Advanced directory services

• US 8,489,575 B2
• Filed: 11/19/2012
• Issued: 07/16/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/05/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.), LYFT Incorporated
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Miles, Alvin Charles, Decker, John Jeffrey
• Primary Examiner(s): Saeed, Usmaan
• Assistant Examiner(s): CHOI, MICHELE C
• Application Number:
  US13/680,998
• Publication Number:
  US 20130078969A1
• Time in Patent Office: 239 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 707/708
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/00 Administration; Management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/10 Services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/16 Communication-related supplementary services, e.g. call-transfer or call-hold
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices

Abstract

Included are embodiments for providing advanced directory services. One embodiment of a method includes receiving categorical data related to a desired listing, wherein the categorical data is configured to describe at least one category associated with the listing, wherein the at least one listing includes at least one communications address. Other embodiments include receiving sub-categorical data related to the desired listing, wherein the sub-categorical data is configured to describe at least one sub-category associated with the at least one category. Still other embodiments include sending a search request for at least one listing, wherein the at least one listing is associated with the received categorical data and wherein the at least one listing is associated with the received sub-categorical data.

Claims

1. A switch comprising:

a processor; and

memory coupled to the processor, the memory comprising executable instructions that when executed by the processor cause the processor to effectuate operations comprising;

receiving a call from a mobile communications device of a caller for a desired listing, wherein the desired listing is a business listing;

placing the call on hold;

bridging the call to an application server;

transferring from the application server to the mobile communications device, a prompt to determine the desired listing;

transferring, to the application server from the mobile communications device, an indication of the desired listing, wherein;

the application server provides a query to a data storage for at least one listing associated with the desired listing; and

responsive to the query, the application server receives from the data storage, found listings, wherein at least a portion of the found listings is determined by an advertiser;

transferring the found listings from the application server to a workstation, wherein the workstation, the data storage, and the application server are distributed and disparate;

transferring the call to the workstation;

when a number of the found listings is greater than a desirable number of listings, in order to reduce the number of the found listings to the desirable number of listings, transferring, from the workstation to the mobile communications device, a request for supplemental information regarding the desired listing;

transferring, to the workstation, from the mobile communications device, a response to the request for the supplemental information, wherein;

the workstation determines, based on the response to the request for the supplemental information, a second listing;

the workstation provides to a document storage and retrieval (DSAR) server, the second listing;

the workstation receives, from the DSAR server, a DSAR key that is associated with the desired listing and is based on the second listing; and

the workstation provides to the application server, the DSAR key;

receiving a request from the workstation to transfer the call to the application server;

transferring the call from the workstation to the application server in response to the request from the workstation, wherein the application server provides to the DSAR server, the DSAR key and a request to select listings based on the DSAR key; and

transferring to the caller from the application server;

an indication of the selected listings;

a photograph of at least one business entity associated with the selected listings;

driving directions to the at least one business entity associated with the selected listings; and

information pertaining to finding any other nearest business entity associated with the selected listings.

2. The switch of claim 1, wherein the desired listing comprises at least one communications address.

3. The switch of claim 1, the operations further comprising facilitating display of the found listings at the workstation.

4. The switch of claim 1, the operations further comprising receiving, at the workstation, operator input indicating a selection of the desired listing.

5. The switch of claim 1, wherein the found listings comprise data related to a type of business.

6. A tangible computer readable storage medium that is not a transmission medium or a propagating medium, the tangible computer readable storage medium having stored thereon executable instructions that when executed by a processor cause the processor to effectuate operations comprising:

receiving a call from a mobile communications device of a caller for a desired listing, wherein the desired listing is a business listing;

placing the call on hold;

bridging the call to an application server;

transferring from the application server to the mobile communications device, a prompt to determine the desired listing;

transferring, to the application server from the mobile communications device, an indication of the desired listing, wherein;

the application server provides a query to a data storage for at least one listing associated with the desired listing; and

responsive to the query, the application server receives from the data storage, found listings, wherein at least a portion of the found listings is determined by an advertiser;

transferring the found listings from the application server to a workstation, wherein the workstation, the data storage, and the application server are distributed and disparate;

transferring the call to the workstation;

when a number of the found listings is greater than a desirable number of listings, in order to reduce the number of the found listings to the desirable number of listings, transferring, from the workstation to the mobile communications device, a request for supplemental information regarding the desired listing;

transferring, to the workstation, from the mobile communications device, a response to the request for the supplemental information, wherein;

the workstation determines, based on the response to the request for the supplemental information, a second listing;

the workstation provides to a document storage and retrieval (DSAR) server, the second listing;

the workstation receives, from the DSAR server, a DSAR key that is associated with the desired listing and is based on the second listing; and

the workstation provides to the application server, the DSAR key;

receiving a request from the workstation to transfer the call to the application server;

transferring the call from the workstation to the application server in response to the request from the workstation, wherein the application server provides to the DSAR server, the DSAR key and a request to select listings based on the DSAR key; and

transferring to the caller from the application server;

an indication of the selected listings;

a photograph of at least one business entity associated with the selected listings;

driving directions to the at least one business entity associated with the selected listings; and

information pertaining to finding any other nearest business entity associated with the selected listings.

7. The computer readable storage medium of claim 6, wherein the desired listing comprises at least one communications address.

8. The computer readable storage medium of claim 7, the operations further comprising facilitating display of the desired listing.

9. The computer readable storage medium of claim 6, the operations further comprising receiving operator input indicating a selection of the desired listing.

10. The computer readable storage medium of claim 6, wherein the found listings comprise data related to a type of business.