Public notification system and method
First Claim
1. A public notification system for placing outgoing phone calls, comprising:
- a first database comprising a plurality of phone numbers and one or more data fields associated with each of the plurality of phone numbers;
means for selecting a subset of phone numbers from the plurality of phone numbers of the first database based on the selection of at least one of the data fields associated with at least one of the plurality of phone numbers;
means for recording a voice message to be transmitted over at least one outgoing phone line;
means for connecting to the at least one outgoing phone line, the connection means operatively connected to the voice recording means;
means for initiating at least one phone call to a callee via a callee phone number over the at least one outgoing phone line with the callee'"'"'s phone number being one of the subset of phone numbers stored in the first database as selected by the selecting means;
means for prompting the callee by playing the voice message recorded with the voice recording means, after the outgoing phone call connection has been established, to enter one of a plurality of different dial codes;
means for recording a dial code entered by the callee;
means for automatically updating at least one of the data fields in the first database for the callee'"'"'s phone number based on the response dial code, the at least one updated data field used by the selecting means for selecting a future subset of phone numbers, the system thereby providing the callee with the ability to control future phone calls initiated by the system to the callee'"'"'s phone number;
a second database comprising at least one record identifying a convicted criminal, each record comprising one or more data fields associated with the convicted criminal record; and
means for retrieving one or more records from the second database based on at least one of the data fields in the first database.
10 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A public notification system includes a first database comprising phone numbers and one or more data fields associated with each phone number. Phone numbers (callees) in the first database are selected based on the data fields associated therewith. A recorded voice message is transmitted to callees through a plurality of outgoing phone lines, and callees are prompted to enter one of several dial codes, which is recorded. The database record for the callee is automatically updated based on the response dial code, so that the updated field may be used to select whether to send a future call to the callee. A second database comprising records identifying convicted criminals is also included in the public notification system. Each record in the second database comprises one or more data fields associated with a convicted criminal. If the callee'"'"'s dial code response indicates an interest in receiving information about convicted criminals, future calls will be made to the callee concerning the existence of convicted criminals in a particular geographic area of interest to the callee.
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Citations
15 Claims
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1. A public notification system for placing outgoing phone calls, comprising:
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a first database comprising a plurality of phone numbers and one or more data fields associated with each of the plurality of phone numbers; means for selecting a subset of phone numbers from the plurality of phone numbers of the first database based on the selection of at least one of the data fields associated with at least one of the plurality of phone numbers; means for recording a voice message to be transmitted over at least one outgoing phone line; means for connecting to the at least one outgoing phone line, the connection means operatively connected to the voice recording means; means for initiating at least one phone call to a callee via a callee phone number over the at least one outgoing phone line with the callee'"'"'s phone number being one of the subset of phone numbers stored in the first database as selected by the selecting means; means for prompting the callee by playing the voice message recorded with the voice recording means, after the outgoing phone call connection has been established, to enter one of a plurality of different dial codes; means for recording a dial code entered by the callee; means for automatically updating at least one of the data fields in the first database for the callee'"'"'s phone number based on the response dial code, the at least one updated data field used by the selecting means for selecting a future subset of phone numbers, the system thereby providing the callee with the ability to control future phone calls initiated by the system to the callee'"'"'s phone number; a second database comprising at least one record identifying a convicted criminal, each record comprising one or more data fields associated with the convicted criminal record; and means for retrieving one or more records from the second database based on at least one of the data fields in the first database. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A method for automatically placing outgoing phone calls, comprising the steps of:
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providing a first database having a plurality of phone numbers stored therein the first database comprising, for each of the plurality of phone numbers, at least one data field indicative of whether the callee is to receive notification regarding convicted criminals; for each of the plurality of phone numbers in the first database, placing an initial call to the phone numbers over at least one outgoing phone line; monitoring the at least one outgoing phone line for an answer by a callee to the initial call; playing a first prerecorded message upon receipt of an answer, the first prerecorded message including a prompt for the callee to enter one of a plurality of dial code responses; recording the dial code response entered by a callee; automatically updating information in the first database for the phone number based on the dial code response recorded; selecting, based on the updated information in the first database from the automatic updating step and based on the at least one data field, a subset of phone numbers in the first database; and placing a second phone call to each of the phone numbers in the selected subset of phone numbers. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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Specification