Apparatus and method for ensuring a real-time connection between users and selected service provider using voice mail

• US 20060215826A1
• Filed: 07/01/2003
• Published: 09/28/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/05/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Thryv, Inc. (Mudrick Capital Management LP)
• Original Assignee: UTBK, Inc.
• Inventors: Linden, Sean Van der, Faber, Scott, Lurie, Steven
• Granted Patent: US 7,289,612 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/114.250
• 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 15/49 Connection to several service providers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/68 Payment of value-added services
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/805 Bidding
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 17/00 Prepayment of wireline communication systems, wireless communication systems or telephone systems using a coded card to authorise calls from a telephone set H04M1/675
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0168 On line or real-time flexible customization or negotiation according to wishes of subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/018 On-line real-time billing, able to see billing information while in communication, e.g. via the internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0196 Payment of value-added services, mainly when their charges are added on the telephone bill, e.g. payment of non-telecom services, e-commerce, on-line banking
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/46 Connection to several service providers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/7457 Biding

Abstract

A method and apparatus are described for ensuring a real-time connection between users and selected service providers using voice mail. The system enables seekers of a wide array of services to select, contact, converse, and pay for a service provider using a communications device such as the telephone. A seeker locates a service provider by providing the name of a profession, which is recognized by the system'"'"'s software. Once a service provider is selected, the system connects the seeker with the service provider for a live conversation. However, during service provider unavailability, the system enables the seeker to leave a voice mail message for the service provider and reconnects the user and service provider once the message is reviewed by the service provider. The system automatically bills the seeker for the time spent conversing with the service provider and compensates the service provider.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving a selection from a user for a selected service provider;

initiating a first connection between the user and the selected service provider for a live conversation via a real-time communications link;

in response to a failure to establish the first connection, recording a message from the user to the selected service provider;

initiating a second connection between the selected service provider and the user via the real-time communications link in response to the service provider reviewing the message; and

collecting a premium fee for a connection initiation.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein information corresponding to the selected service provider is stored in a service provider database.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the service provider database stores information corresponding to a plurality of service providers from a wide array of fields of service.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a request from a service provider of a field of service for inclusion in the service provider database; and

when the service provider is approved for inclusion in the service provider database, generating a record in the service provider database, the record including provider information contained in the request.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the provider information includes one or more of a service price, real-time service provider availability, specific expertise of the service provider, languages spoken by the service provider, voice message capability and a quality rating for the service provider.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

billing the user for the live conversation with the selected service provider; and

compensating the selected service provider for the live conversation with the user.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the billing the user further comprises:

measuring a duration of the live conversation between the user and the selected service provider; and

calculating a billing amount for the user based on the duration of the live conversation and a time-based price charged by the selected service provider.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the premium fee is predetermined as a percentage of a billing amount.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the premium fee is about ten percent of a billing amount.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

if the real-time communications is not established due to selected service provider unavailability, deducting a predetermined amount from the selected service provider; and

if the selected service provider is connected with a user following review of a message, refunding the predetermined amount deducted from the selected service provider.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the connecting the user with the selected service provider further comprises:

placing, by the service provider system, a telephone call to the user via a connection separate from an internet connection between the user and the service provider system;

placing, by the service provider system, a telephone call to said service provider; and

interfacing the telephone calls to the user and the selected service provider for a live, real-time conversation therebetween.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein prior to the receiving the selection, the method further comprises:

receiving a request from a user for connection to a service provider system via the real-time communications link;

establishing a connection between the user and the service provider system in order to provide the user with a live connection with a chosen service provider;

providing the user with a list of the wide array of fields of service available from the service provider system;

receiving a selected field of service from the user; and

providing a list of service providers within the selected field of service, the list indicating individually whether each service provider is currently available to telephonically communicate with the user at a time when the user is viewing the list, the list further indicating individually whether a service provider is currently on a telephone when the user is viewing the list, the list also including a compensation rate for each service provider.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the recording the message further comprises:

re-trying to connect the user with the selected service provider via the real-time communications link a predetermined number of times;

prompting the user to record a voice message for the selected service provider; and

once the user completes recording of the voice message, notifying the selected service provider of the voice message.

14. A computer readable storage medium including program instruction that directs a computer to function in a specified manner when executed by a processor, the program instructions comprising:

receiving a selection from a user for a selected service provider;

initiating a first connection between the user and the selected service provider for a live conversation via a real-time communications link;

in response to a failure to establish the first connection, recording a message from the user to the selected service provider;

initiating a second connection between the selected service provider and the user via the real-time communications link in response to the service provider reviewing the message; and

collecting a premium fee for a connection initiation.

15. The computer readable storage medium 14, wherein information corresponding to the selected service provider is stored in a service provider database.

16. The computer readable storage medium 15, wherein the service provider database stores information corresponding to a plurality of service providers from a wide array of fields of service.

17. The computer readable storage medium 14, further comprising:

receiving a request from a service provider of a field of service for inclusion in the service provider database; and

when the service provider is approved for inclusion in the service provider database, generating a record in the service provider database, the record including provider information contained in the request.

18. The computer readable storage medium 17, wherein the provider information includes one or more of a service price, real-time service provider availability, specific expertise of the service provider, languages spoken by the service provider, voice message capability and a quality rating for the service provider.

19. The computer readable storage medium 14, further comprising:

billing the user for the live conversation with the selected service provider; and

compensating the selected service provider for the live conversation with the user.

20. The computer readable storage medium 19, wherein the billing the user further comprises:

measuring a duration of the live conversation between the user and the selected service provider; and

calculating a billing amount for the user based on the duration of the live conversation and a time-based price charged by the selected service provider.

21. The computer readable storage medium 14, wherein the premium fee is predetermined as a percentage of a billing amount.

22. The computer readable storage medium 14, wherein the premium fee is about ten percent of a billing amount.

23. The computer readable storage medium 14, further comprising:

if the real-time communications is not established due to selected service provider unavailability, deducting a predetermined amount from the selected service provider; and

if the selected service provider is connected with a user following review of a message, refunding the predetermined amount deducted from the selected service provider.

24. The computer readable storage medium 14, wherein the connecting the user with the selected service provider further comprises:

placing, by the service provider system, a telephone call to the user via a connection separate from an internet connection between the user and the service provider system;

placing, by the service provider system, a telephone call to said service provider; and

interfacing the telephone calls to the user and the selected service provider for a live, real-time conversation therebetween.

25. The computer readable storage medium 14, wherein prior to the receiving the selection, the method further comprises:

receiving a request from a user for connection to a service provider system via the real-time communications link;

establishing a connection between the user and the service provider system in order to provide the user with a live connection with a chosen service provider;

providing the user with a list of the wide array of fields of service available from the service provider system;

receiving a selected field of service from the user; and

providing a list of service providers within the selected field of service, the list indicating individually whether each service provider is currently available to telephonically communicate with the user at a time when the user is viewing the list, the list further indicating individually whether a service provider is currently on a telephone when the user is viewing the list, the list also including a compensation rate for each service provider.

26. The computer readable storage medium 14, wherein the recording the message further comprises:

re-trying to connect the user with the selected service provider via the real-time communications link a predetermined number of times;

prompting the user to record a voice message for the selected service provider; and

once the user completes recording of the voice message, notifying the selected service provider of the voice message.

27. A system comprising:

a user interface to receive a request from a user for a service provider;

a processor to receive, from the user interface, a selection from the user for a selected provider and initiate a connection between the user and the selected service provider for a live conversation via a real-time communications link, the processor enabling a user to leave a voice message for the selected service provider in response to a failure to establish the connection, the processor initiating a connection between the selected service provider with the user via the real-time communications link in response to the service provider reviewing the message, the processor collecting a premium fee for a connection initiation.

28. The system of claim 27, wherein the user request is a voice request.

29. The system of claim 27, wherein information corresponding to the service provider is stored in a service provider database.

30. The system of claim 27, wherein the user interface provides the user with a list of fields of service providers available, accepts a field of service desired by the user, provides the user with a list of one or more service providers stored in a service provider database which match the field of service desired by the user, and a receive a selection from the user for a selected provider.

31. The system of claim 27, further including a provider interface for receiving a request from a service provider of a field of service for inclusion in the service provider database, and generate a record in the service provider database, the record including provider information contained in the request.

32. The system of claim 31, wherein the provider information includes one or more of a service price, real-time service provider availability, specific expertise of the service provider, languages spoken by the service provider, voice-mail capability and a quality rating for the service provider.

33. The system of claim 27, wherein the real-time communication link further includes a public switched telephone network interface to connect the user to the selected service provider.

34. The system of claim 27, wherein the real-time communications link further includes a wireless communications network interface to connect the user to the selected service provider.

35. The system of claim 27, wherein the real-time communications link further includes a video communications link to connect the user to the selected service provider.

36. The system of claim 27, wherein:

if the real-time communications is not established due to selected service provider unavailability, the processor deducts a predetermined amount from the selected service provider; and

if the selected service provider is connected with a user following review of a message, the processor refunds the predetermined amount deducted from the selected service provider.

37. The system of claim 27, wherein the premium fee is predetermined as a percentage of a billing amount.

38. The system of claim 27, wherein the premium fee is about ten percent of a billing amount.