Automated calling of multiple numbers using directory assistance

• US 5,943,410 A
• Filed: 08/02/1996
• Issued: 08/24/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 08/02/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Unify GmbH & Co. KG (Atos SE)
• Original Assignee: Siemens Information And Communication Networks, Inc.
• Inventors: Shaffer, Shmuel, Beyda, William J., Gold, Cheryl, Thomas, Jay
• Primary Examiner(s): WEAVER, SCOTT LOUIS
• Application Number:
  US08/691,833
• Time in Patent Office: 1,117 Days
• Field of Search: 379/67, 379/88, 379/89, 379/201, 379/210, 379/211, 379/212, 379/213, 379/214, 379/216, 379/218, 379/354, 379/355, 379/356, 379/387, 379/88.16, 379/67.1, 395/2.79, 395/2.81, 704/270, 704/272
• US Class Current: 379/213.01
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/957 Browsing optimisation, e.g. caching or content distillation
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4931 Directory assistance systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4938 comprising a voice browser which renders and interprets, e.g. VoiceXML
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/12 for working between exchanges having different types of switching equipment, e.g. power-driven and step by step or decimal and non-decimal

Abstract

An apparatus and method allow a telephone user to be automatically connected, in sequence, to multiple telephone numbers in response to a single directory assistance query. The user can elect to put all numbers retrieved by his request into a queue, or can queue a subset. The user can further elect to be connected to all numbers in the queue, or can dial some and skip some. An analogous apparatus and method allow a user connected to the internet to navigate by voice interaction through queued site-visit options.

Claims

1. An apparatus for queuing plural telephone numbers to allow for a user of a telephone to connect automatically to said plural telephone numbers in sequence, comprising

a directory assistance server including a data base of telephone numbers;

a telephone; and

a data processor, said data processor supporting the selection of a subset of telephone numbers from said data base in response to search criteria set by the user to form a queue of plural telephone numbers and enabling said telephone to dial each of said plural telephone numbers in said queue in sequence without requiring further user intervention before dialing.

2. An apparatus as in claim 1 wherein said data processor is incorporated in a public switched telephone network.

3. An apparatus as in claim 1 wherein said data processor is incorporated in a central office of a public switched telephone network.

4. An apparatus as in claim 1 wherein said data processor is incorporated in a PBX.

5. An apparatus as in claim 1 wherein said data processor is incorporated in a computer connected to said telephone.

6. A system for dialing queued telephone numbers in sequence, comprising:

means for supplying, by a directory assistance server, a first telephone number and a second telephone number in response to search criteria set by a user;

means for queuing said first and said second telephone numbers;

means for dialing said first telephone number; and

means for dialing said second telephone number after disconnecting with said first telephone number, without requiring further user intervention before dialing.

7. A method for forming a queue of telephone numbers in response to search criteria set by a user, said queue comprising a first telephone number and a second telephone number, to allow for automatic dialing of said first telephone number and said second telephone number sequentially, said method comprising the steps of:

supplying, by a directory assistance server, a first and a second telephone number;

adding said first number to said queue;

adding said second number to said queue;

dialing said first telephone number; and

after said step of dialing said first telephone number, dialing said second telephone number without requiring further user intervention before dialing said first number and said second number.

8. A method for queuing telephone numbers to allow for automatic dialing in sequence, comprising the steps of

(a) supplying, by an operator, a candidate list of plural telephone numbers in response to search criteria set by a user;

(b) deciding whether to pare the candidate list of plural telephone numbers;

(1) if the decision is not to pare the candidate list, proceeding directly to step (d), wherein the candidate list becomes a call list;

(c) if the decision is to pare the candidate list, selecting a proper subset of the candidate list to form a call list by performing the following substeps (1)-(3) on every telephone number on the candidate list;

(1) identifying, by the system, a candidate telephone number from the candidate list;

(2) deciding whether to add the candidate telephone number to a call list;

(3) if the decision is to add the candidate number, adding the candidate number to said call list;

(d) sending the call list to a processor for dialing telephone numbers on said call list without requiring further user intervention between calls.

9. A method for forming a queue of telephone numbers, said queue comprising a first telephone number and a second telephone number, to allow for automatic dialing of said first telephone number and said second telephone number sequentially, said method comprising the steps of:

in response to search criteria set by a user, supplying, by a directory assistance server, a first and a second telephone number;

identifying, by a voice response unit, said first telephone number;

deciding whether to add said first number to said queue;

identifying, by a voice response unit, said second telephone number;

deciding whether to add said second number to said queue; and

after said second deciding step, dialing each number in the queue without requiring further user intervention between calls.

10. A method for sequentially calling telephone numbers in a queue of at least one telephone number, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) supplying, by a directory assistance server in response to search criteria set by a user, plural telephone numbers, and for each supplied telephone number, performing the following substeps;

(1) a voice response unit identifying the supplied telephone number; and

(2) deciding whether to add the supplied telephone number to said queue;

(b) dialing each number in said queue without requiring further user intervention before dialing each number.