METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PROVIDING ADVERTISEMENT SUPPORTED COMMUNICATIONS
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method of providing sponsor supported communication services, comprising the steps of:
- identifying a caller, receiving a signal from a caller identifying a party to be called, determining whether the caller is a participant to the sponsor supported communication services, if so, playing a message to the caller, and placing a call connection from the caller to the called party.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method and apparatus providing a communication service in which sponsors pay for communication services initiated by a caller. A caller may invoke the service by entering only the telephone number identifying the desired connection. A communication switch interprets the digits entered by the caller, determines whether the caller wishes to invoke the advertiser supported communication service and if so plays a message to the caller. At the end of the message the communication switch completes the desired connection.
184 Citations
33 Claims
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1. A method of providing sponsor supported communication services, comprising the steps of:
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identifying a caller, receiving a signal from a caller identifying a party to be called, determining whether the caller is a participant to the sponsor supported communication services, if so, playing a message to the caller, and placing a call connection from the caller to the called party. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A communication switch comprising:
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a processing system, a switch matrix responsive to decisions by the processor and in communication with a caller'"'"'s telephone, a voice information server controlled by the processor and in communication with the switch matrix, and a database storing a profile of the caller and message data, wherein, responsive to a new call initiated by the caller, the processor;
receives entered digits entered at the telephone, retrieves the caller'"'"'s profile, determines whether the caller is a participant to a sponsor supported communication service, if so, causes the switch matrix to establish a connection between the caller'"'"'s telephone and the voice information server, causes the voice information server to play a selected message to the caller'"'"'s telephone, and at the conclusion of the message, places a call connection as determined by the entered digits. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A method providing sponsor supported communication services, comprising the steps of:
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receiving entered digits from a caller, and determining whether the entered digits include a code representing a request for a sponsor supported communication service, if so, playing a message to the caller, at the conclusion of the message, placing a call as dictated by caller input. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25)
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26. A method for integrating a provisioning of service and information announcements in a communication network, the method comprising the steps of:
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storing an information announcement in a database associated with a switching node;
analyzing a request for a call connection routed through said switching node;
detecting in the analysis whether a caller is to be a recipient of a stored information announcement; and
completing the requested call connection to a termination point. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30)
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31. A method of providing an affinity group based telecommunication service, comprising:
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identifying a caller to a new call completion request;
determining whether the caller is a member of an affinity group, when the caller is a member of an affinity group, applying a call handling option to the call, the call handling option being indicative of the affinity group, and thereafter, completing a call request. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33)
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Specification