US6134318A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
System and method for telemarketing through a hypertext network
Assignee: AT&T Properties LLC
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Filing: 1997-03-19
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Granted: 2000-10-17
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Expires: 2017-03-19
Abstract
Abstract A system and method for providing telemarketing services through a hypertext network that interconnects a telemarketing server system with a customer computer and an agent computer. The telemarketing server accepts a telemarketing request from the customer, and forwards the request to the agent if the agent is available, and to a queue if the agent is not available. When an agent receives a request, communications are either established between the customer and agent at once, or else scheduled for a later time. Telemarketing functions are implemented separately from media transport functions through a hypertext network such that the need for geographic centralization of telemarketing agents is eliminated.
Inventors
- 👤 Joseph Thomas O'Neil
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-29 19:47
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06Q; G06Q30/00; G06Q30/06; G06Q30/0601; G06Q30/0613; H; H04; H04M; H04M3/00; H04M3/42; H04M3/50; H04M3/51; H04M3/5183; H04M3/5191; H04M7/00; H04M7/006; H04M3/22; H04M3/36; H04M3/42314; H04M3/42323; H04M3/432; H04M3/48; H04M3/5125; H04M3/5175; H04M3/523
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 27
Claim 1
Independent Claim
70 words
A telemarketing server for use in a telemarketing system for providing telemarketing services through the Internet that interconnects agents and customers, said telemarketing server comprising a server system that accepts a request for telemarketing services from a customer through the Internet, and forwards the telemarketing request through the Internet to an appropriate agent if an appropriate agent is available, and to a queue if an appropriate agent is not available.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
70 words
A telemarketing server for use in a telemarketing system for providing telemarketing services through the Internet that interconnects agents and customers, said telemarketing server comprising a server system that accepts a request for telemarketing services from a customer through the Internet, and forwards the telemarketing request through the Internet to an appropriate agent if an appropriate agent is available, and to a queue if an appropriate agent is not available.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
18 words
The telemarketing server of claim 1, wherein said telemarketing server comprises an agent database that stores agent information.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
18 words
The telemarketing server of claim 1, wherein said telemarketing server comprises a customer database that stores customer information.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
23 words
The telemarketing server of claim 1, wherein said telemarketing server comprises a system performance database that stores historical telemarketing performance of said system.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
33 words
The telemarketing server of claim 1, wherein said server has stored therein an agent page for providing to an agent to which said server system forwards a telemarketing request through the hypertext network.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
41 words
The system of claim 1, further comprising an supervisor page composed by said telemarketing server system and provided to a supervisor through the Internet at the supervisor's request, said supervisor page comprising real-time information on the performance of said telemarketing system.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
66 words
A telemarketing system on the Internet comprising: a. an agent client coupled to the Internet; b. a telemarketing server system coupled to the Internet, said telemarketing server system accepting a telemarketing request from said customer through the Internet, and routing said telemarketing request through the Internet to said agent if an appropriate agent is available, and to a queue if an appropriate agent is not available.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
66 words
A telemarketing system on the Internet comprising: a. an agent client coupled to the Internet; b. a telemarketing server system coupled to the Internet, said telemarketing server system accepting a telemarketing request from said customer through the Internet, and routing said telemarketing request through the Internet to said agent if an appropriate agent is available, and to a queue if an appropriate agent is not available.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
38 words
The telemarketing system of claim 7, further comprising a supervisor client coupled to the Internet, said telemarketing server system sending real-time and historical telemarketing system configuration and performance reports to said supervisor at the request of said supervisor.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
42 words
The telemarketing system of claim 7, said telemarketing server system comprising a database storing information about said agent and said customer, said telemarketing server system providing said agent information to said supervisor and said customer information to said agent through the Internet.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
82 words
A method for providing telemarketing services through the Internet that interconnects agents and customers, comprising the steps of: a. receiving a request for telemarketing service through the Internet from a customer having a customer telecommunications address; b. forwarding said request through the Internet to an appropriate agent having an agent telecommunications address if the appropriate agent is available, and to a queue if the appropriate agent is not available; and c. facilitating the establishment of communications between the agent and the customer.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
82 words
A method for providing telemarketing services through the Internet that interconnects agents and customers, comprising the steps of: a. receiving a request for telemarketing service through the Internet from a customer having a customer telecommunications address; b. forwarding said request through the Internet to an appropriate agent having an agent telecommunications address if the appropriate agent is available, and to a queue if the appropriate agent is not available; and c. facilitating the establishment of communications between the agent and the customer.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
45 words
The method of claim 10, wherein facilitating the establishment of communications between the agent and the customer comprises the steps of: a. sending the customer telecommunications address to the agent; b. facilitating communications between the agent and the customer at the request of the agent.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
48 words
The method of claim 10, wherein facilitating the establishment of communications between the agent and customer comprises the steps of: a. transmitting the agent telecommunications address to the customer; and b. facilitating the establishment of communications between the agent and the customer at the request of the customer.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
35 words
The method of claim 10, wherein facilitating the establishment of communications between the agent and customer comprises the step of scheduling the communication by exchanging messages between the customer and agent over the the Internet.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
38 words
The method of claim 10, wherein facilitating the establishment of communications between the agent and customer comprises the step of scheduling the communication by exchanging voicemail messages between the customer and agent over the public switched telephone network.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
43 words
The method of claim 10, further comprising the steps of: a. recording in a database the time at which a telemarketing request is received from a customer; and b. recording in a database the time at which the status of an agent changes.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method of claim 10, further comprising the step of reporting historical and real-time telemarketing system performance information to a supervisor at the request of the supervisor.
Claim 20
Independent Claim
66 words
A system for providing telemarketing services through the Internet interconnecting agents and customers, comprising: a. means for receiving a telemarketing request from a customer; b. means for forwarding said telemarketing request through the Internet to an appropriate agent if said appropriate agent is available, and to a queue if said appropriate agent is not available; c. means for establishing communications between said customer and said agent.
Claim 21
Independent Claim
66 words
A system for providing telemarketing services through the Internet interconnecting agents and customers, comprising: a. means for receiving a telemarketing request from a customer; b. means for forwarding said telemarketing request through the Internet to an appropriate agent if said appropriate agent is available, and to a queue if said appropriate agent is not available; c. means for establishing communications between said customer and said agent.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
22 words
The system of claim 17, further comprising means for storing and retrieving real-time and historical information about the performance of said system.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
18 words
The system of claim 17, further comprising means for reporting said real-time and historical information to a supervisor.
Claim 24
Independent Claim
96 words
A system for telemarketing over the World Wide Web, comprising: a. a customer client computer coupled to the World Wide Web through a browser; b. an agent client computer coupled to the World Wide Web through a browser; and c. a telemarketing server coupled to the World Wide Web, wherein the telemarketing server receives a request for telemarketing services from said customer client computer, sends the request through the World Wide Web to said agent client computer, and wherein said agent client computer provides telemarketing services through the World Wide Web to the customer client computer.
Claim 25
Independent Claim
96 words
A system for telemarketing over the World Wide Web, comprising: a. a customer client computer coupled to the World Wide Web through a browser; b. an agent client computer coupled to the World Wide Web through a browser; and c. a telemarketing server coupled to the World Wide Web, wherein the telemarketing server receives a request for telemarketing services from said customer client computer, sends the request through the World Wide Web to said agent client computer, and wherein said agent client computer provides telemarketing services through the World Wide Web to the customer client computer.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
26 words
The system of claim 20, wherein the request for telemarketing services from said customer client computer includes a request for information about a product for sale.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
32 words
The system of claim 21, wherein the telemarketing services provided by the agent client computer to the customer client computer through the World Wide Web includes providing information about the requested product.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US5710887A
Cited
US5793861A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2003-10-17 | 2004-04-17 | 2004-10-17 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2007-10-17 | 2008-04-17 | 2008-10-17 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2011-10-17 | 2012-04-17 | 2012-10-17 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |