Mnemonic discovery and notification method, product, and apparatus

• US 7,120,236 B1
• Filed: 04/07/2001
• Issued: 10/10/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/15/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: MEC Management, LLC (Three Affiliated Tribes of the Fort Berthold Reservation, North Dakota)
• Original Assignee: Eric Schneider
• Inventors: Schneider, Eric
• Primary Examiner(s): Borissov, Igor N.
• Application Number:
  US09/681,448
• Time in Patent Office: 2,012 Days
• Field of Search: 705/1, 705/21, 705/26, 705/27, 705/400, 705/500, 379/211.01, 379/212.01, 379/213.01, 379/214.01, 379/354, 379/164, 379/88.19, 379/88.22, 379/142.06, 379/142.04, 379/93.23, 379/93.24, 379/112.01, 379/114.13, 379/201.01, 709/201, 709/203, 709/217, 709/218, 707/10, 707/100, 707/104.1, 455/445
• US Class Current: 379/201.01
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other groups of this subclass
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4211 where the identifier is used to access a profile
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4878 Advertisement messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5158 in combination with automated outdialling systems devices for signalling identity of wanted subscriber H04M1/26

Abstract

When any user request other than that of a phone number subscription request is received from a user, it may be determined whether a subscription request is offered to the user in response to the received request. When an offer is to be provided, a phone number subscription request may be offered either before, during, or after processing the received request.

Claims

1. A method for a provider notifying a telephone subscriber having a first telephone number of a second telephone number available for subscription, comprising:

generating by a processor in operative association with a communication network the second telephone number mnemonically related to said first phone number;

determining by a processor in operative association with said communication network that the second telephone number is available for subscription; and

,

notifying the telephone subscriber through said communication network of availability of the second telephone number wherein said generating step, said determining step, and said notifying step are initiated and performed by said provider with no input or request from the telephone subscriber.

2. The method, as set forth in claim 1, further including receiving a request from the telephone subscriber to one of a subscribe to and reserve the second telephone number in response to said notifying the telephone subscriber.

3. The method, as set forth in claim 1, wherein said notifying the telephone subscriber includes automatically pushing notification to the telephone subscriber in response to determining that the second telephone number is available for subscription.

4. The method, as set forth in claim 1, wherein said notifying the telephone subscriber includes at least one of a placing a phone call, sending a mailpiece, sending a network communication, and in response to receiving a communication from the subscriber wherein said communication is not a subscriber initiated request for an available telephone number.

5. The method, as set forth in claim 4, wherein said communication from the telephone subscriber is received from at least one of a telephone call, mailpiece, and network communication.

6. The method, as set forth in claim 5, wherein said mailpiece is one of a portable storage media, letter, postcard, and utility bill, said phone call is one of a voice, data, and fax, and said network communication is one of a URI, e-mail, bill, and web page data.

7. The method, as set forth in claim 1, further including generating said mnemonic relationship of the second telephone number from the first telephone number.

8. The method, as set forth in claim 7, wherein both the first telephone number and the second telephone number includes same digits and said mnemonic relationship of the second telephone number is a different order of said digits with respect to the first telephone number.

9. The method, as set forth in claim 7, wherein the first telephone number and the second telephone number includes a same amount of digits and said mnemonic relationship of the second telephone number differs by at least one digit with respect to the first telephone number.

10. The method, as set forth in claim 7, wherein said mnemonic relationship of said generated second telephone number is at least one of a contiguous, same area code, same central exchange, and same block of 10, 100, 1,000 or 10,000 numbers with respect to the first telephone number.

11. The method, as set forth in claim 1, wherein said notifying the telephone subscriber includes processing a telephone call in the communication network to the first telephone number.

12. The method, as set forth in claim 11, wherein said processing said phone call includes receiving dialed digits from a calling party corresponding to the first telephone number, placing a telephone call connection from said calling party through the communication network to a called party of the first telephone number, and communicating with said called party to determine whether said called party is interested in subscribing to the second telephone number.

13. The method, as set forth in claim 12, wherein said telephone call connection between said calling party and said called party is placed through one of a land line public switched telephone network, cellular network, AIN network, ATM, and IP telephony.

14. The method, as set forth in claim 12, wherein said calling party is one of a service provider, telephone operator, and directory assistance provider.

15. The method, as set forth in claim 12, wherein said communicating with said called party includes presenting a menu including options for one of a contacting said calling party and subscribing to the second phone number.

16. The method, as set forth in claim 15, further including receiving dialed digits entered by said calling party on a telephone keypad, said digits identifying a selected one of said options listed in said menu.

17. The method, as set forth in claim 15, further including receiving speech captured from said calling party, said captured speech identifying a selected one of said options listed in said menu.

18. The method, as set forth in claim 1, further including receiving from the telephone subscriber a filter list having the second telephone number before determining whether the second telephone number is available for subscription.

19. The method, as set forth in claim 18, wherein said determining that the second telephone number is available for subscription includes comparing the second phone number to said filter list.

20. A method for a provider notifying one or more telephone subscribers comprising:

generating by a processor in operative association with a communication network a first list having at least one telephone number determined available for subscription;

generating by a processor in operative association with said communication network a second list having at least one subscriber telephone number and contact information for each said telephone subscriber wherein each said subscriber telephone number is mnemonically related to said at least one telephone number available for subscription; and

,

notifying said one or more telephone subscribers corresponding to said second list through said communication network, the availability of said at least one available telephone number from said second list mnemonically related to said at least one subscriber telephone number from said first list wherein said generating steps and said notifying step are initiated and performed by said provider with no input or request from the one or more telephone subscribers.

21. A method for a provider notifying one or more telephone subscribers comprising:

discovering by a processor in operative association with a communication network that a first telephone number is available for subscription;

generating by a processor in operative association with said communication network one or more second telephone numbers that are mnemonically related to said first telephone number;

determining by a processor in operative association with said communication network that at least one second phone number is not available for subscription, said at least one second phone number corresponding to the one or more telephone subscribers; and

,

notifying the one or more telephone subscribers through said communication network, the availability of said first phone number wherein said discovering step, said generating step, said determining step, and said notifying step are initiated and performed by said provider with no input or request from the one or more telephone subscribers.