JPH03220849A - Voice reply system - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To realize the voice reply system able to continue normal service job by using a hardware for other voice reply in deputy for a function of a faulty hardware even when a fault takes place to part of voice reply hardware. CONSTITUTION:When a call comes from a user by dialing of a system representative number, an incoming signal is informed to a line changeover device 5 via a telephone line exchange 4. The line switching device 5 according to the operating priority of each line 2 defined in advance seeks a line 2 not in use sequentially from the highest priority line and sends an incoming call signal to a line 2 found out and not in use. When a relevant voice reply hardware 3 is not acquired even lapse of a prescribed time, the line changeover device 5 stops the transmission of an incoming call signal to the line 2 so far and transfers the incoming call to a line 2 being a deputy destination 2b defined in advance to the line 2.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Object of the Invention (Field of Industrial Application) The present invention relates to a voice response system that performs various inquiry service operations using telephone lines.

(Prior Art) In recent years, voice response systems that perform various inquiries and information inquiry services using telephone lines have become known as a typical form of telephone service.

Many of these systems employ a representative number system in which one type of telephone number can form communication channels with multiple users at the same time.

That is, in such a system, a plurality of lines are provided on the system side, and hardware for voice response is associated with each line or every several lines.

By the way, in this voice response system, when allocating lines in response to a call from a user, unused lines are allocated in order from the one with the highest usage priority according to the predefined usage priority of each line. This is done by sending an incoming call signal to the unused line.

However, if a failure occurs in the above-mentioned voice response hardware, especially hardware with high usage priority, the hardware will not be captured even if there is an incoming call notification to the corresponding line, so whether the line is free or not Subsequently, incoming calls will no longer be forwarded to the next line.

(Problem to be Solved by the Invention) Therefore, in the conventional voice response system, there has been a problem in that even a failure in a part of the voice response hardware causes a failure in the entire system.

The present invention is intended to solve such problems, and even if a failure occurs in some voice response hardware, the function of that hardware can be replaced by other voice response hardware. The aim is to provide a voice response system that allows normal service operations to continue.

[Structure of the Invention] (Means for Solving the Problems) In order to achieve the above object, the voice response system of the present invention includes a plurality of voice response hardware that performs predetermined voice response processing through a telephone line, and a user an incoming call notification means that selects one unused hardware from among the voice response hardware and notifies the hardware of an incoming call in response to an incoming call; If the voice response hardware is not captured after a predetermined period of time, the voice response hardware transfers the incoming call to another voice response hardware.

(Function) In the voice response system of the present invention, if the voice response hardware that received the notification of the incoming call is not captured even after a predetermined period of time, the incoming call transfer means transfers the call to another voice response hardware. Since incoming calls are forwarded, even if a failure occurs in some voice response hardware, other voice response hardware can perform the voice response processing that should be performed by that hardware, ensuring normal service. Business operations can continue.

(Example) Embodiments of the present invention will be described below based on the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram for explaining the configuration of a voice response system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

In the figure, reference numeral 1 denotes a voice response device equipped with a plurality of voice response hardware 3 that performs predetermined voice response processing such as information introduction service through a telephone line 2. As shown in FIG. This voice response device 1 is configured to assign one of a plurality of lines 2 for voice response to a call from a user by dialing a system representative number. The hardware 3 is configured in association with each other. The assignment of the line 2 to a call from a user is performed by a line switching device 5 such as a private branch exchange interposed between the telephone line exchange 4 and the telephone line exchange 4.

In this line switching device 5, rules for allocating the line 2 of the called destination 2a in response to a call from a user are defined. That is, in this system, a rule is defined in which each line 2 is assigned a usage priority and unused lines 2 are sequentially selected from those with the highest usage priority. In addition, in this line switching device 5, the line 2 of the called destination 2a
If the corresponding voice response node 1-doware 3 is not picked up after a predetermined period of time even if an incoming call signal is sent to , the incoming call is sent to another line 2 which is the alternative destination 2b. Rules for forwarding are also defined. In this system, it is defined that the line 2 of the voice response hardware 3, which has a lower usage priority, is assigned to the alternative called destination 2b.

Next, the operation of this voice response system will be explained with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG.

First, when a user makes a call by dialing the system representative number, an incoming call signal is notified to the line switching device 5 via the telephone line exchange 4 (step A).

Then, the line switching device 5 searches for unused lines 2 in order from the one with the highest use priority according to the predefined usage priority of each line 2 (step B), and finds the unused lines 2. Send an incoming call signal to line 2 in use (
Step C).

After that, if the corresponding voice response node\-doware 3 is captured within a predetermined time, the introduction service by voice response is started by this /X-doware 3 (steps D and E).
).

Furthermore, if the corresponding voice response hardware 3 is not captured even after a predetermined period of time has elapsed, the line switching device 5 stops transmitting the incoming call signal to the line 2 (Steps D and F). , the incoming call is transferred to the line 2 of the alternative called destination 2b predefined for the line 2 (step G).

After that, if the corresponding voice response hardware 3 is captured within a predetermined time on the line 2 of the alternative called destination 2b, the introduction service by voice response is started on this hardware 3 (step D1E). .

Thus, according to the voice response system of this embodiment, even if a failure occurs in the voice response hardware 3 corresponding to some of the lines 2, the line switching device 5 will start notifying the incoming call on that line 2. If the corresponding voice response hardware 3 is not captured after a predetermined period of time has passed, the incoming call is transferred to another line 2 and the other voice response hardware 3 processes the voice response. can be delegated.

Therefore, a failure in a part of the voice response hardware 3 will not have an adverse effect on the entire system, and a highly stable voice response system can be realized.

[Effects of the Invention] As explained above, according to the voice response system of the present invention, even if a failure occurs in some voice response hardware,
The functions of that hardware can be replaced with other voice response hardware, allowing normal service operations to continue.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram for explaining the configuration of a voice response system according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of the voice response system of FIG. 1. DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1...Voice response device, 2...Telephone line, 3...Voice response hardware, 4...Telephone line exchange, 5...
...Line switching device. 22nd

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] A plurality of voice response hardware that performs predetermined voice response processing through a telephone line, and an unused hardware from among the voice response hardware in response to a call from a user. Incoming call notification means that selects one and notifies the hardware of an incoming call, and if the voice response hardware that received the notification of the incoming call is not captured after a predetermined time, other voice response 1. A voice response system comprising: incoming call transfer means for transferring an incoming call to hardware for use in the voice response system.