DIALED STRING MATCHING AND CALL COST MINIMIZATION IN DIAL PLAN

摘要

A method for processing dialed outgoing calls in a contact center includes a method for matching a dialed string and a method for translating the dialed string. A method for matching includes identifying a set of available number categories based on a calling profile with which the dialing agent device is configured, matching the dialed string against each of a set of patterns in each of the categories, and translating the dialed string according to the category, if any category matches and if no blocked category matches the dialed string. The number may then be translated to a translated number including a PSTN telephone number and routing characters specifying how the call is to be routed from an IP network to the PSTN. The routing may be selected to minimize the cost of the call.

主权项

1. A method for generating a translated number from a dialed string corresponding to a call dialed at an agent device, comprising:
identifying, by a server executing on a computing device, one or more available categories associated with the agent device, each available category being either an available blocked category or an available unblocked category, each available category containing one or more patterns; translating the number in response to the dialed string matching at least one pattern in an available unblocked category and matching no patterns in an available blocked category, or denying the call in response to the dialed string not matching a pattern in any available unblocked category or matching at least one pattern in an available blocked category; wherein the translating of the number comprises:
identifying one or more gateways for routing the call from an origin on an Internet Protocol (IP) network to a destination, identified by the dialed string, on a public switched telephone network (PSTN);calculating the cost of routing the call through each of the gateways;identifying the gateway with the lowest cost as the preferred gateway; andforming the translated number by combining an identifier for the preferred gateway with the dialed string.