In certain forms of communication, the party being contacted (the “Target”) may have the opportunity to know information about the party attempting to originate a communication (the “Originator”) before the Target interacts with the Originator. Two notable forms of communication where this is true are telephone and e-mail. In each of those forms of communication, the Target may learn some information about the Originator, such as the Originator's telephone number or email address, before the Target agrees to accept data or create a two-way communication, i.e. a conversation. The information the Target receives may also be used to allow the Target to identify or contact the Originator.
When an Originator, such as a telemarketing firm, wishes to contact a Target, such as an individual, via telephone, the Originator may insert into the caller ID field a telephone number where the Originator may be contacted. When making a call, the Originator inserts a telephone number used at the location from which the call originated, e.g. a call center. However, the Originator may call a Target in an area distant from the Originator. As a result, if the Target wishes to call back the Originator at the telephone number listed, e.g. to be put on a Do Not Call List (DNC) or to receive other information, the Target may have to pay long distance charges to do so. However, the Originator may operate telephone numbers that are a local call from the Target, or are at least closer to the Target, and therefore less expensive to call, than the Originator's telephone number that appears on the Target's caller ID.
Therefore, it would be desirable to implement a system to modify a communication from an Originator to provide a callback number or other contact information to the Target that may be closer to or local to the Target, in order to reduce or eliminate the payment of long distance toll charges in the event the Target dials the callback number.
USPTO Backgrounds
USPTO Backgrounds