Customer account online servicing system
DCFirst Claim
1. Apparatus for continually updating information on customer accounts stored in a computer system, comprising:
- a plurality of dialing means connected to a plurality of telephone trunks, each said dialing means being for placing an outgoing call by dialing a predetermined telephone number on a predetermined one of said telephone trunks;
a plurality of call progress monitoring means connected to said plurality of telephone trunks, each said call progress monitoring means being for monitoring the status of a predetermined one of said telephone trunks, said status comprising conditions of ringing, answered, and busy;
a plurality of operator terminals, each operator terminal comprising a data terminal for displaying and inputting information on one of said customer accounts and an audio communications means;
trunk switching means for selectively connecting a selected one of said telephone trunks to a selected one of said audio communications means; and
control means connected to said plurality of dialing means, said plurality of call monitoring means, said data terminals of said plurality of operator terminals, said trunk switching means, and said computer system, for obtaining said information on customer accounts from said computer system extracting a telephone number for at least a selected one of said customer accounts, providing said telephone number as said predetermined telephone number to a selected one of said dialing means, receiving the status of each said outgoing call from said call progress monitoring means and, when a said outgoing call on a said telephone trunk is answered, causing said trunk switching means to connect said telephone trunk to a said audio communications means at an available said operator terminal and providing said information on said selected customer account to said data terminal at said operator terminal, receiving changes on said selected customer account from said data terminal, and providing said changes to said computer system.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method and an apparatus for direct and immediate updating of customer account information, handling inquiries, and initiating communications is disclosed. A mainframe computer (16) contains customer or potential customer account information such as customer name, customer telephone number, customer account code, customer order status, etc. Mainframe computer (16) sends batches of customer account information to a system controller (11) via a data controller (15). System controller (11) directs trunk interface units (10a-10d) to dial the customer'"'"'s telephone number and monitor the status of the outgoing calls. The trunk interface units (10a-10d) advise the system controller (11) when an outgoing call has been answered and, if an operator is available at an operator terminal (12a-12j), the system controller (11) directs a switch (13) to connect the answered trunk (T1-T16) to the available operator terminal and sends abbreviated customer account information to the operator terminal. The operator terminal then requests the full customer account information from the mainframe computer ( 16) via the data controller (15). The operator at the operator terminal 12 then conducts the necessary business with the customer and makes any desired changes in the customer account information in the mainframe computer (16). The changes are sent by the operator terminal (12), via the data controller (15), to the mainframe computer (16) for immediate updating and storage of the updated account information in the main database. The operator at the operator terminal (12) is relieved of the duties of obtaining the telephone number, dialing telephone number, and waiting for the party to answer, and is therefore utilized more efficiently. Furthermore, the customer account information in mainframe computer (16) is continuously updated and made current so that the operator always has the most current customer account information. Also disclosed is a method and an apparatus for processing of incoming calls. Furthermore, a retrofit device is disclosed for use with existing systems.
406 Citations
73 Claims
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1. Apparatus for continually updating information on customer accounts stored in a computer system, comprising:
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a plurality of dialing means connected to a plurality of telephone trunks, each said dialing means being for placing an outgoing call by dialing a predetermined telephone number on a predetermined one of said telephone trunks; a plurality of call progress monitoring means connected to said plurality of telephone trunks, each said call progress monitoring means being for monitoring the status of a predetermined one of said telephone trunks, said status comprising conditions of ringing, answered, and busy; a plurality of operator terminals, each operator terminal comprising a data terminal for displaying and inputting information on one of said customer accounts and an audio communications means; trunk switching means for selectively connecting a selected one of said telephone trunks to a selected one of said audio communications means; and control means connected to said plurality of dialing means, said plurality of call monitoring means, said data terminals of said plurality of operator terminals, said trunk switching means, and said computer system, for obtaining said information on customer accounts from said computer system extracting a telephone number for at least a selected one of said customer accounts, providing said telephone number as said predetermined telephone number to a selected one of said dialing means, receiving the status of each said outgoing call from said call progress monitoring means and, when a said outgoing call on a said telephone trunk is answered, causing said trunk switching means to connect said telephone trunk to a said audio communications means at an available said operator terminal and providing said information on said selected customer account to said data terminal at said operator terminal, receiving changes on said selected customer account from said data terminal, and providing said changes to said computer system. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method for online updating of a plurality of data associated with a corresponding plurality of customer accounts contained in an information storage system, comprising the steps of:
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(a) obtaining said data on a selected one of said customer accounts from said information storage system; (b) extracting a customer telephone number from said data on said selected one of said customer accounts; (c) seizing a selected trunk of a plurality of telephone trunks; (d) placing an outgoing call by causing said customer telephone number to be dialed on said selected trunk; (e) monitoring said selected trunk to determine if said outgoing call has been answered; (f) if said outgoing call has been answered then; (i) placing a message on said selected trunk; (ii) monitoring said selected trunk for a response to said message; (iii) determining whether said response to said message indicates operator assistance is required; (iv) if said operator assistance is required then; (A) connecting said selected trunk to a selected one of a plurality of operator audio communications devices; (B) sending at least a predetermined portion of said data on said selected one of said customer accounts to a selected one of a plurality of operator data terminals; (C) providing data entries made at said selected one of said operator data terminals to said information storage system; and (D) causing said information storage system to update said data for said selected one of said customer accounts by incorporating said data entries into said data for said selected one of said customer accounts;
or(v) if said operator assistance is not required then; (A) providing said response to said information storage system; and (B) causing said information storage system to update said data for said selected one of said customer accounts by incorporating said response into said data for said selected one of said customer accounts;
or(g) if said outgoing call has not been answered then releasing said selected trunk. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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29. Apparatus for online updating of data on customer accounts contained in an information storage system, comprising:
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dialing means for placing an outgoing call by dialing a telephone number on a telephone trunk; call progress monitoring means connected to said telephone trunk for monitoring said telephone trunk and providing a status on said telephone trunk; an operator terminal comprising a data terminal and an audio communications means; trunk switching means for selectively connecting said telephone trunk to said audio communications means; control means for obtaining said data on at least one said customer account from said information storage system, extracting a customer telephone number from said data for a selected said customer account, providing said customer telephone number to said dialing means monitoring said status of said telephone trunk and, if said outgoing call is answered, causing said trunk switching means to connect said telephone trunk to said audio communications means, and providing at least a predetermined portion of said data on said selected said customer account to said data terminal; whereby said data terminal provides data entries made at said data terminal to said information storage system; and said information storage system updates said data for said selected said customer account by incorporating said data entries into said data for said selected said customer account. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41)
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42. Apparatus for online updating of data on customer accounts contained in an information storage system, comprising:
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an operator terminal comprising a data terminal and an audio communications means; trunk switching means for selectively connecting a telephone trunk to said audio communications means; incoming call detection means for providing a ring detect signal when an incoming call occurs on said telephone trunk; automatic number identification (ANI) decoder means responsive to predetermined signals on said telephone trunk for providing a calling party telephone number; control means responsive to said ring detect signal for causing said trunk switching means to connect said telephone trunk to said audio communications means, and responsive to said calling party telephone number for causing said information storage system to provide to said data terminal said data on a selected said customer account which has a said customer telephone number corresponding to said calling party telephone number; whereby said data terminal provides data entries made at said data terminal to said information storage system; and said information storage system updates said data for said selected said customer account by incorporating said data entries into said data for said customer account. - View Dependent Claims (43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52)
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53. Apparatus for online updating of data on customer accounts contained in an information storage system, comprising:
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an operator terminal comprising a data terminal and an audio communications means; trunk switching means for selectively connecting a telephone trunk to said audio communications means; incoming call detection means for providing a ring detect signal when an incoming call occurs on said telephone trunk; message player means for placing a predetermined message on said telephone trunk for prompting a calling party to provide a response; decoder means responsive to signals placed on said telephone trunk by said calling party for providing a decoded response; and control means responsive to said ring detect signal for causing said message player means to place a first predetermined said message on said telephone trunk, and responsive to said decoded response for determining whether assistance from an operator is required; wherein, if said assistance is required, said control means causes said trunk switching means to connect said telephone trunk to said audio communications means, whereby said data terminal provides data entries made at said data terminal by said operator to said information storage system, and said information storage system updates said data for said customer account of said calling party by incorporating said data entries into said data for said customer account; and if said assistance is not required, said control means provides said decoded response as data entries to said information storage system, said information storage system updates said data for said customer account by incorporating said data entries into said data for said customer account, and said control means causes said message player means to place a next predetermined message on said telephone trunk. - View Dependent Claims (54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64)
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65. In an automated telephone calling system characterized by
first means for storing, retrieving, and processing data on a plurality of accounts, second means for initiating outgoing calls on a plurality of telephone trunks, third means for providing telephone numbers, corresponding to said accounts, to said second means, fourth means for detecting an answer of a said outgoing call, fifth means for selectively connecting a particular said telephone trunk to a particular one of a plurality of audio communications means, and a plurality of data terminals for sending and receiving said data, each of said data terminals being associated with a corresponding audio communications means, each said data terminal being characterized by a keyboard for providing data entries and a display; - the improvement to a said data terminal, comprising;
first interface means for allowing said data terminal to receive at least a first predetermined portion of said data on a selected one of said accounts from said third means; and second interface means for allowing said data terminal to receive at least a second predetermined portion of said data from said first means and to send said data entries to said first means. - View Dependent Claims (66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73)
- the improvement to a said data terminal, comprising;
Specification