Location based format selection for information services

• US 7,885,393 B1
• Filed: 07/06/2006
• Issued: 02/08/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/06/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sprint Communications Company LP (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Original Assignee: Sprint Communications Company LP (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Inventors: Pfau, Doug, Trinkler, Melissa Dawn, Piercy, Larry
• Primary Examiner(s): Ramakrishnaiah; Melur
• Application Number:
  US11/482,698
• Time in Patent Office: 1,678 Days
• Field of Search: 379/90.01, 379/93.05, 379/93.06, 379/93.17, 379/93.24, 455/517, 455/519, 455/414.1, 455/536.1, 455/557, 455/446, 455/445, 455/412.1
• US Class Current: 379/90.01
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1069 Session establishment or de-establishment
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/762 at the source reformatting of additional data in video distribution servers H04N21/2355
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• 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: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information

Abstract

A call control system comprises an interface configured to receive from a caller a session request for an information service, and a processing system configured to determine a location of the caller, select a format for the information service from a plurality of formats based on the location of the caller, and generate a session setup message for the information service indicating the selected format. The interface is further configured to transmit the session setup message to the information service.

Claims

1. A method of operating a call control system, the method comprising:

receiving from a caller a session request for an information service;

determining a location of the caller;

selecting a format for the information service from a plurality of formats based on the location of the caller; and

transmitting a session setup message to the information service indicating the selected format.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein a first format of the plurality of formats comprises an audio format.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising providing the information service in an audio format to the caller responsive to the session setup message.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein a second format of the plurality of formats comprises a text format.

5. The method of claim 4 further comprising providing the information service in a text format to the caller responsive to the session setup message.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the location of the caller comprises a wireless sector and wherein selecting the format comprises querying a database to identify the format based on the wireless sector;

and

further comprising receiving user updates to the database indicating how requests for the information service should be handled in the wireless sector.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the session request indicates a vertical service code.

8. A call control system comprising:

an interface configured to receive from a caller a session request for an information service; and

a processing system configured to determine a location of the caller, select a format for the information service from a plurality of formats based on the location of the caller, and generate a session setup message for the information service indicating the selected format;

wherein the interface is configured to transmit the session setup message to the information service.

9. The call control system of claim 8 wherein a first format of the plurality of formats comprises an audio format.

10. The call control system of claim 9 further comprising providing the information service in an audio format to the caller responsive to the session setup message.

11. The call control system of claim 9 wherein a second format of the plurality of formats comprises a text format.

12. The call control system of claim 11 further comprising providing the information service in a text format to the caller responsive to the session setup message.

13. The call control system of claim 8 wherein the location of the caller comprises a wireless sector and further comprising a database wherein the processing system is configured to select the format by querying the database to identify the format based on the wireless sector;

the database further configured to receive user updates to the database indicating how requests for the information service should be handled in the wireless sector.

14. The call control system of claim 8 wherein the session request indicates a vertical service code.

15. A software product for operating a call control system, the software product comprising:

software operational when executed by a processing system to direct the processing system to receive from a caller a session request for an information service, determine a location of the caller, select a format for the information service from a plurality of formats based on the location of the caller, generate a session setup message for the information service indicating the selected format, and transmit the session setup message to the information service; and

a storage medium configured to store the software.

16. The software product of claim 15 wherein a first format of the plurality of formats comprises an audio format.

17. The software product of claim 16 further comprising providing the information service in an audio format to the caller responsive to the session setup message.

18. The software product of claim 16 wherein a second format of the plurality of formats comprises a text format.

19. The software product of claim 18 further comprising providing the information service in a text format to the caller responsive to the session setup message.

20. The software product of claim 15 wherein the location of the caller comprises a wireless sector and wherein selecting the format comprises querying a database to identify the format based on the wireless sector;

and

further comprising receiving user updates to the database indicating how requests for the information service should be handled in the wireless sector.

21. The software product of claim 15 wherein the session request indicates a vertical service code.