Geographically mapped telephone routing method and system
DC CAFCFirst Claim
1. A system for direct routing a telephone call from a first party who has an originating telephone number at a specific location defined by latitude and longitude coordinates who dials a telephone number including digits uniquely characteristic to a second party having a plurality of service locations, said system comprising:
- means for allocating individual latitude and longitude coordinates to each originating telephone number of all potential first parties;
means for defining the boundaries of one or more geographical areas which can be of any size and shape according to predetermined criteria, each point along said boundaries being defined by latitude and longitude coordinates;
means for assigning to each originating telephone number of said potential first parties a telephone number of a service location of a second party that will receive calls originating from within the boundary of a geographic area defined by said means for defining in which the individual latitude and longitude coordinates of the specific location of each of said potential first parties lie;
means for determining the originating telephone number of the first party from which said telephone call is to be routed; and
direct routing means for direct routing said telephone call to a service location of the second party assigned to said originating telephone number of the first party by said means for assigning.
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Abstract
A method and system for direct routing of telephone calls made by a caller originating from within specific calling areas to one of a plurality of locations of a second party according to certain criteria established by the second party. This routing is accomplished based on the assignment of latitude and longitude coordinates to a potential caller'"'"'s location. Once these coordinates are assigned to each of the potential callers, the second party'"'"'s criteria is applied to assign the potential caller to a second party. Such criteria could be existence within a previously-defined geographic area, a custom defined geographic area, or through calculations such as the shortest distance between coordinate points. Once all such assignments have been made, a database is assembled to be used by a long distance carrier for direct routing of telephone calls from callers to an assigned second party.
145 Citations
22 Claims
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1. A system for direct routing a telephone call from a first party who has an originating telephone number at a specific location defined by latitude and longitude coordinates who dials a telephone number including digits uniquely characteristic to a second party having a plurality of service locations, said system comprising:
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means for allocating individual latitude and longitude coordinates to each originating telephone number of all potential first parties; means for defining the boundaries of one or more geographical areas which can be of any size and shape according to predetermined criteria, each point along said boundaries being defined by latitude and longitude coordinates; means for assigning to each originating telephone number of said potential first parties a telephone number of a service location of a second party that will receive calls originating from within the boundary of a geographic area defined by said means for defining in which the individual latitude and longitude coordinates of the specific location of each of said potential first parties lie; means for determining the originating telephone number of the first party from which said telephone call is to be routed; and direct routing means for direct routing said telephone call to a service location of the second party assigned to said originating telephone number of the first party by said means for assigning. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A method for direct routing a telephone call from a first party who has an originating telephone number at a specific location defined by latitude and longitude coordinates who dials a telephone number including digits uniquely characteristic to a second party having a plurality of service locations, said method comprising the steps of:
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allocating individual latitude and longitude coordinates to each originating telephone number of all potential first parties; defining the boundaries of one or more geographical areas which can be of any size and shape according to predetermined criteria, each point along said boundaries being defined by latitude and longitude coordinates; assigning to each originating telephone number of said potential first . .panics.!. .Iadd.parties .Iaddend.of a service parties location of a second party that receive calls originating from within the boundary of a geographic area defined in said step of defining in which the individual latitude and longitude coordinates of the specific location of each of said potential first parties lie; determining the originating telephone number of the first party from which said telephone call is to be routed; and directly routing said telephone call to a service location of the second party assigned to said originating telephone number of the first party by said step of assigning. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A system for direct routing a telephone call from a first party who has an originating telephone number at a physical location and who dials a telephone number including digits uniquely characteristic to a second party having a plurality of service locations, said system comprising:
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means for allocating latitude and longitude coordinates to the physical location of all potential first parties; means for defining the boundaries of one or more geographical areas which can be of any size and shape according to predetermined criteria, each point along said boundaries being defined by latitude and longitude coordinates; means for assigning to the physical location of said potential first parties a telephone number of a service location of a second party that will receive calls originating from within the boundary of a geographic area in which the latitude and longitude coordinates of the physical location of each of said potential first parties lie; means for determining the originating telephone number of the first party from which said telephone call is to be routed; and direct routing means for directly routing said telephone call to a service location of the second party assigned to said originating telephone number of the first party by said means for assigning..Iaddend..Iadd. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19)
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20. said step of assigning..Iaddend..Iadd.30. The method of claim 29 wherein the physical location is defined by a street address..Iaddend..Iadd.31. The method of claim 29 wherein the physical location is defined by a ZIP+4 code..Iaddend..Iadd.32. The method of claim 29 wherein the physical location is defined by a ZIP code..Iaddend..Iadd.33. The method of claim 29 wherein the physical location is defined by a city..Iaddend..Iadd.34. The method of claim 29, 30, 31, 32 or 33 wherein said one or more geographical areas is defined by a ZIP code..Iaddend..Iadd.35. The method of claim 29, 30, 31, 32 or 33 wherein said one or more geographical areas is defined by a plurality of highways..Iaddend..Iadd.36. The method of claim 29, 30, 31, 32 or 33 wherein said one or more geographical areas is defined by a designated response zone..Iaddend..Iadd.37. The method of claim 29, 30, 31, 32 or 33 wherein said one or more geographical areas is defined by a metropolitan statistical area..Iaddend..Iadd.38. The method of claim 29, 30, 31, 32 or 33 wherein said one or more geographical areas is defined by a congressional district..Iaddend..Iadd.39. The method of claim 29, 30, 31, 32 or 33 wherein said one or more geographical areas is
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21. defined by an area of demographic influence..Iaddend..Iadd.40. The method of claim 29 wherein the originating telephone number is non-stationary telephone, such as a mobile, cellular or transportable telephone..Iaddend..Iadd.41. A method of constructing a database wherein said database is used by a telephone service provider for direct routing a telephone call from a first party who has an originating telephone number at a physical location and who dials one of an 800-type, 900-type or other special access code telephone number assigned to a second party, who has determined specific locations to receive calls originating from within pre-determined geographic areas, thereby allowing the first party to reach one of a plurality of locations of the second party based on geographic location from which the telephone call originate from within one of a plurality of geographic areas, said method comprising the steps of:
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(a) assigning individual latitude and longitude coordinates to the physical location of all potential first parties; (b) defining the boundaries of one or more geographic areas which can be of any size and shape according to predetermined criteria each point along said boundaries being defined by latitude and longitude coordinates; and (c) assigning to the physical location of said potential first parties a telephone number of a service location of a second party that will receive calls originating from within the boundary of a geographic territory in which the latitude and longitude coordinates of the physical location of each of said potential first parties lies..Iaddend..Iadd.42. The method of claim 41 wherein step (a) comprises the steps of; (i) determining a street address of the physical location of each potential first party; (ii) determining the latitude and longitude coordinates of the street address of each potential first party; and (iii) correlating the latitude and longitude coordinates of each street address to the telephone number of each potential first party..Iaddend..Iadd.43. The method of claim 41 wherein step (a) comprises the steps of; (i) determining a ZIP+4 code of the physical location of each potential first party; (ii) determining the latitude and longitude coordinates of said ZIP+4 code; and (iii) correlating the latitude and longitude coordinates of each ZIP+4 code to the telephone number of each potential first party..Iaddend..Iadd.44. The method of claim 41 wherein step (a) comprises the steps of; (i) determining a ZIP code of the physical location of each potential first party; (ii) determining the latitude and longitude coordinates of the ZIP code of each potential first party; and (iii) correlating the latitude and longitude coordinates of each ZIP code
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22. to the telephone number of each potential first party..Iaddend..Iadd.45. The method of claim 41 wherein step (a) comprises the steps of:
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(i) determining a city of the physical location of each potential first party; (ii) determining the latitude and longitude coordinates of the city of each potential first party; and (iii) correlating the latitude and longitude coordinates of each city to the telephone number of each potential first party..Iaddend..Iadd.46. The method of claim 41, 42, 43, 44 or 45 wherein said one or more geographical areas is defined by a ZIP code..Iaddend..Iadd.47. The method of claim 41, 42, 43, 44 or 45 wherein said one or more geographical areas is defined by a plurality of highways..Iaddend..Iadd.48. The method of claim 41, 42, 43, 44 or 45 wherein said one or more geographical areas is defined by a designated response zone..Iaddend..Iadd.49. The method of claim 41, 42, 43, 44 or 45 wherein said one or more geographical areas is defined by a metropolitan statistical area..Iaddend..Iadd.50. The method of claim 41, 42, 43, 44 or 45 wherein said one or more geographical areas is defined by a congressional district..Iaddend..Iadd.51. The method of claim 41, 42, 43, 44 or 45 wherein said one or more geographical areas is defined by an area of demographic influence..Iaddend..Iadd.52. The method of claim 41 wherein the originating telephone number is non-stationary telephone, such as a mobile, cellular or transportable telephone..Iaddend.
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Specification