Method and apparatus for automatic telephone scheduling system

An automatic telephone dialing system comprising:

• a plurality of agent workstations, each agent workstation comprising:
• a workstation processor including workstation register means for storing therein at least a portion of an account information record, each account information record being formatted to include therein a telephone number field;
• means for visually displaying at least a portion of the account information record, the visual display means being connected to the workstation processor;
• means for manually entering information into the workstation processor including workstation status information and account information into the workstation register means, the information entry means being connected to the workstation processor;
• audio transmission means for producing and receiving telephonic audio transmissions;
• a data server comprising:
• a data server processor;
• a storage medium upon which are stored a plurality of the account information records, the storage medium being connected to the data server processor whereby the data server processor can input and output the account information records from the storage medium;
• a dial server comprising:
• a dial server processor;
• means under the control of the dial server processor for placing a telephone call on a telephone trunk line;
• means under the control of the dial server processor for connecting an answered telephone call on the telephone trunk line to the audio transmission means of an available one of the agent workstations;
• a data transmission network connected to include as nodes thereof each of the workstation processors, the data server processor, and the dial server processor, for transmitting messages between the nodes, wherein said messages include a message from an agent workstation identifying a selected campaign from a plurality of campaigns.

A method of operating an automatic telephone dialing system in a telephone calling champaign, the method comprising:

• (a) providing a data server means with access to a plurality of account information records, the account information records being formatted to include a telephone number in a telephone number field, said data sever means accessing a particular set of records corresponding to a particular campaign selected from a plurality of available campaigns;
• (b) communicating to a dial server means the identity of an available agent workstation which has previously logged on with one or more of said plurality of available campaigns selected for participating in said particular campaign;
• (c) transmitting an account information record for the campaign to the dial server means from the data server means in response to a request from the dial server means;
• (d) accessing a telephone line and dialing thereupon a telephone number included in an account information record transmitted to the dial server means;
• (e) connecting the telephone line obtained at step (d) with the available agent workstation;
• (f) transmitting the account information record of step (c) to the available agent workstation;
• (g) permitting any necessary modifications to the account information record transmitted to the available agent workstation;
• the,
• (h) returning the account information record of step (g) from the available agent workstation to the dial server means;
• the,
• (i) returning the account information record of step (g) from the dial server means to the data server means.

A method of operating an automatic telephone dialing system in a telephone calling campaign, the method comprising:

• (a) providing a plurality of data server means, each data server means being connected to an associated memory having stored therein a plurality of account information records, the account information records being formatted to include a telephone number in a telephone number field;
• (b) designating one of the data server means as a manager for managing a telephone calling campaign;
• (c) transmitting to an agent workstation an indication of a name of the data server means designated as the manager for the campaign in which the agent workstation will participate;
• (d) communicating to a dial server means the identity of an available agent workstation participating in the campaign along with the name of the data server means designated as the manager for the campaign;
• the manager data server means a request for an account information record for the campaign;
• (f) determining, under the control of manager data server means, from the memory associated with which data server means an account information record should next be retrieved for the campaign;
• (g) transmitting the next retrieved account information record for the campaign to the dial server means;
• (h) accessing, under control of the dial server means, a telephone line and dialing thereupon a telephone number included in an account information record transmitted to the dial server means;
• (i) connecting, under control of the dial server means, the telephone line obtained at step (h) with the available agent workstation;
• (j) transmitting the account information record of step (g) to the available agent workstation.

A method of operating an automatic telephone dialing system in a telephone calling campaign, the method comprising:

• (a) providing a data server means with access to a plurality of account information records, the account information records being formatted to include a telephone number in a telephone number field;
• (b) providing a plurality of distinct sets of agent workstations capable of being connected to telephone calls and of receiving account information records;
• (c) connecting each set of agent workstations to a respective one of a plurality of dial server means;
• (d) communicating to each of the respective dial server means that one of the agent workstations connected thereto is available;
• (e) communicating from the respective dial server means to the data server means a request for an account information record;
• (f) transmitting the next retrieved account information record for a particular campaign to the requesting dial server means, said particular campaign having been chosen by the available agent workstation previously from a plurality of available campaigns;
• (g) accessing, under control of the dial server means, a telephone line and dialing thereupon a telephone number included in an account information record transmitted to the dial server means;
• (h) connecting, under control of the dial server means, the telephone line obtained at step (g) with the available agent workstation;
• (i) transmitting the account information record of step (f) to the available agent workstation.