Techniques For Telephony-Based Voting

摘要

A telephone network voting system receives telephone ballots cast by voters by dialing a telephone number. The telephone number is dialed by voters spread over a large geographic area. The voting calls are routed to points of presence local to or otherwise identified with the caller by using the caller's ANI or other originating number identification. The points of presence then accumulate votes and periodically forward tallies to a centralized location over a data network. Instructions may be transmitted from the centralized location to the points of presence.

主权项

1. A method, comprising:
periodically receiving a tally of ballots through a communications network from a forwarding local point of presence of a plurality of local points of presence within the communications network, the tally being a count of voting calls received by the forwarding local point of presence via the communications network, the voting calls being routed from call originating switches to the forwarding local point of presence based on a selection of the forwarding local point of presence from the plurality of local points of presence using a vote routing criterion associated with each of the voting calls.