Voice-data telephonic interface control system

• US 20040208299A1
• Filed: 05/03/2004
• Published: 10/21/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 07/10/1985
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Ronald A Katz Technology Licensing LP
• Original Assignee: Ronald A Katz Technology Licensing LP
• Inventors: Katz, Ronald A.
• Application Number:
  US10/838,440
• Publication Number:
  US 20040208299A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/114.01
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2003/086 played via telephone, e.g. using a modem
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 11/00 Arrangements, systems or apparatus for checking, e.g. the occurrence of a condition, not provided for elsewhere
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 15/005 with dispensing of lottery tickets
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 15/006 electronically
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/00 Telephonic communication systems specially adapted for combination with other electrical systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/40 using speech recognition speech recognition per se G10L15/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/2016 Call initiation by network rather than by subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/22 Automatic class or number identification arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/36 Statistical metering, e.g. recording occasions when traffic exceeds capacity of trunks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/38 Graded-service arrangements, i.e. some subscribers prevented from establishing certain connections queuing arrangements H04Q3/64
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42042 Notifying the called party of information on the calling party details within substation equipment H04M1/57, signalling details H04Q3/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42059 Making use of the calling party identifier
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/436 Arrangements for screening incoming calls , i.e. evaluating the characteristics of a call before deciding whether to answer it based on the calling party profile H04M3/42059; based on location H04M3/42348; based on presence H04M3/42365; diversion H04M3/54
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/46 Arrangements for calling a number of substations in a predetermined sequence until an answer is obtained
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/493 Interactive information services, e.g. directory enquiries ; Arrangements therefor, e.g. interactive voice response [IVR] systems or voice portals
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/51 Centralised call answering arrangements requiring operator intervention , e.g. call or contact centers for telemarketing
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5166 in combination with interactive voice response systems or voice portals, e.g. as front-ends
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13034 A/D conversion, code compression/expansion
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13072 Sequence circuits for call signaling, ACD systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/1309 Apparatus individually associated with a subscriber line, line circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13091 : CLI, identification of calling line
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13093 : Personal computer, PC
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13095 : PIN / Access code, authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13096 : Digital apparatus individually associated with a subscriber line, digital line circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13097 : Numbering, addressing
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13103 : Memory
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13106 : Microprocessor, CPU
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13107 : Control equipment for a part of the connection, distributed control, co-processing
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/1313 : Metering, billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13141 : Hunting for free outlet, circuit or channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/1316 : Service observation, testing
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13173 : Busy signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13174 : Data transmission, file transfer
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13175 : Graphical user interface [GUI], WWW interface, visual indication
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13178 : Control signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13204 : Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13213 : Counting, timing circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13214 : Clock signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13216 : Code signals, frame structure
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/1322 : PBX
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13256 : Call screening
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/1328 : Call transfer, e.g. in PBX
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/1332 : Logic circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/1333 : Random systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13349 : Network management
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/1337 : Operator, emergency services
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13375 : Electronic mail
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13376 : Information service, downloading of information, 0800/0900 services
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13377 : Recorded announcement
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13405 : Dual frequency signaling, DTMF
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/002 : Details
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/54533 : Configuration data, translation, passwords, databases
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/5455 : Multi-processor, parallelism, distributed systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/54591 : Supervision, e.g. fault localisation, traffic measurements, avoiding errors, failure recovery, monitoring, statistical analysis
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/665 : Circuit arrangements therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/72 : Finding out and indicating number of calling subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/74 : Identification of subscriber calling from a party-line

Abstract

In an audio-digital telephone interface system, selective operation prompts a caller with oral instructions to provide: digital control signals, digital data signals (numeric) or audio signals. Inbound and outbound operations are involved and inbound callers are qualified as by automatic number identification (ANI) signals and consumable key operation. A data cell is loaded in accordance with an operating program and the resulting data packet is flagged depending on the presence of audio signals. Data packets are returned to storage, as for subsequent addressing to call up, as to process or cue a caller. The illustrative format receives and organizes order data for goods or services or to isolate a subset or a sub-subset of callers.

Claims

1-21. -21. (Canceled)

22. A voice-data control system for implementing operations in accordance with an interface format, the voice-data control system for use with a communication facility including remote terminals for individual callers, wherein the remote terminals include a voice communication structure for providing audio response signals and a digital input structure for providing digital response signals, the voice-data control system comprising:

interface structure for receiving signals relating to the remote terminals, including digital control signals, digital data signals, and audio signals encoded in a digital format wherein the interface structure further receives caller credit card expiration data signals as part of the digital data signals;

testing structure coupled to the interface structure, for testing caller data for the individual callers at the remote terminals for billing identification as provided by certain of the digital data signals, the caller data comprising credit card number data for testing for billing purposes;

memory structure coupled to the interface structure and the testing structure for storing other data from the individual callers received in the form of signals including both the digital data signals and the audio signals wherein the other data includes audio data;

coupling structure for coupling a coupled terminal to the memory structure wherein the memory structure is addressed to provide the other data including at least the audio data to the coupled terminal;

displaying at least a part of the caller data entered by the individual callers and the other data for the individual callers at the coupled terminal; and

processing structure for processing calls from said remote terminals to a specific format in accordance with the digital control signals.

23. A voice-data control system according to claim 22, wherein the credit card expiration data signals are entered by the caller via the digital input structure.

24. A voice-data control system according to claim 22, wherein the interface structure receives calling number identification data signals provided automatically from the communication facility and wherein the processing structure utilizes the calling number identification data signals to control certain processing operations based on a limit on use.

25. A method according to claim 22, wherein the coupled terminal is a remote terminal.

26. A voice-data control system for implementing operations in accordance with an interface format, said voice-data control system for use with a communication facility including remote terminals for individual callers, wherein said remote terminals include a voice communication structure for providing audio response signals and a digital input structure for providing digital response signals, said voice-data control system comprising:

interface structure for receiving signals relating to said remote terminals, including digital control signals, digital data signals, and audio signals encoded in a digital format;

testing structure coupled to said interface structure, for testing caller data for said individual callers at said remote terminals for billing identification as provided by certain of said digital data signals, said caller data comprising credit card number data for testing for billing purposes;

memory structure coupled to said interface structure and said testing structure for storing other data from said individual callers received in the form of signals including both said digital data signals and said audio signals wherein a coupled terminal is connected to said memory structure wherein said memory structure is addressed to provide said other data including at least said audio data to said coupled terminal;

processing structure for processing calls from said remote terminals to a specific one of a multiple configuration of formats in accordance with said digital control signals;

coupling structure for coupling calls via an autodialer to a remote terminal; and

a transfer structure to transfer calls to a live operator to facilitate completion of a call wherein at least certain data entered by a caller is displayed to the live operator.

27. A method according to claim 26, further comprising the steps of:

receiving calling number identification data signals automatically provided by the communication facility.

28. A method according to claim 27, wherein at least certain of calling number identification data automatically provided by said communication facility is also displayed to said live operator.

29. A method according to claim 27, further comprising the step of:

utilizing at least certain of said calling number identification data to control at least part of voice-data communications operations.

30. A method according to claim 27, wherein at least certain of said calling number identification data is utilized to preclude access to at least certain operations performed by an audio response unit.

31. A method according to claim 26, wherein a test based on a limited amount of use is specified, which controls voice-data communications based upon a specified limited amount of use available to said individual callers.

32. A method according to claim 31, wherein said specified limited amount of use includes incrementing to said amount of use.

33. A method according to claim 31, wherein said specified limited amount of use is one.

34. A method according to claim 26, further comprising the step of:

receiving caller credit card expiration data signals as part of said digital data signals.

35. A voice-data control system for implementing operations in accordance with an interface format, said voice-data control system for use with a communication facility including remote terminals for individual callers, wherein said remote terminals include a voice communication structure for providing audio response signals and a digital input structure for providing digital response signals, said voice-data control system comprising:

interface structure for receiving signals relating to either said remote terminals or callers at said remote terminals or both, including at least part of calling number identification signals automatically provided by said communication facility, as well as other signals that serve as either digital control signals or digital data signals, wherein said digital data signals include signals indicative of caller customer number data and caller credit card number data and expiration date data;

memory structure coupled to said interface structure for storing order data associated with said caller customer number data or said credit card number data or both to update caller records;

control structure coupled to said interface structure and said memory structure for controlling at least certain of said operations in accordance with said interface format under control of at least certain of said calling number identification signals; and

processing structure for subsequently processing after the instant call is terminated at least certain of said signals relating to at least certain of callers at said remote terminals.

36. A voice-data control system according to claim 35, wherein said processing structure isolates a subset of callers based at least in part on comparison of at least certain of said response signals with external data.

37. A voice-data control system according to claim 36, wherein said external data is indicative of caller sequence.

38. A voice-data control system according to claim 35, further comprising:

test structure for testing said responsive signals for a limit on use.

39. A voice-data control system according to claim 38, wherein said limit on use specifies limited amounts of use.

40. A voice-data control system according to claim 38, wherein said test structure tests at least certain of said calling number identification data signals to determine if said limit on use is reached for at least certain callers.

41. A voice-data control system according to claim 38, wherein said test structure tests said caller customer number data to determine if already of record in said memory structure.

42. A voice-data control system according to claim 35, wherein said interface structure receives said caller customer number data entered by a particular caller and receives said caller credit card number data from a different caller.

43. A voice-data control system according to claim 35, wherein said processing structure subsequently processes signals to perform operations including an operation to place related calls.

44. A voice-data control system according to claim 43, wherein said processing structure includes an autodialer to automatically place said related calls.

45. A voice-data control system according to claim 35, wherein said credit card number data is used for billing callers.

46. A voice-data control system according to claim 35, further comprising:

transfer structure for transferring calls from callers to an operator attended terminal.

47. A voice-data control system according to claim 46, further comprising:

display structure at said operator attended terminal to display data entered by callers to an operator.

48. A voice-data control system according to claim 35, wherein said processing structure subsequently processes signals to perform operations including operations to store and retrieve individual caller data, including said audio signals for reproducing caller voice data at a remote terminal.

49. A voice-data control system according to claim 35, further comprising:

automatic call distributors coupled to said interface structure for receiving said calling number identification signals automatically provided by said communication facility.

50. A voice-data control system according to claim 35, wherein said interface format executes a service operation.

51. A voice-data control system according to claim 35, wherein said caller customer number data is used for billing purposes.