Directory assistance with multi-modal messaging

• US 7,640,006 B2
• Filed: 01/02/2004
• Issued: 12/29/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/03/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Accenture Global Services Limited (Accenture PLC)
• Original Assignee: Accenture Global Services GmbH (Accenture PLC)
• Inventors: Burgiss, Michael John, Portman, Eric A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Edouard; Patrick N.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Win; Aung T
• Application Number:
  US10/751,022
• Publication Number:
  US 20040166832A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,188 Days
• Field of Search: 455/412.1, 455/414.1, 455/412.2, 455/413, 379/223, 379/201.01, 379/242, 379 8801- 8828, 705/51
• US Class Current: 455/412.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/22 Procedures used during a speech recognition process, e.g. man-machine dialogue
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/30 Distributed recognition, e.g. in client-server systems, for mobile phones or network applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/762 at the source reformatting of additional data in video distribution servers H04N21/2355
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/40 using speech recognition speech recognition per se G10L15/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/18 wireless networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/493 Interactive information services, e.g. directory enquiries ; Arrangements therefor, e.g. interactive voice response [IVR] systems or voice portals
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4938 comprising a voice browser which renders and interprets, e.g. VoiceXML
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/088 using filters or firewalls
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/00 Services specially adapted for wireless communication networks; Facilities therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/18 Processing of user or subscriber data, e.g. subscribed services, user preferences or user profiles; Transfer of user or subscriber data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/20 Transfer of user or subscriber data

Abstract

A information assistance application is disclosed for use in a wireless communication environment. A requestor terminal is operable to generate a request for an information record associated with a subscriber terminal. The request is transmitted from the requestor terminal to an information assistance application server. The information assistance application server processes the request to determine the identity of the person for whom information has been requested and to determine how to contact the subscriber terminal. A message is generated and sent to the subscriber terminal requesting permission to provide the requester terminal with the requested information. If the subscriber terminal replies with an indication that the information may be provided, then the information application server generates a message that includes the information being requested and transmits it to the requestor terminal.

Claims

1. A method of providing information assistance to a wireless terminal, comprising the steps of:

receiving, from a wireless terminal operated by a requestor, a contact information request with an information assistance application located on an information assistance server, wherein the contact information request is a request for contact information of a user of a subscriber terminal that is other than the wireless terminal;

querying a participating communication provider database of a communication provider providing communication services to the wireless terminal to identify a virtual key of the requestor from unique information of the wireless terminal included with the contact information request, the virtual key being a universal anonymous identifier of the requestor that is shared among a plurality of different participating businesses;

accessing a consumer internal profile database containing verification data of the requestor and proprietary information of the requestor with the virtual key of the requestor, the verification data providing verification of consent by the requestor of release and use of the proprietary information of the requestor;

accessing permissions of the user of the subscriber terminal with the information assistance application to determine if the contact information request should be automatically denied categorically or specifically, based on the proprietary information of the requestor obtained from the consumer internal profile database with the virtual key of the requestor;

determining a contact preference for how to contact the subscriber terminal about the received contact information request with the information assistance application only when the information request is determined as not being automatically denied;

generating an authorization request to request permission from the subscriber terminal to provide the contact information of the user of the subscriber terminal to the wireless terminal, wherein the authorization request includes an indication of an identity of the requestor based on the proprietary information of the requestor;

transmitting the authorization request to the subscriber terminal in accordance with the determined contact preference;

receiving a reply from the subscriber terminal indicative of whether or not the requested information record is permitted to be provided to the wireless terminal;

accessing the consumer internal profile database to determine pre-determined contact parameters of the requestor based on the virtual key of the requestor; and

generating a response for transmittal to the wireless terminal when the reply is indicative of permission to proceed with provision of the requested contact information of the user to the wireless terminal, the response including only contact information identified by the user of the subscriber terminal as permissible to send to the wireless terminal, the response generated in accordance with the format preferences of the requestor.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of transmitting the generated response to the wireless terminal.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the response comprises a multi-modal message that includes both a voice-based response and a text-based response generated during a single interaction in accordance with the pre-determined contact parameters of the requestor.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising transmitting the voice-based response and the text-based response sequentially to the wireless terminal in accordance with the pre-determined contact parameters.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the request includes at least one information record item about the subscriber terminal selected from a group of information record items comprising a first name, a last name, an address, an employer, a home phone number, an office number, a subscriber'"'"'s wireless service provider, a previous wireless phone number, or a previous wireless provider.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving, from a wireless terminal, a contact information request comprises interpreting the contact information request with a voice recognition module when the contact information request is a spoken request.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein interpreting the contact information request comprises further interpreting the contact information request with a natural language processing module.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein interpreting the contact information request comprises authenticating the requestor with a voice print application.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the request comprises a text message.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein determining a contact preference comprises the information assistance application querying a virtual customer database system.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein, querying a virtual customer database system comprises accessing a customer proprietary information record having customer contact data that includes a contact preference, the customer proprietary information record associated with the subscriber terminal.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein generating a response further comprises interpreting the reply from the subscriber terminal, and generating a multi-modal response for transmission to the wireless terminal in accordance with the pre-determined contact parameters of the requestor.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein generating an authorization request comprises generating the authorization request in accordance with the determined contact preference.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving a reply from the subscriber terminal comprises receiving an indication in the reply of information from among the contact information that is permitted to be provided to the wireless terminal of the requestor.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving a reply from the subscriber terminal comprises accessing a profile associated with the user of the subscriber terminal to determine what portion of information from the contact information is permitted to be provided to the wireless terminal of the requestor.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying the requestor comprises authenticating the requestor and verifying the requestor is authorized to make the contact information request.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein generating an authorization request comprises including a response mechanism in the authorization request that enables approval or disapproval of the request for the contact information and indication of information to be provided from the contact information.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving, from a wireless terminal operated by a requestor, a contact information request comprises receiving a voice-based request in a natural language format, and converting the voice-based request to text with a voice recognition module to identify words, and a natural language processing module to identify the intent or meaning of the words.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein the communication service provider of the requestor is a first communication service provider, and the user of the subscriber terminal is provided communication services from a second communication services provider that is different than the first communication services provider.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein the proprietary information comprises a name and address of the requestor, consumer specific contact information of the requestor, and pre-determined contact preferences of the requestor.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the consumer specific contact information of the requestor comprises indication of different electronic communication channels and the p re-determined contact preferences of the requestor comprise preference rankings of the different electronic communication channels.

22. The method of claim 1, wherein the contact information request is automatically denied categorically when the requestor is identified from the proprietary information of the requestor as being within a group defined by criteria set by the user of the subscriber terminal.

23. The method of claim 1, wherein the verification data is indicative of a level of services the requestor has purchased.

24. A computer readable medium storing a computer program for providing information assistance to a wireless terminal in a wireless communication system, comprising:

a code segment that receives a contact information request message specifically requesting a phone number associated with a subscriber terminal, the request generated with a wireless terminal that is other than the subscriber terminal by a requestor that is other than a user of the subscriber terminal;

a code segment to query a participating communication provider database of a communication provider providing communication services to the wireless terminal to identify a virtual key of the requestor from unique information included within the contact information request, the virtual key being a universal anonymous identifier of the requestor that is shared among a plurality of different participating businesses;

a code segment to access, using the virtual key of the requestor, a consumer internal profile database containing verification data of the requestor and proprietary information of the requestor;

a code segment to verify, with the verification data, consent of the requestor to release and use of the proprietary information of the requestor;

a code segment responsive to the contact information request that determines how to contact the subscriber terminal;

a code segment that generates an authorization request for permission to provide the phone number associated with the subscriber terminal to the wireless terminal, wherein the authorization request includes at least a portion of the proprietary information of the requestor from the consumer internal profile database;

a code segment that transmits the authorization request to the subscriber terminal;

a code segment that interprets a reply from the subscriber terminal to determine if permission to provide the phone number associated with the subscriber terminal to the wireless terminal was granted;

a code segment to determine from the consumer subscriber database based on the virtual key of the requestor, a communication preference of the requestor and compatibility settings of the wireless terminal; and

a code segment that generates a response to the wireless terminal that includes the phone number associated with the subscriber terminal when permission is granted, the response generated in accordance with the communication preference and the compatibility settings.

25. The computer readable medium of claim 24, further comprising a code segment that transmits the response to the wireless terminal in accordance with the communication preference and the compatibility settings.

26. The computer readable medium of claim 24, wherein the response comprises a multi-modal message that includes both a voice-based response and a text-based response as indicated in the consumer subscriber database as the communication preference.

27. The computer readable medium of claim 24, wherein the code segment that receives a contact information request message is configured to include a code segment that interprets the contact information request message with voice recognition to determine that the request is specifically for a phone number and to decipher information included in the information request message that is useable to identify the subscriber terminal when the contact information request is a verbal request.

28. The computer readable medium of claim 24, wherein the code segment that receives a contact information request message is configured to include a code segment that performs voice recognition and natural language processing to interpret that the contact information request message is specifically for a phone number when the contact information request is a verbal request.

29. The computer readable medium of claim 24, wherein the request comprises a text message.

30. The computer readable medium of claim 24, wherein the code segment that receives a contact information request message is configured to include a code segment that performs voice print analysis to determine the identity of the requestor when the contact information request is a verbal request.

31. The computer readable medium of claim 24, wherein the code segment responsive to the contact information request message that determines how to contact the subscriber terminal is configured to include a code segment that accesses a virtual customer database system to determine how to contact the subscriber terminal.

32. The computer readable medium of claim 24, wherein the code segment that interprets a reply from the subscriber terminal to determine if permission to provide the phone number associated with the subscriber terminal to the wireless terminal was granted further comprises a code segment to determine whether the user of the subscriber terminal has specified provision to the wireless terminal of additional contact information of the user of the subscriber terminal, and wherein the response also includes any additional contact information specified by the user of the subscriber terminal.

33. A system for providing information assistance to a wireless terminal, comprising:

an information assistance application server;

the information assistance application server operable to run an information assistance application that is configured to generate a webpage comprising input fields configured to receive a contact information request from a wireless terminal operated by a requestor for an information item associated with a subscriber terminal other than the wireless terminal;

a virtual customer database system in communication with the information assistance application server, the virtual customer database comprising a communication provider database of a communication provider providing communication services to the wireless terminal and a consumer internal profile database comprising verification data of the requestor and proprietary information of the requestor;

the information assistance application server further configured to generate a query to the virtual customer database system comprising unique information included with the contact information request;

the virtual customer database system configured to query the participating communication provider database to determine a virtual key of the requestor based on the unique information, the virtual key being a universal anonymous identifier of the requestor that is shared among a plurality of different participating businesses;

the virtual customer database system further configured determine if the proprietary information of the requestor is available for release based on the verification data, and in response to the proprietary information being available for release, the virtual customer database system further configured to provide the proprietary information to the information assistance application server, the proprietary information comprising a name of the requestor and specific contact information of the requestor, the specific contact information indicative of preferred communications channels of the requestor and contact parameters for the preferred communication channels of the requestor;

the information assistance application further configured to determine how to contact the subscriber terminal as a function of a contact preference associated with the subscriber terminal;

the information assistance application further configured to generate an authorization request to request authorization from the subscriber terminal to provide the information item associated with the subscriber terminal to the wireless terminal, wherein the authorization request includes the name of the requestor;

the information assistance application further configured to initiate transmission of the authorization request and the selectable option to the subscriber terminal;

the information assistance application further configured to receive from the subscriber terminal a reply to the authorization request indicating whether or not to provide the information item to the wireless terminal; and

the information assistance application further configured to generate the response message for the wireless terminal that includes only information from the information item that is specified by a user of the subscriber terminal, the response message generated when the reply indicates the information item is to be provided, wherein the response message is generated in accordance with the preferred communications channels and contact parameters of the requestor.

34. The system of claim 33, wherein the information assistance application is further configured to initiate transmission of the response message to the wireless terminal.

35. The system of claim 33, wherein the information assistance application is further configured to generate the response message to include a multi-modal message that includes both a voice-based response and a text-based response based on the preferred communications channels and contact parameters of the requestor.

36. The system of claim 35, wherein the information assistance application is further configured to generate the authorization request to include a multi-modal message that includes both a voice-based request and a text-based request.

37. The system of claim 33, wherein the information assistance application is further configured to generate the authorization request as a function of the contact preference.

38. The system of claim 33, wherein the information assistance application is further configured to generate the authorization request to include an indicator that prompts a user of the subscriber terminal for a response.

39. A method of providing information assistance to a wireless terminal, comprising the steps of:

receiving, from a wireless terminal, a contact information request with an information assistance server, wherein the contact information request is a request for an information record associated with a consumer subscriber that is other than a user of the wireless terminal;

querying a first participating communication provider database of a first communication provider providing communication services to the wireless terminal to identify a first virtual key of the user of the wireless terminal based on unique information of the wireless terminal included with the contact information request, the first virtual key being a universal anonymous identifier of the user of the wireless terminal that is shared among a plurality of different participating businesses;

accessing a consumer internal profile database containing verification data of the user and proprietary information of the user with the first virtual key, the verification data providing verification of consent by the user of release and use of the proprietary information of the user;

querying a consumer cross reference database to identify a second virtual key of the consumer subscriber identified in the contact information request;

accessing the consumer subscriber database with the second virtual key to determine a user specific contact preference and a user specific message format for the consumer subscriber;

transmitting for receipt by a subscriber terminal determined to be a contact preference of the consumer subscriber an authorization request that includes at least a portion of the proprietary information of the user, the authorization request comprising a multi-modal message that includes both a voice-based request and a text-based request in accordance with the user specific message format, wherein the authorization request is to request permission from the subscriber terminal to provide the information record to the wireless terminal;

receiving a reply from the subscriber terminal indicative of whether or not the requested information record is permitted to be provided to the wireless terminal;

accessing the consumer internal profile database with the first virtual key to determine a requestor specific contact preference and a requestor specific message format for the wireless terminal, the requestor specific contact preference and the requestor specific message format pre-stored in the consumer internal profile database in association with the virtual key of the user; and

generating a response message for the wireless terminal, the response message comprising a multi-modal message that includes both a voice-based response and a text-based response in accordance with the requestor specific message format and the requestor specific contact preference.

40. The method of claim 39, further comprising transmitting to the wireless terminal the voice-based response, followed in sequence by the text-based response.