Method And System For Providing Directory Assistance

• US 20080019496A1
• Filed: 10/04/2005
• Published: 01/24/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/04/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: John Taschereau
• Original Assignee: John Taschereau
• Inventors: Taschereau, John
• Application Number:
  US11/576,668
• Publication Number:
  US 20080019496A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/218.01
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9537 Spatial or temporal dependent retrieval, e.g. spatiotemporal queries
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/22 Procedures used during a speech recognition process, e.g. man-machine dialogue
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/40 using speech recognition speech recognition per se G10L15/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4931 Directory assistance systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4935 Connection initiated by DAS system
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services

Abstract

A method of providing directory assistance from an information provider is provided, comprising: obtaining an utterance including a request for an entity from a requester; passing said utterance through an automated speech recognition system to determine a phone number for said entity; determining if said entity is a subscriber to the information provider; and if said entity is a subscriber, providing said phone number to said requester and connecting said requester to said entity; and if said entity is not a subscriber, providing said phone number to said requester and offering to connect said requester to a subscriber.

Claims

1. A method of providing directory assistance from an information provider, comprising:

(a) obtaining an utterance including a request for an entity from a requester;

(b) passing said utterance through an automated speech recognition system to determine a phone number for said entity;

(c) determining if said entity is a subscriber to the information provider; and

(c.1) if said entity is a subscriber, providing said phone number to said requestor and connecting said requestor to said entity;

(c.2) if said entity is not a subscriber, providing said phone number to said requestor and offering to connect said requestor to a subscriber.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein in step (c.2) said subscriber is in the same business class as said entity.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein in step (c.2) said subscriber is proximate to said entity.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein in step (c.2) a coupon is presented to said requestor for said subscriber prior to provision of said phone number.