One number, intelligent call processing system

• US 7,167,553 B2
• Filed: 12/09/2003
• Issued: 01/23/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/10/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: NeuStar Information Services, Inc. (Neustar Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Targus Information Corporation (Neustar Incorporated)
• Inventors: Moore, George G., Shaffer, James D.
• Primary Examiner(s): SMITH, CREIGHTON H
• Application Number:
  US10/732,147
• Publication Number:
  US 20040141604A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,141 Days
• Field of Search: 379/220, 379/88.01, 379/88.13, 379/219, 379/223
• US Class Current: 379/220.01
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/06 Recording class or number of calling , i.e. A-party or called party , i.e. B-party
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4228 in networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4931 Directory assistance systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0012 Details of application programming interfaces [API] for telephone networks; Arrangements which combine a telephonic communication equipment and a computer, i.e. computer telephony integration [CPI] arrangements
• 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: H04Q 3/0029 Provisions for intelligent networking

Abstract

A one number, multi-application, intelligent call processing system provides service benefits to a caller, a servicing location and/or a vanity number advertiser during a call, parallel to the call and/or post call in an integrated common architecture. The system utilizes VRU technology in conjunction with the national telecommunications network connected via Computer Telephone Integration (CTI) to a virtual telephone number database containing a nationwide master list of telephone numbers with attribute data items associated by Spatial Key linkage to each telephone number. The process of the invention is initiated by a caller dialing a selected telephone number to request information and/or services. Based on the number dialed, a caller or network provided ten-digit telephone number and VRU prompted for and received caller input, the system retrieves the application requested data from the virtual telephone number database and provides it to the network.

Claims

1. A routing method for connecting a communication session based on an identifier of a first party to a location selected from multiple potential locations, the method comprising:

obtaining an identifier of a first party during a network communication session;

accessing a computer system to attempt to retrieve data based on the identifier to permit connecting the network communication session to a location selected from multiple potential locations based at least in part on one or more precise geographic criteria;

if the attempt to retrieve data to permit connecting the communication session is successful then connecting the network communication session to a selected location based on the retrieved data; and

if the attempt to retrieve data to permit connecting the communication session is unsuccessful then

(a) attempting to acquire data to permit connecting the network communication session to a location selected from multiple potential locations based at least in part on one or more precise geographic criteria, and

(b) if the attempt to acquire data to permit connecting the communication session is successful then connecting the network communication session to a selected location based on the acquired data.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the network communication session comprises one or both of a telephone call and an Internet network communication session.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein obtaining an identifier comprises one of:

capturing ANI capture for a telephone call;

capturing user-provided input including speech input or keypad input;

obtaining a street address;

obtaining an Internet address;

obtaining an e-mail address;

obtaining spatial information related to the first party;

or obtaining coordinate information related to the first party.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein accessing a computer system to attempt to retrieve data to permit connecting the network communication session to a location selected from multiple potential locations based at least in part on one or more precise geographic criteria comprises retrieving a store identifier previously associated with the first party identifier based on one or more precise geographic criteria.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein accessing a computer system to attempt to retrieve data to permit connecting the network communication session to a location selected from multiple potential locations based at least in part on one or more precise geographic criteria comprises retrieving one or more of:

a telephone number;

address information; and

spatial information.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the one or more precise geographic criteria comprises one or more of:

(a) determining if a polygon contains a location associated with a spatial key, an address, or spatial coordinates;

(b) determining a distance from a location associated with a spatial key, an address, or spatial coordinates; and

(c) determining if spatial information associated with the first party identifier matches an entry in a database of information for multiple potential locations.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the spatial information associated with the first party comprises an address, spatial coordinates, or at least a portion of a spatial key.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the spatial key comprises an interleaved latitude and longitude pair, a ZIP+4 code, a ZIP+6 code, an identifier derived from latitude and longitude, or an identifier derived from an address.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the data to permit connecting the network communication session to a location selected from multiple potential locations based at least in pan on one or more precise geographic criteria comprises data that identifies a location associated with the identifier selected before initiation of the network communication session.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the data to permit connecting the network communication session to a location selected from multiple potential locations based at least in part on one or more precise geographic criteria comprises data for use in a selection determination associated with the identifier to be made during the network communication session.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising prompting for a confirmation from the first party associated with data retrieved based on the identifier and determining that the attempt to retrieve data to permit connecting the communication session is successful if a confirmation is received from the first party.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the attempt to retrieve data to permit connecting the network communication session is successful if data is retrieved based on the identifier.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein the attempt to retrieve data to permit connecting the network communication session is successful if data is retrieved based on the identifier that identifies a location selected before initiation of the network communication session from multiple potential locations based at least in part on one or more precise geographic criteria.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein the attempt to retrieve data to permit connecting the network communication session is successful if data is retrieved based on the identifier that permits a determination to be made during the network communication session of a selected location from multiple potential locations based at least in part on one or more precise geographic criteria.

15. The method of claim 1 wherein attempting to acquire data to permit connecting the network communication session to a location selected from multiple potential locations based at least in part on one or more precise geographic criteria comprises retrieving address information associated with the identifier.

16. The method of claim 1 wherein attempting to acquire data to permit connecting the network communication session to a location selected from multiple potential locations based at least in part on one or more precise geographic criteria comprises one ore more of:

retrieving spatial information associated with the identifier;

using a live operator to obtain information from the first party during the network communication session;

using an interactive voice response unit to obtain information from the first party during the network communication session;

receiving spoken address information from the first party, and receiving spoken telephone number information from the first party.

17. The method of claim 1, further comprising updating the computer system based on the acquired data if the attempt to acquire data to permit connecting the communication session is successful.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein updating the computer system based on the acquired data comprises updating an existing database record associated with the identifier.

19. The method of claim 17 wherein updating the computer system based on the acquired data comprises creating a new database record associated with the identifier.

20. The method of claim 1, further comprising enabling the first party to order a product or service from the selected location during the communication session.

21. The method of claim 20 wherein the product or service comprises pizza.

22. A routing method of connecting first parties to selected locations over a network comprising:

obtaining an identifier of a first party during a network communication session;

accessing a computer system to retrieve data based on the identifier, the retrieved data providing information to permit connecting the network communication session to a location selected from multiple potential locations based at least in part on one or more precise geographic criteria;

determining if data sufficient to connect the network communication session to a selected location is retrieved;

if data sufficient to connect the network communication session to a selected location is not retrieved then

(a) obtaining an address associated with the first party, and

(b) using the obtained address to identify information to permit selection of a location to which to connect the network communication session based at least in part on one or more precise geographic criteria; and

connecting the network communication session to a selected location.

23. The method of claim 22 wherein the network comprises one or both of a telephony network and an Internet network.

24. The method of claim 22 wherein capturing an identifier comprises one of:

capturing a telephone number by ANI capture for a telephone call;

capturing user-provided input including speech input or keypad input;

obtaining a street address;

obtaining an Internet address;

obtaining an e-mail address;

obtaining spatial information related to the first party;

or obtaining coordinate information related to the first party.

25. The method of claim 22 wherein the information to permit connecting the network communication session to a location selected from multiple potential locations based at least in part on one or more precise geographic criteria considerations comprises a store identifier previously assigned based on one or more precise geographic criteria.

26. The method of claim 22 wherein the information to permit connecting the network communication session to a location selected from multiple potential locations based at least in part on one or more precise geographic criteria comprises one or more of:

a telephone number;

address information;

spatial information;

coordinate information; and

a spatial key.

27. The method of claim 22 wherein determining if data sufficient to connect the network communication session to a selected location is retrieved comprises a receiving a confirmation from the first party.

28. The method of claim 22 wherein determining if data sufficient to connect the network communication session to a selected location is retrieved comprises determining the data is sufficient if a database includes a pre-existing entry that correlates to the captured identifier to a to a location selected from multiple locations based at least in part on one or more precise geographic criteria.

29. The method of claim 22 wherein obtaining an address comprises:

receiving spoken address information from the first party or accessing a computer system to retrieve one or more of street address information associated with the identifier, Internet address information associated with the identifier, and spatial coordinate information associated with the identifier.

30. The method of claim 22 wherein connecting the network communication session comprises connecting over one or both of a telephony network and an Internet network to a selected location.

31. The method of claim 22, further comprising performing one or both of a point-in-polygon determination and a radius-based calculation to identify information to permit selection of a location for to which to connect the network communication session.

32. The method of claim 22, further comprising enabling the first party to order a product or service from the selected location during the communication session.

33. The Method of claim 32, wherein the product or service includes pizza.

34. The Method of claim 22, wherein if data sufficient to connect the network communication session to a selected location is not retrieved then using one or both of a live operator and interactive voice response technology to obtain information from the first party.

35. The Method of claim 22, further comprising updating the computer system based on the obtained address by either creating a new database record or updating an existing database record if data sufficient to connect the network communication session to a selected location is not retrieved.

36. A system for connecting a first party network communication session to a location selected from multiple potential locations comprising:

a computer system configured to capture an identifier of a first party during a network communication session;

a module configured to retrieve data based on the captured identifier, the data providing information for connecting the network communication session to a location selected from multiple potential locations based at least in part on one or mare precise geographic criteria, the module further configured (a) to connect the network communication session to a selected location if the attempt to retrieve data for connecting the communication session is successful, and (b) to transfer the network communication session to an exception handler if the attempt to retrieve data for connecting the communication session is unsuccessful; and

an exception handler configured to acquire data from the first party for connecting the network communication session to a location selected from multiple potential locations based at least in part on one or more precise geographic criteria.

37. The System of claim 36 wherein the first party identifier comprises one of ANI, a telephone number, an Internet address, an e-mail address, a Street address, spatial information, and spatial coordinate information.

38. The system of claim 36 wherein the network communication session comprises one or more of a telephone call and an Internet communication session.

39. The system of claim 36 wherein the module configured to retrieve data based on the captured identifier is configured to retrieve a store identifier previously associated with the captured identifier based at least in part on one or more precise geographic criteria.

40. The system of claim 36 wherein the one or more precise geographic criteria comprises one or more of:

(a) determining if a polygon contains a location associated with a spatial key, an address, or spatial coordinates;

(b) determining a distance from a location associated with a spatial key, an address, or spatial coordinates; and

(c) determining if spatial information associated with the first party identifier matches an entry in a database of information for multiple potential locations.

41. The system of claim 36 wherein the module configured to retrieve data based on the captured identifier is configured to retrieve spatial information associated with the captured identifier.

42. The System of claim 36 wherein the module configured to retrieve data based on the captured identifier is configured to perform a spatial computation to validate a correlation between the captured identifier and the data retrieved based on the captured identifier.

43. The System of claim 36 wherein the module configured to retrieve data based on the captured identifier is configured to prompt the first party to provide information to validate the data retrieved based on the captured identifier.

44. The System of claim 36 wherein the exception handler is configured to retrieve address information from a computer system based on the data acquired from the first party.

45. The System of claim 36 wherein the exception handler is configured to transfer control to one or both of a live operator and an interactive voice response unit to acquire data from the first party.

46. The System of claim 44 wherein the module configured to retrieve data based on the identifier is configured to retrieve data from a database and the exception handler is configured to update the database based on the data acquired from the first party.

47. A system for connecting a first party network communication session to a location selected from multiple potential locations comprising:

a database including pro-existing assignments for multiple first parties, each of the multiple first parties having previously been associated with a location selected from multiple potential locations based on geographic criteria; and

a computer system configured to

capture an identifier of a first party dining a network communication session,

retrieve data from the database based on the captured identifier,

to handle exceptions by (a) acquiring data from the first party during the network communication session, (b) using the acquired data to select a location from multiple potential locations based at least in part on one or more precise geographic criteria, and (c) updating the database based on the acquired data, and

to connect the first party network communication session to a location selected from multiple potential locations.

48. The System of claim 47 wherein the first party identifier is a telephone number.

49. The System of claim 47 wherein the database including pre-existing assignments for multiple first parties comprises a database that associates customer identifiers with store identifiers.

50. The System of claim 49 wherein the customer identifier is a telephone number, a street address, an Internet address, a postal code, or a customer number.

51. The System of claim 47, further comprising a module configured to prompt the first party to confirm information based on the data retrieved from the database.

52. The System of claim 47 wherein the computer system is configured to acquire a telephone number, a street address, a postal code, or a customer number.