Method and system for providing directory assistance to erroneous telephone calls
First Claim
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1. A system for deriving information associated with an unavailable telephone number or subscriber and providing said information to a caller attempting to place a telephone call to said unavailable telephone number, the system comprising in combination:
- an intercept system coupled to a directory assistance service, wherein the intercept system intercepts the telephone call on a telephony network to the unavailable number before initiating any action by the telephony network back to the caller, wherein the unavailable number includes non-existent numbers or numbers not implemented on the telephony network;
the directory assistance service, wherein the directory assistance and at least one advertisement are selected based on previously collected caller information; and
one or more information services coupled to the directory assistance service, wherein the directory assistance service uses the one or more information services to search for information about the unavailable number and the caller'"'"'s number to provide additional information and advertising to the caller at the caller'"'"'s number and one or more other alternative numbers associated with the caller'"'"'s number from the one or more information sources external to the telephony network and one or more information sources internal to the telephony network.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method and system for providing directory assistance to erroneous calls. The method and system includes an intercept system that intercepts erroneous calls and automatically routes them to a directory assistance service. The directory assistance service provides a least one advertisement and a variety of other services to the callers using current caller data and to one or more alternative numbers for the callers.
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Citations
19 Claims
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1. A system for deriving information associated with an unavailable telephone number or subscriber and providing said information to a caller attempting to place a telephone call to said unavailable telephone number, the system comprising in combination:
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an intercept system coupled to a directory assistance service, wherein the intercept system intercepts the telephone call on a telephony network to the unavailable number before initiating any action by the telephony network back to the caller, wherein the unavailable number includes non-existent numbers or numbers not implemented on the telephony network; the directory assistance service, wherein the directory assistance and at least one advertisement are selected based on previously collected caller information; and one or more information services coupled to the directory assistance service, wherein the directory assistance service uses the one or more information services to search for information about the unavailable number and the caller'"'"'s number to provide additional information and advertising to the caller at the caller'"'"'s number and one or more other alternative numbers associated with the caller'"'"'s number from the one or more information sources external to the telephony network and one or more information sources internal to the telephony network. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A method for deriving information associated with an unavailable telephone number or subscriber and providing said information to a caller attempting to place a telephone call to said unavailable telephone number, comprising the steps of:
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detecting a caller'"'"'s telephone call to an unavailable number on a telephony network; intercepting the telephone call on the telephony network to the unavailable number before initiating any action by the telephony network back to the caller, wherein the unavailable number includes non-existent numbers or numbers not implemented on the telephony network; automatically routing the detected and intercepted telephone call to an automatic intercept system associated with a directory assistance service; automatically routing the detected and intercepted telephone call from the automatic intercept system to the directory assistance service; providing directory assistance to the caller at a caller'"'"'s telephone number and one or more mother other alternative telephone numbers; determining information associated with the unavailable telephone number; and determining information associated with the unavailable telephone subscriber, wherein the directory assistance is selected based on referral fees paid by advertisers and other service providers. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19)
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Specification