Telephone information retrieval system
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A service bureau, comprising:
- a processor;
an account database; and
a network interface, wherein;
the processor receives a first call over a communications network from a first telephone answering system via the network interface requesting specific user-selected information for a first user;
the processor accesses the account database to identify one or more categories of information corresponding to the first user;
the processor gathers the specific user-selected information based on, the one or more categories corresponding to the first user;
the processor transmits a first message over the communications network to the first telephone answering system via the network interface in response to the first call, wherein the first message comprises the specific user-selected information for the first user;
the processor receives a second call over the communications network from a second telephone answering system via the network interface requesting specific user-selected information for a second user;
the processor accesses the account database to identify one or more categories of information corresponding to the, second user;
the processor gathers the specific user-selected information based on the one or more categories corresponding to the second user; and
the processor transmits a second message over the communications network to the second telephone answering system via the network interface in response to the second call, wherein the second message comprises the specific user-selected information for the second user, wherein the one or more categories of information corresponding to the first user are different from the one or more categories of information corresponding to the second user.
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Abstract
A telephone answering machine (TAS) is preprogrammed to place calls automatically to a service bureau (SB) over a telephone or other suitable communications network. In response to the calls, the SB generates and transmits messages (e.g., compressed digital audio messages) to the TAS for recording and subsequent playback by a user. In this way, users can routinely receive information useful to their daily lives.
12 Citations
17 Claims
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1. A service bureau, comprising:
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a processor; an account database; and a network interface, wherein; the processor receives a first call over a communications network from a first telephone answering system via the network interface requesting specific user-selected information for a first user; the processor accesses the account database to identify one or more categories of information corresponding to the first user; the processor gathers the specific user-selected information based on, the one or more categories corresponding to the first user; the processor transmits a first message over the communications network to the first telephone answering system via the network interface in response to the first call, wherein the first message comprises the specific user-selected information for the first user; the processor receives a second call over the communications network from a second telephone answering system via the network interface requesting specific user-selected information for a second user; the processor accesses the account database to identify one or more categories of information corresponding to the, second user; the processor gathers the specific user-selected information based on the one or more categories corresponding to the second user; and the processor transmits a second message over the communications network to the second telephone answering system via the network interface in response to the second call, wherein the second message comprises the specific user-selected information for the second user, wherein the one or more categories of information corresponding to the first user are different from the one or more categories of information corresponding to the second user. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A communications system comprising a service bureau and two or more telephone answering systems, wherein:
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a first telephone answering system automatically places a first call over a communications network to the service bureau to request specific user-selected information for a first user; a second telephone answering system automatically places a second call over the communications network to the service bureau to request specific user-selected information for a second user, wherein the specific user-selected information for the first user is different from the specific user-selected information for the second user; the service bureau accesses an account database to identify one or more categories of information corresponding to the first user; the service bureau gathers the specific user-selected information based on the one or more categories corresponding to the first user; the service bureau transmits a first message over the communications network to the first telephone answering system in response to the first call, wherein the first message comprises the specific user-selected information for the first user; the service bureau accesses an account database to identify one or more categories of information corresponding to the second user; the service bureau gathers the specific user-selected information based on the one or more categories corresponding to the second user; the service bureau transmits a second message over the communications network to the second telephone answering system in response to the second call, wherein the second message comprises the specific user-selected information for the second user; the first telephone answering system receives the first message from the service bureau over the communications network and stores the first message for subsequent playback by the first user; and the second telephone answering system receives the second message from the service bureau over the communications network and stores the second message for subsequent playback by the second user. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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Specification