Technique for continually assisting a user during an information assistance call

• US 7,929,681 B2
• Filed: 04/27/2005
• Issued: 04/19/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/27/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Grape Technology Group Incorporated (KGB)
• Original Assignee: Grape Technology Group Incorporated (KGB)
• Inventors: Henry, Gary E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sing; Simon
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mohammed; Assad
• Application Number:
  US11/115,940
• Publication Number:
  US 20060245576A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,183 Days
• Field of Search: 37922101-223, 379/228, 37921801-21802
• US Class Current: 379/218.01
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/552 Call annotations
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42068 where the identifier is used to access a profile
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/493 Interactive information services, e.g. directory enquiries ; Arrangements therefor, e.g. interactive voice response [IVR] systems or voice portals

Abstract

A user may want to search for relevant information and/or conduct a transaction through an information assistance service. During an information assistance call, the user may return to an information assistance provider multiple times to accomplish the task at hand. To continually serve the user effectively, certain search results by previous information assistance providers are retained for the benefit of a future information assistance provider interacting with the user during the same call.

Claims

1. A method for providing an information assistance service, comprising:

receiving a call from a user, the call including an information assistance request;

conducting a search on a database in response to the request;

retrieving a result based on said search on said database including connection data for connecting said user to a communications device associated with a desired party;

connecting said user to said communications device associated with said desired party;

storing a result of the search in association with the call, wherein said information assistance request and said retrieved result of connection data for connecting said user to a communications device associated with said desired party constitutes an information exchange stored in said result;

reconnecting the user to an information assistance provider to further assist the user during the call;

retrieving the search result;

performing an analysis of the search result; and

further assisting the user based on the analysis, wherein the further assistance involves a second search, and wherein said assistance for the user being included as part of said information exchange stored in said result;

reviewing said information exchange in said stored result, corresponding to at least a portion of the call transcript to derive a context of said information assistance request, said context being derived from, but not explicitly contained in said information exchanges in the call, wherein said context relates to but is not the same as said information assistance request and said connection data for connecting said user to said communications device associated with said desired party; and

delivering at least one advertisement to said user based on said derived context.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the user is reconnected to the information assistance provider after detection of a predetermined signal initiated by the user.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the search result includes a telephone number associated with the desired party.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the analysis includes a reverse search on the telephone number.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the reverse search yields at least one of an address and a name of the desired party.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the information assistance request concerns a purchase of a product or a service.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the desired party includes a provider of the product or the service.

27. The method of claim 1, wherein said advertisement is sent in text format.

28. The method of claim 1, wherein said context relates to an anticipated event or location of said user based on said information assistance request.

29. The method of claim 1, wherein said advertisement is based on at least said derived context of said information assistance request and a user profile of said user.

8. A method for providing an information assistance service, comprising:

receiving a call from a user, the call including an information assistance request; and

performing the following one or more times;

(a) conducting a search on a database for a destination telephone number associated with a party desired by the user;

(b) retrieving a result based on said search on said database including connection data for connecting said user to a communications device associated with said desired party;

(c) connecting the user to said communications device associated with the destination telephone number;

(d) storing the destination telephone number in association with the call, wherein said information assistance request and said retrieved result of connection data for connecting said user to a communications device associated with said desired party constitutes an information exchange;

(e) reconnecting the user to an information assistance provider during the call;

(f) retrieving the destination telephone number;

(g) conducting a reverse search on the destination telephone number;

(h) assisting the user based on a result of the reverse search, wherein said reverse search being included as part of said stored information exchange; and

(i) reviewing said stored information exchange corresponding to at least a portion of a call transcript to derive a context of said information assistance request, said context being derived from, but not explicitly contained in said information exchanges in the call, wherein said context relates to but is not the same as said information assistance request and said connection data for connecting said user to said communication device associated with said desired party; and

(j) delivering at least one advertisement to said user based on said derived context.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the user is reconnected to the information assistance provider after detection of a predetermined signal initiated by the user.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the signal includes a signal resulting from the user'"'"'s pressing a predetermined key on the user'"'"'s telephone keypad.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the signal comprises a DTMF signal.

12. The method of claim 8 wherein the result of the reverse search includes at least one of an address of a name of the desired party.

13. The method of claim 8 wherein the information assistance request concerns a purchase of a product or a service.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the desired party includes a provider of the product or the service.

15. A system for providing an information assistance service, comprising:

an interface for receiving a call from a user, the call including an information assistance request;

a database, a search being conducted on the database in response to the request, in response to which said database provides a result based on said search including connection data for connecting said user to a communications device associated with a desired party;

storage for storing a result of the search in association with the call, wherein said information assistance request and said retrieved result of connection data for connecting said user to a communications device associated with said desired party constitutes an information exchange stored in said result;

a first mechanism for connecting the user to a communications device associated with a desired party;

a second mechanism for reconnecting the user to an information assistance provider to further assist the user during the call, the search result being retrieved from the storage;

a server for performing an analysis of the search result, the user being further assisted based on the analysis, wherein the further assistance involves a second search, and wherein said assistance for said user is included as part of said information exchange;

a mechanism for reviewing said information exchange in said stored result corresponding to at least a portion of a call transcript to derive a context of said information assistance request, said context being derived from, but not explicitly contained in said information exchanges in the call, wherein said context relates to but is not the same as said information assistance request and said connection data for connecting said user to said communication device associated with said desired party, and

a mechanism for delivering at least one advertisement to said user based on said derived context.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein the user is reconnected to the information assistance provider after detection of a predetermined signal initiated by the user.

17. The system of claim 15 wherein the search result includes a telephone number associated with the desired party.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein the analysis includes a reverse search on the telephone number.

19. The system of claim 18 wherein the reverse search yields at least one of an address and a name of the desired party.

20. The system of claim 15 wherein the information assistance request concerns a purchase of a product or a service.

21. The system of claim 20 wherein the desired party includes a provider of the product or the service.

30. The system of claim 15, wherein said advertisement is sent in text format.

31. The system of claim 15, wherein said context relates to an anticipated event or location of said user based on said information assistance request.

32. The system of claim 15, wherein said advertisement is based on at least said derived context of said information assistance request and a user profile of said user.

22. A system for providing an information assistance service, comprising:

an interface for receiving a call from a user, the call including an information assistance request; and

a processing unit configured to perform the following one or more times;

(a) conducting a search on a database for a destination telephone number associated with a party desired by the user;

(b) retrieving a result based on said search on said database including connection data for connecting a user to a communications device associated with said desired party;

(c) connecting the user to said communications device associated with the destination telephone number;

(d) storing the destination telephone number in association with the call, wherein said information assistance request and said retrieved result of connection data for connecting said user to a communications device associated with said desired party constitutes an information exchange;

(e) reconnecting the user to an information assistance provider during the call;

(f) retrieving the destination telephone number;

(g) conducting a reverse search on the destination telephone number; and

(h) assisting the user based on a result of the reverse search, wherein said assistance for said user being included as part of said information exchange stored in said result;

(i) reviewing said information exchange in said stored result corresponding to at least a portion of a call transcript to derive a context of said information assistance request, said context being derived from, but not explicitly contained in said information exchanges in the call, wherein said context relates to but is not the same as said information assistance request and said connection data for connecting said user to said communications device associated with said desired; and

(j) delivering at least one advertisement to said user based on said derived context.

23. The system of claim 22 wherein the user is reconnected to the information assistance provider after detection of a predetermined signal initiated by the user.

24. The system of claim 22 wherein the result of the reverse search includes at least one of an address of a name of the desired party.

25. The system of claim 22 wherein the information assistance request concerns a purchase of a product or a service.

26. The system of claim 25 wherein the desired party includes a provider of the product or the service.

33. A method for providing an information assistance service, comprising:

receiving a call from a user, the call including an information assistance request;

conducting a search on a database in response to the request and retrieving a result based on said search on said database including connection data for connecting said user to a communication device associated with a desired party;

storing at least a portion of the result of the search in association with the call;

storing at least a portion of the transcript of said information assistance request;

wherein said information assistance request and said retrieved result of connection data for connecting a user to a communications device associated with a desired party constitutes an information exchange;

reviewing said information exchange in said stored result, corresponding to at least a portion of the call transcript to derive a context of said information assistance request, said context being derived from, but not explicitly contained in said information exchanges in the call, wherein said context relates to but is not the same as said information assistance request and said connection data for connecting said user to said communication device associated with said desired party; and

delivering at least one advertisement to said user based on said derived context.