Out of band messaging for completion of response to information request

• US 20080008306A1
• Filed: 06/28/2007
• Published: 01/10/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Jingle Networks Incorporated (Marchex Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Jingle Networks Incorporated (Marchex Incorporated)
• Inventors: Kliger, Scott
• Application Number:
  US11/823,831
• Publication Number:
  US 20080008306A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/211.02
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/15 Information service where the information is dependent on the location of the subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42059 Making use of the calling party identifier
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4878 Advertisement messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4931 Directory assistance systems

Abstract

A technique that allows an advertising supported information service to hand off a call in progress to another system, such as may be provided by a third party service provider, for all or part of the call. This permits the analysis of the results of a query, playback of an advertisement, read back of the requested telephone number, or call completion, etc. by third party system(s).

Claims

1. A method comprising the steps of:

at a customer station, placing a call over a first connection from the customer station to an advertising supported information service, the call containing a request for information;

at the information service, analyzing the request for information to determine parameters of the request for information;

sending an Out of Band (OOB) message over a second connection to a third party advertising message service, the OOB message containing a query string that depends on the parameters determined from the request for information; and

at the third party advertising service, analyzing the query string in the OOB message to determine an advertising message to be played.

2. A method as in claim 1 additionally comprising:

bridging the first connection so that the customer station can receive the advertising message.

3. A method as in claim 2 additionally comprising the steps of:

assigning a unique identifier for the call made over the first connection;

and wherein the Out of Band (OOB) message sent over a second connection to a third party advertising message service also contains the unique identifier; and

at the third party advertising service,

using the unique identifier for the call, bridging to the first connection so that the customer station can receive the advertising message.

4. A method as in claim 1 wherein the request for information is provided as an audio signal.

5. A method as in claim 1 wherein the advertising message is provided as an audio signal.

6. A method as in claim 1 wherein the request for information is provided as a data string.

7. A method as in claim 1 wherein the request for information is provided from a Short Message Service (SMS) text message by the user.

8. A method as in claim 1 wherein the advertising message is provided as a text string.

9. A method as in claim 1 additionally comprising:

providing the advertising message to the calling station.

10. An apparatus comprising:

(a) a customer station, for placing a call over a first connection from the customer station to an advertising supported information service, the call containing a request for information;

(b) an information service, for

(i) analyzing the request for information to determine parameters of the request for information; and

(ii) sending an Out of Band (OOB) message over a second connection to a third party advertising message service, the OOB message containing a querystring that depends on the parameters determined from the request for information; and

(c) a third party advertising service, for analyzing the query string in the OOB message to determine an advertising message to be played.

11. An apparatus as in claim 10 wherein the information service additionally bridges the first connection so that the customer station can receive the advertising message.

12. An apparatus as in claim 11 wherein the information service additionally assigns a unique identifier for the call made over the first connection;

and wherein the Out of Band (OOB) message sent over a second connection to a third party advertising message service also contains the unique identifier.

13. An apparatus as in claim 12 wherein the third party advertising service, uses the unique identifier for the call to bridge to the first connection so that the customer station can receive the advertising message.

14. An apparatus as in claim 10 wherein the request for information is provided as an audio signal.

15. An apparatus as in claim 10 wherein the advertising message is provided as an audio signal.

16. An apparatus as in claim 10 wherein the request for information is provided as a data string.

17. An apparatus as in claim 10 wherein the request for information is provided from a Short Message Service (SMS) text message by the user.

18. An apparatus method as in claim 10 wherein the advertising message is provided as a text string.

19. An apparatus as in claim 10 wherein the advertising service additionally provides the advertising message to the calling station.