Voice-data telephonic interface control system
DCFirst Claim
1. A method for controlling voice-data communications for use with a communication facility including remote terminals for individual callers, wherein said remote terminals comprise a telephonic capability including a voice communication structure for providing audio response signals and a digital input structure for providing digital response signals, said method comprising the steps of:
- cuing select ones of said remote terminals to prompt selective actuation by callers of said voice communication structure and said digital input structure to provide responsive signals;
selectively receiving said responsive signals from said select ones of said remote terminals as digital signals indicative of caller data, digital signals to control access to certain operations, and audio signals;
generating caller sequence data as digital data signals; and
processing at least certain of said digital signals indicative of caller data or caller sequence data to isolate a subset of callers and storing said certain digital signals indicative of caller data and certain audio signals for subsequent processing.
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Litigations
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Accused Products
Abstract
In an audio-digital telephone interface system, selective operation prompts a caller with oral instructions to provide: digital control signals, digital data signals (numeric) or audio signals. Inbound and outbound operations are involved and inbound callers are qualified as by automatic number identification (ANI) signals and consumable key operation. A data cell is loaded in accordance with an operating program and the resulting data packet is flagged depending on the presence of audio signals. Data packets are returned to storage, as for subsequent addressing to call up, as to process or cue a caller. The illustrative format receives and organizes order data for goods or services or to isolate a subset or a sub-subset of callers.
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Citations
41 Claims
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1. A method for controlling voice-data communications for use with a communication facility including remote terminals for individual callers, wherein said remote terminals comprise a telephonic capability including a voice communication structure for providing audio response signals and a digital input structure for providing digital response signals, said method comprising the steps of:
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cuing select ones of said remote terminals to prompt selective actuation by callers of said voice communication structure and said digital input structure to provide responsive signals;
selectively receiving said responsive signals from said select ones of said remote terminals as digital signals indicative of caller data, digital signals to control access to certain operations, and audio signals;
generating caller sequence data as digital data signals; and
processing at least certain of said digital signals indicative of caller data or caller sequence data to isolate a subset of callers and storing said certain digital signals indicative of caller data and certain audio signals for subsequent processing. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
verifying the caller customer number data against a negative list of unacceptable customer number data.
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4. A method for controlling voice-data communications according to claim 1, further comprising the step of:
providing each of said individual callers with a computer generated number.
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5. A method for controlling voice-data communications according to claim 1, further comprising the step of:
receiving individual callers'"'"' credit card numbers for billing purposes as digital signals indicative of caller data or digital signals to control access to certain operations or both.
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6. A method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of:
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receiving calling number identification data signals provided automatically from the communication facility; and
utilizing the calling number identification data signals to control certain processing operations.
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7. A method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of:
testing for a limit on use.
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8. A method according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of:
receiving calling number identification data signals automatically provided by the communication facility.
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9. A method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of:
utilizing at least certain of said calling number identification data to control at least part of the voice-data communications.
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10. A method according to claim 1, wherein at least certain of said calling number identification data is utilized to preclude access to at least certain operations performed by an audio response unit.
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11. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:
controlling voice-data communications based upon a specified limited amount of use available to said individual callers.
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12. A method according to claim 1, wherein said specified limited amount of use is determined by incrementing to said amount of use.
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13. A method according to claim 1, wherein said specified limited amount of use is one.
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14. A method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of:
isolating a subset of said callers based at least in part upon said individual callers'"'"' calling order sequence.
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15. A method for controlling voice-data communications according to claim 1, further comprising the step of:
recording said audio signals and reproducing recorded audio signals as caller voice data at a remote terminal.
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16. A method for controlling voice-data communications according to claim 1, further comprising the step of:
providing said audio signals recorded in a digital format to a terminal via a coupling structure.
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17. A method for controlling voice-data communications according to claim 1, wherein said audio signals recorded in a digital format are provided to said terminal via an autodialer.
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18. A method for controlling voice-data communications according to claim 1, further comprising the step of:
providing each of said individual callers with a computer generated number.
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19. A method for controlling voice-data communications according to claim 1, further comprising the step of:
receiving individual callers'"'"' credit card numbers for billing purposes.
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20. A method for controlling voice-data communications according to claim 1, further comprising the step of:
storing at least said audio signals for subsequent processing.
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21. A method for controlling voice-data communications for use with a communication facility including remote terminals for individual callers, wherein said remote terminals comprise a telephonic capability including a voice communication structure for providing audio response signals and a digital input structure for providing digital response signals, said method comprising the steps of:
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cuing select ones of said remote terminals to prompt selective actuation by callers of said voice communication structure and said digital input structure to provide responsive signals;
selectively receiving said responsive signals from said select ones of said remote terminals as digital signals indicative of caller data, digital signals to control access to certain operations, and audio signals;
generating caller sequence data as digital data signals; and
processing at least certain of said digital signals indicative of caller data or caller sequence data to isolate a subset of callers and storing said certain digital signals indicative of caller data and certain audio signals for subsequent processing and wherein said subset of callers is isolated based on a sequence of said individual callers. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
utilizing at least certain of said calling number identification data to control at least part of voice-data communications operations.
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24. A method according to claim 22, wherein at least certain of said calling number identification data is utilized to preclude access to at least certain operations performed by an audio response unit.
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25. A method according to claim 21, further comprising:
controlling voice-data communications based upon a specified limited amount of use available to said individual callers.
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26. A method according to claim 21, wherein said specified limited amount of use is determined by incrementing to said amount of use.
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27. A method according to claim 21, wherein said specified limited amount of use is one.
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28. A method according to claim 21, wherein the subset of callers is isolated based at least in part upon said individual callers'"'"' calling order sequence.
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29. A method for controlling voice-data communications according to claim 31, further comprising the step of:
recording said audio signals and reproducing recorded audio signals as caller voice data at a remote terminal.
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30. A method for controlling voice-data communications according to claim 21, further comprising the step of:
providing said audio signals recorded in a digital format to a terminal via a coupling structure.
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31. A method for controlling voice-data communications according to claim 21, wherein said audio signals recorded in a digital format are provided to said terminal via an autodialer.
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32. A method for controlling voice-data communications according to claim 21, further comprising the step of:
providing each of said individual callers with a computer generated number.
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33. A method for controlling voice-data communications according to claim 21, further comprising the step of:
receiving individual callers'"'"' credit card numbers for billing purposes.
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34. A method for controlling voice-data communications according to claim 21, further comprising the step of:
storing at least said audio signals for subsequent processing.
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35. A method for controlling voice-data communications for use with a communication facility including remote terminals for individual callers, wherein said remote terminals include a digital input device for providing digital responsive signals, said method comprising the steps of:
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cuing select ones of said remote terminals via a voice generator to prompt selective actuation by callers of said digital input device to provide responsive signals;
receiving said responsive signals including signals indicative of a customer identification number for an individual caller that may be utilized to access a file for said individual caller and receiving said responsive signals including signals indicative of other data;
testing at least a portion of said customer identification number for approval;
processing the other data for the individual caller utilizing multiple comparative operations;
confirming with said individual caller, via the voice generator, certain of said data stored in said file for said individual caller; and
transferring a call from said individual caller to an attended terminal and displaying at least a portion of data stored in said file at said attended terminal under control of said responsive signals indicative of said customer identification number wherein said attended terminal has a capability for data to be entered to facilitate completion of the call from said individual caller. - View Dependent Claims (36, 37, 38, 40, 41)
receiving caller number identification signals indicative of at least a portion of a caller'"'"'s number from said communication facility.
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37. A method according to claim 36 further comprising the step of:
utilizing the caller number identification signals as additional data for the individual caller.
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38. A method according to 35, wherein at least a part of the data stored in the file is audio data.
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40. A method according to claim 35 wherein at least part of the data stored in the file is caller address data.
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41. A method according to claim 35 wherein at least part of the data stored in the file is caller name data.
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39. A method according 38 wherein the audio data is at least in part utilized to accomplish at least part of the confirming step via an audio response unit.
Specification