Communication assistance system and method

• US 7,072,643 B2
• Filed: 12/31/2002
• Issued: 07/04/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/02/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Grape Technology Group Incorporated (KGB)
• Original Assignee: Grape Technology Group Incorporated (KGB)
• Inventors: Pines, Robert, Baumeister, Christine, Blakeney, John
• Primary Examiner(s): LE, DANH C
• Application Number:
  US10/500,423
• Publication Number:
  US 20050037744A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,281 Days
• Field of Search: 455/414.1, 455/414.2, 455/412.1, 455/419, 455/425, 379/112.01, 379/142.01, 379/111, 379/114.01, 379/114.02
• US Class Current: 455/414.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/551 Call history recording a computer conference H04L12/1831
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/22 Automatic class or number identification arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/2218 Call detail recording
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/36 Statistical metering, e.g. recording occasions when traffic exceeds capacity of trunks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42068 where the identifier is used to access a profile
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42093 Notifying the calling party of information on the called or connected party
• 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

Abstract

The present invention is directed to a communication assistance system comprised of a first database (18) having a plurality of listings where each of the listings has at least one contact name and a corresponding contact number. A telephony hardware (12) is provided, configured to couple a telephone device (6) of a user to the system. A past requested listing table is also provided for at least one of the users of the system, configured to store past requested listings obtained from the database, as requested by the user. When the user contacts the system with the telephone device, the system recognizes the user and forwards the past requested listing table to an operator terminal of the system.

Claims

1. A communication assistance system comprising:

a first database having a plurality of listings therein, each of said listings having at least one contact name and a corresponding contact number;

a switching device configured to direct a communication from a telephone device of a user to said system; and

a past requested listing table for at least one of said users of said system, configured to store prior requested listings obtained from said database, as previously requested by said user, said prior requested listings stored in said past requested listing table each maintain a counter field corresponding to the number of times that a particular listing was requested by said user where a single entry for each particular listing requested by said user is stored with the total number of times said listing was requested is indicated in said counter field, and said prior requested listings also maintains a time and date field corresponding to the time and date at which a particular listing was requested by said user, including information corresponding to the last time and date said listing was requested by said user,

wherein when said user contacts said system with said telephone device, said system recognizes said user and, prior to said user making any directory search requests, retrieves at least a portion of said stored prior requested listings from said past requested listing table and delivers them to a customer service representative at an operator terminal of said system.

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

3. The communication assistance system according to claim 1, wherein said listings in said past requested listing table are assigned to a corresponding category field.

4. The communication assistance system according to claim 3, wherein said category fields include designations for any one of restaurants, personal contacts, airlines, hotels, movies and entertainment listings.

5. The communication assistance system according to claim 1, wherein said past requested listing table maintains a counter field, said counter filed configured to store the number of times said stored listings have been requested by said user.

6. The communication assistance system according to claim 5, further comprising a top requested listings sub-table configured to store and organize the most requested listings found in said past requested listing table.

7. A communication assistance system comprising:

a first database having a plurality of listings therein, each of said listings having at least one contact name and a corresponding contact number;

a switching device configured to direct a communication from a telephone device of a user to said system; and

a past requested listing table for at least one of said users of said system, configured to store prior requested listings, as previous requested by said user, said prior requested listings stored in said past requested listing table each maintain a counter field corresponding to the number of times that a particular listing was requested by said user where a single entry for each particular listing requested by said user is stored with the total number of times said listing was requested is indicated in said counter field, and said prior requested listings also maintains a time and date field corresponding to the time and date at which a particular listing was requested by said user, including information corresponding to the last time and date said listing was requested by said user,

wherein when said user contacts said system with said telephone device, said system recognizes said user and, prior to said user making any directory search requests, retrieves at least a portion of said stored prior requested listings from said past requested listing table.

8. The communication system as claimed in claim 7, wherein said past requested listing table is forwarded to an operator terminal of said system.

9. The communication system as claimed in claim 8, wherein said listing, stored on said past requested listing table is masked to said operator.

10. The communication system as claimed in claim 7, wherein said past requested listing table is transmitted to said telephone device of said user, wherein said user retrieves a listing contained in said past requested listing table stored in said telephone device of said user.

11. The communication system as claimed in claim 10, wherein said listings, masked in said first database remain masked when transmitted to said telephone device of said user.

12. The communication system as claimed in claim 7, wherein said past requested listing table further maintains a requester call number field corresponding to said user'"'"'s telephone number.

13. The communication system as claimed in claim 7, wherein said past requested listing table maintains a separate entry each time a particular listing is requested by said user.

14. The communication system as claimed in claim 7, wherein said past requested listing table further maintains a category field configured to indicate the category of said listing, stored in said past requested listing table.

15. The communication system as claimed in claim 14, wherein category field maintains a category indicator including any one of recreational, movies, restaurants, commercial stores, airlines, hotels, taxis and personal numbers.

16. The communication system as claimed in claim 14, wherein said past requested listing table further maintains a category rank field, configured to compute the ranks for each of said listings, based on the number of times a particular listing was requested by said user.

17. The communication system as claimed in claim 16, wherein said past requested listing table further maintains a top ranked requests sub-table configured to organize the most requested listings by said user, based on information from said category field.

18. The communication system as claimed in claim 17, wherein said top ranked requests sub-table is configured to store a specified number of most requested listing by said user for each category.

19. The communication system as claimed in claim 17, wherein said top ranked requests sub-table is updated periodically.

20. The communication system as claimed in claim 7, wherein said past requested listing table is configured to store said requested listings for a specified amount of time.

21. The communication system as claimed in claim 20, wherein said set amount of time is reset, each time a particular listing is requested by said user.

22. The communication system as claimed in claim 20, wherein said set amount of time is modified based on the number of times said listing is requested by said caller.

23. The communication system as claimed in claim 20, wherein said set amount of time is configured so as to achieve a desired target probability that a listing, requested by said user, is found on said past requested listing table.

24. The communication system as claimed in claim 7, wherein said past requested listing table adds listings related to said listings already stored on said past requested listing table.

25. The communication system as claimed in claim 7, wherein said past requested listing table updates periodically.

26. The communication system as claimed in claim 25, wherein said past requested listing table is updated manually by said user via any one of HTTP (Hyper Text Transfer Protocol), WAP (Wireless Application Protocol) and SMS (Short Message Service).

27. The communication system as claimed in claim 7, wherein said past requested listing table is billed to said user as an additional feature.

28. The communication system as claimed in claim 27, wherein said past requested listing table is billed to said user as an individual charge for each listing connected to from said past requested listing table.

29. The communication system as claimed in claim 27, wherein said past requested listing table is billed to said user as an overall charge for maintaining said past requested listing table.

30. The communication system as claimed in claim 27, wherein said past requested listing table is billed to said user based on the rate at which said past requested listing table is updated.

31. A method for operating a communication assistance system, said method comprising the steps of:

storing a plurality of listings in a first database, each of said listings having at least one contact name and a corresponding contact number;

directing a communication from a telephone device of a user to said system;

storing prior requested listings as previously requested by said user in a past requested listing table, said prior requested listings stored in said past requested listing table each maintaining a counter field corresponding to the number of times that a particular listing was requested by said user where a single entry for each particular listing requested by said user is stored with the total number of times said listing was requested is indicated in said counter field, and said prior requested listings also maintaining a time and date field corresponding to the time and date at which a particular listing was requested by said user, including information corresponding to the last time and date said listing was requested by said user,

wherein when said user contacts said system with said telephone device, said system recognizes said user and, prior to said user making any directory assistance requests, retrieves at least a portion of said stored prior requested listings from said past requested listing table.

32. The method as claimed in claim 31, further comprising the step of maintaining a category field in said past requested listing table configured to indicate the category of said listing, stored in said past requested listing table.

33. The method as claimed in claim 31, further comprising the step of maintaining a specified quantity of listings on said past requested listing table.

34. The method as claimed in claim 33, wherein said specified quantity of listings are maintained to as to achieve a desired target probability that a listing, requested by said user, is found on said past requested listing table.

35. The method as claimed in claim 31, further comprising the step of transmitting said past requested listing table to said telephone device of said user.

36. The method as claimed in claim 35, further comprising the step of retrieving a listing contained in said past requested listing table, stored in said telephone device of said user.

37. The method as claimed in claim 31, further comprising the step of adding listings to said past requested listing table, said added listings related to said listings stored on said past requested listing table.

38. The method as claimed in claim 31, further comprising the step of a user, manually updating said past requested listing table via any one of HTTP (HyperText Transfer Protocol), WAP (Wireless Application Protocol) and SMS (Short Message Service).

39. The method as claimed in claim 31, further comprising the step of masking said stored listing so that said user can not see the telephone number of the requested listing.

40. The method as claimed in claim 31, further comprising the step of masking said stored listing so that a customer service representative of said communication system can not see the telephone number of the requested listing.

41. The method as claimed in claim 31, further comprising the step of delivering a portion of said past requested listings to a customer service representative at an operator terminal of said system.