Method of providing directional assistance to a telephone subscriber
First Claim
1. A method of providing directional assistance to a telephone user from a directory assistance center, comprising the steps of:
- connecting a call from the user to a first directory assistance agent;
identifying an origination for a trip to be taken by the user;
selecting a destination for said trip;
consulting a database of travel information;
generating a route to said destination location;
dividing said route into one or more segments;
storing said route on a server;
establishing a pointer to said route;
providing directions according to a first segment of said route to the user;
reconnecting a call from the user to a second directory assistance agent;
recognizing the user as a recipient of directional assistance;
retrieving a pointer to said stored route; and
providing directions according to a second segment of said route to the user.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A wireless telephone subscriber who wishes directory assistance in the form of directions from one specified location to another is connected to a directory assistance agent. The subscriber identifies a destination location and any requested travel criteria. The directory assistance agent collects the subscriber'"'"'s travel parameters and a routing algorithm on the server draws upon geographic, transportation, and related information stored on the server to generate an appropriate route to the destination location. The selected route may be divided into multiple segments. Directions according to each segment are provided to the subscriber. The subscriber may remain connected to the directory assistance center for all or any portion of the travel, may disconnect and reconnect as necessary, or may receive the entire route of travel in a single communication. Upon reconnection to a directory assistance agent while travelling, the subscriber is recognized as a travelling subscriber based on his MIN, ESN, or unique traveller identification number, and the agent is furnished with the subscriber'"'"'s travel information and current location. The route of travel may be updated or amended as desired or as made necessary due to closed routes of travel, congestion, etc.
47 Citations
29 Claims
-
1. A method of providing directional assistance to a telephone user from a directory assistance center, comprising the steps of:
-
connecting a call from the user to a first directory assistance agent;
identifying an origination for a trip to be taken by the user;
selecting a destination for said trip;
consulting a database of travel information;
generating a route to said destination location;
dividing said route into one or more segments;
storing said route on a server;
establishing a pointer to said route;
providing directions according to a first segment of said route to the user;
reconnecting a call from the user to a second directory assistance agent;
recognizing the user as a recipient of directional assistance;
retrieving a pointer to said stored route; and
providing directions according to a second segment of said route to the user. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
-
-
20. A method of providing directional assistance from a directory assistance center to a mobile telephone subscriber to guide the subscriber from a present location to a destination location, comprising the steps of:
-
eliciting one or more travel criteria from the subscriber;
consulting stored travel information to determine a route from the present location to the destination location;
selecting a route from the present location to the destination location that satisfies said one or more travel criteria;
providing directions to the subscriber according to a first portion of said route;
disconnecting the subscriber from the directory assistance center;
reconnecting the subscriber to the directory assistance center; and
providing directions to the subscriber according to a second portion of said route. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
-
-
26. A method of providing directions to a mobile telephone subscriber to guide the subscriber from a present location to a destination location, said method comprising the steps of:
-
consulting a database of geographic and travel data;
generating a route from the present location to the destination location; and
transmitting directions corresponding to said route to the subscriber;
wherein the subscriber sequentially accesses said directions as necessary. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29)
-
Specification