System and method for facilitating privacy in directory assistance communications

• US 8,325,904 B2
• Filed: 08/14/2008
• Issued: 12/04/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/17/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Grape Technology Group Incorporated (KGB)
• Original Assignee: Grape Technology Group Incorporated (KGB)
• Inventors: Bates, Michael, Sunners, Alan, McGary, Faith, Baumeister, Christine, Robinson, Harold, Riley, Xavier
• Primary Examiner(s): HONG, HARRY S
• Application Number:
  US12/228,672
• Publication Number:
  US 20090080636A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,573 Days
• Field of Search: 379/218.01, 455/414.1, 455/422.1, 707/705
• US Class Current: 379/218.01
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/6009 Personal information, e.g. profiles or personal directories being only provided to authorised persons
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42008 Systems for anonymous communication between parties, e.g. by use of disposal contact identifiers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42195 Arrangements for calling back a calling subscriber when the wanted subscriber ceases to be busy H04M3/48
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/436 Arrangements for screening incoming calls , i.e. evaluating the characteristics of a call before deciding whether to answer it based on the calling party profile H04M3/42059; based on location H04M3/42348; based on presence H04M3/42365; diversion H04M3/54
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4935 Connection initiated by DAS system

Abstract

A method for providing directory assistance, including receiving at least one request from a requester for an un-listed contact information, where the un-listed contact information is stored in one of a plurality of carrier databases. A request is generated to a third party for the un-listed contact information, where the third party is in contact with the carriers, one of which has the un-listed contact information. A notification is received from the third party indicating that the un-listed contact information has been retrieved by said third party and a message is sent to the un-listed contact information, through the third party, indicating that the requester is trying to contact them.

Claims

1. A method for providing directory assistance by a directory assistance system, said method comprising the steps of:

receiving at said directory assistance system at least one request from a requester for an un-listed contact information, said un-listed contact information being separately stored in one of a plurality of carrier databases;

generating a request to a third party for said un-listed contact information, wherein said third party is separate from said directory assistance system and from said plurality of carrier databases, and is in contact with said plurality of carrier databases, one of which has said un-listed contact information, wherein said third party is configured to send a search request to one or more of said plurality of carrier databases to determine which of said plurality of carrier databases has said un-listed contact information;

receiving a notification from said third party indicating that said un-listed contact information has been located in said carrier databases that has said un-listed contact information by said third party; and

sending a message to said un-listed contact information, through said third party, indicating that said requester is trying to contact them and including contact data of said requester sufficient for a user of said un-listed contact information to contact said requester.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said third party is a consortium coupled to said plurality of carrier databases.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said request from said requester is in either one of a voice or text format.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said message to said un-listed contact information in sent in either one of a voice or text format.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said message to said un-listed contact information is a pre-formatted message including contact information of said requester.

6. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the step of sending said message to said un-listed contact information further comprises the step of allowing the requester to generate their own custom message.

7. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein if said received notification from said third party indicating that said un-listed contact information has been retrieved includes more than one un-listed contact information, said method further comprising the step of requesting additional information from said requester regarding said desired un-listed contact information.

8. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising the step of presenting an option to an owner of said un-listed contact information allowing said un-listed contact information to be permanently listed with said directory assistance system.

9. The method as claimed in claim 8, wherein said step presenting an option to an owner of said un-listed contact information allowing said un-listed contact information to be permanently listed with said directory assistance system includes the offer of an incentive to said owner of said un-listed contact information.

10. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising the step of offering a communication connection option to said un-listed contact information, allowing them to connect with said requester.

11. A method for providing directory assistance by a directory assistance system, said method comprising the steps of:

receiving at said directory assistance system at least one request from a directory assistance system for an un-listed contact information;

generating requests to a plurality of carriers, said carriers supporting a plurality of un-listed contact information stored separately from said directory assistance system, wherein said requests are sent to said plurality of carriers to determine which of said plurality of carrier databases has said un-listed contact information;

receiving a notification from said at least one carrier indicating that said un-listed contact information is handled by said carrier, said notification including at least a portion of said un-listed contact information;

delivering a message to requester notifying them that the carrier of said un-listed contact information has been located;

delivering an instruction to said carrier of said un-listed contact information to send a message to a user of said un-listed contact information including at contact data of said requester sufficient for said user of said unlisted contact information to contact said requester.

12. The method as claimed in claim 11, wherein said step of generating a request includes generating a request to a plurality of carriers, each having a plurality of un-listed contact information.

13. The method as claimed in claim 12, wherein said step of receiving a notification includes receiving more than one notification from said carriers.

14. The method as claimed in claim 13, wherein if more than one notification from said carriers, said method further comprising the step of sending a follow up message requesting more information from said directory assistance system.

15. The method as claimed in claim 14, further comprising the step of receiving a responsive communication from said directory assistance system so as to select one un-listed contact among said plurality of retrieved un-listed contact information.

16. The method as claimed in claim 11, wherein said step of receiving from said directory assistance system an instruction to send a message to said un-listed contact information includes a preformatted message including a requester contact information.

17. The method as claimed in claim 11, wherein said step of receiving from said directory assistance system an instruction to send a message to said un-listed contact information includes a customized message from said requester including said requester contact information.

18. The method as claimed in claim 11, wherein said received notifications from said carriers are stored for a predefined period of time and then deleted.

19. The method as claimed in claim 11, wherein said received notifications from said carriers are data files from said carrier in a carrier'"'"'s standard listing format.

20. The method as claimed in claim 19, wherein said received notifications from said carriers are filtered to include a limited subset of a full listing data of said un-listed contact information.