Patents Assigned to Grape Technology Group Inc.
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Patent number: 8200262Abstract: An enhanced services platform has an interface for receiving a communication from a user requesting a desired data. An automated response module parses the communication and retrieves the desired data. The enhanced services platform arranges the desired data into a response message that is sent to the user, where the response message includes an embedded code corresponding to a link allowing the user to re-contact the enhanced services platform. An operator assistance module receives communications from the user initiated via the link to provide further assistance regarding the user's request.Type: GrantFiled: August 5, 2011Date of Patent: June 12, 2012Assignee: Grape Technology Group, Inc.Inventors: Faith McGary, Ian Bacon, Michael Bates, Christine Baumeister
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Technique for effectively collecting and analyzing data in providing information assistance services
Patent number: 8195684Abstract: In an information/call center where calls are received, requesting information concerning entities, goods and services, directions to a given destination, etc., data is collected in processing such calls. In accordance with the invention, the collected data is analyzed to generate dynamic data to supplement and/or improve the traditional databases, typically searched by an operator for responses to the information requests. In providing a public information assistance service, such dynamic data may concern, e.g., the most popular movies, restaurants, requested categories, etc. In providing a personalized information assistance service, such dynamic data may concern, e.g., previous telephone connections made for a subscriber, the most popular telephone connections requested by a subscriber, etc. In addition, based on the past search behavior, “fuzzy” logic is developed for correlating between search terms.Type: GrantFiled: July 26, 2004Date of Patent: June 5, 2012Assignee: Grape Technology Group, Inc.Inventors: Nicholas J. Elsey, Karen L. Johnson, Timothy A. Timmins -
Patent number: 8189564Abstract: A method for facilitating VoIP communication between VoIP providers. First and second VoIP service providers are registered with a VoIP communication system, which generates a table of registered VoIP subscribers from the first and second VoIP service providers. The information from the table is applied to a call generated from a subscriber on the first VoIP service provider, such that if the desired party is a subscriber to the second VoIP service provider as noted in the table, the call generated from the subscriber on the first VoIP service provider is sent to the desired party as a packet switched call.Type: GrantFiled: October 24, 2006Date of Patent: May 29, 2012Assignee: Grape Technology Group, Inc.Inventor: Faith McGary
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Technique for effectively collecting and analyzing data in providing information assistance services
Patent number: 8175249Abstract: In an information/call center where calls are received, requesting information concerning entities, goods and services, directions to a given destination, etc., data is collected in processing such calls. In accordance with the invention, the collected data is analyzed to generate dynamic data to supplement and/or improve the traditional databases, typically searched by an operator for responses to the information requests. In providing a public information assistance service, such dynamic data may concern, e.g., the most popular movies, restaurants, requested categories, etc. In providing a personalized information assistance service, such dynamic data may concern, e.g., previous telephone connections made for a subscriber, the most popular telephone connections requested by a subscriber, etc. In addition, based on the past search behavior, “fuzzy” logic is developed for correlating between search terms.Type: GrantFiled: July 26, 2004Date of Patent: May 8, 2012Assignee: Grape Technology Group, Inc.Inventors: Nicholas J. Elsey, Karen L. Johnson, Timothy A. Timmins -
Patent number: 8139748Abstract: A communication assistance system provides access to information corresponding to a plurality of subscribers. The system includes a means for receiving incoming communications from a plurality of requesters desiring to access the information corresponding to subscribers and a database directory listing storing information corresponding to each one of the subscribers. The information includes a pre-announcement field containing information indicating whether a requester is pre-announced before a connection to a subscriber is made.Type: GrantFiled: March 5, 2008Date of Patent: March 20, 2012Assignee: Grape Technology Group, Inc.Inventors: Robert Pines, Evan Marwell, John Blakeney, Christine Baumeister
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Patent number: 8116436Abstract: A voiceprint of a calling party, and identifying information, are obtained during a call. One or more voiceprint samples stored in association with the identifying information are selected, and the calling party's identity is verified based on a comparison of the voiceprint to at least one of the selected voiceprint samples. For example, the voiceprint samples may be derived from a verbal utterance by the calling party before the call, mixed with different background noises likely corrupting the calling party's utterance during the call. If the comparison fails to determine the calling party's identity, an attempt to verify the calling party's identity is made based on additional information received during the call. In another example, if the calling party's identity is verified based on the additional information, the voiceprint may be stored in association with the identifying information as a voiceprint sample for use in future verification of the calling party's identity.Type: GrantFiled: February 24, 2005Date of Patent: February 14, 2012Assignee: Grape Technology Group, Inc.Inventor: Neil E. Isenberg
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Patent number: 8111812Abstract: To facilitate managing his/her email through a Voice E-mail™ service, a user is allowed to select one or more sets of commands, with which he/she is familiar or prefers, to be emulated when the user interacts with the service. With this selection in place, when a user communicates with an information assistance provider to access the service, the user is identified and the email data and data concerning the selected commands associated with the user are retrieved. The user may then manage the email data using the selected commands during the service.Type: GrantFiled: November 30, 2004Date of Patent: February 7, 2012Assignee: Grape Technology Group, Inc.Inventors: Timothy A. Timmins, John S. Miller
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Patent number: 8090090Abstract: Telephone users desiring directory assistance services are connected via standard telephone procedures to a directory assistance provider, such as an operator. An operator provides the destination number and initiates a connection to that number. Once that connection is initiated, the connection is monitored for the occurrence of a predetermined condition, such as a busy signal. If no such condition is detected, the caller proceeds with the call in the normal manner. If, however, such a condition is detected, the caller is automatically transferred to a directory assistance provider for further help.Type: GrantFiled: June 26, 2008Date of Patent: January 3, 2012Assignee: Grape Technology Group, Inc.Inventors: Patrick M. Cox, A. Peter Powell, Paul W. Filliger, Michael A. Kepler, Christopher A. Huey
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Patent number: 8085923Abstract: A communication assistance system includes a first database having a plurality of listings, each listings has at least one contact name and a corresponding contact number. A means is provided for receiving communications from a user among a plurality of users desiring to access the listings. An operator terminal displays a search screen among a plurality of search screens, each of which maintain at least a partially different arrangement of content and search windows for receiving search terms to search for listings contained in the first database, where the displayed search screen is determined based on criteria contained in a search request from the user. The operator terminal is further configured to receive the communication from the user and retrieve a listing from the first database using the displayed search screen.Type: GrantFiled: February 3, 2010Date of Patent: December 27, 2011Assignee: Grape Technology Group, Inc.Inventors: Robert Pines, Christine Baumeister, Franklin L. Weiland, II
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Patent number: 8081742Abstract: A user may utilize a communication device, e.g., a wireless phone, mobile device or personal digital assistant (PDA), to contact an information/call center where an operator provides personalized information and communications services to the user in accordance with the invention. Such services include, e.g., providing individual listing information items on a restrictive basis, caller identification service, etc. To personalize the services, at least one profile record associated with the user is used which specifies the subscribed services and the preferred ways of receiving information. For example, the profile may specify use of a special skilled operator, personal interests, methods of delivery of targeted information to the user, etc.Type: GrantFiled: October 6, 2008Date of Patent: December 20, 2011Assignee: Grape Technology Group, Inc.Inventors: Timothy A. Timmins, John S. Miller, Nathan B. Baker
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Patent number: 8074080Abstract: A method is provided for updating a contact listing. The method includes receiving a request from a requestor for a contact listing corresponding to a desired listing among a plurality of available listings. The request includes one or more information element relating to the desired listing. The desired listing among the plurality of available listings is retrieved and a modification to the retrieved listing is generated based on the one or more information elements relating to the desired listing provided by the requester.Type: GrantFiled: April 25, 2008Date of Patent: December 6, 2011Assignee: Grape Technology Group, Inc.Inventor: Robert Pines
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Patent number: 8036365Abstract: A communication assistance system is provided for accessing information corresponding to a plurality of subscribers. This system is comprised of a telephone switch for receiving calls from a plurality of requesters, a call center for routing each of said received calls to an operator terminal, and a first database configured to store said information corresponding to each of said subscribers.Type: GrantFiled: October 25, 2007Date of Patent: October 11, 2011Assignee: Grape Technology Group, Inc.Inventors: Robert Pines, Evan Marwell, John Blakeney, Christine Baumeister
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Patent number: 8031855Abstract: A user calls a directory assistance service provider to search for a desired telephone number and be connected to a party at the desired number. In one such connection, the user is afforded enhanced directory assistance upon a user command in the form of an out-of-band signaling message, e.g., SS7 signaling message. For example, the user may be afforded further operator assistance by pressing on the user telephone a predetermined key (e.g., “*” key), which is detectable by the directory assistance service provider as an SS7 signaling message.Type: GrantFiled: January 31, 2005Date of Patent: October 4, 2011Assignee: Grape Technology Group, Inc.Inventors: Adam J. McGrath, Timothy A. Timmins, Patrick M. Cox, Nicholas J. Elsey, A. Peter Powell, Paul W. Filliger, Michael A. Kepler
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Patent number: 8027336Abstract: A method for operating a directory assistance system responsive to Voice over IP device requests including receiving a first directory assistance request from at least one Voice over IP device and identifying the requested information on a database. The requested information is formatted in the database in accordance with a format required by the Voice over IP device and is then a notification message is transmitted to indicating its availability. A second request is received from the Voice over IP device for retrieval of the formatted requested information, which is in turn transmitted to the Voice over IP device via the web server.Type: GrantFiled: May 21, 2007Date of Patent: September 27, 2011Assignee: Grape Technology Group, Inc.Inventors: Christine Baumeister, Marc Thornton
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Patent number: 8023633Abstract: A communication assistance system for providing access to information corresponding to a plurality of subscribers includes a telephone switch for receiving calls from a plurality of requesters desiring to access the subscriber information. A listing database is configured to store the subscriber information including a field containing wireless phone numbers of a desired portion of the subscribers and a connect field that stores information instructing the system as to whether to mask the subscriber's wireless phone number to the requester, such that during a process that the requester is being connected to a desired subscriber, the connect field is examined to determine whether to disclose the subscriber's wireless phone number to the requester.Type: GrantFiled: September 14, 2006Date of Patent: September 20, 2011Assignee: Grape Technology Group, Inc.Inventors: Robert Pines, Evan Marwell, John Blakeney, Christine Baumeister
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Patent number: 8023622Abstract: In providing an information assistance service in a call by a user, the context of the call is ascertained. Context information is derived from information exchanges during the call. Inferences as to types of advertisement pertinent to the user location, event, etc. are drawn based on the context information. Pertinent advertisements, which may be further individualized based on personal preferences, are provided to the user at the conclusion of the call, or otherwise transmitted to the user via voicemail, SMS, email, WAP, paging, facsimile, instant messaging, text messaging, picture phone, video phone, etc.Type: GrantFiled: May 27, 2004Date of Patent: September 20, 2011Assignee: Grape Technology Group, Inc.Inventors: Timothy A. Timmins, Karen L. Johnson
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Patent number: 7991129Abstract: To personalize a voice information delivery service, e.g., directory assistance, a voice email service, stock quotation service and other information assistance services, a user is afforded an option to customize automated voices/speeches to deliver information to him/her. The automated voices/speeches may be customized for different services and functions, and/or in terms of urgency, context, etc. of the information to be voice-delivered. In an illustrative embodiment, the user's voice preferences for voice information deliveries are recorded in a user profile, which are represented by sets of speech characterizing parameters, respectively, based on which a text-to-speech (TTS) engine reads given text information to the user in the corresponding preferred voices/speeches.Type: GrantFiled: September 30, 2004Date of Patent: August 2, 2011Assignee: Grape Technology Group, Inc.Inventors: Timothy A. Timmins, John S. Miller
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Patent number: 7991140Abstract: An enhanced directory assistance system includes a telephone switch for receiving calls from at least one caller desiring to receive directions. A direction module is configured to receive a desired destination information provided by the caller and the location of the caller. The direction module is further configured to provide directions to the caller based on the destination and the caller location information, where the system maintains a preferred destination listing configured to store a preferred destination information relating to a destination request frequently requested by the caller, such that when the system recognizes the caller, the desired destination is populated directly from the preferred destination information.Type: GrantFiled: October 27, 2006Date of Patent: August 2, 2011Assignee: Grape Technology Group, Inc.Inventors: Robert Pines, Christine Baumeister, John Blakeney
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Patent number: 7962575Abstract: In configuring data synchronization between two devices, the first device generates a user configuration interface to be presented on the second device. The user interface elicits information from a user regarding a personal information manager (PIM) that is installed on the second device. This information is transmitted to the first device, which downloads to the second device a synchronization application package based on the PIM. The user interface installs the synchronization application on the second device, obtains information regarding data to be synchronized, and transmits that information to the synchronization application. This information may include names and locations of folders to be synchronized and synchronization preferences such as synchronization direction and schedule. The devices may include servers, PCs, PDAs, handheld computers, and wireless phones. The server may be network-based, accessible via the Internet, a LAN, or the PSTN.Type: GrantFiled: November 3, 2003Date of Patent: June 14, 2011Assignee: Grape Technology Group, Inc.Inventors: Darin C. Glatt, Steven W. Richardson
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Patent number: 7734025Abstract: A communications system provides a bill for services provided to a user of the system, to a display device via a network. The display device may be a personal computer and the network may be the Internet, for example. A plurality of users may be parties to an account with the system and an indicator of the one of the plurality of users requesting a service may be associated with an entry in the bill for the requested service. A bill for communications services requested by a first party with respect to a second party may include an indicator, such as a name and/or location information, of the second party. The user may also have an option of receiving a bill without indicators. Information about a second party associated with a requested service may be transferred to a contacts folder maintained by the communications system. Methods and systems are disclosed.Type: GrantFiled: April 29, 2003Date of Patent: June 8, 2010Assignee: Grape Technology Group, Inc.Inventor: Nathan B. Baker