Telephone call initiation through an on-line search
DCFirst Claim
1. A method of telephone call initiation through an on-line search performed on a computing device, the method comprisingthe computing device receiving user entry of a search requestthe computing device transmitting the search requestthe computing device receiving a search response responsive to the search request, the search response includingat least one hit corresponding to the search requestan ad having a dial link, the dial link having a display portion for indicating availability of initiation of a phone call with a merchant associated with the dial linkinstructions for triggering a multi-leg phone call with a merchant phone number associated with the dial link and a user phone numberthe computing device displaying the search response including the display portion of the dial linkthe computing device recognizing user activation of the dial link, wherein the user activation includes the user clicking on the display portion of the dial link using an input devicethe computing device generating a call trigger in accordance with the instructions in the search response, the call trigger to initiate a multi-leg phone call with a user telephone associated with the user phone number and a merchant telephone associated with the merchant phone number, the user telephone and the merchant telephone separate and distinct from each other and separate and distinct from the computing device.
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Abstract
There are disclosed methods and apparatus for telephone call initiation through an on-line search. A search response includes at least one hit corresponding to a search request, an ad having a dial link, and instructions for triggering a multi-leg phone call with a merchant phone number associated with the dial link and a user phone number. The dial link has a display portion. The search response is displayed, and the dial link is activated. A call trigger is generated in accordance with the instructions in the search response. The call trigger is for initiating a multi-leg phone call with the user phone number and the merchant phone number.
103 Citations
60 Claims
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1. A method of telephone call initiation through an on-line search performed on a computing device, the method comprising
the computing device receiving user entry of a search request the computing device transmitting the search request the computing device receiving a search response responsive to the search request, the search response including at least one hit corresponding to the search request an ad having a dial link, the dial link having a display portion for indicating availability of initiation of a phone call with a merchant associated with the dial link instructions for triggering a multi-leg phone call with a merchant phone number associated with the dial link and a user phone number the computing device displaying the search response including the display portion of the dial link the computing device recognizing user activation of the dial link, wherein the user activation includes the user clicking on the display portion of the dial link using an input device the computing device generating a call trigger in accordance with the instructions in the search response, the call trigger to initiate a multi-leg phone call with a user telephone associated with the user phone number and a merchant telephone associated with the merchant phone number, the user telephone and the merchant telephone separate and distinct from each other and separate and distinct from the computing device.
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11. A method of telephone call initiation through an on-line search, the method comprising
a server receiving ad purchase data from a merchant over a network, the ad purchase data including an ad display condition, ad content information, a merchant on-line address and a merchant phone number the server receiving a search request sent by a search requester over the network via a computing device the server obtaining a search result over the network in response to the search request the server preparing a search response including one or more displayable hits a displayable ad based upon the ad content information, the ad further having a dial link, the dial link having a display portion for indicating availability of initiation of a phone call with a merchant associated with the dial link instructions for triggering a multi-leg phone call with the merchant phone number and a user phone number associated with a user telephone separate and distinct from the server and the computing device the server transmitting the search response over the network to the search requester.
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21. An apparatus for telephone call initiation through an on-line search comprising
a user input device a display device a processor a memory wherein the processor and the memory comprise circuits and software for receiving user entry of a search request transmitting the search request over a network receiving over the network a search response responsive to the search request, the search response including at least one hit corresponding to the search request an ad having a dial link, the dial link having a display portion for indicating availability of initiation of a phone call with a merchant associated with the dial link instructions for triggering a multi-leg phone call with a merchant phone number associated with the dial link and a user phone number displaying the search response including the display portion of the dial link recognizing user activation of the dial link, wherein the user activation includes the user clicking on the display portion of the dial link using an input device generating a call trigger in accordance with the instructions in the search response, the call trigger to initiate a multi-leg phone call with a user telephone associated with the user phone number and a merchant telephone associated with the merchant phone number, the user telephone and the merchant telephone separate and distinct from each other and separate and distinct from the computing device.
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31. An apparatus for telephone call initiation through an on-line search comprising
a user input device a display device a processor a memory wherein the processor and the memory comprise circuits and software for receiving ad purchase data from a merchant over a network, the ad purchase data including an ad display condition, ad content information, a merchant on-line address and a merchant phone number receiving a search request sent by a search requester over the network via a computing device obtaining a search result over the network in response to the search request preparing a search response including one or more displayable hits a displayable ad based upon the ad content information, the ad further having a dial link, the dial link having a display portion for indicating availability of initiation of a phone call with a merchant associated with the dial link instructions for triggering a multi-leg phone call with the merchant phone number and a user phone number associated with a user telephone separate and distinct from the server and the computing device transmitting the search response over the network to the computing device of the search requester.
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41. A computer program product for telephone call initiation through an on-line search, the computer program product stored on a machine readable medium comprising computer software having instructions for causing a processor to
receive user entry of a search request transmit the search request over a network receive a search response over the network responsive to the search request, the search response including at least one hit corresponding to the search request an ad having a dial link, the dial link having a display portion for indicating availability of initiation of a phone call with a merchant associated with the dial link instructions for triggering a multi-leg phone call with a merchant phone number associated with the dial link and a user phone number display the search response including the display portion of the dial link recognize user activation of the dial link, wherein the user activation includes the user clicking on the display portion of the dial link using an input device generate a call trigger in accordance with the instructions in the search response, the call trigger to initiate a multi-leg phone call with a user telephone associated with the user phone number and a merchant telephone associated with the merchant phone number, the user telephone and the merchant telephone separate and distinct from each other and separate and distinct from a computing device in which the processor is located.
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51. A computer program product for telephone call initiation through an on-line search, the computer program product stored on a machine readable medium comprising computer software having instructions which when executed cause a server to perform actions comprising
receiving ad purchase data from a merchant over a network, the ad purchase data including an ad display condition, ad content information, a merchant on-line address and a merchant phone number receiving a search request sent by a search requester over the network via a computing device obtaining a search result over the network in response to the search request preparing a search response including one or more displayable hits a displayable ad based upon the ad content information, the ad further having a dial link, the dial link having a display portion for indicating availability of initiation of a phone call with a merchant associated with the dial link instructions for triggering a multi-leg phone call with the merchant phone number and a user phone number associated with a user telephone separate and distinct from the server and the computing device transmitting the search response over the network to the search requester.
Specification