EP1027800A1 - Directory assistance method and system - Google Patents
Directory assistance method and systemInfo
- Publication number
- EP1027800A1 EP1027800A1 EP98950798A EP98950798A EP1027800A1 EP 1027800 A1 EP1027800 A1 EP 1027800A1 EP 98950798 A EP98950798 A EP 98950798A EP 98950798 A EP98950798 A EP 98950798A EP 1027800 A1 EP1027800 A1 EP 1027800A1
- Authority
- EP
- European Patent Office
- Prior art keywords
- area code
- directory assistance
- destination number
- inquiry
- caller
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Withdrawn
Links
Classifications
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
- H04M—TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION
- H04M3/00—Automatic or semi-automatic exchanges
- H04M3/42—Systems providing special services or facilities to subscribers
- H04M3/487—Arrangements for providing information services, e.g. recorded voice services or time announcements
- H04M3/493—Interactive information services, e.g. directory enquiries ; Arrangements therefor, e.g. interactive voice response [IVR] systems or voice portals
- H04M3/4931—Directory assistance systems
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
- H04M—TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION
- H04M1/00—Substation equipment, e.g. for use by subscribers
- H04M1/26—Devices for calling a subscriber
- H04M1/27—Devices whereby a plurality of signals may be stored simultaneously
- H04M1/274—Devices whereby a plurality of signals may be stored simultaneously with provision for storing more than one subscriber number at a time, e.g. using toothed disc
- H04M1/2745—Devices whereby a plurality of signals may be stored simultaneously with provision for storing more than one subscriber number at a time, e.g. using toothed disc using static electronic memories, e.g. chips
- H04M1/27485—Appending a prefix to or inserting a pause into a dialling sequence
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
- H04M—TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION
- H04M2201/00—Electronic components, circuits, software, systems or apparatus used in telephone systems
- H04M2201/18—Comparators
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
- H04M—TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION
- H04M3/00—Automatic or semi-automatic exchanges
- H04M3/42—Systems providing special services or facilities to subscribers
- H04M3/42025—Calling or Called party identification service
- H04M3/42034—Calling party identification service
- H04M3/42059—Making use of the calling party identifier
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
- H04M—TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION
- H04M3/00—Automatic or semi-automatic exchanges
- H04M3/42—Systems providing special services or facilities to subscribers
- H04M3/42025—Calling or Called party identification service
- H04M3/42085—Called party identification service
- H04M3/42102—Making use of the called party identifier
Definitions
- the present invention relates generally to telephone systems and, more
- conventional directory assistance transaction involves a calling party accessing the service (e.g., through a 411 or 1-411 call), after which a human or automated operator
- the requested number is provided electronically through an introductory "The number is " phrase.
- NANP North American Numbering Plan
- reply to a directory inquiry, except now the reply is extended to include ⁇ at the beginning of the reply message — the additional (and often well-known) area code.
- Prepending the area code information requires the user to wait to hear the digits (i.e. the actual destination number) he or she really needs, while additional, unnecessary digits are
- the present invention addresses this problem.
- Still another object of this invention is to enhance the flexibility of a directory
- a response to a directory service inquiry includes an
- a directory assistance reply would be of the form "The
- Figure 1 is a flowchart illustrating the preferred method of the present invention for providing directory assistance.
- the present invention is implemented in a conventional directory assistance
- the service in response to a directory assistance inquiry by a caller, the service locates a required directory assistance inquiry by a caller.
- the destination number in the usual manner.
- the destination number will have an associated
- the response to the directory assistance inquiry comprises the destination number followed by the area code.
- the directory assistance inquiry identifies the requested number as "386-0300" within area code "972”
- the inventive method offers a reply to the calling party in a format such as identified below:
- appending the area code may be dependent on the source of the initial call.
- Figure 1 The method for directory assistance is implemented within a geographic area in which local telephone calls are associated with at least first and second area codes.
- the first area code is "214"
- the method begins at step 10 to determine whether a directory
- step 12 the method continues at step 12 to process the inquiry. This involves locating a destination number of the called party, and this
- destination number will have an associated area code due to the use of multiple area
- step 20 continues at step 20 to communicate to the caller a response to the directory assistance
- step 20 would communicate the following: "The number is 3-8-6-0-3-0-0
- the method branches to step 22 to communicate to the caller a response comprising the destination number sans area code.
- step 16 determines whether the outcome of the test at step 16 is negative. If the outcome of the test at step 16 is negative, the inquiry originated from a telephone in the second area code. This causes the method to branch to step 22, as previously described.
- the area code information is
Landscapes
- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Signal Processing (AREA)
- Telephonic Communication Services (AREA)
- Information Transfer Between Computers (AREA)
Abstract
Description
Claims
Applications Claiming Priority (3)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
US94040597A | 1997-10-01 | 1997-10-01 | |
PCT/US1998/020530 WO1999017520A1 (en) | 1997-10-01 | 1998-10-01 | Directory assistance method and system |
US940405 | 2001-08-27 |
Publications (2)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
EP1027800A1 true EP1027800A1 (en) | 2000-08-16 |
EP1027800A4 EP1027800A4 (en) | 2004-09-08 |
Family
ID=25474771
Family Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
EP98950798A Withdrawn EP1027800A4 (en) | 1997-10-01 | 1998-10-01 | Directory assistance method and system |
Country Status (4)
Country | Link |
---|---|
EP (1) | EP1027800A4 (en) |
JP (1) | JP2001518756A (en) |
AU (1) | AU9675398A (en) |
WO (1) | WO1999017520A1 (en) |
Families Citing this family (3)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US7149295B2 (en) | 2002-03-28 | 2006-12-12 | Metro One Telecommunications, Inc. | Technique for effectively controlling communication links to an information assistance service |
FR2863803B1 (en) * | 2003-12-16 | 2006-04-07 | France Telecom | METHOD OF CONVERTING DATA EXTRACTED FROM AN ADDRESS BOOK, METHOD OF ESTABLISHING TELEPHONE COMMUNICATION WITH REDUCED CALL COST, AND CORRESPONDING TELECOMMUNICATIONS INSTALLATION. |
US20070265077A1 (en) * | 2006-04-27 | 2007-11-15 | Microsoft Corporation | Haptic feedback for peripheral devices |
Citations (2)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US5267304A (en) * | 1991-04-05 | 1993-11-30 | At&T Bell Laboratories | Directory assistance system |
US5528680A (en) * | 1994-01-03 | 1996-06-18 | At&T Corp. | Apparatus and method for accessing and maintaining a caller-ID based telephone directory |
-
1998
- 1998-10-01 EP EP98950798A patent/EP1027800A4/en not_active Withdrawn
- 1998-10-01 WO PCT/US1998/020530 patent/WO1999017520A1/en not_active Application Discontinuation
- 1998-10-01 JP JP2000514450A patent/JP2001518756A/en active Pending
- 1998-10-01 AU AU96753/98A patent/AU9675398A/en not_active Abandoned
Patent Citations (2)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US5267304A (en) * | 1991-04-05 | 1993-11-30 | At&T Bell Laboratories | Directory assistance system |
US5528680A (en) * | 1994-01-03 | 1996-06-18 | At&T Corp. | Apparatus and method for accessing and maintaining a caller-ID based telephone directory |
Non-Patent Citations (1)
Title |
---|
See also references of WO9917520A1 * |
Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
---|---|
WO1999017520B1 (en) | 1999-07-01 |
AU9675398A (en) | 1999-04-23 |
JP2001518756A (en) | 2001-10-16 |
WO1999017520A1 (en) | 1999-04-08 |
EP1027800A4 (en) | 2004-09-08 |
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Legal Events
Date | Code | Title | Description |
---|---|---|---|
PUAI | Public reference made under article 153(3) epc to a published international application that has entered the european phase |
Free format text: ORIGINAL CODE: 0009012 |
|
17P | Request for examination filed |
Effective date: 20000502 |
|
AK | Designated contracting states |
Kind code of ref document: A1 Designated state(s): DE ES FR GB IT |
|
RAP1 | Party data changed (applicant data changed or rights of an application transferred) |
Owner name: PHILIPS ELECTRONICS NORTH AMERICA CORPORATION |
|
RAP1 | Party data changed (applicant data changed or rights of an application transferred) |
Owner name: SCANSOFT, INC. |
|
A4 | Supplementary search report drawn up and despatched |
Effective date: 20040726 |
|
RIC1 | Information provided on ipc code assigned before grant |
Ipc: 7H 04M 1/2745 B Ipc: 7H 04M 3/493 A |
|
STAA | Information on the status of an ep patent application or granted ep patent |
Free format text: STATUS: THE APPLICATION IS DEEMED TO BE WITHDRAWN |
|
18D | Application deemed to be withdrawn |
Effective date: 20060503 |