Abstract:
The present invention enables users of a network service to register with the network as valued shoppers, thereby allowing them to receive specialized treatment when calling registered retailers. The present invention enables retailers to register with the network, thereby allowing them to set preferred service logic for handling valued customer calls by the network.

Description:
[0001]    This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/975,784, now U.S. Pat. No. 8,755,496, and is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/861,150, filed Aug. 23, 2010, now U.S. Pat. No. 8,520,811, and is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/014,565, filed on Dec. 16, 2004, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,783,024, all of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present invention relates generally to communication networks and, more particularly, to a method and apparatus for providing special call handling for valued customers of retailers. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    Users frequently call retailers for information to facilitate shopping and purchase decisions. If valued customers&#39; calls can be handled differently with more focused marketing and customer care service from regular customers, more effective sales and higher customer satisfaction and revenue can result from this type of enhanced call handling. 
         [0004]    Therefore, a need exists for a method and apparatus for providing special call handling for valued customers of retailers. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    In one embodiment, the present invention enables users of a network service, e.g., a VoIP network service, to register with the network as valued shoppers allowing them to receive specialized treatment when calling registered retailers, e.g., by dialing the toll free number (e.g., 800 number) of the retailers. The present invention enables the retailers to register with the network, thereby allowing them to set preferred service logic for handling valued customer calls by the network. For example, the network will receive information with the caller identification of these registered customers, thereby prompting the registered retailers to offer their valued customers special promotions or enhanced customer care services. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0006]    The teaching of the present invention can be readily understood by considering the following detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: 
           [0007]      FIG. 1  illustrates an exemplary Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) network related to the present invention; 
           [0008]      FIG. 2  illustrates an example of enabling special call handling for valued customers of retailers of the present invention; 
           [0009]      FIG. 3  illustrates a flowchart of a method for registering retailers and valued customers in a VoIP network of the present invention; 
           [0010]      FIG. 4  illustrates a flowchart of a method for special call handling for valued customers of retailers of the present invention; 
           [0011]      FIG. 5  illustrates a flowchart of a method for handling valued customer call by a retailer of the present invention; and 
           [0012]      FIG. 6  illustrates a high level block diagram of a general purpose computer suitable for use in performing the functions described herein. 
       
    
    
       [0013]    To facilitate understanding, identical reference numerals have been used, where possible, to designate identical elements that are common to the figures. 
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0014]    To better understand the present invention,  FIG. 1  illustrates an example network, e.g., a packet-switched network such as a VoIP network related to the present invention. The VoIP network may comprise various types of customer endpoint devices connected via various types of access networks to a carrier (a service provider) VoIP core infrastructure over an Internet Protocol/Multi-Protocol Label Switching (IP/MPLS) based core backbone network. Broadly defined, a VoIP network is a network that is capable of carrying voice signals as packetized data over an IP network. An IP network is broadly defined as a network that uses Internet Protocol to exchange data packets. 
         [0015]    The customer endpoint devices can be either Time Division Multiplexing (TDM) based or IP based. TDM based customer endpoint devices  122 ,  123 ,  134 , and  135  typically comprise of TDM phones or Private Branch Exchange (PBX). IP based customer endpoint devices  144  and  145  typically comprise IP phones or PBX. The Terminal Adaptors (TA)  132  and  133  are used to provide necessary interworking functions between TDM customer endpoint devices, such as analog phones, and packet based access network technologies, such as Digital Subscriber Loop (DSL) or Cable broadband access networks. TDM based customer endpoint devices access VoIP services by using either a Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN)  120 ,  121  or a broadband access network via a TA  132  or  133 . IP based customer endpoint devices access VoIP services by using a Local Area Network (LAN)  140  and  141  with a VoIP gateway or router  142  and  143 , respectively. 
         [0016]    The access networks can be either TDM or packet based. A TDM PSTN  120  or  121  is used to support TDM customer endpoint devices connected via traditional phone lines. A packet based access network, such as Frame Relay, ATM, Ethernet or IP, is used to support IP based customer endpoint devices via a customer LAN, e.g.,  140  with a VoIP gateway and router  142 . A packet based access network  130  or  131 , such as DSL or Cable, when used together with a TA  132  or  133 , is used to support TDM based customer endpoint devices. 
         [0017]    The core VoIP infrastructure comprises of several key VoIP components, such the Border Element (BE)  112  and  113 , the Call Control Element (CCE)  111 , and VoIP related servers  114 . The BE resides at the edge of the VoIP core infrastructure and interfaces with customers endpoints over various types of access networks. A BE is typically implemented as a Media Gateway and performs signaling, media control, security, and call admission control and related functions. The CCE resides within the VoIP infrastructure and is connected to the BEs using the Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) over the underlying IP/MPLS based core backbone network  110 . The CCE is typically implemented as a Media Gateway Controller and performs network wide call control related functions as well as interacts with the appropriate VoIP service related servers when necessary. The CCE functions as a SIP back-to-back user agent and is a signaling endpoint for all call legs between all BEs and the CCE. The CCE may need to interact with various VoIP related servers in order to complete a call that require certain service specific features, e.g. translation of an E.164 voice network address into an IP address. 
         [0018]    For calls that originate or terminate in a different carrier, they can be handled through the PSTN  120  and  121  or the Partner IP Carrier  160  interconnections. For originating or terminating TDM calls, they can be handled via existing PSTN interconnections to the other carrier. For originating or terminating VoIP calls, they can be handled via the Partner IP carrier interface  160  to the other carrier. 
         [0019]    In order to illustrate how the different components operate to support a VoIP call, the following call scenario is used to illustrate how a VoIP call is setup between two customer endpoints. A customer using IP device  144  at location A places a call to another customer at location Z using TDM device  135 . During the call setup, a setup signaling message is sent from IP device  144 , through the LAN  140 , the VoIP Gateway/Router  142 , and the associated packet based access network, to BE  112 . BE  112  will then send a setup signaling message, such as a SIP-INVITE message if SIP is used, to CCE  111 . CCE  111  looks at the called party information and queries the necessary VoIP service related server  114  to obtain the information to complete this call. If BE  113  needs to be involved in completing the call; CCE  111  sends another call setup message, such as a SIP-INVITE message if SIP is used, to BE  113 . Upon receiving the call setup message, BE  113  forwards the call setup message, via broadband network  131 , to TA  133 . TA  133  then identifies the appropriate TDM device  135  and rings that device. Once the call is accepted at location Z by the called party, a call acknowledgement signaling message, such as a SIP-ACK message if SIP is used, is sent in the reverse direction back to the CCE  111 . After the CCE  111  receives the call acknowledgement message, it will then send a call acknowledgement signaling message, such as a SIP-ACK message if SIP is used, toward the calling party. In addition, the CCE  111  also provides the necessary information of the call to both BE  112  and BE  113  so that the call data exchange can proceed directly between BE  112  and BE  113 . The call signaling path  150  and the call data path  151  are illustratively shown in  FIG. 1 . Note that the call signaling path and the call data path are different because once a call has been setup up between two endpoints, the CCE  111  does not need to be in the data path for actual direct data exchange. 
         [0020]    Note that a customer in location A using any endpoint device type with its associated access network type can communicate with another customer in location Z using any endpoint device type with its associated network type as well. For instance, a customer at location A using IP customer endpoint device  144  with packet based access network  140  can call another customer at location Z using TDM endpoint device  123  with PSTN access network  121 . The BEs  112  and  113  are responsible for the necessary signaling protocol translation, e.g., SS7 to and from SIP, and media format conversion, such as TDM voice format to and from IP based packet voice format. 
         [0021]    Users may call retailers (e.g., the retailers&#39; toll free number) for information to facilitate shopping. If valued customers&#39; calls can be handled differently, with more focused marketing and enhanced customer care services, from regular customers, more effective sales and higher customer satisfactions and revenue can result from this type of enhanced call handling. 
         [0022]      FIG. 2  illustrates an example of providing special call handling for valued customers of retailers. Registered retailers  230  and registered valued customers  220  information are stored in the Application Server (AS)  214 . For retailers, information stored in AS  214  includes, but is not limited to, preferred service logic to handle incoming calls from valued customers. For example, a valued customer may be forwarded to a live attendant  231  instead of being forwarded to an interactive voice response (IVR) system  232 . For customers, information stored in AS  214  includes, but is not limited to, their preferences to be viewed as a valued customer by a list of chosen registered retailers. For example, a customer may only want to be viewed as a valued customer for a preferred subset of registered retailers that they shop with.  FIG. 2  shows that when CCE  211  receives a call  250  from a valued customer  220  via LAN  240 , gateway/router  242  and BE  212  that is destined to retailer  230 , the CCE finds out that the calling number is a registered valued customer and the called number (e.g., a 800 number of a retailer) is a registered retailer. Then CCE  211  communicates with AS  214 , event  251 , and finds out that customer  220  prefers to be viewed as a valued customer for the retailer  230 ; therefore, CCE  211  retrieves the registered service logic set by retailer  230  and processes the call according to the retrieved service logic. For instance, the retailer  230  prefers to answer all valued customer calls using live attendants  231  immediately instead of using an IVR system, as is the case for regular customers. CCE  211  then translates the called retailer number (e.g., a toll or a toll free number) into a telephone number destined to live attendants and continues the original call setup along with the valued customer&#39;s caller identification (ID), such as the name and the phone number, towards the destined translated phone number as shown in event  252 , e.g., via BE  213 , gateway/router  243  and LAN  241 . Using the transmitted caller ID information, retailer  230  can also verify that caller  220  is indeed a valued customer before the call is answered by a live attendant  231 . If the caller is really a valued customer, based on such as billing status or revenue history, then the call will be answered by a live attendant; otherwise, the call will in turn be forwarded to an IVR system instead. In an alternative embodiment, the retailer  230  can also play pre-recorded messages of special promotions to the verified valued customer caller before a live attendant  231  answers the call. 
         [0023]      FIG. 2  illustrates an example of providing special call handling for valued customers of retailers. Registered retailers  230  and registered valued customers  220  information are stored in the Application Server (AS)  214 . For retailers, information stored in AS  214  includes, but is not limited to, preferred service logic to handle incoming calls from valued customers. For example, a valued customer may be forwarded to a live attendant  231  instead of being forwarded to an interactive voice response (IVR) system  232 . For customers, information stored in AS  214  includes, but is not limited to, their preferences to be viewed as a valued customer by a list of chosen registered retailers. For example, a customer may only want to be viewed as a valued customer for a preferred subset of registered retailers that they shop with.  FIG. 2  shows that when CCE  211  receives a call  250  from a valued customer  220  via LAN  240 , gateway/router  242  and BE  212  that is destined to retailer  230 , the CCE finds out that the calling number is a registered valued customer and the called number (e.g., a 800 number of a retailer) is a registered retailer. Then CCE  211  communicates with AS  214 , event  251 , and finds out that customer  220  prefers to be view as a valued customer for the retailer  230 ; therefore, CCE  211  retrieves the registered service logic set by retailer  230  and processes the call according to the retrieved service logic. For instance, the retailer  230  prefers to answer all valued customer calls using live attendants  231  immediately instead of using an IVR system, as is the case for regular customers. CCE  211  then translates the called retailer number (e.g., a toll or a toll free number) into a telephone number destined to live attendants and continues the original call setup along with the valued customer&#39;s caller identification (ID), such as the name and the phone number, towards the destined translated phone number as shown in event  252 , e.g., via BE  213 , gateway/router  243  and LAN  241 . Using the transmitted caller ID information, retailer  230  can also verify that caller  220  is indeed a valued customer before the call is answered by a live attendant  231 . If the caller is really a valued customer, based on such as billing status or revenue history, then the call will be answered by a live attendant; otherwise, the call will in turn be forwarded to an IVR system instead. In an alternative embodiment, the retailer  230  can also play pre-recorded messages of special promotions to the verified valued customer caller before a live attendant  231  answers the call. 
         [0024]    In step  310 , the method registers at least one phone number of a retailer that has signed up for the special call handling of valued customers service feature. The at least one number of the registered retailer can be a toll number or a toll free number such as an 800 number. Namely, the retailer is subscribing to this unique service with the service provider so that the retailer has the ability to identify and to handle its valued customers in a different manner. In fact, once registered, the registered retailer may be presented on a list of registered retailers that have special handling logics. In turn, users can opt to be treated as a valued customer by one or more of these registered retailers. 
         [0025]    In step  310 , the method registers at least one phone number of a retailer that has signed up for the special call handling of valued customers service feature. The at least one number of the registered retailer can be a toll number or a toll free number such as an 800 number. Namely, the retailer is subscribing this unique service with the service provider so that the retailer has the ability to identify and to handle its valued customers in a different manner. In fact, once registered, the registered retailer may be presented on a list of registered retailers that have special handling logics. In turn, users can opt to be treated as a valued customer by one or more of these registered retailers. 
         [0026]    In step  320 , the method registers the preferred service logic of the retailers on how a valued customer&#39;s call should be handled by the network. For example, the valued customer&#39;s call can be forwarded to a live attendant. Alternatively, the valued customer&#39;s call is forwarded to an IVR with specialized announcements (e.g., specials, discounts, discount or coupon codes, or private sales) that are made available only to value customers. 
         [0027]    In step  330 , the method registers one or more customers as valued customers of their chosen registered retailers. This registration process may contain two perspectives. In one perspective, each customer can select which registered retailers that should treat him or her as a valued customer. In addition to this perspective, the registered retailers may also have a preference as to who should be treated as their valued customers. For example, customers who want to be valued customers are automatically treated as tier 1 valued customers by a registered retailer. However, if the registered retailer has additional information on a particular customer, e.g., a customer who frequently shops at the retailer, e.g., based on credit card or billing information, then the registered retailer may elevate that particular customer to a tier 2 valued customer and so on. The registered retailer has discretion as to how a valued customer should be handled. Method  300  then ends in step  340 . 
         [0028]      FIG. 4  illustrates a flowchart of a method  400  for special call handling for valued customers of retailers by the CCE. Method  400  starts in step  405  and proceeds to step  410 . 
         [0029]    In step  410 , the method receives a call setup message from a calling endpoint device, e.g., from a registered valued customer, to a registered retailer that the customer has signed up to be viewed as a valued customer. The CCE communicates with the AS to inquire whether the calling endpoint device, i.e., the calling party is associated with a registered valued customer (or accorded a valued customer status) of the called party and whether the called party is a registered retailer. 
         [0030]    In step  420 , if the calling party is a valued customer and the called party is a registered retailer, then the method retrieves and applies the registered service logic set by the called registered retailer. The service logic may include, but is not limited to, translating the called number to a different destination phone number (e.g., a preferred translated destination number) depending on the customer status. For instance, a valued customer call can be forwarded to a phone number answered by live attendants and whereas a regular customer call can be forwarded to another phone number answered by an IVR system. 
         [0031]    In step  430 , the method continues the call setup procedures according to the retrieved service logic to the called registered retailer. Method  400  ends in step  440 . 
         [0032]      FIG. 5  illustrates a flowchart of a method for handling valued customer calls by a registered retailer. Method  500  starts in step  505  and proceeds to step  510 . 
         [0033]    In step  510 , the method receives a call from a valued customer. In step  520 , the method in one embodiment, verifies if the caller is indeed a valued customer by checking customer information including, but not limited to, the customer billing status or revenue history, using the caller ID data. If the customer is a valued customer, the method proceeds to step  530 ; otherwise, the method proceeds to step  540 . 
         [0034]    In step  530 , the method provides enhanced handling of the customer call. For instance, enhanced call handling may include answering the valued customer call using live attendants. 
         [0035]    In step  540 , the method provides normal handling of the customer call. For instance, normal call handling may include answering regular customer calls using an IVR system. The method ends in step  550 . 
         [0036]      FIG. 6  depicts a high level block diagram of a general purpose computer suitable for use in performing the functions described herein. As depicted in  FIG. 6 , the system  600  comprises a processor element  602  (e.g., a CPU), a memory  604 , e.g., random access memory (RAM) and/or read only memory (ROM), a special call handling module  605 , and various input/output devices  606  (e.g., storage devices, including but not limited to, a tape drive, a floppy drive, a hard disk drive or a compact disk drive, a receiver, a transmitter, a speaker, a display, a speech synthesizer, an output port, and a user input device (such as a keyboard, a keypad, a mouse, and the like)). 
         [0037]    It should be noted that the present invention can be implemented in software and/or in a combination of software and hardware, e.g., using application specific integrated circuits (ASIC), a general purpose computer or any other hardware equivalents. In one embodiment, the present special call handling module or process  605  can be loaded into memory  604  and executed by processor  602  to implement the functions as discussed above. As such, the present special call handling process  605  (including associated data structures) of the present invention can be stored on a computer readable medium or carrier, e.g., RAM memory, magnetic or optical drive or diskette and the like. 
         [0038]    While various embodiments have been described above, it should be understood that they have been presented by way of example only, and not limitation. Thus, the breadth and scope of a preferred embodiment should not be limited by any of the above-described exemplary embodiments, but should be defined only in accordance with the following claims and their equivalents.