Personalized assistance system and method

Abstract

The present invention is a personalized assistance system for a user of a telephone, comprised of a first database, the first database having a contact list for the user. The contact list includes at least one contact name and a corresponding contact number and including the user's electronic commerce information. A telephone identification code is uniquely associated with the telephone and electronically transmitted to the personalized assistance system, when the user calls the system. A customer service representative terminal, coupled to the database and the telephone hardware are provided where the telephone identification code prompts automatic retrieval of the contact list to the customer service representative terminal in response to processing the telephone identification code. The customer service representative terminal obtains the electronic commerce information in response to a user request to perform an electronic commerce transaction.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10 / 719,987 filed on Nov. 21, 2003, which is in turn a continuation of U.S. Pat. No. 6,668,055 issued on Dec. 23, 2003, which in turn is a continuation application of U.S. Pat. No. 6,404,884, issued on Jun. 11, 2002, which in turn claims the benefit of priority from U.S. Provisional Application No. 60 / 158,311, filed Oct. 8, 1999, the contents of which are all incorporated herein by reference.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] The present invention relates to communications, and more particularly, to a system and method which provides personalized assistance by allowing a user to preprogram a contact database such that the user can quickly reach a live customer service representative who can search the personalized database and connect the user to his or her desired destination or arrange to perform a service or purchase an item. [0003] Society's demand for virtually i...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0009] The present invention provides a system which allows the user of a telephone, in particular, a mobile telephone, to easily complete a call to a destination, even when they do not know the number, and without the need to recall the contact's telephone number using the keypad of their telephone, and without the need to boot up a personal computer or hand-held computer such as a PDA.

[0010] The present invention further provides a plurality of techniques for users to create and update their personal contact list, and provides for the harmonization, i.e., synchronization, of users' databases with a master database. The ability to harmonize databases further simplifies the process of maintaining multiple contact lists, while still allowing the storage of contact data in forms needed by different technologies.

Problems solved by technology

While the contact data may be available to the user, the data may not be readily accessible, or may be voluminous, thereby requiring the user to search through the contact data in order to determine the telephone number of the person they wish to reach.

This arrangement is dangerous and inefficient.

The environmental conditions surrounding the individual's use of the telephone, whether cellular or wire-based, does not always lend itself to easy retrieval of telephone numbers and contact information.

This is often difficult when the user is driving an automobile, or is in another situation which demands their entire undivided attention.

In other words, an individual typically cannot employ the use of voice activated dialing if they use a telephone or device which is not equipped to recognize their speech pattern.

Network-based voice recognition systems are also cumbersome to use.

Their operability is unreliable, and these systems are difficult and cumbersome to configure.

In addition, these systems offer limited functionality, typically serving as mere dialing units.

Voice activated dialing technology, therefore, limits the flexibility of a user to contact another person or arrange for the performance of personal services.

However, these technologies do not allow the individual a quick, safe and efficient way to initiate contact with another from any location which supports cellular or wire-based telephony.

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