Call management system with protocol converter and port controller

Abstract

A call management system takes records from a mainframe computer. A protocol converter converts the synchronous data output from the mainframe computer for use on asynchronous terminals. Parallel port controllers are connected to the protocol converter, and asynchronous terminals are connected to the port controllers. A local processor controls the connection of the terminals to the local procesor or to the mainframe system by sending special function codes during transmissions from the local processor. Each terminal has a special function key downloaded from the local processor which enables the terminal to switch the connection back from the host mainframe to the local processor. The protocol converter converts asynchronous signals to synchronous signals to address and update records in the main frame computer storage. The local processor controls call progress tone recognition apparatus and voice recorder or synthesizer apparatus and timing apparatus and automatic dialing apparatus for controlling a line control unit which provides DTMF signals to a local switching means and trunks leading from the exchange to dial individual numbers, recognize call progress tones and voice, begin a speech reproduction message on an answered line and switch the line to an operator's station upon completion of the message.

I claim: 
     
       1. Call management system apparatus comprising local switching means, plural trunk lines connected to the local switching means, a line control unit, plural lines connected between the line control unit and the local switching means, plural operator stations and plural lines connected between the operator stations and the line control unit, a local processor, a control line connected between the local processor and the line control unit for controlling the line control unit, a peripheral device and a peripheral line connected between the local processor and the peripheral device, plural serial ports connected to the local processor, plural .[.terminal.]. .Iadd.terminals .Iaddend.one each respectively at the plural stations, port controllers, plural terminal lines connected between the terminals and the port controllers, plural processor lines connected between the port controllers and the ports of the local processor, protocol converting means, plural data lines connected between the protocol converting means and the port controllers, and a data line for connection between a mainframe computer and the protocol converting means. 
     
     
       2. The call management system apparatus of claim 1 wherein the line control unit has message announcement means and the line control unit has means for switching trunk lines between operators' stations and message announcement means. 
     
     
       3. The call management system apparatus of claim 2 wherein the local processor includes means that controls switching by the line control unit. 
     
     
       4. The call management system apparatus of claim 1 wherein the local processor has digital voice recording and playback control means for reproducing a message over the trunk lines. 
     
     
       5. The call management system apparatus of claim 1 wherein the port controllers control connections of the terminal lines to the data lines between the port controllers and the protocol converting means and to the lines between the port controllers and the local processor. 
     
     
       6. The call management system apparatus of claim 5 wherein the port controllers control the connection of the lines between the local processor and the port controllers and the terminal lines. 
     
     
       7. The call management system apparatus of claim 1 wherein the protocol converting means converts synchronous output sent from a mainframe computer to an asynchronous terminal input. 
     
     
       8. The call management system apparatus of claim 7 wherein the protocol converting means converts asynchronous terminal input to synchronous signals for use by a mainframe computer. 
     
     
       9. Call management system apparatus comprising port controllers and a protocol converting means, plural data lines connected between the protocol converting means and the port controllers and a data link connected to the protocol converting means for connecting the protocol converting means to a mainframe computer, plural processor lines connected to the port controllers for connecting the port controllers to a local processor and plural terminal lines connected to the port controllers for connecting the port controllers to plural asynchronous terminals, whereby the local processor controls connections between a mainframe computer, the protocol converter, the port controllers and the local processor and whereby the local processor controls connections between the local processor, the port controllers and the asynchronous terminals. 
     
     
       10. The call management system apparatus of claim 9 further comprising a line control unit (LCU) connected to the local processor, plural station lines connected to the LCU, a local switching means connected to the local LCU and plural trunk lines connected to the local switching means. 
     
     
       11. The call management system apparatus of claim 10 wherein the local processor has control means for digital recording and playback for providing voice signals from the LCU and wherein the local processor has DTMF signal generation and control means for controlling generating of DTMF signals and providing DTMF signals from the LCU, and wherein the local processor has tone recognition control means for controlling recognizing tones from the LCU and wherein the local processor has timing control means connected to the LCU for controlling the connection of the trunk lines to the station lines following a time interval during which a message is played. 
     
     
       12. The call management system apparatus of claim 1 wherein the local processor has means for controlling the port controllers to control connection of the terminals to the local processor or to a protocol converter. 
     
     
       13. The call management system apparatus of claim 1 wherein the port controllers comprise parallel connected port controllers and wherein each port controller has plural connections to a protocol converter, to the local processor and to terminals. 
     
     
       14. The call management system apparatus of claim 1 wherein the port controllers comprise parallel connected port controllers and wherein each port controller is connected to a protocol converter, to the local processor and to terminals. 
     
     
       15. A call management method comprising the steps of providing control signals from asynchronous terminals through terminal lines to port controllers, providing control signals from the port controllers through processor lines to a local processor, sending control signals from the local processor through the processor lines to the port controllers and sending control signals from the port controllers through data lines to a protocol converter, converting control signals in the protocol converter from asynchronous terminal signals to synchronous data signals, sending the data signals to a mainframe computer via a data link, sending records signals from the mainframe computer via the data link to the protocl converter, converting the records signals from synchronous signals to asynchronous terminal signals containing records information, sending the signals containing records information via the data lines to the port controllers, sending the records information signals to the local processor via the port lines, sending the records information signals from the local processor to the port controllers via the processor lines and sending the records information signals to the terminals via the terminal lines. 
     
     
       16. The call management system of claim 15 further comprising controlling the terminals with the local processor to connect the terminals through the port controllers to the protocol converter and controller the terminals with the local processor to enable the terminals to switch the port controllers connection back from the protocol converter tot he local processor. 
     
     
       17. The call management system of claim 15 further comprising sending records from the local processor to the mainframe computer via the port controllers and protocol converter. .Iadd. 
     
     
       18.  A call management system comprising in combination: a host processor storing customer records;   a local processor storing data from customer records including telephone numbers to be dialed;   dialing means selectably connectable to a plurality of telephone trunks for placing an outgoing call by dialing one of said telephone numbers on one of said trunks;   a plurality of operator stations, each operator station comprising a data terminal for displaying and inputting customer record data and audio communication means;   trunk switching means for selectively connecting a selected one of said trunks to a selected one of said audio communications means; and   switching means for: (a) coupling said local processor and said host processor to transfer customer record data from said host processor to said local processor; (b) coupling said local processor to each of said data terminals to transfer customer record data from said local processor to each of said data terminals; and (c) coupling each of said data terminals to said host processor to transfer customer record data updates from each of said data terminals to said host processor. .Iaddend. .Iadd.19. A call management system comprising in combination:   a host processor storing customer records, said host processor employing a first protocol for transmitting and receiving data;   a local processor storing data from customer records including telephone numbers to be dialed, said local processor employing a second protocol for transmitting and receiving data,   dialing means selectably connectable to a plurality of telephone trunks for placing an outgoing call by dialing one of said telephone numbers on one of said trunks;   a plurality of operator stations, each operator station comprising a data terminal for displaying and inputting customer record information and audio communication means, said operator station employing said second protocol for transmitting and receiving data;   trunk switching means for selectively connecting a selected one of said trunks to a selected one of said audio communications means;   switching means for: (a) coupling said local processor and said host processor to transfer customer record data from said host processor to said local processor; (b) coupling said local processor to each of said data terminals to transfer customer record data from said local processor to each of said data terminals; and (c) coupling each of said data terminals to said host processor to transfer customer record data updates from each of said data terminals to said host processor; and   protocol conversion means for changing the protocol of data coupled to said host processor from said second to said first protocol and data coupled from said host processor from said first to said second protocol. .Iaddend.