Enhanced directory assistance system with voice over IP call handling

• US 20060147015A1
• Filed: 12/30/2004
• Published: 07/06/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: INFONXX, Inc., Grape Technology Group Incorporated (KGB)
• Original Assignee: Grape Technology Group Incorporated (KGB)
• Inventors: Baumeister, Christine, Thornton, Marc
• Granted Patent: US 7,227,941 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/210.20
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/401 wherein the services involve a main real-time session and one or more additional parallel real-time or time sensitive sessions, e.g. white board sharing or spawning of a subconference
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4931 Directory assistance systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0036 where the data service is an information service
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/006 Networks other than PSTN/ISDN providing telephone service, e.g. Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) , including next generation networks with a packet-switched transport layer H04L65/00 takes precedence; aspects not specific to the type of network H04M3/00; special services in those networks H04M3/42

Abstract

A method for operating a directory assistance system responsive to Voice over IP device requests includes the steps of receiving a directory assistance request from at least one Voice over IP device and identifying the requested information for delivery to the Voice over IP device. The requested information is formatted in accordance with a format required by the Voice over IP device and a notification message is transmitted to the Voice over IP device indicating that information relating to the directory assistance request is available. A request from a web server is received for retrieval of the requested information in response to the directory assistance request, where the web server is accessed by the Voice over IP device after receipt of the notification message. The requested information is transmitted to the Voice over IP device via the web server.

Claims

1. (canceled)

2. A method for operating a directory assistance system responsive to Voice over IP device requests, the method comprising:

receiving a directory assistance request from at least one Voice over IP device;

identifying the requested information for delivery to said Voice over IP device;

formatting said requested information in accordance with a format required by said Voice over IP device;

transmitting a notification message to said Voice over IP device indicating that information relating to said directory assistance request is available;

receiving a request from a web server for retrieval of said requested information in response to said directory assistance request, said web server being accessed by said Voice over IP device after receipt of said notification message; and

transmitting said requested information to said Voice over IP device via said web server.

3. The method in accordance with claim 2, further comprising the step of employing a universal call identifier information for each directory assistance request made and identifying each information responsive to said directory assistance request with said universal call identifier information.

4. The method according to claim 2, further comprising the step of employing information corresponding to IP address of said Voice over IP device for each directory assistance request made and identifying each information responsive to said directory assistance request with said information corresponding to said IP address.

5. The system in accordance with claim 2, further comprising the step of generating a multi media indication signal to announce the availability of the requested information.

6. The system in accordance with claim 5, further comprising the step of providing a specified tone indicating that the requested information is available.

7. The system in accordance with claim 6, further comprising the step of providing said specified tones on a rotation basis.

8. The system in accordance with claim 6, further comprising the step of providing said specified tones on a random basis.

9. The system in accordance with claim 6, further comprising the step of providing said specified tones based on said requested information.

10. The system in accordance with claim 6, further comprising the step of providing said specified tones based on demands of supplier of services to said voice over IP device.

11. The system in accordance with claim 6, further comprising the step of providing said specified tones based on previous usage patterns of user of said Voice over IP device.

12. The system in accordance with claim 6, further comprising the step of providing at least one of associated and unassociated promotional information to said Voice over IP device.

15. The method according to claim 12, further comprising the step of employing information corresponding to IP address of said Voice over IP device for each directory assistance request made and identifying each information responsive to said directory assistance request with said information corresponding to said IP address.

13. A method for operating a directory assistance system responsive to Voice over IP device requests, the method comprising:

receiving a directory assistance request from at least one Voice over IP device;

identifying the requested information for delivery to said Voice over IP device;

formatting said requested information in accordance with a format required by said Voice over IP device;

transmitting a notification message to said Voice over IP device indicating that information relating to said directory assistance request is available;

transmitting said requested information to said Voice over IP device.

14. The method in accordance with claim 13, further comprising the step of employing a universal call identifier information for each directory assistance request made and identifying each information responsive to said directory assistance request with said universal call identifier information.

16. The system in accordance with claim 13, further comprising the step of generating a multi media indication signal to announce the availability of the requested information.

17. The system in accordance with claim 16, further comprising the step of providing a specified tone indicating that the requested information is available.

18. The system in accordance with claim 17, further comprising the step of providing said specified tones on a rotation basis.

19. The system in accordance with claim 17, further comprising the step of providing said specified tones on a random basis.

20. The system in accordance with claim 17, further comprising the step of providing said specified tones based on said requested information.

21. The system in accordance with claim 17, further comprising the step of providing said specified tones based on demands of supplier of services to said voice over IP device.

22. The system in accordance with claim 17, further comprising the step of providing said specified tones based on previous usage patterns of user of said Voice over IP device.

23. The system in accordance with claim 17, further comprising the step of providing at least one of associated and unassociated promotional information to said Voice over IP device.

24. A method for operating a directory assistance system responsive to Voice over IP device requests, the method comprising:

transmitting a directory assistance request for a listing from at least one Voice over IP device to a web server;

retrieving the requested information for delivery to said Voice over IP device from a directory assistance system database;

formatting said requested information in accordance with a format required by said Voice over IP device;

transmitting a notification message to said Voice over IP device indicating that information relating to said directory assistance request is available; and

generating a call completion record data for establishing a call between said Voice over IP device and said requested listing.

25. The method in accordance with claim 24, further comprising the step of employing a universal call identifier information for each directory assistance request made and identifying each information responsive to said directory assistance request with said universal call identifier information.

26. The method according to claim 24, further comprising the step of employing information corresponding to IP address of said Voice over IP device for each directory assistance request made and identifying each information responsive to said directory assistance request with said information corresponding to said IP address.

27. The system in accordance with claim 24, further comprising the step of generating a multi media indication signal to announce the availability of the requested information.

28. The system in accordance with claim 27, further comprising the step of providing a specified tone indicating that the requested information is available.

29. The system in accordance with claim 28, further comprising the step of providing said specified tones on a rotation basis.

30. The system in accordance with claim 28, further comprising the step of providing said specified tones on a random basis.

31. The system in accordance with claim 28, further comprising the step of providing said specified tones based on said requested information.

32. The system in accordance with claim 28, further comprising the step of providing said specified tones based on demands of supplier of services to said voice over IP device.

33. The system in accordance with claim 28, further comprising the step of providing said specified tones based on previous usage patterns of user of said Voice over IP device.

34. The system in accordance with claim 28, further comprising the step of providing at least one of associated and unassociated promotional information to said Voice over IP device.