Personalized assistance system and method

• US 6,404,884 B1
• Filed: 11/24/1999
• Issued: 06/11/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 10/08/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Grape Technology Group Incorporated (KGB)
• Original Assignee: Grape Technology Group Incorporated (KGB)
• Inventors: Pines, Robert, Marwell, Evan
• Primary Examiner(s): Hong, Harry S.
• Application Number:
  US09/449,126
• Time in Patent Office: 930 Days
• Field of Search: 379/201, 379/207, 379/214, 379/223, 379/265, 379/266, 379/309, 379/201.01, 379/201.02, 379/214.01, 379/265.01, 379/265.02, 379/265.09, 379/266.01, 379/900, 379/218.01, 379/265.13, 379/266.02, 707/1, 707/3, 707/10, 707/200, 455/414
• US Class Current: 379/265.13
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/105 Financial transactions and auctions, e.g. bidding auctioneering devices in packet switching networks H04L12/1804
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/1058 Shopping and product ordering
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/18 wireless networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/22 Automatic class or number identification arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/12 Marking faulty circuits "busy"; Enabling equipment to disengage itself from faulty circuits ; Using redundant circuits; Response of a circuit, apparatus or system to an error
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42059 Making use of the calling party identifier
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42161 via computer interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/432 Arrangements for calling a subscriber at a specific time, e.g. morning call service
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/44 Additional connecting arrangements for providing access to frequently-wanted subscribers, e.g. abbreviated dialling at the subscriber's set H04M1/27; automatic redialling H04M3/424
• 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: H04M 3/5108 Secretarial services
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/06 using auxiliary connections for control or supervision , e.g. where the auxiliary connection is a signalling system number 7 link
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/72 Finding out and indicating number of calling subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 379/90 Internet, e.g. Internet phone, webphone, internet-based telephony
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99931 Database or file accessing

Abstract

A system and method for a personalized directory assistance system are provided. The system allows a user to speak with a Cutter service representative (CSR) by dialing an easy to remember telephone number on their phone. Specialized telephony equipment routes the call to the customer service representative and the user'"'"'s personal contact list made available to the (CSR). The CSR searches the user'"'"'s personal contact list in accordance with the user'"'"'s request. The CSR'"'"'s terminal generates a call completion string and sends it to the telephony equipment using an out-of-band signaling network for release link transfer switching. The user'"'"'s personal contact list can be populated by the user via a web browser, by interacting with the CSR, by synchronizing a personal information manager or personal digital assistant database or by sending a facsimile or electronic mail request to the service provider.

Claims

1. A personalized assistance system for a user of a telephone, the personalized assistance system comprising:

a first database, the first database having a contact list for the user, the contact list including at least one contact name and a corresponding contact number;

telephony hardware, the telephony hardware coupling the telephone to the database;

a telephone identification code uniquely associated with the telephone said identification code being electronically transmitted to said personalized assistance system, when said user calls the system;

a customer service representative terminal coupled to the database and the telephone hardware, the telephone identification code prompting automatic retrieval of the contact list to the customer service representative terminal in response to processing of said telephone identification code, the customer service representative terminal searching said contact list in response to a user query to locate a designated contact from the user'"'"'s contact list and causing the telephony hardware to connect the telephone with the contact number corresponding to the designated contact.

2. The personalized assistance system according to claim 1, wherein said telephone is a mobile telephone.

3. The personalized assistance system according to claim 2, further comprising a mobile switching center, the mobile switching center coupling the mobile telephone to the telephone hardware;

and

a public switched telephone network, the public switched network coupling the mobile switching center to the designated contact.

4. The personalized assistance system according to claim 1, wherein the telephony hardware is comprised of:

a tandem switch coupled to the user telephone; and

a network coupling the tandem switch to at least one of the customer service representative terminal and the first database.

5. The personalized assistance system according to claim 4, wherein the telephony hardware is further comprised of an automatic call distributor coupled to the tandem switch and the customer service representative terminal.

6. The personalized assistance system according to claim 4, wherein the network is an out-of-band network, the out-of-band network transporting signaling data.

7. The personalized assistance system according to claim 6, wherein the signaling data includes call completion data.

8. The personalized assistance system according to claim 1, wherein the contact list includes electronic commerce information.

9. The personalized assistance system according to claim 8, wherein the electronic commerce information includes bank account information and bill payee data for the user.

10. The personalized assistance system according to claim 1, wherein the contact list includes data relating to special occasions.

11. The personalized assistance system according to claim 6, further comprising:

at least one user terminal;

a web server coupled to the at least one user terminal though a data communication network and receiving personal contact update data from the at least one user terminal, the web server being coupled to the first database;

the user'"'"'s contact list being updated in accordance with the received personal contact update data.

12. The personalized assistance system according to claim 11, further comprising a second database coupled to the web server, the web server directly updating the second database in accordance with the received personal contact update data, the first database being synchronized with the second database.

13. The personalized assistance system according to claim 12, further comprising a synchronization server, the synchronization server synchronizing the second database and the first database.

14. The personalized assistance system according to claim 1, wherein the first database further comprises a branded audio message, and wherein the telephony hardware identifies an originating service provider for the telephone, the branded audio message being selected and transmitted to the telephone in accordance with the identified originating service provider.

15. The personalized assistance system according to claim 1, wherein the first database further comprises a branded audio message, and wherein the telephony hardware identifies an identification number for the telephone, the branded audio message being selected and transmitted to the telephone in accordance with the identified identification number.

16. A system for populating and maintaining a list of personal contact data for a user of the system, the system comprising:

at least one user terminal;

a web server coupled to at least one user teal through a communication network, the web server receiving a personal contact update data from the at least one user terminal;

a first database coupled to the web server, the first database storing information corresponding to a customer representative assistance service, said first database also storing the list of personal contact data;

a computer terminal coupled to said first database configured to retrieve said list of personal contact data in response to a received call associated with said personal contact data so as to allow a customer service representative to identify a desired listing from said personal contact data; and

said user terminal having access only to said portion of said database storing said list of personal contact data, such that, the list of personal contact data stored in the first database being updated with the personal contact update data received by the web server.

17. The system according to claim 16, further comprising a second database coupled to the web server and a synchronization server coupled to the first and second databases, the second database also storing the list of personal contact data and being directly updated by the web server, the synchronization server synchronizing the first database with the second database in accordance with the received contact update data.

18. The system according to claim 16, wherein the web server also receives user registration data from the user terminal.

19. The system according to claim 16, further comprising at least one of a hand-held server and a personal information manager server, the least one of the hand-held server and the personal information manager communicating with the at least one user terminal through the communication network to receive personal contact list coordination data therefrom.

20. The system according to claim 19, wherein the personal contact list coordination data is transferred to the second database for subsequent synchronization with the personal contact data stored in the first database.

21. The system according to claim 19, wherein the synchronization server synchronizes the personal contact list coordination data with the personal contact data stored in the second database.

22. The system according to claim 16, further comprising a customer service representative terminal coupled to the first database, wherein the personal contact data in the first database is updated in accordance with revision data received from the customer service representative terminal.

23. The system according to claim 17, wherein at least one of the first database and the second database is an SQL database.

24. The system according to claim 23, wherein the first database is further comprised of at least one of:

a user database table;

an updated contact list table;

a rejected updated contact list table; and

a listing arbitration table.

25. The system according to claim 16, wherein the stored personal contact data includes electronic commerce information.

26. The system according to claim 16, wherein the stored personal contact data includes at least one of:

an address;

job title;

company name;

facsimile telephone number;

home web page address; and

birthday.

27. The system according to claim 16, wherein the stored personal contact data includes contact data common to a group of users.

28. A signaling method for a personal assistance system, the method comprising the steps of:

translating a first dial string sent from a telephone to a second dial sting, the second dial string identifying an originating switch for at least one of the originating service and originating service provider for the telephone, wherein said originating service corresponds to retrieval of a personal contact list stored by said personal assistance system;

transmitting a telephone identification code uniquely associated with said telephone to a computer terminal remotely located from said telephone so as to prompt the computer terminal to automatically generate a search query in response to identification of said service to retrieve said personal contact list in said database so as to allow a customer service representative to identify a destination contact number;

searching the database to identify a network address of the originating switch, the network address being identified in accordance with the second dial string; and

sending the destination number to the network address of the originating switch using an out-of-band network.

29. The signaling method according to claim 28, wherein the network is an out-of-band network.

30. The signaling method according to claim 29, wherein an identification number of the telephone is transmitted to the computer terminal.

31. The signaling method according to claim 29, wherein the network address is comprised of a UDP address and a UDP port.

32. A method for using a telephone to contact a service for searching a database of contact numbers for a desired contact number and connecting a calling telephone to the desired contact number, the method comprising the steps of:

calling a telephone number associated with the service;

routing data corresponding to the call to a computer terminal operated by said service for searching a database said data including a first data sting associated with the service and a second data string associated with a telephone identification number of said telephone used to contact the service;

generating a database lookup query in response to said first and second data strings for searching the database for a contact list corresponding to said identification number of the calling telephone;

retrieving the contact list for search by a customer service representative;

searching the contact list for the desired contact number;

sending call completion data to a switch, the call completion data corresponding to the desired contact number, and

connecting the call to the desired contact number.

33. The method according to claim 32, wherein the data corresponding to the call includes a DID number for the switch.

34. The method according to claim 32, wherein the call completion data is sent to the switch on an out-of-band network.

35. The method according to claim 32, further comprising the step of updating the contact list using a web browser.

36. The method according to claim 32, further comprising the step of harmonizing a personal information manager database with the contact list.

37. The method according to claim 32, further comprising the step of harmonizing a hand-held computer database with the contact list.

38. A method for populating and maintaining a list of personal contact data for a user of a personalized assistance system, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving the personal contact update data from a user terminal;

storing a list of personal contact data in a first database, said database also storing data corresponding to information for a customer representative assistance service such that only data corresponding to said personal contact data is subject to update via said user terminal;

retrieving from a computer terminal coupled to said first database said list of personal contact data in response to a received telephone call associated with said personal contact list, said personal contact list being available for search by a customer service representative; and

periodically synchronizing the list of personal contact data stored in the first database with the received personal contact update data.

39. The method according to claim 38, further comprising the step of receiving user registration data from the user terminal.

40. The method according to claim 38, wherein the received personal contact update data comprises personal contact list coordination data and is received by at least one of a hand-held server and a personal information manager server.

41. The method according to claim 40, further comprising the step of transferring the personal contact list coordination data to a second database for subsequent synchronization with the personal contact data stored in the first database.

42. The method according to claim 40, wherein the synchronization step synchronizes the personal contact list coordination data with the personal contact data stored in the first database.

43. The method according to claim 38, further comprising the step of updating the personal contact data in the first database in accordance with revision data received from a customer service representative terminal.

44. The method according to claim 38, wherein the first database is an SQL database.

45. The method according to claim 44, wherein the first database is further comprised of at least one of:

a user database table;

an updated contact list table;

a rejected updated contact list table; and

a listing arbitration table.

46. The method according to claim 38, further comprising the step of verifying a requested database update.

47. The method according to claim 38, further comprising the step of arranging for payment of the user'"'"'s bills in accordance with the stored personal contact data.

48. The method according to claim 38, further comprising the step of reminding the user of a special occasion in accordance with the stored personal contact data.

49. The method according to claim 38, further comprising the step of performing an electronic commerce transaction in accordance with the stored personal contact data.

50. A method for using a telephone to contact a service for scarching a database for a desired information and performing an operation requested by a user, the method comprising the steps of:

calling a telephone number associated with the service, said service including storage and retrieval of personal contact lists each personal contact list corresponding to a user;

routing data corresponding to the call to a computer terminal operated by said service for searching a database said data including an identification number of the calling telephone;

searching the database for a contact list among a plurality of personal contact lists, said contact list corresponding to said identification number of the calling telephone;

retrieving the contact list from the database and providing said retrieved contact list to a customer service representative;

receiving a requested operation from the user; and

performing the requested operation.

51. The method according to claim 50, wherein the requested operation is an electronic commerce operation.

52. The method according to claim 51, wherein the electronic commerce operation is a bill paying operation.

53. The method according to claim 51, wherein the requested operation is a purchase operation and the performing step includes the steps of:

locating the item to be purchased by searching a network;

purchasing the item; and

arranging for delivery of the item to one of the user and a contact.