IP Library Granted Patent US 8,767,943
Granted Patent B2
US 8,767,943 · App. 12/617,753 · Granted Jul 1, 2014

Methods, systems, and products for routing communications to contact centers

Inventors: Diane Brown Turcan (Smyrna, GA); David L. Wellons (Marietta, GA)
Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,767,943
App. No.
12/617,753
Granted
Jul 1, 2014
Kind
B2
Abstract

Methods, systems, and products are disclosed for routing communications to contact centers. When an incoming communication is detected, calling party identification information is associated to a communications profile. When a called party has multiple communications devices, then a location is received for each of the called party's multiple communications devices. The incoming communication is then routed based on the location of the called party's multiple communications devices.

Claims (43)

1. A method, comprising:

detecting an incoming communication by a call management system that intelligently routes the incoming communication to a called party associated with a called number;

associating a communications profile with the called number;

determining from the communications profile that the called party has multiple communications devices that may receive the incoming communication;

receiving location coordinates for each communications device of the multiple communications devices;

determining one of the location coordinates matches a restroom;

retrieving a restroom rule from memory that requires routing communications to voicemail in response to the one of the location coordinates matching the restroom; and

routing the incoming communication to the voicemail according to the restroom rule.

2. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising querying for the location coordinates of each communications device of the multiple communications devices.

3. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising retrieving a secretary's name associated with the called party.

4. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising querying for an Internet Protocol address associated with each communications device of the multiple communications devices.

5. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising saving called party identification information to local storage.

6. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising saving called party identification information to remote storage.

7. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising displaying a map of the location coordinates for of each communications device of the multiple communications devices.

8. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising prompting a calling party for an initial routing selection.

9. A system, comprising:

a processor; and

memory storing code that when executed causes the processor to perform operations, the operations comprising:

detecting an incoming communication to a called number of a called party;

retrieving a communications profile associated with the called number of the incoming communication;

determining from the communications profile that the called party has multiple communications devices that may receive the incoming communication;

retrieving location coordinates of each communications device of the multiple communications devices;

determining one of the location coordinates matches a restroom;

retrieving a restroom rule that requires routing of all communications to voicemail in response to the one of the location coordinates matching the restroom; and

routing the incoming communication to the voicemail according to the restroom rule.

10. The system according to claim 9 , wherein the operations further comprise routing calling party identification information to the multiple communications devices.

11. The system according to claim 10 , wherein the operations further comprise receiving confirmation that the calling party identification information was reviewed at one of the multiple communications devices.

12. The system according to claim 9 , wherein the operations further comprise prompting a calling party for an initial routing selection.

13. The system according to claim 12 , wherein the operations further comprise receiving an account number in response to the prompting.

14. The system according to claim 13 , wherein the operations further comprise retrieving customer information associated with the account number.

15. The system according to claim 9 , wherein the operations further comprise querying for the location coordinates of each communications device of the multiple communications devices.

16. The system according to claim 9 , wherein the operations further comprise querying for an Internet Protocol address associated with each communications device of the multiple communications devices.

17. The system according to claim 10 , wherein the operations further comprise saving the calling party identification information to local storage.

18. The system according to claim 10 , wherein the operations further comprise saving the calling party identification information to remote storage.

19. The system according to claim 9 , wherein the operations further comprise displaying a map of the location coordinates for of each communications device of the multiple communications devices.

20. A computer readable memory storing instructions which when executed cause a processor to perform operations, the operations comprising:

detecting an incoming communication by a call management system that intelligently routes the incoming communication to a called party associated with a called number;

associating a communications profile with the called number;

determining from the communications profile that the called party has multiple communications devices that may receive the incoming communication;

receiving location coordinates for each communications device of the multiple communications devices;

determining one of the location coordinates matches a restroom;

retrieving a restroom rule that requires routing of all communications to voicemail in response to the one of the location coordinates matching the restroom; and

routing the incoming communication to the voicemail in response to the restroom rule.

Assignments (6)
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE CORRECT ASSIGNEE NAME PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL: 023599 FRAME: 0395. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE ASSIGNMENT. Recorded Dec 16, 2019
From: TURCAN, DIANE BROWN; WELLONS, DAVID L.
To: BELLSOUTH INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 051306/0567 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 26, 2013
From: AT&T DELAWARE INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY, INC.
To: AT&T INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY I, L.P.
Reel/Frame 031078/0600 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Aug 14, 2013
From: AT&T INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY, INC.
To: AT&T BLS INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY, INC.
Reel/Frame 031013/0650 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Aug 14, 2013
From: AT&T BLS INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY, INC.
To: AT&T DELAWARE INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY, INC.
Reel/Frame 031013/0654 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Aug 14, 2013
From: BELLSOUTH INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY CORPORATION
To: AT&T INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY, INC.
Reel/Frame 031013/0657 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 3, 2009
From: TURCAN, DIANE BROWN; WELLONS, DAVID L.
To: BELLSOUTH INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY CORPORATION (NOW AT&T INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY I, L.P.)
Reel/Frame 023599/0395 →
Continuity (2)
Continuation 10335113 · Dec 31, 2002
Related Publication 20100074430A1 · Mar 25, 2010