Technique for effectively controlling communication links to an information assistance service
US7149295B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Mar 28, 2002 |
| Grant date | Dec 12, 2006 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Dec 21, 2024 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04M3/4935
- WIPO fieldTelecommunications
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
It is typical that a user calls an information assistance service provider to request information, e.g., a destination telephone number desired by the user, and chooses to be connected to the destination number. It is also typical that the information assistance service provider offers enhanced assistance service features, e.g., a StarBack feature. In prior art, to provide the enhanced service features, the user's call invariably continues to be connected to a servicing switch associated with the service provider after the user is connected to the destination number. To efficiently utilize the limited capacity of the servicing switch, in accordance with the invention, the user's call may be selectively released from the servicing switch before the call is connected to the destination number. Such a call release depends on certain criteria for determining whether the user is a candidate for utilizing an enhanced service feature after the call is connected to the destination number.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.