Telephonic-interface game control system

• US 5,793,846 A
• Filed: 11/16/1995
• Issued: 08/11/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 07/10/1985
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ronald A Katz Technology Licensing LP
• Original Assignee: Ronald A Katz Technology Licensing LP
• Inventors: Katz, Ronald A.
• Primary Examiner(s): ZELE, KRISTA MICHELLE
• Application Number:
  US08/559,538
• Time in Patent Office: 999 Days
• Field of Search: 379/67, 379/88, 379/97, 379/142, 379/189, 379/196, 379/197, 379/198, 379/199, 379/201, 379/91, 379/127, 379/245, 379/246, 379/93.26, 379/93.27, 379/91.01, 379/91.02, 364/410, 364/411
• US Class Current: 379/93.02
• 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: 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 3/42059 Making use of the calling party identifier
• 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 control system CS interfaces a multiplicity of individual terminals T1-Tn through a telephone network facility CO to accommodate game formats. At the terminals T1-Tn, callers are prompted by voice-generated instructions to provide digital data that is identified for positive association with a caller and stored, as for processing. Calls are conditionally accepted based on a test of preliminary identification data (ANI or DNIS). Computer generated designations are assigned to callers and stored. Questions for game use are stored in banks, classified by order of difficulty for selection according to various formats. Specific game formats accommodate various time criteria and caller selection of degree of risk. Caller data is stored in cells along with statistical and identification data; also, key contest data is held accessible in a cache memory for reporting. Caller data may be processed individually or in interrelated formats as with reference to random or source data as to establish progressive subsets. A break-off control circuit may terminate the computer interface aborting to a manual terminal for direct communication with an operator. Real-time operation processing is an alternative to subsequently processing stored data.

Claims

1. A process for executing game or contest formats in association with a communication facility including remote terminal apparatus for individual playing callers, wherein said remote terminal apparatus comprises a telephonic capability with voice communication means and digital input means for providing data, said process comprising the steps of:

interfacing said communication facility to provide voice signals for cueing callers and receiving responsive digital data in accordance with a select game or contest format;

generating said voice signals and supplying said voice signals to actuate said terminal apparatus to provide individual vocal operating instructions to said callers;

initiating files and storing identification data from said callers as indicated by identification signals from said terminal apparatus including at least a number relating to a payment scheme;

cueing said callers with selected questions from a batch of questions;

receiving answer data provided by said callers in response to said selected questions; and

comparing said answer data with external data by interrelated processing to isolate a subset of callers.

2. A process according to claim 1, wherein a caller provides at least a caller telephone number as part of said identification data.

3. A process according to claim 2, wherein said caller telephone number is compared against a caller telephone number history.

4. A process according to claim 1, wherein each of said formats is identified by called number identification signals automatically provided by said communication facility (DNIS).

5. A process according to claim 1, further comprising the step of:

accepting callers based at least on calling telephone number data automatically provided by the communication facility.

6. A process according to claim 5, wherein the calling telephone number data is tested against a file of negative telephone numbers.

7. A process according to claim 1, further comprising the step of:

restricting access by qualified callers based on a negative list of unqualified callers.

8. A process for executing game or contest formats in association with a communication facility including remote terminal apparatus for individual playing callers, wherein said remote terminal apparatus comprises a telephonic capability with voice communication means and digital input means for providing data, said process comprising the steps of:

interfacing said communication facility to provide voice signals for cueing callers and receiving responsive digital data in accordance with a select game or contest format;

providing individual vocal instructions to said callers;

initiating files and storing identification data for said callers as indicated by identification signals relating to said terminal apparatus including caller terminal numbers automatically provided by said communication facility for at least certain callers;

cueing said callers with selected questions from a batch of questions;

receiving answer data provided by said callers in response to said selected questions; and

comparing said answer data with external data as by interrelated processing to isolate a subset of callers.

9. A process according to claim 8, further comprising the step of:

providing several operating process formats, each of which is identified by called number identification signals automatically provided by said communication facility (DNIS).

10. A process according to claim 8, further comprising the step of:

restricting access by qualified callers based on a negative list of unqualified callers.