Technique for providing personalized information and communications services
First Claim
1. A system for providing a service in response to a communication comprising:
- a device configured to;
provide the service based on at least one profile selected from among a plurality of stored profiles having respective sets of preferences and respective priorities;
an interface configured to;
receive a request for the service, the request including an identifier associated with the communication; and
a processor configured to;
identify, based at least in part on the identifier, a first preference applicable in providing the requested service at a selected time, the first preference being stored in a first profile selected from among the plurality of stored profiles, and a second preference applicable in providing the requested service at the selected time, the second preference being stored in a second profile selected from among the plurality of stored profiles;
identify an inconsistency between the first preference in the first profile and the second preference in the second profile;
determine, from among the first profile and the second profile, a profile having a higher priority, based at least in part on a hierarchy established independently of data in the first profile or the second profile;
select the first preference or the second preference from the profile having the higher priority;
generate a reconciled profile different from the first and second profiles, the reconciled profile comprising the preference selected from the profile having the higher priority; and
provide the reconciled profile to the device.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A user may utilize a communication device, e.g., a wireless phone, mobile device or personal digital assistant (PDA), to contact an information/call center where an operator provides personalized information and communications services to the user in accordance with the invention. Such services include, e.g., providing listing information, contacts information, appointments information, etc. To provide effective connectivity, for example, when a user locates a phone number in his/her private directory using a web browser, the user may utilize a direct connect feature of the invention to initiate a phone call to the desired number over the Internet. In addition, the invention allows for delivery of the appointments information to the user not only via voice connection, but also SMS, email, facsimile, PDA, etc. It also allows for rendering a calendaring service in combination with such services as a TeleConcierge® service which helps the user to plan a future event, e.g., making a restaurant reservation. An appointment record concerning the future event is automatically incorporated into the user'"'"'s calendar once it is successfully planned. To personalize the services, at least one profile associated with the user is used which specifies the subscribed services and the preferred ways of receiving them. For example, the profile may specify use of a special skilled operator, methods of delivery of information to the user, etc.
404 Citations
31 Claims
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1. A system for providing a service in response to a communication comprising:
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a device configured to; provide the service based on at least one profile selected from among a plurality of stored profiles having respective sets of preferences and respective priorities; an interface configured to; receive a request for the service, the request including an identifier associated with the communication; and a processor configured to; identify, based at least in part on the identifier, a first preference applicable in providing the requested service at a selected time, the first preference being stored in a first profile selected from among the plurality of stored profiles, and a second preference applicable in providing the requested service at the selected time, the second preference being stored in a second profile selected from among the plurality of stored profiles; identify an inconsistency between the first preference in the first profile and the second preference in the second profile; determine, from among the first profile and the second profile, a profile having a higher priority, based at least in part on a hierarchy established independently of data in the first profile or the second profile; select the first preference or the second preference from the profile having the higher priority; generate a reconciled profile different from the first and second profiles, the reconciled profile comprising the preference selected from the profile having the higher priority; and provide the reconciled profile to the device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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7. A method for providing a service in response to a communication, the method comprising:
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receiving a request for the service, the request including an identifier associated with the communication; identifying, based at least in part on the identifier, a first preference applicable in providing the requested service at a selected time, the first preference being stored in a first profile selected from among a plurality of stored profiles having respective sets of preferences and respective priorities, and a second preference applicable in providing the requested service at the selected time, the second preference being stored in a second profile selected from among the plurality of stored profiles; identifying an inconsistency between the first preference in the first profile and the second preference in the second profile; determining, from among the first profile and the second profile a profile having a higher priority, based at least in part on a hierarchy established independently of data in the first profile or the second profile; selecting the first preference or the second preference from the profile having the higher priority; generating a reconciled profile different from the first and second profiles, the reconciled profile comprising the preference selected from the profile having the higher priority; and providing the service based on the reconciled profile. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A method for providing a service to a user of a communication device, the method comprising:
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receiving, from a user of a communication device, a request for a service, the request including an identifier associated with the communication device; identifying, based at least on the identifier, a first preference applicable in providing the requested service at a selected time, the first preference being stored in a first profile selected from among a plurality of stored profiles having respective sets of preferences and respective priorities and including at least one profile comprising preferences selected by a third party not associated with the user, and a second preference applicable in providing the selected service at the selected time, the second preference being stored in a second profile selected from among the plurality of stored profiles; identifying an inconsistency between the first preference in the first profile and the second preference in the second profile; determining, from among the first profile and the second profile a profile having a higher priority, based at least in part on a hierarchy established independently of data in the first profile or the second profile; selecting the first preference or the second preference from the profile having the higher priority; generating a reconciled profile different from the first and second profiles, the reconciled profile comprising the preference from the profile having the higher priority; and providing the service based on the reconciled profile. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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31. A method for providing a service in response to a communication, the method comprising:
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receiving a request for the service, the request including an identifier associated with the communication; identifying, based at least in part on the identifier, a first preference applicable in providing the requested service at a selected time from a first profile, and a second preference applicable in providing the service at the selected time, the first and second preferences being selected from a plurality of stored preferences, the profiles having respective priorities; identifying an inconsistency between the first preference and the second preference; selecting, from among the first preference and the second preference, the preference from the profile having a higher priority, based at least in part on a hierarchy established independently of data in the first profile or the second profile;
generating a different reconciled profile comprising the preference selected from the profile having higher priority; andproviding the service based on the selected preference.
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Specification