Multiple format telephonic interface control system

An interface control system for use with, (1) a communication facility including remote terminals for individual callers, wherein said remote terminals may comprise a conventional telephone instrument including voice communication means and digital input means for providing data, (2) a multiple port, multiple format processor for interfacing a substantial number of callers in any of a plurality of formats to concurrently process data, and (3) a plurality of live operator stations with prompting capability, for a plurality of formats, said interface control system comprising:

• call data means for receiving signal-represented call data from said terminals;
• selection means for selecting one of said formats under control of said call data means to thereby further specify any defined conditions for a connection of a call either to said multiple port, multiple format processor or one of said live operator stations, at least one of said formats having at least one specified condition;
• test means for testing the specified conditions to provide approval signals;
• and
• interconnect switch means for providing connections from a calling remote terminal to a port of said multiple port, multiple format processor or one of said live operator stations under control of said selection means and conditional, in conditioned formats, on an approval signal from said test means under control of said approval signals from said test means.

A process for interfacing a telephonic communication system including remote terminals either with a multiple port, multiple format data processing system, said multiple port, multiple format data processing system for concurrently processing data from said remote terminals according to a plurality of formats, at least one of said formats having at least one condition for a calling terminal, or one of a plurality of operator stations with prompting capability for a plurality of formats, and wherein said telephonic communication system provides call data signals, as to indicate called and calling numbers, said process including the steps of:

• receiving said call data signals from said telephonic communication system for a calling remote terminal;
• selecting a processing format either for said multiple port, multiple format processing system or one of said plurality of operator stations for the calling remote terminal under control of said data signals as the selected format;
• testing the selected format in relation to said call data signals;
• and
• conditionally interfacing said selected format to a calling terminal under control of said testing of call data signals.