JP2001189822A - Facsimile information service system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a system capable of processing high-level information automatically by using a telephone set and facsimile equipment which are familiar to public. SOLUTION: When a call comes in to a telephone number (i), a specific application program Pi is started (201 and 202). In accordance with a specified voice responding script, a voice message is sent to a user who has originated the call (i), data from the caller responding to this is recognized and operation is repeated until a series of data are collected (203 to 205). Then, a prescribed data string obtained in this way is inputted for the data processing (206). The processing result data is applied to a prescribed document template to prepare a reporting document (207). This is converted to a facsimile data form to be stored temporarily (208) and its transmission is instructed to the telephone number of an opposite party by report-document facsimile (209), access-recording the information service (210).

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a system for providing an information service by facsimile (including an Internet facsimile) to a general user through a public telephone network or a network. The present invention relates to a facsimile information service system for automatically creating and transmitting a unique report document for a user based on the information.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As is well known, the following retrieval type facsimile information service system is operated. When a general user calls a predetermined number using the telephone of the facsimile machine at hand, the computer automatically answers and a voice message such as "This is a service center that sends favorite information by facsimile" flows. Come. After that, an operation guide for extracting desired information flows, and when prompted, a box number (a number specifying the desired information is generally called as such) and the like on a telephone keyboard (tone code specifying means). ), The corresponding facsimile document is sent to the user's facsimile machine. A typical facsimile document that can be taken out of this apparatus is a document such as a pamphlet issued by a company or a store. A service provider operating a facsimile information box contracts with a number of information suppliers such as companies and shops, and assigns one or more box numbers to each contractor.
Then, the facsimile data of the document received from each contractor is stored in a hard disk or the like in association with each box number. The data designated by the above-described voice guidance process from among the document facsimile data is automatically transmitted to the user.

[0003]

In recent years, the use of the Internet has rapidly spread, and many people operate their personal computers to use various information services developed on the Internet. By fusing the Internet WWW mechanism with database technology, socially meaningful advanced information services have been developed one after another, and ordinary people can use them while staying at home. However, if you connect your PC to the Internet,
In order to use the W information service, it is very difficult for many people who have to know a lot of small promises about the use of personal computers and who are not able to make reservations for recording home videos.

In this respect, the facsimile is much simpler and can be said to be an intuitively familiar information device. Even though the use of the Internet by personal computers has spread, the use of facsimile in ordinary households has also increased. This proves that the facsimile is an easy-to-understand and easy-to-use device for the general public. Therefore, the value and significance of systems such as facsimile information boxes will not be lost in the future. However, the above-described facsimile information box currently in operation is a simple one that does not depart from the area of document delivery services, in which various product brochures can be immediately obtained at a remote location. In terms of the content and quality of information services, they are inferior to those of various information services deployed on the Internet.

An object of the present invention is to realize a facsimile information service system which can automatically execute and process a higher-level information service by using a telephone and a facsimile which are extremely easy-to-use interfaces for ordinary people. .

[0006]

Means for Solving the Problems === First Invention === The system according to the first invention has the following items (11) to (14).
Is specified by (11) A facsimile information service system that automatically creates and transmits a unique report document for a user based on information obtained from the user. (12) Incoming call control means for executing line connection control in response to an incoming call for each of a large number of telephone numbers for which a subscription has been made, and a designated telephone number for calling the designated telephone number And facsimile transmission means for transmitting the facsimile data, and a computer cooperating with these means. (13) The computer includes an individual application program associated with each of the subscribed telephone numbers, and a database used by each individual application program. This database includes a collection of voice response scripts that organize a large number of pre-recorded voice response messages, and a document template collection that collects multiple types of template data for creating report documents. Have been. (14) When the incoming call control means detects an incoming call to telephone number A, the computer executes an individual application program associated with telephone number A. This individual application program selectively reproduces a predetermined voice response message in which the voice response script is concentrated, and
An operation guidance process of performing operation guidance by outputting a voice to the user B who has issued the call, an input recognition process of acquiring input data sequentially supplied from the user B in parallel with the operation guidance process, A numerical calculation process of executing a predetermined numerical calculation algorithm using the predetermined input data sequence acquired in the input recognition process as an input variable, and the result data of the numerical calculation process and the predetermined template data extracted from the document template collection. A document creation process for creating report document data by combining the document creation process, a data conversion process for converting report document data obtained by the document creation process into facsimile data format, and temporarily storing the data in a predetermined memory; and a data conversion process. Facsimile data obtained in the report document obtained in the input recognition process An information receiving facsimile number C of use's B contains a transmission command process specified in the facsimile transmission means.

=== Second Invention === The system according to the second invention is as follows (21) to (24).
Is specified by (21) A facsimile information service system that automatically creates and transmits a unique report document for a user based on information obtained from the user. (22) Incoming call control means for executing a line connection control in response to an incoming call for each of a large number of telephone numbers for which a subscription is made, and a designated telephone number for calling the designated telephone number And facsimile transmission means for transmitting the facsimile data, and a computer cooperating with these means. (23) The computer includes an individual application program associated with each telephone number subscribed to, and a database used by each individual application program. This database contains a collection of voice response scripts that organize a large number of prerecorded voice response messages, a collection of document templates that collect multiple types of template data when creating report documents, And a content set in which various types of target information are systematically stored. (24) When the incoming call control means detects an incoming call to the telephone number A, the computer executes an individual application program associated with the telephone number A. This individual application program selectively reproduces a predetermined voice response message in which the voice response script is concentrated, and
An operation guidance process of performing operation guidance by outputting a voice to the user B who has issued the call, an input recognition process of acquiring input data sequentially supplied from the user B in parallel with the operation guidance process, Using the predetermined input data sequence acquired in the input recognition process as a search condition, a content search process for searching the content set and extracting corresponding data, a search result data obtained by the content search process, and a document extracted from the document template collection. A document creation process for creating report document data by combining with predetermined template data, and a data conversion process for converting report document data obtained by the document creation process into a facsimile data format and temporarily storing it in a predetermined memory And the report facsimile data obtained by this data conversion process It contains a transmission command process of specifying the information receiving facsimile number C of the user B obtained by the input cognitive processes in the facsimile transmission means.

=== Other Inventions === In the system according to the first or second invention, the report document data created in the document creation process has a predetermined data amount (the number of pages of a document or the number of records of a search result). , Etc.), the report document is not transmitted by facsimile, and the notification document data for notifying that the transmission is suspended due to the large data amount is generated to the information reception facsimile number C of the user B. A facsimile transmission is performed. In this case, desirably, if there is a transmission request of the report document that has been suspended from the user B, the temporarily stored report document data is sent to the information receiving facsimile number C of the user B by facsimile. Configure to send. Preferably, in the system according to the first or second aspect, the individual application program includes an access record creation process for organizing and saving a user access record including the input data string acquired by the input recognition process. . In this case, preferably, data communication is individually performed with a service providing contractor (using a facsimile, a WWW system, or an e-mail system), which provides an information service provided by the individual application program, and the access of the corresponding individual application program is performed. The access record created by the record creation process is provided in an appropriate data format.

[0009]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS === Overview of System === A facsimile information service system according to the present invention comprises one or more workstations and personal computers. In the example of FIG. Is shown as a computer 1. This system is connected to a public telephone network including ISDN by a network control device 2 and to the Internet by a network device 3 such as a LAN or a router. Computer 1
The network controller 2 communicates with the telephone user connected to the line via the voice response input / output device 4. Further, the computer 1 calls the telephone number of the communication partner from the network control device 2 and transmits the document facsimile data via the facsimile transmitting device 5 to the responding facsimile device.

The network controller 2 makes a line connection in response to all incoming calls to a number of telephone numbers subscribed to a telephone company. Since these telephone numbers are telephone numbers serving as reception desks for use of the system, they are called window telephone numbers to distinguish them from others. One information service program is associated with one window telephone number. The operator of this system has contracted with a plurality of information service providers, and each information service provider proposes one or more information service programs, outsources them to this system, and executes these information services. The system acts on behalf of each contact telephone number.

Each information service program is associated with an individual application program. When the computer 1 executes a specific individual application program in response to an incoming call of a window telephone number, the function of the information service program associated with the window telephone number appears. The contents of information service programs are roughly classified into numerical calculation types and information search types. The numerical calculation type includes, for example, a life insurance trial statement preparation service. If a person subscribes to a certain life insurance under certain conditions, what will be the payment of the insurance premium, what will be the payment of the insurance money, what will be the refund if canceled in the middle, etc. Service. The information search type includes, for example, a search service for a rental housing database. Search the database by specifically specifying the railroad you want to live, the station name, the distance from the station, the size of the house, the type, the range of rent, etc.
This service presents properties that meet the conditions.

=== System Viewed from User Operation Side =
=== Users know that there is a trial balance creation service by reading pamphlets issued by life insurance companies. In other words, make a call to the designated window telephone number, and enter the type of insurance, age, gender, insurance payment period, number of contracts, etc. of the person who wants to join according to the guidance of the voice response device on the telephone keyboard. In addition, the user knows in advance the explanation of the mechanism of the procedure, such as inputting the telephone number of the facsimile machine receiving the trial calculation. The user proceeds with the procedure sequence as described using a handy telephone, and hangs up when the procedure is completed. After a while, a trial report is sent to the facsimile machine of the telephone number notified to the system.

[0013] The same applies to the search service of the rental housing database. The user knows the service by seeing, for example, an article in a housing information magazine, and knows in advance the window telephone number and the contents of the procedure. The user calls the window telephone number while looking at such a commentary document, and searches in the form responding to the question of the voice response device (searching along the railway line, station name, distance from the station, size of house, type, Rent range) and the telephone number of the facsimile machine to receive the search result report document. After a while, the report document of the search result is sent to the facsimile machine of the telephone number.

=== System Software System === As described above, by executing the individual application program associated with one window telephone number, 1 is associated with the window telephone number. Information processing of two information service programs is performed. In order to embody a numerical calculation type information service program, a voice response script in which a number of voice response messages used in the program are systematically edited, and a document template which is a template data of a report document created in the program Are prepared in a database managed by the computer 1, and the individual application programs use these to realize the function of the information service program in the procedure shown in the flowchart of FIG.

When the network controller 2 notifies that there is an incoming call to the window telephone number i in the computer 1, the computer 1 reads the individual application program Pi associated with the telephone number i, and Start execution. The voice response script for the information service program is specified in the individual application program Pi, and a number of voice messages are sequentially transmitted to the user (the telephone that has called the telephone number i) according to the script. At the same time, the operation of recognizing input data from the user who has responded to each message, checking the validity of the input data, and selecting and transmitting the next voice message is repeated (step 203 in the flowchart of FIG. 2). → 2
04 → 205).

When all the input data required by the information service program are available, the process proceeds from step 204 to step 206, where a predetermined one of the input data is given to a predetermined numerical calculation algorithm to execute the calculation. Next step 2
In step 07, the result data of the numerical calculation is applied to the template data of the report document for the information service program,
Report document data is created by adding the input data and data related to numerical calculation. Subsequently, the report document data is converted into facsimile data format and temporarily stored in an appropriate memory, and the report document facsimile data is transmitted to the telephone number of the user facsimile device included in the input data. (Step 208 → 209). FIG. 3 illustrates the contents of the voice response script used in the above-mentioned life insurance trial calculation service, and FIG. 4 illustrates a template of the report document, and shows a report document in which the numerical calculation results are entered in the template. 5 is illustrated.

In step 210, the access record of the information service program (prepared in an appropriate storage unit managed by the computer 1) is stored in the access record book of the information service program. Organize and fill in the summary and the date and time of transmission.

In order to embody an information search type information service program, a database (content set) in which information to be searched is collected is prepared. A voice response script that systematically edits a large number of voice response messages used in the program and a document template that is the template data of the report document created in the program are also provided, as in the numerical calculation type. It is. The procedure of the program execution process is the same as that of the aforementioned type.
In step 206, database search processing is executed instead of numerical calculation. Create report document data that informs users of the search results based on the template data,
It is converted to facsimile data format, transmitted to the telephone number of the user facsimile machine, and the necessary information is entered in the access record book. FIG. 6 illustrates the contents of the voice response script used in the search service of the rental housing database described above, and FIG. 7 illustrates a template of the report document. FIG. 7 shows a report document in which the information of the search result is applied to the template. 8. Of course, the information of the search result included in the report document may be image information (for example, a floor plan of an individual house).

In the case of an information search type program, the number of pages of a report document may be enormous depending on search conditions specified by a user. Sending such an enormous amount of report documents to the user by facsimile may be confusing to the user and may be annoying. Therefore, if the number of pages of the report document exceeds a certain value, the user does not send the report document by facsimile, but creates the notification document data with the content such as "The transmission is suspended because the number of pages is large." Send it to the telephone number of the facsimile machine.
Alternatively, a message such as "Do not send by facsimile because there are many pages. Try re-entering search conditions."

The notification document also describes a procedure for receiving a report document even if the number of pages is large. As a procedure, the user calls the telephone number described in the notification document, and is prompted by a voice message from the system such as "Please enter the number of the report document", and it is described in the notification document A method of inputting the report document number that has been entered can be adopted. In other words, by associating the report document number with the report document facsimile data that is pending transmission, the system can avoid the troublesome procedure of re-entering search conditions and re-executing database search processing. The held report document can be sent to the user.

The amount of data of the report document when the transmission is suspended is determined by the service, including whether the upper limit is set to the number of pages or the number of records of the search result, for each information service program. It can be set appropriately based on the declaration of the provider.

=== Utilization of Access Record Book === Information on who has accessed each information service program and what kind of input data has been transmitted is as follows.
It can be said that this is extremely useful marketing information for contractors providing each program. Therefore, the present system is provided with a function of organizing and presenting the data of the program access record book to the contractor providing each program. As a means for presenting information, a method of converting the information in the access record book into a facsimile document and transmitting it to the contractor facsimile apparatus, or a method of describing the information in the access record book in an e-mail and transmitting it to the contractor's e-mail address Alternatively, there is a method in which the system is provided with a function of a WWW server, a homepage for use of each contractor is established, and information of an access record book is written on the WWW page.

=== Another Example of Numerical Calculation Type === Another example of a numerical calculation type information service program will be described. This information service program provides a service that specifically calculates and presents what the repayment amount will be when a loan is received from the Housing Finance Corporation under certain conditions. FIG. 9 illustrates the contents of a voice response script used in this loan simulation service, FIG. 10 illustrates a model of a report document, and FIG. 11 illustrates a report document in which calculation results are entered in the template. I have.

=== Facsimile machine for receiving information ==
= In the example described so far, the information receiving facsimile apparatus is assumed to be connected to the public telephone network. However, a facsimile connected to another network, such as an Internet facsimile, can be used as the information receiving facsimile in the present invention. In this case, the "information receiving facsimile number" is an identification number for specifying the other party's facsimile machine on the network.

=== Convey the Contents of Report Document by Voice ==
= The facsimile information service system of the present invention is a system that sends the results of numerical calculations and database searches to users in the form of report documents by facsimile. In this system, a function of transmitting the contents of the report document to the user by telephone in the form of a voice message may be added.

[0026]

As described in detail above, according to the facsimile information service system of the present invention, a conventional retrieval type facsimile information service system can be realized by using a telephone and a facsimile, which are very easy-to-use interfaces for ordinary people. An advanced information service different from such a simple document delivery service can be provided. In particular, since a large number of information service programs commissioned from multiple service provision contractors are centrally operated by distinguishing them by the contact telephone number, the efficiency of system development, operation, maintenance and management is extremely high, thus reducing the cost of service provision. Can be reduced. The system of the present invention, which automatically creates a unique report document for the user based on the information obtained from the user and transmits the report by facsimile, is not limited to the services described as the embodiment, but also includes various socially useful services. It can be applied to various information services.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic functional block diagram of a facsimile information service system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating an outline of a data processing procedure of the system according to the embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a diagram exemplifying the contents of a voice response script used in a life insurance trial calculation service.

FIG. 4 is a diagram exemplifying a template of a report document used in a life insurance trial calculation service.

FIG. 5 is a diagram exemplifying a report document in which a numerical calculation result is entered in the template.

FIG. 6 is a diagram exemplifying the contents of a voice response script used in a search service of a rental house database.

FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating an example of a template of a report document used in a search service of a rental house database.

FIG. 8 is a diagram exemplifying a report document in which a database search result is applied to the template.

FIG. 9 is a diagram exemplifying the contents of a voice response script used in the public loan simulation service.

FIG. 10 is a diagram exemplifying a template of a report document used in the public loan simulation service.

FIG. 11 is a diagram exemplifying a report document in which a numerical calculation result is entered in the template.

[Brief description of reference numerals]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Computer 2 Network control device 3 Network device 4 Voice response input / output device 5 Facsimile transmission device

Continuation of the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁷ Identification FI FI Theme Court II (Reference) H04M 11/08 (72) Inventor Satoshi Inoue 8-4-17 Ginza, Chuo-ku, Tokyo F-term in Recruit Co., Ltd. Reference) 5C062 AA02 AA12 AA13 AA25 AA30 AE02 AE11 5K015 AA06 5K030 HA04 HB04 HC02 JT05 KA07 LB16 5K101 KK01 KK16 KK17 NN13 9A001 JJ12 JJ72

Claims (8)

[Claims] 1. The invention specified by the following items (11) to (14). (11) A facsimile information service system that automatically creates and transmits a unique report document for a user based on information obtained from the user. (12) Incoming call control means for executing line connection control in response to an incoming call for each of a plurality of telephone numbers for which a subscription has been made, and a designated telephone number for calling the designated telephone number And facsimile transmission means for transmitting the facsimile data, and a computer cooperating with these means. (13) The computer includes an individual application program associated with each of the subscribed telephone numbers, and a database used by each individual application program. This database includes a collection of voice response scripts that organize a large number of pre-recorded voice response messages, and a document template collection that collects multiple types of template data for creating report documents. Have been. (14) When the incoming call control means detects an incoming call to telephone number A, the computer executes an individual application program associated with telephone number A. This individual application program selectively reproduces a predetermined voice response message in which the voice response script is concentrated, and
An operation guidance process of performing operation guidance by outputting a voice to the user B who has issued the call, an input recognition process of acquiring input data sequentially supplied from the user B in parallel with the operation guidance process, A numerical calculation process of executing a predetermined numerical calculation algorithm using the predetermined input data sequence acquired in the input recognition process as an input variable, and the result data of the numerical calculation process and the predetermined template data extracted from the document template collection. A document creation process for creating report document data by combining the document creation process, a data conversion process for converting report document data obtained by the document creation process into facsimile data format, and temporarily storing the data in a predetermined memory; and a data conversion process. Facsimile data obtained in the report document and obtained in the input recognition process An information receiving facsimile number C of use's B contains a transmission command process specified in the facsimile transmission means. 2. The invention specified by the following items (21) to (24). (21) A facsimile information service system that automatically creates and transmits a unique report document for a user based on information obtained from the user. (22) Incoming call control means for executing a line connection control in response to an incoming call for each of a large number of telephone numbers for which a subscription is made, and a designated telephone number for calling the designated telephone number And facsimile transmission means for transmitting the facsimile data, and a computer cooperating with these means. (23) The computer includes an individual application program associated with each of the subscribed telephone numbers, and a database used by each individual application program. This database contains a collection of voice response scripts that organize a large number of prerecorded voice response messages, a collection of document templates that collect multiple types of template data when creating report documents, A set of contents in which various types of target information are systematically stored is included. (24) When the incoming call control means detects an incoming call to telephone number A, the computer executes the individual application program associated with telephone number A. This individual application program selectively reproduces a predetermined voice response message in which the voice response script is concentrated, and
An operation guidance process of performing operation guidance by outputting a voice to the user B who has issued the call, an input recognition process of acquiring input data sequentially supplied from the user B in parallel with the operation guidance process, Using the predetermined input data sequence acquired in the input recognition process as a search condition, a content search process for searching the content set and extracting corresponding data, a search result data obtained by the content search process, and a document extracted from the document template collection. A document creation process for creating report document data by combining with predetermined template data, and a data conversion process for converting report document data obtained by the document creation process into a facsimile data format and temporarily storing it in a predetermined memory And the report facsimile data obtained by this data conversion process It contains a transmission command process of specifying the information receiving facsimile number C of the user B obtained by the input cognitive processes in the facsimile transmission means. 3. The method according to claim 1, wherein when the report document data created in the document creation process exceeds a predetermined data amount, the report document is not transmitted by facsimile and the data amount is large. Therefore, a facsimile information service system characterized in that notification document data for notifying that the transmission is to be suspended is generated and facsimile-transmitted to the information-receiving facsimile number C of the user B. 4. The information receiving facsimile number C of the user B according to claim 3, wherein when the user B requests transmission of the report document whose transmission has been suspended, the report document data temporarily stored is transmitted to the user B. A facsimile information service system for transmitting facsimile data to 5. The access record creation process according to claim 1, wherein the individual application program includes an access record creation process for organizing and saving a user access record including an input data string acquired by the input recognition process. A facsimile information service system. 6. An access record created by the access record creation process of a corresponding individual application program, wherein the access record is individually communicated with a service provision contractor who is a provider of an information service by the individual application program. A facsimile information service system comprising means for providing the data in an appropriate data format. 7. The facsimile information service system according to claim 6, wherein a WWW system is used as said data communication means. 8. The facsimile information service system according to claim 6, wherein an electronic mail system is used as said data communication means.