IP Library Granted Patent US 11,146,677
Granted Patent B1
US 11,146,677 · App. 16/236,710 · Granted Oct 12, 2021

Instant support agent call setup and call connection application

Inventors: Mahendra Varman (Omaha, NE); Craig A. Webster (Omaha, NE); Jil M. Fisher (Omaha, NE)
Assignee: West Corporation
H04M3/42008H04L67/146H04M3/42068H04M3/42382H04M3/5158H04M3/5166H04M3/527H04M3/5235H04W4/12H04W4/16H04M3/5183H04M2203/551H04M2207/18
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,146,677
App. No.
16/236,710
Granted
Oct 12, 2021
Kind
B1
Abstract

Receiving and processing customer support calls initiated from a mobile/wireless device via a call function or via a mobile device application may include various operations. For instance, an example method of operation may provide receiving a service request from a mobile device, requesting a temporary telephone number to be assigned to a subsequent call to be placed from the mobile device, creating a database record with an identifier of the mobile device and the temporary telephone number, transmitting the temporary telephone number to the mobile device, receiving an automated call to the temporary telephone number from the mobile device, and connecting the mobile device with a remote call recipient.

Claims (46)

1. A method, comprising:

determining a temporary telephone number to be assigned to manage a service request from a mobile device;

identifying that a number of simultaneous uses of the temporary number do not exceed a threshold amount;

creating a database record comprising an identifier of the mobile device, the temporary telephone number, and a time duration, the time duration defining a time period that the temporary telephone number is permitted to be used for call placement; and

connecting a call from the mobile device with a remote call recipient via the temporary telephone number and the database record.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

identifying the service request as a customer service support inquiry, and wherein the remote call recipient is a customer service agent or interactive voice response (IVR) system.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving the service request from the mobile device based on a phone number different from the temporary telephone number.

4. The method of claim 1 , comprising:

receiving the service request from the mobile device via a mobile device application.

5. The method of claim 4 , comprising:

receiving an automated call to the temporary telephone number wherein the automated call to the temporary telephone number is received from the mobile device application.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the temporary telephone number connects the mobile device to an intermediate platform which performs said creating and connecting, and wherein the intermediate platform then routes a call to the customer service agent.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

after routing the call to the remote calling recipient, releasing the temporary telephone number from the call and reassigning the temporary telephone number to a telephone number pool comprising a plurality of telephone numbers.

8. An apparatus, comprising:

a transmitter configured to transmit a request for a temporary telephone number to be assigned to manage a service request from a mobile device; and

a processor configured to:

identify that a number of simultaneous uses of the temporary number do not exceed a threshold amount,

create a database record comprising an identifier of the mobile device, the temporary telephone number, and a time duration, the time duration defining a time period that the temporary telephone number is permitted to be used for call placement, and

connect a call from the mobile device with a remote call recipient via the temporary telephone number and the database record.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the processor is further configured to:

identify the service request as a customer service support inquiry, and wherein the remote call recipient is a customer service agent or interactive voice response (IVR) system.

10. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the processor is configured to:

receive the service request from the mobile device based on a phone number different from the temporary telephone number.

11. The apparatus of claim 8 , comprising:

a receiver configured to receive the service request from the mobile device via a mobile device application.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the receiver is configured to:

receive an automated call to the temporary telephone number from the mobile device application.

13. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the temporary telephone number connects the mobile device to an intermediate platform corresponding to the processor, and wherein the processor of the intermediate platform then routes a call to the customer service agent.

14. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein after connection of the call to the remote calling recipient, the processor is configured to release the temporary telephone number from the call and reassign the temporary telephone number to a telephone number pool numbers.

15. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing instructions that when executed by a processor cause processor to perform:

determining a temporary telephone number to be assigned to manage a service request from a mobile device;

identifying that a number of simultaneous uses of the temporary number do not exceed a threshold amount;

creating a database record comprising an identifier of the mobile device, the temporary telephone number, and a time duration, the time duration defining a time period that the temporary telephone number is permitted to be used for call placement; and

connecting a call from the mobile device with a remote call recipient via the temporary telephone number and the database record.

16. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 15 , wherein the instructions further configure the processor to perform:

identifying the service request as a customer service support inquiry, and wherein the remote call recipient is a customer service agent or interactive voice response (IVR) system.

17. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 15 , wherein the instructions further configure the processor to perform:

receiving the service request from the mobile device based on a phone number different from the temporary telephone number.

18. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 15 , wherein the instructions further configure the processor to perform:

receiving a service request from the mobile device via a mobile device application and receiving an automated call to the temporary telephone number from the mobile device application.

19. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 15 , wherein the temporary telephone number connects the mobile device to an intermediate platform which performs said creating and connecting, and wherein the intermediate platform then routes a call to the customer service agent.

20. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 15 , wherein the instructions further configure the processor to perform:

after connecting the call to the remote calling recipient, releasing the temporary telephone number from the call and reassigning the temporary telephone number to a telephone number pool comprising a plurality of telephone numbers.

Assignments (5)
OMNIBUS ASSIGNMENT OF SECURITY INTEREST IN INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY Recorded Nov 25, 2024
From: UBS AG, STAMFORD BRANCH (AS SUCCESSOR TO CREDIT SUISSE AG, CAYMAN ISLANDS BRANCH IN ITS CAPACITY AS COLLATERAL AGENT)
To: WILMINGTON TRUST, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS THE SUCCESSOR COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 069438/0775 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Apr 3, 2023
From: INTRADO CORPORATION
To: WEST TECHNOLOGY GROUP, LLC
Reel/Frame 063239/0876 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Apr 3, 2023
From: WEST CORPORATION
To: INTRADO CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 063239/0900 →
NOTICE OF GRANT OF SECURITY INTEREST (SECOND LIEN) IN PATENTS Recorded Jan 31, 2023
From: CX360, INC.; WEST TECHNOLOGY GROUP, LLC (FKA INTRADO CORPORATION, FKA WEST CORPORATION); INTRADO INTERACTIVE SERVICES CORPORATION (FKA WEST INTERACTIVE SERVICES CORPORATION, FKA COBALT ACQUISITION COMPANY)
To: U.S. BANK TRUST COMPANY, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 062571/0018 →
NOTICE OF GRANT OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS - FIRST LIEN Recorded May 22, 2019
From: WEST CORPORATION
To: CREDIT SUISSE AG, CAYMAN ISLANDS BRANCH, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 049255/0843 →
Continuity (3)
Continuation 15614828 · Jun 6, 2017
Continuation 14139043 · Dec 23, 2013
Provisional Application 61755813 · Jan 23, 2013