Methods and systems for an information directory providing audiovisual content

• US 9,613,107 B2
• Filed: 05/22/2014
• Issued: 04/04/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 02/23/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Zafar, Shadman, Roberts, Brian F., Kassam, Shafiq, Ruiz-Velasco, Enrique
• Primary Examiner(s): OBISESAN, AUGUSTINE KUNLE
• Application Number:
  US14/285,351
• Publication Number:
  US 20140258278A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,048 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/248 Presentation of query results

Abstract

Systems and methods provide an online directory service over a network. After receiving a request to view an online directory listing from a network-enabled user terminal, an online directory server may present to the user terminal a directory listing associated with an identifier of audiovisual content. In response to a selection by a user of the listing, the user terminal may provide the identifier associated with the selected directory listing to the directory server. Based on the identifier, the directory server may access the audiovisual content and provide it to the user terminal and may present it to the user in conjunction with the other information of the directory listing.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving, by a server, one or more search criteria from a user terminal;

searching, by the server and based on the one or more search criteria, a first database to obtain information regarding a particular entity,

the information regarding the particular entity including information identifying audiovisual content associated with the particular entity,

the audiovisual content being stored in a second database different than the first database,

the first database storing information regarding one or more entities;

providing, by the server and based on the information regarding the particular entity, information relating to the particular entity to the user terminal for display,

the information relating to the particular entity including;

a first option for the information regarding the particular entity, and

a second option to request the audiovisual content;

receiving, by the server and from the user terminal, information identifying a selection of the first option;

storing, by the server and based on the selection of the first option, a reference to the information regarding the particular entity in a record associated with a user of the user terminal;

the record being stored in a third database;

receiving, by the server and from the user terminal, information identifying a selection of the second option;

retrieving, by the server and based on the selection of the second option, the audiovisual content from the second database using the information, identifying the audiovisual content, obtained from the first database; and

providing, by the server, the retrieved audiovisual content to the user terminal.

2. The method of claim 1, where the information regarding the particular entity further includes:

information identifying a web address associated with the particular entity, and

information identifying an electronic mail address associated with the particular entity.

3. The method of claim 1, where providing the audiovisual content to the user terminal includes providing the audiovisual content using a transmission manner that is based on one or more capabilities of the user terminal or available bandwidth associated with the user terminal.

4. The method of claim 1, where receiving the one or more search criteria includes:

receiving one or more keywords associated with the particular entity;

or

receiving information identifying a category associated with the particular entity.

5. The method of claim 1,

where providing the information relating to the particular entity includes:

providing, to the user terminal for display, an option to rate the particular entity, and

where the method further comprises;

receiving a rating of the particular entity after the option to rate the particular entity is selected; and

storing the rating, in the first database, with the information regarding the particular entity.

6. The method of claim 1, where providing the information relating to the particular entity includes:

providing, to the user terminal for display, a map option to display a map of a location associated with the particular entity, and

where the method further comprises;

providing, for display, the map of the location associated with the particular entity when the map option is selected.

7. The method of claim 1, where providing the information relating to the particular entity includes:

providing, to the user terminal for display, a purchase option relating to purchasing goods or services offered by the particular entity with the information regarding the particular entity, and

where the method further comprises;

enabling a purchase of the goods or services when the purchase option relating to purchasing the goods or the services is selected.

8. A system comprising:

a server to;

receive one or more search criteria from a user terminal;

search a first database, based on the one or more search criteria, to obtain information regarding a particular entity,

the information regarding the particular entity including information identifying content associated with the particular entity,

the content being stored in a second database different than the first database, and

the first database storing information regarding one or more entities;

provide, based on the information regarding the particular entity, information relating to the particular entity to the user terminal for display,

the information relating to the particular entity including;

a first option for the information regarding the particular entity, and

a second option to request the content;

receive information

identifying a selection of the first option;

store, based on the selection of the first option, a reference to the information regarding the particular entity in a record associated with a user of the user terminal,

the record being stored in a third database;

receive information identifying a selection of the second option;

retrieve the content when a request for the content is received based on the selection of the second option,

the request for the content including the information identifying the content obtained from the first database, and

the content being retrieved from the second database using the information, identifying the content, obtained from the first database; and

provide the retrieved content to the user terminal,

the retrieved content being provided to the user terminal in a manner that is based on;

one or more capabilities of the user terminal, or

available bandwidth associated with the user terminal.

9. The system of claim 8,

where the particular entity is a business entity, and

where the information regarding the particular entity corresponds to a directory listing associated with the business entity.

10. The system of claim 8, where the information regarding the one or more entities corresponds to directory listings of an online directory.

11. The system of claim 8, where the content includes audiovisual content associated with the information regarding the particular entity.

12. The system of claim 11, where, when receiving the request for the content, the server is to:

receive, from the user terminal, the information identifying the audiovisual content based on the selection, by the user terminal, of the second option to request the audiovisual content.

13. The system of claim 8, where, when providing the information relating to the particular entity, the server is to:

provide;

information identifying a web address associated with the particular entity,

information identifying an electronic mail address associated with the particular entity, and

information identifying business hours of the particular entity.

14. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions, the instructions comprising:

one or more instructions which, when executed by one or more processors of a server, cause the one or more processors to search a first database to obtain information regarding a particular entity,

the information regarding the particular entity including information identifying content associated with the particular entity,

the content being stored in a second database different than the first database;

one or more instructions which, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to provide, based on the information regarding the particular entity, information relating to the particular entity to a user terminal for display;

one or more instructions which, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to provide a first option for the information regarding the particular entity and

a second option to request the content;

one or more instructions which, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to receive information identifying a selection of the first option;

one or more instructions which, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to store, based on the selection of the first option, a reference to the information regarding the particular entity in a record associated with a user of the user terminal,

the record being stored, in a third database;

one or more instructions which, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to receive information identifying a selection of the second option;

one or more instructions which, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to retrieve the content from the second database when the second option is selected,

the retrieved content being retrieved from the second database using the information, identifying the content, obtained from the first database; and

one or more instructions which, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to provide the retrieved content to the user terminal,

the retrieved content being provided to the user terminal in a manner that is based on;

one or more capabilities of the user terminal, or

available bandwidth associated with the user terminal.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 14,

where the content includes audiovisual content associated with the information regarding the particular entity,

where the instructions further comprise:

one or more instructions to receive, from the user terminal, information identifying the audiovisual content associated with the information regarding the particular entity,

the information identifying the audiovisual content being received based on selection, by the user terminal, of the second option,

where the one or more instructions to retrieve the content comprise;

one or more instructions to retrieve the audiovisual content from the second database based on receiving the information identifying the audiovisual content, and

where the one or more instructions to provide the content include one or more instructions to provide the audiovisual content, retrieved from the second database, to the user terminal.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 14, where the one or more instructions to provide the information relating to the particular entity include:

one or more instructions to provide information identifying business hours of the particular entity, information identifying a rating of the particular entity, an option relating to purchasing goods or services offered by the particular entity, and two or more of;

information identifying an address associated with the particular entity,

information identifying business hours associated with the particular entity,

information identifying a web address associated with the particular entity,

information identifying an electronic mail address associated with the particular entity, or

information identifying a telephone number associated with the particular entity.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 16, where the instructions further comprise:

one or more instructions to receive, from the particular entity and prior to searching the first database, the information regarding the particular entity; and

one or more instructions to store the information regarding the particular entity, received from the particular entity, in the first database.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 14, where the instructions further comprise:

one or more instructions to provide, to the user terminal, a map option to display a map of a location associated with the particular entity,

the map option being provided for display with the information regarding the particular entity; and

one or more instructions to provide, for display, the map of the location associated with the particular entity when the map option is selected.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 14, where the instructions further comprise:

one or more instructions to provide, to the user terminal for display, a rate option to rate the particular entity;

one or more instructions to receive a rating of the particular entity when the rate option is selected; and

one or more instructions to store the rating, in the first database, with the information regarding the particular entity.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 14, where the one or more instructions to receive the request include:

one or more instructions to receive one or more keywords associated with the particular entity;

or

one or more instructions to receive selection of information identifying a category associated with the particular entity.