EP0740445A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
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Method and system for establishing voice communications using a computer network
Assignee: Boeing North American Inc
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Filing: 1996-04-18
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2016-04-18
Abstract
Abstract A method and system (100) establishes voice communications between a computer operator (102) and an agent (104) of a business over a computer network, such as the Internet (108). Using an operator computer (106), the computer operator (102) views advertisements of the business' products or services on the Internet (108) via customized home pages (200). When the operator (102) wishes to order a product or ask additional questions about a product, the operator (102) activates a "call me" button (210). A return call screen (300) is then presented to the operator (102) with areas to insert a name (302), a telephone number (304) and a time to call (306). This information is packetized in a call request which is transmitted over the Internet (108) to a telephone switching system (112) associated with the business. The telephone switching system (112) subsequently dials the telephone number (304) at the time to call (306). When the operator (102) answers an operator telephone (120), the telephone switching system (112) connects the operator (102) with the agent (104) via an agent telephone (118). The telephone switching system (112) may be comprised of a telephone computer (114) and an automatic call distributor (116).
Inventors
- 👤 Anthony J. Dezonno
- 👤 William R. Quayle
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-24 11:23
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04M; H04M7/00; H04M7/0024; H04M7/003; H04L; H04L9/00; H04L9/40; H04M3/00; H04M3/42; H04M3/42195; H04M3/50; H04M3/51; H04M3/5183; H04M3/5191; H04L69/00; H04L69/30; H04L69/32; H04L69/322; H04L69/329; H04M3/48; H04M3/523; H04M3/5231; H04M7/12; H04Q; H04Q2213/00; H04Q2213/13072; H04Q2213/13152; H04Q2213/13175; H04Q2213/13377; H04Q2213/13389; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S379/00; Y10S379/90
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 24
Claim 1
Independent Claim
76 words
A method for establishing voice communications between an operator and an agent, the operator being associated with a computer and a telephone, the method comprising the steps of: entering a call request by the operator in the computer for the agent to call the operator; transmitting the call request from the computer over a computer network to a telephone switching system; and establishing voice communications between the agent and the operator through the telephone switching system.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
36 words
The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the step of establishing voice communications comprises the step of automatically dialing the telephone associated with the operator by the telephone switching system based on the call request.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method as recited in claim 2 wherein the step of transmitting the call request comprises the step of transmitting the call request from the computer over the Internet.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
45 words
The method as recited in claim 2 wherein the step of automatically dialing the telephone comprises the steps of: receiving the call request at a telephone computer associated with the agent; and automatically dialing the telephone by the telephone computer based on the call request.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method as recited in claim 4 comprising the step of automatically connecting the agent to the telephone after dialing the telephone.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
40 words
The method as recited in claim 5 wherein the step of automatically connecting the agent comprises the steps of: determining when the operator answers the telephone; and automatically connecting the agent to the telephone when the operator answers the telephone.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
47 words
The method as recited in claim 2 wherein the step of entering the call request comprises the step of entering a telephone number of the telephone associated with the operator; and wherein the step of automatically dialing the telephone comprises the step of dialing the telephone number.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
48 words
The method as recited in claim 2 wherein the step of entering the call request comprises the step of entering a time to call the operator; and wherein the step of automatically dialing the telephone comprises the step of automatically dialing the telephone at the time to call.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
52 words
The method as recited in claim 2 wherein the step of entering the call request comprises the step of entering a name of the operator; and wherein the method comprises the step of indicating to the agent the name of the operator before establishing voice communications between the agent and the operator.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
54 words
The method as recited in claim 2 wherein the step of automatically dialing the telephone comprises the steps of: sending a dial request command from a telephone computer to an automatic call distributor associated with the agent; and automatically dialing the telephone by the automatic call distributor in response to the dial request command.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
40 words
The method as recited in claim 10 wherein the step of automatically connecting the agent comprises the steps of: determining when the operator answers the telephone; and automatically connecting the agent to the telephone when the operator answers the telephone.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
105 words
A method for establishing voice communications between an operator and on agent, the operator being associated with a computer and a telephone, the method comprising the steps of: entering a call request by the operator in the computer for the agent to call the operator, the call request including a telephone number of the telephone associated with the operator; transmitting the call request from the computer over a computer network to a telephone switching system; automatically dialing the telephone associated with the operator by the telephone switching system based on the telephone number in the call request; and automatically connecting the agent to the telephone.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
34 words
The method as recited in claim 12 wherein the step of transmitting the call request comprises the step of transmitting the call request from the computer over the Internet to the telephone switching system.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
45 words
The method as recited in claim 12 wherein the step of automatically dialing the telephone comprises the steps of: receiving the call request at a telephone computer associated with the agent; and automatically dialing the telephone by the telephone computer based on the call request.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
40 words
The method as recited in claim 14 wherein the step of automatically connecting the agent comprises the steps of: determining when the operator answers the telephone; and automatically connecting the agent to the telephone when the operator answers the telephone.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
47 words
The method as recited in claim 15 wherein the step of entering the call request comprises the step of entering a telephone number of the telephone associated with the operator; and wherein the step of automatically dialing the telephone comprises the step of dialing the telephone number.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
48 words
The method as recited in claim 16 wherein the step of entering the call request comprises the step of entering a time to call the operator; and wherein the step of automatically dialing the telephone comprises the step of automatically dialing the telephone at the time to call.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
50 words
The method as recited in claim 18 wherein the step of entering the call request comprises the step of entering a name of the operator; and wherein the method comprises the step of indicating the name of the operator to the agent before automatically connecting the agent to the telephone.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
54 words
The method as recited in claim 12 wherein the step of automatically dialing the telephone comprises the steps of: sending a dial request command from a telephone computer to an automatic call distributor associated with the agent; and automatically dialing the telephone by the automatic call distributor in response to the dial request command.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
40 words
The method as recited in claim 19 wherein the step of automatically connecting the agent comprises the steps of: determining when the operator answers the telephone; and automatically connecting the agent to the telephone when the operator answers the telephone.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
68 words
A communications system for establishing voice communications between an operator and an agent, the operator being associated with an operator telephone and entering a call request into a computer, the communications system comprising: an agent telephone associated with the agent; and a telephone switching system for receiving the call request from the computer, for dialing the operator telephone and for interconnecting the agent telephone and the operator telephone.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
52 words
The communications system as recited in claim 21 wherein the telephone switching system comprises: a telephone computer for receiving the call request from the computer; and an automatic call distributor for automatically dialing the operator telephone in response to the telephone computer and for interconnecting the agent telephone and the operator telephone.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
45 words
The communications system as recited in claim 22 wherein the automatic call distributor comprises answer means for detecting when the operator answers the operator telephone, and wherein the automatic call distributor connects the agent to the operator telephone when the operator answers the operator telephone.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
63 words
The communications system as recited in claim 22 wherein the call request includes a time to call the operator and, wherein the telephone computer comprises: time means for detecting the time to call the operator from the call request; and dial means responsive to the time means for prompting the automatic call distributor to call the operator telephone at the time to call.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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