SYSTEM AND METHOD DEVELOPING MAPPING AND DIRECTIONS FROM CALL ID

• US 20020027981A1
• Filed: 11/10/1999
• Published: 03/07/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 11/10/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Solid Information Technology Oy (International Business Machines Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Solid Information Technology Oy (International Business Machines Corporation)
• Inventors: THORNSBERRY, MARVIN J., BARRY, DAVID MARK, BEDROSIAN, BERT
• Granted Patent: US 6,459,782 B1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/201.08
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/362 received from an external device or application, e.g. PDA, mobile phone or calendar application
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/22 Automatic class or number identification arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/30 Determination of the location of a subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42093 Notifying the calling party of information on the called or connected party
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42323 PBX's with CTI arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/493 Interactive information services, e.g. directory enquiries ; Arrangements therefor, e.g. interactive voice response [IVR] systems or voice portals
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4931 Directory assistance systems

Abstract

A system is disclosed for generating instructions enabling navigation between an origin and a location identified by an address corresponding to data in an incoming communication, such as a customer name or customer telephone number. The system comprises a conventional caller identification unit that reads information transmitted in conjunction with an incoming customer telephone call. A main processor engine receives this information and searches a database for a match between the information and the customer'"'"'s address. Once the customer'"'"'s address is successfully located and retrieved by the main processor engine, the address is communicated to a mapping engine. The mapping or other direction-generating engine searches a database for data associated with the address that may be used by the mapping or other direction-generating engine to generate or directions a map between a predetermined point of origin and the address. Once the map is generated, it can then be displayed on a computer screen and/or printed.

Claims

1. A system for generating travel directions from a location receiving a telephone call to the location of the telephone caller comprising:

(a) a computer installation including;

(i) means for receiving a telephone call,

(ii) means programming the computer installation for detecting caller identification information electronically associated with a received telephone call,

(iii) navigation software,

(iv) means programming the computer for automatically communicating point of origin information corresponding to the location of the computer installation, for use by the navigation software programming the computer,

(v) means programming the computer for automatically communicating destination information corresponding to the location of the telephone caller as derived from caller identification information electronically associated with a telephone call from the caller; and

(vi) means programming the computer for communicating navigation information for navigating from the location receiving the caller'"'"'s call to the location of the telephone caller as developed by the navigation software.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the means programming the computer for automatically communicating destination information corresponding to the location of the computer installation comprises means responsive to address information electronically present in the caller identification information to supply the address information for use by the navigation software.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the means programming the computer for automatically communicating destination information corresponding to the location of the computer installation comprises a database of address information and means for locating the address of the telephone caller in response to detected caller identification information associated with a received telephone call.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the database of address information comprises a locally assembled address book database.

5. The system of claim 3, wherein the database of address information comprises a telephone directory database.

6. The system of claim 1, further comprising a program routine responsive to the presence of caller identification information electronically associated with a received telephone call to look for a caller'"'"'s address in an associated database, and if present, to cause retrieval of the caller'"'"'s address information from the associated database for use by the navigation software, and to display an interview screen if a caller'"'"'s address is not present in the associated database.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the navigation software comprises mapping software responsive to point of origin information and destination information to generate a map from a point of origin represented by the point of origin information to a destination represented by the destination information.

43. The navigation software according to claim 38, wherein the means for retaining a fixed point of origin comprises means for retaining information identifying the location of a computer installation containing the program.

8. A system for generating navigation information automatically with respect to a location to which a telephone call is placed, as a destination, comprising:

(a) a computer installation connected to receive a telephone number of a call being placed from the computer installation,

(b) a database of address information associated with telephone numbers,

(c) the computer installation including navigation software for generating navigation information from a point of origin to a destination,

(d) the computer installation being programmed to;

(i) retrieve address information associated with a telephone number of a telephone to which a call is placed,

(ii) provide the retrieved address information as a destination to the navigation program,

(iii) provide a point of departure to the navigation program, and

(iv) output navigation information generated by the navigation program from the point of departure to the destination,

whereby a telephone caller is able to obtain navigation information from a preselected situs to the situs of the location called.

9. The system for generating travel information according to claim 8, wherein the computer installation is programmed to provide the address of the computer installation as the point of departure, whereby a telephone caller is able to obtain navigation information from the caller'"'"'s situs to the situs of the location called.

10. A system for generating travel directions from a location to a location of a telephone caller, comprising:

(a) a computer installation including;

(i) means for receiving a telephone call,

(ii) means programming the computer installation for detecting caller identification information electronically associated with a received telephone call including at least one of a telephone number associated with the calling telephone and a name associated with the calling telephone,

(iii) telephone directory software,

(iv) means programming the computer installation for automatically retrieving an address associated in the telephone directory software with at least one of the telephone numbers and name associated with the calling telephone, and

(v) navigation software programming the computer installation to generate travel directions in response to the address automatically retrieved and at least one further address input to the computer installation.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the at least one further address is an address associated with the situs of the computer installation.

12. The system of claim 10, further comprising a software routine for choosing the at least one further address.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the software routine for choosing the at least one further address includes program means for choosing the at least one further address on the basis of a relationship of available further addresses with the address automatically retrieved.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the relationship is proximity to the address automatically retrieved.

15. The system of claim 10, further comprising a multiple delivery routing program, the at least one further address including destination addresses derived from other callers such that a delivery route is assembled from an initial point of origin to a caller address and from the caller address to a further caller address.

16. The system of claim 10, further comprising software programming the computer installation to assemble multiple delivery routes from the addresses of callers.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein step (e) comprises, responsive to address information electronically present in the caller identification information, supplying the address information for use by the navigation software.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein step (e) comprises providing a database of address information and locating the address of the telephone caller in response to detected caller identification information associated with a received telephone call.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein providing the database of address information comprises providing a locally assembled address book database.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein providing the database of address information comprises providing telephone directory software.

22. The method of claim 17, further comprising providing, by a program routine responsive to the presence of caller identification information electronically associated with a received telephone call, the steps of looking for a caller'"'"'s address in at least one associated database, and if present, causing retrieval of the caller'"'"'s address information from the associated database for use by the navigation software, and displaying an interview screen if a caller'"'"'s address is not present in the at least one associated database.

23. The method of claim 17, wherein providing navigation software comprises providing mapping software responsive to point of origin information and destination information, and further comprising the step of using the mapping software, generating a map from a point of origin represented by the point of origin information to a destination represented by the destination information.

24. The method of claim 17, wherein providing navigation software comprises providing textual travel direction producing software responsive to point of origin information and destination information, and further comprising the step of using the textual travel direction producing software, generating textual directions from a point of origin represented by the point of origin information to a destination represented by the destination information.

26. The method for generating navigation information according to claim 25, wherein step (d) (iii) comprises providing the address of the computer installation as the point of departure.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the at least one further address of step (f) is an address associated with the situs of the computer installation.

29. The method of claim 27, further comprising using a software routine, choosing the at least one further address.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein choosing the at least one further address includes choosing the at least one further address on the basis of a relationship of available further addresses with the address automatically retrieved.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein the step of choosing on the basis of a relationship comprises choosing the at least one further address on the basis of proximity to the address automatically retrieved.

32. The method of claim 27, further comprising assembling multiple delivery routings.

33. The method of claim 27, further comprising assembling multiple delivery routes from the addresses of callers.

35. The system of claim 34, further comprising:

a display medium electronically communicating with said second processor, said display medium adapted to display the instructions.

37. The method of claim 36, further comprising the step of:

displaying the instructions.

39. The navigation software according to claim 38, wherein the program for producing navigation assisting output further comprises a mapping program for producing a visible map from the point of origin to the point of destination.

40. The navigation software according to claim 38, wherein the program for producing navigation assisting output comprises a program for producing textual directions from the point of origin to the point of destination.

41. The navigation software according to claim 39, wherein the program for producing navigation assisting output further comprises a program for producing textual directions from the point of origin to the point of destination.

42. The navigation software according to claim 38, wherein the program includes programming and data for assembling a route from the point origin to multiple points of destination along a route.

44. The navigation software according to claim 38, wherein the routine for detecting an incoming information signal comprises a routine for detecting an incoming telephone call, and the point of destination generating routine is responsive to caller information associated with the incoming telephone call.

45. The navigation software according to claim 38, further comprising a database of address information, and wherein the point of destination generating routine includes a routine for searching the database of address information based upon information contained in a detected incoming information signal.

46. The navigation software according to claim 38, wherein the database of address information comprises an address book database responsive to address inputs generated at a computer running the navigation program to assemble addresses searchable in response to the information contained in a detected incoming information signal.

48. The system according to claim 47, wherein computer installation is programmed to display the additional information during the course of the telephone call in progress.

49. The system according to claim 47, wherein the additional information contains caller profile information relating to the entity from whose telephone the call in progress is made.

50. The system according to claim 47, wherein the additional information contains caller profile information relating to the entity whose telephone is being called.

51. The system according to claim 47, wherein the additional information is navigational information.

52. The system according to claim 51, wherein the navigational information is directional information between the location of the calling telephone and the called telephone.

53. The system according to claim 47, wherein the situs of the computer installation database is remote from the calling telephone and the telephone number being called.

54. The system according to claim 47, wherein the computer installation is programmed to output the additional information to a location of at least one of the telephones engaged in the call in progress.

17. A method of generating by computer travel directions from a location to the location of a telephone caller including:

(a) providing a computer installation,

(b) receiving a telephone call,

(c) detecting caller identification information electronically associated with a received telephone call,

(d) providing navigation software in the computer installation,

(e) automatically communicating point of origin information corresponding to the location of the computer installation, for use by the navigation software programming the computer,

(f) automatically communicating destination information corresponding to the location of the telephone caller as derived from caller identification information electronically associated with a telephone call from the caller; and

(g) communicating navigation information for navigating from the location receiving the caller'"'"'s call to the location of the telephone caller as developed by the navigation software.

25. A method for generating navigation information automatically with respect to a location to which a telephone call is placed, as a destination, comprising:

(a) providing a computer installation connected to receive a telephone number of a call being placed from the computer installation,

(b) providing a database of address information associated with telephone numbers,

(c) providing the computer installation with navigation software for generating navigation information from a point of origin to a destination,

(d) using the computer installation, performing the steps of;

(i) retrieving address information associated in the database with a telephone number of a telephone to which a call is placed,

(ii) providing the retrieved address information as a destination to the navigation program,

(iii) providing a point of departure to the navigation program, and

(iv) outputting navigation information generated by the navigation program for navigating from the point of departure to the destination,

whereby a telephone caller is able to obtain navigation information from the point of departure to the situs of the location called.

27. A method of generating travel directions from a location receiving a telephone call to a location of the telephone caller, comprising:

(a) providing a computer installation,

(b) receiving a telephone call,

(c) detecting caller identification information electronically associated with the received telephone call including at least one of a telephone number associated with the calling telephone and a name associated with the calling telephone,

(d) providing telephone directory software in the computer installation,

(e) automatically retrieving an address associated in the telephone directory software with at least one of the telephone numbers and name associated with the calling telephone, and

(f) generating travel directions in response to the address automatically retrieved and at least one further address input to the computer installation.

34. A system for generating instructions enabling navigation between an origin of a communication to the system and a location identified by an address corresponding to data, the system comprising:

an apparatus adapted to read the data;

a first processor electronically communicating with said apparatus;

a first database electronically communicating with said first processor, said first database comprising at least one pairing of data and corresponding address, said first processor adapted to retrieve the address corresponding to the data;

a second processor and memory constituting a main engine electronically communicating with said first processor, said second processor adapted to receive the address retrieved from said first database;

a second database electronically communicating with said second processor, said second database comprising mapping information including the origin and the location identified by the address;

said main engine comprising programming adapted to generate the instructions based on said mapping information.

36. A method for generating instructions enabling navigation between an origin of a communication and a location identified by an address corresponding to data in the communication, the method comprising the steps of:

electronically reading the data in the communication;

electronically retrieving the address corresponding to the data;

electronically generating the instructions based on directional information including the origin and the location identified by the address.

38. Navigation software including:

(a) a program retained in a fixed medium for producing navigation assisting output from an input point of origin to an input point of destination,

(b) means for retaining a fixed point of origin information in memory,

(c) a routine for retrieving the fixed point of origin for use in the program,

(d) a routine for detecting an incoming information signal from a remote communication, and

(e) a point of destination generating routine responsive to information contained in a detected incoming information signal from a remote communication to establish a point of destination for use by the program.

47. A system for generating information automatically with respect to a telephone call comprising:

(a) a computer installation connected to receive identifying information of a call in progress,

(b) a database of additional information associated with the identifying information and containing the additional information in association with the identifying information,

(c) the computer information including software for retrieving the information associated in the database with the identifying information of a call in progress,

(d) the computer installation being programmed to output the additional information generated.