CA2367228C - Technique for returning to directory assistance or information services provider upon command - Google Patents

Abstract

A cellular telephone subscriber who wishes directory assist nce services is connected in the conventional manner to an operator who identifies a destination telephone number desired by the subscriber. As in the prior art, the operator then initiates a call connecting the subscriber to the destination telephone number. However, rather than dropping all further involvement with the call, the preferred embodiment of the present invention continually monitors the connection thereby established for a predetermined DTMF signal issued by the customer, such as that obtained by pressing the "*" button. If such a signal is detected, the customer is transferred back to a directory assistance operator, who can then provide whatever further assistance is needed (e.g. redialing a busy number, or providing further directory assistance). Billing information for the calls originated by the directory assistance operator on the subscriber's behalf is logged in a database at the directory assistance center. This data is thereafter provided to the cellular carrier, permitting it to bill the subscriber for calls originated by the directory assistance operator.

Description

~;1~1 21"~ ~.E..
TECHNIQUE FOR RETURNING TO DIRECTORY ASSISTANCE
oR INFORMATION SERVICES PROVIDER UPON COMMAND
Field of the Invention The present invention relates to systess tsr providing directory assistance services; and'sore particularly rehtes to the provision o! directory assistance services to cellular telephone sulucrfb~rs.
j~a~k9round any ~~maarv of the invention .
Telephone directory assistance services ~
been available !or the past century. While improwseats haws be.n made over the decades, ''ach systems are still poorly suited for use by subscribers of cellular telephone services.
In prior art directory assistance services" a .
custaser dials an operator and identities tf~e naaa aad address o! a party whose telephone nusber,is desix~e3.
The operator then locates ,the number, using printsf directories or a computer database, and provides ihs number to the custoser. (The provision of the nn>6er is sometimes done by the live operator, but moss typically is done With a computerised voice response unit tlst 2p provides a synthesised voicing of the number.) itlter .
the cus~omar~s inquiry has bean satisfied, the connection to the operatcr is terminated.
while satisfactory for most customers, this arrangement is ill-suited for many cellular telep~s Zs customers. For one, such customers are usually samy from their general vorlc environments (e.g. in a vehicle), and thus say not have ready access to a pencil and paper in order to sake a note of the desired number.
(Even i! such saterials are available, the custas~r may 30 not find it comrenfent to interrupt other activit~s, s.g. driving, in order to make a note.) In addit~oe~, the process of initiating a second call -= to tire .
desired party -- entails further sanual opsratloaas (a. g.
hanging up, wafting !or another dial tone, and dieting) 3S which may be a hindrance to the customer s othez activities.

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'. . . _2_ The present assignee, in the prior art, has redressed certain of these difficulties by providing a airactory assistance service that eliainates the need to make a note of the desired number, or tenderta;ce a redi~slirg exercise. Instead, after deter=ining the .
telephone number desired by the customer, rather than voicing it to the customer, the directory assistance operator goes ahead and initiates a call to the desired party, and connects the new outgoing call to the original.customer. (The operator may stay on the line as a conferenced party so as to provide fnrthar assistance, or may withdraw from the cannection, -dspending on the particular implementation.) This arrangement obviates the need for the custoasr to make o note of the voiced number, or to undertake a redialing exercise. However, if the initiated call is not completed (e.g. a ~busy" tons is receivs~d), or ~f the customer desires further directory assistance, then the cuaicomer must again call the directory as:istance operator for help.
The problems associated With prasrfding directory assistance services to cellular c~-3tomers are n a limited to hardships on the customers; tLe 3irectory assistance service and the cellular carrier also confront unique issues. In the assignees prior art system, for example, the cellular carrier (which is typically responsible for billing of the customer) kno~rs only that the customer has dialed the directory assistance operator, but doss not know the ember to which the customer is ultimately connected by the operator. Billing is thereby complicated. In the prior .
art system, the tol_ charges (assuming toll calls are permitted; often they era not) for the connection between the customer and the desired rn~aber are sfaply absorbed by the directory assistance service, and recouped by billing the cellular carrier a sutficiantly large flat rate charge for each director~ 3asistance call so as to -cover these costs. The cellular carrier .. _3_ than bilks the subscriber a fixed a~unc for each directory assistance inquiry, regardless of the toll charges of any further connectton established or the customer by the directory assistance operator. This arrangement, however, has a number of disadvantages. In addition t~ increased cost, it also fails to provide the cellular carrier useful information about its customsrs~, calling patterns, which may affect decisions relating to system expansion, etc.
~ In accordance with the preferred enbodimsnt of the present invention, a directory assistance service is provided which alleviates ~aany of these drawbacks of the prior art. For example, in .ne embodiment, a customer who wishes directory assistance services is connected is the con~~entiot:al manner to an operator who determines the deiitination telephon~. number desired by the customer. As in the prior art, the operator than initiates a call connecting the c~Tstomer to the destination telephone number. However, rather than ' dropping all further involvement with the call, this embodiment ~f the present invention continually moni~ors the connection thereby established for a predeterains~d DTM!' signal issued by the customer, such as that obtained by pressing the "*" button. If such a signal is detected, the customer is transferred back to a directory assistance operator, vho can then provide whatever further assistance is needed (e. g. redialing~a busy number, or providing further d=rectory sssistancsj.
By this arrangement, the press of a single button by tbs customer summcna further directory assistance, rather than the redialing procedure required by the ?riot art.
The preferred embodiment further addresses the billing diff:c.~ulties associated With completion of custo~asr calls by directory assistanos operators.
l~ccording to this aspect of the preferred eabodiment, the directory assistance service logs, in a billing database, information identifying the customer (i.a. t1r customer identification number accompanying the call t .

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from the cellular provider), the -.'sstination nuaber to which the customer is connected, and the date, ties and duration of the c~atomer/destination number connection.
This log of information is periodically provided to the cellular carrier, allowing it to bill the customer for the call connected by the directory assistance operatar and recoup the as-.ociated expen$e. This permits the flat rata charged by the directory assistance provider to be reduced correspondingly, and-provides the cellular service with more detailed information about its customers usage requirements.
The foregoing and additional features and advantages of the p:esent invention will be ~o:e readily apparent from the following detailed description, which proceeds with reference to the accompanying drawings.
Brief Description of tue Drawinaa Fig. i is a block diagram depicting the hardwaxe used to implement one embodiment of the present invention.
Fig. 2 is a flow chart depicting the process by which directory assistance is provided to a eustoser in accordance with the Ffg. 1 embodiment.
Detailed Description with reference to Fig. i, a directory assistance center 10 according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention includes one or more Ti links a !or connection to customer networks, a private branch exchange (PBX) 14, and a channel bank 16 for coupling to a plurality of operator telephones i8. Each operator is further equipped with a terminal 20 that includes a video display unit and a Q~RTY keyboard wi'h assxiated dialing pad. The operator terwinals are coupled to a terminal server 22, which in turn is connected over a data network 24 to a database server 26. The data network further connects to a PBX host computer 2s and a voice response unit (VRU) 30.
The T1 links 12 provide connection betwea~ the directory assistance center 10 and the cellular v 7 s -5=

carrier s switching center, through which incoming directory assistance calls are received. The Ti links 12 further provide connection to the network oven vhfch outgoing calls are placed (which n9twork may be different than that used for incoming traffic).
The PBX 14 is conventional, an3 its operation is governed by instructions stored in the FBX host computer 28. fihese instructions simply implement the processRs hereafter described. In the preferred embodiment, the 1o PBX supports digital T1 telephone circuas, while in other embodiments other PBXs can of course be assn.
Included in the PBX is digital signal processing circuitry which provides the requisite conference ' , capahil3ty (described below), and dual tone multi .
frequency (DTMF) and multi frequency (MF) tone generation/detection capabilities.
Incoming calls received by the PBX 14 are connected to an available operator via a T1 circuit 32 that is connected through the channel bank 16 to an operators telephone headset. If no operator is available when a call is received, tY:e call is queued until an operator becomes available. The queuing and call distribution is standard l~utoaatic Call Distribution (7~CD) .
The terminal server 22 simply serves as an interface between serial devices, such as the operator terminals 20, and the data network 24, allowing the terminals to login as devices on the network.
The database server 26 provides operators with the means to search for a customer s desired party, and determine the appropriate telephone number. In the prslerred embodiment, the database provides the capability to search not just by name and address, but also by type of goods/services and/or geographical region. (E. g. the preferred database can answer queries soliciting the names/numbers of shape carrying model rocketry supplies in southeast Portland, Oregon, or of Chinese restaurants on a given street.) Data indexed in 21293~1~~
, . _6_ this fasaion is usually not commercially available, ao the present assignee starts with a commercially availrble database file (e.g. the Directory l~ssistance Database Source available from U.S..Wsmt), and enriches it by adding further data manually.
Desirably, the results of the.database search preserved on the operator~sc terminal 2u are not alphabetized prior to display, but rather era presented in thz order located by the database search engine. (If i0 desired, a deliberate randomization of order could ba effected before display). Businsases-at the beginning of the alphabet are thereby not unduly favored by customers using the directory assistance seivics.
The database software itselt is conventional.
The presently preferred best aude Ls to use a relational datai~ase, such as is available from Sybase. However, much simpler software can alternatively be used, such as DBass 4.
The voice response unit (VRU) 30 is incorporated into the system to play the constantly repeated pr.rts of an operator s speech, namely the various greetings and signoffs (or closings). Not only does this system provide a voice-saving and monotony-relief !unction for the operators, it performs a ~brar~ding' !unction (i.e.
the pre-recorded messages incorporate the nay of the telephone company through which the customer was routed to the directory assistance service), and it also seducxs the amount of time an operator is actually connected to a customer.
The VRU 30 is connected via the data link 24 to the PSX host 28 (to which it acts as a slave processor) and via one or more Z~1 spans to the PBX 14 itsell. More than one VRU can exist in a system. 1~t appropriate stages in a call progression, the PBX host Z8 initiate a voice path connection between the VRU and the P8X such that the caller, or the caller and the operator, ors able to hear whatever pre-recorded speech is played on that circuit by the VRU. It !her. instructs the VRU, via ~ , ~ '19 it ~ tJ 1:' it . ' 7 the data network, what type of message to play, passing data parameters that enable the VRU to locate the message appropriate to the call state, the service- .
providing telephone company, and the operator. Tke rECOrding density used is high enough to provide a good enough quality o! message playback that moat users of the system should be unaware the,~ are listening to a .
recording.
MethW-of Op~aratioo Customers of a particular telephone company simply dial the access digits establislad for directory ' assistance by that company. Examples of typical access digits are "*555" and "555-1212:" ' _.
The participating telephone company's own switching system will then reroute the call to the directory assistance service center 10 (via a T1 channel), wher3 it appears as an incoming call.
7~utowatic Call Distribution (aCa) logic is used to queue (if necessary) and distribute calls to operators in the order in which they are received, a~
such that the call traffic is distributcd evenly among the operators.
When a call is connected to an operator, the VRU
(also conferencP3 into the call) plays a greeting 25 message, usi»g a message pre-recorded by the connected operator. Both the operator and the calling custoser hear the mesrage, which incorporates the name of the service or company to which the customer is a subscriber (in other words, the call is "branded"). The wessage 30 ends with a prompt, thus ruing the customer to volunteer what information they are seeking.
When the autosated greeting is complete, the VRU
. is disconnected, and the operator and the customer are left connected by a 2-way speech path. hroe this point, the caller is interacting with a live operator.
In the event that the VRU is non-functional (for whatever reason), the incosing call is connected to the operator and a short "trill," or "sip" tons is played to 21?~;~2 i indicate that a caller is on the line. (Note that once operators are logged in to the system, they wear:
headsets, and have their telephones 18 permanently aff-hook. Their telephones do not ring when a call is presented). The operator then speaks a greeting and prompt in real time, instead of the VRU playing a message.
If the caller requests information concerning, ' far example, local theater perforsances, the operator speaks a response based on hard copy information. l~~t this point, the caller will be released from the cal.i, and the operator becomes available to handle further calls. ~ w If the caller is seeking enhanced directory assistance, the operator will engage in live dialogue to establish the name and other pertinent information cf the wanted party, and then initiate a database sear~G
using the operator terminal 20 and associated database server 26. In the event of an unsuccessful search, the operator will use alternative sources, such as the Electronic White Pagss (EWp) or even printed directories.
:he operator can connect the caller to tba wanted party~s number using one of two possible met?mds of call transfer: Blind Transfer or Hot?ine Transfer.
In either case, the call transfer is invoked by sending a sequence of digits (that includes tho vants3d party~s number) to the PBX host 28. The convertiona3.
method of doing this is simply dialing the digits oe~ the operator s telephone handset (having first deprsssod the "flash" key to obtain dial tone). This method is aLsrays available. A much quicker and more accurate m~tbod is generally preferred: the operator highlights the desired database entry on the acre:n of the terminal I0, and then initiates Hlind or Hotline transfer to that number by entering a few keystrokes on the terminal keyboard. In this case, the database servmr 26 s r transmits the same digit sequence as part of a message to the PBX host 28, vta the network 24.
"Blind Transfer" ins the normal means by whfch an operator establishes a connection between the caller and the wanted party's number. As suon as tbe.PBX host 28 receives the Blind Transfer commaru3 (whether from the database server 26 or the operator's telephone Fat 18j, an attempt ~s made to establish a route out of the PBX
14. It successful, the circuit is seized and the address digits propagated, using the protocol the circuit is configured for: the operator is released . from the call and made available to receive further calls. ~ It the VRU 30 is operational, it is commanded to play a~signoff messrge (pre-recorded by the just-released operator) . If the VRU is not available, the operator speaks the signoft message before initiating the transfer. The VRU statue is known,ay wtether tbs call was initiated by a VRU-played greeting, or by zip ,tone. Failed routing attempts cause reorder tones to be returned to the operator's handset, cr an error indication to be returned to the database server 26 (depending on how the PBX host recefved the transfer command).
Like Blind Transfer, the "Hotline Transler' method of establishing a connection betw-asn the caller and the wanted party's number can be initiated by the operator from either the telephone handset 18 or fzom the data terminal keyboard 20. The difference is that the operator is not automatically released frog the call in a Hotline Transfer. Instead, he/she is confereac~d into the call by the PBX 28 arid is able to ~nitor its progress. Using either the telephone handset or ttss data terminal keyboard, the operator say withdraw from the call after verifying its establishment, or a~ay cause the called circuit to be released and then re-engage in dialogue with the caller.
Hotline Transfers are used when a caller requests that the operator "stay on the line."
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-1~-If, after initiation of a transfer (whether or not it succeeds), and ~t any time before the caller hangs u~, thc~ caller requires further operator ., assistance, the calls= can "sta~cback" to an operator.
This .is done siFply by pressing the "~" (star) key on .
the caller's telephone c-ce or twice (depending or. the system, nad as instructed by the operator in the signoff message).
The star. t~ne(s) is ~etectsd by a DTMF receiver _ (allocated in the PHX 14 to: the entire duration of the call), and causes the callex to appear as a fresh call to the ACD logic. This in '.urn results in the caller Being connected to an available operator, whereupon the PHX host 28 instructs the connected VRU 3o to play the appropriate pre-recorded "starback" message. Note that the operator to whom the call is connected is allocated according to the ACD algorithm, and may c.r may not be -the same operator that previously handled this call.
From this point, the call is treated in the same way as a non-starback call.
The starback feature enables callers who have been transferred by means of a Hlind Transfer to recall an operator if the transfer does not complete satisfactorily (for example, receipt of reorder tone, busy tone, operator intercept tri-tones, ring-no-answer, silence, or wrong number). It also enables a caller to request a follow-on call at the completion of a successfully completed call without incurring the delay or difficulty of re-dialing into the system.
3o It will be recognized that, in the preferred embodiment, the desired number is not voiced to the customer unless explicitly requested. So~stimes a customer uses the "starback" feature to request that the number be voiced if, for example, he finds a tolla~r-up call is necessary later.
A llow diagram illustrating the sequence of events in a directory assistance system eaploying the present "starback" technique is provided in Fig. 2.

21~J~'' The "starback" technique enables the cost-effective provision of many services not previously ..
available. .Eor. example, a directory aaistance center _ nay offer mapping/locatcr se-vices which provide spoken directions to guide vehici~:-based customers from their present location to a desired destination. However, to obviate ~.he need for the customer to writs the directions down while in the vehicle, the operator should be $vailable to issue instructions along the course of the vehicle's route. By using the "st,.:5ack"
feature, the customer can receive initial instructions, and thereafter summon further instructions as needed along the route simply by pressing the star key. In such~a systra, the customer's connection to the directory assistance centaur is maintained during the course of the trip, but the operator can attend to other customers while the travelling customer doesn't need the operator's iamediate attention. ;Since "starback" may return the customer t: a different operator, provision is~mads fob transferring -- with the custamer -- a pointer to the particular database record (i.e. map or directions) being utilized by that customer, and a pointer to a current fixation within that recor3. By this arrangsrent, a different operator who is sumaonsd for assistance using the "starback" featu=a can pick up where the last op$rator left otf.) While driving between operator instructions, the customer is simply kept in a "hold" state.
Billina issues There are three billing components of a cellular-phone originated call to a directory assistance .
service according to tl~s present invention:
1) "~lir tree," or the total time the caller uses the cellular carrier's cellular radio systea to carry a call frog his/her cellular telephone. This is the responsibility of the cellular carrier.

2) The per-call charge levied for use of the directory assistance service. This charge is made by . 2 v~~':%' , . _ _ . _ ~ !a tre directory assistance service'to the cellular pier on the basis of the number of calls-received from tce carrier in a prrticular time period.

3) Toll charge - the -harge levned by a carrier !or the duration cf an answered c::~ainsct~aai over , a toll route originated by a directory assistance.
operator: This charge is levied by the carrier asst for completion of customer calls originated b~ t~s directory assistance operator. 'afie celluhr carries is decedent on the directory assistance servdce to pzami.Ce details of these calls to unable it to acxurutety bell its subscribers accordingly. There are two stays of doing this:
1) The directory assistance set. x pzav~-des "tickets" of all calls that were transferred and answered. The precise content and tors?~t of the t3clcet is customer-defined, but includes at least tie t'ol~.owirtg information: calling number, called r~m~er, dace end time of connection (i.e. when answer indication arms received), and duration of call. The tic9cet fi3ea can ' be transferred on magnetic tape or by aeaa~s at electronic tile transfer.
2) The digits that are dialM by the d:rsctosy assistance service's PBX to initiate the call tsaader (via the cellular carrier's network) can inomrpoa~ats tDs calling party number ("A" Number Idcntf!=ration" as 1WI) . The cellular carrier's own swi:c.~.is~g eQuipe~mt then has all the inforaation needed to gesnerate the reduired tickets.
It. is the cellular carrier's responsfbL".it~ to rats the calls and determine vbat charge is to be levied.
Having described the principles cei vat 3.rrrmtion with reference to a preferred eabodiserrt and ~tsla variations thereon, it should bs apparsn:. that t>~s examples can be modified in arrang.a~a!t au~d deiafi without departing !ro' such principles. For exa~apDs, while the invention has been illustr:fed aritb retesencs _13_ 21?93~~
to a system in which a "starback" customer is routed back to the next available operator, in ether embodiments, provision can be made for routing the .
customer back to the original operator. (In some systems, the customer can be given a choice: pressing ore key for the first available operator, and another key to be inserted fn the original operator's queue.) In view of the many Fossible embodiments to which the principles of our invention may-be put, it should be recognized that the detailed embodiments are illustrative only and should not be taken as limiting the scope of our invention. Rather, we claim as our invention all such embodiments as may come witt~:.n the scope and spirit of the following clzims and equivalents thereto.
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Claims (12)

1. A directory assistance service method comprising:
receiving a directory assistance call from a customer, the customer using a telephone and a telephone carrier service;
repeating the following (a) - (d) one or more times:
(a) establishing a connection between the customer and a desired destination number;
(b) logging in a billing database at least customer identification information, and a duration of the connection between the customer and the desired destination number;
(c) continuously monitoring the connection for a predetermined signal issued by the customer; and (d) reconnecting the customer to a directory assistance provider upon detection of the predetermined signal; and providing, to the telephone carrier service, data logged in the billing database so that the customer can be billed by the telephone carrier service accordingly.

2. The method of claim 1 which includes reconnecting the customer to a directory assistance provider without terminating the connection between the customer and the destination telephone number.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing a voiced recitation of the desired destination number when requested by the customer.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising maintaining the directory assistance provider as a conferenced party to the connection to monitor whether connection is completed satisfactorily.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising reattempting to establish connection between the customer and the destination number upon request by the customer following detection of the predetermined signal.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the predetermined signal includes a DTMF tone signal.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the directory assistance provider includes an operator.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the customer identifying information includes a telephone number of the telephone.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein a date and time of the connection is also logged in the billing database.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the desired destination number is also logged in the billing database.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the telephone includes a wireless telephone.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the telephone carrier service includes a wireless telephone carrier service.