System, method and computer program product for looking up business addresses and directions based on a voice dial-up session

• US 7,024,364 B2
• Filed: 03/09/2001
• Issued: 04/04/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/09/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Nuance Communications, Inc. (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Bevocal Incorporated (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Guerra, Lisa M., Joshi, Amol, Stone, Kevin, Tran, Steve, Berner, Mikael
• Primary Examiner(s): MCFADDEN, SUSAN IRIS
• Application Number:
  US09/802,493
• Publication Number:
  US 20020169611A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,852 Days
• Field of Search: 704/270, 704/275, 704/273, 379/67.1, 379/88.01, 379/88.02, 379/88.03, 379/88.04, 379/88.13, 379/88.16, 379/88.17, 379/88.19, 379/88.22
• US Class Current: 704/270
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/26 Speech to text systems G10L15/08 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/40 using speech recognition speech recognition per se G10L15/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/30 Determination of the location of a subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4936 Speech interaction details speech recognition per se G10L15/00

Abstract

A system, method and computer program product for determining an address of an entity based on a user location are disclosed. An utterance representative of an entity is initially received from a user. The entity associated with the utterance is then recognized using a speech recognition process. Next, a location of the user is determined. A query is performed to identify a plurality of locations associated with the entity. Based on the results of the query and the location of the user, it is ascertained which of the identified locations associated with the entity are in proximity to the location of the user.

Claims

1. A method for determining an address of an entity based on a user location, comprising:

determining a location associated with a user;

receiving input associated with an entity from the user;

performing a query to identify a plurality of locations of the entity;

ascertaining which of the identified locations of the entity are in proximity to the location associated with the user;

determining which of the identified locations of the entity is closest to the location associated with the user; and

facilitating communication between the user and at least one of the locations of the entity ascertained to be in proximity to the location associated with the user;

wherein the user is informed about the locations of the entity ascertained to be in proximity to the location associated with the user;

wherein the user is informed audibly via a speech recognition portal about the locations of the entity ascertained to be in proximity to the location of the user;

wherein the user is informed of at least one address associated with at least one of the locations of the entity ascertained to be in proximity to the location associated with the user;

wherein the user is permitted to select the location associated with the user from a set of locations associated with the users;

wherein the input associated with the entity includes input representative of criteria of the user, and wherein the locations of the entity ascertained to be in proximity to the location associated with the user satisfy the criteria of the user.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising receiving an utterance representative of the entity from the user.

3. The nicthod as recited in claim 2, further comprising recognizing the entity associated with the utterance using a speech recognition process.

4. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the speech recognition portal utilizes a network.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the location of the user is the current location of the user.

6. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein an origin address is determined utilizing at least one of speech recognition and a global positioning system.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the criteria of the user include at least one of:

a location of the entity currently holding a sale and a currently open location of the entity.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein directions from the location associated with the user to at least one of the identified locations of the entity ascertained to be in proximity to the location of the user are generated and delivered to the user.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising ranking the identified locations of the entity ascertained to be in proximity to the location associated with the user from closest to furthest from the location associated with the user.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising offering promotions to the user.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the promotions offered to the user are associated with one or more entities determined to be proximal to the location of the user.

12. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the entity is a destination name.

13. The method as recited in claim 12, wherein the destination name includes a category.

14. The method as recited in claim 12, wherein the destination name includes a brand name.

15. The method as recited in claim 12, wherein a destination address is identified based on the destination name utilizing a database that includes addresses associated with at least one of business names, brand names, and goods and services.

16. The method as recited in claim 15, wherein the database includes a categorization of the destination names.

17. A system including a computer program product embodied on a computer readable medium for determining an address of an entity based on a user location, comprising:

logic for determining a location associated with a user;

logic for receiving input associated with an entity from the user;

logic for performing a query to identify a plurality of locations of the entity;

logic for ascertaining which of the identified locations of the entity are in proximity to the location associated with the user;

logic for determining which of the identified locations of the entity is closest to the location associated with the user; and

logic for facilitating communication between the user and at least one of the locations of the entity ascertained to be in proximity to the location associated with the user;

wherein the user is informed about the locations of the entity ascertained to be in proximity to the location associated with the user;

wherein the user is informed audibly via a speech recognition portal about the locations of the entity ascertained to be in proximity to the location of the user;

wherein the user is informed of at least one address associated with at least one of the locations of the entity ascertained to be in proximity to the location associated with the user;

wherein the user is permitted to select the location associated with the user from a set of locations associated with the user;

wherein the input associated with the entity includes input representative of criteria of the user, and wherein the locations of the entity ascertained to be in proximity to the location associated with the user satisfy the criteria of the user.

18. A computer program product embodied on a computer readable medium for determining an address of an entity based on a user location, comprising:

computer code for detennining a location associated with a user;

computer code for receiving input associated with an entity from the user;

computer code for performing a query to identify a plurality of locations of the entity;

computer code for ascertaining which of the identified locations of the entity are in proximity to the location associated with the user;

computer code for determining which of the identified locations of the entity is closest to the location associated with the user; and

computer code foy facilitating communication between the user and at least one of the locations of the entity ascertained to be in proximity to the location associated with the user;

wherein the user is informed about the locations of the entity ascertained to be in proximity to the location associated with the user;

wherein the user is informed audibly via a speech recognition portal about the locations of the entity ascertained to be in proximity to the location of the user;

wherein the user is informed of at least one address associated with at least one of the locations of the entity ascertained to be in proximity to the location associated with the user;

wherein the user is permitted to select the location associated with the user from a set of locations associated with the user;

wherein the input associated with the entity includes input representative of criteria of the user, and wherein the locations of the entity ascertained to be in proximity to the location associated with the user satisfy the criteria of the user.