System and method of event triggered voice call origination

• US 8,260,679 B2
• Filed: 08/31/2005
• Issued: 09/04/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Unwired Asset Management LLC (IPValuation Partners, LLC)
• Original Assignee: UnWired Nation, Inc.
• Inventors: Smith, Charles Eric, Tooley, Chris, Walker, Lanny Wayne, Butcher, James Edward, Zuniga, Roy Stacey
• Primary Examiner(s): FADOK, MARK A
• Application Number:
  US11/216,584
• Publication Number:
  US 20070050304A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,561 Days
• Field of Search: 705/26, 705/27, 705/26.3, 705/37
• US Class Current: 705/26.3
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3674 involving authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/08 Auctions
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0861 using biometrical features, e.g. fingerprint, retina-scan cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using biological data H04L9/3231

Abstract

A method of selective call initiation is disclosed and includes receiving data from a computer based auction site. Further, the method includes detecting a notification event by evaluating the data with respect to notification criteria associated with a user account. Also, the method includes initiating a voice based call over a voice network to a communication device identified in connection with the user account. A system is also disclosed and includes a first processing element that is coupled to a network interface to receive data from a computer based auction site. Also, the system includes a second processing element to detect a notification event by evaluating the data with respect to notification criteria associated with a user account. Moreover, the system includes a third processing element to initiate an outgoing voice based call over a voice network to a communication device identified in connection with the user account.

Claims

1. A method of selective call initiation at a monitoring system comprising one or more processors, the method comprising:

receiving data related to an auction from a computer based auction site at the monitoring system;

detecting a notification event by evaluating the data with respect to notification criteria associated with a user account using the one or more processors;

sending a pre-notification message to a user, wherein the pre-notification message specifies a time that an interaction with the user is scheduled, a subject of the interaction, a bid status, an auction status and a time remaining for the auction, and wherein the pre-notification message is one of a short messaging system (SMS) message, an email message and an alphanumeric paging message; and

initiating, at the time specified in the pre-notification message, a voice based call over a voice network to a communication device identified in connection with the user account using the one or more processors, wherein the voice based call is initiated from a telephone number that is selected from a plurality of telephone numbers, wherein each telephone number of the plurality of telephone numbers is associated with one of a plurality of computer based auction sites, and wherein the selected telephone number is included in caller identification information that is communicated via the voice based call.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining whether a transaction associated with the notification event is complete using the one or more processors.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising providing account information associated with the user account to the computer based auction site using the one or more processors.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the account information includes user identification data.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

configuring a plurality of user accounts associated with the user, each user account of the plurality of user accounts associated with a particular computer based auction site of the plurality of computer based auction sites;

configuring one or more notification events associated with the plurality of computer based auction sites; and

managing one or more user sessions at the plurality of computer based auction sites.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

receiving inputs from at least one of the plurality of computer based auction sites;

translating the received inputs into at least one audible menu; and

communicating the at least one audible menu to the user.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the voice network provides a communication path that supports a voice notification and wherein the voice notification is provided by an interactive voice response module.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the voice notification further includes a non-voice audio signal.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the voice notification indicates an auction event associated with an auction item in which a user had previously placed a bid.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the auction event indicates that a party other than the user has outbid the user with respect to the auction item.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the auction event indicates the time remaining for the auction.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the time remaining is less than ten minutes.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the time remaining is less than six minutes.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the time remaining is about three minutes.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the notification criteria includes a set of rules associated with the user account.

16. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving compensation from the computer based auction site for facilitating at least one completed transaction.

17. A system comprising:

a first processing element coupled to a network interface to receive data from a computer based auction site;

a second processing element to detect a notification event by evaluating the data with respect to notification criteria associated with a user account;

a third processing element to initiate an outgoing voice based call over a voice network to a communication device identified in connection with the user account, wherein the outgoing voice based call is initiated from a telephone number that is selected from a plurality of telephone numbers, wherein each telephone number of the plurality of telephone numbers is associated with one of a plurality of computer based auction sites, wherein the third processing element communicates with a caller authentication module, and wherein the caller authentication module authenticates at least one user associated with the notification event; and

a fourth processing element to receive compensation from the computer based auction site for facilitating at least one completed transaction.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the authentication is performed based on a personal identification number received from the at least one user.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein the authentication is performed based on a biometric input received from the at least one user.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the biometric input includes at least one of the following:

a voice input, a fingerprint scan, a palm scan, an iris scan, a retinal scan, facial mapping, and infrared pattern matching.

21. The system of claim 17, wherein the authentication is performed using a physical token device.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the physical token device is a passkey or a universal serial bus dongle.

23. The system of claim 17, wherein the caller authentication module is part of a third party identification verification system.

24. The system of claim 17, further comprising a caller rules database that includes data associated with contacting the at least one user.

25. The system of claim 17, wherein the network interface is coupled to a distributed computer network and wherein a call processing element is coupled to the voice network via the distributed computer network.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein the voice network includes a voice over internet protocol component and a wireless component.

27. The system of claim 26, wherein the voice over internet protocol component is accessible via the distributed computer network.

28. The system of claim 27, wherein the distributed computer network is the Internet.

29. A system comprising:

a first processing element coupled to a network interface to receive data from a computer based auction site, the data corresponding to a plurality of different auctions associated with a corresponding plurality of auction items;

a second processing element to detect notification events by evaluating the data with respect to notification criteria associated with user auction rules associated with a plurality of user accounts and to send a pre-notification message to at least one user, the pre-notification message specifying a time when the at least one user will be contacted;

a third processing element responsive to the second processing element to initiate, at the time specified in the pre-notification message, outgoing voice based calls over a voice network to communication devices identified in connection with specific user accounts, the outgoing voice based calls initiated in response to detected notification events, the outgoing voice based calls initiated from a telephone number that is selected from a plurality of telephone numbers, wherein each telephone number of the plurality of telephone numbers is associated with one of a plurality of computer based auction sites, wherein the third processing element communicates with a caller authentication module to authenticate the at least one user associated with the detected notification events; and

a fourth processing element to receive compensation from the computer based auction site for facilitating at least one completed transaction.

30. The system of claim 29, wherein the first processing element comprises:

a processor;

a computer readable medium accessible to the processor; and

an account registration module embedded within the computer readable medium, wherein the account registration module is accessible to establish the plurality of user accounts.

31. The system of claim 30, wherein the first processing element further comprises an account management module embedded within the computer readable medium, wherein the account management module is accessible to manage the plurality of user accounts.

32. The system of claim 29, wherein the second processing element further comprises:

a processor;

a computer readable medium accessible to the processor; and

a dialing event management module embedded within the computer readable medium, wherein the dialing event management module establishes at least one telephone call with the at least one user associated with the detected notification events.

33. The system of claim 32, wherein the second processing element further comprises a dual tone multi-frequency (DTMF) event recognition module embedded within the computer readable medium, wherein the DTMF event recognition module decodes one or more DTMF inputs received at the second processing element from a user telephone associated with the at least one user.

34. The system of claim 29, wherein the third processing element comprises:

a processor;

a computer readable medium accessible to the processor; and

a notification event handling module embedded within the computer readable medium.

35. The system of claim 34, wherein the third processing element further comprises a storage module embedded within the computer readable medium, wherein the storage module stores a plurality of audio notifications associated with the plurality of user accounts.

36. The system of claim 29, further comprising a database in communication with at least one of the first processing element, the second processing element, and the third processing element, wherein the database includes at least one of user registration data, watch list data, site specific credentials data, transaction history data, historical price data, historical availability data, event trigger data, contact rules data, and caller rules data.

37. The system of claim 36, further comprising a data miner in communication with the database, wherein the data miner comprises:

a processor;

a computer readable medium accessible to the processor; and

a historical price analysis module embedded within the computer readable medium, wherein the historical price analysis module selectively analyzes the historic price data to determine one or more price trends.

38. The system of claim 37, wherein the data miner further comprises a historical availability analysis module, wherein the historical availability analysis module selectively analyzes the historic availability data to determine one or more availability trends.

39. The system of claim 38, wherein the data miner further comprises an event trigger analysis module, wherein the event trigger analysis module selectively analyzes the event trigger data to determine at least one of the following:

one or more most received event triggers, one or more least received event triggers, one or more most successful event triggers, and one or more least successful event triggers.

40. The system of claim 39, wherein the data miner further comprises a user transaction history analysis module, wherein the user transaction history analysis module selectively analyzes transaction history data for at least one of the plurality of user accounts in order to determine at least one of the following:

a number of completed transactions, a number of failed transactions, a number of pending transactions, and a number of billed transactions.

41. The system of 37, wherein the data miner interacts with the plurality of computer based auction sites to update the database.

42. A method of selective call initiation at a monitoring system comprising one or more processors, the method comprising:

receiving data including product availability data from an electronic commerce site of a plurality of electronic commerce sites at the monitoring system;

detecting a notification event using the one or more processors by evaluating the product availability data with respect to notification criteria associated with a user account;

sending a pre-notification message to a user, the pre-notification message specifying a time when the user will be contacted;

initiating, at the time specified in the pre-notification message, an outgoing voice based call over a voice network to a communication device identified in connection with the user account, wherein the outgoing voice based call is initiated from a telephone number that is selected from a plurality of telephone numbers, and wherein each telephone number of the plurality of telephone numbers is associated with one of the plurality of electronic commerce sites;

authenticating a user associated with the user account using the one or more processors; and

receiving compensation from the electronic commerce site or from an owner or operator thereof, for facilitating at least one completed transaction.

43. The method of claim 42, further comprising indicating to the user associated with the user account via the outgoing voice based call that a product associated with the product availability data is available for purchase.

44. The method of claim 43, further comprising transmitting a current price of the product via the outgoing voice based call.

45. The method of claim 44, wherein the product is a limited quantity product.

46. The method of claim 44, further comprising prompting the user to purchase the product using the one or more processors.

47. The method of claim 46, further comprising transmitting payment information to the electronic commerce website using the one or more processors.

48. A system comprising:

a first processing element coupled to a network interface to receive data including product availability data from an electronic commerce site of a plurality of electronic commerce sites;

a second processing element to detect a notification event by evaluating the data with respect to notification criteria associated with a user account and to send a pre-notification message to a user, the pre-notification message specifying a time when the user will be contacted;

a third processing element to initiate, at the time specified in the pre-notification message, an outgoing call over a voice network to a communication device identified in connection with the user account, wherein the outgoing call is initiated from a telephone number that is selected from a plurality of telephone numbers, wherein each telephone number of the plurality of telephone numbers is associated with one of the plurality of electronic commerce sites, and wherein the electronic commerce site pays compensation in connection with a user action made during one or more calls established by the third processing element; and

a fourth processing element to receive compensation from the electronic commerce site, or from an owner or operator thereof, for facilitating at least one completed transaction.

49. The system of claim 48, wherein the electronic commerce site pays compensation using an affiliate payment plan.

50. The system of claim 48, wherein a percentage of total calls established by the third processing element are compensated calls where the at least one electronic commerce site pays compensation.

51. The system of claim 50, wherein the percentage of compensated calls compared to total calls established by the third processing element is greater than a targeted percentage.

52. The system of claim 51, wherein the targeted percentage is selected from the group comprising:

ten percent, twenty percent, and fifty percent.

53. A method of contacting a user regarding an auction website of a plurality of auction websites from a monitoring system comprising one or more processors, the method comprising:

detecting a notification event by evaluating received data with respect to notification criteria associated with a user account using the one or more processors;

initiating a voice call to the user over a voice carrier network, wherein the voice call is initiated from a telephone number that is selected from a plurality of telephone numbers, wherein each telephone number of the plurality of telephone numbers is associated with one of the plurality of auction websites;

transmitting an audio greeting;

receiving a personal identification number (PIN) from the user at the monitoring system;

authenticating the PIN using the one or more processors;

transmitting an audio auction announcement;

transmitting a current price;

indicating whether or not the user is a high bidder using the one or more processors; and

receiving compensation from the auction website, or from an owner or operator thereof, for facilitating at least one completed transaction.

54. The method of claim 53, further comprising transmitting a time remaining indicator via the voice call.

55. The method of claim 54, further comprising prompting the user to increase a bid using the one or more processors when the user is not the high bidder.

56. The method of claim 55, further comprising:

retrieving a bid increment from the auction website using the one or more processors when the user indicates to increase the bid; and

transmitting the bid increment to the user from the monitoring system.

57. The method of claim 56, further comprising communicating an increased bid to the auction website from the monitoring system.

58. The method of claim 57, further comprising receiving a response at the monitoring system from the auction website based on the increased bid.

59. The method of claim 58, further comprising indicating, using the one or more processors, whether the bid is successful and whether the user is outbid.

60. The method of claim 54, wherein the voice carrier network includes at least one of the following:

a cellular telephone network, a mobile telephone network, a public switched telephone network, and a voice over internet protocol telephone network.

61. The method of claim 54, wherein the audio auction announcement includes at least one of the following:

an auction number, a category, a sub-category, and an item name.

62. A method of contacting a user from a monitoring system to provide information related to a product available at an e-commerce website of a plurality of e-commerce websites, the monitoring system comprising one or more processors, the method comprising:

detecting a notification event by evaluating received data with respect to notification criteria associated with a user account using the one or more processors;

sending a pre-notification message to the user, the pre-notification message specifying a time when the user will be contacted;

initiating a voice call to the user, at the time specified in the pre-notification message, over a telephone network, wherein the voice call is initiated from a telephone number that is selected from a plurality of telephone numbers, wherein each telephone number of the plurality of telephone numbers is associated with one of the plurality of e-commerce websites;

transmitting an audio greeting to the user;

receiving an authentication input from the user at the monitoring system;

authenticating the user using the one or more processors based on the authentication input;

transmitting an audio announcement associated with an available product;

transmitting a current price of the available product; and

receiving compensation from the e-commerce website, or from an owner or operator thereof, for facilitating a completed transaction.

63. The method of claim 62, further comprising prompting the user from the monitoring system to determine whether the user wants to purchase the available product.

64. The method of claim 63, further comprising transmitting payment information to the e-commerce website from the monitoring system when the user indicates to purchase the available product.

65. The method of claim 64, wherein payment is made using an existing user-defined payment option at the e-commerce website.

66. The method of claim 65, wherein the existing user-defined payment option is a one click payment option.

67. The method of claim 64, further comprising indicating to the user that the available product is purchased using the one or more processors.

68. The method of claim 67, further comprising billing the e-commerce website for the completed transaction before receiving the compensation from the e-commerce website for facilitating the completed transaction.

69. The method of claim 67, further comprising receiving credit from the e-commerce website through an affiliate billing program.

70. The method of claim 62, wherein the telephone network includes at least one of a cellular telephone network, a mobile telephone network, a public switched telephone network, and a voice over Internet protocol telephone network.