Communication assistance system and method

• US 8,036,365 B2
• Filed: 10/25/2007
• Issued: 10/11/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Grape Technology Group Incorporated (KGB)
• Original Assignee: Grape Technology Group Incorporated (KGB)
• Inventors: Pines, Robert, Baumeister, Christine, Blakeney, John, Marwell, Evan
• Primary Examiner(s): Elahee; MD S
• Application Number:
  US11/977,720
• Publication Number:
  US 20080123832A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,447 Days
• Field of Search: 379/88.16, 379 8818- 8821, 37920101-20102, 37921801-21802, 379/265.02, 379/223, 379/265.01, 455/414.3
• US Class Current: 379/218.01
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/00 Arrangements for metering, time-control or time indication ; Metering, charging or billing arrangements for voice wireline or wireless communications, e.g. VoIP
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/06 Recording class or number of calling , i.e. A-party or called party , i.e. B-party
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/41 Billing record details, i.e. parameters, identifiers, structure of call data record [CDR]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/44 Augmented, consolidated or itemized billing statement or bill presentation
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/51 for resellers, retailers or service providers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/58 based on statistics of usage or network monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/68 Payment of value-added services
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/80 Rating or billing plans; Tariff determination aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8038 Roaming or handoff
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8044 Least cost routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8228 Session based
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/6009 Personal information, e.g. profiles or personal directories being only provided to authorised persons
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/18 wireless networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/206 composed of PSTN and wireless network
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/01 Details of billing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0104 Augmented, consolidated or itemised billing statement, e.g. additional billing information, bill presentation, layout, format, e-mail, fax, printout, itemised bill per service or per account, cumulative billing, consolidated billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0152 General billing plans, rate plans, e.g. charge rates, numbering plans, rate centers, customer accounts
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0164 Billing record, e.g. Call Data Record [CDR], Toll Ticket[TT], Automatic Message Accounting [AMA], Call Line Identifier [CLI], details, i.e. parameters, identifiers, structure
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0188 Network monitoring; statistics on usage on called/calling number
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0196 Payment of value-added services, mainly when their charges are added on the telephone bill, e.g. payment of non-telecom services, e-commerce, on-line banking
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/2026 : Wireless network, e.g. GSM, PCS, TACS
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/32 : Involving wireless systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/34 : Roaming
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/42 : Least cost routing, i.e. provision for selecting the lowest cost tariff
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/54 : Resellers-retail or service providers billing, e.g. agreements with telephone service operator, activation, charging/recharging of accounts
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/74 : Rating aspects, e.g. rating parameters or tariff determination apects
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/7442 : Roaming
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/745 : Least cost routing, e.g. Automatic or manual, call by call or by preselection
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/7833 : Session based
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42008 : Systems for anonymous communication between parties, e.g. by use of disposal contact identifiers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42042 : Notifying the called party of information on the calling party details within substation equipment H04M1/57, signalling details H04Q3/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42068 : where the identifier is used to access a profile
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4211 : where the identifier is used to access a profile
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42153 : by subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4931 : Directory assistance systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4933 : with operator assistance
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4935 : Connection initiated by DAS system
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/51 : Centralised call answering arrangements requiring operator intervention , e.g. call or contact centers for telemarketing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/00 : Services specially adapted for wireless communication networks; Facilities therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 : Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/16 : Communication-related supplementary services, e.g. call-transfer or call-hold
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 : Accounting or billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/02 : Communication route or path selection, e.g. power-based or shortest path routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 56/00 : Synchronisation arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/00 : Wireless channel access
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/02 : Processing of mobility data, e.g. registration information at HLR [Home Location Register] or VLR [Visitor Location Register]; Transfer of mobility data, e.g. between HLR, VLR or external networks

Abstract

A communication assistance system is provided for accessing information corresponding to a plurality of subscribers. This system is comprised of a telephone switch for receiving calls from a plurality of requesters, a call center for routing each of said received calls to an operator terminal, and a first database configured to store said information corresponding to each of said subscribers. The system provides: a dynamically controlled closing prompt; an interface feature allowing subscribers to update their own information; a dial string translator for identifying service provider of the requester; a billing database for transferring call charges of the subscriber to the requester; a processor to notify subscribers to update their information; the ability to store license plate numbers of the subscribers; a masking feature that allows system to connect requester to subscriber without revealing subscriber'"'"'s mobile telephone number, a searchable database of subscriber information based on particular information found in the subscriber listing.

Claims

1. A method of operating a communication assistance system for providing access to information corresponding to a plurality of subscribers, said method comprising the steps of:

receiving communications from a plurality of requesters desiring to access said information corresponding to subscribers at a directory assistance system;

storing information in a listing database, corresponding to each of said subscribers, including a filed containing wireless phone numbers of a desired portion of said subscribers and information in a connect field, instructing said communication assistance system as to whether to mask said subscriber'"'"'s wireless phone number to said requester;

routing by said directory assistance system each of said received communications from said requester to a customer service representative terminal that has access to said database listing table, wherein said connect field further comprises information instructing said communication assistance system as to whether or not to mask said subscriber'"'"'s wireless phone number to said customer representative who is handling said request from said requester; and

connecting said requester to a desired subscriber'"'"'s wireless phone number, such that during a process that said requester is being connected, said connect field is examined to determine whether to disclose said subscriber'"'"'s wireless phone number to said requester.

2. The method in accordance with claim 1, further comprising the step of routing a received communication from each one of said requesters from a first center at said directory assistance system to a second center at said directory assistance system.

3. The method in accordance with claim 1, wherein said customer representative works at a telephone operator terminal.

4. The method in accordance with claim 1, wherein said customer service representative is an automated operator.

5. The method in accordance with claim 1, wherein said listing database further comprises a pre-announcement field that contains instruction information as to whether a subscriber requires to be notified of a requesters identification information before completing a communication from said requester to said subscriber.

6. The method in accordance with claim 5, further comprising the step of receiving instructions from said subscriber as to whether to accept a communication originated from said requester.

7. The method in accordance with claim 5, further comprising the step of receiving instructions from said subscriber as to whether to reject a communication originated from said requester.

8. The method in accordance with claim 7, further comprising receiving instructions from said subscriber to direct a communication from a requester directly to said subscriber'"'"'s voicemail.

9. The method in accordance with claim 7, further comprising storing in said listing database instructions from said subscriber to permanently reject all incoming communications from said individual requester.

10. The method in accordance with claim 7, further comprising the step of providing an automated response to said requester, when said communication is rejected by said subscriber.

11. The method in accordance with claim 7, further comprising the step of providing an automated response to said requester, when said communication is rejected by said subscriber.

12. The method in accordance with claim 9, further comprising the step of providing an automated response to said requester, when said communication is rejected by said subscriber.

13. The method in accordance with claim 7, further comprising the step of delivering a pre-recorded response to said requester, recorded by said subscriber, when said communication is rejected by said subscriber.

14. The method in accordance with claim 8, further comprising the step of delivering a pre-recorded response to said requester, recorded by said subscriber, when said communication is rejected by said subscriber.

15. The method in accordance with claim 9, further comprising the step of delivering a pre-recorded response to said requester, recorded by said subscriber, when said communication is rejected by said subscriber.