Operations control

The present invention relates to methods and systems for data analysis in which calls are received from a plurality of terminals of a communication device at a receiving station, wherein in response to each call, an automatic voice output from the receiving station to the calling terminal, by which the caller is requested to digital signal data over to transmit the communication device to the receiving station, the digital signal data transmitted by the caller in response to the prompt via the communication device is received at the receiving station to process it, a checking operation is performed to check whether the caller is authorized, within restrictions or limits, to communicate with the receiving station , and the data received by the receiving station with respect to multiple calls is analyzed.

A method and system of this particular type are known from US-A-4071698 in the context of a distribution method performed over the public telephone network. In such a marketing process, the calling customers individually request that a selected audio or audio record, which may itself be one of the distributed products, or simply be an offered service or other offered product, for demonstration or other display purposes to the caller of the Telephone line is played before the customer places an order. When the customer calls, a check is made to determine if the customer is calling for the first time, and if that is not the case, if the rate at which he / she has been talking without placing an order is a limit exceeded, which is determined by a "free-loader" algorithm. If the call is the first call, or if the time or purchases rate limit has not been exceeded, the caller will be instructed by voice messages that will guide him / her through successive data entry steps for automatic computer processing of the call or call.

During the step-by-step processing of the call or call, the caller is instructed to type data regarding his or her account by pressing the pushbuttons of his telephone set and, after having verified this booking information, will be prompted to enter a code indicating the choice of a product or service a service for which a sound or audio demonstration or other presentation is desired. After presentation, the customer receives automated instructions for typing data to order the corresponding product or service. The data entered by the customer is recorded in order to obtain inventories and to determine trends and also to obtain a chronological or historical record relating to each customer, from which, for example, the preferences of the customer can be determined.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a method and a system of the kind described by which the method or system known from US-A-4071698 can be improved, in particular with regard to a more complete data analysis of the calls.

According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a data analysis method of the type described, characterized by examining data related to the call or call in the checking process, thereby giving the call a limited usage consumed by use with the receiving station and that the analysis is related to the data received from the authorized callers, to isolate a subset of such call he.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a data analysis system of the type described, characterized in that the checking means checks data related to the call, whereby the caller is given a limited authorization, consumed by use, to communicate with the receiving station, and in that a programmed device performs the analysis according to the data received from authorized callers, to isolate a subset of such callers.

In addition, telephone marketing procedures and systems for hotel or hospital room reservation, reservation of train tickets, airline tickets or other tickets or tickets according to Satoshi Aso's article "Trends and Applications of Voice Output Devices", vol. 19, no 182, February 1982, Tokyo, Japan, pages 102-107. This article also describes the use of a telephone betting method and system in which a user is guided through automatic voice instructions by a series of operations or depressing the buttons on his / her telephone to place a bet. In addition, EP-A-0032410 discloses a method and system for entering a weekly lottery betting or gaming operation using a public telephone network, wherein caller-related data and data input by him / her are in accordance with automatic voice instructions Data is stored.

However, the method and the system according to the invention are particularly advantageous for carrying out statistical analyzes based on the guided discussions. The qualification of the callers within a limited useable credential facilitates the analysis of the received data, and this is particularly true for the isolation of a subset of qualified callers.

In the method according to the invention and in the system according to the invention, the caller may be requested to transmit a key code disclosed to the caller to the receiving station which is different from a key code communicated during the call, in which case the caller's further prompt may depend on whether the key code transmitted by the caller satisfies a predetermined condition. D. that is, the key code may be checked on a limited basis to determine if it matches any of a plurality of key codes stored at the receiving station and available for use in verifying the satisfaction of the required condition.

If the public switched telephone network is used, each caller may be requested to transmit the telephone number to the receiving station from which the call is made, in which case another caller's prompt may depend on whether the transmitted number is being determined is valid.

An example of a system according to the invention and its operation will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings; show it:

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a system according to the invention; FIG.

Fig. 2 is a partial diagram representation of a memory cell of the system of Fig. 1; and

3 is a flowchart of an operation of the system of FIG. 1.

The specific structural and functional details of the system and method to be described are but one of many possible ways in which the present invention may be implemented.

In Fig. 1, a number of remote terminals T1 to Tn is shown. The terminals are essentially similar, which is why only the terminal T1 is shown in detail. In the described embodiment, the remote terminals T1 to Tn have telephone terminals connected to a communication device C, which may be a comprehensive telephone system connecting all the associated terminals. The communication device C is also connected according to the invention to a data development station D shown in more detail.

According to the invention, individual callers generally use the individual telephone stations T1 to Tn to be connected to the data development station D via the communication device C. In addition, according to the invention, the data of the individual callers are collected and correlated in the terminal D in order to process them in accordance with external data. This isolates and specifically identifies a selected subset of callers.

Through the use of the systems of the invention, data retrieval (in the sense of, for example, registration replies or acknowledgments to a polling request) or message functions may be performed. For example, population data may be retrieved to identify particular buyers of a defective or dangerous product. Population data can be retrieved with the aim of locating individuals susceptible to a specific ailment or disease. In a less serious but particularly commercially significant application, the system may also be used in various embodiments of public communication games or, if lawful and as a public interest, in public lotteries.

When the system of Fig. 1 is considered in more detail, it can be seen that the communication device C has multiplexing capability to individually connect the terminals T1-Tn to the central station D on demand. In the illustrated embodiment of the system, the communication device C comprises a public telephone device, and the individual terminals T1-Tn may be various existing telephone devices. Therefore, the telephone set T1 is shown in more detail with a handset 10 (microphone and earpiece) and a control panel 12 with a rectangular array of push buttons 14 on.

According to conventional telephone designations, the keys 14 are provided with alphabetic and numeric identifications. For example, a plurality of the keys 14 have three letters in combination with a decimal number. For example, on the key designated by the number "2", the letters "A", "B" and "C" are also added. In this way, the keys 14 include the numbers "0 9", two symbols and the letters of the alphabet, except the letters "Q" and "Z". Therefore, the keys 14 can be used to input decimal numbers along with a wide range of alphabetic data. In this regard, the symbols "*" and "#" and the number "0" may be used by a predetermined assignment to represent the letters "Q" and "Z" or other of a variety of data or instructions. According to the invention, the keys 14 are generally used to set at the central station D digital data in various formats determined by the current specific use of the system.

In the central station D, the communication device C is in detail connected to an interface unit 20 comprising modems, tone decoders and switching devices. The interface unit 20 allows connections to a computer 22, which may be, for example, a programmed miniature unit with the functions described below. Generally, the computer 22 executes predetermined and separate functions. In particular, the computer 22 may initially qualify a caller. In this regard, if a selected group of callers are to have access to the system, a key code validator 23 qualifies individual callers who have a key number. Subsequently, during a data access phase, the computer 22 receives data from individual stations T1-Tn (via the Communication device C), wherein the data are ordered, identified and stored. The computer 22 then processes the stored data during a processing phase and supplies additional data to isolate a selected subset of callers.

In the block designating the computer 22, subblocks are shown in addition to the unit 23 to represent various operating units of internal components. In determining the data records to be stored, the computer 22 uses logical operations performed by a data allocator and encoder 24. During statistical processing functions, the computer 22 uses a data check buffer 26 in combination with a statistical analyzer 28. Hereinafter, exemplary functions and embodiments of these elements will be described.

The computer 22 is connected to a voice generating device 30 for selectively supplying voice information via the interface 20 and the communication device C to a currently active remote terminal. The computer 22 is also connected to a memory 32 having a plurality of individual cells C 1 -Cn which are used to store the data of individual callers at the terminals. Therefore, during a data collection phase, the device at central station D stores data in memory 32 using individual cells CI-Cn for the individual callers. Subsequently, during the statistical processing function, the computer 22 receives data via a command station 34 which is checked for data stored in the cells C 1 -Cn of the memory 32 to select and identify a subset of the individual callers. Therefore, the system for use in statistical retrieval of information is effective to identify a particular subset of data associated with a subset of individual callers. In this regard, it is important to securely identify the isolated subset of callers and allow those callers to verify their identity. The system of the invention is adapted to these needs.

The operation of a system according to the invention can now be clarified by considering an example of an operation of the embodiment shown in Fig. 1, isolating a subset of persons suffering from a particular disease or condition. The example of the operation may be a geographic area, e.g. A metropolis in which a particular health problem is acute. For example, information can be retrieved from a major population center where coronary artery disease is a major concern. As a result, persons suffering from such an illness can be identified for corrective measures or corrective measures.

In a health related alternative example, the system may process data obtained through test kits. Specifically, test kits may be sold to individuals who would use the test kit to obtain specific health data. For example, a person could purchase a test kit containing a device and instructions to perform various non-invasive procedures to obtain data indicative of a health condition, e.g. B. could indicate a pregnancy. The device-equipped test kit may also include a key number that qualifies or entitles the purchaser to access the computer 22. The qualification or acknowledgment of the authorization would be performed by the key code checking unit 23, which simply contains a lookup table to check whether key numbers are being used or "spent".

With reference to the above-mentioned example of a general inquiry of information for a population center, persons of the metropolitan area would be informed of the availability of a service for a statistical health analysis. This would encourage individuals who are interested in their individual statistical situation to use the service. Specifically, individual callers would use the remote terminals T1 - Tn to contact the central station D via the communication device C, thereby to provide personal information through which statistical analysis related to existing data can be performed to isolate those persons and which statistically most likely require corrective action or corrective action. In such applications, it may be important to reliably verify the identity of the caller. Other applications may be a securely verifiable identification using credit card numbers and / or personal identification numbers.

Hereinafter, an example of the exemplary operation with respect to a specific caller will be described while referring to FIGS. 1, 2, and 3. As described above, FIG. 2 shows the structure of a data memory, which will be considered below in terms of a structure in which the data is composed in one of the cells Cl - Cn of the memory 32. Hereinafter, the description of the above example is continued in accordance with the illustrated conditions, further assuming that the remote terminal T1 has a caller who wishes to obtain health-related information based on a statistical analysis. The caller picks up the handset 10 and presses the push buttons 14 in a conventional manner to establish a communication with the central station D via the device C. After the call signal has been received, the interface unit 20 (central station D, FIG. 1) activates the computer 22 to call the program of the speech generator 30. Referring to Fig. 3, the processing flow is initiated by the "Enter" or "Entry" block 40 followed by a command block 42 for "calling the program of the speech generator". Therefore, the speech generation device 30 (Fig. 1) a voice output, a representative example being: "Thank you for participating in the statistical analysis of coronary artery disease." Hitte let us know your telephone number by pressing the call buttons on your telephone. "

Based on these instructions, the caller would press keys 14 one after the other to access his telephone number, e.g. For example, "6200711". The obtained telephone number signals are then transmitted to the interface unit 20 (Fig. 1) and then supplied to the computer 22 to check for a valid telephone number. The test procedure is represented by block 44 (Figure 3). If the answer is invalid, for example, if the answer has an unsuitable number of digits, the function of block 46 is activated once again, thereby again calling the program of the speech generator 30 (Figure 1). Therefore, the voice generating device instructs the caller z. For example, again: "You entered an invalid phone number. Please re-enter your phone number by pressing the corresponding call buttons."

The caller is then granted a predetermined amount of time to make an appropriate input, after which the system proceeds to a check operation indicated by block 48 (Figure 3). Specifically, at block 48, a query is made: "Is the second attempt valid."

If the caller's input is again unsuccessful, the system clears the record as indicated by block 50 and the call is terminated as indicated by block 52. On the other hand, if the caller answers with an appropriate telephone number, a workflow is recorded to record the response, as indicated by block 54. That is, the caller's telephone number is stored in a particular cell Cl-Cn associated with the caller. The format of cell Cl is shown in FIG. The first section 53 contains the telephone number of the caller, eg "6200711". If the second attempt to enter a suitable number is successful, as represented by block 48 (Figure 3), the answer is recorded in this step. In either case, after block 54 (FIG. 3), the next operation is executed by which the program of the speech generator is again called, as represented by block 56. Alternatively, as mentioned above, when an operation is performed for retrieving data for a selected group, the caller is qualified by the use of the "one time usable" key number contained in his pack. As described above, the unit 23 may include a lookup table for appropriate key numbers. Suitable numbers may be encrypted using various methods. As a simple illustrative example, the key code may have a precise number of digits that, when added together, always give a particular numerical value.

The key code checking unit 23 executes the check as an initial qualification. Subsequently, the unit 23 checks whether the key number entered by the caller has not yet been consumed by previous use. Therefore, as is known in the art, the unit 23 may simply include an arithmetic check capability in combination with a look-up table.

In the detailed example described above, the processing proceeds after the caller has been qualified or the caller's authority has been confirmed. More specifically, by calling the program, voice generation device 30 (Figure 1), as represented by block 56, requests further information from the caller. For example, the voice producer may request information by requesting: "Please use the telephone keys to designate the first letters of your first and last name using the asterisk key for the letters Q and Z."

The detailed operation is not shown in FIG. 3 because it is similar to the operation illustrated by blocks 42-54. However, an appropriate response is again stored in the first section 53 of the memory cell C1 shown in FIG.

Thereafter, the cycle for obtaining digital information from the caller is repeated with respect to the essential specific health data. For example, as shown in Figure 2, the next portion 58 of cell C1 receives a collection of health information including the age, weight, pulse rate, etc. of the caller. Representative digital numbers are shown in FIG.

During the course of the telephone conversation, the computer 22 sets identification data for the caller, including in detail: the chronological flow of the call, the associated identifier of the call and a set of acknowledgment digits for the call. This identification data is stored in the associated cell C1 according to the format of FIG. 2 in sections 62, 64 and 66.

The data can be stored in a coded correlation. For example, the acknowledgment digits may be related to the call record sequence. In the illustrative example, the number is in the chronological order for the caller 4951. The acknowledgment digits can be derived from this sequence number. For example, as illustrated, an encoded relationship may be determined by adding the value "two" to each of the digits of the individual record sequence. In numerical terms this example means:

4951

2222

Total without carry: 6173

According to the example, the call sequence's stored chronological order value is 4951, this value being stored in section 62 while the acknowledgment digits are 6173, this value being stored in section 66. In addition, the computer develops an associated identification number, e.g. "4951684" stored in section 64 and a confirmation code, e.g. 6173 stored in section 66. These values ​​are set during the data acquisition phase according to conventional numbering procedures. The workflow proceeds with the specified exemplary numbers.

The computer 22 (Fig. 1) calls the internal memory. This operation is represented by block 68 (FIG. 3). Thereby, the computer 22 retrieves the call record sequence number, assigns an ID (if not assigned in advance), and encodes the sequence number as the confirmation numbers (if not done in advance). These operations are represented by block 70 (FIG. 3). Subsequently, the computer 22 (FIG. 1), as represented by block 72 (Figure 3), the program of the speech generator to provide information to the caller. More specifically, the voice generator 30 (Figure 1) may for example state: "This transaction has been identified by the number 4951584 and is further identified by the confirmation numbers 6173. Please record these numbers if they are repeated. The confirmation numbers are 6173. Please confirm this transaction by printing your telephone keys to signify 6173. "

The system must then perform a test procedure as represented by block 76 (FIG. 3). When the caller enters the correct acknowledgment digits, the data in the record is acknowledged as represented by block 80 and stored in cell C1 (Figure 2). In addition, the program of the speech generator 30 (Figure 1), as represented by block 82 (Fig. 3) is called to indicate the completion of the communication and the end of the transaction as represented by the output block 84.

If the caller can not confirm his acknowledgment digits, as represented by block 76, a retry function is performed, as represented by blocks 86 and 88, respectively. More specifically, the program of the speech generator 30 (Figure 1) is called for a second instruction announcement. If the second attempt also fails, the data is deleted and the call is disregarded as represented by block 90. If the second attempt is successful (check block 88), as represented by block 80, the recording is completed as described above.

As a result of the possible recording of a large number of calls, in the data cells C1-Cn in the memory 32 (Figure 1), as described above, specific information representing a statistical survey of a population to be considered is stored. The statistical survey data may be self-generated specific inferences regarding a subset of individuals, and / or additional data may indicate a significant subgroup. For example, the data may indicate a significant departure from a presumed normal property. These data collected by retrieving information may be processed by logical comparisons in the computer 22 to select the subset of individuals to be isolated.

In addition to the self-generated inferences available from the obtained data, the system can use external data. In the physical skills example, such external data can take the form of national statistical data. The processing normally includes a comparison check in which caller data from individual cells Cl-Cn are compared with check data supplied via the command station 34 to the statistical analyzer device 28.

As a simple example, health data including age, weight, pulse, etc. may be represented as a composite number that reflects the estimates for each of the data items. Such a composite number may then be stored in the data test buffer 26 to perform a sequential check against similarly compounded numbers formed from the data in the individual cells C1-Cn. Based on such a comparison test, a subgroup of persons can be identified. These people could be informed about their condition. However, it is important that the identifications be confirmed as accurate. In this sense, the associated identifiers stored in section 64 (FIG. 2) and the call recording procedure stored in block 62 are important.

In the example above, people were simply asked to use the service. However, there are several alternatives through which statistical analysis can be performed. For example, the callers may be limited to buyers of a particular product, such as a medical device for measuring blood pressure, heart rate, etc. In such circumstances it is clear that the statistical data differs slightly from an average or normal statistical survey. The computer 22 may be programmed to accommodate such considerations. In this regard, the computer 22 may also verify the identification data offered by a caller. Such data may be a credit card number or a personal identification number. Various methods for verifying such numbers using computer techniques are known and used conventionally. Many different possibilities, applications, and embodiments are apparent to those skilled in the art based on the present invention wherein data is collected, stored, identified, and processed by a validation process to isolate a subset of data or disclose or clarify data, the sources being reliable beeing confirmed. For example, surveys of consumer habits, retrieval of information, selection procedures, and similar operations are convenient.

In accordance with the above description of the exemplary system, it will be understood that the embodiments of the present invention can be used in many applications to collect statistical data, process that data, and define specific subsets of callers. Certain examples of operations have been described and certain detailed structures explained, the scope of the invention being defined in accordance with the appended claims.