Interactive data retrieval system for producing facsimile reports

A method of providing an interactive communications, regarding dual tone multifrequency signals as information requests, between respective ones of a plurality of subscribers and a computer system over a corresponding first plurality of telephone lines and having the computer system produce and send a plurality of facsimile formatted reports, represented by facsimile formatted signals, over a second plurality of telephone lines, wherein each facsimile formatted report is based upon information requests from a respective subscriber, the method comprising the steps of:

• maintaining an electronic data compilation of records;
• receiving information request signals from respective ones of said plurality of subscribers over corresponding ones of said first plurality of telephone lines, each subscriber accessing the computer system over a corresponding first telephone line and the received respective information request signals representing an initial data inquiry from said respective subscriber;
• substantially concurrently executing, for all subscribers accessing the computer system, the following steps on a per subscriber basis:
• electronically formulating a search request command based upon said respective information request signals;
• searching said data compilation and obtaining a data set based upon said search request command;
• electronically generating and sending audio signals over said corresponding first telephone line reporting a characteristic of said data set to said respective subscriber;
• receiving further information request signals over said corresponding first telephone line from said respective subscriber;
• formulating a further search request command based upon said further information request signals, obtaining a further data set, and electronically generating and audibly reporting a characteristic of said further data set to said respective subscriber over said corresponding first telephone line;
• obtaining a search complete command signal from said respective subscriber over said corresponding first telephone line;
• compiling records from said data compilation corresponding to at least one of said data set and said further data set;
• formatting said corresponding records into a facsimile formatted report, and generating and transmitting signals representative thereof over one of said second plurality of telephone lines.

An interactive data retrieval system for receiving dual tone multifrequency signals as information request signals and a search command over a first telephone line from a subscriber and for transmitting facsimile formatted signals over one of said first telephone line and a second telephone line comprising:

• a computer system having:
• a telephone interface adapted to receive said information request signals and said search command and to transmit over said first telephone line audio response signals to said subscriber;
• a memory having a data compilation of records stored therein, each record having a plurality of fields therein;
• a facsimile transmission device adapted to transmit said facsimile formatted signals over one of said first telephone line and said second telephone line;
• means for converting said information request signals received from said telephone interface means into a search request command unique to at least one field of said plurality of fields;
• means for conducting a search through said at least one field in said data compilation and obtaining a data set based upon said search request command;
• means for generating said audio response signals based upon the number of records in said data set and sending the same to the subscriber via the telephone interface;
• means, responsive to further information request signals, for converting the same into a further search request command and conducting and compiling a further data set, and means for generating and sending to said subscriber further audio signals based upon the number of records in said further data set;
• means responsive to said search command for compiling and formatting records corresponding to at least one of said data set and said further data set into facsimile formatted signals and for sending, via said facsimile transmission device, said facsimile formatted signals.

An interactive data retrieval system for receiving dual tone multifrequency signals as information request signals and search commands over a first plurality of telephone lines from a plurality of subscribers and for transmitting facsimile formatted signals over a second plurality of telephone lines comprising:

• a computer system having:
• a plurality of a telephone interface, a respective telephone interface coupled to a corresponding one of said first plurality of telephone lines, each telephone interface adapted to receive respective information request signals and search commands and to transmit over the corresponding first telephone line audio response signals to a respective subscriber;
• a memory having a data compilation of records stored therein;
• a plurality of facsimile transmission devices, a respective facsimile transmission device coupled to a corresponding one of said second plurality of telephone lines, each facsimile transmission device adapted to transmit said facsimile formatted signals over said corresponding said second telephone line;
• means for converting said information request signals received from said respective telephone interface means into a search request command;
• means for conducting a search of said data compilation and obtaining a data set based upon said search request command;
• means for generating said audio response signals based upon a characteristic of said data set and sending the same to the respective subscriber via the respective telephone interface;
• means responsive to further information request signals for converting the same into a further search request command and conducting and compiling a further data set, and means for generating and sending to said respective subscriber further audio signals based upon a characteristic of said further data set;
• means responsive to said search command for compiling and formatting records corresponding to at least one of said data set and said further data set into facsimile formatted signals and sending, via said respective facsimile transmission device, said facsimile formatted signals;
• and,
• multitasking means for operating said means for converting, means for conducting a search, means for generating said audio response, means responsive to the further information requests, and means responsive to said search command when multiple subscribers access the computer system.

An interactive data retrieval system for receiving dual tone multifrequency signals as information request signals and a search command over a first telephone line from a subscriber and for transmitting facsimile formatted signals over one of said first telephone line and a second telephone line comprising:

• a computer system having:
• a telephone interface adapted to receive said information request signals and said search command and to transmit over said first telephone line audio response signals to said subscriber;
• a memory having a data compilation of records stored therein, each record having a plurality of fields therein;
• a facsimile transmission device adapted to transmit said facsimile formatted signals over one of said first telephone line and said second telephone line;
• means for converting said information request signals received from said telephone interface means into a search request command unique to at least one field of said plurality of fields;
• means for conducting a search through said at least one field in said data compilation and obtaining a data set based upon said search request command;
• means for generating said audio response signals based upon the number of records in said data set and sending the same to the subscriber via the telephone interface;
• means responsive to said search command for compiling and formatting records corresponding to said data set into facsimile formatted signals and sending, via said facsimile transmission device, said facsimile formatted signals.

An interactive data retrieval and purchasing system for receiving dual tone multifrequency signals as information request signals and order commands over a first plurality of telephone lines from a plurality of customers and for transmitting facsimile formatted signals over a second plurality of telephone lines to a respective plurality of customer facsimile machines comprising:

• a computer system having:
• a plurality of a telephone interfaces, a respective telephone interface coupled to a corresponding one of said first plurality of telephone lines, each telephone interface adapted to receive respective information request signals and order commands and to transmit over the corresponding first telephone line audio response signals to a respective customer;
• a memory having a data compilation of records stored therein;
• a plurality of facsimile transmission devices, a respective facsimile transmission device coupled to a corresponding one of said second plurality of telephone lines, each facsimile transmission device adapted to transmit said facsimile formatted signals over said corresponding said second telephone line;
• means for converting said information request signals received from said respective telephone interface means into a search request command;
• means for conducting a search of said data compilation and obtaining a first data set based upon said search request command;
• means for generating said audio response signals based upon a characteristic of said first data set and sending the same to the respective customer via the respective telephone interface;
• means responsive to further information request signals for converting the same into a further search request command and conducting and compiling a second data set, and means for generating and sending to said respective customer further audio signals based upon a characteristic of said second data set;
• means responsive to said order command for compiling and formatting records corresponding to at least one of said first data set and said second data set into facsimile formatted signals;
• means for obtaining a customer facsimile identifier based at least in part on one of said first and second data sets, said customer facsimile identifier representing a customer designated facsimile phone number corresponding to one of said plurality of customer facsimile machines that corresponds to said customer;
• means for sending, via said respective facsimile transmission device, said facsimile formatted signals to said one of said customer facsimile machines based upon said customer facsimile identifier;
• and,
• multitasking means for operating said means for converting, means for conducting a search, means for generating said audio response, means responsive to the further information requests, means responsive to said search command, means for obtaining and means for sending when multiple subscribers access the computer system.