Technique for providing location-based information concerning products and services through an information assistance service

• US 20060046740A1
• Filed: 09/01/2004
• Published: 03/02/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/01/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Metro One Telecommunications, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Metro One Telecommunications, Inc.
• Inventors: Johnson, Karen L.
• Application Number:
  US10/932,273
• Publication Number:
  US 20060046740A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/456.100
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/15 Information service where the information is dependent on the location of the subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4878 Advertisement messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/024 Guidance services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services

Abstract

A user who is “roaming,” as determined, e.g., by his/her use of a mobile communication device, or by his/her obtaining travel directions, may be tracked and offered various goods and services, and advertising information depending on the circumstances that the user may encounter. In a first embodiment, when a user calls an information assistance service for travel directions, his/her progress along the planned route defined by the travel directions is tracked. The information assistance service monitors conditions along the planned route, and if an event is detected that may affect the user'"'"'s progress along the route, the user is contacted, e.g., by telephone and notified thereof. The information assistance service additionally provides to the user in the same call advertisements, suggestions, and offers to order or reserve goods and services pertaining to the user'"'"'s circumstances. In a second embodiment, the user'"'"'s progress to a destination is tracked, which is determined as a result of use of a concierge service also provided by the information assistance service. For example, when the user reserves movie tickets for a particular showtime at a cinema through the concierge service, it is assumed that the user will arrive at the destination, i.e., the cinema, around the showtime.

Claims

1. A method for use by an information assistance service to assist a user, comprising:

receiving a communication from the user, the communication including a request for a service;

determining that a user is traveling to a destination based on the requested service;

determining a location of the user when the user communicates with the information assistance service to track the user'"'"'s progress to the destination;

monitoring for an event affecting the user'"'"'s progress to the destination; and

in response to a detection of an event affecting the user'"'"'s progress to the destination, communicating, to the user, selected information to cope with a circumstance caused by the event.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the service includes providing, to the user, directions to the destination.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the user communicates with the information assistance service a plurality of times to obtain the directions in installments.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the selected information includes advertising information.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the advertising information comports with the user'"'"'s preferences.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the user'"'"'s preferences are maintained by the information assistance service.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the selected information includes a suggestion of a product or service.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the selected information includes an offer to reserve a product or service.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the event includes a selected one of a traffic condition, weather condition, and road condition.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the communication includes a telephone call.

11. A method for use by an information assistance service to assist a user, comprising:

receiving a communication from the user using a communications device, the communication including a request for a concierge service;

determining that the user is traveling to a destination based on the concierge service request;

locating the communication device when the user communicates with the information assistance service, thereby tracking the user'"'"'s progress to the destination;

monitoring for an event affecting the user'"'"'s progress to the destination; and

in response to a detection of an event affecting the user'"'"'s progress to the destination, establishing a second communication to convey selected information to the user.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the communications device is located using a wireless network triangulation technique.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein the communications device is located based on global positioning system (GPS) information provided by the communications device.

14. The method of claim 11 wherein the communications device comprises a mobile telephone.

15. The method of claim 11 wherein the concierge service request includes a request for reserving a selected product or selected service for the user.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the selected service includes a dining service.

17. The method of claim 15 wherein the selected service includes an entertainment.

18. The method of claim 15 wherein the selected service includes lodging.

19. The method of claim 15 wherein the selected information includes advertising information.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein the advertising information comports with the user'"'"'s preferences.

21. The method of claim 20 wherein the user'"'"'s preferences are maintained by the information assistance service.

22. The method of claim 11 wherein the selected information includes a suggestion of a product or service.

23. The method of claim 11 wherein the selected information includes an offer to reserve a product or service.

24. The method of claim 11 wherein the event is a selected one of a traffic condition, weather condition, and road condition.

25. The method of claim 11 wherein the communication from the user includes a telephone call.

26. The method of claim 11 wherein the second communication includes a telephone call.

27. A system for use by an information assistance service to assist a user, comprising:

an interface for receiving a communication from the user, the communication including a request for a service, a determination being made that a user is traveling to a destination based on the requested service;

a processor programmed to determine a location of the user when the user communicates with the information assistance service to track the user'"'"'s progress to the destination;

a controller for monitoring for an event affecting the user'"'"'s progress to the destination; and

a device responsive to a detection of an event affecting the user'"'"'s progress to the destination for communicating, to the user, selected information to cope with a circumstance caused by the event.

28. The system of claim 27 wherein the service includes providing, to the user, directions to the destination.

29. The system of claim 28 wherein the user communicates with the information assistance service a plurality of times to obtain the directions in installments.

30. The system of claim 27 wherein the selected information includes advertising information.

31. The system of claim 30 wherein the advertising information comports with the user'"'"'s preferences.

32. The system of claim 31 wherein the user'"'"'s preferences are maintained by the information assistance service.

33. The system of claim 27 wherein the selected information includes a suggestion of a product or service.

34. The system of claim 27 wherein the selected information includes an offer to reserve a product or service.

35. The system of claim 27 wherein the event includes a selected one of a traffic condition, weather condition, and road condition.

36. The system of claim 27 wherein the communication includes a telephone call.

37. A system for use by an information assistance service to assist a user, comprising:

an interface for receiving a communication from the user using a communications device, the communication including a request for a concierge service, a determination being made that the user is traveling to a destination based on the concierge service request;

a processor programmed to locate the communication device when the user communicates with the information assistance service, thereby tracking the user'"'"'s progress to the destination;

a controller for monitoring for an event affecting the user'"'"'s progress to the destination; and

a communications unit responsive to a detection of an event affecting the user'"'"'s progress to the destination for establishing a second communication to convey selected information to the user.

38. The system of claim 37 wherein the communications device is located using a wireless network triangulation technique.

39. The system of claim 37 wherein the communications device is located based on GPS information provided by the communications device.

40. The system of claim 37 wherein the communications device comprises a mobile telephone.

41. The system of claim 37 wherein the concierge service request includes a request for reserving a selected product or selected service for the user.

42. The system of claim 41 wherein the selected service includes a dining service.

43. The system of claim 41 wherein the selected service includes an entertainment.

44. The system of claim 41 wherein the selected service includes lodging.

45. The system of claim 41 wherein the selected information includes advertising information.

46. The system of claim 45 wherein the advertising information comports with the user'"'"'s preferences.

47. The system of claim 46 wherein the user'"'"'s preferences are maintained by the information assistance service.

48. The system of claim 37 wherein the selected information includes a suggestion of a product or service.

49. The system of claim 37 wherein the selected information includes an offer to reserve a product or service.

50. The system of claim 37 wherein the event is a selected one of a traffic condition, weather condition, and road condition.

51. The system of claim 37 wherein the communication from the user includes a telephone call.

52. The system of claim 37 wherein the second communication includes a telephone call.