System and method for multi-modal personal communication services

• US 20070036294A1
• Filed: 09/30/2005
• Published: 02/15/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/01/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Soleo Communications
• Original Assignee: Soleo Communications
• Inventors: Chaudhuri, Aloke, Thorpe, Michael
• Granted Patent: US 7,885,390 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/88.160
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/10 with dictation recording and playback systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/18 wireless networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42153 by subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42382 Text-based messaging services in telephone networks such as PSTN/ISDN, e.g. User-to-User Signalling or Short Message Service for fixed networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/493 Interactive information services, e.g. directory enquiries ; Arrangements therefor, e.g. interactive voice response [IVR] systems or voice portals
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4931 Directory assistance systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/53366 Message disposing or creating aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/006 Networks other than PSTN/ISDN providing telephone service, e.g. Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) , including next generation networks with a packet-switched transport layer H04L65/00 takes precedence; aspects not specific to the type of network H04M3/00; special services in those networks H04M3/42

Abstract

A system for personalizing interactive services provided to users of voice and data enabled communications devices, including users of SMS, MMS and WAP enabled communications devices. The system is designed to access source information associated with a particular requester for a service and to map the source information to personalization information associated with a user of the system. The source information is extracted in various embodiments from different types of communications channels. The personalization information is employed by the system to influence the behavior of the system while providing an interactive service to the user.

Claims

1. A system for personalizing the provision of an interactive service to a user of a data and/or voice enabled communication device, comprising:

a requester identifying apparatus that is configured to obtain source information associated with a request for a service that is associated with a user and that is communicated via at least one of a plurality of types of communications channels;

one or more applications that are configured to direct an interactive session between said system providing said service and a requester via at least one of a plurality of types of communications channels, said interactive session having a path of control that is directed, at least in part, by digital logic residing within said one or more applications;

providing a personalization module that is configured to access personalizing information associated with said source information and that is configured to provide said personalizing information as an input to a determination of at least a portion of said digital logic residing within said one or more applications.

2. The system of claim 1 where a first type of communication channel is a voice type of communication channel and a second type of communications channel is a data type of communications channel.

3. The system of claim 1 where said source information associated with a request for service that is communicated via said voice type of communications channel includes an automatic number identification (ANI) value.

4. The system of claim 1 where said source information associated with a request for service that is communicated via said data type of communications channel includes an SMS source address value.

5. The system of claim 2 where said requester transmits a request for service via said first type of communications channel and said one or more applications later transmits a communication to said requester via said second type of communications channel.

6. The system of claim 1 where said personalization module functions as a repository of information that can be accessed and revised by said requester via an network accessible graphical user interface.

7. The system of claim 1 where said user is classified as being associated with a particular group of users, and where said group of users has a group characteristic and where at least some personalization information associated with said user is determined by said group characteristic.

8. The system of claim 1 where some personalization information for said user is determined from heuristic measurements of prior communications between said system and said user.

9. The system of claim 1 where a search request is communicated to said personalization module and where said personalization module responds to said search request by transmitting said personalization information associated with said source information, and where said search request includes said source information and/or said user identity.

10. The system of claim 1 where said at least one said application provides a voice initiated directory assistance service to a user.

11. The system of claim 10 where said personalization information identifies preferences including at least one of a language, a custom prompt, an automation level, delivery options(s), a redirect option, a message format, an update method and an enhanced content preference.

12. The system of claim 1 where said at least one application provides a data initiated directory assistance service to a user.

13. The system of claim 12 where said personalization information identifies preferences including at least one of a delivery option, a redirect option, a message format, an update method, an operator backing and an enhanced content preference.

14. The system of claim 1 where said at least one application provides a personal address book and/or calendar service to a user.

15. The system of claim 14 where said personalization information identifies preferences including at least one of a language, a custom prompt, a delivery option, a message format, an update method, a validation interval and a calendar alert preference.

16. The system of claim 1 where said at least one application provides a map and driving directions service to a user.

17. The system of claim 16 where said personalization information identifies preferences including at least one of a last origin address, a last destination address, a preferred route, a location based service (LBS) option, an automation level, a delivery option, a message format preference.

18. The system of claim 1 where said at least one application provides a voice mail service to a user.

19. The system of claim 18 where said personalization information identifies preferences including at least one of a caller dependent greeting, an international greeting, a call return option, message sound effects, personal audio skins, a mailbox control and a personal forwarding option preference.

20. The system of claim 5 where said first type of communications channel is a voice type of communications channel and where said second type of communications channel is a voice type of communications channel.

21. The system of claim 5 where said first type of communications channel is a voice type of communications channel and where said second type of communications channel is a data type of communications channel.

22. The system of claim 5 where said first type of communications channel is a data type of communications channel and where said second type of communications channel is a data type of communications channel.

23. The system of claim 5 where said first type of communications channel is a data type of communications channel and where said second type of communications channel is a voice type of communications channel.

24. A method for personalizing the provision of an interactive service to a user of a data and/or voice enabled communication device, comprising:

providing a requester identifying apparatus that is configured to obtain source information associated with a request for a service that is associated with a requester and that is communicated via at least one of a plurality of types of communications channels;

providing one or more applications that are configured to direct an interactive session between said system providing said service and said requester via at least one of a plurality of types of communications channels, said interactive session having a path of control that is directed, at least in part, by digital logic residing within said one or more applications;

providing a personalization module that is configured to access personalizing information associated with said source information and that is configured to provide said personalizing information as an input to a determination of at least a portion of said digital logic residing within said one or more applications.