Voice-data telephonic control system

• US 5,073,929 A
• Filed: 02/21/1989
• Issued: 12/17/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 05/16/1988
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Ronald A Katz Technology Licensing LP
• Original Assignee: First Data Resources Incorporated (Fiserv Incorporated)
• Inventors: Katz, Ronald A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ng, Jin F.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Woo, Stella L.
• Application Number:
  US07/312,792
• Time in Patent Office: 1,029 Days
• Field of Search: 379/93, 379/92, 379/88, 379/89, 379/67, 379/97, 379/77, 379/80
• US Class Current: 379/93.12
• 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 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 3/42059 Making use of the calling 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: H04M 3/5166 in combination with interactive voice response systems or voice portals, e.g. as front-ends
• 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

Abstract

In an audio-digital telephone interface system, a control selectively prompts a caller with oral instructions to selectively provide: control signals, digital data signals (numeric) or audio signals. A data cell is loaded in accordance with an operating program of the control and the resulting data packet is classified, as depending on the presence of audio signals. Data packets are returned to storage, as for subsequent off-line processing. The illustrative format receives and organizes mail order data from callers.

Claims

1. A voice-data control system for use with a communication facility including remote terminals for individual callers, wherein said remote terminals may comprise a conventional telephone instrument including voice communication means for providing audio response signals and digital input means for providing digital response signals, said control system comprising:

cue means for cueing select ones of said terminals to prompt selective actuation of said voice communication means and said digital input means to provide responsive signals;

status means to selectively identify responsive signals from each select terminal as digital control signals, digital data signals or audio signals;

control means implementing a stored program to control said cue means and said status means in accordance with said program and said digital control signals to prompt the provision of responsive signals from each select terminal in accordance with said status means; and

means for storing responsive signals from said select terminals including digital data signals and audio signals as selectively identified by said status means.

2. A system according to claim 1 wherein said means for storing includes means for forming a data identification flag for distinguishing data including audio signals.

3. A system according to claim 1 wherein said cue means comprises a voice generator.

4. A system according to claim 1 further including manual attended terminal means and wherein said control means further includes means to terminate said program for interfacing a terminal in favor of said attended terminal means.

5. A system according to claim 4 wherein said status means includes means for providing signals to said attended terminal means to manifest.

6. A system according to claim 5 wherein said status means includes means for providing signals to manifest the states of cue data signals, cue control signals and cue audio signals.

7. A system according to claim 1 wherein said means for storing includes plural sections for receiving select data in accordance with said stored program and said control means.

8. A system according to claim 7 wherein said means for storing includes means for storing a flag to indicate the presence of audio data.

9. A system according to claim 8 wherein said means for storing includes means for storing identification data for a caller.

10. A system according to claim 8 wherein said means for storing includes means for storing other data for a caller.

11. A system according to claim 8 wherein said means for storing includes means for storing audio data from a caller.

12. A system according to claim 8 wherein said means for storing includes means for storing acknowledgement data provided from said control means.

13. A system according to claim 1 wherein said cue means comprises a plurality of voice generators and said status means comprises a plurality of registers.

14. A voice-data control system for use with a communication facility including remote terminals for individual callers, wherein said remote terminals may comprise a conventional telephone instrument including voice communication means for providing audio response signals and digital input means for providing digital response signals, said control system comprising:

cue means for cueing select ones of said terminals to prompt selective actuation of said voice communication means and said digital input means to provide responsive signals;

status means to selectively identify responsive signals from each select terminal as digital control signals, digital data signals or audio signals;

memory means for storing individual caller data;

means for retrieving individual caller data from said memory means in response to control signals from said digital input means;

means for storing digital data signals from said digital input means as additional individual caller data;

control means for actuating said cue means and said status means to cue and identify audio signals, said control means being conditioned on the failure of said means for retrieving individual caller data to actuate said cue means whereby said caller provide audio signals representative of caller data; and

means for storing said audio signals representative of caller data responsive to cueing by said cue means.

15. A system according to claim 14 wherein said caller data includes caller billing information.

16. A voice-data control system for use with a communication facility including remote terminals for individual callers, wherein said remote terminals may comprise a conventional telephone instrument including voice communication means for providing audio response signals and digital input means for providing digital response signals, said control system comprising:

cue means for cueing select ones of said terminals to prompt selective actuation of said voice communication means and said digital input means to provide responsive signals;

status means to selectively identify responsive signals from each select terminal as digital control signals, digital data signals or audio signals;

control means implementing a stored program to control said cue means and said status means in accordance with said program and said digital control signals to prompt responsive signals from each select terminal in accordance with said status means, said program implementing a mail order operation; and

means for selectively storing responsive signals from said select terminals including digital data signals and audio signals as selectively identified by said status means to indicate data and mail orders by said callers for specific items of merchandise.

17. A system according to claim 16 wherein said means for storing signals stores signals representative of billing information.

18. A system according to claim 17 wherein said control means further implements inventory means to account for said items of merchandise.

19. A system according to claim 18 wherein said inventory means includes an inventory record of said items of merchandise.