Telephone call processor with select call routing

• US 5,109,404 A
• Filed: 05/24/1990
• Issued: 04/28/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 07/10/1985
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Ronald A Katz Technology Licensing LP
• Original Assignee: First Data Resources Incorporated (Fiserv Incorporated)
• Inventors: Thompson, Thomas D., Katz, Ronald A.
• Primary Examiner(s): BROWN, THOMAS
• Application Number:
  US07/527,979
• Time in Patent Office: 705 Days
• Field of Search: 379/88, 379/89, 379/67, 379/212, 379/214, 379/266, 379/97, 379/265, 379/113
• US Class Current: 379/88.25
• 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: G07C 2011/04 related to queuing systems
• 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 3/42102 Making use of the called 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: 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 2213/1316 : Service observation, testing
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13173 : Busy signals
• 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 2213/1322 : 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 2213/13349 : 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 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

A central processing system interfaces remote terminals through a dial-up telephone facility to complete various communication formats selectively involving either an audio response unit (ARU) or a telecommunications service representative station (TSR station). A substantial number of ARU'"'"'s accommodate many calls simultaneously, executing formats whereby a caller is given voice cues or prompts to input digital data using the telephone keypad. Similarly, a substantial number of TSR stations accommodate calls in various formats with a prompting data display. Calls are selectively allocated to an ARU or a TSR station on the basis of time, call loads and call format. A programmable logic array cooperates with a host computer, load indicators and a clock (time class indicator) to implement a program of call allocation. Accordingly, the structure and process accommodate multiple-port, multiple-format operation.

Claims

1. A call allocation system for use with a multiple format data network including computer means operative with audio-digital processors and attended stations to interface callers ar remote terminals with said audio-digital processors and said attended stations through a dial-up telephone facility, said call allocation system comprising:

front-end means for receiving telephone calls from said remote terminals and including means to provide format signals indicative of call allocations;

load indicator means for indicating current loads of calls from said remote terminals to said audio-digital processors and to said attended stations;

switch means for selectively coupling fresh incoming calls form said remote terminals to an audio-digital processor or an attended station; and

logic means for controlling said switch means in accordance with said format signals and said load indicator means.

2. A system according to claim 1 further including means for selectively coupling said computer means to supply format data to one of said audio-digital processors or one of said attended stations.

3. A system according to claim 1 wherein said load indicator means include means for providing station load signals to indicate the call load with respect to said attended stations.

4. A system according to claim 1 wherein said load indicator means include means for providing processor load signals to indicate the call load with respect to said audio-digital processors.

5. A system according to claim 1 wherein said load indicator means include means for providing station load signals to indicate the call load with respect to said attended stations and processor load signals to indicate the call load with respect to said audio-digital processors.

6. A system according to claim 1 further including time indicator means and wherein said logic means is coupled to said time indicator means to further control said switch means accordingly.

7. A system according to claim 6 further including means for selectively coupling said computer means to supply format data to said audio-digital processors and attended stations.

8. A system according to claim 7 wherein said load indicator means include means for providing station load signals to indicate the call load with respect to said attended stations.

9. A system according to claim 7 wherein said load indicator means include means for providing processor load signals to indicate the call load with respect to said audio-digital processors.

10. A system according to claim 6 wherein said load indicator means include means for providing station load signals to indicate the call load with respect to said attended stations and processor load signals to indicate the call load with respect to said audio-digital processors.

11. A system according to claim 1 wherein said logic means further includes program means for establishing call allocation patterns in accordance with formats of the calls.

12. A system according to claim 11 wherein said program means allocates calls between said audio-digital processors and said attended stations on a ratio basis.

13. A system according to claim 11 wherein said load indicator means include means for providing station load signals to indicate the call load with respect to said attended stations and processor load signals to indicate the call load with respect to said audio-digital processors.

14. A telephone call processor system to interface callers at remote terminals for communication through a dial-up telephone facility, said processor system comprising:

a plurality of audio-response units for interfacing calls from said remote terminals with audio-digital communication according to at least one predetermined format;

a plurality of attended telecommunications stations to afford live operator interface for calls from said remote terminals;

load indicator means for indicating current loads of calls from said remote terminals to said audio-response units and to said attended stations;

switch means for selectively coupling fresh incoming calls from said remote terminals to one of said audio response units or one of said attended stations; and

logic means for controlling said switch means in accordance with said load indicator means.

15. A system according to claim 14 further including computer means for supplying format data to said audio-digital units and said attended telecommunications stations.

16. A system according to claim 15 further including means to receive called format signals from said remote terminals and wherein said logic means further controls said switch means in accordance with said format signals.

17. A system according to claim 16 wherein said load indicator means include means for providing station load signals to indicate the call load with respect to said attended stations.

18. A call allocation process for allocating calls to a multiple format data network including computer means operative with audio-digital processors and attended stations to interface callers at remote terminals with said audio-digital processors and said attended stations through a dial-up telephone facility, said call allocation process comprising:

receiving telephone calls from said remote terminals and formulating format signals indicative of a specific format sought by each of said callers;

sensing the call loads on said audio-digital processors and on said attended stations to provide call load signals; and

selectively allocating calls to one of said processors or one of said stations in accordance with said format signals and said call load signals.

19. A process according to claim 18 further including a step of allocating calls with respect to time.

20. A process according to claim 18 further including a step of providing format control signals to said audio-digital processors and attended stations in accordance with said step of allocating calls.