Geographically mapped telephone routing method and system

Abstract

A method and system for direct routing of telephone calls made by a caller originating from within specific calling areas to one of a plurality of locations of a second party according to certain criteria established by the second party. This routing is accomplished based on the assignment of latitude and longitude coordinates to a potential caller's location. Once these coordinates are assigned to each of the potential callers, the second party's criteria is applied to assign the potential caller to a second party. Such criteria could be existence within a previously-defined geographic area, a custom defined geographic area, or through calculations such as the shortest distance between coordinate points. Once all such assignments have been made, a database is assembled to be used by a long distance carrier for direct routing of telephone calls from callers to an assigned second party.

I claim: 
     
       1. A system for direct routing a telephone call from a first party who has an originating telephone number at a specific location defined by latitude and longitude coordinates who dials a telephone number including digits uniquely characteristic to a second party having a plurality of service locations, said system comprising: means for allocating individual latitude and longitude coordinates to each originating telephone number of all potential first parties;   means for defining the boundaries of one or more geographical areas which can be of any size and shape according to predetermined criteria, each point along said boundaries being defined by latitude and longitude coordinates;   means for assigning to each originating telephone number of said potential first parties a telephone number of a service location of a second party that will receive calls originating from within the boundary of a geographic area defined by said means for defining in which the individual latitude and longitude coordinates of the specific location of each of said potential first parties lie;   means for determining the originating telephone number of the first party from which said telephone call is to be routed; and   direct routing means for direct routing said telephone call to a service location of the second party assigned to said originating telephone number of the first party by said means for assigning.   
     
     
       2. The system of claim 1 wherein said means for allocating, defining and assigning are comprised by a database. 
     
     
       3. The system of claim 2 wherein said database resides at a long distance telephone service provider. 
     
     
       4. The system of claim 3 wherein said long distance telephone service provider has equipment capable of accommodating 800-type telephone traffic. 
     
     
       5. The system of claim 4 wherein said telephone number including digits uniquely characteristic to the second party is an 800-type telephone number. 
     
     
       6. The system of claim 1 wherein said predetermined criteria is defined by the second party. 
     
     
       7. The system of claim 1 wherein the latitude and longitude coordinates of the specific location of the first party define the street address of the first party. 
     
     
       8. The system of claim 1 wherein said telephone number including digits uniquely characteristic to the second party comprises one of an 800, 900 or special access code telephone number. 
     
     
       9. A method for direct routing a telephone call from a first party who has an originating telephone number at a specific location defined by latitude and longitude coordinates who dials a telephone number including digits uniquely characteristic to a second party having a plurality of service locations, said method comprising the steps of: allocating individual latitude and longitude coordinates to each originating telephone number of all potential first parties;   defining the boundaries of one or more geographical areas which can be of any size and shape according to predetermined criteria, each point along said boundaries being defined by latitude and longitude coordinates;   assigning to each originating telephone number of said potential first . .panics.!. .Iadd.parties .Iaddend.of a service parties location of a second party that receive calls originating from within the boundary of a geographic area defined in said step of defining in which the individual latitude and longitude coordinates of the specific location of each of said potential first parties lie;   determining the originating telephone number of the first party from which said telephone call is to be routed; and   directly routing said telephone call to a service location of the second party assigned to said originating telephone number of the first party by said step of assigning.   
     
     
       10. The method of claim 9 wherein said steps of allocating, defining and assigning are performed in a database. 
     
     
       11. The method of claim 10 wherein said database resides at a long distance telephone service provider. 
     
     
       12. The method of claim 11 wherein said long distance telephone service provider has equipment capable of accommodating 800-type telephone traffic. 
     
     
       13. The method of claim 12 wherein said telephone number including digits uniquely characteristic to the second party is an 800-type telephone number. 
     
     
       14. The method of claim 9 wherein said predetermined criteria is defined by the second party. 
     
     
       15. The method of claim 9 wherein the latitude and longitude coordinates of the specific location of the first party define the street address of the first party. 
     
     
       16. The method of claim 9 wherein said telephone number including digits uniquely characteristic to the second party comprises one of an 800, 900 or special access code telephone number. .Iadd. 
     
     
       17.  A system for direct routing a telephone call from a first party who has an originating telephone number at a physical location and who dials a telephone number including digits uniquely characteristic to a second party having a plurality of service locations, said system comprising: means for allocating latitude and longitude coordinates to the physical location of all potential first parties;   means for defining the boundaries of one or more geographical areas which can be of any size and shape according to predetermined criteria, each point along said boundaries being defined by latitude and longitude coordinates;   means for assigning to the physical location of said potential first parties a telephone number of a service location of a second party that will receive calls originating from within the boundary of a geographic area in which the latitude and longitude coordinates of the physical location of each of said potential first parties lie;   means for determining the originating telephone number of the first party from which said telephone call is to be routed; and   direct routing means for directly routing said telephone call to a service location of the second party assigned to said originating telephone number of the first party by said means for assigning..Iaddend..Iadd.   
     
     
       18.  The system of claim 17 wherein the physical location is defined by a street address..Iaddend..Iadd.19. The system of claim 17 wherein the physical location is defined by a ZIP+4 code..Iaddend..Iadd.20. The system of claim 17 wherein the physical location is defined by a ZIP code..Iaddend..Iadd.21. The system of claim 17 wherein the physical location is defined by a city..Iaddend..Iadd.22. The system of claim 17, 18, 19, 20 or 21 wherein said one or more geographical areas is defined by a ZIP code..Iaddend..Iadd.23. The system of claim 17, 18, 19, 20 or 21 wherein said one or more geographical areas is defined by a plurality of highways..Iaddend..Iadd.24. The system of claim 17, 18, 19, 20 or 21 wherein said one or more geographical areas is defined by a designated response zone..Iaddend..Iadd.25. The system of claim 17, 18, 19, 20 or 21 wherein said one or more geographical areas is defined by a metropolitan statistical area..Iaddend..Iadd.26. The system of claim 17, 18, 19, 20 or 21 wherein said one or more geographical areas is defined by a congressional district..Iaddend..Iadd.27. The system of claim 17, 18, 19, 20 or 21 wherein said one or more geographical areas is defined by an area 
     
     
        of demographic influence..Iaddend..Iadd.28.  The system of claim 17 wherein the originating telephone number is that of a non-stationary telephone, such as a mobile, cellular or transportable telephone..Iaddend..Iadd.29. A method for direct routing a telephone call from a first party who has an originating telephone number at a physical location and who dials a telephone number including digits uniquely characteristic to a second party having a plurality of service locations, said method comprising the steps of: allocating latitude and longitude coordinates to the physical location of all potential first parties;   defining the boundaries of one or more geographical areas which can be of any size and shape according to predetermined criteria, each point along said boundaries being defined by latitude and longitude coordinates;   assigning to the physical location of said potential first parties a telephone number of a service location of a second party that will receive calls originating from within the boundary of a geographic area in which the latitude and longitude coordinates of the physical location of each of said potential first parties lie;   determining the originating telephone number of the first party from which said telephone call is to be routed; and   directly routing said telephone call to a service location of the second party assigned to said originating telephone number of the first party by   
     
     
        said step of assigning..Iaddend..Iadd.30.  The method of claim 29 wherein the physical location is defined by a street address..Iaddend..Iadd.31. The method of claim 29 wherein the physical location is defined by a ZIP+4 code..Iaddend..Iadd.32. The method of claim 29 wherein the physical location is defined by a ZIP code..Iaddend..Iadd.33. The method of claim 29 wherein the physical location is defined by a city..Iaddend..Iadd.34. The method of claim 29, 30, 31, 32 or 33 wherein said one or more geographical areas is defined by a ZIP code..Iaddend..Iadd.35. The method of claim 29, 30, 31, 32 or 33 wherein said one or more geographical areas is defined by a plurality of highways..Iaddend..Iadd.36. The method of claim 29, 30, 31, 32 or 33 wherein said one or more geographical areas is defined by a designated response zone..Iaddend..Iadd.37. The method of claim 29, 30, 31, 32 or 33 wherein said one or more geographical areas is defined by a metropolitan statistical area..Iaddend..Iadd.38. The method of claim 29, 30, 31, 32 or 33 wherein said one or more geographical areas is defined by a congressional district..Iaddend..Iadd.39. The method of claim 29, 30, 31, 32 or 33 wherein said one or more geographical areas is 
     
     
        defined by an area of demographic influence..Iaddend..Iadd.40.  The method of claim 29 wherein the originating telephone number is non-stationary telephone, such as a mobile, cellular or transportable telephone..Iaddend..Iadd.41. A method of constructing a database wherein said database is used by a telephone service provider for direct routing a telephone call from a first party who has an originating telephone number at a physical location and who dials one of an 800-type, 900-type or other special access code telephone number assigned to a second party, who has determined specific locations to receive calls originating from within pre-determined geographic areas, thereby allowing the first party to reach one of a plurality of locations of the second party based on geographic location from which the telephone call originate from within one of a plurality of geographic areas, said method comprising the steps of: (a) assigning individual latitude and longitude coordinates to the physical location of all potential first parties;   (b) defining the boundaries of one or more geographic areas which can be of any size and shape according to predetermined criteria each point along said boundaries being defined by latitude and longitude coordinates; and   (c) assigning to the physical location of said potential first parties a telephone number of a service location of a second party that will receive calls originating from within the boundary of a geographic territory in which the latitude and longitude coordinates of the physical location of each of said potential first parties lies..Iaddend..Iadd.42. The method of claim 41 wherein step (a) comprises the steps of:   (i) determining a street address of the physical location of each potential first party;   (ii) determining the latitude and longitude coordinates of the street address of each potential first party; and   (iii) correlating the latitude and longitude coordinates of each street address to the telephone number of each potential first party..Iaddend..Iadd.43. The method of claim 41 wherein step (a) comprises the steps of:   (i) determining a ZIP+4 code of the physical location of each potential first party:   (ii) determining the latitude and longitude coordinates of said ZIP+4 code; and   (iii) correlating the latitude and longitude coordinates of each ZIP+4 code to the telephone number of each potential first party..Iaddend..Iadd.44. The method of claim 41 wherein step (a) comprises the steps of:   (i) determining a ZIP code of the physical location of each potential first party;   (ii) determining the latitude and longitude coordinates of the ZIP code of each potential first party; and   (iii) correlating the latitude and longitude coordinates of each ZIP code   
     
     
        to the telephone number of each potential first party..Iaddend..Iadd.45. The method of claim 41 wherein step (a) comprises the steps of: (i) determining a city of the physical location of each potential first party;   (ii) determining the latitude and longitude coordinates of the city of each potential first party; and   (iii) correlating the latitude and longitude coordinates of each city to the telephone number of each potential first party..Iaddend..Iadd.46. The method of claim 41, 42, 43, 44 or 45 wherein said one or more geographical areas is defined by a ZIP code..Iaddend..Iadd.47. The method of claim 41, 42, 43, 44 or 45 wherein said one or more geographical areas is defined by a plurality of highways..Iaddend..Iadd.48. The method of claim 41, 42, 43, 44 or 45 wherein said one or more geographical areas is defined by a designated response zone..Iaddend..Iadd.49. The method of claim 41, 42, 43, 44 or 45 wherein said one or more geographical areas is defined by a metropolitan statistical area..Iaddend..Iadd.50. The method of claim 41, 42, 43, 44 or 45 wherein said one or more geographical areas is defined by a congressional district..Iaddend..Iadd.51. The method of claim 41, 42, 43, 44 or 45 wherein said one or more geographical areas is defined by an area of demographic influence..Iaddend..Iadd.52. The method of claim 41 wherein the originating telephone number is non-stationary telephone, such as a mobile, cellular or transportable telephone..Iaddend.