Technique for emulating an instruction set in providing electronic messaging service through an information assistance provider

• US 20060029193A1
• Filed: 11/30/2004
• Published: 02/09/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/30/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Grape Technology Group Incorporated (KGB)
• Original Assignee: Grape Technology Group Incorporated (KGB)
• Inventors: Miller, John S., Timmins, Timothy A.
• Granted Patent: US 8,111,812 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/88.130
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42068 where the identifier is used to access a profile
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4936 Speech interaction details speech recognition per se G10L15/00

Abstract

To facilitate managing his/her email through a Voice E-mail™ service, a user is allowed to select one or more sets of commands, with which he/she is familiar or prefers, to be emulated when the user interacts with the service. With this selection in place, when a user communicates with an information assistance provider to access the service, the user is identified and the email data and data concerning the selected commands associated with the user are retrieved. The user may then manage the email data using the selected commands during the service.

Claims

1. A method for providing information assistance, comprising:

storing first data concerning access to one or more email accounts associated with a user;

storing second data concerning a designation of a set of commands for managing email messages in the email accounts associated with the user;

receiving a communication from the user through a first communications connection;

retrieving the first and second data;

accessing, over a second communications connection, the one or more email accounts based on the first data; and

performing, on behalf of the user, at least one operation with respect to at least one email message received in the email accounts, wherein the at least one operation is performed in response to a command in the set whose designation is indicated by the second data.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the designation specifies one or more email service application (ESA) formats.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the designation specifies at least a default format.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the designation specifies at least a signaling format.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the signaling format involves DTMF signaling.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the commands in the set are in more than one ESA format.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the commands in the set include one or more commands made up by the user.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the communication includes a telephone call.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the first communications connection includes a telephonic connection.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the second communications connection includes an Internet connection.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more email accounts are furnished by one or more providers unaffiliated with the information assistance provider.

11. A method for use by an information assistance provider, comprising:

storing first data concerning access to one or more email accounts associated with a user;

storing second data concerning a user preferred format of one or more commands for managing email messages in the email accounts, the first and second data being stored in association with third data representing the user;

receiving a communication from the user;

obtaining the third data during the communication;

retrieving the first and second data based on the third data;

using the first data to access the one or more email accounts; and

providing, to the user, information concerning at least one email message received in the one or more email accounts in response to a command in the user preferred format indicated by the second data.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the user preferred format is derived from one or more ESA formats.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein the user preferred format includes at least a signaling format.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the signaling format involves DTMF signaling.

15. The method of claim 11 wherein the commands in the user preferred format include one or more commands made up by the user.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein the information assistance provider includes an operator.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein the information assistance provider includes a voice server.

19. The method of claim 11, wherein the communication includes a telephone call.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the third data includes an automatic number identification (ANI).

21. The method of claim 11, wherein the third data includes a password.

22. The method of claim 11, wherein the third data includes a PIN.

23. The method of claim 11, wherein the third data includes a voiceprint.

24. A system for providing information assistance, comprising:

storage for storing first data concerning access to one or more email accounts associated with a user, and second data concerning a designation of a set of commands for managing email messages in the email accounts associated with the user;

an interface for receiving a communication from the user through a first communications connection, the first and second data being retrieved from the storage; and

a processor configured to access, over a second communications connection, the one or more email accounts based on the first data, at least one operation with respect to at least one email message received in the email accounts being performed on behalf of the user, wherein the at least one operation is performed in response to a command in the set whose designation is indicated by the second data.

25. The system of claim 24 wherein the designation specifies one or more email service application (ESA) formats.

26. The system of claim 24 wherein the designation specifies at least a default format.

27. The system of claim 24 wherein the designation specifies at least a signaling format.

28. The system of claim 27 wherein the signaling format involves DTMF signaling.

29. The system of claim 24 wherein the commands in the set are in more than one ESA format.

30. The system of claim 24 wherein the commands in the set include one or more commands made up by the user.

31. The system of claim 24, wherein the communication includes a telephone call.

32. The system of claim 31, wherein the first communications connection includes a telephonic connection.

33. The system of claim 24, wherein the second communications connection includes an Internet connection.

34. A system for use by an information assistance provider, comprising:

storage for storing first data concerning access to one or more email accounts associated with a user, and second data concerning a user preferred format of one or more commands for managing email messages in the email accounts, the first and second data being stored in association with third data representing the user;

an interface for receiving a communication from the user, the third data being obtained during the communication;

a mechanism for retrieving the first and second data based on the third data, the first data being used to access the one or more email accounts; and

a processor configured to provide, to the user, information concerning at least one email message received in the one or more email accounts in response to a command in the user preferred format indicated by the second data.

35. The system of claim 34 wherein the user preferred format is derived from one or more ESA formats.

36. The system of claim 34 wherein the user preferred format includes at least a signaling format.

37. The system of claim 36 wherein the signaling format involves DTMF signaling.

38. The system of claim 34 wherein the commands in the user preferred format include one or more commands made up by the user.

39. The system of claim 34, wherein the information assistance provider includes an operator.

40. The system of claim 34, wherein the information assistance provider includes a voice server.

41. The system of claim 34, wherein the one or more email accounts are furnished by one or more providers unaffiliated with the information assistance provider.

42. The system of claim 34, wherein the communication includes a telephone call.

43. The system of claim 42, wherein the third data includes an ANI.

44. The system of claim 34, wherein the third data includes a password.

45. The system of claim 34, wherein the third data includes a PIN.

46. The system of claim 34, wherein the third data includes a voiceprint.