Voice recording method and system providing context specific storage and retrieval

• US 5,982,857 A
• Filed: 10/23/1995
• Issued: 11/09/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 10/17/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Apropos Technology (Enghouse Systems Limited)
• Original Assignee: Apropos Technology (Enghouse Systems Limited)
• Inventors: Brady, Patrick K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hunter, Daniel S.
• Application Number:
  US08/546,900
• Time in Patent Office: 1,478 Days
• Field of Search: 379/84, 379/85, 379/88, 379/89, 379/67, 379/34, 379/35, 379/265, 379/266, 379/88.17, 379/88.13, 379/88.19, 379/88.2, 379/88.27
• US Class Current: 379/88.19
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/656 for recording conversations
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42221 Conversation recording systems at the subscriber's set H04M1/656
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/51 Centralised call answering arrangements requiring operator intervention , e.g. call or contact centers for telemarketing

Abstract

A system and method for voice recording comprising one or more peripheral devices attached to a computer or a group of networked computers each having the peripheral device, wherein the peripheral device is capable of performing telephony functions such as dialing, answering, etc. and is also capable of recording and playing back telephone calls. It can record the calls at a location on a computer hard disk. The voice recording system provides software control of the board providing the advantages of selective recording of individual phone calls, storage of phone calls along with information about the calls, and retrieval of any single recorded call based on search criteria provided by an operator of one of the computers.

Claims

1. A telephony data recording system, comprising:

a telephony data distribution system to distribute telephony data and to determine information associated with said telephony data;

a computer coupled to said telephony data distribution system;

a storage device coupled to said computer;

a recording device coupled to said computer and to said telephony data distribution system to receive said telephony data;

an automatic recording process for automatically retrievably recording said telephony data; and

an application process executing on said computer to obtain said information and to retrievably store said information,

wherein said automatic recording process comprises a process for automatically recording the telephony data, or any portion thereof, on the basis of said information, and

wherein said information comprises caller identification data and said automatic recording process comprises a process for determining whether to record the telephony data, or any portion thereof, in accordance with said caller identification data.

2. A method for recording telephone calls, comprising the steps of:

(a) distributing a telephone call placed by a caller using a telephone call distribution device;

(b) obtaining information associated with said telephone call from said telephone call distribution device;

(c) automatically recording at least a portion of said telephone call as a recorded call at a unique location; and

(d) storing said recorded call and said information on a storage device,

(e) prompting said caller for said information;

(f) accepting said information from the caller; and

(g) recording at least a portion of the telephone call on the basis of said information.

3. A method for recording telephone calls, comprising the steps of:

(a) distributing a telephone call placed by a caller using a telephone call distribution device;

(b) obtaining information associated with said telephone call from said telephone call distribution device;

(c) automatically recording at least a portion of said telephone call as a recorded call at a unique location; and

(d) storing said recorded call and said information on a storage device, wherein said obtaining step further comprises the steps of;

(i) determining said information associated with said telephone call from the telephone call distribution device;

(ii) storing said information;

(iii) determining other information associated with said telephone call by;

(1) conducting an interactive voice response session with the caller; and

(2) obtaining said other information during the session; and

(iv) storing said other information.

4. A telephony data recording system, comprising:

a telephony data distribution system to distribute telephony data and to determine information associated with said telephony data;

a computer coupled to said telephony data distribution system;

a storage device coupled to said computer;

a recording device coupled to said computer and to said telephony data distribution system to receive said telephony data;

an automatic recording process for automatically retrievably recording said telephony data; and

an application process executing on said computer to obtain information related to said telephony data and to retrievably store said information, and

wherein said automatic recording process comprises a process for automatically recording the telephony data, or any portion thereof, on the basis of said information, and

wherein said information comprises caller identification data and said automatic recording process comprises a process for determining whether to record the telephony data, or any portion thereof, in accordance with said caller identification.

5. A method for recording telephone calls, comprising the steps of:

(a) distributing a telephone call placed by a caller using a telephone call distribution device;

(b) determining information associated with said telephone call;

(c) automatically recording at least a portion of said telephone call as a recorded call;

(d) storing said recorded call and said information on a storage device;

(e) prompting the caller for said information;

(f) accepting said information from the caller as accepted information; and

(g) recording at least a portion of the telephone call on the basis of said information.

6. A method for recording telephone calls, comprising the steps of:

(a) distributing a telephone call placed by a caller using a telephone call distribution device;

(b) determining information associated with said telephone call, wherein said determining step (b) comprises the steps of;

(i) determining said information associated with said telephone call from the telephone call distribution device;

(ii) storing said information; and

(iii) determining other information associated with said telephone call, wherein said determining step (iii) comprises the steps of;

(1) conducting an interactive voice response session with the caller; and

(2) obtaining said other information during the session; and

(iv) storing said other information;

(c) automatically recording at least a portion of said telephone call as a recorded call; and

(d) storing said recorded call and said information on a storage device.