System and method for gathering information related to a geographical location of a callee in a public switched telephone network

• US 7,139,374 B1
• Filed: 07/23/2002
• Issued: 11/21/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/23/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Scott, David, Gao, Xiaofeng
• Primary Examiner(s): TRAN, QUOC DUC
• Application Number:
  US10/201,042
• Time in Patent Office: 1,582 Days
• Field of Search: 379/142.01, 379/142.06, 379/142.1, 379/142.11, 379/142.15, 379/88.11, 379/88.25, 379/67.1, 379/201.06, 379/201.07, 379/207.12, 379/207.14, 455/414.1, 455/414.2, 455/414.3, 455/415
• US Class Current: 379/142.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2535 adapted for voice communication over an Internet Protocol [IP] network Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) network equipment and services H04M7/006; implementation or adaptation of Internet protocol [IP], of transmission control protocol [TCP] or of user datagram protocol [UDP] H04L69/16
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/56 Arrangements for indicating or recording the called number at the calling subscriber's set
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/575 Means for retrieving and displaying personal data about calling party
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/00 Arrangements for metering, time-control or time indication ; Metering, charging or billing arrangements for voice wireline or wireless communications, e.g. VoIP
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/04 Recording calls , or communications in printed, perforated or other permanent form
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/43 Billing software details
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/55 for hybrid networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/56 for VoIP communications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/58 based on statistics of usage or network monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/63 based on the content carried by the session initiation protocol [SIP] messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8292 Charging for signaling or unsuccessful connection
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/90 using Intelligent Networks [IN] or Advanced Intelligent Networks [AIN]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/016 Billing using Intelligent Networks [IN] or Advanced Intelligent Networks [AIN]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0188 Network monitoring; statistics on usage on called/calling number
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/202 VoIP; Packet switched telephony
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/2046 Hybrid network
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/15 Information service where the information is dependent on the location of the subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/30 Determination of the location of a subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42042 Notifying the called party of information on the calling party details within substation equipment H04M1/57, signalling details H04Q3/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42093 Notifying the calling party of information on the called or connected party
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42348 : Location-based services which utilize the location information of a target
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/006 : Networks other than PSTN/ISDN providing telephone service, e.g. Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) , including next generation networks with a packet-switched transport layer H04L65/00 takes precedence; aspects not specific to the type of network H04M3/00; special services in those networks H04M3/42
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/025 : using location based information parameters

Abstract

In a telecommunication system having at least two communicants (i.e., a caller and a callee), a system and method are presented for collecting information associated with the geographical location of either of the communicants. In one embodiment, the approach entails receiving a geographical location corresponding to a public switched telephone network (PSTN) telephone number, and collecting geographical location information associated with the received geographical location.

Claims

1. A data-gathering system, comprising:

a geographical location identification server configured to receive an instruction having a telephone number, wherein the telephone number is associated with an incoming telephone call to a callee, wherein the geographical location identification server is further configured to correlate the telephone number to geographical location identification information in response to the received instruction, wherein the geographical location identification server is further configured to transmit the correlated geographical location identification information, and wherein the geographical location identification information is configured to identify a geographic location;

a geographical location descriptive information server having geographical location description information associated with the correlated geographical location identification information, wherein the geographical location description information is configured to indicate at least one occurrence that occurs proximate to the geographic location; and

a computer system configured to receive the transmitted correlated geographical location identification information from the geographical location identification server, wherein the computer system is further configured to collect geographical location description information from the geographical location descriptive information server, wherein the geographical location description information is associated with the received geographical location identification information.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the geographical location identification server comprises a database comprising a plurality of telephone numbers, wherein the database further comprises a plurality of geographical location identification information wherein each of the plurality of telephone numbers correlates to one of the plurality of geographical location identification information.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the geographical location descriptive information server comprises a database having a plurality of news reports related to occurrences that occur proximate to at least one geographic location, wherein each of the plurality of news reports is a news report on a different geographical location.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the geographical location descriptive information server comprises a database having a plurality of information on sporting events that occur proximate to at least one geographic location, wherein each of the plurality of information on sporting events is a associated with a different geographical location.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the geographical location descriptive information server comprises a database having a plurality of weather reports related to weather occurrences that occur proximate to at least one geographic location, wherein each of the plurality of weather reports is a weather report on a different geographical location.

6. A data-gathering device, comprising:

geographical location identification logic configured to receive geographical location identification information corresponding to a telephone number, wherein the geographical location identification logic is configured to receive the geographical location information in response to an outgoing telephone call from a caller on a telephone, and wherein the geographical location identification information is configured to identify a geographic location; and

geographical location description information collection logic configured to use the received geographical location identification information to collect geographical location description information associated with the received geographical location identification information, wherein the geographical location description information is configured to indicate at least one occurrence that occurs proximate to the geographic location.

7. The device of claim 6, wherein the geographical location identification information further corresponds to an area code of the telephone number.

8. The device of claim 6, wherein the geographical location description information collection logic is further configured to collect local news related to at least one occurrence that occurs proximate to the geographical location and is associated with the received geographical location identification information.

9. The device of claim 6, wherein the geographical location description information collection logic is further configured to collect a local weather report related to at least one weather occurrence that occurs proximate to the geographical location and is associated with the received geographical location identification information.

10. The device of claim 6, wherein the geographical location description information collection logic is further configured to collect a local time associated with the received geographical location identification information.

11. The device of claim 6, wherein the geographical location description information collection logic is further configured to collect information on local sporting events related to at least one sporting occurrence that occurs proximate to the geographical location and is associated with the received geographical location identification information.

12. A data-gathering method, comprising the steps of:

receiving geographical location identification information in response to an outgoing telephone call from a caller on a telephone, wherein the geographical location identification information corresponds to a telephone number of the telephone, and wherein the geographical location identification information is configured to identify a geographic location; and

using the geographical location identification information to collect geographical location description information associated with the received geographical location identification information, wherein the geographical location description information is configured to indicate at least one occurrence that occurs proximate to the geographic location.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the step of collecting geographical location description information comprises the step of requesting geographical location description information from an information server.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the step of collecting geographical location description information comprises the step of requesting a local weather report related to at least one weather occurrence that occurs proximate to the geographical location, wherein the local weather report is associated with the received geographical location identification information.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the step of collecting geographical location description information comprises the step of requesting a local news report related to at least one occurrence that occurs proximate to the geographical location, wherein the local news report is associated with the received geographical location identification information.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein the step of collecting geographical location description information comprises the step of requesting a local time associated with the received geographical location identification information.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein the step of collecting geographical location description information comprises the step of requesting information on local sporting events that occur proximate to the geographical location, wherein the information on local sporting events is associated with the received geographical location identification information.

18. A data-gathering system, comprising:

means for receiving geographical location identification information in response to an outgoing telephone call from a caller on a telephone, wherein the geographical location identification information corresponds to a telephone number of the telephone, and wherein the geographical location identification information is configured to identify a geographic location; and

means for collecting geographical location description information associated with the received geographical location identification information, wherein the geographical location description information is configured to indicate at least one occurrence that occurs proximate to the geographic location.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the means for collecting geographical location description information comprises means for requesting geographical location description information from an information server.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein the means for collecting geographical location description information comprises means for requesting a local weather report related to at least one weather occurrence that occurs proximate to the geographical location, wherein the local weather report is associated with the received geographical location identification information.

21. The system of claim 18, wherein the means for collecting geographical location description information comprises means for requesting a local news report related to at least one occurrence that occurs proximate to the geographical location, wherein the local news report is associated with the received geographical location identification information.

22. The system of claim 18, wherein the means for collecting geographical location description information comprises means for requesting a local time associated with the received geographical location identification information.

23. The system of claim 18, wherein the means for collecting geographical location description information comprises means for requesting information on local sporting events related to at least one sporting occurrence that occurs proximate to the geographical location, wherein the information on local sporting events is associated with the received geographical location identification information.