Information procurement

• US 20060112078A1
• Filed: 11/22/2004
• Published: 05/25/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/22/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Betarbet, Sandeep, Dewitt, Sarita
• Application Number:
  US10/994,429
• Publication Number:
  US 20060112078A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/95 Retrieval from the web
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]

Abstract

Embodiments of the present disclosure provide systems and method for procuring published information in a network. Briefly described, in architecture, one embodiment of the system, among others, can be implemented as follows. The system includes an application manager that receives a message request from a user. The message request requests information about a service provided by a publication of an organization, such as a web page. The system further includes an application messaging device that responds to the message request with a message containing information on the service provided by the publication of the organization. Other systems and methods are also provided.

Claims

1. A system for procuring published information in a network, comprising:

an application manager receiving a message request from a user, the message request requesting information about a service provided by a publication of an organization; and

an application messaging device responding to the message request with a message containing information on the service provided by the publication of the organization.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the publication is a web site for the organization.

3. The system of claim 1, the application manager further configured to retrieve a publication that provides information on the service.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the application manager analyzes the retrieved publication to locate and extract the information on the service and provides the extracted information to the application messaging device.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the application manager locates the information on the service by consulting stored information that provides instructions for locating information associated with a particular service.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the application manager prompts the user to provide additional information if the application manager is unable to ascertain about which service the user is interested.

7. A method for procuring published information in a network, comprising the steps of:

receiving a request from a user to provide information on a service provided by an organization;

retrieving a publication of the organization from the network, the publication containing information on the service requested by the user; and

responding to the request from the user with information from the retrieved publication on the service requested by the user.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the request from the user is in the form of an e-mail message.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the request from the user in the form of a telephone call placed by the user.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the response to the request from the user is in the form of an e-mail message.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein the response to the request from the user is in the form of a telephone call to the user.

12. The method of claim 7, further comprising the steps of:

analyzing the retrieved publication to locate information on the service requested by the user.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising the steps of:

extracting the located information on the service requested by the user; and

including the extracted information in a message that is sent to the user in response to the request from the user.

14. The method of claim 7, further comprising the step of:

prompting the user to provide additional information to determine the particular service about which the user is inquiring.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the additional information includes a general category about which the service pertains.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the additional information includes a particular organization that performs the service.

17. The method of claim 7, wherein the request from the user identifies a general category about which the service pertains and a particular organization that performs the service.

18. A computer readable medium having a program for procuring published information in a network, the program performing the steps of:

receiving a request from a user to provide information on a service provided by an organization;

retrieving a publication of the organization from the network, the publication containing information on the service requested by the user; and

responding to the request from the user with information from the retrieved publication on the service requested by the user.

19. The medium of claim 18, the program further performing the steps of:

analyzing the retrieved publication to locate information on the service requested by the user;

extracting the located information on the service requested by the user; and

including the extracted information in a message that is sent to the user in response to the request from the user.

20. The medium of claim 19, the program further performing the step of:

prompting the user to provide additional information to determine the particular service about which the user is inquiring.