Telephonic-interface statistical analysis system

• US 6,148,065 A
• Filed: 01/13/1998
• Issued: 11/14/2000
• 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:
  US09/006,274
• Time in Patent Office: 1,036 Days
• Field of Search: 379/67.1, 379/88.01, 379/88.22, 379/88.23, 379/88.24, 379/265, 379/267, 379/142, 379/127, 379/88.25, 379/88.26, 379/88.27, 379/88.2, 379/88.21 , 379/266, 379/309
• US Class Current: 379/88.2
• 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: G07C 2011/04 related to queuing systems
• 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 speech recognition per se G10L15/00
• 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 3/42042 Notifying the called party of information on the calling party details within substation equipment H04M1/57, signalling details H04Q3/72
• 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 2213/1313 : Metering, billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13136 : Collect call information service H04Q2213/13376
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13141 : Hunting for free outlet, circuit or channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/1316 : Service observation, testing
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13173 : Busy signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13174 : Data transmission, file transfer
• 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 2213/13213 : Counting, timing circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13214 : Clock signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13216 : Code signals, frame structure
• 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 2213/1333 : Random systems
• 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 2213/13405 : Dual frequency signaling, DTMF
• 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 system D interfaces with a multiplicity of individual terminals T1-Tn of a telephone network facility C, at the terminals callers are prompted by voice-generated instructions to provide digital data that is identified for positive association with a caller and is stored for processing. The caller'"'"'s identification data is confirmed using various techniques and callers may be ranked and accounted for on the basis of entitlement; sequence or demographics. Callers are assigned random designations that are stored along with statistical and identification data. A break-off control circuit may terminate the computer interface aborting to a terminal for direct communication with an operator. Real-time operation processing is an alternative to stored data. The accumulation of stored data (statistical, calling order sequence, etc.) is variously processed and correlated as with developed or established data to isolate a select group or subset of callers who can be readily identified and reliably confirmed. Different program formats variously control the processing of statistical data as for auction sales, contests, lotteries, polls, commercials and so on.

Claims

1. A system to be utilized with a telephone facility for on-line handling of customer data contained in a memory in accordance with a select operating format comprising:

means for receiving called terminal digital data (DNIS) signals automatically provided by said telephone facility to identify said select operating format from a plurality of distinct operating formats and for receiving caller telephone number data from said telephone facility;

an operator terminal for use by a person to communicate through the telephone facility;

interface switching means connected to said receiving means and said operator terminal for receiving incoming calls;

computer means coupled to said interface switching means for connecting an incoming call by a caller to said operator terminal based on a condition, said caller telephone number data being stored in said memory such that said computer means in accordance with said select operating format is capable of accessing said customer data on a selected customer which has a telephone number corresponding to said caller telephone number data automatically provided from said telephone facility, said computer means visually displaying said customer data on a selected customer and said operator terminal capable of providing data entries to said memory; and

said customer data on a selected customer contained in memory is updated by incorporating said data entries into said customer data.

2. A system to be utilized with a telephone facility according to claim 1, further comprising:

voice generator structure coupled to said interface switching means for prompting callers to enter digital data.

3. A system to be utilized with a telephone facility according to claim 1, further comprising:

qualification structure coupled to said computer means for testing said customer data.

4. A system to be utilized with a telephone facility according to claim 3, wherein said qualification structure tests a caller provided PIN number.

5. A system to be utilized with a telephone facility according to claim 1, wherein said operator terminal provides data entries relating to said caller.

6. A system to be utilized with a telephone facility according to claim 1, wherein said operator terminal is provided with a display of data relating to said select operating format under control of said called terminal digital data (DNIS) signals.

7. A system to be utilized with a telephone facility according to claim 1, wherein said customer data on said selected customer includes data specifying a limit on use.

8. A system to be utilized with a telephone facility according to claim 7, wherein said limit on use specifies a predetermined number of uses.

9. A system to be utilized with a telephone facility according to claim 7, wherein said limit on use specifies a one time only use.

10. A system to be utilized with a telephone facility according to claim 7, wherein said limit on use specifies a use relating to a dollar amount.

11. A system to be utilized with a telephone facility according to claim 7, wherein said customer data on a selected customer includes data based on a specified limit on a number of calls from said caller during specified multiple intervals of time wherein said specified limit is automatically refreshed at the beginning or the end of each of said multiple intervals of time.

12. A system to be utilized with a telephone facility according to claim 7, wherein said limit on use specifies an extent of access.

13. A system to be utilized with a telephone facility for on-line handling of customer data contained in a memory in accordance with a select operating format comprising:

means for receiving called terminal digital data (DNIS) signals automatically provided by the telephone facility to identify the select operating format from a plurality of distinct operating formats;

an operator terminal for use by a person to communicate through the telephone facility;

interface switching means connected to the receiving means and the operator terminal for receiving incoming calls; and

processing means connected to the interface switching means for receiving customer number data entered by a caller and for storing the customer number data in a memory and based on a condition coupling an incoming call to the operator terminal, the processing means visually displaying the customer number data, the operator terminal providing other data entries to the memory to update data relating to the caller.