Telephonic-interface game control system

• US 6,512,415 B1
• Filed: 06/28/1999
• Issued: 01/28/2003
• 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): WEAVER, SCOTT LOUIS
• Application Number:
  US09/340,618
• Time in Patent Office: 1,310 Days
• Field of Search: 379/142.01, 379/127.01, 379/88.19, 379/88.2, 379/88.21, 379/88.22, 379/90.01, 379/92.01, 379/92.02, 379/93.03, 379/93.12, 379/93.13
• US Class Current: 379/88.22
• 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
• 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 determining the acceptability of calls and executing formats in association with a communication facility including remote terminal apparatus for individual callers, wherein said remote terminal apparatus includes a telephonic instrument with voice communication means and digital input means in the form of an array of alphabetic, numeric buttons for providing data, said process including the steps of:

receiving associated telephone number signals upon the instance of a call from one of said remote terminal apparatus;

testing said associated telephone number signals with respect to stored negative data to determine the acceptability of said call from said one of said remote terminal apparatus as indicated by an acceptability signal;

accepting said call from said one of said remote terminal apparatus conditioned on said acceptability signal;

interfacing via said communication facility to accepted calls to provide voice signals for cueing callers and receiving responsive digital data in accordance with a select format; and

testing at least certain of the responsive digital data against stored positive data to determine if further voice signals for cueing callers should be provided.

2. A process according to claim 1 wherein said step of receiving associated telephone number signals includes receiving data represented by number identification signals provided automatically by said communication facility to indicate called or calling numbers.

3. A process according to claim 1 wherein said step of testing is accomplished prior to accepting said call whereby audio communication is not established for calls that are not accepted.

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

transferring calls for which no acceptability signal is received to a manual terminal for direct communication.

5. A process according to claim 1, wherein the select format is selected from plurality of formats based on dialed number identification signals automatically received from the communication facility.

6. A process according to claim 1, wherein the stored negative data includes a list of unacceptable numbers.

7. A process according to claim 6, wherein the responsive digital data include identification data entered by the callers and the callers are further qualified based on the caller identification data.

8. A process according to claim 7, wherein the identification data includes social security number data for the callers.

9. A process according to claim 4, wherein an operator enters data at the manual terminal.

10. A process according to claim 4, further comprising the step of:

storing at least a portion of the data entered by the operator.

11. A system for determining the acceptability of calls and executing certain operations of telephonic formats in association with a communication facility including remote terminal apparatus for individual callers, wherein said remote terminal apparatus includes a telephonic instrument with voice communication means and digital input means in the form of an array of alphabetic, numeric buttons for providing data, said system comprising:

mean for receiving associated telephone number signals upon the instance of a call from one of said remote terminal apparatus;

means for testing said associated telephone number signals with respect to stored negative data to determine the acceptability of said call from said one of said remote terminal apparatus as indicated by an acceptability signal;

means for accepting said call from said one of said remote terminal apparatus conditioned on said acceptability signal;

means for interfacing said communication facility to provide voice signals for cueing callers and receiving responsive digital data in accordance with a select format to accepted calls; and

testing at least certain of the responsive digital data against stored positive data to determine if further voice signals for cueing callers should be provided.

12. A system according to claim 11, further comprising:

a manual terminal to which calls are transferred for which no acceptability signal is received.

13. A system according to claim 11, wherein the select format is selected from a plurality of formats based on dialed number identification signals automatically received from the communication facility.

14. A system according to claim 11, wherein the stored negative data includes a list of unacceptable numbers.

15. A system according to claim 14, wherein the responsive digital data includes identification data entered by the callers and the callers are further qualified based on the caller identification data.

16. A system according to claim 15, wherein the identification data includes social security number data for the callers.

17. A system according to claim 12, wherein an operator enters data at the manual terminal.

18. A system according to claim 12, further comprising:

storing at least a portion of the data entered by the operator.

19. A system according to claim 16, wherein the associated telephone number signals are received automatically from the communication facility (ANI).

20. A method for determining the acceptability of calls and executing certain operations of telephonic formats in association with a communication facility including remote terminal apparatus for the individual callers, wherein said remote terminal apparatus includes a telephonic instrument with voice communication means and digital input means in the form of an array of alphabetic, numeric buttons for providing data, including the steps of:

receiving associated telephone number signals automatically provided by the communication facility upon the instance of a call from one of said remote terminal apparatus;

testing said associated telephone number signals with respect to stored data to determine the acceptability of said call from said one of said remote terminal apparatus; and

selectively providing one or more cues to said one of said remote terminal apparatus and providing at least one cue depending upon the associated telephone number signals for said call from said one of said remote terminal apparatus in accordance with a select format.

21. A method according to claim 20, further comprising the step of:

testing said associated telephone number signals against stored negative telephone numbers that are unacceptable.

22. A method according to claim 20, further comprising the step of:

transferring said call to a manual terminal based on a condition and displaying data relating to said caller.

23. A method according to claim 20, wherein the select format is identified from one of a plurality of formats based on dialed number identification signals automatically provided by the communication facility.

24. A method according to claim 20, wherein at least one cue indicates on-going accounting data during said call.

25. A method according to claim 20, further comprising the step of:

receiving digital data in accordance with the select format responsive to at least one cue.

26. A method according to claim 25, further comprising the step of:

further testing and qualifying callers based on a one time use test.

27. A method according to claim 25, wherein the callers are further qualified based on the associated telephone number signals or caller identification data entered as digital data responsive to the cue or both.

28. A method according to claim 27, wherein the caller identification data is social security data.

29. A method according to claim 27, further comprising the step of:

transferring said call to a manual terminal for direct communication.

30. A method according to claim 29, wherein data for a caller is entered at the manual terminal.

31. A method according to claim 22, wherein the displaying of the data relating to the caller is based on the associated telephone number signals relating to the call.

32. A method according to claim 22, wherein the data relating to the caller includes caller entered data.