Voice message-based administration system

• US 5,528,670 A
• Filed: 01/19/1993
• Issued: 06/18/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 05/13/1991
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Grapevine Software Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Grapevine Software Incorporated
• Inventors: McConaghy, Robert, Elliot, Nicolas F., Elliot, Bernard M., Federico, Charles W., Mach, Steve D., Gilmore, Thomas N.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hofsass, Jeffery
• Assistant Examiner(s): TSANG, FAN S
• Application Number:
  US08/006,242
• Time in Patent Office: 1,246 Days
• Field of Search: 379/67, 379/88, 379/89, 379/90, 379/97, 379/204, 379/211, 379/214
• US Class Current: 379/88.25
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/533 Voice mail systems

Abstract

Voice message based administration is a method that allows the directed and controlled collection and presentation of numeric and symbolic information between a group leader and a population of group members, thus allowing many previously impossible administration and management functions to be performed, including those commonly associated with Group Decision-Making Support Systems. The preferred embodiment is implemented as an extension to a Voice Message System. A group leader subscriber account is defined by the Voice Message system administrator. This account type has certain privileges not available to other subscribers. The group leader subscriber defines lists of other subscribers who become group members, the group leader also controls the access to and the content of data tables. The group leader initiates a "Session" on a topic with the group members. A variety of Session types are supported. Each session is made up of a set of items that contain a voice description and numeric or symbolic data. In data collection sessions, group member numeric or symbolic responses are collected and tallied for the leader, in some cases the individual responses are kept secret so that voting and confidential surveys can be performed. In data presentation sessions, numeric or symbolic data is prepared by the leader and can be examined by the members.

Claims

1. A telephone based voice message system (VMS) having a group of subscribers who leave recorded messages for other subscribers and access recorded messages from other subscribers, the improvement comprising:

a voice message based administration system (VMBAS) having a plurality of session types for allowing controlled data presentation interactions, wherein at least one subscriber enables any of a number of the controlled data presentation interactions with other subscribers;

means for said at least one subscriber to choose a session type for controlled data presentation interactions;

means for defining data extraction statements for the chosen session type for extracting data presented during said chosen session;

means for enabling a population of designated subscribers from the group of subscribers of the voice message system to take part in said chosen session;

means for providing a descriptive recorded message for each data extraction statement defined for said chosen session;

means for a designated subscriber to attend said chosen session and respond to each data presentation interaction;

means for maintaining the identity of said responding designated subscriber confidential; and

means for processing said designated subscriber responses.

2. The telephone based voice message system of claim 1 wherein said session type comprises a Table Output session.

3. The telephone based voice message system of claim 2 wherein the Table Output Session comprises Rate or Spot pricing information.

4. The telephone based voice message system of claim 2 wherein the Table Output Session comprises information on vacation or sick day availability.

5. The telephone based voice message system of claim 2 wherein the Table Output Session comprises information allowing an inquiry tracking an order.

6. The telephone based voice message system of claim 2 wherein the Table Output Session comprises information permitting a query on available inventory.

7. The telephone based voice message system of claim 2 wherein the Table Output Session comprises information on scheduling of work hours.

8. A telephone based voice message system having a group of subscribers who leave recorded messages for other subscribers and access recorded messages from other subscribers, the improvement comprising:

a voice based adminstration system (VMBAS) having a plurality of session types for allowing controlled data presentation interactions, wherein at least one subscriber enables any of a number of available controlled data collection interactions with other subscribers;

means for said at least one subscriber to choose a session type for controlled data collection interactions;

means for defining data insertion statements for the chosen session for exporting data collected during said session;

means for enabling a population of designated subscribers from the group of subscribers of the voice message system to take part in said session;

means for providing a descriptive recorded message for said data insertion statements defined for said session;

means for a designated subscriber to attend said chosen session and respond to each data presentation interaction;

means for maintaining the identity of said responding designated subscriber confidential; and

means for processing said designated subscriber responses.

9. The telephone based voice message system of claim 8 wherein said session comprises an Opinion Survey Session.

10. The telephone based voice message system of claim 8 wherein said session comprises a Priority Survey Session.

11. The telephone based voice message system of claim 8 wherein said session comprises a Ballot Voting Session.

12. The telephone based voice message system of claim 8 wherein said session comprises a Table Input Session.

13. The telephone based voice message system of claim 12 wherein said Table Input Session permits recording of time and expense data.

14. The telephone based voice message system of claim 12 wherein said Table Input Session permits recording of time card data.

15. The telephone based voice message system of claim 12 wherein said Table Input Session permits recording of field worker data.

16. The telephone based voice message system of claim 12 wherein said Table Input Session permits recording of order entry information.

17. A telephone based voice message system having a group of subscribers who leave recorded messages for other subscribers and access recorded messages from other subscribers, wherein the improvement comprises the addition to said voice message system of:

a voice based adminstration system wherein at least one subscriber enables any of a number of available session types for controlled data presentation and collection interactions with other subscribers;

means for said at least one subscriber to choose a session type from the available controlled data presentation and collection interactions;

means for defining data extraction statements for the chosen session type for extracting data presented during said chosen session;

means for defining data insertion statements for exporting data collected during said chosen session;

means for enabling a population of designated subscribers from the group of subscribers of the voice message system to take part in said chosen session;

means for providing a descriptive recorded message for each data insertion statement and each data extraction statement defined for said chosen session;

means for a designated subscriber to attend said chosen session and respond to each data presentation interaction;

means for maintaining the identity of said responding designated subscriber confidential; and

means for processing said designated subscriber responses.

18. The telephone based voice message system of claim 17 wherein said chosen session comprises a Meeting Scheduling Session.

19. The telephone based voice message system of claim 17 wherein said chosen session comprises a Voice Forum.

20. The telephone based voice message system of claim 17 wherein said chosen session comprises a Group Decision-Making Support Session.

21. The telephone based voice message system of claim 20 wherein said Group Decision-Making Support Session comprises a Nominal Group Decision-Making Support Session.

22. The telephone based voice message system of claim 20 wherein said Group Decision-Making Support Session comprises a Delphi Group Decision-Making Support Session.

23. In a voice message based administration system (VMBAS) comprising a group of subscribers, wherein at least one subscriber enables any of a number of available sessions for controlled data presentation interactions with other subscribers, a method for enabling data presentation using the VMBAS comprising the steps of:

a) choosing a session type from the available session types for controlled data presentation interactions;

b) defining data extraction statements for the chosen session type for extracting data presented during said session;

c) enabling a population of designated subscribers from the group of subscribers to take part in said session;

d) providing a descriptive recorded message for each defined data extraction statement in said session; and

e) maintaining the identity of a designated subscriber attending said session and responding to said data presentation interaction confidential.

24. In a voice message based administration system (VMBAS) comprising a group of subscribers, wherein at least one subscriber enables any of a number of available sessions for controlled data collection interactions with other subscribers, a method for collecting data using the VMBAS comprising the steps of:

a) choosing a session type from the available session types for controlled data collection interactions;

b) defining data insertion statements for the chosen session type for exporting data collected during said session;

c) enabling a population of designated subscribers from the group of subscribers to take part in said session;

d) providing a descriptive recorded message for each data insertion statement defined for said session; and

e) maintaining the identity a designated subscriber attending said session and responding to said data presentation interaction confidential.

25. In a voice message based administration system (VMBAS) comprising a group of subscribers, wherein at least one subscriber enables any of a number of available sessions for controlled data presentation and collection interactions with other subscribers, a method for presenting and collecting data using the VMBAS comprising the steps of:

a) choosing a session type from the available session types for controlled data presentation and collection interactions;

b) defining data extraction statements for the chosen session type for extracting data presented during said session;

c) defining data insertion statements for exporting data collected during said session;

d) enabling a population of designated subscribers from the group of subscribers to take part in said session;

e) providing a descriptive recorded message for each defined data extraction statement and data insertion statement in said session; and

f) maintaining the identity of a designated subscriber attending said session and responding to said data presentation interaction confidential.

26. A telephone based voice message system (VMS) having a group of subscribers who leave recorded messages for other subscribers and access recorded messages from other subscribers, the improvement comprising the addition to said voice message system of

a meeting scheduling tool;

a shift scheduling tool;

a voice forum tool; and

a group-decision making support tool, wherein said group-decision making support tool includes means for maintaining an identity of a subscriber leaving a recorded response confidential.

27. The voice message system of claim 26 wherein said group-decision making support tool employs a Delphi technique for forecasting and predictive activities.

28. The voice message system of claim 26 wherein said group-decision making support tool employs a Nominal Group technique to identify problems, solve problems, and plan problem tasks.

29. A telephone based voice message based administration system (VMBAS) having a group of subscribers, wherein at least one subscriber is a group leader, the VMBAS comprising:

means for a group leader to create a session, the session including at least one data exchange item;

means for at least one selected subscriber to attend said session;

means for the selected subscriber to examine said at least one data exchange item;

means for the selected subscriber to respond to said at least one data exchange item;

means for maintaining the identity of said responding subscriber confidential;

processor means for analyzing said item response;

means for providing said analyzed response to said group leader; and

means for the group leader to provide the analyzed response to at least one other subscriber from the group of subscribers.

30. The system of claim 29 further comprising means for validating the response using preselected criteria.

31. The system of claim 29 wherein said response comprises a DTMF response.

32. The system of claim 29 wherein said means for said group leader to create a session further comprises:

means for entering a recorded description for each session; and

means for specifying data to be collected during said session.

33. The system of claim 29 further comprising means for exporting said responses to an external storage location.

34. The system of claim 29 wherein said analyzed response includes a percentage of responding subscribers, a summary of all responses, a total for each item response, and an average for each item response.