Abstract: A method for providing an information assistance service includes receiving a call from a caller, the call including a request for a suggestion of one or more suppliers of desired goods or service, searching at least one database in response to the request and obtaining search results responsive to the request. The search results including connection data associated with at least one supplier of the desired goods or service, and a promotional offer made by the at least one supplier. A profile associated with the caller is received. The promotional offer is conveyed to the caller via a communication, the format of which is specified in the profile as defined by the caller. The method includes offering to connect the caller to a communication device based on the connection data.

Abstract: In a system which receives, from different sources, data having various formats, the received data is selected and combined in accordance with the invention to create accurate records. Specifically, the inventive system organizes the received data into uniform data records having a predetermined format. The data in the uniform data records is converted, if necessary, to conform to a predetermined nomenclature, resulting in normalized data records. The normalized data records are grouped into sets of equivalent records. For each set, the inventive system selects relatively accurate data from the equivalent records in the set to create a final record.

Abstract: The invention is directed to selecting access tandem switches to be connected to an information assistance provider. It has been recognized that each access tandem switch serves a telephone user population which varies with the NPA/NXXs associated therewith. In accordance with the invention, the information assistance provider selects for connection, as few access tandem switches serving as many telephone users as possible. To that end, for each access tandem switch, data about how many telephone users are assigned to each NPA/NXX associated with the access tandem switch is analyzed to assess the number of telephone users served by the access tandem switch.

Abstract: The invention is directed to selecting the latest contact information for a searched party, e.g., an individual, based on the searched party's known, old contact information contained in an old record. A number of searches are conducted based on variations of criteria derived from the old record information. After receiving the search results corresponding to all criteria variations, they are analyzed in accordance with the invention. Each criteria variation may be preassigned a confidence measure reflecting how likely the search results contain the derived, latest contact in formation. The actual value of one such confidence measure may be determined based on past experience or there statistical measures. The analysis is based, among other things, on the confidence measure and on the number of search results returned for a particular criteria variations.

Abstract: In an information assistance system, database records are searched for search results that are exact matches or potential matches with the search request. Matches are identified based upon a confidence measure that is generated for each search result. The confidence measure relates to the likelihood that a responsive record contains the information desired by a user. Each search result of an information assistance search output is then sorted and displayed based upon the relative confidence measure of each search result, from, for example, highest confidence measure to lowest. In accordance with an aspect of the invention, a maximum limit and/or minimum limit may be instituted to control the search output. For example, the search output may not be revealed or displayed if the number of search results does not meet the maximum/minimum limit requirement.

Abstract: A user of information assistance may request, in a call, information about desired goods or service, e.g., suppliers of the desired goods or service in a given area. An operator who answers the call may search a database for the requested information. The search results may include not only the identities of the relevant goods or service suppliers but also special offers made thereby. The operator presents the search results to the user, and may connect the user to the telephone number of a selected goods or service supplier. In accordance with the invention, the operator may also transmit any special offer of the selected supplier to the user via a communication method(s) specified by the user in the call or a user profile previously established with the information assistance service. In addition, the participating goods or service suppliers may communicate with the information assistance service to initiate their special offers or to modify the same in real time.

Abstract: In a system which receives, from different sources, data having various formats, the received data is selected and combined in accordance with the invention to create accurate records. Specifically, the inventive system organizes the received data into uniform data records having a predetermined format. The data in the uniform data records is converted, if necessary, to conform to a predetermined nomenclature, resulting in normalized data records. The normalized data records are grouped into sets of equivalent records. For each set, the inventive system selects relatively accurate data from the equivalent records in the set to create a final record.