Technique for providing personalized information and communications services
First Claim
1. A system for managing information sources for a user comprising:
- an interface for receiving data concerning the user;
a processing element responsive to the data for identifying at least one information source associated with the user and determining an access right of the user to the information source; and
an output element for providing at least one option to perform an action on the information source, the option being provided as a function of the access right to the information source.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
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 listing information, contacts information, appointments information, etc. To provide effective connectivity, for example, when a user locates a phone number in his/her private directory using a web browser, the user may utilize a direct connect feature of the invention to initiate a phone call to the desired number over the Internet. In addition, the invention allows for delivery of the appointments information to the user not only via voice connection, but also SMS, email, facsimile, PDA, etc. It also allows for rendering a calendaring service in combination with such services as a TeleConcierge® service which helps the user to plan a future event, e.g., making a restaurant reservation. An appointment record concerning the future event is automatically incorporated into the user'"'"'s calendar once it is successfully planned. To personalize the services, at least one profile associated with the user is used which specifies the subscribed services and the preferred ways of receiving them. For example, the profile may specify use of a special skilled operator, methods of delivery of information to the user, etc.
383 Citations
153 Claims
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1. A system for managing information sources for a user comprising:
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an interface for receiving data concerning the user;
a processing element responsive to the data for identifying at least one information source associated with the user and determining an access right of the user to the information source; and
an output element for providing at least one option to perform an action on the information source, the option being provided as a function of the access right to the information source. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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13. A system for managing at least first and second information sources comprising:
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a memory for storing data concerning an association of the first information source with the second information source;
a device for selecting at least one direction of a flow of information between the first information source and the second information source;
an interface for accessing at least one of the first information source and the second information source through a communication connection; and
a processor for updating at least the first information source with information in the second information source in accordance with the direction.
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19. A directory system comprising:
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an interface for locating contact information concerning a party in a directory;
a processor for verifying whether the contact information is valid, and generating a selectable option of initiating a communication connection with the party based on the contact information when the contact information is verified to be valid; and
a device for selecting the option to initiate the communication connection.
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26. A directory system for use by a user associated with a selected telephone number comprising:
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an interface for locating a second telephone number associated with a party in a directory;
a device for initiating communications between the user and the party; and
a switching subsystem for establishing a first communication connection to the second telephone number, and a second communication connection to the selected telephone number, and for bridging the first communication connection to the second communication connection to realize the communications between the user and the party.
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31. A calendaring system comprising:
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a first device for providing a service concerning a future event for a user;
a processor for generating an appointment record containing information concerning the future event for incorporation into a calendar associated with the user; and
a second device for providing a notification containing at least part of the information prior to the future event. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 47, 48, 49, 50)
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46. A calendaring system comprising:
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a database for containing a plurality of appointment calendars;
an interface for receiving from a user a request for selected access to a selected one of the appointment calendars;
a processor for identifying an access level associated with the user with respect to the selected calendar, and determining whether the access level permits the selected access; and
a server for meeting the request when it is determined that the access level permits the selected access.
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51. A communications system for providing a service comprising:
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an interface for receiving signals in establishing a communication connection, the signals containing an identifier;
a processor responsive to the signals for obtaining a profile based on the identifier, the profile including at least one preference for providing the service; and
a device for providing the service based on the at least one preference in the profile. - View Dependent Claims (52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61)
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62. A system for providing a service in response to a communication comprising:
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a device for providing the service based on at least one profile;
an interface for receiving a request for the at least one profile from the device, the request including an identifier associated with the communication, the at least one profile including one or more preferences for providing the service; and
a processor responsive to the identifier for producing a selected version of the at least one profile to the device. - View Dependent Claims (63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79)
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69. A system for connecting a calling party to a called party comprising:
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an interface for receiving through a first communication link communications to an agent, the communications including a request for connecting the calling party to the called party, the agent in response to the request causing an issuance of a call to the called party;
a processor for establishing a second communication link in issuing the call;
a device for inputting at least one message for transmission to the called party for the called party to consider before answering the call; and
a switch for bridging the first communication link to the second communication link.
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80. A method for managing information sources for a user comprising:
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receiving data concerning the user;
in response to the data, identifying at least one information source associated with the user;
determining an access right of the user to the information source; and
providing at least one option to perform an action on the information source, the option being provided as a function of the access right to the information source. - View Dependent Claims (81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91)
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92. A method for use in a system for managing at least first and second information sources comprising:
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storing data concerning an association of the first information source with the second information source;
selecting at least one direction of a flow of information between the first information source and the second information source;
accessing at least one of the first information source and the second information source through a communication connection; and
updating at least the first information source with information in the second information source in accordance with the direction. - View Dependent Claims (93, 94, 95, 96)
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97. A method for use in a directory system comprising:
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locating contact information concerning a party in a directory;
verifying whether the contact information is valid;
generating a selectable option of initiating a communication connection with the party based on the contact information when the contact information is verified to be valid; and
selecting the option to initiate the communication connection. - View Dependent Claims (98, 99, 100, 101)
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102. A method for providing a directory for a user associated with a selected telephone number, the method comprising:
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locating a second telephone number associated with a party in the directory;
initiating communications between the user and the party;
establishing a first communication connection to the second telephone number, and a second communication connection to the selected telephone number; and
bridging the first communication connection to the second communication connection to realize the communications between the user and the party. - View Dependent Claims (103, 104, 105)
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106. A method for use in a calendaring system, the method comprising:
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providing a service concerning a future event for a user;
generating an appointment record containing information concerning the future event for incorporation into a calendar associated with the user; and
providing a notification containing at least part of the information prior to the future event. - View Dependent Claims (107, 108, 109, 110, 111, 112, 113, 114, 115, 116, 117, 118, 119, 120, 122, 123, 124, 125, 127, 128, 129, 130, 131, 132, 133, 134, 135, 136, 138, 139, 140, 141, 142, 144, 145, 146, 147, 148, 149, 150, 151, 152, 153)
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121. A method for use in a calendaring system comprising:
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storing a plurality of appointment calendars;
receiving from a user a request for selected access to a selected one of the appointment calendars;
identifying an access level associated with the user with respect to the selected calendar;
determining whether the access level permits the selected access; and
meeting the request when it is determined that the access level permits the selected access.
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126. A method for providing a service, the method comprising:
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receiving signals in establishing a communication connection, the signals containing an identifier;
in response to the signals, obtaining a profile based on the identifier, the profile including at least one preference for providing the service; and
providing the service based on the at least one preference in the profile.
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137. A method for providing a service in response to a communication, the method comprising:
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providing the service based on at least one profile;
receiving a request for the at least one profile, the request including an identifier associated with the communication, the at least one profile including one or more preferences for providing the service; and
in response to the identifier, producing a selected version of the at least one profile.
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143. A method for use in a system for connecting a calling party to a called party, the method comprising:
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receiving through a first communication link communications to an agent, the communications including a request for connecting the calling party to the called party, the agent in response to the request causing an issuance of a call to the called party;
establishing a second communication link in issuing the call;
inputting at least one message for transmission to the called party for the called party to consider before answering the call; and
bridging the first communication link to the second communication link.
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Specification