초록 ▼

An information network and method for providing a nationwide audio text network, including electronic billing, useful for a wide variety of applications is disclosed. The information network utilizes a telephone message delivery system coupled to phone lines, typically the “800”area code common carr

An information network and method for providing a nationwide audio text network, including electronic billing, useful for a wide variety of applications is disclosed. The information network utilizes a telephone message delivery system coupled to phone lines, typically the “800”area code common carrier lines, to receive incoming calls, to interactively respond thereto as controlled by a computer and to communicate with the computer to provide information to and obtain information from a database maintained by the computer. In addition to being coupled to the telephone message delivery system, the computer is typically also coupled to one or more dedicated or dial up lines so as to be capable of obtaining electronic credit card authorization or changes, and is further coupled so as to control the routing of an incoming call, to redirect the call to a live operator or to other equipment, or to outgoing lines to any desired destination.

대표청구항 ▼

A method of communication comprising the steps of (a) providing at least one voice message system coupled to at least one phone line for receiving incoming calls on said at least one phone line, providing verbal prompts to the callers from predetermined messages stored in digitized form, and for rec

A method of communication comprising the steps of (a) providing at least one voice message system coupled to at least one phone line for receiving incoming calls on said at least one phone line, providing verbal prompts to the callers from predetermined messages stored in digitized form, and for receiving information from callers over said at least one phone line in touch tone coded form in response to the verbal prompts; and (b) providing a data base computer coupled to the at least one voice message system for receiving information from the voice message system relating to each call and storing the same in a form organized at least in part by reference to each respective caller, said data base computer being coupled to a line to a credit verification service and automatically communicating with the credit verification service for credit verification purposes for callers for which such information is not already stored in the data base computer. A method of communication comprising the steps of: (a) providing at least one voice message system coupled to at least one phone line for automatically receiving incoming calls on said at least one phone line, providing verbal prompts to the callers from predetermined messages stored in digitized form, and for receiving information from callers over said at least one phone line in touch tone coded form in response to the verbal prompts, the voice message system having the capability of communication with a banking card service; (b) receiving incoming calls by the voice message system and providing verbal prompts to each caller to encourage the same to enter the caller\s banking card information by way of the touch tone keyboard; (c) receiving in touch tone form and detecting the banking card information from a caller; ‘(d) automatically communicating with the banking card service to authorize credit in accordance with the banking card information; and (e) switching the respective one of the calls to a voice mail system; (f) all of the foregoing steps (b) through (e) being accomplished without operator intervention.