Enhanced directory assistance system

• US 20050100153A1
• Filed: 09/17/2001
• Published: 05/12/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/15/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Grape Technology Group Incorporated (KGB)
• Original Assignee: Grape Technology Group Incorporated (KGB)
• Inventors: Pines, Robert, Baumeister, Christine, Blakeney, John
• Granted Patent: US 7,130,406 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/218.10
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/30 Determination of the location of a subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4931 Directory assistance systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/024 Guidance services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management

Abstract

The present invention provides for an enhanced directory assistance system (2) for providing directions information to a plurality of callers (4). The system is comprised of a telephone switch (12) for receiving calls from a plurality of callers (4) desiring to receive directions, an automatic location system configured to provide the location from the callers (4) during a call session to the telephone switch (12); and an enhanced services direction module (21) configured to receive destination and starting location information provided by the caller (4) and further configured to provide directions to the caller (4) based on the provided information.

Claims

1-10. -10. (canceled)

11. An enhanced directory assistance system for providing directions information to callers, the system comprising:

a telephone switch for receiving calls from at least one caller desiring to receive directions; and

a direction module configured to receive a desired destination information provided by said caller and said location of caller from an automatic location system configured to detect the location of said caller, said direction module further configured to provide directions to said caller based on said destination and said caller location information.

12. The system according to claim 11, wherein said switch supports a plurality of output drivers, said output drivers configured to deliver said requested directions to said caller in a desired format.

13. The system according to claim 12, wherein said plurality of output drivers includes support for any of Wireless Application Protocol (WAP), e-mail, Short Message Service (SMS), voice mail and facsimile formats.

14. The system according to claim 12, wherein said direction module provides said directions to said switch in the desired format selected by said caller such that said directions are readable by said switch with the corresponding said output driver.

15. The system according to claim 11, further comprising a directions database coupled to said direction module configured to store information used to produce directions corresponding to a route defined by said caller'"'"'s location and said caller'"'"'s desired destination.

16. The system according to claim 12, further comprising a mapping database coupled to said directions database configured to store map information relating to said requested directions.

17. The system according to claim 13, further comprising a geocoding system configured to provide to said directory assistance system a geocode information corresponding to a geographical location of said desired destination.

18. The system according to claim 14, further comprising a directions and mapping database table stored in said directions database configured to store an address of said destination, said map information, and said geocode information.

19. The system according to claim 16, wherein said directions database is configured to store said provided directions, as identified by a caller identifier code, such that if said session is interrupted, said caller can reconnect to said system and access said stored directions.

20. The system according to claim 19, wherein said caller access said stored directions by reconnecting to said system and activates a bypass code to directly connect to said stored directions, bypassing the need to create said directions.

21. The system according to claim 20, wherein said bypass code is a touch-tone key on said caller'"'"'s phone.

22. The system according to claim 19, wherein said caller accesses said stored directions via a voice recognition system.

23. The system according to claim 15, wherein said directions database is maintained by a third party.

24. The system according to claim 16, wherein said mapping database is maintained by a third party.

25. The system according to claim 11, further comprising a traffic database coupled to said direction module configured to provide traffic information corresponding to a route defined by said directions provided to said caller.

26. The system according to claim 25, wherein said direction module communicates with said traffic module and provides a route defined by said caller'"'"'s location and said caller'"'"'s destination such that said provided route is the least congested traffic route.

27. The system according to claim 25, where wherein said direction module communicates with said traffic module and provides a route to said caller based on said caller'"'"'s location and said caller'"'"'s destination such that said provided route is free of traffic incidents.

28. The system according to claim 25, wherein said traffic database is configured to provide updated traffic information for said route.

29. The system according to claim 25, wherein said traffic database is serviced by a third party vendor.

30. The system according to claim 11, further comprising an agent application module configured to provide a directions packet to said telephone switch;

said directions packet containing instructions for said telephone switch to deliver said directions to said caller.

31. The system according to claim 11, further comprising an advertising prompt module configured to generate an advertising prompt code corresponding to an advertising content to be delivered to said caller along with said requested directions.

32. The system according to claim 31, further comprising an advertising database coupled to said advertising prompt module configured to store said advertising content.

33. The system according to claim 31, wherein said advertising content is a voice message.

34. The system according to claim 31, wherein said advertising content is multimedia message.

35. The system according to claim 31, wherein said advertising content is a text message.

36. The system according to claim 11, further comprising a caller database, said caller database configured to store said caller information, in a caller listing table.

37. The system according to claim 36, wherein said listing table further comprises a recent destination listing configured to store a recently requested destination and said caller location at the time of said request based on said caller'"'"'s last direction request.

38. The system according to claim 36, wherein said listing table further comprises a preferred destination listing configured to store a preferred destination information relating to a destination request frequently requested by said caller.

39. The system according to claim 38, wherein said listing table further comprises an alternative destination listing configured to store an alternative route to said frequently requested direction request.

40. The system according to claim 11, wherein said automatic location system is a Global Positioning System (GPS).

41. The system according to claim 40, wherein said GPS system utilizes global positing chips located in said caller'"'"'s mobile phone.

42. The system according to claim 11, wherein said automatic location system is a triangulation location system.

43. The system according to claim 42, wherein said triangulation location system utilizes tower signal strengths to locate said caller'"'"'s position.

44. The system according to claim 11, wherein said automatic location system is provided by a third party.

45. The system according to claim 11, wherein said location of said caller is determined by said automatic location system and incorporated into an incoming caller identification record said incoming caller identification record being used by said direction module to produce said directions requested by said caller.

46. An enhanced directory assistance system for providing directions information to at least one caller, the system comprising:

a telephone switch for receiving calls from at least one caller desiring to receive directions;

a customer service representative terminal for entering by a customer service representative information provided by said caller into said directory assistance system;

an direction module configured to receive a desired destination and starting location provided by said caller, said directions module further configured to provide directions to said caller based on said provided information; and

an advertising prompt module configured to generate an advertising prompt code corresponding to an advertising content provided to said caller, wherein said advertising content corresponds to said directions provided to said caller.

47. The system according to claim 46, further comprising an interface configured to allow said caller to communicate with said customer service representative terminal so as to enter said location and said destination information into said directory assistance system.

48. The system according to claim 47, wherein said interface supports any one of Short Message Service (SMS), Wireless Application Protocol (WAP), IM (Instant Messenger) and live chat formats.

49. The system according to claim 46, further comprising a directions database coupled to said directions module configured to store information used to produce directions corresponding to a route defined by said caller'"'"'s location and said caller'"'"'s destination.

50. The system according to claim 49, further comprising a mapping database coupled to said directions database configured to store map information relating to said requested directions.

51. The system according to claim 50, further comprising a geocoding system configured to provide a geocode information corresponding to a geographic location of said destination to said directory assistance system.

52. The system according to claim 51, further comprising a directions and mapping database table stored in said directions database configured to store an address of said destination, said map information and said geocode information.

53. The system according to claim 46, further comprising a traffic database coupled to said direction module configured to provide traffic information corresponding to a route defining said directions provided to said caller.

54. The system according to claim 53, wherein said traffic database is further configured to provide updated traffic information for said route.

55. The system according to claim 46, further comprising an agent application module configured to provide a directions packet to said telephone switch, said directions packet containing instructions for delivering said directions to said caller.

56. The system according to claim 55, wherein said direction packet further comprises an advertising prompt code field configured to provide said directory assistance system with necessary information to retrieve the corresponding stored advertising prompt for delivery to said caller.

57. The system according to claim 46, wherein said advertising content is a voice message.

58. The system according to claim 46, wherein said advertising content is a multimedia message.

59. The system according to claim 46, wherein said advertising content is a text message.

60. The system according to claim 46, further comprising an advertising database coupled to said advertising prompt module configured to store said advertising content.

61. The system according to claim 60, wherein said advertising database maintains information relating to an advertiser is an advertiser location business module table configured to store information necessary to determine advertising content to be provided to said caller based on said provided directions.

62. The system according to claim 61, wherein said advertiser location business module table further comprises a business name field configured to store information relating to said advertiser'"'"'s business name and address.

63. The system according to claim 61, wherein said advertiser location business module table further comprises a business type field configured to store information pertaining to the type of business conducted by said advertiser.

64. The system according to claim 61, wherein said advertiser location business module table further comprises a relationship status field configured to store information pertaining to the payment balance status of said advertiser.

65. The system according to claim 61, wherein said advertiser location business module table further comprises a location parameters field configured to store information pertaining to the geographic location of said advertiser and specified routes along which said advertiser'"'"'s business is located.

66. The system according to claim 61, wherein said advertiser location business module table further comprises an advertising parameters field configured to store information pertaining to parameters used by said advertising prompt module to determine if said caller is an appropriate recipient for receiving a particular advertiser'"'"'s prompt.

67. The system according to claim 66, wherein said advertising parameters field further comprises a time of day sub-field configured to store information pertaining to a time of day when said advertiser chooses to have their advertising prompt used.

68. The system according to claim 66, wherein said advertising parameters field further comprises a day of week sub-field configured to store information pertaining to the day of the week that said advertiser chooses to have their advertising prompt used.

69. The system according to claim 66, wherein said advertising parameters field further comprises a distance radius sub-field configured to store information pertaining to the geographical radius in which said caller must be from said advertiser'"'"'s business location before said advertiser chooses to have their advertising prompt used.

70. The system according to claim 66, wherein said advertising parameters field further comprises a customer type sub-field configured to store information pertaining to the type of caller said advertiser chooses to have their advertising prompt dispensed to.

71. The system according to claim 56, wherein said advertising prompt code field in said direction packet is generated by said advertising prompt module using information stored in a directions data table.

72. The system according to claim 71, wherein said directions data table further comprises a number dialed by caller field configured to store information used by said advertising prompt module to obtain caller information and preferences from said enhanced directory assistance system.

73. The system according to claim 71, wherein said directions data table further comprises a type of data field configured to store information relating to the category of business of the destination listing requested by said caller.

74. The system according to claim 71, wherein said directions data table further comprises a directions requested field configured to store information used by said advertising prompt module for cross referencing the directions requested by said caller with information provided by said advertiser regarding within what distance said caller must travel from said advertiser'"'"'s business location before said advertiser chooses to have their advertising prompt delivered to said caller.

75. The system according to claim 71, wherein said directions data table further comprises a preferred language field configured to store information used by said advertising prompt module for determining which language to covey said advertising prompt to said caller.

76. The system according to claim 71, wherein said directions data table further comprises an other data field configured to store information used by said advertising prompt module for adding additional features to the delivery of said advertising prompt based on said caller and said advertiser preferences.

77. The system according to claim 76, wherein said other data contains information related to said caller'"'"'s preferred language for receiving said directions and said advertising prompt.

78. An enhanced directory assistance system for providing directions information to at least one caller, the system comprising:

a telephone switch for receiving calls from at least one caller desiring to receive directions;

a customer service representative terminal for entering information provided by said caller into said directory assistance system;

a direction module configured to receive a desired destination information provided by said caller and said location of said caller information from an automatic location system configured to detect the location of said caller, said direction module further configured to provide directions to said caller based on said destination and said caller location information; and

an advertising prompt module configured to generate an advertising prompt code corresponding to an advertising content provided to said callers, wherein said advertising content corresponds to said directions provided to said caller.

79. The system according to claim 78, wherein said advertising content is a voice message.

80. The system according to claim 78, wherein said advertising content is a multimedia message.

81. The system according to claim 78, wherein said advertising content is a text message.

82. The system according to claim 78, further comprising an advertising database coupled to said advertising prompt module configured to store said advertising content.

83. The system according to claim 82, wherein said advertising database maintains information relating to an advertiser is an advertiser location business module table configured to store information necessary to determine advertising content to be provided to said caller based on said provided directions.

84. The system according to claim 83, wherein said advertiser location business module table further comprises a business name field configured to store information relating to said advertiser'"'"'s business name and address.

85. The system according to claim 83, wherein said advertiser location business module table further comprises a business type field configured to store information pertaining to the type of business conducted by said advertiser.

86. The system according to claim 83, wherein said advertiser location business module table further comprises a relationship status field configured to store information pertaining to the payment balance status of said advertiser.

87. The system according to claim 83, wherein said advertiser location business module table further comprises a location parameters field configured to store information pertaining to the geographic location of said advertiser and specified routes along which said advertiser'"'"'s business is located.

88. The system according to claim 83, wherein said advertiser location business module table further comprises an advertising parameters field configured to store information pertaining to parameters used by said advertising prompt module to determine if said caller is an appropriate recipient for receiving a particular advertiser'"'"'s prompt.

89. The system according to claim 88, wherein said advertising parameters field further comprises a time of day sub-field configured to store information pertaining to a time of day when said advertiser chooses to have their advertising prompt used.

90. The system according to claim 88, wherein said advertising parameters field further comprises a day of week sub-field configured to store information pertaining to the day of the week that said advertiser chooses to have their advertising prompt used.

91. The system according to claim 88, wherein said advertising parameters field further comprises a distance radius sub-field configured to store information pertaining to the geographical radius in which said caller must be from said advertiser'"'"'s business location before said advertiser chooses to have their advertising prompt used.

92. The system according to claim 88, wherein said advertising parameters field further comprises a customer type sub-field configured to store information pertaining to the type of caller said advertiser chooses to have their advertising prompt dispensed to.

93. The system according to claim 78, further comprising an agent application module configured to provide a directions packet to said telephone switch for delivering directions to said caller, said directions packet maintaining an advertising prompt code field generated by said advertising prompt module using information stored in a directions data table.

94. The system according to claim 93, wherein said directions data table further comprises a number dialed by caller field configured to store information used by said advertising prompt module to obtain caller information and preferences from said enhanced directory assistance system.

95. The system according to claim 93, wherein said directions data table further comprises a type of data field configured to store information relating to the category of business of the destination listing requested by said caller.

96. The system according to claim 93, wherein said directions data table further comprises a directions requested field configured to store information used by said advertising prompt module for cross referencing the directions requested by said caller with information provided by said advertiser regarding within what distance said caller must travel from said advertiser'"'"'s business location before said advertiser chooses to have their advertising prompt delivered to said caller.

97. The system according to claim 93, wherein said directions data table further comprises a preferred language field configured to store information used by said advertising prompt module for determining which language to covey said advertising prompt to said caller.

98. The system according to claim 93, wherein said directions data table further comprises an other data field configured to store information used by said advertising prompt module for adding additional features to the delivery of said advertising prompt based on said caller and said advertiser preferences.

99. The system according to claim 98, wherein said other data contains information related to said caller'"'"'s preferred language for receiving said directions and said advertising prompt.

100. An enhanced directory assistance system for providing directions information to at least one caller, the system comprising:

a telephone switch for receiving calls from at least one caller desiring to receive directions to a business establishment; and

a direction module for receiving information provided by said caller and said location information from an automatic location system, configured to detect the location of said caller and to provide directions to said caller based on said destination and said caller location information, wherein said direction module is further configured to provide information and services related to said business establishment.

101. The system according to claim 100, wherein said business establishment is an eating establishment.

102. The system according to claim 101, wherein one of said information and services related to said business establishment is store hours listing.

103. The system according to claim 101, wherein one of information and services related to said business establishment is a reservation service.

104. The system according to claim 103, wherein said reservation service is operated by a third party via the Internet.

105. The system according to claim 100, wherein said business establishment is a movie theater.

106. The system according to claim 105, wherein one of said information and services related to said business establishment is theater showing times listing.

107. The system according to claim 105, wherein one of said information and services related to said business establishment is a reservation service.

108. The system according to claim 107, wherein said reservation service is operated by a third party via the Internet.

109. A method for providing directions to a caller using an enhanced directory assistance system, said method comprising the steps of;

receiving at least one call at a switch from a caller desiring to receive directions;

receiving an automatically detected location of said caller during a call session, said location derived by an automatic location system receiving a desired destination information from said caller at a direction module; and

providing directions produced by said directions module to said caller based on said destination and said caller location.

110. The method as claimed in claim 109, further comprising the step of storing information used to produce directions corresponding to a route defined by said caller'"'"'s location and said caller'"'"'s destination in a directions database.

111. The method as claimed in claim 110, further comprising the step of storing map information relating to said requested directions in a mapping data base coupled to said directions database.

112. The method as claimed in claim 111, further comprising the step of providing said system a geocode information corresponding to a geographical location of said desired location from a geocoding system.

113. The method as claimed in claim 112, further comprising the step of storing an address of said destination, said map information and said geocode information in a directions and mapping database table stored in said directions database.

114. The method as claimed in claim 109, further comprising the step of providing traffic information corresponding to a route defined by said directions provided to said caller, stored in a traffic database.

115. The method as claimed in claim 109, further comprising the step of providing a directions packet to said telephone switch, where said directions packet, generated by an agent application, contains instructions for said telephone switch to deliver said directions to said caller.

116. The method as claimed in claim 109, further comprising the step of storing said caller information in a caller listing table in a caller database.

117. The method as claimed in claim 109, further comprising the step of locating said caller using a Global Positioning System (GPS).

118. The method as claimed in claim 109, further comprising the step of locating said caller using a triangulation system.

119. The method as claimed in claim 109, further comprising the step of determining a caller'"'"'s location using said automatic location system and incorporating said caller'"'"'s location into a caller identification record used by said direction module to produce said directions requested by said caller.

120. A method for providing directions to a caller using an enhanced directory assistance system, said method comprising the steps of;

receiving at least one call at a switch from a caller desiring to receive directions;

entering information provided by said caller into said system at a customer service representative terminal by a customer service representative;

receiving a desired destination information and a starting location from said caller at a direction module;

providing directions produced by said directions module to said caller based on said destination and said caller location; and

providing an advertising content to a caller designated by an advertising prompt code generated by an advertising prompt module wherein said advertising content corresponds to said directions provided to said caller.

121. The method as claimed in claim 120, further comprising the step of providing a directions packet to said telephone switch, where said directions packet, generated by an agent application, contains instructions for said telephone switch to deliver said directions to said caller.

122. The method as claimed in claim 120, further comprising the step of storing said advertising content in an advertising database.

123. The method as claimed in claim 122, further comprising the step of storing information necessary to determine advertising content to be provided to said caller based on said provided directions in an advertiser location business module table in said advertising database.

124. The method as claimed in claim 123, further comprising the step of storing information relating to said advertiser'"'"'s business name and address in a business name field in said advertiser location business module table.

125. The method as claimed in claim 123, further comprising the step of storing information relating to the type of business conducted by said advertiser in a business type field in said advertiser location business module table.

126. The method as claimed in claim 123, further comprising the step of storing information relating to the payment balance of said advertiser in a relationship status field in said advertiser location business module table.

127. The method as claimed in claim 123, further comprising the step of storing information relating to the geographic location of said advertiser in a location parameters field in said advertiser location business module table.

128. The method as claimed in claim 123, further comprising the step of storing information relating to parameters used by said advertising prompt module to determine is said caller is an appropriate recipient for receiving a particular advertiser'"'"'s prompt in an advertising parameters field in said advertiser location business module table.

129. The method as claimed in claim 128, further comprising the step of storing information pertaining to the time of day when said advertiser chooses to have their advertising prompt used in a time of day sub-field of said advertising parameters field.

130. The method as claimed in claim 128, further comprising the step of storing information pertaining to the day of the week when said advertiser chooses to have their advertising prompt used in a day of week sub-field of said advertising parameters field.

131. The method as claimed in claim 128, further comprising the step of storing information pertaining to the geographical radius in which said caller must be from said advertiser'"'"'s location before said advertiser chooses to have their advertising prompt used in a distance radius sub-field of said advertising parameters field.

132. The method as claimed in claim 128, further comprising the step of storing information pertaining to a type of caller said advertiser chooses to have their advertising prompt dispensed in a customer type sub-field of said advertising parameters field.

133. The method as claimed in claim 121, further comprising the step of generating an advertising prompt code field using information stored in a directions data table.

134. The method as claimed in claim 133, further comprising the step of storing information used by said advertising prompt module to obtain caller information and preferences from said system in a number dialed by caller field of said directions data table.

135. The method as claimed in claim 133, further comprising the step of storing information relating to the category of business of the destination listing requested by said caller in a type of data field of said directions data table.

136. The method as claimed in claim 133, further comprising the step of storing information used by said advertising prompt module for cross referencing the directions requested by said caller with information provided by said caller with information provided by said advertiser regarding within what distance said caller must travel from said advertiser'"'"'s business location before said advertiser chooses to have their advertising prompt delivered to said caller in a directions requested field of said directions data table.

137. The method as claimed in claim 133, further comprising the step of storing information used by said advertising prompt module for determining which language to convey said advertising prompt to said caller in a preferred language field of said directions data table.

138. The method as claimed in claim 133, further comprising the step of storing information used by said advertising prompt module for adding additional features to the delivery of said advertising prompt based on said caller and said advertiser preferences in an other data field of said directions data table.

139. A method for providing directions to a caller using an enhanced directory assistance system, said method comprising the steps of;

receiving at least one call at a switch from a caller desiring to receive directions;

entering information provided by said caller into said system at a customer service representative terminal by a customer service representative;

receiving an automatically detected location of said caller obtained during a call session by an automatic location system;

receiving a desired destination information from said caller at a direction module;

providing directions produced by said directions module to said caller based on said destination and said caller location; and

providing an advertising content to a caller designated by an advertising prompt code generated by an advertising prompt module wherein said advertising content corresponds to said directions provided to said caller.

140. A method for providing directions to a caller using an enhanced directory assistance system, said method comprising the steps of;

receiving at least one call at a switch from a caller desiring to receive directions to a business establishment;

receiving an automatically detected location of said caller obtained during a call session by an automatic location system;

receiving a desired destination information from said caller at a direction module;

providing directions produced by said directions module to said caller based on said destination and said caller location; and

providing information and reservation services related to said business establishment.