EP0217308A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
A method of and an arrangement for forwarding a customer order
Assignee: AT&T Inc
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Filing: 1986-09-26
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2006-09-26
Abstract
Abstract A method and an arrangement are disclosed for forwarding a customer order received from a requesting customer line (150) to a vendor data link (154). For use with a telecommunications switching system (101), the order entry arrangement includes a customer signal receiver (114) for receiving customer signals from a requesting customer line (150) and a processor (112) for sending the orders received from the receiver to the vendor data link (154). The processor normally controls the operation of the switching network of the switching system (101) but also sends received customer orders and the identity of the requesting customer line (150) to a vendor data link (154) in response to a customer entered order entry request code Optional vendor identification information may be entered by the customer for selecting a desired vendor. Customer identification information may also be entered by the customer for billing and order security purposes. After the order is received, the order entry arrangement returns an order confirmation signal to the requesting customer line (150).
Inventors
- 👤 Robert William Foster
- 👤 Charles Brent Hirschman
- 👤 Marie Louise Todd
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-24 04:10
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04M; H04M11/00; H04M3/00; H04M3/42; H04M3/487; H04M3/493
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 27
Claim 1
Independent Claim
72 words
For use with a telecommunications system serving a plurality of customer lines, an order entry arrangement for forwarding to a vendor data link a customer order received from a requesting one of said lines, comprising: receiver means for receiving customer signals including said customer order from said requesting line, and processor means responsive to said customer order received from said receiver means for sending said customer order to said vendor data link.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
72 words
For use with a telecommunications system serving a plurality of customer lines, an order entry arrangement for forwarding to a vendor data link a customer order received from a requesting one of said lines, comprising: receiver means for receiving customer signals including said customer order from said requesting line, and processor means responsive to said customer order received from said receiver means for sending said customer order to said vendor data link.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
51 words
The invention of claim 1 wherein each of said lines has an identity, wherein said processor means' includes means for deriving the identity of said requesting line, and wherein said processor means is for sending the derived identity of said requesting line and said customer order to said vendor data link.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
28 words
The invention of claim 1 wherein said processor means includes means responsive to a predetermined algorithm for detecting an incorrectly entered customer order received from said requesting line.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
24 words
The invention of claim 1 further comprising means for returning to said requesting line a confirmation signal indicating the receipt of said customer order.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
27 words
The invention of claim 1 wherein said processor means includes means for sending said customer order to a designated one of a plurality of vendor data links.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
98 words
For use with a telecommunications system serving a plurality of customer lines and having a switching network, an order entry arrangement for forwarding to a vendor data link a customer order received from a requesting one of said lines, comprising: processor means for controlling said network to establish interconnections for communications between said requesting line and said processor means; and wherein said processor means includes means responsive to a customer order signal including said customer order received from said requesting line via said network for sending said customer order from said processor means to said vendor data link.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
98 words
For use with a telecommunications system serving a plurality of customer lines and having a switching network, an order entry arrangement for forwarding to a vendor data link a customer order received from a requesting one of said lines, comprising: processor means for controlling said network to establish interconnections for communications between said requesting line and said processor means; and wherein said processor means includes means responsive to a customer order signal including said customer order received from said requesting line via said network for sending said customer order from said processor means to said vendor data link.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
52 words
The invention of claim 6 wherein each of said lines has an identity, wherein said processor means further includes means for deriving the identity of said requesting line, and wherein said processor means is for sending the derived identity of said requesting line and said customer order to said vendor data link.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
103 words
For use with a telecommunications system serving a plurality of customer lines and having a switching network, an order entry arrangement for forwarding to a vendor data link a customer order received from a requesting one of said lines, comprising: receiver means for receiving customer signals including said customer order from said requesting line via said network; processor means for controlling said network to interconnect said requesting line and said receiver means; and wherein said processor means includes means responsive to said customer order received from said receiver means for sending said customer order from said processor means to said vendor data link.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
103 words
For use with a telecommunications system serving a plurality of customer lines and having a switching network, an order entry arrangement for forwarding to a vendor data link a customer order received from a requesting one of said lines, comprising: receiver means for receiving customer signals including said customer order from said requesting line via said network; processor means for controlling said network to interconnect said requesting line and said receiver means; and wherein said processor means includes means responsive to said customer order received from said receiver means for sending said customer order from said processor means to said vendor data link.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
52 words
The invention cf claim 8 wherein each of said lines has an identity, wherein said processor means further includes means for deriving the identity of said reauesting liae, and wherein said processor means is for sending the derived identity of said requesting line and said customer order to said vendor data link.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
32 words
The invention of claim 8 wherein said processor means further includes means for sending said customer order to said vendor data link over a path independent of said network and said receiver.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
115 words
For use with a telecommunications system having a processor, a switching network, and customer signal receiver for serving a plurality of customer lines, a method of forwarding to a vendor data link a customer order received from a requesting one of said lines, comprising the steps of: collecting at said processor said customer order received from said requesting line via said network and said receiver in response to a customer order entry request received from said requesting line via said network and said receiver, deriving at said processor the identity of said requesting line, and sending said customer order and the derived identity of said requesting line from said processor to said vendor data link.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
115 words
For use with a telecommunications system having a processor, a switching network, and customer signal receiver for serving a plurality of customer lines, a method of forwarding to a vendor data link a customer order received from a requesting one of said lines, comprising the steps of: collecting at said processor said customer order received from said requesting line via said network and said receiver in response to a customer order entry request received from said requesting line via said network and said receiver, deriving at said processor the identity of said requesting line, and sending said customer order and the derived identity of said requesting line from said processor to said vendor data link.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 11 further comprising the step of checking with a predetermined algorithm said customer order for entry errors.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
55 words
The method of claim 11 further comprising the step of designating one of a plurality of vendor data links for carrying said customer order and the derived identity of said requesting line in response to a vendor code received from said requesting line via said network and said receiver indicating said designated vendor data link.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 11 further ccmprising the step of sending a confirmation signal to said requesting line indicating the receipt of said customer order.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
105 words
A switching system comprising: a customer line, switching means operable for establishing a call connection for said line, processor means responsive to a call on said line for controlling the operation of said switching means, and an order entry arrangement comprising, a vendor data link, and said processor means including means responsive to said call for deriving a number identification for said line, and means responsive to the receipt of customer order entry request and order signals via said line and said call connection during said call for sending customer order information including said derived number identification from said processor means to said data link.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
105 words
A switching system comprising: a customer line, switching means operable for establishing a call connection for said line, processor means responsive to a call on said line for controlling the operation of said switching means, and an order entry arrangement comprising, a vendor data link, and said processor means including means responsive to said call for deriving a number identification for said line, and means responsive to the receipt of customer order entry request and order signals via said line and said call connection during said call for sending customer order information including said derived number identification from said processor means to said data link.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
42 words
The invention of claim 15 wherein said number identification comprises a directory number and said deriving means comprises means for storing said directory number and means responsive to said call on said line for retrieving said directory number from said storing means.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
46 words
The invention of claim 16 wherein said customer order information comprises order data signified by said customer order signals and said directory number and said sending means sends said customer order data and said retrieved directory number directly from said processor means to said data link.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
79 words
The invention of claim 17 further comprising receiver means connected to suid switching means via said call connection to said line in response to said call for receiving said customer order entry request and order signals and means for communicating said request and order signals to said sending means and wherein said sending means sends said order data and said retrieved directory number from said processor means to said data link over a path independent of said receiver means.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
79 words
The invention of claim 16 further comprising receiver means connected to said switching means via said call connection to said line in response to said call for receiving said customer order entry request and order signals and means for communicating said request and order signals to said sending means and wherein said sending means sends said order data and said retrieved directory number from said processor means to said data link over a path independent of said receiver means.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
85 words
The invention of claim 15 further comprising receiver means connected to said switching means via said call connection to said line in response to said call for receiving said customer order entry request and order signals and said customer order information comprises said directory number and order data signified by said customer order data and said sending mean sends said customer order signals and said retrieved directory number directly from said processor means to said data link over a path independent of said receiver means.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
86 words
An order entry arrangement for use in a telecommunications switching system having receiver means for receiving customer order entry request and order signals and data link means for communicating customer order data signified by said order signal the invention comprising: processor means responsive to said request and order signals received by said receiver means for deriving a customer identification number, said processor including means responsive to said derived customer identification number for sending said derived number plus said received customer order signals to said data link.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
86 words
An order entry arrangement for use in a telecommunications switching system having receiver means for receiving customer order entry request and order signals and data link means for communicating customer order data signified by said order signal the invention comprising: processor means responsive to said request and order signals received by said receiver means for deriving a customer identification number, said processor including means responsive to said derived customer identification number for sending said derived number plus said received customer order signals to said data link.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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