Caller information system

• US 7,505,572 B2
• Filed: 05/17/2004
• Issued: 03/17/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/20/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Yardi Systems Incorporated
• Original Assignee: OC Concepts, Inc.
• Inventors: Goldberg, Richard, McCullough, William, Maguire, Brian, Goldberg, Marla, Maguire, Karen
• Primary Examiner(s): Woo; Stella L
• Application Number:
  US10/847,537
• Publication Number:
  US 20040264660A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,765 Days
• Field of Search: 379/93.17, 379/93.23, 379/93.25, 379/142.06, 379/265.09
• US Class Current: 379/93.17
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42068 where the identifier is used to access a profile
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5183 Call or contact centers with computer-telephony arrangements

Abstract

A system is provided for managing telephone calls made to special service numbers. Information extracted from incoming telephone calls can be received by a system server and cross-referenced with a database to obtain cross-referenced caller information pertaining to previous customer telephone calls and/or in person customer meetings. The cross-referenced caller information can be passed to a client workstation and displayed to the user in the form of an industry-specific template formatted in accordance with the business needs of the user. The template can be automatically populated with the cross-referenced caller information. During the telephone call, the user can view and update the caller information, thereby maintaining a retrievable record of the telephone call. With regard to the multi-housing industry in particular, caller information can be displayed in the form of a guest card template and/or a service card template.

Claims

1. A system for managing telephone calls, the system comprising:

a database configured to store caller information;

a system server coupled to a voice network and a computer network and in communication with said database, wherein said system server is configured to;

provide an internet connection to the system server over the computer network;

extract information from an incoming telephone call on the voice network, wherein said incoming telephone call is placed to a special service number by a caller responding to an advertisement in a distributed media publication, and

cross-reference said extracted information with said stored caller information of said database to obtain cross-referenced caller information;

and

a remote client workstation in communication with said system server over the internet connection, wherein said remote client workstation is configured to;

receive said cross-referenced caller information from said system server over the internet connection,

display a list of a plurality of incoming telephone calls to a user for selection,

display said cross-referenced caller information in response to said user'"'"'s selection of an incoming telephone call in said list of the plurality of incoming telephone calls,

receive updated caller information input by said user,

pass said updated caller information over the internet connection to said system server,

said remote client workstation is further configured to;

display advertising source information to said user,

receive updated advertising source information input by said user, and

pass said updated advertising source information to said system server.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein:

said system server is further configured to store said updated caller information in said database.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein

the system server includes a telephony server coupled to the voice network wherein said telephony server is configured to provide said extracted information to said system server.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein:

said extracted information is ANI information.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein:

said extracted information is DNIS information.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein:

said remote client workstation and said user are located at an office of an advertiser.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein:

said system is adapted for managing caller information for the multi-housing industry.

8. A system for managing telephone calls, the system comprising:

a database configured to store caller information;

a system server coupled to a voice network and a computer network and in communication with said database, wherein said system server is configured to;

provide an internet connection to the system server over the computer network;

extract information from an incoming telephone call on the voice network, and

cross-reference said extracted information with said stored caller information of said database to obtain cross-referenced caller information; and

a remote client workstation in communication with said system server over the internet connection, wherein said remote client workstation is configured to;

receive said cross-referenced caller information from said system server over the internet connection,

display a list of a plurality of incoming telephone calls to a user for selection,

display said cross-referenced caller information in response to said user'"'"'s selection of an incoming telephone call in said list of the plurality of incoming telephone calls,

receive updated caller information input by said user,

pass said updated caller information over the internet connection to said system server,

display office representatives information to said user,

receive updated office representatives information input by said user, and

pass said updated office representatives information to said system server.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein:

said system server is further configured to;

generate a report in response to a request received from said remote client workstation,

wherein said report comprises caller information, and

pass said report to said remote client workstation.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein:

said system server is further configured to;

retrieve a record in response to a request received from said remote client workstation, wherein said record comprises caller information, and

pass said record to said remote client workstation.

11. The system of claim 8, further comprising:

a computing device for monitoring performance of said system,

wherein said computing device is in communication with said system server,

wherein said computing device is configured to;

request transaction information from said system server,

receive said transaction information from said system server, and

display said transaction information to a developer.

12. The system of claim 8, further comprising:

a plurality of remote client workstations in communication with said system server.

13. The system of claim 12, further comprising:

a computing device for monitoring whether each of said client workstations is online, wherein said computing device is in communication with said system server, wherein said computing device is configured to;

request remote client workstation information from said system server,

receive remote said client workstation information from said system server, and

display remote said client workstation information to a developer.

14. The system of claim 8, wherein:

at least a portion of said caller information of said database comprises customer information of a walk-in customer.

15. The system of claim 8, wherein:

at least a portion of said caller information of said database comprises customer information of a caller customer.

16. The system of claim 8, wherein:

said system server is further configured to store said updated caller information in said database.

17. The system of claim 8, wherein

the system server includes a telephony server coupled to the voice network wherein said telephony server is configured to provide said extracted information to said system server.

18. The system of claim 8, wherein:

said extracted information is ANI information.

19. The system of claim 8, wherein:

said extracted information is DNIS information.

20. The system of claim 8, wherein:

said remote client workstation and said user are located at an office of an advertiser.

21. The system of claim 8, wherein:

said system is adapted for managing caller information for the multi-housing industry.