Technique for providing location-based information concerning products and services through an information assistance service
First Claim
1. A method for use by an information assistance service to assist a user, comprising:
- receiving a communication from the user, the communication including a request for a service;
determining that a user is traveling to a destination based on the requested service;
determining a location of the user when the user communicates with the information assistance service to track the user'"'"'s progress to the destination;
monitoring for an event affecting the user'"'"'s progress to the destination; and
in response to a detection of an event affecting the user'"'"'s progress to the destination, communicating, to the user, selected information to cope with a circumstance caused by the event.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A user who is “roaming,” as determined, e.g., by his/her use of a mobile communication device, or by his/her obtaining travel directions, may be tracked and offered various goods and services, and advertising information depending on the circumstances that the user may encounter. In a first embodiment, when a user calls an information assistance service for travel directions, his/her progress along the planned route defined by the travel directions is tracked. The information assistance service monitors conditions along the planned route, and if an event is detected that may affect the user'"'"'s progress along the route, the user is contacted, e.g., by telephone and notified thereof. The information assistance service additionally provides to the user in the same call advertisements, suggestions, and offers to order or reserve goods and services pertaining to the user'"'"'s circumstances. In a second embodiment, the user'"'"'s progress to a destination is tracked, which is determined as a result of use of a concierge service also provided by the information assistance service. For example, when the user reserves movie tickets for a particular showtime at a cinema through the concierge service, it is assumed that the user will arrive at the destination, i.e., the cinema, around the showtime.
-
Citations
52 Claims
-
1. A method for use by an information assistance service to assist a user, comprising:
-
receiving a communication from the user, the communication including a request for a service;
determining that a user is traveling to a destination based on the requested service;
determining a location of the user when the user communicates with the information assistance service to track the user'"'"'s progress to the destination;
monitoring for an event affecting the user'"'"'s progress to the destination; and
in response to a detection of an event affecting the user'"'"'s progress to the destination, communicating, to the user, selected information to cope with a circumstance caused by the event. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
-
-
11. A method for use by an information assistance service to assist a user, comprising:
-
receiving a communication from the user using a communications device, the communication including a request for a concierge service;
determining that the user is traveling to a destination based on the concierge service request;
locating the communication device when the user communicates with the information assistance service, thereby tracking the user'"'"'s progress to the destination;
monitoring for an event affecting the user'"'"'s progress to the destination; and
in response to a detection of an event affecting the user'"'"'s progress to the destination, establishing a second communication to convey selected information to the user. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
-
-
27. A system for use by an information assistance service to assist a user, comprising:
-
an interface for receiving a communication from the user, the communication including a request for a service, a determination being made that a user is traveling to a destination based on the requested service;
a processor programmed to determine a location of the user when the user communicates with the information assistance service to track the user'"'"'s progress to the destination;
a controller for monitoring for an event affecting the user'"'"'s progress to the destination; and
a device responsive to a detection of an event affecting the user'"'"'s progress to the destination for communicating, to the user, selected information to cope with a circumstance caused by the event. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36)
-
-
37. A system for use by an information assistance service to assist a user, comprising:
-
an interface for receiving a communication from the user using a communications device, the communication including a request for a concierge service, a determination being made that the user is traveling to a destination based on the concierge service request;
a processor programmed to locate the communication device when the user communicates with the information assistance service, thereby tracking the user'"'"'s progress to the destination;
a controller for monitoring for an event affecting the user'"'"'s progress to the destination; and
a communications unit responsive to a detection of an event affecting the user'"'"'s progress to the destination for establishing a second communication to convey selected information to the user. - View Dependent Claims (38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52)
-
Specification