Technique for effectively providing personalized communications and information assistance services
First Claim
1. A method for providing an information assistance service, comprising:
- receiving an information assistance call by a caller, the call being received at a current service location;
retrieving a record associated with the caller, the record including information concerning at least one preferred service location for handling the call;
determining whether the current service location corresponds to the preferred service location; and
if the current service location does not correspond to the preferred service location, routing the call to the preferred service location to handle the call.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A user may utilize a communication device, e.g., a wireless phone, mobile device or personal digital assistant (PDA), to contact an information/call center where an operator provides personalized information and communications services to the user in accordance with the invention. Such services may include, e.g., private directory and calendar data synchronization, identity pre-validation, etc. To personalize the services, at least one profile record associated with the user which may specify, among others, the devices used by the user to communicate with the information/call center, and preferred information/call center to which an information assistance call is routed. Accordingly, services and service features provided to the user may be tailored for use with the specified devices. Security measures may also be instituted in the profile record to restrict use of certain services and service features.
100 Citations
28 Claims
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1. A method for providing an information assistance service, comprising:
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receiving an information assistance call by a caller, the call being received at a current service location;
retrieving a record associated with the caller, the record including information concerning at least one preferred service location for handling the call;
determining whether the current service location corresponds to the preferred service location; and
if the current service location does not correspond to the preferred service location, routing the call to the preferred service location to handle the call.
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2. A method for providing an information assistance service, comprising:
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receiving an information assistance call from a caller, along with an identifier associated with a user of the service;
retrieving a record based on the identifier, the record including information concerning at least one selected period in which the service is not provided;
determining whether the call is received during the selected period; and
if the call is received during the selected period, denying the caller the service.
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3. A method for providing an information assistance service accessible by different devices, comprising:
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receiving an information assistance call which originates from a device;
identifying one or more capabilities of the device; and
selecting one or more service features according to the one or more capabilities of the device to provide the information assistance service.
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4. A method for providing an information assistance service including a service feature, comprising:
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allowing access by at least first and second parties to the service, the first and second parties being associated with an account established for utilizing the service;
receiving an information assistance call from a caller, the call including a request for the service feature;
in response to the request, determining whether the caller is one of the first and second parties;
if the caller is the first party, the caller being provided with the service feature without restriction; and
if the caller is the second party, a provision of the service feature to the caller being contingent upon meeting a security requirement instituted by the first party.
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5. A method for providing sensitive information to conduct an agent-assisted transaction, comprising:
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receiving a call from a caller through a first communication connection, the call including a request for conducting a transaction through an agent, the transaction involving a disclosure by the caller of sensitive and nonsensitive information;
eliciting by the agent nonsensitive information from the caller through the first communication connection; and
providing a data location for the caller to enter the sensitive information through a second communication connection. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A method for providing data synchronization through an information management service, comprising:
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maintaining by the information management service a database associated with a user, the database being accessible by a plurality of devices which include data sources, respectively;
according a selected one of the plurality of devices a special status;
allowing the plurality of devices to download information from the database to revise data elements in the respective data sources thereof; and
allowing, based on the special status, the selected device to upload information to the information management service to update the database.
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14. A method for verifying an identity of a party by a provider of directory assistance, comprising:
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maintaining, by the provider of directory assistance, a directory database containing records, each of which contains at least a telephone number and a name of a party;
receiving, by the provider of directory assistance, information concerning a selected party whose identity is to be verified, the information including at least a name and a telephone number associated with the selected party;
searching the directory database based on the received information; and
if a record in a search result includes data which corresponds to the received name and telephone number associated with the selected party, declaring a verification of the identity of the selected party.
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15. A system for providing an information assistance service, comprising:
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an interface for receiving an information assistance call by a caller, the call being received at a current service location;
a server for retrieving a record associated with the caller, the record including information concerning at least one preferred service location for handling the call;
a processor for determining whether the current service location corresponds to the preferred service location; and
a mechanism for routing the call to the preferred service location to handle the call if the current service location does not correspond to the preferred service location.
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16. A system for providing an information assistance service, comprising:
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an interface for receiving an information assistance call from a caller, along with an identifier associated with a user of the service;
a server for retrieving a record based on the identifier, the record including information concerning at least one selected period in which the service is not provided; and
a processor for determining whether the call is received during the selected period;
wherein if the call is received during the selected period, the caller is denied the service.
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17. A system for providing an information assistance service accessible by different devices, comprising:
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an interface for receiving an information assistance call which originates from a device;
a processor for identifying one or more capabilities of the device; and
a mechanism for selecting one or more service features according to the one or more capabilities of the device to provide the information assistance service.
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18. A system for providing an information assistance service including a service feature, the service being accessible to at least first and second parties, the first and second parties being associated with an account established for utilizing the service, the system comprising:
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an interface for receiving an information assistance call from a caller, the call including a request for the service feature; and
a processor responsive to the request for determining whether the caller is one of the first and second parties;
wherein if the caller is the first party, the caller being provided with the service feature without restriction, and if the caller is the second party, a provision of the service feature to the caller being contingent upon meeting a security requirement instituted by the first party.
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19. A system for providing sensitive information to conduct an agent-assisted transaction, comprising:
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an interface for receiving a call from a caller through a first communication connection, the call including a request for conducting a transaction through an agent, the transaction involving a disclosure by the caller of sensitive and nonsensitive information, the agent eliciting nonsensitive information from the caller through the first communication connection; and
a mechanism for providing a data location for the caller to enter the sensitive information through a second communication connection. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. A system for providing data synchronization through an information management service, comprising:
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a database associated with a user, the database being maintained by the information management service, and accessible by a plurality of devices which include data sources, respectively, a selected one of the plurality of devices being accorded a special status; and
a mechanism for allowing the plurality of devices to download information from the database to revise data elements in the respective data sources thereof, and allowing, based on the special status, the selected device to upload information to the information management service to update the database.
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28. A system for verifying an identity of a party by a provider of directory assistance, comprising:
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a directory database maintained by the provider of directory assistance, the directory database containing records, each of which contains at least a telephone number and a name of a party;
an interface for receiving information concerning a selected party whose identity is to be verified, the information including at least a name and a telephone number associated with the selected party; and
a server for searching the directory database based on the received information, wherein if a record in a search result includes data which corresponds to the received name and telephone number associated with the selected party, a verification of the identity of the selected party is declared.
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Specification