Information gathering system

Abstract

An audience participation system is disclosed, in which the users are invited to initiate a voting process by dialling a predetermined number using one of the conventional short code memory keys on a DECT cordless telephone 1, or specialized equipment incorporating DECT technology, are connected to a Computer/Telephony Interface (CTI) unit 4 via a wireless Private Branch Exchange (WPBX) 2. The Computer/Telephony Interface Unit can use calling line identity to identify any attempted callers who are not eligible to vote, e.g. calling from remote lines. Some remote lines may be authorised to allow votes to be contributed from authorized parties elsewhere than in the local auditorium. To vote, the users transmit DTMF tones using the keys of their telephone handsets, or speak into their handsets if voice prompts are to be used. A separate channel is provided between the Computer/Telephony Interface unit 4 and each cordless telephone or remote user. The Computer/Telephony Interface unit 4 can therefore identify each individual vote, and ensure that only one vote is received from each telephone. The DTMF tones or other are raw voting data which is transmitted to the computer 5 for analysing the raw voting data, for display of voting statistics to the audience on a display browser 6. Since the identity of each handset is known to the Computer/Telephony Interface Unit 4, demographic data previously stored relating to the individual users of the handsets, or to earlier voting results, may be correlated to provide further information for processing by the computer 5.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.