Virtual Number Routing via Caller Affinity Analysis
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Solution Overview
Problem
Assigning a single virtual telephone number to multiple customers poses a challenge in routing telephony communications effectively, as it is unclear which customer an incoming call is intended for, leading to potential confusion and increased costs associated with maintaining virtual numbers.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a system that uses a virtual numbers unit to obtain and analyze user information from address books, contact lists, and communication histories to determine the degree of affinity between users, allowing the same virtual number to be assigned if there is minimal risk of confusion, and utilizing a routing unit to identify the correct user for incoming calls through caller interrogation if necessary.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If the same virtual telephone number is assigned to multiple customers, then the cost of obtaining and maintaining virtual numbers is reduced, but the ability to route incoming telephony communications to the correct customer becomes problematic
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the routing decision process into multiple stages: initial routing based on virtual number affinity scores, followed by optional caller ID verification, and finally caller interrogation if needed. This segmentation allows the system to handle multiple customers sharing virtual numbers while maintaining accurate routing through a multi-layered approach.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary verification process using caller ID information and affinity scores as intermediaries between the incoming call and the final routing decision. This intermediary layer helps resolve the ambiguity of which customer should receive the call when multiple customers share the same virtual number.
2Quantity of substance
If virtual telephone numbers are assigned to multiple customers, then cost efficiency is improved, but the complexity of determining the correct customer for incoming calls increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary action by pre-calculating and storing affinity scores between virtual numbers and customers based on their contact lists and communication histories before incoming calls occur. This preliminary processing simplifies the real-time routing decision by having the complexity already resolved in advance.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses the caller's own calling information (caller ID) and the pre-computed affinity data to automatically determine the correct customer without requiring manual intervention or complex real-time analysis. The system serves itself by using the available data to make routing decisions autonomously.
3Reliability
If caller interrogation is used to determine the correct customer, then routing accuracy is improved, but the time required to route the call increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies partial action by using caller ID verification and affinity scoring as a first-line defense to automatically route calls correctly without needing full caller interrogation. Only when the partial verification is insufficient does the system proceed to more time-consuming caller interrogation, thus optimizing the balance between accuracy and speed.
Data Source
AI summary
A single virtual telephone number that is used to route telephony communications is assigned to first and second users if the first and second users rarely, if ever, communicate with the same party. When an incoming call is received on the virtual telephone number, telephony information for the first and second users is reviewed to determine if the calling party is one that has communicated with either of the first and second users in the past. If so, the telephony communication is routed to the user who has communicated with the calling party in the past.