Interactive telephone operator terminal
First Claim
1. A system for controlling telephone operator terminals, comprising:
- a plurality of operator terminals, each having audio facilities, a display and a keyboard;
a telephone switching system for receiving incoming requests for service and associated automatic number identification (ANI) numbers, and for connecting incoming calls to idle operator terminals so that an operator can communicate with a calling party to provide assistance; and
a computer data base accessible by each said operator terminal for providing information to said operator terminals, said data base having stored therein information cross-referenced by the ANI numbers associated with telephones of calling parties, said data base information defining actions allowed for calls associated with the respective ANI number, whereby when an ANI number is transferred from an operator terminal to the data base, said operator terminal causes access of data related to the ANI number and causes display of the data on the respective operator terminal, and wherein progress of the incoming calls is carried out in accordance with said data base information cross-referenced to the respective ANI numbers, whereby the operator has available visual information concerning the telephone set of the calling party.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Disclosed is a technique for presenting information to a telephone operator to enhance the efficient completion of telephone calls. Numerous data bases are generated to make available information concerning any type of telephone call with which the operator might be requested to assist or complete. The operator workstation is program controlled to access the various data bases and present information particular to that type of telephone call being serviced. Interaction between the operator and the workstation based on visual menus allows the operator to initiate access to the data bases for other or more detailed information which is displayed on menus and overlay menus.
-
Citations
47 Claims
-
1. A system for controlling telephone operator terminals, comprising:
-
a plurality of operator terminals, each having audio facilities, a display and a keyboard; a telephone switching system for receiving incoming requests for service and associated automatic number identification (ANI) numbers, and for connecting incoming calls to idle operator terminals so that an operator can communicate with a calling party to provide assistance; and a computer data base accessible by each said operator terminal for providing information to said operator terminals, said data base having stored therein information cross-referenced by the ANI numbers associated with telephones of calling parties, said data base information defining actions allowed for calls associated with the respective ANI number, whereby when an ANI number is transferred from an operator terminal to the data base, said operator terminal causes access of data related to the ANI number and causes display of the data on the respective operator terminal, and wherein progress of the incoming calls is carried out in accordance with said data base information cross-referenced to the respective ANI numbers, whereby the operator has available visual information concerning the telephone set of the calling party. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
-
-
10. A telephone operator terminal system, comprising:
-
a visual display and a keyboard for use by an operator in assisting a calling party; a processor and a data base accessible by the processor, said data base storing data for displaying images and information on the visual display; and said data base for storing data presenting a base display on the visual display, including a) a first area located in a first predefined area of the visual display for displaying calling party information including a telephone number of the calling telephone set, an address, city and state where the calling telephone set is located, b) a second area located in a second predefined area of the visual display for displaying called party information, including a telephone number of a called telephone set and city and state information where the called telephone set is located; and said processor causing access of the data base for cross-referencing calling number information with billing methods allowed with said calling number, said processor displaying the allowed billing methods, and being responsive to a selected one of the allowed billing methods to display a subsidiary display for entry therein of information to complete the call with the selected method of billing, and preventing the processing of billing methods not allowed. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
-
-
32. An operator terminal for use by an operator in assisting calling parties, comprising:
-
a display for displaying information; audio equipment providing communications between an operator and a calling party; a keyboard for input of information by the operator; a memory for storing a program for carrying out call processing in response to incoming calls and keyboard inputs; a processor for carrying out instructions of said program, said processor responding to incoming calls and being responsible to a) ANI information for causing a data base to be accessed to retrieve calling party information associated with the ANI information and displaying said calling party information on the display, b) the ANI information for causing a data base to be accessed to retrieve information related to one or more methods of billing allowed by a proprietor of a telephone associated with the ANI information, and displaying the methods of billing information on the display, c) TNI information for causing a data base to be accessed to retrieve called party information and displaying the called party information on the display, and d) said processor preventing a call to be processed in accordance with a method of billing indicated in the data base as not being allowed. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43)
-
-
44. An operator terminal for use by an operator in assisting calling parties, comprising:
-
a display for displaying information; audio equipment providing communications between an operator and a calling party; a keyboard for input of information by the operator; a memory for storing a program for carrying out call processing in response to incoming calls and keyboard inputs; a processor for carrying out instructions of said program, said processor responding to incoming calls and responsive to a) ANI information for causing a data base to be accessed to retrieve calling party information associated with the ANI information and displaying said calling party information on the display, b) TNI information for causing a data base to be accessed to retrieve called party information and displaying the called party information on the display, and c) LATA boundary information stored in the data base, and wherein said processor is programmed to compare TNI and ANI information with LATA boundary information and determine whether a call therebetween can be completed, and prevent a call to a destination in violation of LATA boundary restrictions.
-
-
45. A method of controlling a telephone operator terminal for providing assistance to calling parties, comprising the steps of:
-
presenting a base display on a visual display associated with the terminal, said base display including, a) a dedicated display area for information related to a calling telephone set, b) a dedicated display area for information related to a called telephone set, and c) a dedicated area for information concerning a method of billing; and presenting an overlay window area on a portion of the base display in response to a keyboard entry by the operator, and providing at least one field in the overlay window area for entry therein by the operator of information for completing the call to a destination. - View Dependent Claims (46, 47)
-
Specification