Call processing system with call screening

Abstract

A system is described in which call processing considers unique information about the call to better serve the caller and / or to enable the called party to more efficiently handle the call. In one embodiment, the unique information considered by the call processor is information indicator digits, which may indicate to the called party whether to accept the call before the voice portion of the call is initiated.

Description

[0001] This application is a continuation of application Ser. No. 08 / 633,507, filed Apr. 17, 1996.[0002] The present invention relates generally to the science of telecommunications. Particularly, the present invention relates to a system for providing screening information about the calling party and / or call origination party. The system uses enhanced network information and / or switch information to select a multi-input template. The enhanced network information and / or switch information in many instances nullifies the importance or relevance of Calling Number (ANI) and Dialed Number (DNIS) in a call processing environment. BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0003] For many years the telephone system in general has known certain information about the phone from which a call has been made. For example, the telephone system has known what area code the call was placed from, the long distance carrier of the phone call, and even the approximate geographic location for a non-mobile...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

"The patent text discusses the limited information that can be collected about a person making a phone call using a telephone system. The telephone system can only identify the phone and the area code, and sometimes the first digits of the phone number. This information is useful for routing calls and billing purposes, but not much more. The patent aims to solve this problem by providing a solution to learn more about the calling party, such as their name and geographic location, by asking the caller certain questions and using the information they provide. This would allow for more targeted call processing and better customer service."

Problems solved by technology

However, in reality, the extent of information that has been collected to date about a calling party by the telephone system is quite low.

ANI is not always a good geographic representation: for example, when a call is routed through a private network before it reaches the “Public Telephone Network”, the ANI may have no relationship with the physical location or approximate identity of the caller.

Furthermore, the Dialed Number does not always indicate the specific purpose of the call and the best way to always answer the call.

The known, limited network information can lead to less than accurate call limitation, statistical analysis and unique caller input format selection.

As stated above, known use of telephone network data and / or switch data is very imprecise as to whom is calling.

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