System for integrating telephony data with data processing systems

Claim 2

In a system as in claim 1, wherein said verify means in said interface program are used for checking that the identity of a first menu buffered in said first window is that of a predefined menu, in response to a verify command in said host access table; and further comprising: a navigation table (152, 156) stored in said memory in the workstation, containing a sequence of selection key indicators for a sequence of selection keys which said host application program requires to move from said first menu to said predefined menu, and menu navigation means in said interface program for moving said predefined menu into said first window, using said sequence of selection key indicators in said navigation table.

Claim 3

In a system including a workstation coupled to a telephone network for receiving caller identification data and coupled to a first host computer running a first menu driven host application program which exchanges menu images with the workstation, the menus containing fields for buffering first operands to be processed by the first host application program, the operands derived from the caller identification data, the the workstation also coupled to a second host computer running a second menu driven host application program which exchanges menu images with the workstation, the menus containing fields for buffering second operands to be processed by the second host application program, the operands derived from the first host application program, a subsystem for providing a programmable interface between the first host based application program and the telephone network to automatically transfer the first operands from the telephone network to the first host application program and between the first host application program and the second host application program to automatically transfer the second operands to the second host application program, comprising: a host access table stored in a memory in the workstation, containing programmable commands; an interface program stored in said workstation memory which executes said commands in said host access table, for performing interfacing functions between the first host application program and the telephone network and for performing interfacing functions between the first host application program and the second host application program; a first window partition in said workstation memory for buffering communicated menu images transmitted from said first host application program; a second window (B) partition (150) in said workstation memory for buffering communicated menu images transmitted from said second host application program; verify means in said interface program for checking that the identity of a first menu buffered in said first window is that of a predefined menu, in response to a verify command in said host access table; a navigation table stored in said memory in the workstation, containing a sequence of selection key indicators for a sequence of selection keys which said first host application program requires to move from said first menu to said predefined menu; menu navigation means in said interface program for moving said predefined menu into said first window, using said sequence of selection key indicators in said navigation table; put data means in said interface program for inserting an operand derived from the caller identification data received from said telephone network into a predefined location in said predefined menu buffered in said first window, in response to a put command in said host access table; sendkey means in said interface program for transmitting to said first host computer at least a portion of said predefined menu from said first window, in response to a sendkey command in said host access table; said first window in said workstation memory receiving a second menu communicated from said first host application program, including response data in a predefined location in said second menu which is responsive to said operand derived from said caller identification data; get data means in said interface program for extracting said response data at said predefined location in said second menu in said first window, in response to a get command in said host access table; session means in said interface program to select said second window which is buffering a third menu transmitted from said second host application program, in response to a setsession command in said host access table; said put data means in said interface program inserting a second operand derived from said response data from said first host application program, into a predefined location in said third menu buffered in said second window, in response to a put command in said host access table; said sendkey means in said interface program transmitting to said second host computer at least a portion of said third menu from said second window, in response to a sendkey command in said host access table; whereby a programmable interface is provided between the first host based application program and the telephone network to automatically transfer the first operands from the telephone network to the first host application program and between the first host application program and the second host application program to automatically transfer the second operands to the second host application program.

Claim 4

In a system including a workstation coupled to a telephone network for receiving caller identification data and coupled to a host computer running a menu driven host application program which exchanges menu images with the workstation, the menus containing fields for buffering operands to be processed by the host application program, the operands derived from the caller identification data, a method for providing a programmable interface between the host based application program and the telephone network to automatically transfer the operands from the telephone network to the host application program, comprising the steps of: storing a host access table in a memory in the workstation, containing programmable commands; storing an interface program in said workstation memory which executes said commands in said host access table, to perform interfacing functions between the host application program and the telephone network; buffering communicated menu images transmitted from said host application program, in a first window partition in said workstation memory; checking the identity of a first menu buffered in said first window, using a verify means in said interface program in response to a verify command in said host access table; inserting an operand derived from the caller identification data received from said telephone network into a predefined location in said first menu buffered in said first window, using a put data means in said interface program in response to a put command in said host access table; transmitting to said host computer at least a portion of said first menu from said first window, using a sendkey means in said interface program in response to a sendkey command in said host access table; said first window in said workstation memory receiving a second menu communicated from said host application program in said host computer, including response data in a predefined location in said second menu which is responsive to said operand derived from said caller identification data; extracting said response data at said predefined location in said second menu in said first window, using a get data means in said interface program in response to a get command in said host access table; whereby, a programmable interface is provided between the host based application program and the telephone network to automatically transfer operands from the telephone network to the host application program.

Claim 5

In a system as in claim 4, wherein said method furthermore comprising the steps of: checking that the identity of a first menu buffered in said first window is that of a predefined menu, using a verify means in said interface program in response to a verify command in said host access table; storing a navigation table in said memory in the workstation, containing a sequence of selection key indicators for a sequence of selection keys which said host application program requires to move from said first menu to said predefined menu; moving said predefined menu into said first window, using a menu navigation means in said interface program operating with said sequence of selection key indicators in said navigation table, and inserting an operand derived from the caller identification data received from said telephone network into a predefined location in said predefined menu buffered in said first window, using a put data means in said interface program in response to a put command in said host access table; whereby, a programmable interface is provided between the host based application program and the telephone network to automatically transfer operands from the telephone network in a predefined menu to the host application program.

Claim 6

System as in anyone of the preceding system claims further comprising: said first window in said workstation memory receiving a second menu communicated from said host application program in said host computer, including response data in a location in said second menu which is responsive to said operand derived from said call identification data; get data means in said interface program for extracting said response data at said location in said second menu in said first window, in response to a get command in said host access table; a voice response unit coupled to said workstation and coupled to said telephone network, for converting said response data into a sound signal, preferably a DTMF tone or a voice sound, for transmission to said telephone network; whereby, a programmable interface is provided between the host based application program and the telephone network to automatically conduct transactions between the network and the host application program.

Claim 8

The system of claim 7, which further comprises: a private branch exchange (PBX) coupled between said workstation and said telephone network, for switching said call identification data between said network and said workstation.

Claim 9

The system of claim 7 or 8, which further comprises: a voice response unit coupled to said workstation and coupled to said telephone network or said PBX, for converting said response data into a sound signal, preferably a DTMF tone or a voice sound signal, for transmission to said telephone network.

Claim 10

The system of claim 8, which further comprises: a voice response unit coupled to said workstation and coupled to said PBX, for converting said response data into a sound signal for transmission to said telephone network through said PBX; said PBX switching said sound signal between said voice response unit and said network.

Claim 11

System or method as in anyone of the preceding claims, wherein said workstation conducts said transactions without the intervention of an operator agent.

Claim 12

System or method as in anyone of the preceding claims, wherein said caller identification data received from said telephone network are Dialed Number Identification Service (DNIS) data, or call identification data, expecially Automatic Number Identification (ANI) data and/or Dialed Number Identification Service (DNIS) data and/or Information Services Distribution Network (ISDN) data.