Class / Patent application number | Description | Number of patent applications / Date published |
379218010 | Automatic directory service (e.g., on-line) | 59 |
20080198995 | System and method for providing a search portal with enhanced results - A system for providing search results having a portal for receiving search requests and a means for obtaining prior search results from telephonic directory assistance requests. A trend module analyzes the obtained prior search results from telephonic directory assistance requests; where results provided to a user in response to the search request received at the portal are affected by the prior search results from telephonic directory assistance requests. | 08-21-2008 |
20080205621 | Contact List with Conversation Point Reminder - The present invention relates to contact list with means to attach memo to contact list entry. Memo comprises of one or more of data, voice, image, and video files. Memo is displayed on communication device when corresponding contact list entry is activated, such as when contact list entry is selected to initiate outgoing communication; and when incoming communication is received from entity corresponding to contact list entry. Present invention provides users means to remember desired conversation points at the time communication is initiated with an entity. | 08-28-2008 |
20080212765 | Directory assistance with advertisement from category related to request category - The current invention is a system for providing telephone directory assistance service in which a telephone user calls to the system and the system will, based on the requested number or type of service, hear a recorded advertisement selected from a category related to the requested service. The advertisements are selected from a databank, which may include any number advertisements, according to selection criteria. After the advertising announcement is completed, the directory assistance call is processed as usual. The selection criteria can include the use of SIC codes. | 09-04-2008 |
20080219427 | INFORMATION TERMINAL, SERVER AND COMMUNICATION METHOD AND METHOD FOR SELECTING A COMMUNICATION SERVICE - An information terminal includes a microprocessor for gathering a plurality of information sets of a user, with the user being a communication partner, and the information set including an identification tag for specifying the communication partner, communication service information corresponding to a specific communication service among a plurality of communication services and contact information of the communication partner, and a storage device for storing the plurality of information sets. | 09-11-2008 |
20080240397 | White page and yellow page directories in a geo-spatial environment - A method, apparatus and system of white page and yellow page directories in a geo-spatial environment are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method includes geo-coding an address data associated with a listing of a directory on a map and publishing an inventory of a user associated with the listing to market to other users and residents a threshold distance away from the address data associated with the listing. The method may include generating a set of coupons of a business associated with the listing as the inventory, and providing the set of coupons to the other users and residents the threshold distance away from the address data associated with the listing. The method may also include adjusting the threshold distance away based on a request of the user associated with the listing. | 10-02-2008 |
20080240398 | Enhanced directory assistance system with voice over IP call handling - A method is provided for operating a directory assistance system. The method includes the steps of storing a plurality of directory listings, including listings relating to identification of Voice over IP devices. A directory request is received for one of the directory listings and a call completion record is generated for providing information responsive to the directory request. The call completion record includes information relating to at least one of the Voice over IP devices, in a case where the requested information relates to a Voice over IP device. The call completion record includes information relating to a mobile phone device in a case where the requested information relates to a mobile phone device. The call completion record includes information relating to a landline device in a case where the requested information relates to a landline device. | 10-02-2008 |
20080247531 | Techniques for Populating a Contact List - The invention relates to a system, device, computer readable medium, and process for populating a contact list using a client device with service provider contact information based on location information. | 10-09-2008 |
20080267383 | Electronic telephone directory and telephone directory management method - An electronic telephone directory provided in a cell phone includes a telephone directory storage for storing entry data of an entry registered in the electronic telephone directory. The entry data includes an entry identifier for identifying the entry, an entry name, a telephone number, and link identifiers of link destinations. The electronic telephone directory also includes tree display means for displaying the entry name included in entry data of each entry registered in the telephone directory storage, associated with the entry names included in entry data of the link destinations in a tree form. | 10-30-2008 |
20080273685 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SEARCHING PHONE NUMBER USING FIGURE RECOGNITION IN PORTABLE TERMINAL - A method and apparatus for searching a phone number using a figure recognition in a portable terminal is provided. The method includes mapping a specific figure to each phone number and storing the mapping result, receiving a specific figure from a user, searching a same figure as the received specific figure among previously stored figures, and identifying a phone number mapped to the searched figure. | 11-06-2008 |
20080304648 | Context identifying aspects - One aspect relates to attempting to establish a communication with at least one identifiable person and/or identifiable communication device based at least in part on an at least one context designated destination relating at least partially to at least one context of the at least one identifiable person and/or identifiable communication device. Another aspect relates to altering an at least one transmitted data between a relatively ambiguous specification and a relatively precise specification at least partially based on an at least one context relating to communications with an at least one identifiable person and/or identifiable communication device. | 12-11-2008 |
20090010416 | System and method for generating and utilizing organically grown content in a directory assistance environment - A method is provided for updating a contact listing. The method includes receiving a request from a requestor for a contact listing corresponding to a desired listing among a plurality of available listings. The request includes one or more information element relating to the desired listing. The desired listing among the plurality of available listings is retrieved and a modification to the retrieved listing is generated based on the one or more information elements relating to the desired listing provided by the requester. | 01-08-2009 |
20090010417 | System and method for providing personal directory assistance services - A personalized assistance system for a user of a mobile device including a first database having a digital file library associated with the user, where the digital file library includes at least one digital file supplied to the first database by the user. An identification code uniquely associated with the mobile device is transmitted to the personalized assistance system, when the user calls the system. A customer service representative terminal is coupled to the database, where the identification code prompts automatic retrieval of at least a portion of the digital file library to the customer service representative terminal in response to processing of the identification code, the customer service representative terminal searching the digital file library in response to a user query to locate a designated digital file from the user's digital file library and causing the delivery of the digital file to a desired destination indicated by the user. | 01-08-2009 |
20090034709 | System and method for look-ahead call completion - A method for providing directory assistance includes receiving a communication from a requester for a business listing and retrieving at least one first listing in response. At least one signal indicative of the status of the listing retrieved is received, and if negative, such status is conveyed to the requester. A second option is then offered to the requester, where the second option offered to the requester is for a second listing related to a same category of business as the first listing. | 02-05-2009 |
20090067608 | Method and apparatus for monitoring telephonic members and providing directory assistance - Telephone users desiring directory assistance services are connected via standard telephone procedures to a directory assistance provider, such as an operator. An operator provides the destination number and initiates a connection to that number. Once that connection is initiated, the connection is monitored for the occurrence of a predetermined condition, such as a busy signal. If no such condition is detected, the caller proceeds with the call in the normal manner. If, however, such a condition is detected, the caller is automatically transferred to a directory assistance provider for further help. | 03-12-2009 |
20090074171 | Methods for searching phone book, and portable devices and information processing apparatuses having phone-book search function - Method of searching a phone book in an information processing apparatus, such as a portable device, may provide intelligent search of information associated with user-selected information. The method includes selecting a desired item of a plurality of item included in a phone book list, searching at least one item associated with the selected item on a database according to a predetermined priority, and displaying both the selected item and the searched associated at least one item. Thus, the information associated with the user-selected information can be intelligently searched, such that a search result optimized for a user may be displayed and unnecessary repetitive search may be reduced. | 03-19-2009 |
20090080636 | System and method for facilitating privacy in directory assistance communications - A method for providing directory assistance, including receiving at least one request from a requester for an un-listed contact information, where the un-listed contact information is stored in one of a plurality of carrier databases. A request is generated to a third party for the un-listed contact information, where the third party is in contact with the carriers, one of which has the un-listed contact information. A notification is received from the third party indicating that the un-listed contact information has been retrieved by said third party and a message is sent to the un-listed contact information, through the third party, indicating that the requester is trying to contact them. | 03-26-2009 |
20090103706 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR PROVIDING KEYWORD CALLING - Systems and methods for providing telephone calls according to internet keyword searches comprising the steps: providing a first user having a first user ID and phone number; providing a second user having a second user ID, a destination phone number, at least one selected paid keyword; accepting an internet request containing at least one keyword from the first user wherein the internet request contains at least one keyword identical to at least one paid keyword which is displayed as a highlighted keyword; when the first user clicks on the highlighted keyword a call request is initiated, calling the first user's phone number and the destination phone number associated with the paid keyword and connecting a telephone call between the first user and the second user according to the paid keyword and call request. | 04-23-2009 |
20090103707 | System and method for enhanced ENUM applications - An identification services system having a database module configured to support an account for a subscriber having at least one identification code relating to the subscriber. A services platform allow the subscriber of the account to map any one of a plurality of objects and locations to the account, each having a unique identifier such that information corresponding to the objects and location is provided for storage in the database module using the account. The identification code and the unique identifiers are communicated to the services platform and are associated to the subscriber account. A response platform communicates with the subscriber, providing updated advertising information to the subscriber based on the information received corresponding to the objects and locations. | 04-23-2009 |
20090110177 | Dynamic Secondary Phone Book - A mobile communication device is equipped with a dynamic local directory into which contact information from a local telephone directory may be downloaded on a temporary basis. The local telephone directory resides on a local communication network and may be accessed by the mobile communication device. The downloaded data is purged automatically after preset limits are reached. The dynamic local telephone directory on the mobile communication device is continuously changing depending on the location. | 04-30-2009 |
20090110178 | Technique for effectively providing a personalized information assistance service - A user may utilize a communication device, e.g., a wireless phone, mobile device or personal digital assistant (PDA), to contact an information/call center where an operator provides personalized information and communications services to the user in accordance with the invention. Such services include, e.g., providing individual listing information items on a restrictive basis, caller identification service, etc. To personalize the services, at least one profile record associated with the user is used which specifies the subscribed services and the preferred ways of receiving information. For example, the profile may specify use of a special skilled operator, personal interests, methods of delivery of targeted information to the user, etc. | 04-30-2009 |
20090110179 | Technique for providing personalized information and communication services - A system for use by a user to protect the privacy of selected telephone numbers in a directory includes a memory for storing a plurality of directories, each of which is associated with a single respective party and includes one or more telephone numbers at least one of which is to be used to contact selected parties associated with and different from the respective party. At least one directory further includes at least one indicator indicating that a telephone number, stored in the directory is to be disclosed only to a first predetermined group of persons associated with the single respective party. The system also includes a processor for allowing access to the at least one directory only to a second predetermined group that includes the first predetermined group of persons; and for providing the telephone number only to the first predetermined group of persons. | 04-30-2009 |
20090136018 | METHOD OF AND SYSTEM FOR AUTOMATICALLY SWITCHING BETWEEN FREE DIRECTORY ASSISTANCE SERVICE AND CHARGEABLE DIRECTORY ASSISTANCE SERVICE - A method of redirecting a directory-assistance call includes receiving a directory-assistance request from a caller, determining via a free directory-assistance service whether information corresponding to the directory-assistance request is available, responsive to a determination that the information is available, presenting, to the caller, the information free of charge to the caller and, responsive to a determination that the information is not available, redirecting the directory-assistance call to a chargeable directory-assistance service. | 05-28-2009 |
20090175433 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR PROVIDING DIRECTORY ASSISTANCE TO ERRONEOUS TELEPHONE CALLS - A method and system for providing directory assistance to erroneous calls. The method and system includes an intercept system that intercepts erroneous calls and automatically routes them to a directory assistance service. The directory assistance service provides a least one advertisement and a variety of other services to the callers using a rule-based expert system service. | 07-09-2009 |
20090190739 | Communication assistance system and method - A communication assistance system includes a database having a plurality of listings therein, each of the listings includes a least one contact name and a contact information. A means is provided for receiving incoming communications from a plurality of requesters seeking a listing. A table stores past requested listings of the requesters, where the system reviews the table for storing past requested listings and, based on contents contained in the past requested listing table, develops a list of requesters to target a promotion to, whereupon when a requester who is among the list of requesters contacts the system, they are provided with the promotion. | 07-30-2009 |
20090202062 | System and Method for Communication - The present invention is a system and method for providing a connection to an entity from a request made to a general database, the system having a central contact and a list or database of word sequences purchased by entities; wherein the list or database has an associated telephone number contact information or address information and telephone or mail connection is made based on word sequence purchased by a particular entity. | 08-13-2009 |
20090238357 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR IMPROVED DIRECTORY ASSISTANCE INCLUDING RE-DIAL FEATURE - A directory assistance system includes a request handling module for receiving a plurality of incoming directory assistance requests from requesters and an agent platform for handling the directory assistance requests by providing at least one listing to the requester. A record database stores a record relating to the first request, and includes a first identifier, a time and a listing entry. An incoming request tracking module tracks second incoming directory assistance requests, by reviewing a second identifier associated with the directory assistance request, comparing the second identifier against the first identifiers in the records, and if a record has a matching first identifier to second identifier from request, then, prior to the second request being sent to the agent platform, offering to automatically provide the stored listing entry from the record to the requester. | 09-24-2009 |
20090296916 | Enhanced directory assistance services in a telecommunications network - Directory assistance provides telephone number look up services to callers based on the business or caller name as listed in a telephone directory. As such, directory assistance in the prior art provides a value-added service to telephone users and an expense that must be charged back to telephone subscribers or absorbed by telephone carriers. The present invention provides a method and system whereby directory assistance is enhanced to deliver a targeted advertising service to telephone listing owners and advertisers. The enhanced directory assistance (EDA) service of the present invention becomes an additional revenue source for carriers. The present invention also provides a method and system for dynamically ordering these directory listings and tracking subsequent telephone referrals. | 12-03-2009 |
20100034369 | ESTABLISHMENT OF CONNECTIONS OVER A COMMUNICATION NETWORK TO A PARTICIPANT OF A MEETING WITHOUT SAID PARTICIPANT'S TELEPHONE NUMBER BEING KNOWN - The present application relates to a method and a communication system with which participants of a scheduled meeting, in particular a business meeting or conference, can be reached by a telephone caller without the caller needing to know the telephone number of the participants. Conventionally, the caller who does not have available the corresponding number must obtain said number by calling a telephone switchboard or by searching in an electronic address book. This disadvantage is overcome by the subject matter of the application by the fact that a connection to a meeting participant, preferably the organizer of the meeting, is established using only the telephone number of the caller. For this purpose, the caller is identified by the caller's telephone number, and thereafter an address book is examined to determine whether the caller is a participant in a meeting. If yes, the organizer of the meeting or the organizer's telephone number is obtained, and the connection to the telephone number thus obtained is forwarded on. | 02-11-2010 |
20100061542 | PERSONALIZED ASSISTANCE SYSTEM AND METHOD - A personalized assistance system maintains a first database having a contact list for the user including at least one contact name and a corresponding contact number. A telephone identification code uniquely associated with the telephone said identification code is transmitted to the system when the user calls. A customer service representative terminal is coupled to the database and the telephone hardware. The telephone identification code prompts automatic retrieval of the contact list to the customer service representative terminal in response to processing of the identification code. The customer service representative terminal searches the contact list in response to a user query to locate a designated contact from the user's contact list and causes the telephony hardware to connect the telephone with the contact number corresponding to the designated contact. The system provides a multimedia message to the user while the user is connected with the personalized assistance system. | 03-11-2010 |
20100098240 | Method and Apparatus for Facilitating Automatic Sharing of Contact Information Between Communication Devices in a Communication Network - A method and apparatus for facilitating automatic sharing of contact information between communication devices. The method includes receiving an input indicating a request for contact information of a third party from a user of the communication device, selecting at least one contact from a contact information database based on an index associated with the selected contact, the index indicating willingness of the selected contact to provide contact information of the third party, automatically generating a request for contact information of the third party, sending the generated request to the remote communication device associated with the selected contact, and receiving contact information of the third party from the remote communication device. | 04-22-2010 |
20100104083 | PROVIDING TELEPHONE DIRECTORY ASSISTANCE - There is provided a method for providing telephone directory assistance. The method includes (a) receiving, via a communication network, first information concerning a telephone call being proposed for a telephone having a first telephone number, (b) obtaining second information relating to a prior call involving the first telephone number, (c) obtaining a resultant telephone number, based on the first information and the second information, and (d) outputting the resultant telephone number, via the communication network. | 04-29-2010 |
20100104084 | ELECTRONIC TELEPHONE DIRECTORY - A system for providing directory information is disclosed. The system includes a computer and a directory device connected to the computer. The directory device includes a memory storage device for storing directory information and telecommunications information obtained from the computer. The telecommunications services information includes information on establishing telephone service. | 04-29-2010 |
20100232591 | Electronic telephone directory system - An electronic telephone directory system is described. Each entry in the directory has summary information, category specific information, and associated categories. The system displays a different view of the category specific information depending on categories associated with an entry. For example, a restaurant may have a detailed view that shows its menu and specials whereas the detailed view for a taxi service shows the company's coverage area. The directory periodically updates using cellular networks but generally operates without an active network connection. | 09-16-2010 |
20100239084 | Memorable Telephone Number Identification - A computing device includes a processing unit and a system memory connected to the processing unit. The system memory includes instructions that, when executed by the processing unit, cause the processing unit to: retrieve a pool of telephone numbers; analyze repeating digits and perform pattern matching for each number in the pool of telephone numbers; associate a memorability score with one or more of the numbers in the pool of telephone numbers; and sort the pool of telephone numbers based on the memorability score to create a sorted list of numbers. | 09-23-2010 |
20100239085 | CROSS CHANNEL CONTACT HISTORY MANAGEMENT - Apparatus and methods for providing customer interaction information to a business channel. The apparatus and methods may involve receiving from a first business channel a first customer interaction data structure corresponding to a customer interaction, storing a data object corresponding to the first customer interaction data structure; and providing to a second business channel formatting information corresponding to the first customer interaction data structure. The first and second business channels may thus use independent data structures for storing their customer interaction information in a centralized database. The first and second data structures may view the other's data structures using formatting from the other channel. | 09-23-2010 |
20100278326 | COMMUNICATION ASSISTANCE SYSTEM AND METHOD - A communication assistance system has a first database haying a plurality of listings therein, each having at least one contact name and a corresponding contact number. A device is configured to receive a directory assistance communication from a device of a user requesting at least one listing. A past requested listing table for at least one of said users is configured to store prior requested listings obtained from the database, as previously requested by the user. The past requested listing table is generated by the system and transmitted for storage on the device of the user so that when the user contacts the system, with the at least one listing stored on the past requested listing table being masked, the system may allow a communication connection between the device and the listing on the past requested listing table | 11-04-2010 |
20100316210 | AUTOMATIC CALL COMPLETION IN A DIRECTORY ASSISTANCE SYSTEM - A method, system and apparatus for automatic call completion in a directory assistance system in concert with the public switched telephone network (PSTN). In accordance with the present invention, a method for automatic call completion in a directory assistance system can include receiving and processing a directory assistance request from a calling party over the PSTN. An address for the calling party can be retrieved from the PSTN and an address for a telephone number produced by the directory assistance request can be second retrieved from within the directory assistance system. Prospective telephone charges can be computed based upon the retrieved addresses and the calling party can be prompted with the computed prospective charges. Finally, a call can be automatically completed between the calling party and the telephone number. | 12-16-2010 |
20110110513 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR PROVIDING SOCIAL NETWORK SERVICE INTERLOCKING WITH PHONE BOOK OF PORTABLE TERMINAL - A method and system of providing a Social Network Service (SNS) interlocking with a phone book of a portable terminal are provided. The method includes searching for an item that corresponds to subscriber information of the SNS, extracting information that corresponds to the searched item from the phone book of the portable terminal, converting the information into a specified data format, transmitting the information to an SNS server, searching for values that coincide with the received information converted into the specified data format, converting the searched values and corresponding SNS IDs into the specified data format, and transmitting the converted values and the corresponding SNS IDs to the portable terminal. | 05-12-2011 |
20110150205 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PREFFERED PROVIDER SERVICES IN AN ENHANCED DIRECTORY ASSISTANCE SYSTEM - An enhanced directory assistance system includes a directory assistance platform configured to receive calls from at least one requester seeking a listing and a listing database, coupled to the directory assistance platform configured to store a plurality of listings. At least one listing has a preferred status. When the requester contacts the directory assistance platform seeking the listing, a customer service representative at the directory assistance platform retrieves listings that meet the requester's search requirement, at least one of which is a listing having a preferred status. The at least one listing having a preferred status is given a more prominent display to the customer service representative than the remaining listings among the plurality of listings that do not have a preferred status. | 06-23-2011 |
20110170682 | UNIVERSAL CONTACT MANAGER - Systems and methods presented herein include a universal contact server. The universal contact server communicates with a universal contacts database. The universal contact server can retrieve contact information from all the communication devices associated with a use and store the contact information into the single universal contact data base. With the contact information stored in a single location, the user can use any communication device to contact the contact server and retrieve the contact information. In this way, the centrally stored contact information, allows a user to easily locate any contact information the user desires. | 07-14-2011 |
20110216895 | TECHNIQUE FOR SELECTIVE PRESENTATION OF INFORMATION IN RESPONSE TO A REQUEST FOR INFORMATION ASSISTANCE SERVICE - In accordance with the present invention, when a user makes an information assistance call to an information/call center requesting a listing, the user can make arrangements for various services relating to the requested listing in the same call. These services may be presented to an operator as options, and in turn presented to the user for selection. However, the options undesired by the user, based on personal preferences stored in a personal profile, or unsupported by the telephone service to which the user subscribes are not presented to the operator and thus not made available to the user. If the user is interested in any of the available options, the operator accesses the selected option and makes an appropriate arrangement for the underlying service for the user. | 09-08-2011 |
20110293086 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR GENERATING AND UTILIZING ORGANICALLY GROWN CONTENT IN A DIRECTORY ASSISTANCE ENVIRONMENT - A method for providing directory assistance includes receiving a communication from a requestor for a desired contact listing and retrieving a requester profile relating to the requester where the profile including a calling history of the requester. At least one listing is retrieved in response to the communication for a desired contact listing, where the retrieving of the desired listing includes reviewing the calling history of the requester and including, among the at least one retrieved response, a predictive listing. | 12-01-2011 |
20120045049 | SELF-ORGANIZING DIRECTORY DISPLAY - A method and communications device for displaying a contacts directory to a user. A contacts directory comprising a plurality of contact entries is maintained. Each contact entry includes a corresponding contact identifier and a corresponding contact address. A communication metric is maintained for at least some of the plurality of contact entries based on communication interactions via the corresponding contact address of the contact entry. A request to display the contacts directory is received. The contact identifiers are ordered in an order based at least in part on the communication metric. At least a portion of the plurality of contact identifiers is displayed on a display in the order. | 02-23-2012 |
20120063585 | INTEGRATION OF CONTACT INFORMATION ACROSS MULTIPLE COMMUNICATION DEVICES - Automatically created and dynamically updated lists of a user's frequently called contacts and favorite calling numbers may be provided via a frequently called contacts and favorite calling numbers application. If a call usage count associated with a particular phone number meets a prescribed threshold, the phone number may be added to a frequently called contacts list. Given a user's call frequency and type, the frequently called contacts list may be updated dynamically. A favorite calling numbers list may be generated manually or automatically based on various criteria for adding contact numbers to the list. Both the frequently called contacts list and the favorite calling numbers list may be tied in with a service provider's billing system, wherein special rates or discounts may be applied to calls made to or received from phone numbers in the frequently called contacts list or favorite calling numbers list. | 03-15-2012 |
20120250848 | COMMUNICATION ASSISTANCE SYSTEM AND METHOD - A communication assistance system includes a telephone switch for receiving calls from a plurality of requesters, a call center for routing each of said received calls to an operator terminal, and a first database configured to store said information corresponding to each of said subscribers. The system includes a masking feature that allows it to connect a requester to a subscriber without revealing subscriber's mobile telephone number. | 10-04-2012 |
20120257741 | TELEPHONE NUMBER INVENTORY MANAGEMENT - Systems and methods may include generating, using keypad letter mapping, a plurality of alphabet strings corresponding to digits of a telephone number; identifying, for one or more of the alphabet strings, a sequence of letters forming at least one term; calculating, using a metric, a value of the at least one term; and storing, in association with the telephone number in a database, the one or more of the alphabet strings for which an associated value exceeds a particular threshold. | 10-11-2012 |
20120281824 | TECHNIQUE FOR PROVIDING PERSONALIZED INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATIONS SERVICES - A communications system for providing a service includes an interface configured to receive a directory assistance communication from a requester seeking a desired listing from among a plurality of available desired listings. A processor is configured to obtain a stored profile associated with the requester, the profile including at least one delivery preference set by the requester relating to the format in which said requester desires to have the desired listing delivered to them. A device configured to provide a communication listing associated with the desired listing to the requester, in response to the directory assistance request, in accordance with the preference proscribed by the requester in the profile and then connecting the requester to a second communication listing associated with the desired listing. | 11-08-2012 |
20120321065 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR IMPROVED DIRECTORY ASSISTANCE INCLUDING RE-DIAL FEATURE - A directory assistance system includes a request handling module for receiving a plurality of incoming directory assistance requests from requesters and an agent platform for handling the directory assistance requests by providing at least one listing to the requester. A record database stores a record relating to the first request, and includes a first identifier, a time and a listing entry. An incoming request tracking module tracks second incoming directory assistance requests, by reviewing a second identifier associated with the directory assistance request, comparing the second identifier against the first identifiers in the records, and if a record has a matching first identifier to second identifier from request, then, prior to the second request being sent to the agent platform, offering to automatically provide the stored listing entry from the record to the requester. | 12-20-2012 |
20130003957 | GUIDING CALLS VIA GRAPHICAL USER INTERFACE - A user device may display, via a graphical user interface, questions associated with a voice menu that is used by an interactive voice response (IVR) system to forward calls. The user device may obtain, via the graphical user interface, user responses to the questions. In addition, the user device may send information corresponding to the user responses to the questions to a remote device. The remote device may query the IVR system to identify a call agent, in a call center, whose profile matches the information, obtain contact information of the call agent from the IVR system, and send the contact information to the user device. Furthermore, the user device may receive the contact information from the remote device and display the contact information via the graphical user interface. | 01-03-2013 |
20130022191 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR VISUAL PRESENTATION AND SELECTION OF IVR MENU - Embodiments of the invention provide a system for generating an Interactive Voice Response (IVR) database, the system comprising a processor and a memory coupled to the processor. The memory comprising a list of telephone numbers associated with one or more destinations implementing IVR menus, wherein the one or more destinations are grouped based on a plurality of categories of the IVR menus. Further the memory includes instructions executable by said processor for automatically communicating with the one of more destinations, and receiving at least one customization record from said at least one destination to store in the IVR database. | 01-24-2013 |
20130142321 | Enhanced Directory Assistance Services in a Telecommunications Network - Directory assistance provides telephone number look up services to callers based on the business or caller name as listed in a telephone directory. As such, directory assistance in the prior art provides a value-added service to telephone users and an expense that must be charged back to telephone subscribers or absorbed by telephone carriers. The present invention provides a method and system whereby directory assistance is enhanced to deliver a targeted advertising service to telephone listing owners and advertisers. The enhanced directory assistance (EDA) service of the present invention becomes an additional revenue source for carriers. The present invention also provides a method and system for dynamically ordering these directory listings and tracking subsequent telephone referrals. | 06-06-2013 |
20130163743 | TECHNIQUE FOR CONTINUALLY ASSISTING A USER DURING AN INFORMATION ASSISTANCE CALL - Telephone users desiring directory assistance services are connected via standard telephone procedures to a directory assistance provider, such as an operator. An operator provides the destination number and initiates a connection to that number. Once that connection is initiated, the connection is monitored for the occurrence of a predetermined condition, such as a busy signal. If no such condition is detected, the caller proceeds with the call in the normal manner. If, however, such a condition is detected, the caller is automatically transferred to a directory assistance provider for further help. | 06-27-2013 |
20130272517 | METHODS AND APPARATUS TO PROVIDE CONTACT MANAGEMENT WITH DIRECTORY ASSISTANCE TECHNICAL FIELD - Methods and an apparatus for providing contact management with directory assistance. An example method includes obtaining, via a processor, a billing record generated to track usage of a directory assistance service by a caller, the billing record comprising a first data object conveyed to the caller in association with the usage of the directory assistance service; querying, via the processor, a first directory with the first data object of the billing record to obtain listing information associated with the first data object; and conveying a contact record including the obtained listing information to a device associated with the caller. | 10-17-2013 |
20140050311 | TELEPHONE CALL SET CORRELATION AND INFORMATION RANKING - A set of call-specific metadata entries specified by a user that each represent a user-specified item of information to capture in association with a set of telephone numbers is obtained. The user-specified items of information represented by the set of call-specific metadata entries are captured from the user in association with a telephone number that is related to the set of call-specific metadata entries. The user-specified items of information are sorted based upon at least one user-specified item of information in response to detecting a user request to sort the captured user-specified items of information. | 02-20-2014 |
20140119529 | Directory Features in a Distributed Telephony System - A telephony system is presented that enables a phone to access a directory and use the directory in conjunction with other phone functions. The system includes a server with a telephony management software (TMS) unit, a telephony application programming interface (TAPI) unit, and an application unit. The application unit includes a control module, a function module, a filter module, a presentation module, a phone interface module, and a storage interface module. A server sends a signal to a phone regarding the contents of a directory. A server also enables a user to navigate through the directory, filter the directory, and perform call functions on phone numbers associated with directory entries. | 05-01-2014 |
20140161246 | METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR ENHANCED DIRECTORY ASSISTANCE USING WIRELESS MESSAGING PROTOCOLS - Directory assistance provides telephone number look up services to callers based on the business or caller name as listed in a telephone directory. In the prior art, directory assistance provides a value-added service to telephone users and an expense that must be charged back to telephone callers or absorbed by telephone carriers. In enhanced directory assistance (EDA) services as described in the disclosure, EDA is further developed to deliver a keyword targeted advertising service to telephone listing owners and advertisers. The present invention provides a method and system to extend EDA services to the wireless messaging systems used by telecommunications operators. The invention further discloses methods to support both one-way and two-way communications on these devices, as well as systems to support the distributed EDA Transaction business model. | 06-12-2014 |
20140233718 | MULTILEVEL DIRECTORY ASSISTANCE APPARATUS AND METHOD - A method is disclosed for the presentation of telephone information about a company or other enterprise over the Internet in response to consumer searches for names or products. Department information is included. The system uses a database to determine product slightly sold my search for companies to provide advertisers or sponsors with preferential placement of their ads. Revenue is charged response to clicking on an advertisement. The system also places telephone calls over the Internet to users of the inventive search engine. Advertisers are charged for such calls. Optionally, the system may not allow direct dialing for non-advertisers. | 08-21-2014 |
20150092935 | Telecommunications Addressing System and Method - A telecommunications addressing system/method allowing selection of a telephone instrument device (TID) using arbitrary identifiers is disclosed. The system/method allows a source TID (STD) to select a target TID (TTD) by the use of a Target Telephone Identifier (TTI) data string rather than a traditional numeric telephone identification (NTI). This TTI is then indexed within a TTI/NTI mapping server (TMS) that functions as a hierarchical repository of TTI/NTI mappings. STD/TTD communication is established by first performing a lookup of the STD-selected TTI within the TMS to identify the NTI of the TTD. Once the NTI of the STD has been identified by the TMS, communication between the STD and TTD is established using the NTI via the normal public switched telephone network (PSTN). TMS TTI lookup may be performed via STD TID web application and/or via PSTN infrastructure interface. | 04-02-2015 |
20160165048 | METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR AUTOMATED BUSINESS DIALING - Systems and methods consistent with the invention relate to automated business and service dialing. According to one exemplary embodiment, a business dialing system is disclosed. The system includes a memory configured to store a plurality of business objects containing phone numbers corresponding to a plurality of business entities. The system further includes a user input device configured to detect key presses. The system also includes a processor coupled to the user input device and the memory. The processor is configured to generate a key sequence and a number sequence based on the detected key presses. The processor is further configured to search the memory for business objects corresponding to the key sequence. The system further includes a display device configured to display the number sequence and the business objects. The user input interface is further configured to detect a selection of a business object, among the business objects, or a dial command. The processor is configured to perform an action associated with the selected business object if the selection of the business object is detected, and dial the number sequence as a phone number if the dial command is detected. | 06-09-2016 |