Apparatus and method for specifying and obtaining services through voice commands
First Claim
1. A method comprising:
- receiving a voice request, via a voice-transmission medium, from a user seeking service providers from a wide array of fields of service;
when the voice request includes a field of service desired by the user, providing the user with a list of one or more service providers stored in a service provider database which match the field of service desired by the user;
receiving a selection from the user for a selected service provider stored within the service provider database from a field of service desired by the user; and
connecting the user with the selected service provider for a live conversation via the voice transmission medium regarding the field of service desired by the user.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention overcomes the problems in the existing art described above by providing a method and apparatus for specifying and obtaining services through voice commands, via a voice portal, resulting in a live conversation between a user and a selected service provider. The present invention is a system through which seekers of a wide array of services can select, contact, converse, and pay for a service provider using a simple voice-transmission medium such as the telephone. The invention enables the seeker to locate a service provider by speaking the name of a profession, such as “psychiatrist,” which is recognized by the system'"'"'s voice-recognition software. In a similar fashion, the seeker can then specify by speaking aloud the price range, quality rating, language, and keyword descriptors of the service provider. Within the desired parameters, the system offers service providers who have made themselves available to render services at the present time. Once the appropriate available service provider is selected, the system connects the service seeker with the service provider for a live conversation. The system automatically bills the seeker for the time spent conversing with the service provider and compensates the service provider accordingly.
319 Citations
24 Claims
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1. A method comprising:
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receiving a voice request, via a voice-transmission medium, from a user seeking service providers from a wide array of fields of service;
when the voice request includes a field of service desired by the user, providing the user with a list of one or more service providers stored in a service provider database which match the field of service desired by the user;
receiving a selection from the user for a selected service provider stored within the service provider database from a field of service desired by the user; and
connecting the user with the selected service provider for a live conversation via the voice transmission medium regarding the field of service desired by the user. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9)
receiving a request from a service provider of a field of service for inclusion in the service provider database; and
when the service provider is approved for inclusion in the service provider database, generating a record in the service provider database, the record including provider information contained in the request.
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3. The method of claim 2, wherein the provider information includes one or more of a service price, real-time service provider availability, specific expertise of the service provider, languages spoken by the service provider and a quality rating for the service provider.
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4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:
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billing the user for the live conversation with the selected service provider; and
compensating the selected service provider for the live conversation with the user.
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5. The method of claim 4, wherein the billing the user further comprises:
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measuring a duration of the live conversation between the user and the selected service provider; and
calculating a billing amount for the user based on the duration of the live conversation and a time-based price charged by the selected service provider.
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6. The method of claim 4, wherein the billing the user further comprises:
calculating a billing amount for the user based on a flat fee charged by the service provider.
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7. The method of claim 1, wherein the voice request from the user includes one or more of a category of service providers, a service provider price, service provider availability, service provider specific expertise, service provider language and a service provider minimum quality rating.
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9. The method of claim 1, wherein following the connecting the user with the selected service provider, the method further comprises:
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once the live conversation between the user and the selected service provider is complete, prompting the user for a quality of service rating for services rendered by the service provider; and
recording the service rating provided by the user in the service provider database.
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8. The method of 1, wherein prior to the receiving the voice request, the method further comprises:
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receiving a request from a user for connection to a voice-portal service provider system via the voice transmission medium;
establishing a connection between the user and the voice-portal service provider system in order to provide the user with a live connection with a chosen service provider; and
providing the user with a list of the wide array of fields of service available from the voice portal service provider system.
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10. A computer readable storage medium including program instruction that directs a computer to function in a specified manner when executed by a processor, the program instructions comprising:
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receiving a voice request via a voice-transmission medium from a user seeking service providers from a wide array of fields of service;
when the voice request includes a field of service desired by the user, providing the user with a list of one or more service providers stored in a service provider database which match the field of service desired by the user;
receiving a selection from the user for a selected service provider stored within the service provider database from a field of service desired by the user; and
connecting the user with the selected service provider for a live conversation via the voice transmission medium regarding the field of service desired by the user. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
receiving a request from a service provider of a field of service for inclusion in the service provider database; and
when the service provider is approved for inclusion in the in the service provider database, generating a record in the service provider database, the record including provider information contained in the request.
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12. The computer readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein the provider information includes one or more of a service price, real-time service provider availability, specific expertise of the service provider, languages spoken by the provider and a quality rating for the service provider.
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13. The computer readable storage medium of claim 10, further comprising:
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billing the user for the live conversation with the selected provider; and
compensating the selected service provider for the live conversation with the user.
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14. The computer readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein the instruction for billing the user further comprises:
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measuring the duration of the live conversation between the user and the provider; and
calculating a billing amount for the user based on the duration of the live conversation and a time-based price charge by the provider.
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15. The computer readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein the instruction for billing the user further comprises:
calculating a billing amount for the user based on a flat fee price charge by the provider.
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16. The computer readable storage medium of claim 10, wherein the voice request from the user includes one or more of a category of service providers, a service provider price, service provider availability, service provider specific expertise, service provider language and a service provider minimum quality rating.
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17. The computer readable storage medium of claim 10, wherein prior to the instruction for receiving the voice request, the apparatus further comprises instructions of:
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receiving a request from a user for connection to a service provider system via the voice transmission medium; and
establishing a connection between the user and a service provider system in order to provider the user with a live connection with a chosen service provider; and
providing the user with a list of the wide array of fields of service available from the voice portal service provider system.
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18. The computer readable storage medium of claim 10, wherein following the instruction for connecting the user with the selected service provider, the apparatus further comprises instructions of:
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once the live conversation between the user and the selected service provider is complete, prompting the user for a quality of service rating for services rendered by the service provider; and
recording the service rating provided by the user in the service provider database.
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19. A voice portal service provider system comprises:
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a voice transmission medium to connect a user to the system;
a voice recognition engine for receiving a voice request from the user for a service provider stored in a service provider data base from a field of service desired by the user;
a processor to receive a selection from the user for a selected provider from the voice recognition engine, and connect the user with the selected service provider for a live conversation via the voice transmission medium regarding the field of service desired by the user. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
a system interface to provide the user with a list of fields of service providers available, accept a field of service desired by the user, provide the user with a list of one or more service providers stored in a service provider database which match the field of service desired by the user, and a receive a selection from the user for a selected provider.
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21. The system of claim 19, further comprising:
a provider interface for receiving a request from a service provider of a field of service for inclusion in the service provider database, and generate a record in the service provider database, the record including provider information contained in the request.
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22. The system of claim 21, wherein the provider information includes one or more of a service price, real-time service provider availability, specific expertise of the service provider, languages spoken by the service provider and a quality rating for the service provider.
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23. The system of claim 19, wherein voice transmission medium further comprises:
a public switched telephone network interface to connect a user to the system.
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24. The system of claim 19, wherein voice transmission medium further comprises:
a wireless communications network interface to connect a user to the system.
Specification