Patent ID: 6556664
Filing Date: 2003-04-29
Classification: H04M

Abstract:
A automated phone calling system for placing outgoing phone calls comprising:a database comprising a plurality of phone numbers and one or more data fields associated with each of the plurality of phone numbers; means for selecting a subset of phone numbers from the plurality of phone numbers of the database based on the selection of at least one of the data fields associated with at least one of the plurality of phone numbers; means for recording a voice message to be transmitted over at least one outgoing phone line; means for connecting to the at least one outgoing phone line, the connecting means operatively connected to the voice recording means, means for initiating at least one phone call to a callee via a callee phone number over the at least one outgoing phone line with the callee's phone number being one of the subset of phone numbers stored in the database as selected by the selecting means; means for prompting the callee by playing the voice message recorded with the voice recording means, after the outgoing phone call connection has been established, to enter one of a plurality of different dial codes; means for translating a vocal response dial code entered by the callee into a data value, means for recording the data value; and means for automatically updating at least one of the data fields in the database for the callee's phone number based on the recorded data value, the at least one updated data field used by the selecting means for selecting a future subset of phone numbers, the system thereby providing the callee with the ability to influence future phone calls initiated by the system to the callee's phone number.