Communication assistance system and method

• US 20080310606A1
• Filed: 03/05/2008
• Published: 12/18/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Christine Baumeister, Evan Marwell, John Blakeney, Robert Pines
• Original Assignee: Christine Baumeister, Evan Marwell, John Blakeney, Robert Pines
• Inventors: Pines, Robert, Baumeister, Christine, Blakeney, John, Marwell, Evan
• Granted Patent: US 8,139,748 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/93.01
• 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 15/06 Recording class or number of calling , i.e. A-party or called party , i.e. B-party
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/41 Billing record details, i.e. parameters, identifiers, structure of call data record [CDR]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/44 Augmented, consolidated or itemized billing statement or bill presentation
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/51 for resellers, retailers or service providers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/58 based on statistics of usage or network monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/68 Payment of value-added services
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/80 Rating or billing plans; Tariff determination aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8038 Roaming or handoff
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8044 Least cost routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8228 Session based
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/6009 Personal information, e.g. profiles or personal directories being only provided to authorised persons
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/18 wireless networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/206 composed of PSTN and wireless network
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/01 Details of billing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0104 Augmented, consolidated or itemised billing statement, e.g. additional billing information, bill presentation, layout, format, e-mail, fax, printout, itemised bill per service or per account, cumulative billing, consolidated billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0152 General billing plans, rate plans, e.g. charge rates, numbering plans, rate centers, customer accounts
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0164 Billing record, e.g. Call Data Record [CDR], Toll Ticket[TT], Automatic Message Accounting [AMA], Call Line Identifier [CLI], details, i.e. parameters, identifiers, structure
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0188 Network monitoring; statistics on usage on called/calling number
• 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 2215/2026 : Wireless network, e.g. GSM, PCS, TACS
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/32 : Involving wireless systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/34 : Roaming
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/42 : Least cost routing, i.e. provision for selecting the lowest cost tariff
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/54 : Resellers-retail or service providers billing, e.g. agreements with telephone service operator, activation, charging/recharging of accounts
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/74 : Rating aspects, e.g. rating parameters or tariff determination apects
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/7442 : Roaming
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/745 : Least cost routing, e.g. Automatic or manual, call by call or by preselection
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/7833 : Session based
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42008 : Systems for anonymous communication between parties, e.g. by use of disposal contact identifiers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42042 : Notifying the called party of information on the calling party details within substation equipment H04M1/57, signalling details H04Q3/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42068 : where the identifier is used to access a profile
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4211 : where the identifier is used to access a profile
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42153 : by subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4931 : Directory assistance systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4933 : with operator assistance
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4935 : Connection initiated by DAS system
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/51 : Centralised call answering arrangements requiring operator intervention , e.g. call or contact centers for telemarketing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/00 : Services specially adapted for wireless communication networks; Facilities therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 : Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/16 : Communication-related supplementary services, e.g. call-transfer or call-hold
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 : Accounting or billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/02 : Communication route or path selection, e.g. power-based or shortest path routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 56/00 : Synchronisation arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/00 : Wireless channel access
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/02 : Processing of mobility data, e.g. registration information at HLR [Home Location Register] or VLR [Visitor Location Register]; Transfer of mobility data, e.g. between HLR, VLR or external networks

Abstract

A communication assistance system provides access to information corresponding to a plurality of subscribers. The system includes a means for receiving incoming communications from a plurality of requesters desiring to access the information corresponding to subscribers and a database directory listing storing information corresponding to each one of the subscribers. The information includes a pre-announcement field containing information indicating whether a requester is pre-announced before a connection to a subscriber is made.

Claims

1. A communication assistance system for providing access to information corresponding to a plurality of subscribers, the system comprising:

a means for receiving incoming communications from a plurality of requesters desiring to access said information corresponding to subscribers; and

a database directory listing storing information corresponding to each one of said subscribers, said information including a pre-announcement field containing information indicating whether a requester is pre-announced before a connection to a subscriber is made.

2. The system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said pre-announcement to said subscriber is in voice format.

3. The system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said pre-announcement to said subscriber is in text format.

4. The system in accordance with claim 3, wherein said text format pre-announcement is a text message that includes said requester'"'"'s phone number and name.

5. The system in accordance with claim 3, further comprising a voice to text conversion module configured to convert said text format preannouncement voice messages provided by a requester to text messages that are delivered to said subscriber.

6. The system in accordance with claim 3, wherein said text format preannouncement is a text messages are in a format selected from the group consisting of SMS, WAP, iMode, and instant messaging.

7. The system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said pre-announcement field is defaulted to inactive for requests made by requesters for a landline device.

8. The system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said pre-announcement is made to a subscriber via audio and visual messages depending on said subscriber'"'"'s preference.

9. A method of operating a communication assistance system for providing access to information corresponding to a plurality of subscribers, said method comprising the steps of:

receiving communications from a plurality of a requesters desiring to access said information corresponding to said subscribers; and

retrieving information corresponding to each one of said subscribers in a database directory listing, said information including a pre-announcement field containing information indicating whether a requester is pre-announced before a connection to a subscriber is made.

10. A method for sending a message to a telecommunication subscriber without revealing their contact information, said method comprising the steps of:

receiving a request for a non-disclosable contact information of a telecommunications subscriber;

retrieving the originating phone number of said requester'"'"'s device from an incoming communication record;

generating a notification message based on said retrieved originating phone number for delivery to said subscriber, said message including said originating phone number of said requester'"'"'s device; and

transmitting said notification message to said subscriber.

11. The method as claimed in claim 10, wherein said non-disclosable contact information is masked to an agent handling said requester.

12. The method as claimed in claim 10, wherein said electronic form for said messages in a format selected from the group consisting of SMS, WAP, iMode, and instant messaging.