Automatic information and routing system for telephonic services

In a telephone network, a method of automatically processing a telephone call, comprising the steps of:

• automatically generating a plurality of client tables each client table comprising a plurality of records, each record comprising a spatial key and client information indicative of a geographic location;
• providing a location table for each client table, at least one of said location tables comprising a plurality of records, each record comprising a location identification (ID) and location-specific information;
• storing the client tables, location tables, and a master table comprising a plurality of records, each record comprising a telephone number and a spatial key, in the telephone network;
• receiving a calling telephone number and a dialed telephone number from the network;
• indexing the master table with the received calling telephone number to obtain a master table record;
• retrieving a spatial key from the master table record;
• selecting one of the client tables based on the dialed telephone number;
• indexing the selected client table with the retrieved spatial key to obtain a selected client table record;
• retrieving a location ID from the selected client table record;
• selecting one of the location tables based on the dialed telephone number;
• indexing the selected location table with the retrieved location ID to obtain a selected location table record;
• and
• retrieving client location information from the selected location table record.

An automated call processing system in a telephone network, comprising:

• a switch connected to the telephone network;
• a voice response unit (VRU) connected to the switch;
• a routing computer with a memory connected to the VRU;
• a master file comprising a plurality of records, each record having a telephone number and a spatial key, the master file accessible by the routing computer;
• a plurality of client files, each client file comprising a plurality of records, each record having a spatial key and a client service location identification (ID), the client file accessible by the routing computer, and wherein records are assigned to the client file based upon the service location ID, with respect to a geographic area of substantially any desired shape and size;
• a plurality of service location files, each service location file comprising a plurality of records, each record having a service location ID and service location-specific information;
• means, associated with the VRU, for receiving a caller telephone number and a dialed telephone number from the telephone network;
• means, associated with the VRU, for selecting one of the client files and one of the service location files, based on the dialed telephone number;
• and
• means, associated with the VRU, for linking the master file, the selected client file and the selected service location file to produce selected client information wherein the master file is indexed by the received caller telephone number to provide a selected spatial key, wherein the selected client file is indexed by the selected spatial key to provide a selected service location ID, and wherein the selected service location file is indexed by the selected service location ID to provide location-specific client information.

In a telephone network, an automated call processing method, comprising the steps of:

• receiving a caller-provided telephone number;
• determining a spatial key of the caller-provided telephone number;
• retrieving client service location information corresponding to a selected service location in response to the spatial key, wherein the service location is selected if a location associated with the caller-provided telephone number spatially lies within a service area defined by the client as a geographic configuration of substantially any desired shape and size around the service location;
• communicating the retrieved client service location information to the caller;
• receiving and responding to a caller's service location information request;
• and
• transmitting the retrieved client service location information to the telephone network.

In an automated call processing system, including a master file, a plurality of client files and a plurality of service location files, for a telephone network, a method of call processing, the method comprising the steps of:

• receiving a caller telephone number and a dialed telephone number from the telephone network;
• selecting one of the client files and one of the service location files based on the dialed telephone number;
• and
• linking the master file, the selected client file and the selected service location file to produce selected client information wherein the master file is indexed by the received caller telephone number to provide a selected spatial key, wherein the selected client file is indexed by the selected spatial key to provide a selected service location identification (ID), and
• wherein the selected service location file is indexed by the selected service location ID to provide location-specific client information.

In a telephone network, a method of automatically processing a telephone call, comprising the steps of:

• providing a plurality of client tables, each client table comprising a plurality of records, each record comprising a location identification (ID);
• providing a location table for each client table, at least one of said location tables comprising a plurality of records, each record comprising client location information;
• storing the client tables, location tables, and a master table comprising a plurality of records, each record comprising a spatial key, in the telephone network;
• receiving a calling telephone number and a dialed telephone number from the network;
• indexing the master table with the received calling telephone number to obtain a master table record;
• retrieving a spatial key from the master table record;
• selecting one of the client tables based on the dialed telephone number;
• indexing the selected client table with the retrieved spatial key to obtain a selected client table record;
• retrieving a location ID from the selected client table record;
• selecting one of the location tables based on the dialed telephone number;
• indexing the selected location table with the retrieved location ID to obtain a selected location table record;
• and
• retrieving client location information from the selected location table record.