U.S. patent number 7,200,413 [Application Number 10/630,247] was granted by the patent office on 2007-04-03 for methods and system for enhanced directory assistance using wireless messaging protocols.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Interchange Corporation. Invention is credited to Heath B. Clarke, William A Montemer.
United States Patent |
7,200,413 |
Montemer , et al. |
April 3, 2007 |
Methods and system for enhanced directory assistance using wireless
messaging protocols
Abstract
Directory assistance provides telephone number look up services
to callers based on the business or caller name as listed in a
telephone directory. In the prior art, directory assistance
provides a value-added service to telephone users and an expense
that must be charged back to telephone callers or absorbed by
telephone carriers. In enhanced directory assistance (EDA) services
as described in the disclosure, EDA is further developed to deliver
a keyword targeted advertising service to telephone listing owners
and advertisers. The present invention provides a method and system
to extend EDA services to the wireless messaging systems used by
telecommunications operators. The invention further discloses
methods to support both one-way and two-way communications on these
devices, as well as systems to support the distributed EDA
Transaction business model.
Inventors: |
Montemer; William A (Laguna
Hills, CA), Clarke; Heath B. (Corona del Mar, CA) |
Assignee: |
Interchange Corporation
(Irvine, CA)
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Family
ID: |
31191350 |
Appl.
No.: |
10/630,247 |
Filed: |
July 30, 2003 |
Prior Publication Data
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Document
Identifier |
Publication Date |
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US 20040023644 A1 |
Feb 5, 2004 |
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Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
Issue Date |
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60400188 |
Jul 31, 2002 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
455/466; 379/157;
379/201.01; 379/214.01; 455/412.1; 455/414.1; 455/414.2; 455/414.3;
455/422.1; 455/456.1; 455/456.3; 705/14.69; 707/999.003;
707/999.004; 707/999.006; 707/999.009; 707/999.01; 709/203;
709/218; 709/219; 709/228 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G06Q
30/0273 (20130101); H04M 3/4878 (20130101); H04M
3/4931 (20130101); H04M 3/5322 (20130101); H04M
3/42042 (20130101); H04M 3/42348 (20130101); H04M
2242/15 (20130101); H04M 2242/30 (20130101); Y10S
707/99936 (20130101); Y10S 707/99939 (20130101); Y10S
707/99933 (20130101); Y10S 707/99934 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
H04Q
7/20 (20060101); H04Q 7/38 (20060101) |
Field of
Search: |
;455/403,414.1,414.2,414.3,414.4,422.1,426.1,426.2,456.1,456.2,456.3,500,517,550.1,445,412.1,412.2,552.1
;705/8,14 ;707/3,4,6,9,10 ;379/157,214.01,201.01
;709/203,219,218,228 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Ferguson; Keith
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Van Pelt, Yi & James LLP
Parent Case Text
RELATED APPLICATION INFORMATION
This application claims priority from U.S. Provisional Patent
Application No. 60/400,188 filed Jul. 31, 2002 and which is
incorporated herein by reference.
Claims
It is claimed:
1. A method of sharing directory listings via a wireless messaging
system in a distributed environment using a computer network
comprising: (a) Maintaining a database including a plurality of
directory listings, wherein each listing is associated with a
referral phone number, at least one search term and a dynamic,
controllable index; (b) Receiving a directory assistance request in
the form of a keyword from the customer; (c) Identifying the
directory listings having keyword terms generating a match with the
request; (d) Ordering the identified directory listings into a
phone number result list in accordance with the values of some
controllable index for the identified directory listings; (e)
Translating phone number result list into a format that is
compatible with a wireless messaging standard; (f) Transmitting the
translated result list through a wireless messaging system back to
the requesting customer's wireless messaging device; (g) Enabling
the receiving message device to automatically callback the
directory listing provider requesting a telephone referral; (i)
Receiving the message phone callback and authenticating the caller;
(j) Correlating the callback to a previous request and result set;
(k) Transferring the callback phone call to the corresponding
telephone referral number; (l) Initiating a business transaction to
generate billing and revenue transactions for the paid referral.
Description
NOTICE OF COPYRIGHTS AND TRADE DRESS
A portion of the disclosure of this patent document contains
material which is subject to copyright protection. This patent
document may show and/or describe matter which is or may become
trade dress of the owner. The copyright and trade dress owner has
no objection to the facsimile reproduction by any one of the patent
disclosure as it appears in the Patent and Trademark Office patent
files or records, but otherwise reserves all copyright and trade
dress rights whatsoever.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to the field of
telecommunications, and particularly relates to a system and method
for providing advertising opportunities using directory assistance
and wireless messaging systems.
2. Description of the Related Art
Telephone Directory Assistance has been around as long as there
have been telephone operators. Once the number of telephone
subscribers reached two and three digits, telephone directories
were published as service to the large numbers of telephone
subscribers. These published telephone directories or books helped
both the subscribers and telephone operators locate and contact
other telephone subscribers.
There are two types of telephone directories. The White Page-styled
directory lists basic telephone contact information for all
telephone subscribers; basic listings are free to all subscribers
and subscribers are listed by name. The Yellow Page-styled
directory lists products and services by category, to be included
in a Yellow Page directory an advertiser must pay a fee. The Yellow
Page directory advertiser pays for both the size of the
advertisement or listing and for its inclusion in one or more
specific categories.
Traditional directory assistance service provides telephone number
look up to the White Page style directory. Enhanced directory
assistance service provides look up to a Yellow Page style
directory. The difference between the two is based on how a caller
finds a particular directory listing.
In a traditional directory assistance service, the caller contacts
a directory assistance operator and gives the operator the name of
a business or person and its associated locale. The directory
assistance operator then searches a telephone directory database
for a telephone listing that matches the sought-after criteria.
Upon finding a match or a set of matches, the operator informs the
caller and either gets further information to narrow the results or
offers to connect the caller to a desired telephone number.
In an enhanced directory assistance system, a caller contacts a
directory assistance operator and in addition to providing as some
localization information to narrow where the caller wishes to find
the product or services, the caller provides a category name or
keyword associated with the desired product or service. In the
present art, an enhanced directory assistance operator then takes
the provided information and searches or queries a Yellow
Page-styled directory. Upon finding a match, the operator informs
the caller and either gets further information to narrow the
results or offers to connect the caller to the desired telephone
number.
In the present art, inclusion in these paid listings is offered to
a business or organization through monthly or yearly subscription
fees. Also in the present art, listing partners can pay a premium
fee to be listed at the top of a category or keyword lookup result
list. The premium or preferred listing is given priority treatment
by the directory assistance operator and mentioned before any other
paid listings are communicated.
The present invention provides methods and systems that allow
directory assistance providers to use shared directory assistance
resources with already deployed wireless communications systems.
The new revenue opportunities will allow significant revenue
increases without requiring telecommunications companies to
implement new infrastructures.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 shows a system block diagram of a distributed Enhanced
Directory Assistance (EDA) Listing Service.
FIG. 2 shows a system block diagram of a Messaging System and an
EDA Listing Service.
FIG. 3 shows a system block diagram of a Messaging System Layer and
its interface to an EDA Listing Service.
FIG. 4 shows a voice enabled Mobile Terminated Messaging
implementation of a message-based EDA Listing Service.
FIG. 5 shows a voice enabled Mobile Originated Messaging
implementation of a message-based EDA Listing Service.
FIG. 6 shows a table listing the differences between messaging
protocols as the affect a message-based EDA Listing Service.
FIG. 7 shows a flowchart of a voice enabled single message
implementation of a message-based EDA Listing Service.
FIG. 8 shows a flowchart of a voice enabled message menu
implementation of a message-based EDA Listing Service.
FIG. 9 shows a flowchart of an SMS Session ID and how it relates to
the EDA Transaction Correlation model.
FIG. 10 shows the core functional blocks of a generic messaging EDA
implementation.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Distributed Enhanced Directory Assistance Listing Service
Enhanced Directory Assistance (EDA) services provide opportunities
for telephone listing owners and advertisers to promote products
and services to telephone callers looking for the same products and
services. In reference to FIG. 1, the illustration shows such an
EDA Listing Service. In this embodiment, an EDA Advertiser 10 owns
a set of telephone directory listings that are maintained in a
Local Advertiser Directory Listing (LADL) Database 16 that is
operated by the EDA Center 12. Each directory listing in the LADL
is associated with one or more keywords.
The operation of the EDA Listing Service is straightforward. The
EDA Advertiser agrees to pay the EDA provider a predetermined
amount of money for every telephone referral the advertiser
receives from the EDA Center. The EDA service discussed here can
rightly be called a paid referral service. The listings themselves
may be organized by location, referral amount paid, and keyword
association.
The LADL database contains directory listings that belong to
advertising clients of that particular EDA Center. These listings
are locally maintained and controlled.
At predetermined times, these local listings are published into a
system of Shared Directories 22. The Shared Directories effectively
comprise a "read-only" database of listings that are cached and
distributed independently of the LADL data.
Once published as Shared Directories, the listings are aggregated
and sorted with listings from other EDA Centers. This architecture
enhances scalability and performance by keeping two sets of data.
One set is "live" and available for maintenance and update. The
other set is "read-only" and represents replicated data that is
distributed throughout the network. The two sets of data are kept
in sync by defining refresh rules and a data recycling
architecture.
Each of the shared directory listings contains content information
(Listing ID, Listing Description, Referral Phone Number), owner
information (Advertiser ID, EDA Provider ID), business transaction
information (Referral Amount, Business Rule ID), and keyword
identifiers.
EDA Center Operation
In reference to FIG. 1, when a Telephone Customer 14 dials a
predetermined EDA number, the EDA Center assigns the call to an EDA
Operator 18. After determining the geographical location of the
customer, the operator obtains a keyword from the customer, thereby
identifying the product or service the customer is seeking.
The operator submits the keyword to the LADL database application,
which queries the shared directory system. The system returns a
list of advertised telephone listings and descriptions for the
submitted keyword. The individual referrals can be organized in any
number of ways. In one embodiment, the referral list is organized
by the highest to lowest amount paid for each referral. In this
embodiment the EDA operator recites the list to the customer, who
selects one of the referral items.
In another EDA Listing Service embodiment, the functions of the EDA
Operator can be done by an Interactive Voice Response (IVR) system
20. In an IVR embodiment a series of voice dialogs could be
constructed using any number of well-known Voice XML (VXML)
platforms. As before, the IVR system presents the customer with a
set of referrals and the customer selects one.
The final result of an EDA inquiry is a telephone referral. In the
referral, the inquiry call is transferred to the selected
advertised directory listing referral number and a referral
business transaction is initiated.
Messaging Systems and EDA Listing Service
FIG. 2 shows how a wireless messaging system can be incorporated
into the EDA listing service described by FIG. 1. Referring to FIG.
2, the wireless components 32 are connected to a Conventional EDA
center 30 via a network such as the Internet.
In one preferred embodiment, the EDA center is connected to a
Messaging Gateway (MG) 34 that provides access to multiple wireless
messaging systems. The MG is connected to any one of several
wireless network 36 standards. The standards currently known in the
art are: GSM Global System for Mobile Communications; EDGE Enhanced
Data for GSM Evolution; CDMA Code Division Multiple Access; TDMA
Time Division Multiple Access; GPRS General Packet Radio
Service.
Messaging devices such as cell phones 40, wireless PDAs (personal
digital assistants) 42 or smart pagers 38 connect to the wireless
network to make requests and access the paid EDA referral content.
In one preferred embodiment, the messaging devices may initiate a
range of EDA requests using operator-assisted EDA, automated IVR
voice-enabled systems, pure text messaging systems or a combination
of any of the above methods.
Messaging System Infrastructure
FIG. 3 illustrates an embodiment of current message technology and
a distributed EDA Listing Service. Referring to FIG. 3, the
wireless devices access the extended EDA service through standard
wireless protocols: WAP 50, wireless application protocol; SMS MO
52, mobile originated short message service; MMS 54, multimedia
message service; EMS 56, enhanced message service; SMS MT 58,
mobile terminated short message service.
The differences between these protocol standards, as regarding the
disclosed invention, are summarized in FIG. 6. Note that all the
listed wireless protocols are two-way or bi-directional except for
SMS MT. Mobile terminated SMS is a broadcast message model, where
wireless devices receive messages only. Two-way models allow the
wireless device to both send and receive messages.
Referring again to FIG. 3, messages and signals using the various
wireless protocols enter the system through the Messaging Gateway
(MG) 62. Currently, there are not only incompatible standards used
within wireless telecommunications carriers, there are also
differing implementations between carriers even within the same
standard. The messaging gateway provides protocol transformation
functions that map incoming messages to formats compatible with the
various supported messaging systems and platforms. In one preferred
embodiment, the MG provides transformations between various
messaging standards such as SMS to EMAIL to Instant Messaging
(IM).
On the same level as the MG is a VXML or Voice XML Server (VXMLS)
64. The VXMLS is a voice-enabled application that provides voice
dialogs to make EDA requests and selections. In one preferred
embodiment, the VXMLS/messaging standard combination, provides a
robust and flexible input system for wireless EDA. The input to the
VXMLS is shown as an IVR Interactive Voice Response 60 system.
The MG connects to message centers that rout messages to and from
various participants. In SMS, the routing is controlled by an SMSC
short message service center 68. In one preferred implementation,
the SMSC receives messages, forwards them to the identified
recipient if the recipient is available or stores the message for
later delivery if the recipient is offline. The SMSC is also able
to pre-process messages before delivery and re-route messages
programmatically if desired. The MG also connects to other
messaging centers, which perform functions analogous to the SMSC
for different messaging protocols.
The next functional block--the Messaging Interface 70--transforms
messaging formats into compatible EDA requests and responses. This
enables the messaging system to connect to a complete EDA Center 74
or node. A similar interface block--the VXML Interface
72--transforms VXML inputs into EDA compatible queries and
transforms EDA result lists into formats appropriate for VXML
menus. Finally, the EDA Center accesses the EDA network of Shared
Directories 74.
The table shown in FIG. 6 details the differences between the
various messaging protocols.
WAP--wireless application protocol--while not exclusively a
messaging protocol, can nonetheless be used in a wireless EDA
implementation. WAP is the de-facto world standard for the
presentation and delivery of wireless information and telephony
services on mobile phones and other wireless terminals. WAP allows
active content in the form of WML (wireless markup language)
programmable mini-pages or cards to be generated dynamically and
"pushed" or sent directly to cell phone mini-browsers. WAP pages
"pull" content from standard web servers and use most of the
interactive features commonly associated with web pages and web
browsers. While WAP is a standard, it is implemented differently
both by equipment manufactures and telecommunications carriers.
SMS--short message service--is the most widely implemented wireless
messaging protocol in the world. SMS uses small text-only messages
that are typically less than 160 characters in length. SMS operates
in two modes Mobile Terminated (MT) and Mobile Originated (MO). MT
SMS provides one-way text communication, where cell devices only
receive text from the SMS Center. MO SMS allows cell devices to
both send and receive messages. MO SMS uses the SMPP--small message
peer-to-peer--protocol to send messages directly from one message
device to another.
EMS (enhanced message service) and MMS (multimedia message service)
typically refer to evolutionary forms of SMS. EMS allows the
sending of pictures, sounds and ring tones in longer richer
messages. MMS will allow digital sounds, images and even video to
be sent when new high capacity network infrastructures are in
place. MMS will most likely require full 3G (third generation)
wireless networks. Limited EMS is available now, and will become
popular when more 2.5G (two and one-half) networks are
deployed.
Voice-Enabled Mobile Terminated Messaging
FIG. 4 illustrates an EDA Messaging implementation using MT SMS.
The preferred embodiment demonstrates a wireless EDA service using
a combination of voice and one-way SMS messaging.
Referring to FIG. 4, a caller on a cell phone 80 dials an EDA
access number looking for a local Chinese restaurant. The wireless
system 82 connects the caller to an Interactive Voice Response
(IVR) application 86 that is connected to an EDA center 88. The
interaction between this implementation and the SMS MT EDA system
is straightforward.
Through a series of vocal dialogues, the IVR application obtains
the keyword "Chinese restaurant" from the caller. The application
then submits the keyword to the EDA Center via the Message System
Interface Layer 88. The EDA Center returns an ordered referral list
representing the paid listings for that keyword. The IVR
application creates a vocal selection menu from the referral list
and verbalizes the selection options to the caller. At this point,
the caller selects one item from the referral menu.
Given a listing selection, the EDA Center proceeds to complete a
referral transaction. First, it sends the selected Referral Content
96 to the SMS Center 94 via the Message System Interface Layer 88.
A referral business transaction is also initiated to debit a
referral amount from an Advertiser Account 98 and add a credit
transaction to the EDA Center's revenue account. The actual
referral content 96 is routed back 92 through the wireless network
to the caller's phone by the SMS Center 94.
In one embodiment, the final referral text message 90 appears on
the caller's phone. Using standard SMS techniques, this message can
be linked to a call back number that can be the advertiser's
referral phone number. Pressing call while viewing this message
automatically connects the caller to the referred phone number.
In a preferred embodiment the call back number can be a monitored
EDA callback number that is used to track the outcome of the
referral. In this arrangement, a central EDA Center number is used
as the callback number and each choice is given a different direct
dial extension number. Upon connecting to the appropriate number
and extension, the EDA customer's call is transferred to the
selected advertiser's referral number.
Using a central number callback scheme, the result or outcome of a
telephone referral can be monitored and tracked. This type of
outcome tracking functionality is further detailed in FIG. 7.
Voice-Enabled Mobile Originated Messaging
FIG. 5 illustrates an EDA Messaging implementation using MO SMS.
Referring to FIG. 5, a caller on a cell phone 101 dials an EDA
access number looking for a local Chinese restaurant. The wireless
system 102 connects the caller to an Interactive Voice Response
(IVR) application 106 that is connected to an EDA center 110 via a
Messaging System Interface Layer 108. The interaction between this
implementation and the SMS MO EDA system is likewise
straightforward.
As before, through a series of vocal dialogues, the IVR application
obtains the keyword "Chinese restaurant" from the caller. The
application then submits the keyword to the EDA Center via the
Messaging System Interface Layer 108. The EDA Center returns an
ordered referral list representing the paid listings for that
keyword.
In one MO SMS embodiment, the referral list is formatted into an
SMS application message by the interface layer 108 and sent to the
SMS Center 114. The SMS Center then pushes the message to the
Wireless Network 102 and back to the caller's cell phone. The
referral message 122 appears on the cell phone, waiting for the
caller to make a selection.
In one SMS implementation, the caller chooses a selection and
presses the "Send" message button, followed by the text message
selection identifier "A". The referral response message 112 is sent
back to the SMS Center 114 and back to the messaging system
interface layer where the returned selection "A" is used by the SMS
application logic to return the address, phone number and
description of the selected listing. This returned data is
converted to a final referral SMS message 124 and sent back through
the wireless network to the caller's phone.
At the same time the system returns the referral message, it also
initiates a referral transaction, executing a debit transaction on
the listing advertiser's account and crediting the EDA Center's
revenue account.
Single SMS Message Operational Flow
FIG. 7 details the operational flow of a single SMS message
voice-originated EDA referral. As referenced in the embodiment
shown in FIG. 7, the EDA call is initiated 132 by a customer using
a cell phone. The call is received at the EDA Center 134 through
the wireless network, where the location of the call is determined
136 and stored as a location identifier--Loc ID. In one embodiment
this Loc ID is a zip code.
Next in this implementation, the EDA Center wireless network switch
connects the call to an Interactive Voice Response (IVR) platform
whose task is to determine the sought after EDA keyword. The IVR
platform's Get Keyword 138 operation can use any of the well-known
speech recognition technologies available in the current art.
In one embodiment a Voice XML (VXML) platform creates a series of
voice dialogs which direct the user to the most applicable keywords
in the system. Well-designed voice dialogs can increase the degree
of recognition certainty, thus making the IVR application more
robust and the advertising system more efficient.
Once the keyword is determined, the EDA listing database is queried
with the keyword and location parameters. As explained in the basic
EDA Listing Service operation, the EDA database returns an
appropriate set of directory referral listings 140. The messaging
interface layer then formats the result set as a VXML voice menu
142 and prompts the user to choose an option by vocalizing the menu
144. In the single SMS message embodiment disclosed, all EDA query
determination and result set information exchange occurs in voice
and text-to-speech interactions.
According to the teachings of the invention, other configurations
of the EDA functions can be developed. In one embodiment, more
detailed description of the various options can be conveyed by
playing back pre-recorded voice tracks, making the system appear
more human and more approachable.
Once the interaction between the caller and the EDA system is
complete, a menu option will be selected. The selected option will
then be mapped to a referral phone number, travel directions and
assorted business information. This data is returned to the EDA
message center where it is formatted as a message 150.
Next, in a preferred embodiment, the EDA Messaging Interface layer
creates an SMS Session ID that relates the current EDA query to a
particular cell number. In other words using this SMS Session ID,
an EDA server can retrieve all of the current EDA query details.
The operation of the SMS Session ID is further detailed in FIG.
9.
At this point in the implementation a Send Referral Transaction
record 152 is generated and stored with the SMS Session ID. Also,
the SMS message is sent out to the EDA caller 154 via the wireless
phone network 156.
Continuing along with the preferred implementation of FIG. 7, the
customer receives the SMS message 158. If the customer so chooses
after reading the message, the customer may automatically dial the
displayed SMS callback number 160 by pressing the "Call" or "Send"
phone button. The callback is sent 161 back to the EDA Center as an
SMS Callback via the wireless network 162.
Next the EDA center's messaging interface receives 163 and begins
to process the callback. The processing begins by determining the
SMS Session ID 164 from the EDA customer's cell number. It then
correlates the Session ID with the Send Referral Transaction 166.
From there the server retrieves the Referral Transfer Phone number
168. Finally, before ending the EDA session, the EDA Center server
transfers the call to the paid Referral Phone Number 170 and
generates a Billing Referral Transaction 172 record. At this point
the normal EDA Center business operations take over 174.
SMS Message Menu Operational Flow
FIG. 8 shows an embodiment of an SMS Menu based EDA implementation.
As referenced by FIG. 8, the customer initiates an EDA call 180
using a cell phone. The call is received at the EDA Center 182
through the wireless network, where the location of the call is
determined 184 and stored as a location identifier--Loc ID. In one
embodiment this Loc ID is a zip code.
Next in this implementation, the EDA Center wireless network switch
connects the call to an Interactive Voice Response (IVR) platform
whose task is to determine the sought after EDA keyword. The IVR
platform's Get Keyword 186 operation can use any of the well-known
speech recognition technologies available in the current art.
In one embodiment a Voice XML (VXML) platform creates a series of
voice dialogs which direct the user to the most applicable keywords
in the system. Well-designed voice dialogs can increase the degree
of recognition certainty, thus making the IVR application more
robust and the advertising system more efficient.
Once the keyword is determined, the EDA listing database is queried
with the keyword and location parameters. As explained in the basic
EDA Listing Service operation, the EDA database returns an
appropriate set of directory referral listings 188. Here the SMS
menu implementation begins to diverge from the previous single
message implementation.
First the Messaging Interface layer formats the result set as a
longer message with multiple callback numbers. Each menu option
will be mapped to a referral phone number, travel directions and
assorted business information. This data is returned to the EDA
message center where it is formatted as a message 190.
Once the SMS menu message has been constructed, the messaging
interface layer creates an SMS Session ID 192 that is used to
relate the current EDA query to this customer call. The operation
of the SMS Session ID is further explored in FIG. 9. After
generating a Send Referral Transaction record 193, the messaging
layer submits the SMS message to the wireless network for delivery
194. The SMS menu message is then carried over the Wireless Network
196 and delivered to the calling customer.
In the SMS message menu embodiment disclosed, all EDA query
determination and result set information exchange occurs via
two-way SMS messaging. In one embodiment, more detailed description
of the various options can be conveyed by sending back individual
description messages on demand, making the system much more
informative and accessible. According to the teachings of the
invention, other configurations of the SMS EDA service can be
developed. The functional blocks used in the core SMS EDA service
are detailed in FIG. 10.
Continuing along with the preferred implementation of FIG. 8, the
customer receives the SMS message 198. After reading the referral
menu message 200, the customer selects an option 202 and sends the
displayed SMS callback number by pressing the "Call" or "Send"
phone button. The callback is sent 204 back to the EDA Center as an
SMS Callback via the wireless network 205.
Next the EDA center's messaging interface receives the callback
message 206 and begins to process the message. The processing
begins by determining the SMS Session ID 208 from the EDA
customer's cell number. It then correlates the Session ID with the
Send Referral Transaction 210. From there the server retrieves the
Referral Transfer Phone number 212. Finally, before ending the EDA
session, the EDA Center server transfers the call to the paid
Referral Transfer Phone Number 214 and generates a Billing Referral
Transaction 216 record. At this point the normal EDA Center
business operations take over 218.
Session ID's and Transaction Correlation
FIG. 9 details the workings of the Session ID and its relationship
to EDA Transactions. The interaction between the central EDA
listing service and a cell phone customer can rightly be
characterized as a classic client/server system where the cell
phone is the client application and the various EDA Center services
make up the server.
The requests and responses between the components are asynchronous
and disconnected in nature. This means that there is no intrinsic
property that relates a specific EDA request to a specific EDA
result set. For this reason, the disclosure introduces the notion a
Session ID.
As shown in the preferred embodiment detailed in FIG. 9, before an
EDA query is executed by the Local Advertiser Directory Listing
Database Application, an EDA Session is initiated 220. At the
Messaging Interface layer that interfaces with the standard EDA
Listing Service, a program will create a session ID 222 that is
related to the EDA customer's mobile phone number. In one
embodiment this ID could be the actual ten digit phone number such
as "5625551212". Or it could be a hash code generated from this
number.
In the course of the EDA call, an EDA result list will be generated
224. This ordered list represents the directory listings,
descriptions and referral phone numbers for specific keyword and
location code EDA query parameters. The result list will then be
mapped to a set of phone numbers that identify each listing
226.
In one embodiment this set of numbers could represent direct-dial
phone extensions within the EDA Center call-switching center. These
phone numbers are the actual callback numbers used in an SMS
message callback. In this mapping configuration, each callback
number would be related to the referral phone numbers on the EDA
result list. This phone mapping would then be stored with the
Session ID for later callback processing 228.
The EDA result list will then be formatted as a Message, with the
mapped phone numbers as callback numbers. This message can then be
sent via the wireless network 230.
After the customer's cell phone has received the message block, the
customer can automatically dial the callback number. Pressing the
"call" button while displaying a phone number from the EDA result
list message usually does this.
Later the EDA Center receives the callback on an EDA callback
extension 232 and begins to process it. First an EDA Messaging
server determines the Session ID form the customer's cell phone
number 234. To keep the requests in sync, the Session ID is
generated using the same technique as in 222.
Next the server gets the previously stored phone extension map
using the session ID 236. From this phone map, the EDA Messaging
server reconstructs the result list options and gets the referral
phone number 240 representing the selected EDA referral option. The
call is the transferred to this number 242 and a Referral
Transaction is generated for billing the referral 244.
Core Messaging EDA Functional Blocks
According to the teachings of this invention, adding a messaging
system to a paid EDA referral advertising system is
straightforward. As we have seen in this disclosure, there are many
messaging standards as well as many implementations of these
standards by various wireless carriers.
FIG. 10 shows the core messaging EDA functional blocks as three
tiers--1, 2 and 3. Referring to FIG. 10, the three tiers roughly
represent different three phases of a messaging EDA implementation:
Making the EDA Request, Rendering the EDA Referral List; and
Processing the Referral Message. The messaging EDA system that is
the subject of this disclosure may implement alternative
technologies within any of these blocks. Likewise, the order and
configuration of these blocks may vary while still following the
teachings of this invention.
Making the EDA Request
Tier 1 begins with Make EDA Request 250. This function usually
involves a customer using a cell phone to call the EDA Center. It
also involves getting the parameters of the EDA query: a keyword
and a location. The query parameters may be determined in several
ways: by answering a series of VXML dialogs; by creating a
formatted text message; or by making an operator-assisted database
query.
In an alternative embodiment the Make EDA Request function could be
accomplished by using dedicated software/hardware key combinations.
In one embodiment a series of button presses such as "#"--"*"--"R"
could represent and EDA Request for "Nearest Restaurants". Another
embodiment might employ sending an SMS message to the EDA Center
with a keyword as the message payload.
The Get EDA Results block 252 represents the Messaging Gateway and
any message interfacing functionality. One embodiment might include
messaging system translation layers that allow messages sent by one
messaging standard to be received via another standard. The Format
Results as Options Message 254 block represents systems that
convert the EDA database formats into various messaging formats
such as SMS, EMS, MMS and even WAP.
The Create Session Data block 256 represents any data persistence
technology that allows loosely coupled asynchronous systems to
conduct robust and reliable transactions. This function might
involve databases, message queues, and transaction coordinators
that are well known in the current art.
The final block in tier 1 is the Send Options Message 258 block.
The Send Message block broadcasts the message to a mobile receiver.
This server-based function might be accomplished by a wireless
message control center such as an SMSC in an SMS messaging
implementation. In another embodiment, this function might involve
an Instant Messaging (IM) to wireless translation service linking
TCPIP-based IM systems to wireless text message networks.
Rendering the EDA Referral List
Tier 2 involves functions that receive and display or render EDA
Messages. This function could be accomplished by a cell phone that
Receives the Options Message 260 displays the message 262 and
allows the EDA customer to respond to the message with an automatic
Callback 264.
In an alternative embodiment the Render Options Message function
might involve a dynamically generated WAP page with HTML encoded
links that automatically dial the callback number. Another
embodiment might involve multimedia images that represent the
various options with linked callback numbers as HTML anchors.
Processing the Referral Message
Tier 3 represents the business infrastructure of a message-based
EDA paid referral system. In reference to FIG. 10, to begin the
referral processing cycle, a message center server Receives the
Callback 266. Next the message server Authenticates the Session ID,
which basically means the referral service identifies who is making
the callback. This authentication involves determining the phone
number of the wireless device making the callback and using the
number to generate a Session ID.
The Session ID is used to access the session data record
constructed in 256 perform the Correlate Session Data function 270.
As previously described, the Session ID provides a method to relate
two separate message requests to the same EDA referral. Because
they share the same Session ID, the loosely coupled requests can
participate in a single complete transaction. This session ID makes
it possible for any number of discrete transactions to be initiated
272 to complete the EDA Referral process.
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