System and method for providing an automatic telephone call back to a telephone line being used to access a computer network

• US 6,879,674 B2
• Filed: 04/09/1998
• Issued: 04/12/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/09/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Aspect Software Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Cim Ltd. (F. Walther Electrics Ltd.)
• Inventors: Strandberg, Malcom B.
• Primary Examiner(s): TIEU, BENNY QUOC
• Application Number:
  US09/057,749
• Publication Number:
  US 20020141557A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,560 Days
• Field of Search: 37926501-2661, 379/309, 379/209.01, 379/201.01, 379/207.02, 379/215.01, 379/210.01, 370/351, 370/352, 370/259, 370/270
• US Class Current: 379/210.01
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42195 Arrangements for calling back a calling subscriber when the wanted subscriber ceases to be busy H04M3/48
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5191 interacting with the Internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5231 with call back arrangements

Abstract

A system and method provides an automatic telephone call back to a telephone line being used to access a computer network. A call back is made in response to a request by an inquiring party at a remote data terminal connected to the computer network using a telephone line. The inquiring party provides call back data at the data terminal connected to a computer network, such as the Internet, by way of a telephone line. The call back data is transferred over the computer network to the automated telephone call back system. A computer network interface at the automated back system provides a gateway between the computer network and an automated dialer system. The automated dialer system retrieves telephone numbers provided by the inquiring parties, schedules the call backs, and automatically dials the telephone numbers using a predictive dialer. If a telephone number is scheduled for an immediate call back, the call status is monitored by the dialer to detect a busy signal. If a busy signal is detected, a redial script instructs the predictive dialer to continuously redial the number until an answer is detected, i.e., the inquiring party disconnects from the computer network and the telephone line becomes available. If a connection is made, the dialer will automatically connect the called party to an available agent, and any additional information about the called party, if available, will be transmitted to the agent'"'"'s terminal by the call back manager.

Claims

1. A system for providing a telephone call back to an inquiring party telephone connected proximate an origin point of a telephone line that is being used to access a computer network, wherein said call back is made based upon a request transmitted over said computer network from a data terminal located at a remote location and connected to said computer network using said telephone line, said call back request including call back data including at least a telephone number of said telephone line, said system comprising:

a computer network interface, connected to said computer network, for interfacing with said computer network and receiving said call back request over said computer network, for identifying said call back data, and for storing said call back data including said telephone number of said telephone line in a call back file; and

an automated dialer system, responsive to said call back request received over said computer network, said automated dialer system including;

a call back campaign manager, for retrieving said telephone number of said telephone line stored in said call back file;

a call scheduler for scheduling said telephone number of said telephone line for immediate dialing;

a telephone number dialer for initiating dialing of said telephone number of said telephone line for immediate dialing and for connecting an answered call between said inquiring party telephone and a telephone of an available agent coupled to said automated dialer system; and

a re-dial script, responsive to said call back request, said immediate dialing of said telephone number of said call back request, and said detection of said busy signal, for determining that the inquiring party is proximate an origin point of said telephone line and utilizing said telephone line, and for directing said telephone number dialer to immediately and continuously redial said telephone number each time said telephone number dialer detects a busy signal after dialing said telephone number, wherein said origin point of said call back request cannot support voice and data communication simultaneously.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein said telephone number dialer includes a call pacer that paces dialing of said telephone numbers according to a call pacing algorithm.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein said computer network interface interfaces said computer network to agent terminals connected to said automated dialer system.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein said request further includes customer account identifying indicia.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein said call back data further includes a time to call back.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein said call scheduler is responsive to said time to call back, for scheduling dialing of said telephone number at approximately said time to call back.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein said call back data is transmitted over said computer network using a Common Gateway Interface script.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein said call back data is transmitted over said computer network using a JAVA language script.

9. A method for providing a telephone call back to an inquiring party telephone connected to a telephone line that is being used to access a computer network, wherein said call back is made based upon a request transmitted over said computer network from a data terminal located at a remote location and connected to said computer network using said telephone line, said call back request including at least a telephone number of said telephone line, said method comprising the steps of:

receiving said call back request transmitted from said terminal at said remote location, wherein said remote location cannot support voice and data communication simultaneously;

automatically and immediately dialing said telephone number of said call back request over a telephone line using an automated dialer system;

detecting a busy signal;

responsive to said step of receiving said call back request, automatically and immediately dialing said telephone number of said call back request and detecting said busy signal, determining that the inquiring party is proximate an origin point of said telephone line and utilizing said telephone line; and

responsive to said step of determining that the inquiring party is proximate said telephone line and utilizing said telephone line, immediately and continuously redialing said telephone number each time said busy signal is detected.

10. The method of claim 9 further including the step of adding said telephone number to a future call campaign, if no connection is made.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein said call back request includes at least one time to be called back, wherein said telephone number is scheduled to be dialed according to said at least one time to be called back.