of service locations and the retrieved client service location information to the caller.

5. The system defined in claim 1, wherein the automated communications subsystem additionally updates the caller-provided telephone number.

6. The system defined in claim 1, wherein the automated communications subsystem additionally validates the caller-provided telephone number.

7. The system defined in claim 1, wherein the automated communications subsystem additionally classifies the caller-provided telephone number.

8. The system defined in claim 1, wherein the automated communications subsystem comprises a voice response unit (VRU).

9. The system defined in claim 8, wherein the VRU utilizes automatic number identification (ANI).

10. The system defined in claim 8, wherein the VRU utilizes a dialed number identification service (DNIS).

11. The system defined in claim 8, wherein the VRU utilizes voice recognition.

12. The system defined in claim 1, wherein the caller utilizes a DTMF-capable device to supply the caller-provided telephone number.

13. The system defined in claim 1, wherein the means for communicating the selected service location and the retrieved client service location information to the caller utilizes a pre-recorded voice message.

14. The system defined in claim 1, wherein the means for communicating the selected service location and the retrieved client service location information to the caller utilizes a computer-synthesized text to speech capability.

15. The system defined in claim 1, wherein the retrieved client service location information comprises hours that the selected service location is open.

16. The system defined in claim 1, wherein the retrieved client service location information comprises days that the selected service location is open.

17. The system defined in claim 1, wherein the retrieved client service location information comprises first and last pickup times at the selected service location.

18. The system defined in claim 1, wherein telephonic communication with the selected service location is unavailable.

19. In a telephone network, a method of automatically processing a telephone call, comprising the steps of:

automatically generating a plurality of client tables each client table comprising a plurality of records, each record comprising a spatial key and client information indicative of a geographic location;

providing a location table for each client table, at least one of said location tables comprising a plurality of records, each record comprising a location identification (ID) and location-specific information;

storing the client tables, location tables, and a master table comprising a plurality of records, each record comprising a telephone number and a spatial key, in the telephone network;

receiving a calling telephone number and a dialed telephone number from the network;

indexing the master table with the received calling telephone number to obtain a master table record;

retrieving a spatial key from the master table record;

selecting one of the client tables based on the dialed telephone number;

indexing the selected client table with the retrieved spatial key to obtain a selected client table record;

retrieving a location ID from the selected client table record;

selecting one of the location tables based on the dialed telephone number;

indexing the selected location table with the retrieved location ID to obtain a selected location table record; and

retrieving client location information from the selected location table record.

20. The method defined in claim 19, additionally comprising the step of transmitting the retrieved client location information to the network.

21. The method defined in claim 19, wherein the step of generating a plurality of client tables comprises, for each client table, the step of providing a client service locations file containing a plurality of service location addresses, each service location having a client-defined geographic service area of substantially any desired shape and size.

22. The method defined in claim 21, wherein one of the service areas is defined by a radius.

23. The method defined in claim 21, wherein one of the service areas is defined by a polygon.

24. The method defined in claim 19, wherein the dialed telephone number is an "800" number.

25. The method defined in claim 19, wherein each spatial key uniquely identifies an area in a coordinate system.

26. The method defined in claim 25, wherein the coordinate system comprises longitude and latitude coordinates.

27. The method defined in claim 26, wherein one of the spatial keys comprises a zip+4 code.

28. The method defined in claim 25, wherein the coordinate system comprises Ordinance Survey coordinates.

29. The method defined in claim 19, wherein telephonic communication with the client location associated with the selected location table record is unavailable.

30. The method defined in claim 19, additionally comprising the step of updating a single location table record when a client location has a telephone number change.

31. An automated call processing system in a telephone network, comprising:

a switch connected to the telephone network;

a voice response unit (VRU) connected to the switch;

a routing computer with a memory connected to the VRU;

a master file comprising a plurality of records, each record having a telephone number and a spatial key, the master file accessible by the routing computer;

a plurality of client files, each client file comprising a plurality of records, each record having a spatial key and a client service location identification (ID), the client file accessible by the routing computer, and wherein records are assigned to the client file based upon the service location ID, with respect to a geographic area of substantially any desired shape and size;

a plurality of service location files, each service location file comprising a plurality of records, each record having a service location ID and service location-specific information;

means, associated with the VRU, for receiving a caller telephone number and a dialed telephone number from the telephone network;

means, associated with the VRU, for selecting one of the client files and one of the service location files, based on the dialed telephone number; and

means, associated with the VRU, for linking the master file, the selected client file and the selected service location file to produce selected client information wherein the master file is indexed by the received caller telephone number to provide a selected spatial key, wherein the selected client file is indexed by the selected spatial key to provide a selected service location ID, and wherein the selected service location file is indexed by the selected service location ID to provide location-specific client information.

32. The system defined in claim 31, additionally comprising means, associated with the VRU, to accept input from the caller and provide caller-selected information regarding a selected service location to the caller.

33. The system defined in claim 31, additionally comprising an outbound calling module associated with the VRU for transmitting the selected client information to the telephone network.

34. The system defined in claim 31, wherein the selected client information comprises a telephone number associated with a client service location identified by the selected service location ID.

35. The system defined in claim 34, wherein after a client service location has a telephone number change, a telephone number associated with a single service location file record is updated.

36. The system defined in claim 31, wherein the telephone network is a North American Standard public telephone network.

37. The system defined in claim 31, wherein the switch comprises a digital trunk switching system.

38. The system defined in claim 31, wherein the selected spatial key comprises a postal code.

39. The system defined in claim 38, wherein the postal code comprises a zip+4 code.

40. The system defined in claim 31, wherein the receiving means includes means for Automatic Number Identification (ANI).

41. The system defined in claim 31, wherein the service location file is provided by the client.

42. The system defined in claim 31, wherein the service location-specific information comprises at least one of the following:

hours the service location is open, days the service location is open, location name, contact name, address of the service location, and telephone number of the service location.

43. The system defined in claim 31, wherein telephonic communication with a service location indexed by the service location ID in the service location file is unavailable.

44. The system defined in claim 31, wherein each client file record includes a distance designation, wherein said designated distance is from a centroid of the spatial key associated with the caller telephone number to a client service location stored in the record.

45. The system defined in claim 44, wherein the location-specific client information includes the distance designation.

46. The system defined in claim 31, wherein each client file record includes a compass direction, wherein said direction is from a centroid of the spatial key associated with the caller telephone number to a client service location stored in the record.

47. The system defined in claim 46, wherein the location-specific client information includes the compass direction.

48. The system defined in claim 31, wherein the routing computer is connected to the VRU by a computer network.

49. The system defined in claim 48, wherein the master file and the service location files are accessible to the routing computer through the computer network.

50. In a telephone network, an automated call processing method, comprising the steps of:

receiving a caller-provided telephone number;

determining a spatial key of the caller-provided telephone number;

retrieving client service location information corresponding to a selected service location in response to the spatial key, wherein the service location is selected if a location associated with the caller-provided telephone number spatially lies within a service area defined by the client as a geographic configuration of substantially any desired shape and size around the service location;

communicating the retrieved client service location information to the caller;

receiving and responding to a caller'"'"'s service location information request; and

transmitting the retrieved client service location information to the telephone network.

51. The method defined in claim 50, additionally comprising the step of connecting the caller to the selected service location by utilizing the retrieved client service location information.

52. The method defined in claim 50, wherein the telephone network comprises a computer-telephone integrated network.

53. The method defined in claim 50, wherein the selected service location is one of a list of service locations, and wherein the method further comprises the steps of:

eliminating service locations from the list of service locations to generate a final list of service locations; and

communicating client service location information corresponding to the final list of service locations to the caller.

54. The method defined in claim 50, additionally comprising the step of updating the caller-provided telephone number.

55. The method defined in claim 50, additionally comprising the step of validating the caller-provided telephone number.

56. The method defined in claim 50, additionally comprising the step of classifying the caller-provided telephone number.

57. The method defined in claim 50, wherein the caller-provided telephone number is received from a DTMF-capable device.

58. The method defined in claim 50, wherein the step of communicating the retrieved client service location information to the caller utilizes computer-synthesized text to speech capability.

59. The method defined in claim 50, wherein the client service location information comprises first and last pickup times at the service location.

60. The method defined in claim 50, wherein the client service location information comprises a telephone number corresponding to the service location.

61. The method defined in claim 50, wherein telephonic communication with the service location is unavailable.

62. In an automated call processing system, including a master file, a plurality of client files and a plurality of service location files, for a telephone network, a method of call processing, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving a caller telephone number and a dialed telephone number from the telephone network;

selecting one of the client files and one of the service location files based on the dialed telephone number; and

linking the master file, the selected client file and the selected service location file to produce selected client information wherein the master file is indexed by the received caller telephone number to provide a selected spatial key, wherein the selected client file is indexed by the selected spatial key to provide a selected service location identification (ID), and

wherein the selected service location file is indexed by the selected service location ID to provide location-specific client information.

63. The method defined in claim 62, additionally comprising the step of transmitting the selected client information to the telephone network.

64. The method defined in claim 62, wherein the selected client information comprises a telephone number associated with a client service location identified by the selected service location ID.

65. The method defined in claim 64, additionally comprising the step of updating a telephone number associated with a single service location file record after a client service location has a telephone number change.

66. The method defined in claim 62, wherein the selected spatial key comprises a postal code.

67. The method defined in claim 66, wherein the postal code comprises a zip+4 code.

68. The method defined in claim 62, wherein the service location-specific information comprises at least one of the following:

hours the service location is open, days the service location is open, location name, contact name, address of the service location, and telephone number of the service location.

69. The method defined in claim 62, wherein telephonic communication with a service location indexed by the service location ID in the service location file is unavailable.

70. The method defined in claim 62, wherein the selected client file includes a record comprising a distance designation, wherein said designated distance is from a centroid of the spatial key associated with the caller telephone number to a client service location stored in the record.

71. The method defined in claim 70, wherein the location-specific client information includes the distance designation.

72. In a telephone network, a method of automatically processing a telephone call, comprising the steps of:

providing a plurality of client tables, each client table comprising a plurality of records, each record comprising a location identification (ID);

providing a location table for each client table, at least one of said location tables comprising a plurality of records, each record comprising client location information;

storing the client tables, location tables, and a master table comprising a plurality of records, each record comprising a spatial key, in the telephone network;

receiving a calling telephone number and a dialed telephone number from the network;

indexing the master table with the received calling telephone number to obtain a master table record;

retrieving a spatial key from the master table record;

selecting one of the client tables based on the dialed telephone number;

indexing the selected client table with the retrieved spatial key to obtain a selected client table record;

retrieving a location ID from the selected client table record;

selecting one of the location tables based on the dialed telephone number;

indexing the selected location table with the retrieved location ID to obtain a selected location table record; and

retrieving client location information from the selected location table record.

73. The method defined in claim 72, additionally comprising the step of transmitting the retrieved client location information to the network.

74. The method defined in claim 72, additionally comprising the step of automatically generating the plurality of client tables.

75. The method defined in claim 74, wherein the step of automatically generating the plurality of client tables comprises, for each client table, the step of providing a client service locations file containing a plurality of service location addresses, each service location having a client-defined geographic service area of substantially any desired shape and size.

76. The method defined in claim 75, wherein one of the service areas is defined by a radius.

77. The method defined in claim 75, wherein one of the service areas is defined by a polygon.

78. The method defined in claim 72, wherein the dialed telephone number is an "800" number.

79. The method defined in claim 72, wherein the dialed telephone number is an "888" number.

80. The method defined in claim 72, wherein each spatial key uniquely identifies an area in a coordinate system.

81. The method defined in claim 80, wherein the coordinate system comprises Ordinance Survey coordinates.

82. The method defined in claim 80, wherein the coordinate system comprises longitude and latitude coordinates.

83. The method defined in claim 82, wherein one of the spatial keys comprises a zip+4 code.

84. The method defined in claim 72, wherein telephonic communication with the client location associated with the selected location table record is unavailable.

85. The method defined in claim 72, additionally comprising the step of updating a single location table record when a client location has a telephone number change.