System, method and computer program product for looking up business addresses and directions based on a voice dial-up session

• US 20020169611A1
• Filed: 03/09/2001
• Published: 11/14/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 03/09/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nuance Communications, Inc. (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Bevocal Incorporated (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Joshi, Amol, Stone, Kevin, Tran, Steve, Guerra, Lisa M., Berner, Mikael
• Granted Patent: US 7,024,364 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 704/270
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/26 Speech to text systems G10L15/08 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/40 using speech recognition speech recognition per se G10L15/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/30 Determination of the location of a subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4936 Speech interaction details speech recognition per se G10L15/00

Abstract

A system, method and computer program product for determining an address of an entity based on a user location are disclosed. An utterance representative of an entity is initially received from a user. The entity associated with the utterance is then recognized using a speech recognition process. Next, a location of the user is determined. A query is performed to identify a plurality of locations associated with the entity. Based on the results of the query and the location of the user, it is ascertained which of the identified locations associated with the entity are in proximity to the location of the user.

Claims

1. A method for determining an address of an entity based on a user location, comprising:

a) receiving an utterance representative of an entity from a user;

b) recognizing the entity associated with the utterance using a speech recognition process;

c) determining a location associated with the user;

d) performing a querying to identify a plurality of locations associated with the entity;

e) ascertaining which of the identified locations associated with the entity are in proximity to the location of the user.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the user is informed about the locations associated with the entity ascertained to be in proximity to the location of the user.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the user is informed audibly via a speech recognition portal about the locations associated with the entity ascertained to be in proximity to the location of the user.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the user is informed via an electronic message transmitted utilizing a network about the locations associated with the entity ascertained to be in proximity to the location of the user.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the location of the user is the current location of the user.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the utterances representative of the entity include utterances representative of criteria of the user, and wherein the locations associated with the entity ascertained to be in proximity to the location of the user satisfy the criteria of the user.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the criteria of the user include at least one of:

a location associated with the entity currently holding a sale and a currently open location associated with the entity.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein directions from the location associated with the user to at least one of the identified locations associated with the entity ascertained to be in proximity to the location of the user are generated and delivered to the user.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the user is permitted to select the location associated with the user from a set of locations associated with the user.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising facilitating communication between the user and at least one of the locations associated with the entity ascertained to be in proximity to the location of the user.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising offering promotions to the user.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the promotions offered to the user are associated with one or more entities determined to be proximal to the location of the user.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining which of the identified locations associated with the entity is closed to the location associated with the user.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising ranking the identified locations associated with the entity ascertained to be in proximity to the location associated with the user from closest to furthest from the location associated with the user.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the user is informed about the locations associated with the entity ascertained to be in proximity to the location of the user.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the user is informed audibly via a speech recognition portal about the locations associated with the entity ascertained to be in proximity to the location of the user.

19. The computer program product of claim 18, wherein the user is informed about the locations associated with the entity ascertained to be in proximity to the location of the user.

20. The computer program product of claim 19, wherein the user is informed audibly via a speech recognition portal about the locations associated with the entity ascertained to be in proximity to the location of the user.

15. A system for determining an address of an entity based on a user location, comprising:

a) logic for receiving an utterance representative of an entity from a user;

b) logic for recognizing the entity associated with the utterance using a speech recognition process;

c) logic for determining a location of the user;

d) logic for performing a querying to identify a plurality of locations associated with the entity;

e) logic for ascertaining which of the identified locations associated with the entity are in proximity to the location of the user.

18. A computer program product for determining an address of an entity based on a user location, comprising:

a) computer code for receiving an utterance representative of an entity from a user;

b) computer code for recognizing the entity associated with the utterance using a speech recognition process;

c) computer code for determining a location of the user;

d) computer code for performing a querying to identify a plurality of locations associated with the entity;

e) computer code for ascertaining which of the identified locations associated with the entity are in proximity to the location of the user.