Directory assistance method and apparatus

• US 20040082320A1
• Filed: 10/15/2003
• Published: 04/29/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/28/1994
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Grape Technology Group Incorporated (KGB)
• Original Assignee: Metro One Telecommunications, Inc.
• Inventors: Cox, Patrick M., Kepler, Michael A., Filliger, Paul W., Powell, Adrian P.
• Granted Patent: US 7,142,659 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/414.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/00 Arrangements for metering, time-control or time indication ; Metering, charging or billing arrangements for voice wireline or wireless communications, e.g. VoIP
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/40 using speech recognition speech recognition per se G10L15/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/60 Medium conversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/18 wireless networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/32 Involving wireless systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/22 Automatic class or number identification arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42 Systems providing special services or facilities to subscribers specially adapted for wireless communication networks H04W4/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42059 Making use of the calling party identifier
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42102 Making use of the called party identifier
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/424 Arrangements for automatic redialling at the subscriber's set H04M1/27
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/48 Arrangements for recalling a calling subscriber when the wanted subscriber ceases to be busy
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4933 with operator assistance
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4935 Connection initiated by DAS system
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/51 Centralised call answering arrangements requiring operator intervention , e.g. call or contact centers for telemarketing
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/523 with call distribution or queueing
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/533 Voice mail systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/58 Arrangements for transferring received calls from one subscriber to another; Arrangements affording interim conversations between either the calling or the called party and a third party substation line holding circuits H04M1/80
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/60 Semi-automatic systems, i.e. in which the numerical selection of the outgoing line is under the control of an operator
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/12 : for working between exchanges having different types of switching equipment, e.g. power-driven and step by step or decimal and non-decimal
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/72 : Finding out and indicating number of calling subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 : Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/16 : Communication-related supplementary services, e.g. call-transfer or call-hold
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 : Accounting or billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 : Connection setup

Abstract

A cellular telephone subscriber who wishes directory assistance services is connected in the conventional manner to an operator who identifies a destination telephone number desired by the subscriber. As in the prior art, the operator then initiates a call connecting the subscriber to the destination telephone number. In a preferred embodiment, the operator locates a desired destination telephone number in a computer database, and can select automatic dialing of the located number. Further, rather than dropping all further involvement with the call, the preferred embodiment of the present invention continually monitors the connection thereby established for a predetermined DTMF signal issued by the customer, such as that obtained by pressing the “*” button. If such a signal is detected, the customer is transferred to a directory assistance operator, who can then provide whatever further assistance is needed (e.g. redialing a busy number, or providing further directory assistance). This feature can be disabled, manually or automatically, if the destination number makes its own use of the DTMF signals.

Claims

1. An enhanced method of providing telephone directory assistance service comprising the steps:

(a) receiving a customer call;

(b) connecting the calling customer to a directory assistance operator;

(c) locating a destination telephone number of a desired party wanted by the customer in a computer database;

(d) initiating a telephonic connection between the customer and the destination telephone number responsive to operator selection of the destination telephone number and one of a plurality of connection options, at least one of the connection options including enabling the following steps (e)-(g);

(e) continuously monitoring said telephonic connection for a predetermined signal issued by the customer;

(f) detecting said predetermined signal; and

(g) reconnecting the customer to a directory assistance operator upon said detection of the predetermined signal.

2. The method of claim 1 in which step (d) comprises sending a digit sequence of the destination telephone number contained in the computer database to a switch host to initiate the telephonic connection.

3. The method of claim 1 in which at least one of the connection options includes disabling the steps (e)-(g).

4. The method of claim 1 in which step (a) comprises receiving a customer call originated with a cellular telephone.

5. The method of claim 4 which includes one of the operator actions of (a) not providing the number;

(b) providing a voiced recitation of the destination telephone number to the customer; and

(c) providing the destination telephone number to the customer by a voice recording unit.

6. The method of claim 4 in which at least one of the connection options includes enabling the step of maintaining the directory assistance operator as a conferenced party to the initiated telephonic connection to monitor whether the connection is completed satisfactorily.

7. The method of claim 4 in which at least one of the connection options includes enabling the step of reattempting to establish connection between the customer and the destination telephone party upon request by the customer following detection of the tone.

8. The method of claim 4 which includes repeating steps (c) through (e) for a different desired party following step (g).