EP1393587A1

EP1393587A1 - System for two-way automated telephony contact

Info

Publication number: EP1393587A1
Application number: EP01958636A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Nikolai Waltham
Original assignee: Omnijet AS
Current assignee: Omnijet AS
Priority date: 2001-05-14
Filing date: 2001-05-14
Publication date: 2004-03-03
Also published as: WO2002093960A1

Abstract

A method for two-way automated telephony contact with several individuals simultaneously, by transferring sound files and phone numbers according to a group selection criteria from a protocol unit (3) to an interactive voice response unit (2), thereby contacting the individuals by the response unit registered, such as phone, mobile phone, PDA/device etc, the individuals confirming the received signals by transmitting to the interactive voice response unit (2) a signal being registered thereby providing a display of the individuals belonging to said group having received the message.

Description

System for two-way automated telephony contact

The present invention concerns a system for two-way automated telephony con- tact with several people simultaneously. The telephonic calls are initiated through the Internet.

One-way telephony contact with several people already exists, as with telecom- panie's wake-up calls where previously decided numbers are called at specific times.

Often there is the need to call several people simultaneously to distribute a mes- sage, but there is also a need for the receivers to respond to these messages, for instance as a confirmation of a message received or that instructions will be/will not be carried out.

Reality examples of such needs are many. At a major train accident the rescue team reached the location of the accident thirty minutes after the incident occurred. The team was not properly informed about the extent of the accident, or about the prevailing conditions, resulting in an insufficient supply of critical equipment, which had to be brought in later.

In a situation where a major incident like this happen, there are not sufficient resources available to contact a reasonably sufficient number of off-duty rescue personnel to provide this critical information. The situation demands another distribution of available personnel at the site.

Another case of the need to distribute critical information to a large number of persons was the outbreak of the foot-and-mouth decease in Great Britain. The British

Ministry of Agriculture wished to inform thousands of farmers all over the islands as soon as possible, and receive information about the extent of the epidemic decease. Based on this information, the Ministry would initiate appropriate measures.

The use of the postal service is not an option in this case, not only due to the time-span such an inquiry implies, but also because such a postal reply would be highly contagious. There is radio and TV - which also were used to the maximum extent - but there was no assurance that the actual target of the information was ever informed. Principally, one could call each and every one, but this is a very time consuming and costly process.

Both the above-mentioned examples are based on cases where a predefined group of people is to be contacted within a very short time span. There is a need for a re- ply from each individual receiver of this information, partly as a reply to a message, but also as a confirmation back to the informer that the message has been received, understood and which action will be taken.

The described problem is solved with the system, according to the present invention as defined by the features stated in the claims. The illustration shows a schematic graph of the individual factors that comprise the system according to the invention.

Reference number 1 in the illustration refer to a telephone, a mobile phone or any other electronic medium through which the recipient may be reached. The recipient may respond by the phone 1 keyboard by DMTF (Digital Multi Tone Frequency) or by answering physically in the microphone (Voice Recognition). A protocol 3 is capable of interpreting responses from both VR and DMTF.

The IVR (Interactive Voice Response) 2 receives sound files and phone numbers of the recipients that are to be contacted, and initiates the calls. As the recipient answers, sound files are streamed at a sequence determined by the answers given.

The mentioned protocol 3 codes and decodes the signals between the IVR service 2 and the service program 4.

The service program 4 requests logistics 5 whether there are more tasks to perform. If logistics is affirmative, the service program 4 will collect sound files and phone numbers to be called from the internal or external database, transmit these to IVR service 2 via the protocol 3. Service program 4 also receives these as results from IVR service 2 via protocol 3 and store these in an internal database 5.

Logistics 5 control the logistic of the system, i.e. the sequence for processing of the information through the system. This way, questions and messages, and phone num- bers are correctly sequenced according to service program 4. Logistics 5 also comprises an internal database that stores and distributes information to all modules in the system.

The System administration web site 6 allows, according to the invention, administration of the system for registering new clients and control regular system maintenance. The System administration 6 perpetually supervises the system client web site 8 in order to assist the client on line.

The Information web site 7 displays general information about the system and the service provided. New clients are also informed by the information web site 7 of how to register and use.

The client web site 8 provides the registered clients, for instance a rescue service, with access to edit text and voice files, and in real time monitor existing or previously conducted surveys for statistical and geographical processing. Text that is typed will automatically be transformed to sound files by electronic voice software. The client may choose between reading the messages or type accordingly. The client may also add the numbers that are to be called; as such information is stored in an internal database in connection with logistics 5, or via logistics 5 to be stored in the client database 9.

External databases contain name, phone number and often other criteria for empirical selection. Logistics 5 select the necessary information to be transferred for processing in service program 4. According to invention, the system may reach a given number of recipients, give a message, receive reply to this message, and further, send information back. The system is relevant in a number of different contexts, such as market research, polling, CRM etc.

Claims

P a t e n t C l a i m

1. A method for two-way automated telephony contact with several individuals simultaneously, characterized in transferring sound files and phone numbers according to a group selection criteria from a protocol unit (3) to an interactive voice response unit (2), thereby contacting the individuals by the response unit registered, such as phone, mobile phone, PDA/device etc, the individuals confirming the received signals by transmitting to the interactive voice response unit (2) a signal being registered thereby providing a display of the individuals belonging to said group having received the message.