Technique for effectively controlling communication links to an information assistance service
First Claim
1. A method for use in a system for providing an information assistance service, the system including a switch, comprising:
- receiving a call from a user, the call being connected to the switch;
connecting the call to a communications device associated with a destination telephone number desired by the user; and
determining based on one or more criteria whether the call should continue to be connected to the switch in connecting the call to the communications device, thereby making available one or more features of the information assistance service after the call is connected to the communications device.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
It is typical that a user calls an information assistance service provider to request information, e.g., a destination telephone number desired by the user, and chooses to be connected to the destination number. It is also typical that the information assistance service provider offers enhanced assistance service features, e.g., a StarBack feature. In prior art, to provide the enhanced service features, the user'"'"'s call invariably continues to be connected to a servicing switch associated with the service provider after the user is connected to the destination number. To efficiently utilize the limited capacity of the servicing switch, in accordance with the invention, the user'"'"'s call may be selectively released from the servicing switch before the call is connected to the destination number. Such a call release depends on certain criteria for determining whether the user is a candidate for utilizing an enhanced service feature after the call is connected to the destination number.
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Citations
85 Claims
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1. A method for use in a system for providing an information assistance service, the system including a switch, comprising:
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receiving a call from a user, the call being connected to the switch; connecting the call to a communications device associated with a destination telephone number desired by the user; and determining based on one or more criteria whether the call should continue to be connected to the switch in connecting the call to the communications device, thereby making available one or more features of the information assistance service after the call is connected to the communications device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A method for use in a system for providing an information assistance service, the system including a switch, the method comprising:
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receiving a call from a user through a connection to the switch; offering one or more features of the information assistance service which involve the connection; connecting the call to a communications device associated with a destination telephone number desired by the user; and determining based on one or more criteria whether the connection should be released before the call is connected to the communications device, thereby terminating offering the one or more features. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45)
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46. A system for providing an information assistance service, the system comprising:
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a switch for receiving a call from a user, the call being connected to the switch; an interface for receiving a request for connecting the call to a communications device associated with a destination telephone number desired by the user; and a control unit responsive to the request for selectively continuing to connect the call to the switch, based on one or more criteria, to provide one or more features of the information assistance service. - View Dependent Claims (47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64)
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65. A system for providing an information assistance service, the system comprising:
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a switch for receiving a call from a user through a connection to the switch, one or more features of the information assistance service being offered which involve the connection; an interface for receiving a request for connecting the call to a communications device associated with a destination telephone number desired by the user; and a control unit responsive to the request for selectively releasing the connection based on one or more criteria before the call is connected to the communications device to terminate offering the one or more features. - View Dependent Claims (66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85)
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Specification