System and method for facilitating privacy in directory assistance communications

• US 20090080636A1
• Filed: 08/14/2008
• Published: 03/26/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/17/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Alan Sunners, Christine Baumeister, Faith Mcgary, Harold Robinson, Michael Bates, Xavier Riley
• Original Assignee: Alan Sunners, Christine Baumeister, Faith Mcgary, Harold Robinson, Michael Bates, Xavier Riley
• Inventors: Bates, Michael, Baumeister, Christine, McGary, Faith, Riley, Xavier, Sunners, Alan, Robinson, Harold
• Granted Patent: US 8,325,904 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/218.10
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/6009 Personal information, e.g. profiles or personal directories being only provided to authorised persons
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42008 Systems for anonymous communication between parties, e.g. by use of disposal contact identifiers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42195 Arrangements for calling back a calling subscriber when the wanted subscriber ceases to be busy H04M3/48
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/436 Arrangements for screening incoming calls , i.e. evaluating the characteristics of a call before deciding whether to answer it based on the calling party profile H04M3/42059; based on location H04M3/42348; based on presence H04M3/42365; diversion H04M3/54
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4935 Connection initiated by DAS system

Abstract

A method for providing directory assistance, including receiving at least one request from a requester for an un-listed contact information, where the un-listed contact information is stored in one of a plurality of carrier databases. A request is generated to a third party for the un-listed contact information, where the third party is in contact with the carriers, one of which has the un-listed contact information. A notification is received from the third party indicating that the un-listed contact information has been retrieved by said third party and a message is sent to the un-listed contact information, through the third party, indicating that the requester is trying to contact them.

Claims

1. ) A method for providing directory assistance, said method comprising the steps of:

receiving at least one request from a requester for an un-listed contact information, said un-listed contact information being stored in one of a plurality of carrier databases;

generating a request to a third party for said un-listed contact information, wherein said third party is in contact with said carriers, one of which has said un-listed contact information;

receiving a notification from said third party indicating that said un-listed contact information has been retrieved by said third party;

sending a message to said un-listed contact information, through said third party, indicating that said requester is trying to contact them.

2. ) The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said third party is a consortium coupled to said plurality of carrier databases.

3. ) The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said request from said requester is in either one of a voice or text format.

4. ) The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said message to said un-listed contact information in sent in either one of a voice or text format.

5. ) The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said message to said un-listed contact information is a pre-formatted message including contact information of said requester.

6. ) The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the step of sending said message to said un-listed contact information further comprises the step of allowing the requester to generate their own custom message.

7. ) The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein if said received notification from said third party indicating that said un-listed contact information has been retrieved includes more than one un-listed contact information, said method further comprising the step of requesting additional information from said requester regarding said desired un-listed contact information.

8. ) The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising the step of presenting an option to an owner of said un-listed contact information allowing said un-listed contact information to be permanently listed with said directory assistance system.

9. ) The method as claimed in claim 8, wherein said step presenting an option to an owner of said un-listed contact information allowing said un-listed contact information to be permanently listed with said directory assistance system includes the offer of an incentive to said owner of said un-listed contact information.

10. ) The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising the step of offering a communication connection option to said un-listed contact information, allowing them to connect with said requester.

11. ) A method for providing directory assistance, said method comprising the steps of:

receiving at least one request from a directory assistance system for an un-listed contact information;

generating a request to at least one carrier, said carrier supporting a plurality of un-listed contact information;

receiving a notification from said at least one carrier indicating that said un-listed contact information is handled by said carrier, said notification including at least a portion of said un-listed contact information;

delivering a message to said directory assistance system notifying that the un-listed contact information has been received;

receiving from said directory assistance system an instruction to send a message to said un-listed contact information; and

sending said message to said carrier of said un-listed contact information.

12. ) The method as claimed in claim 11, wherein said step of generating a request includes generating a request to a plurality of carriers, each having a plurality of un-listed contact information.

13. ) The method as claimed in claim 12, wherein said step of receiving a notification includes receiving more than one notification from said carriers.

14. ) The method as claimed in claim 13, wherein if more than one notification from said carriers, said method further comprising the step of sending a follow up message requesting more information from said directory assistance system.

15. ) The method as claimed in claim 14, further comprising the step of receiving a responsive communication from said directory assistance system so as to select one un-listed contact among said plurality of retrieved un-listed contact information.

16. ) The method as claimed in claim 11, wherein said step of receiving from said directory assistance system an instruction to send a message to said un-listed contact information includes a preformatted message including a requester contact information.

17. ) The method as claimed in claim 11, wherein said step of receiving from said directory assistance system an instruction to send a message to said un-listed contact information includes a customized message from said requester including said requester contact information.

18. ) The method as claimed in claim 11, wherein said received notifications from said carriers are stored for a predefined period of time and then deleted.

19. ) The method as claimed in claim 11, wherein said received notifications from said carriers are data files from said carrier in a carrier'"'"'s standard listing format.

20. ) The method as claimed in claim 19, wherein said received notifications from said carriers are filtered to include a limited subset of a full listing data of said un-listed contact information.