IP Library Granted Patent US 12,348,672
Granted Patent B2
US 12,348,672 · App. 18/408,103 · Granted Jul 1, 2025

Routing an inbound call to a virtual meeting via an interactive voice response system

Inventors: Walter F. C. Anderson (Santa Cruz, CA); Brendan James Ittelson (San Jose, CA)
Assignee: Zoom Communications, Inc.
H04M3/42314H04M3/56H04N7/15
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,348,672
App. No.
18/408,103
Granted
Jul 1, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

Voice and video features of a software platform are integrated to enable customization of software services of the software platform on a customer-basis. Routing rules are defined to route calls to certain phone numbers or extensions to certain software services. Thereafter, when a call is received via a telephony system associated with the software platform, a routing rule customized for the software platform is identified based on information signaled with the call, such as a phone number or extension dialed to place the call. A software service is determined based on the routing rule, and the phone is connected with the software system that provides the software service.

Claims (43)

1. A method, comprising:

routing, to an interactive voice response system, a call to a phone number associated with a customer of a software platform;

receiving, during the call, a response to a prompt of the interactive voice response system; and

routing, based on the response and a routing rule associated with the customer, the call to a virtual meeting implemented by the software platform.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein routing the call to the virtual meeting comprises:

prompting, based on the response, for a meeting identifier associated with the virtual meeting; and

routing the call to the virtual meeting based on the meeting identifier.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein routing the call to the virtual meeting comprises:

routing the call to the virtual meeting based on the routing rule indicating to route responses to the prompt to the virtual meeting.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein routing the call to the interactive voice response system comprises:

identifying the routing rule based on the call to the phone number.

5. The method of claim 1 , comprising:

causing a client application running at a device from which the call is received to connect to the virtual meeting.

6. The method of claim 1 , comprising:

facilitating the interactive voice response system using an auto attendant of the software platform.

7. The method of claim 1 , comprising:

defining the routing rule to cause responses to the prompt to route to the interactive voice response system.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the software platform is a unified communications as a service software platform.

9. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause a performance of operations comprising:

routing, to an interactive voice response system, a call to a phone number associated with a customer of a software platform;

receiving, during the call, a response to a prompt of the interactive voice response system; and

routing, based on the response and a routing rule associated with the customer, the call to a virtual meeting implemented by the software platform.

10. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 9 , wherein routing the call to the interactive voice response system comprises:

searching a data store for a record associated with the routing rule based on the call to the phone number.

11. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 9 , wherein the call is routed to the virtual meeting based on the response and a meeting identifier received in connection with the response.

12. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 9 , wherein the call is initiated at a device external to the customer.

13. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 9 , wherein the interactive voice response system is facilitated using an auto attendant of the software platform.

14. An apparatus, comprising:

a memory; and

a processor configured to execute instructions stored in the memory to:

route, to an interactive voice response system, a call to a phone number associated with a customer of a software platform;

receive, during the call, a response to a prompt of the interactive voice response system; and

route, based on the response and a routing rule associated with the customer, the call to a virtual meeting implemented by the software platform.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the processor is configured to execute the instructions to:

access a data store record associated with the routing rule based on one or both of the call to the phone number or the response.

16. The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the processor is configured to execute the instructions to:

prompt, based on the response, for a meeting identifier associated with the virtual meeting.

17. The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the routing rule is specific to the customer.

18. The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the processor is configured to execute the instructions to:

generate a record associated with the routing rule based on a definition of the routing rule; and

store the record in a data store for later use in processing calls to the phone number.

19. The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the call is processed using a telephony system of the software platform and the virtual meeting is processed using a virtual meeting system of the software platform.

20. The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the virtual meeting is a video-enabled virtual meeting.

Assignments (2)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Jan 7, 2025
From: ZOOM VIDEO COMMUNICATIONS, INC.
To: ZOOM COMMUNICATIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 069839/0593 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 10, 2024
From: ANDERSON, WALTER F. C.; ITTELSON, BRENDAN JAMES
To: ZOOM VIDEO COMMUNICATIONS, INC.
Reel/Frame 066086/0858 →