Method and apparatus for dial stream analysis

• US 7,158,623 B1
• Filed: 02/27/2002
• Issued: 01/02/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/27/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Verizon Data Services Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Kheradpir, Shaygan, D'Silva, Alin
• Primary Examiner(s): Hong; Harry S.
• Application Number:
  US10/084,002
• Time in Patent Office: 1,770 Days
• Field of Search: 379/201.01, 379/201.02, 379/32.01, 379/32.02, 379/32.03, 379/32.04, 379/207.02, 379/265.06, 379/265.07, 379/265.08, 379/266.1
• US Class Current: 379/201.01
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/2218 Call detail recording

Abstract

Interests of a person may be analyzed based on the dial stream to/from the person. When a call is being made to/from a person, signaling information from the dial stream is routed to an analysis server. Information in the signaling information, such as called party identifier and caller-id data, is retrieved and archived by the analysis server. Based on the information in the dial stream, a person'"'"'s interests may then be analyzed and provided to a recipient, such as a business. The person may be compensated in exchange for allowing their dial stream to be analyzed. In addition, businesses may also register with the analysis server.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving at least one analysis request from a requesting party;

receiving a request for a call connection from a calling party that differs from the requesting party to a called party, the call connection request being associated with the at least one analysis request;

recording dial stream information derived from the call connection request;

determining whether to establish the call connection;

recording dial stream information derived from the call connection while the call connection is established;

analyzing the recorded dial stream information derived from at least one of the call connection request and the call connection to generate a result for the at least one analysis request; and

providing the result to the requesting party.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the at least one analysis request is associated with at least one product or service.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the result for the analysis request determines a level of interest in the at least one product or service.

4. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

prior to providing the result to the requesting party, requesting permission to provide the result to the requesting party.

5. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

billing the requesting party for the result.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one analysis request is received as data transmitted over a data network.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the dial stream information includes a calling party number, a called party number, and a duration of the call connection.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the dial stream information includes a calling party identifier, a called party identifier, whether the call connection was established, and a duration of the call connection.

18. A computer readable medium storing instructions executable by a processor that when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform the method of claim 1.

6. A system comprising:

means for receiving at least one analysis request from a requesting party;

means for receiving a request for a call connection from a calling party that differs from the requesting party to a called party, the call connection request being associated with the at least one analysis request;

means for recording dial stream information derived from the call connection request;

means for determining whether to establish the call connection;

means for recording dial stream information derived from the call connection while the call connection is established;

means for analyzing the recorded dial stream information derived from at least one of the call connection request and the call connection to generate a result for the at least one analysis request; and

means for providing the result to the requesting party.

7. The system according to claim 6, wherein the at least one analysis request is associated with at least one product or service.

8. The system according to claim 7, wherein the result for the analysis request determines a level of interest in the at least one product or service.

9. The system according to claim 6, further comprising:

means for requesting permission to provide the result to the requesting party prior to providing the result to the requesting party.

10. The system according to claim 6, further comprising:

means for billing the requesting party for the result.

11. An apparatus comprising:

a receiver for receiving a request for a call connection from a calling party to a called party, the call connection request being associated with at least one analysis request;

a processor for determining whether to establish the call connection;

a recorder for recording dial stream information derived from the call connection request and for recording dial stream information derived from the call connection while the call connection is established;

an analyzer for analyzing the recorded dial stream information derived from at least one of the call connection request and the call connection to generate a result for the analysis request; and

a transmitter for providing the result to a requesting party that differs from the calling party.

12. The apparatus according to claim 11, further comprising:

a requester for requesting permission to provide the result to the requesting party prior to providing the result to the requesting party.

13. The apparatus according to claim 11, further comprising:

a billing system for billing the receiving party for the result.

14. A system for processing calls, comprising:

means for receiving a request to initiate a call from a calling party, including information sufficient to identify a device associated with a called party;

means for associating at least one analysis request with the call request;

means for recording dial stream information associated with the call;

means for analyzing the recorded dial stream information and producing a result of the analysis;

means for requesting permission to provide the result of the analysis to a recipient that differs from the calling party,

such that the result of the analysis is provided to the recipient in response to the analysis request.

19. A method comprising:

receiving a call connection request, the call connection request for a call connection between a first party and a second party, the first party permitting dial stream recording;

recording dial stream information associated with the call connection request in a record associated with the first party;

determining whether to establish the call connection;

recording dial stream information associated with the call connection in the record associated with the first party;

performing dial stream analysis using the record associated with the first party.

20. The method according to claim 19, further comprising:

providing a result of the dial stream analysis to a requesting party.

21. The method according to claim 20, further comprising:

requesting permission of the first party to provide the result to the requesting party prior to providing the result to the requesting party.

22. The method of claim 19, wherein the dial stream information includes a number of the first party, a number of the second party, and a duration of the call connection.

23. The method of claim 19, wherein the dial stream information includes a first party identifier, a second party identifier, whether the call connection was established, and a duration of the call connection.

24. A computer readable medium storing instructions executable by a processor that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform the method of claim 19.