Telephonic communications – Centralized switching system – Call distribution to operator
Reexamination Certificate
1999-08-10
2003-09-30
Tieu, Benny (Department: 2642)
Telephonic communications
Centralized switching system
Call distribution to operator
C379S265140, C379S219000, C705S002000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06628778
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an automatic relay system for controlling access to a telephone answering window service, and particularly, to a technique effectively applicable to an automatic relay system which enables user's 24-hour access to necessary telephone answering window without taking notice of business hours of the telephone answering window, and enables automatic registration of new user of telephone answering window service, by utilizing notification of call originator number via a communication network and product identification information inputted by the user.
In recent years, call originator number notification service has been started in public networks, following ISDN (Integrated Services Digital Network) systems and cellular phone network systems and the like. Further, in telephone answering window service to respond to inquiries from customers, a so-called CTI (Computer Telephony Integration) system has been adopted. In the CTI system, during business hours, upon reception of an incoming call, pre-stored customer information is referred to based on a call originator number notified from the network in response to the call origination by the customer, and a response can be made to the customer's inquiry. Further, with respect to an incoming call from a customer after the business hours, it can be arranged such that voice message notifying that the call has been made after business hours and advising the customer to call again during the business hours, or informing the customer of the telephone number of another telephone answering window.
By utilizing this CTI system, for example, Japanese Published Unexamined Patent Application No. Hei 09-214611 discloses a method of operating a telephone answering window to ask a user who has made a call after business hours to call again. According to the disclosed technique, the operating method is realized by repeater function and audio answering function of a private branch exchange. Conventionally, the CTI system does not conduct telephone answering window service after business hours, except special cases, and calls back only to an emergency call. Accordingly, when a customer newly makes a registration for use of telephone answering window service, the customer must file an application via mailing or facsimile. On the other hand, the operating side of the telephone answering window must perform computer on-line registration or the like. Further, the user must perform communication in correspondence with the business hours of the telephone answering window if contact with the telephone answering window is required.
As described above, in the telephone answering window service utilizing the conventional CTI system, a customer on the call originating side who needs information from the telephone answering window after business hours must perform communication with respect to another telephone answering window at another place plural times, or wait until the telephone answering window opens in the business hours and the information can be obtained. Generally, in a case where the customer must take notice of business hours of a telephone answering window, after the business hours, the customer often makes a call plural times to the telephone answering window, thus the operation of telephone answering window lacks reliability. Further, upon registration of use of telephone answering window prior to the initial use of the window service, the customer side must file an application by mail or the like and the telephone answering window side must perform registration work, thus these procedures are burdensome to both sides.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention has its object to solve the above problems and enable a customer to access to a telephone answering window to obtain necessary information without taking notice of business hours.
According to the present invention, the foregoing object is attained by providing an automatic relay method for a telephone answering window to provide telephone answering window service to customers. In the method, upon reception of incoming call from a customer, a search is performed for a telephone answering window available at that time, and the call is relayed to the found telephone answering window. Thus telephone answering window service can be provided to the customer.
According to the present invention, provided is a network system having a plurality of nodes connected to a communication network, an automatic relay system to be connected to these nodes via the communication network, an access authority data base connected to the automatic relay system and a telephone answering window management data base. In the system, business hours, telephone numbers and available services are registered in advance in the telephone answering window data base.
In a preferred aspect of the present invention, when a customer first accesses to telephone answering window service, registration for use is made, and access authority is set in the automatic relay system. The access authority setting is made by registering a call originator identifier notified from the network to the automatic relay system upon call origination from the node on the customer side and a product identifier sent from the node on the customer side, into the access authority data base. The entry of the product identifier into the node on the customer side is made via push buttons of the node in accordance with voice guidance sent from the automatic relay system side to the node. The product identifier may be a serial number of computer software or the like, packaged with the product and notified to the customer at the point of sale.
In the preferred aspect of the present invention, in the second and subsequent connections, the automatic relay system relays a call to a necessary telephone answering window by comparison between the call originator identifier notified from the network and the access authority data base, and comparison between time of incoming call and business hours and service contents of the telephone answering windows. When it is necessary to update the registration due to purchase of a new product or upgrade of the product registered in the automatic relay system, change or addition is made with respect to the registered contents based on information inputted in accordance with voice guidance. The valid access authority at a telephone answering window is judged based on the call originator identifier of the customer node notified from the network and information inputted by the customer in accordance with voice guidance.
In the series of processings, the customer makes a call from the customer node and inputs information, thus, the customer is allowed to use ensured telephone answering window service in correspondence with registration of use, authorization of access authority, and time of reception of incoming call. Further, the conventional burdensome application for use of telephone answering window by filing documents by mail or the like can be replaced with quick registration with reduced steps by inputting highly-reliable call originator identifier notified from the network and a product identifier delivered with the product to the customer in advance.
Thus, according to the present invention, the customer can make a call to the telephone answering window without taking notice of business hours of the window, and on the side of the telephone answering window, an incoming call can be reliably relayed to a labor-saving and desired telephone answering window without an operator.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5452350 (1995-09-01), Reynolds et al.
patent: 6134530 (2000-10-01), Bunting et al.
patent: 9-214611 (1997-08-01), None
Satomi Shigeki
Seki Taku
Hitachi , Ltd.
Mattingly Stanger & Malur, P.C.
Tieu Benny
LandOfFree
Automatic relay method and storage medium containing... does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Automatic relay method and storage medium containing..., we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Automatic relay method and storage medium containing... will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-3005346