Method and apparatus for dispatching services
First Claim
1. A system for dispatching services, comprising:
- (a) means for receiving alarm signals from a plurality of remote sites;
(b) a database of resources for providing said services designated for each of said sites;
(c) control means responsive to said receiving means for;
(c1) identifying a particular site in response to an alarm signal from said particular site;
(c2) accessing said database to determine an ordered list of resources designated for said particular site;
(c3) sequentially attempting to establish, in said order, communications with said resources designated for said particular site;
(c4) cyclically repeating step (c3) until communications are established with one of said resources designated for said particular site, or until operation is otherwise terminated.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method and system for the dispatch of resources to remote sites in response to alarm signals. A preferred embodiment particularly relates to a system for the dispatch of field service engineers to a plurality of remote sites in response to fault conditions detected in systems for the storage and retrieval of voice signals. A processor accesses a database of field service engineers designated to provide services to particular remote sites in response to alarm signals received from those sites and then attempts to establish a telephone connection with the field service engineer. Once communication is established, the processor provides the field service engineer with information by means of synthetic voice messages. In a preferred embodiment of the subject invention, the system may also execute remote diagnostic programs and where the results of the diagnostic programs are not within predetermined limits, the system will again attempt to contact a field service engineer.
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Citations
45 Claims
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1. A system for dispatching services, comprising:
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(a) means for receiving alarm signals from a plurality of remote sites; (b) a database of resources for providing said services designated for each of said sites; (c) control means responsive to said receiving means for; (c1) identifying a particular site in response to an alarm signal from said particular site; (c2) accessing said database to determine an ordered list of resources designated for said particular site; (c3) sequentially attempting to establish, in said order, communications with said resources designated for said particular site; (c4) cyclically repeating step (c3) until communications are established with one of said resources designated for said particular site, or until operation is otherwise terminated. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. A system for dispatching services, comprising:
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(a) a database of resources designated for providing services for each of a plurality of remote sites, (b) control means for; (b1) running a remote diagnostic program for a device located at one of said remote sites; (b2) determining if the results of said program are within predetermined acceptable limits; and
if said results are not within said limits,(b3) accessing said database to determine an ordered list of resources designated for said one site; (b4) sequentially attempting to establish, in said order, communications with said resources designated for said one site, (b5) cyclically repeating step (b4) until communications are established with one of said resources designated for said one site, or operation is otherwise terminated. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
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35. A method for dispatching resources for providing services to a plurality of remote sites comprising the steps of:
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(a) determining the total of available resources; (b) establishing a database designating, in a predetermined priority order, resources for providing service to each of said remote sites; (c) responding to alarm signals received from one of said remote sites to determine which of said resources are designated for said one site; (d) sequentially attempting to establish, in said order, communications with said resources designated for said one site; and
,(e) repeating step (d) until communications are successfully established with one of said resources designated for said one site, or until operation is otherwise terminated in response to a predetermined event. - View Dependent Claims (36)
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37. A method for dispatching resources for providing services to a plurality of remote sites comprising:
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(a) determining the total of available resources; (b) establishing a database designating, in predetermined priority order, resources for providing service to each of said remote sites; (c) running a remote diagnostic program for a device located at one of said remote sites; (d) determining if the results of said program are within predetermined acceptable limits; and
if said results are not within said limits;(e) sequentially attempting to establish communications, in said order, with said resources designated for said one site; (f) cyclically repeating step (e) until communications are established with one of said resources designated for said one site, or operations, are otherwise terminated. - View Dependent Claims (38, 39, 40, 41, 42)
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43. A method of testing a system for storage and retrieval of audio signals comprising the steps of:
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(a) inputting first DTMF signals to said system to access said system for storage of audio signals; (b) inputting a predetermined audio signal to said system for storage, said predetermined audio signal comprising a predetermined sequence of modified DTMF tone; (c) inputting second DTMF tone to said system to access said system to retrieve said audio signal stored in step (b); and (d) comparing said audio signal retrieved in step (d) with said predetermined sequence of modified DTMF tones. - View Dependent Claims (44, 45)
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Specification