Information storage system

• US 20030092430A1
• Filed: 11/05/2002
• Published: 05/15/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 11/05/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke KPN NV
• Inventors: Aasman, Jannes, Kardol, Johannes Jan, Kalberg, Robertus Johannes Nicolaas
• Granted Patent: US 7,328,005 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/414.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99953 Recoverability

Abstract

Method and customer information system with a processor and memory, from which information is retrievable, whereby such system:

can communicate with several remote data sources;

can import from those several data sources several data streams, which may have a different data format in each instance;

can convert the several data streams to unified data streams with a unified data format;

can store the unified data streams in the memory;

can import updated data at predetermined times from the associated external data source.

Claims

1. Information storage system for providing information to customers, comprising at least one user interface plus memory for storing information, via which user interface data can be read out from the memory, wherein the information storage system is provided with a data entry interface provided with several import interfaces suitable for receiving data, which can have a different data format in each instance, from an associated external data source and for converting them to unified data streams with a unified data format, and storing the unified data streams in the memory, each of the import interfaces being suitable for importing updated data at predetermined times from the associated external data source.

2. Information storage system according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined times are such that at any one time only one of the import interfaces can import updated data from the associated external data source.

3. Information storage system according to claim 1, wherein the at least one user interface includes an operator processor, and also entry devices, by means of which an operator can retrieve information stored in the memory in response to a query from a customer, and also a monitor to display retrieved information.

4. Information storage system according to claim 1, wherein the unified data format uses ASCII files.

5. Information storage system according to claim 4, wherein the ASCII files contain predefined fields that are separated by a tab character.

6. Information storage system according to claim 1, wherein each import interface is suitable for receiving data from one predetermined external data source.

7. Information storage system according to claim 1, wherein the information storage system includes further memory that contain personalised information about customers.

8. Information storage system according to claim 7, wherein it is suitable for automatically recognising the identity of a telecommunications station of a customer and, on that basis, reading out the personalised information of the customer from the further memory.

9. Information storage system according to claim 1, wherein a further interface is situated between the memory and the at least one user interface, to which at least one of the following interfaces is connected:

a WAP interface, an SMS interface, a Web interface and a fax interface via which access can also be obtained to the memory.

10. Information storage system according to claim 1, wherein it additionally includes a telephony server, which is provided with a telephony server memory, whereby audio data received from one of the external sources are stored in the telephony server memory.

11. Information storage system for providing information to customers, comprising at least one user interface plus memory for storing information, via which user interface data can be read out from the memory, wherein the information storage system is provided with a data entry interface suitable for receiving data, which can have a different data format in each instance, from an associated external data source and for converting them to unified data streams with a unified data format, and storing the unified data streams in the memory, the information storage system being additionally provided with an online services interface for establishing a communications line between the operator processor and online telecommunications services.

12. Method for providing information to customers by means of an information storage system, such information storage system comprising:

at least one user interface plus memory for storing information, via which user interface data can be read out from the memory, wherein the method includes the steps of receiving data, which may have a different data format in each instance, from an associated external data source, converting the data to unified data streams with a unified data format, and storing the unified data streams in the memory and importing updated data at predetermined times from the associated external data source.

13. Method for providing information to customers by means of an information storage system, such information storage system comprising:

at least one user interface plus memory for storing information, via which user interface data can be read out from the memory, wherein the method includes the steps of receiving data, which may have a different data format in each instance, from an associated external data source, converting the data to unified data streams with a unified data format, and storing the unified data streams in the memory, and establishing a communications line between the operator processor and online telecommunications services for receiving online data.