JP3098484B2 - Telephone answering system - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a telephone answering system, and more particularly to a system for interactively responding to input information from an outside line.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art FIG. 12 is a high-level schematic diagram of a method for interactively processing telephone calls and a distributed system disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 7-66840. The distributed system includes two computer workstations 110, 120 connected to each other by a communication link and provides a way to interactively handle telephone calls. FIG. 13 is a detailed view of the configuration of the first computer workstation 110, which is interfaced to the telephone network. FIG. 14 is a detailed view of the configuration of the second computer workstation 120.

[0003] In this prior art example, when computer workstation 110 receives an incoming telephone signal from the telephone network, it forwards the incoming telephone signal to a second computer workstation 120 via a communication link. Computer workstation 120 performs a specific voice recognition processing function based on the telephone signal to generate a response, and then transmits the response to first computer workstation 110. The first computer workstation 110 processes the incoming telephone signal according to the response, generates a telephone signal as needed, and sends it to the telephone network.

[0004]

However, in the conventional distributed system, only the wired telephone function is used,
You are not using the wireless phone function effectively. In addition, it is not possible to respond in a flexible interactive manner with the intervention of an operator.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a telephone answering system for making an operator interactively respond to a telephone call using a wireless communication function. Is to do.

[0006]

In order to achieve the above object, a telephone answering system according to a first aspect of the present invention provides a telephone answering system in which a plurality of operators send telephone calls and information terminals via a telephone network. In a telephone answering system responding to input information received, a telephone communication means for exchanging information with an external telephone connected to a telephone network, a wired telephone connection means for connecting a wired telephone used by an operator, Wireless telephone connecting means for connecting a wireless telephone to be connected, and an operator corresponding to a caller using an external telephone based on the input information received by the telephone communication means, and a wired telephone or a wireless telephone used by the specified operator. A telephony device having information processing means for connecting an outside line telephone to an operator so that an operator can interactively correspond to a caller. It is.

In a telephone answering system according to a second invention, in the first invention, the telephony device has information terminal connecting means for connecting an information terminal used by an operator, and the information processing means comprises Is displayed on an information terminal used by an operator corresponding to the sender.

In a telephone answering system according to a third aspect of the present invention, in the second aspect, the information terminal connecting means wirelessly connects an information terminal used by an operator using a wireless telephone.

[0009]

A telephone answering system according to a fourth aspect of the present invention is the telephone answering system according to the first aspect, wherein a plurality of the telephony devices are arranged, and the telephony devices are established in accordance with a communication position of a mobile radio telephone used by an operator. In order to maintain the telephone line between the wireless telephone and the outside line telephone, switching control of the telephony device is performed to maintain correspondence with the caller.

[0011]

Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

Embodiment 1 FIG. 1 is an overall configuration diagram showing Embodiment 1 of a telephone answering system according to the present invention. Computer telephony device 1 shown in FIG.
Connects the telephones 2 and 3, the LAN 4, and the telephone network 5. Of these, the telephone 2 is connected by wire, and the telephone 3 is connected wirelessly via the base station 6 and the relay station 7.
An information terminal 8 is connected to the LAN 4. The telephones 2 and 3 and the information terminal 8 are used as a set by an operator. The correspondence between the telephone 2 or the telephone 3 used by each operator and the information terminal 8 is registered in the computer telephony device 1 in advance. The operator uses the telephones 2 and 3 to respond to a voice telephone signal from the telephone 9 connected via the telephone network 5, and inputs information from the information terminal 8 as necessary.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the computer telephony device 1 according to the present embodiment. Inside the computer telephony device 1, a system bus 11 and an I / O bus 12 are provided. Two CPU boards 13 and 14, a memory board 15 and a bus bridge board 16 are connected to the system bus 11, and perform data transfer via the system bus 11. I /
In addition to the bus bridge board 16 for connecting to the system bus 11, the I / O control board 1
7, a LAN board 18, a wired telephone connection board 19, a wireless telephone connection board 20, and a voice response board 21 are connected. The I / O control board 17 connects the disk unit 23 via the I / O bus 22. CPU board 1
3, 14 and the memory board 15, together with the device driver of each board, specify the operator corresponding to the caller who uses the telephone 9 based on the input information received by the voice response board 21, and use the specified operator. It is provided as information processing means for connecting an external telephone to a wired telephone or a wireless telephone. The LAN board 18 is provided as information terminal connecting means, and connects the information terminal 8 used by the operator via the LAN 4. The wired telephone connection board 19 is a wired telephone connection means for connecting the telephone 2 by wire. Wireless telephone connection board 20
Is a wireless telephone connection unit for connecting the telephone 3 wirelessly via the base station 6. Voice response board 2
1 is provided as telephone communication means and exchanges information with an external telephone 9 connected to the telephone network 5. That is, it receives an incoming telephone signal from the telephone network 5 and transmits a response or the like as necessary. The computer telephony device 1
It is constructed by adding the above configuration to a conventional general computer.

FIG. 3 shows an information terminal 8 according to the present embodiment.
FIG. 3 is a block diagram of the configuration of FIG. Inside the information terminal 8, a system bus 25 and an I / O bus 26 are provided. The system bus 25 includes a CPU board 27, a memory board 2
8 and the I / O bridge board 29 are connected, and perform data transfer via the system bus 25, respectively. The I / O bus 26 has an I / O bus for connecting to the system bus 25.
In addition to the I / O bridge board 29, the I / O control board 30
And a LAN board 31 are connected. The I / O control board 30 connects a disk unit 32 on which an OS is installed. The LAN board 31 is a unit for connecting to the LAN 4. The hardware configuration of the information terminal 8 can be realized by providing a conventional device. The functions provided by the information terminal 8 differ depending on the application to be installed.

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG. Here, an example is shown in which the present embodiment is applied to a system in which an operator responds for an order receiving operation or the like when a user (caller) makes an outside line call for the purpose of purchasing a product. This will be explained.

When a caller makes a call to the computer telephony device 1 from the telephone 9 connected to the telephone network 5, the voice response board 21 of the computer telephony device 1 responds to this and sends a message to the caller. (Step 101). This message is, for example, "This is ####. Press the push button corresponding to your business." In particular,
Telephone signals such as the telephone number of the caller, which are emitted from the telephone 9, are transmitted to a voice response board 21 operating on
Received and buffered by the device driver. Then, the device driver transmits the message generated in the computer telephony device 1 to the telephone network 5 via the voice response board 21. The voice message related to the purchase of the product is stored in the ROM or the like of the voice response board 21 in advance.

The voice response board 21 receives the tone signal input by pressing the push button in response to the transmitted message, and identifies the type of the message based on the received tone signal to correspond to the caller. An operator is specified (step 102). Assuming that the specified operator uses the wireless telephone 3, the line from the telephone 9 used by the user is connected to the telephone 3 used by the operator via the base station 6 and the relay station 7. (Steps 103 and 104). That is, the device driver of the voice response board 21 instructs the wireless telephone connection board 20 connected by the dedicated interface to connect the telephone 3 in the system and the telephone 9 on the outside line. Further, the computer telephony device 1 searches the database in the disk unit 23 and acquires the caller information based on the caller's telephone number obtained by the caller ID notification service as the input information (step 10).
6). The caller information recorded in the database includes
It contains the address, name, telephone number, family structure, delivery method, purchase history, etc. of the sender (customer). As described above, the computer / telephony apparatus 1 uses the information terminal 8 for the operator to use the caller information obtained based on the input information.
Is displayed on a monitor with a graphical user interface (hereinafter abbreviated as "GUI") (step 10).
7). The display of the caller information on the information terminal 8 is realized by cooperation between the computer telephony device 1 and the information terminal 8. That is, by causing the CPUs 13 and 14 to operate a predetermined application, the caller information acquired from the disk unit 23 is transferred to the information terminal 8 of the operator via the LAN board 18 and the LAN 4. The information terminal 8 converts this caller information into LA
Received via the N board 31 and displayed on the monitor by GUI. The operator performs a predetermined business process by interacting with the caller using the telephone 3 while referring to the displayed information (step 108). For example, when the sender's business is to purchase a product, the operator listens to the order from the sender and inputs the order from the information terminal 8. In the case of an address change or the like, the sender information is updated. The computer / telephony device 1 updates the database in the disk unit 23 when update information of order information and caller information is sent from the information terminal 8. Then, another application is executed as necessary, and a message or the like is transmitted to the caller.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, the sender information can be displayed on the information terminal 8 used by the operator without requiring the sender to input information about the sender, such as the address and name. From the viewpoint of the caller, it is only necessary to make a telephone call and input a product name or quantity desired to be purchased at the time of ordering, so that communication costs required for ordering can be reduced. On the other hand, from the viewpoint of the operator, it is not necessary to ask the sender for the address, the delivery method, and the like at the time of ordering, so the work of taking an order can be made more efficient.

Further, when the caller desires to deal with another business, the operator requests the computer telephony device 1 to transfer a telephone call to an operator in charge of another business. When the transfer destination operator uses the telephone 2 by wire, the device driver of the voice response board 21 separates the connection destination of the external telephone 9 from the wire telephone connection board 19 connected by a dedicated interface. Is instructed to switch to the telephone 2 of the person in charge (operator). Then, the computer telephony device 1 displays the caller information on a GUI on the monitor of the information terminal 8 used by another operator. The other operator interacts with the caller while referring to the displayed caller information. For example, if the business is based on an inquiry about an order placed in the past, the operator can promptly respond to the inquiry by the caller while referring to the monitor of the information terminal 8 on which details of the information on the order history are displayed. Can be.

In step 103, if the specified operator is using the telephone set 2 by wire, the device driver of the voice response board 21 connects the wired telephone connection board 19 connected by a dedicated interface.
, And the telephone 9 is connected to the telephone 2 (step 105). Note that the wired telephone 2
In the case of using the wireless telephone 3, the process performed only by using a different type of telephone is the same as that in the case of the wireless telephone 3, and the description is omitted.

According to the present embodiment, it is possible to interactively respond to the caller regardless of whether the operator uses the wired telephone 2 or the wireless telephone 3.

Embodiment 2 FIG. FIG. 5 is an overall configuration diagram showing Embodiment 2 of the telephone answering system according to the present invention. In the first embodiment, the information terminal 8 is connected to a wired LAN.
However, the present embodiment is characterized in that a wireless connection is provided. Therefore,
The telephone answering system according to the present embodiment includes a wireless LAN slave 3 connected to a computer telephony device 1.
4 and a wireless LAN slave 35 connected to each information terminal 8
And a wireless LAN master unit 36 disposed at a position where wireless communication can be performed between the wireless LAN slave units 34 and 35. The computer telephony device 1 and the information terminal 8 communicate with each other by these means. Perform communication. The rest of the configuration of this system is the same as that of the first embodiment, and a description thereof will be omitted.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram of the computer telephony device 1 according to the present embodiment. Inside the computer telephony device 1, instead of the LAN board shown in the first embodiment, a wireless LAN
A wireless LAN board 37 for performing wireless communication via the PC is mounted as information terminal connecting means. Other configurations of the computer telephony device 1 are the same as those of the first embodiment.
Therefore, the description is omitted.

FIG. 7 shows an information terminal 8 according to the present embodiment.
FIG. 3 is a block diagram of the configuration of FIG. Inside the information terminal 8, a wireless LAN board 38 for performing wireless communication via the wireless LAN slave unit 35 is mounted instead of the LAN board shown in the first embodiment. The other configuration of the information terminal 8 is as follows.
The description is omitted because it is the same as in the first embodiment.

Next, the operation in the present embodiment will be described. This embodiment is also based on the flowchart of FIG. 4 shown in the first embodiment. In the present embodiment, a case in which a user applies to a business processing system accompanying purchase of a product will be described as an example.

When the caller presses a push button for a message received by making a call, the device driver of the voice response board 21 identifies the type of the message based on the received tone signal. Identify the operator corresponding to the caller (step 10)
1, 102). Assuming that the specified operator uses the wireless telephone 3, the line from the telephone 9 used by the user is connected to the telephone 3 used by the operator via the base station 6 and the relay station 7. (Steps 103 and 104). Then, the computer / telephony apparatus 1 displays the caller information acquired based on the input information on the monitor of the information terminal 8 used by the operator through a GUI (steps 106 and 107). LAN slave unit 34, wireless LAN master unit 36,
The caller information is transferred to the information terminal 8 via the wireless LAN slave unit 35. The operator performs a predetermined business process by interacting with the caller using the telephone 3 while referring to the displayed information (step 108). Also,
In Step 103, if the specified operator uses the telephone 2 by wire, the voice response board 2
The device driver 1 issues a connection instruction to the wired telephone connection board 19 connected by the dedicated interface to connect the telephone 9 to the telephone 3 (step 105). According to the present embodiment, it is possible to interactively respond to the caller regardless of whether the operator uses the wired telephone 2 or the wireless telephone 3. In addition, wireless L
Since each information terminal 8 is connected by an AN, a physical LA
The work of wiring the N cable becomes unnecessary. In particular, according to the present embodiment, since the telephone 3 and the information terminal 8 used by a certain operator are both wirelessly connected, the work place of the operator is more restricted than in the case of a wired connection. Will not be.

Embodiment 3 FIG. 8 is an overall configuration diagram showing Embodiment 3 of the telephone answering system according to the present invention. In each of the above embodiments, each operator uses a telephone set for realizing a telephone function and an information terminal for displaying and updating caller information in combination, but in this embodiment, a telephone set It is characterized in that an information terminal 39 with a function is used. The information terminal 39 in the present embodiment has an Internet telephone function,
Communication with the telephone 9 used by the caller is performed via the N4 and the computer telephony device 1.

FIG. 9 is a block diagram of the computer telephony device 1 according to the present embodiment. In the present embodiment, since the information terminal 39 with a telephone function is used, the wired telephone connection board and the wireless telephone connection board mounted in each of the above embodiments are unnecessary. And L
The AN board 18 is information terminal connecting means for connecting an information terminal 39 via the LAN 4. The rest of the configuration of the computer telephony device 1 is the same as that of the first embodiment, and the description is omitted.

FIG. 10 is a block diagram of the information terminal 39 in the present embodiment. A sound input / output board 40 is connected to the system bus 25 of the information terminal 39 in addition to the components described in the first embodiment. The sound input / output board 40 has a voice conversion function of converting received data into voice. In order to transmit the voice of the operator input from the connected headphone set 41 to the computer / telephony device 1 via the LAN 4. It can be converted to a digital signal and the operator can hear the voice from the caller.

Next, the operation of the present embodiment will be described. This embodiment is almost the same as the first embodiment. However, in the first embodiment, the flow branches depending on the type of the telephone (wired or wireless), but the present embodiment differs in that the flow does not branch. Also in the present embodiment, a case where the user applies to a business processing system accompanying purchase of a product will be described as an example.

When the caller presses a push button for a message received by making a call, the device driver of the voice response board 21 identifies the type of the message based on the received tone signal. Identify the caller and the corresponding operator. Then, it connects to the information terminal 39 used by the specified operator.
After that, the device driver of the voice response board 21
The input signal (voice) from the telephone 9 is converted into a digital form to be packetized and output together with the recognized unique IP address of the information terminal 39 used by the operator. That is, the computer telephony device 1 transfers the telephone signal packetized based on the IP address to the information terminal 39 used by the operator via the LAN board 18 and the LAN 4. In parallel with this, the computer telephony device 1 acquires caller information based on the caller's telephone number obtained by the caller ID notification service. If possible, transfer the packetized telephone signal and caller information together. Thus, the caller information can be displayed on the monitor of the information terminal 39 used by the operator on the GUI.

In the information terminal 39, the packetized audio signal received via the LAN board 31 is returned to the original telephone signal by the sound input / output board 40, and after performing D / A conversion processing based on the audio conversion function, The sound is output from the headphone set 41. As a result, the operator can hear the order details of the caller by voice, and can perform predetermined business processing by interacting with the caller while referring to the displayed caller information.

The voice of the operator input from the headphone set 41 is subjected to A / D conversion processing by the sound input / output board 40, then packetized, and transmitted to the LAN.
The data is transferred to the computer / telephony device 1 via the board 31 and sent to the telephone 9. This allows the operator to interact with the caller interactively. Further, data relating to registration of order information and updating of caller information are input by a key operation or the like from the information terminal 39, and this data is transferred to the computer / telephony device 1 without being subjected to A / D conversion processing. Is done.

According to the present embodiment, the use of the information terminal 39 with a telephone function makes it possible to simplify the system configuration, especially the equipment used by the operator. In the present embodiment, the case where the wired LAN 4 is used has been described as an example.
An AN may be used.

Embodiment 4 FIG. FIG. 11 is an overall configuration diagram showing Embodiment 4 of the telephone answering system according to the present invention. In the present embodiment, two computer telephony devices 1 and 40 are arranged for each predetermined service area. Each service area includes a base station 6, a relay station 7,
It depends on the installation location and performance. The configuration of each of the computer telephony devices 1 and 40 is the same as that of the first embodiment shown in FIG. This embodiment has a plurality of computer telephony devices 1 and 40 as compared with the first embodiment, and also has a case where the wireless telephone 2 and the information terminal 8 are carried or mounted on a mobile body such as a vehicle. It is an example. An operator is riding on the moving body. The configuration of each information terminal 8 is the same as that of the first embodiment shown in FIG. 3, but the information terminal 8 in the mobile body has a modem card connected to the telephone 3 instead of the LAN board 31. It is installed. Each of the computer telephony devices 1 and 40 connecting each base station 6 controls wireless communication with the wireless telephone 3 in each service area.

A feature of the present embodiment is that the operator moves while responding to the caller and the wireless telephone line established with the caller via the base station 6 cannot be maintained. Another problem is to automatically switch the wireless telephone line via a computer telephony device that controls the area to which the operator moves. This allows
The moving operator can continue to deal with the caller.

Next, the operation in the present embodiment will be described, but basically according to the flowchart of FIG.
In this embodiment, a case in which the present invention is applied to a business processing system associated with the purchase of a product by a user is described as an example. More specifically, first, the telephone 9 of the caller is connected to the wired telephone 2 of the computer telephony device 1. Is connected to the telephone 3, the telephone line is switched to the wireless telephone 3, and the operator using the telephone 3 moves from the computer telephony device 1 to the jurisdiction of the computer telephony device 40 while answering the caller. An example will be described.

The processing until the caller makes a call from the telephone 9 to the computer telephony device 1 and presses the push button in response to the message from the computer telephony device 1 to convey the message is performed in each of the above embodiments. Same as the form. Device of voice response board 21
It is assumed that the driver has specified an operator corresponding to this requirement, in this case, an operator who uses the telephone 2 by wire. That is, the telephone lines of the telephone 9 and the telephone 2 are connected. Then, the operator performs a predetermined business process by interacting with the caller using the telephone 3 while referring to the information displayed on the monitor of the information terminal 8 as in the above embodiments.

Here, if the caller desires to deal with another business, the operator who has dealt with the problem will transfer the telephone signal of the caller to the operator in charge of another business by computer telephony. A request is made to the device 1, and it is assumed that the transfer destination for the request is the telephone 3 in the mobile body. At this time, the device driver of the voice response board 21 sends the caller's telephone line to the telephone 3 of another operator corresponding to the new request to the wireless telephone connection board 20 connected via the dedicated interface. While instructing to connect, and after establishing the telephone line, the caller information acquired from the database is transmitted to the information terminal 8 via the telephone 3 and the modem. This caller information is displayed on the monitor by the GUI. In this way, the operator in the moving body can interact with the caller while referring to the displayed information.

It is possible that the operator in the moving body goes out of the jurisdiction of the computer telephony device 1 due to the movement of the moving body during the conversation with the caller. In this case, it is necessary for the computer telephony device 1 in the previous jurisdiction to cause the computer telephony device 40 in the new jurisdiction to take over the business processing. This is performed as follows.

In the computer telephony device 1, the device driver of the voice response board 21 makes a call to the computer telephony device 40. Voice response board 21 of computer telephony device 40
Responds to this by sending a message to the originating computer telephony device 1. According to the above example, this message is "This is ####.
Press the push button corresponding to your requirement. "
Becomes Next, the device driver of the voice response board 21 of the computer telephony device 1 transmits a predetermined telephone signal indicating device switching according to the received message. The device driver of the voice response board 21 of the computer telephony device 40 instructs the telephone 3 in the moving body to the telephone 3 in accordance with the instruction by the telephone signal to the wireless telephone connection board 20 in the device connected by the dedicated interface. To connect to the telephone line. As a result, the caller can now have a continuous conversation with the operator in the mobile body via the computer telephony device 40 without disconnecting the telephone line.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, the telephone line from the outside line established with the telephone 9 established according to the communication position of the mobile radio telephone 3 used by the operator is maintained. However, by performing automatic switching control of the computer / telephony device, it is possible to continue to deal with the caller. Of course, there is no need to make the caller aware of the switching of the computer / telephony devices 1 and 40, and it is not necessary to perform an operation related to automatic switching.

In the present embodiment, data communication such as transmission of caller information to the information terminal 8 in the moving body via the telephone 3 is performed. The information may be directly transmitted and received with the information terminal 8 in the body. In the present embodiment,
Although the case where two computer telephony devices 1 and 40 are used has been described, a system may be constructed by providing more computer telephony devices.

Embodiment 5 FIG. In the fourth embodiment, an example is described in which the system configuration having a plurality of computer telephony devices is applied to a system for receiving an order for a product by telephone as in the first to third embodiments. In the following, an example will be described in which a fire station receives an ambulance dispatch request and applies this embodiment to a system for transporting an emergency patient to an emergency hospital. In addition,
The moving object shown in FIG. 11 corresponds to an ambulance in the present embodiment.

When a caller makes a call to the computer / telephony device 1 from a telephone 9 connected to the telephone network,
Voice response board 2 of computer telephony device 1
1 answers and immediately connects to the telephone of the operator who is not talking. At this time, the computer telephony device 1
Transmits the caller information obtained from the database to the information terminal 8 of the operator in a GUI in the same manner as in the above embodiments.
Display on the monitor.

The operator interacts with the caller while referring to the contents displayed on the information terminal 8. In this example, the request of the caller is a request for a dispatch request of an ambulance, so the operator checks the address and the like of the caller on the display content, and then asks the caller about the patient's condition and background,
The contents are added to the database of the disk unit 23. Further, in the present embodiment, a conversation between the caller and the operator is automatically recorded, converted into digital data, and added to the database. Here, the operator issues an instruction to dispatch to an ambulance, but this procedure is not described because it is not related to the present invention.

When the ambulance to be dispatched in response to the dispatch request is specified, the device driver of the voice response board 21
It instructs the wireless telephone connection board 20 connected via the dedicated interface to establish a line to the telephone 3 in the ambulance that is dispatched. Then, the information recorded in the database such as the address heard from the caller is transmitted to the wireless telephone connection board 20 and the base station 6 in the same manner as in the fourth embodiment.
And the like to the telephone 3 in the mobile body, and further to the information terminal 8 in the mobile body via the modem, and display it on the monitor by the GUI. Here, the information is transmitted via a network board and the Internet. If necessary, the telephone line with the caller is switched to connect to the telephone 3.

On the monitor of the information terminal 8 in the ambulance, map information based on the sender's address is displayed, and the rescuer selects the shortest route based on the map and the retrieved address. Go to the caller. The method of selecting the shortest path is not described because it is not related to the present invention.

After placing the patient in the ambulance, the rescuer inputs information on the patient accommodated in the ambulance from the information terminal 8, and the input information is transmitted to the computer telephony device 1 and the information terminal 8 in the ambulance. Is routed to the Internet at a relay station 7 via a modem, a telephone 3 or the like via a telephone line maintained or a reconnected telephone line, and then transmitted to the computer / telephony device 1; It is recorded in the database of the disk unit 23. When the ambulance goes out of the service area of the computer / telephony device 1, communication with the destination computer / telephony device 40 is performed as described in the fourth embodiment.

On the computer telephony device side, the operator determines a hospital to which the patient is to be carried based on patient information (eg, a primary hospital), emergency hospital information, road information, etc., which are input by rescuers. However, the method for determining the emergency hospital is not described because it is not related to the present invention.

Next, the operator makes a telephone call to the determined emergency hospital, connects the telephone from the ambulance to the telephone of the hospital operator, and transfers the patient information to the terminal in the hospital. This terminal is installed in the emergency room in the hospital, and the terminal is accompanied by the telephone of the previous operator.

The telephone in the ambulance, the terminal in the hospital, and the telephone attached thereto are connected, and patient information is transmitted from the ambulance to the hospital until the ambulance arrives at the hospital. Is sent instructions on how to provide first aid to the patient. As the patient information, specifically, not only the state of the patient but also information from a medical measuring instrument connected to the terminal is automatically sent. As this route, the telephone signal is transmitted from the wireless telephone 3 of the ambulance, via the relay station 7, via the wireless telephone connection board 20 and the voice response board 21 in the computer telephony device, and further via the telephone network 5 to the hospital. Sent to the phone attached to the terminal inside. On the other hand, information on patients, such as exchanges with hospitals, is also recorded in the database in the same manner as above.

According to the present embodiment, the telephone answering system according to the present invention can be applied to a system in which a fire department receives an ambulance dispatch request and transports an emergency patient to an emergency hospital.

In the present embodiment, the case where an emergency patient is transported to an emergency hospital has been described as an example, but the present invention can be similarly applied to police and fire departments.

[0055]

According to the present invention, an operator can interactively respond to a caller regardless of whether the operator uses a wired telephone or a wireless telephone.

Further, since the information about the caller obtained based on the input information can be displayed on the information terminal used by the operator without having to separately input the information about the caller to the caller, from the viewpoint of the caller, It is possible to reduce the communication cost for the time when the information about the caller is not input. On the other hand, from the viewpoint of the operator, it is not necessary to hear information about the caller from the caller, so that the work of responding to the caller can be made more efficient.

Further, by wirelessly connecting the information terminal used by the operator using the wireless telephone, the work place of the operator is not restricted as compared with the case of the wired connection.

[0058]

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an overall configuration diagram showing a first embodiment of a telephone answering system according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a telephony device according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of an information terminal according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing an operation in the first embodiment.

FIG. 5 is an overall configuration diagram showing Embodiment 2 of a telephone answering system according to the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram of a telephony device according to a second embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a block diagram of an information terminal according to a second embodiment.

FIG. 8 is an overall configuration diagram showing a third embodiment of the telephone answering system according to the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a block diagram of a telephony device according to a third embodiment.

FIG. 10 is a block diagram of an information terminal according to a third embodiment.

FIG. 11 is an overall configuration diagram showing Embodiment 4 of a telephone answering system according to the present invention.

FIG. 12 is a high-level schematic diagram of a conventional method for interactively handling telephone calls and a distributed system.

13 is a detailed diagram of a configuration of the first computer workstation shown in FIG.

FIG. 14 is a detailed view of the configuration of the second computer workstation shown in FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

1,40 Computer telephony device, 2,3
9 telephone, 4 LAN, 5 telephone network, 6 base stations, 7
Relay station, 8,39 information terminal, 11,25 system bus, 12,22,26 I / O bus, 13,14,27
CPU board, 15, 28 memory board, 16 bus bridge board, 17, 30 I / O control board, 1
8,31 LAN board, 19 wired telephone connection board,
20 wireless telephone connection board, 21 voice response board, 2
3, 32 disk units, 29 I / O bridge boards, 34, 35 wireless LAN handsets, 36 wireless LANs
Base unit, 37, 38 Wireless LAN board.

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (58) Field surveyed (Int.Cl. ⁷ , DB name) H04M 3/42-3/58

Claims (4)

(57) [Claims] 1. A telephone answering system in which a plurality of operators respond to input information sent via a telephone network using telephones and information terminals, respectively, and exchange information with an external telephone connected to the telephone network. A telephone communication unit for connecting a wired telephone used by an operator; a wireless telephone connection unit for connecting a wireless telephone used by an operator; and an external telephone based on input information received by the telephone communication unit. An information processing means for identifying an operator corresponding to the caller to be used and connecting an external telephone to a wired telephone or a wireless telephone used by the identified operator; and a telephony device having: A telephone answering system, 2. The telephony device has information terminal connecting means for connecting an information terminal used by an operator, wherein the information processing means transmits the caller information acquired based on the input information to an operator corresponding to the caller. 2. The telephone answering system according to claim 1, wherein the information is displayed on an information terminal used. 3. The telephone answering system according to claim 2, wherein said information terminal connecting means wirelessly connects an information terminal used by an operator using a wireless telephone. 4. A method comprising: disposing a plurality of said telephony devices;
By performing switching control of the telephony device to maintain a telephone line between the wireless telephone and an external telephone established according to the communication position of the mobile wireless telephone used by the operator, the caller and the 2. The telephone answering system according to claim 1, wherein the response is continued.