Method and apparatus for context based querying
First Claim
1. A computer implemented context-based retrieval method, comprising:
- storing information associated with subscribers and usable to determine contexts associated with an information request;
receiving from a requester an information request including identifying information associated with the requester;
comparing the requester identifying information to the information associated with subscribers to determine whether the requester is one of the subscribers for which information has been stored;
determining a context for the information request when it is determined that the requester is one of the subscribers for which information has been stored, wherein the context is determined based at least in part on the information associated with subscribers, including at least one of incoming calls to the requester and outgoing calls by the requester; and
providing the requester with a response to the information request, the response selected from stored contact information based on a condition associated with the determined context for the request.
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Accused Products
Abstract
This invention provides methods and apparatus for context based querying to more efficiently provide directory services. In particular, methods and apparatus for querying a database to resolve contact information, e.g., a phone number, based on the context of the query are provided. By querying based on context, the query may be searched using a smaller field of search. Moreover, a context based query allows private phone numbers to be provided when the context of the query has been authenticated and approved for disclosure of the private phone number. Thus, when processing a query for a phone number, the present invention evaluates the context of the query in addition to the query itself to determine what results to provide to a user.
76 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A computer implemented context-based retrieval method, comprising:
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storing information associated with subscribers and usable to determine contexts associated with an information request; receiving from a requester an information request including identifying information associated with the requester; comparing the requester identifying information to the information associated with subscribers to determine whether the requester is one of the subscribers for which information has been stored; determining a context for the information request when it is determined that the requester is one of the subscribers for which information has been stored, wherein the context is determined based at least in part on the information associated with subscribers, including at least one of incoming calls to the requester and outgoing calls by the requester; and providing the requester with a response to the information request, the response selected from stored contact information based on a condition associated with the determined context for the request. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 16)
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6. Apparatus for context-based retrieval, comprising:
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a first storage system for storing information associated with subscribers and usable to determine contexts associated with an information request; a second storage system for storing contact information; a receiver for receiving from a requester the information request including identifying information associated with the requester; a processor for comparing the requester identifying information to the information associated with subscribers to determine whether the requester is one of the subscribers for which information has been stored, and for determining a context for the request when it is determined that the requester is one of the subscribers for which information has been stored, wherein the context is determined based at least in part on the information associated with subscribers, including at least one of incoming calls to the requester and outgoing calls by the requester; and a transmitter for providing the requester with a response to the information request, the response selected from the stored contact information based on a condition associated with the determined context for the request. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A computer implemented system for context-based retrieval, comprising:
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means for storing information associated with subscribers and usable to determine contexts associated with an information request; means for receiving from a requester the information request including identifying information associated with the requester; means for comparing the requester identifying information to determine whether the requester is one of the subscribers for which information has been stored; means for determining a context for the request when it is determined that the requester is one of the subscribers for which information has been stored, wherein the context is determined based at least in part on the information associated with subscribers, including at least one of incoming calls to the requester and outgoing calls by the requester; and means for providing the requester with a response to the information request, the response selected from stored contact information based on a condition associated with the determined context for the request. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15)
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17. A computer implemented method, comprising:
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receiving an information request from a requester, the information request including query parameters; comparing requester identifying information to previously stored subscriber information to determine whether the requester is a service subscriber; determining a context for the information request when it is determined that the requester is a service subscriber, wherein the context is determined based at least in part on the previously stored subscriber information, and wherein the context indicates a geographic location associated with the requester; searching stored contact information using the query parameters and the context to identify matching contact information of the stored contact information; providing a response to the requester, the response including the matching contact information. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
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Specification