Data processing: speech signal processing – linguistics – language – Speech signal processing – Application
Reexamination Certificate
1998-07-24
2001-07-31
Dorvil, Richemond (Department: 2741)
Data processing: speech signal processing, linguistics, language
Speech signal processing
Application
C704S275000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06269337
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to communication networks. More particularly, the present invention relates to a method and apparatus that provide enhanced directory assistance information in a communication network.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Many communication network providers offer some type of directory assistance service to people using the network.
FIG. 1
is a block diagram including one such known directory assistance system. Generally, a person uses a telephone
100
to access a directory assistance platform
200
, such as one staffed by a directory assistance operator. For example, a person may call a directory assistance operator to find the telephone number or address of a particular “listed party,” such as a merchant. The person tells the operator the name, city and perhaps the county of the listed party. With this information, the operator accesses a directory assistance database
250
and determines the listed party's telephone number and address.
With some directory assistance services, such as AT&T's “00” INFO
SM
service, additional information can be made available to callers. For example, the operator can search for and find the names and addresses of certain types of establishments, e.g., Mexican restaurants, in a particular area. Such directory assistance services are useful, but only a limited amount of additional information is practically available. Often, a person wants to know even more detailed information about a particular listed party, such as business hours, items on a restaurant's menu or whether there are any rooms available in a hotel. This “enhanced” level of information is not currently available to a directory assistance operator.
Even if enhanced information were made available, it would not be practical to have an operator read such information to a user, or to otherwise interact with the user by reviewing material and answering detailed questions about enhanced listed party information since operator time is a very expensive resource for a communication network provider.
Moreover, unlike a listed party's address and telephone number, this type of enhanced information will change frequently. A restaurant, for example, might include daily specials that are being served. It is not practical for the network service provider to buy or maintain such a database, perhaps including hundreds of thousands of listed parties, when the information changes this frequently.
As shown in
FIG. 1
, some Internet-based information directories can contain information beyond the listed party's traditional name, address and telephone number. These directories typically display a listed party's World Wide Web page, or “Web” page, to a user. A Web page is a Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) document
430
that can be sent to a user over the Internet
500
using a set of rules, called Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP), that allow the exchange of information including text, graphic images, sound, video, and other multimedia files. As used herein, the term “script” refers to either an HTML document or a program that generates an HTML document.
A Web page is generally accessed through an address called a Uniform Resource Locator (URL). For example, a particular listed party's Web page associated with a URL may contain the listed party's hours, text or audio advertising information, or pointers to other Web pages. The HTML scripts
430
are maintained on a computer
400
, known as a Web “server,” and can be designed to incorporate information in a database
440
that can be directly updated by the listed party as often as required. These Internet-based directories, however, can only be used by people with a computer connected to the Internet
500
. Many people do not have access to the Internet
500
, are not near a computer when looking for this type of information, or find it otherwise inconvenient to retrieve information this way.
A network service provider's users would find it very helpful if enhanced information was available through a telephone based directory assistance system. Additionally, the network service provider could generate revenue by charging listed parties a fee to be included in the enhanced information database. Finally, a listed party would be happy to be able to provide customers with detailed information that can be easily accessed.
In view of the foregoing, it can be appreciated that a substantial need exists for a method and apparatus that makes enhanced directory assistance information available over a telephone, and solves the other problems discussed above.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The disadvantages of the art are alleviated to a great extent by a method and apparatus that provide enhanced directory assistance information. In one embodiment of the present invention, an operator receives a request for directory information about a listed party over a telephone connection. It is then determined if enhanced directory information for the listed party is available in an enhanced information database. The enhanced directory information associated with the listed party is retrieved, from the enhanced information database, as a script that incorporates the enhanced directory information. The enhanced directory information can then be provided using the script. The enhanced directory information can be stored, for example, on a Web server that is updated by the listed party and the information can be transferred using a Phone Markup Language script. According to one embodiment of the present invention, listed parties may update their own listings, and these updates will be immediately available to callers.
With these and other advantages and features of the invention that will become hereinafter apparent, the nature of the invention may be more clearly understood by reference to the following detailed description of the invention, the appended claims and to the several drawings attached herein.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5479488 (1995-12-01), Lennig et al.
patent: 5555290 (1996-09-01), McLeod et al.
patent: 5625296 (1997-04-01), Takahashi et al.
patent: 5727046 (1998-03-01), Almulla
patent: 5790634 (1998-08-01), Kinser, Jr. et al.
patent: 5819092 (1998-10-01), Ferguson et al.
patent: 5832433 (1998-11-01), Yashchin et al.
patent: 5867562 (1999-02-01), Scherer
patent: 5884032 (1999-03-01), Bateman et al.
patent: 5901214 (1999-05-01), Shaffer et al.
patent: 5991799 (1999-11-01), Yen et al.
U.S. Patent application Ser. No. 08/635,801, filed Apr. 22, 1996, entitled “Method and Apparatus for Information Retrieval Using Audio Interface”, ABN.
Desmond Martha
Hanson Karrie Jo
Robinson Bethany Scott
Unger David G.
Varley Michael Chris
AT&T Corp
Dorvil Richemond
LandOfFree
Method and apparatus to provide enhanced directory... does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Method and apparatus to provide enhanced directory..., we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Method and apparatus to provide enhanced directory... will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2470672