JP2001527336A - Telephone answering device and method for transferring information to the telephone answering device - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] The present invention relates to an advanced answering machine, also called a call center, and a special message to be received by a call center. The message contains information for the recipient and machine code for the call center. The message is edited by the sender, breaking the information and machine code into different blocks. The recipient may ensure that the information in the message is provided to the call center in the desired form, i.e., that the call center information is currently provided in a manner similar to that provided to the caller. it can. The sender can determine the structure of the message by editing or formatting. The machine code is transmitted, for example, as a DTMF code.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

【Technical field】

The present invention relates to communication systems, and more particularly to voice response messages in such systems.

[0002]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The term "call center" is now a common term for advanced telephone answering machines. Older telephone answering machines responded to calls by playing a voice message and allowing the caller to leave a message. In its simplest form, a call center differs from a normal telephone answering machine in that the order in which the messages are played can be freely adjusted by selecting from a plurality of messages provided to the recipient. Such a simple call center can be purchased for private use and can be connected to the user's telephone jack.

[0003] Other types of call centers allow the caller to select information from the call center to hear. The caller will hear a message telling him what other information he can hear. The message also informs the caller how such other information can be obtained. Usually, the caller controls the call center by transmitting a DTMF signal from the telephone. The DTMF signal is transmitted by pressing a number after # on a push-type telephone.

[0004] With this control, the caller can freely handle information prepared by the owner of the call center. The caller can also leave the information. Information is often provided in a voice format and registered in a call center. However, call centers may also request data in the form of DTMF signals.

[0005] The owner of the call center sets a predetermined structure in advance to the information that can be provided. Its purpose is to facilitate the processing of information that is difficult to interpret. As a result, only information according to a specific structure is provided.

There are call centers that can also connect callers to human operators.

[0007] US Pat. No. 5,627,884 addresses the problem that occurs in a call queue to a call center operator, ie, a queue. The presence of a telephone queue means that the line connection must be established and maintained during the waiting period, even though there is no communication over the line. The caller is awaited, but does not attempt to hang up the handset because it may lose his place in the queue. US Patent No. 5,627,8
No. 84's solution to this problem was for the call center to query the caller's telephone number and register it. The telephone number is provided in the form of a DTMF signal. Thereafter, as soon as the operator's hand becomes available, each telephone number is called in the order of the queue.

US Pat. No. 5,058,150 discloses a call center that can register telephone numbers in the form of DTMF signals. By registering a phone number,
Recall processing on the receiving side is facilitated.

In the above example, it is the owner of the call center that determines the format of the information provided to the call center.

[0010]

Summary of the Invention

The present invention relates to the problems experienced by the recipient of a voice response message in connection with interpreting the information contained in the message. The problem is that information that the message can easily understand is difficult to understand, such as phone numbers and other digital information.
It is remarkable when it is included at the same time. It is even more difficult when important or meaningful information is mixed with information that is not as important to the recipient. Long messages are just as confusing. This forces the recipient to search for important parts of the message and listen to the parts that they are not interested in. Further, the user may repeatedly listen to the message until he / she can properly understand the information that cannot be immediately understood.

It is an object of the present invention to provide the sender of a message with the ability to structure the information so that it can be more easily understood by the recipient. The sender can give the information a structure suitable for its content. This makes the information easier for the recipient of the message to understand. In addition, the receiver can select a part including information of interest.

[0012] According to the present invention, the above problem is solved in that a sender of a voice response message composes a message including a machine code. The machine code is provided for the receiving call center. The recipient of the message obtains information from the message by sending control signals to the call center. The call center recognizes the control signal by the machine code included in the message, and then provides the desired information to the recipient.

More specifically, a sender divides information into a plurality of segments to compose or compose a message. One of the segments includes a first indication to the recipient that informs the recipient of a signal to send to the call center to receive further information. Subsequent segments include the machine code and additional recipient information. This further information is provided to the user according to the instructions given to the call center by the user. It is also possible to give the user the opportunity to call the person who left the message.

Information other than voice data included in a message such as a machine code is DTMF.
It can be transmitted as a signal. The sender is provided with a communication terminal connected to the communication system. The user composes a message using his own communication terminal.

The receiving call center is also connected to a communication system, and is equipped with software that can recognize the syntax of a machine code included in a message.

An advantage of the present invention is that the recipient can easily understand the information contained in the message without having previously received the message template. Further, the recipient can omit less interesting parts of the information.

Another advantage of the present invention is that it can transmit more advanced voice response messages than currently dominant. These advanced messages can still be obtained by calling the call center. Current advanced call centers have comprehensive information prepared so that callers can obtain the desired information and easily understand that information. The present invention allows messages sent to a call center to be similarly structured and created. That gives the recipient free access to the information contained in the message, as is possible if the current caller calls the call center.

[0018]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

According to the present invention, a synthesized voice message (hereinafter, abbreviated as a message) is transmitted from a sender to a recipient. The sender can use a transmitting device connected to the communication network. The recipient can use a special call center (hereinafter abbreviated as a call center) connected to the communication network. The message is transmitted from the transmitting device to the call center via the communication network.

FIG. 1 shows a sender A, a receiver B, two transmitting devices PC, MS, and a communication network TelN.
And a call center AM. In FIG. 1, these devices are interconnected as described above. FIG. 1 shows that the message AVM is transmitted to each of the transmitting devices PC and MS.
Is transmitted to the call center AM. The transmitting devices PC, MS and the call center AM have a physical user interface. Using these user interfaces, the sender A can control the transmitting devices PC and MS, and the receiver B can control the call center AM.

Each of the transmitting devices PC and MS has a communication terminal capable of recording and registering voice and data relating to the message AVM and creating a message AVM from the information. To this end, the transmitting device comprises a button pad, a register, a control unit and preferably a device capable of displaying to the sender B how the message AVM is displayed. The transmitting devices PC and MS may be composed of, for example, a modified mobile station or a personal computer having a modem for connecting to a communication network TelN.

When the sender creates and sends a message AVM with the sending device PC, MS, the message is received by the call center. To prepare the message AVM, at least part of the audio information is recorded. Then, a certain format of the message is given by the sender A. The assignment of the format to the message includes an instruction for the call center AM and the like. In composing the message, additional information for recipient B may be included. This further information may be audio information, but may also be textual or digital information. When creating the message AVM, it is assumed that the message information is configured so that the recipient B can immediately understand it.

FIG. 2 shows a structure of information in the message AVM. This figure has the form of a root system in which a plurality of branches extend from a first bubble to another bubble. Each bubble represents predetermined information given to recipient B. The first bubble at the top of the figure contains the text in brackets. This text is the first audio information that is played when recipient B listens to the message.

In this example, the first information is as follows: "Hello, this is a car dealer. Based on your request, we have prepared 3 cars to meet your needs. The colors are red, blue, and green respectively. Press 1 for red cars, 2 for blue cars, and press for green cars. "

Three branches extend from the first bubble. The bubble at the end of each branch is a red car,
It provides detailed information on blue cars and green cars. When recipient B presses the call center number 1, the following message is displayed: "Red car is Volvo 7
It is a 47's 95 model. Mileage is only 4,000 miles. The price is SEK 110,000. Press 2 if you want to print this information. Press 1 if you want to talk to a sales representative. "

Assume that recipient B presses 2 at the call center. Then, the information about the price, the mileage and the type entered by the sender in the message AVM is printed on a screen or paper provided in the call center and displayed in text format.

When the receiver B presses 1 instead of 2 at the call center, the call center starts setting up a call with the communication terminal owned by the store.

If recipient B chooses to hear information about a blue or green car, options are provided corresponding to the options for a red car described above, respectively.

The format of the data in the message AVM is such that the information of the message AVM is provided to the receiver B as desired by the sender A. Here, a message A transmitted from the transmitting devices PC and MS and received by the call center
An example of the configuration of the VM will be described.

The message AVM is divided into three sequences. The first sequence includes the audio that is the first information received by recipient B. For example, the first sequence may start with "Hello, this is a car dealer ...". The information of this first sequence is similar to a known voice message.

In the second sequence, the message is a voice message AV based on a predetermined format.
M is included. The third sequence is the information prepared for recipient B and the machine code to the call center. These three sequences are transmitted in the order of their numbers.

The identification code and the machine code to the call center are represented by DTMF codes. The DTMF code is a technique well known to those skilled in the art. The DTMF code is a sequence of symbols containing 3 × 4 = 16 different symbols. Machine codes are represented by a specific number of DTMF characters. The number of DTMF characters determines how many different values the machine code can take. If the two DTMF characters are used, the machine code can take the 16 ² different values.

The numerical value is given a first DTMF character representing the number of characters following it. Then follow as many characters as listed. Like characters, the first DTMF character is 1
It is encoded as a hexadecimal value.

Characters are represented by two hexadecimal values. As a result, the ASCII code 0.25
5 is obtained.

In order for the call center to correctly determine the received DTMF character, ie, whether it is an alphabet, a number, or a machine code, the machine code and the third sequence information need to be configured correctly.

Thus, the third sequence is divided into different blocks. Each block contains a machine code and user information in turn. The third sequence begins with a first block that indicates the number of remaining blocks included in the third sequence.

Each block also has a hardware structure. The block starts with a first machine code for identifying the type of the block. Next, depending on the type of block, a machine code or user information follows. The block ends with information indicating the block to be executed after the current block. When 0 is given as the next block, the provision of the message AVM ends.

In the embodiment described here, there are six types of blocks. The types are voice, selection, jump, call, text, and pause.

The audio block is for transmitting audio. An audio block consists of the first audio format identification character, the actual audio that follows, and finally information about the next block.

The selection block includes control data that associates a particular block with a particular code provided by recipient B, for example, via a call center button pad or the like.

The selected block starts with an identification character indicating the type of the selected block. Next comes a number representing the number of options. This is followed by the number of characters included in the first option or selection, followed by the DTMF characters included in the first option. The last character of the first alternative code is followed by the number of the block to be executed when recipient B presses the first code.

As with the first option, the remaining options include length, code and next block. The end of the block contains the number of the block to be executed if none of the selectable codes have been selected.

The function of the jump type block is to move to the next block to be executed.
It consists of a type identifier followed by the number of the block to be executed. A block ends with the number of the next block.

The calling type block includes a telephone number and an instruction to multiply the telephone number. This block begins with an identification character of the calling type, followed by information indicating the number of digits contained in the arriving telephone number, followed by the digits of the telephone number itself, and finally after the call is made. And the number of the power block.

The text block includes text information for the recipient B in addition to the machine code.
A text block begins with a textual identification character and contains information about the number of subsequent characters in alphabetical and other forms. Next is the letter, ending with the number of the next block to be executed.

The pause block is used to delay processing until recipient B confirms continuation.

In the above block, the identification characters and most of the numerical values are represented by machine codes. This code and other data not in audio format are DTMF encoded as described above.

FIG. 3 shows the entire format of the message AVM sent from the automobile dealer to the recipient B. The message shown here is the same as the message AVM shown in the information structure of FIG. 2, but FIG. 3 shows its format. FIG.
The text shown in italics also includes some places in italics. This form of the sentence
It is not intended to be included in the message, but is provided for easier understanding of various data functions.

Since the format of each block has a hardware structure, except for some free data,
The length of each block is known. The length of these free data is contained within each block, thereby signaling the length of each block. As a result, when the receiver B indicates a block to be received, the block is easily searched and executed by the call center. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the principle showing the manner in which the sequence of each block included in the message AVM is stored in the register. Each block occupies a certain amount of capacity in the register, the size of which can be known from free data and information about the type of block. The block is searchable because its location in the register is known. The location where the block is accommodated is determined by the size of the capacity in the register occupied by previously stored data.

On the other hand, an audio block differs from other blocks in that information on the length of its free part is not included in the block. The end of the audio block is D
It can be identified by ending with a TMF code.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing the call center AM. The call center includes a port P connected to the communication network TelN, a control unit CPU, and a user interface U.
I, register REG and DTMF detector DTD. Each block is connected to a common data bus DB, through which control signals are transmitted / received from the control unit CPU to other units.

The call center further comprises a connection CN1 from port P to register REG and a connection CN2 from register REG to DTMF detector DTD and user interface UI. Further, the call center includes a connection CN3 leading from the register REG to the port P and a bidirectional connection CN4 between the port P and the user interface UI.

The role of the control unit CPU is to control other units of the call center AM. The control unit CPU reads a DTMF code and converts the code into a code that can be recognized by the control unit CPU.
Assisted by D.

The user interface UI includes a speaker device, a window for visual display of information, and a button pad or keypad for the recipient B to control the call center AM. The user interface further includes a microphone. Port P is the communication network Te
Connect to 1N. The port P, for example, responds to a call arriving from the sender A via the communication network TelN and holds the connection.

During this connection, a message consisting of a stream of data arrives at port P. This data stream is transferred to a register REG where the messages are stored. The register REG may be composed of a tape recorder or a digital recorder. In the latter case, the register includes an A / D converter at its input and a D / A converter at its output.

Recipient B requests playback of a message recorded in a register by pressing a particular button or key. This request is received by the control unit CPU, which instructs to play the message recorded in the register REG. The data stream is transferred to the user interface via connection CN2.

As a result, the standard message or the message AVM is blown into the register REG, so that the receiver B can reproduce it later.

The control unit CPU controls the other units as follows so that the message AVM is displayed properly. The CPU creates a list of where each block begins before displaying it so that each block contained in the message AVM can be retrieved immediately. The control unit CPU controls the register REG to play the recorded message and to prevent the user interface UI from displaying what has already been played.
Control. When the first DTMF sequence is executed, the control unit CPU confirms that the corresponding message is a prepared voice message AVM.
Next, the starting point of the next block, the DTMF indicating the format of the next block
The sequence comes. When the control unit CPU detects the arrival of a new block,
The operation of the register REG is stopped, and the place where the block in the register REG starts is confirmed. When the register REG is a tape recorder, the time required to proceed from a certain starting point to the block is registered. If the register is digital,
The memory location allocated to the block by the site address is indicated according to a known method. The other blocks in the message are then executed in the same way, and the starting point of each block is registered by the control unit.

Recipient B then inputs a request to provide a message by pressing a button on the user interface. The user interface forwards the request to the control unit CPU, which controls the register REG and the user interface UI to play the message AVM. Here, the message is shown in FIGS.
Is the message AVM described above. First, a first sequence is performed, that is, a sequence that includes voice and tells recipient B how to get more information from the message AVM. The control unit is a DTMF detector DTD
When the first DTMF code is detected via the, the user interface UI is instructed to prevent the next information reproduced by the register REG from being output from the speaker. Register REG is of a selectable type and continues execution of block 1 which is a block of machine code. When the execution of block 1 is completed, the control unit CPU causes the register REG to stop reproducing the message AVM.

When the control unit CPU receives the control signal from the receiver B again via the user interface UI, it instructs the register to execute the block corresponding to the user's control signal by the block 1.

In this case, the control signal from the recipient B is the numeral 1 and the block is block 3
It is. Referring to the list prepared in advance, the control unit CPU instructs the register to jump to the position where the block 3 starts and start recording. Block 3 starts with a speech block character. When the control unit CPU detects that the block is an audio block, it instructs the user interface UI to reproduce the registered one from the speaker system. Block 3 ends with a DTMF code indicating that the next block is block 2. Next, the control unit CPU instructs the user interface UI to stop recording the message AVM, and detects the machine code in the block 2 by the DTMF decoder DTD as in the case of the block 1.

When the receiver B requests a call by pressing 1, the control unit CPU causes the register REG to execute the block 6. This block is executed without the content being reproduced from the speaker of the user interface UI. However, the control unit CPU detects the machine code and the telephone number to be dialed. Next, the control unit displays the telephone number to be called by the recipient B on the window on the user interface UI, and waits for confirmation by the recipient B. When the confirmation is made by pressing the button, the control unit CPU causes the port P to dial the telephone number. Further, the control unit CPU controls the user interface UI and the port P to open the bidirectional connection CN4 therebetween, so that the receiver B can use the telephone line TelN like a normal telephone.

When the block in text format is executed, the control unit CPU instructs the user interface to provide the information to the recipient B via the interface window.

In addition to receiving and providing messages, call centers can also receive and play regular voice messages. Like a normal answering machine, the call center answers the call and gives caller A a "greeting word". The greeting is recorded by the recipient B via the user interface UI and registered in the register RE.
G includes the voice information stored in G and the DTMF code indicating the end. Therefore, the connection between the register REG and the user interface UI is a bidirectional connection. The closing DTMF code of the greeting word indicates that the call center AM is a special call center AM that can understand the voice message AM based on a predetermined format.
The voice message AVM based on the predetermined format is transmitted only from the call transmitting devices PC and MS to the call center where the greeting is terminated with such a DTMF code.

The call center AM can also be connected to a printer via a user interface. In this case, the text message can be printed on paper and simultaneously displayed on a window.

The call center AM shown in FIG. 5 is installed near the receiver B. In another embodiment, the call center AM is located remotely from the receiver B, and the receiver B sends an instruction through the communication network TelN to control the call center AM.
According to this embodiment, the user interface UI comprises a communication terminal with the receiver B connected to the communication network TelN. Control data from the user is transmitted to the communication terminal and the communication network T
Arrives at the call center via port P via elN. Information from the call center is transmitted to the receiver B via the communication network TelN and the communication terminal via the port P
Arrives under. The control data can be transmitted from the receiver B to the call center through the communication network TelN as a DTMF signal, for example, but the call center can also be controlled by voice.

According to another embodiment of the invention, the message AVM is transmitted by the sender A by the transmitter M
It is created by the call center AM using S and PC. The advantage is that it is sufficient if sender A has a normal terminal, not a modified terminal. On the other hand, call centers have become slightly more complex and need to have the ability to edit received information.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 shows a transmitting terminal owned by a sender and an SA owned by a receiver.
M indicates a connected communication network.

FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram showing how information is provided to a recipient by a synthesized voice message.

FIG. 3 is a main view showing an information format of a synthesized voice message.

FIG. 4 is a main view showing a state where information blocks are stored.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing a SAM.

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuation of front page (81) Designated country EP (AT, BE, CH, CY, DE, DK, ES, FI, FR, GB, GR, IE, IT, LU, MC, NL, PT, SE ), OA (BF, BJ, CF, CG, CI, CM, GA, GN, GW, ML, MR, NE, SN, TD, TG), AP (GH, GM, KE, LS, MW, SD, SZ, UG, ZW), EA (AM, AZ, BY, KG, KZ, MD, RU, TJ, TM), AL, AM, AT, AU, AZ, BA, BB, BG, BR, BY, CA, CH, CN, CU, CZ, DE, DK, EE, ES, FI, GB, GD, GE, GH, GM, HR, HU, ID, IL, IS, JP, KE, KG , KP, KR, KZ, LC, LK, LR, LS, LT, LU, LV, MD, MG, MK, MN, MW, MX, NO, NZ, PL, PT, RO, RU, SD, SE, SG, SI, SK, SL, TJ, TM, TR, TT, UA, UG, UZ, VN, YU, ZW (72) Inventor Hall, Hans Sweden S-75420 Uppsala, Huergatan 5F Term ( Reference) 5K015 AA00 AA04 AB00 AB01 GA00 GA01 GA04 GA07 5K024 AA72 AA76 BB02 CC01 CC09 CC11 DD06 EE01 EE02 FF03 FF06

Claims (18)

[Claims] A communication network (Tel) in which a receiving device (AM) having a control unit (CPU) and a register unit (REG) and a transmitting device (MS, PC) are connected.
N) A method of transmitting information from a sender (A) to a receiver (B) via a communication network (TelN), comprising the steps of: transmitting a machine code part, an instruction part, and an information part to a transmission device (MS); , PC) to the receiving device (AM); b) teaching the instruction unit to the receiver (B); c) receiving a control signal from the receiver (B); d) transmitting the control signal to the machine. Recognizing according to a code; and e) providing the information according to the control signal. 2. The transmitting device (MS, PC) in which a message (AVM) is registered by the sender (A) with the instruction section and the information section, and the machine code section is added according to a specific format. And then the message (AV
Method according to claim 1, characterized in that M) is transmitted to the receiving device (AM). 3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the machine code part is encoded as a DTMF signal. 4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the instruction unit is registered, transmitted, and read in audio format. 5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the receiver (B) controls the receiving device (AM) by means of buttons included in the receiving device (AM). 6. A receiver (B) has a terminal connected to a communication network (TelN), and the receiver (B) receives the control signal from a communication terminal via a communication network (TelN). 5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the receiving device is controlled by transmitting to the AM. 7. The method of claim 6, wherein said control signal is encoded as a DTMF signal. 8. The method according to claim 6, wherein the control signal is an audio signal. 9. According to the format, the message starts with a speech sequence forming the indication, followed by a first machine code indicating that the message is a composite message, followed by further machine codes and further information. The method of claim 2, comprising: 10. A receiving call center (AM) via a communication network (TelN).
A method for creating a message for transmission to: a) recording one or more sequences as voice information; b) recording the machine code for the call center in direct connection with the sequence. C) establishing a connection over a communication network (TelN), and d) sending the message (AVM) over the connection. 11. The method according to claim 10, wherein the machine code is transmitted in the form of a DTMF signal. 12. A call center (AM) connected to a communication network (TelN).
Means for answering a call via a communication network (TelN) and thereafter establishing a telephone connection (P, CPU); and means for registering user data obtained via the telephone connection (REG); a means (UI) for providing the user data; a means (REG) for registering a machine code obtained through the telephone connection; and a control signal from the receiver (B). Means for receiving (UI), means for interpreting the control signal according to the machine code (DTD, CPU)
Means for providing the user data according to the received control signal (CPU
, UI). 13. The call center according to claim 12, wherein the means for interpreting the control signal according to the machine code comprises a DTMF detector (DTD). 14. The call center according to claim 12, further comprising means for reproducing the user data when the user data is in a voice format. 15. The call center according to claim 12, further comprising means for visually displaying the user data. 16. The call center according to claim 12, wherein the receiver (B) has a button pad for transmitting the control signal. 17. An apparatus according to claim 12, further comprising an interface (P) for said communication network (TelN), said interface including control signal receiving means.
15. The call center according to any one of claims 14 to 14. 18. The call center according to claim 17, further comprising means for receiving the control signal as a DTMF signal.