117 results about "Yellow page" patented technology

In response to a query for information in a geographic region or at a location, ranked ads may be plotted on, or in association with, a map (e.g., as a list beside the map), satellite photo, or any other form of visual representation of geographic information (referred to generally as “maps”). Sponsored ads might be shown in a dedicated place and / or might be elevated above other non-sponsored search results (e.g., Yellow Page listings). The number of ads shown in the list and / or plotted on the map could vary as a function of the resolution of the map or geographic image. The ads could be ranked or scored, and attributes or features of various ads may be a function of such a score or ranking. The plots on the map might be selectable to provide a pop-up with further information and possibly sponsored information (such as images, further ads, etc).

An Internet directory system and method that is based on user telephone number addressing. The system includes an interactive white and yellow pages directory that is based on telephone numbers. Thus, a user's telephone number is a unique identifier used to key other information within the directory. The telephone number may also be used as the primary component of an email address, domain name, or web site URL for the user. The use of a telephone number as the primary component of an e-mail address or domain name greatly simplifies the process of locating a user. E-mail addresses and domain names may be readily found using standard telephone information services, such as "411", as well as other telephone-based methods for obtaining telephone directory information. This Internet directory system and method brings all communication methods and directory services together using one searchable key, a user's telephone number. The directory entry page may be created, edited and updated by the subscriber using simple html editing or using a voice telephone call or via fax, without the use of a personal computer. Thus, the present invention provides an open directory model wherein the end users construct the directory, and the directory is "living", i.e., dynamically changeable and updateable. The power of the directory is thus placed in the users' hands. The telephone based Internet directory system of the present invention also provides addressing for unified messaging as well as locality in addressing.

An approach for providing an electronic business directory (e.g., Digital Yellow Pages) with interactive services over an electronic consumer device. The device includes means for retrieving information from a remote database storing business directory listings and advertisements, wherein the remote database is accessed over a data network (e.g., the global Internet) and is capable of being modified directly by a business listed in the directory or by an agent of the business. According to one embodiment of the present invention, the device also includes a touch screen display for displaying the information and for receiving input relating to the retrieved information associated with the interactive services.

Embodiments of the present invention provide a method and system for generating an online listing, such as a yellow pages listing, that includes information about an object, such as a business, and also includes at least one image of the structure containing the object. For example, the image may be a digital image of the store front of a business taken at a street view. Additionally, a user may select an image from a plurality of images that the user perceives as being an appropriate representative image for the business. Based on votes received a default representative image may be identified that is provided in response to a request for information about the business.

A system and method for interacting with internet applications by way of a broadband network that includes one, or a combination, of cable television, satellite television, internet protocol television, cellular network, or digital subscriber line network. The system and method allow a user to execute at an end user device, e.g., a television or cellular phone, an interactive application associated with an internet-based service, such as an online auction, online commercial transaction, online gaming, or an information service, e.g., yellow pages on TV, and initiate a user interface by which the user formulates and transmits action requests and receives action replies or unsolicited messages via the broadband network allowing the user to locally interact with one or more of the internet-based services.

An enhanced telephony services manager is used in a broadband communication environment, such as with a set-top-box coupled to a television monitor. A number of different telephony-based services can be offered and displayed on the television monitor (e.g., voice mail, call logs, Internet access, personal telephone directories, white pages, yellow pages, etc.), where a remote control, keyboard, or any other suitable interface device can be used to access the services. In accordance with the present invention, the GUI of the enhanced services consists of a set of menus that can be displayed concurrently with other video information on the television monitor.

A category classification component locates appropriate categories that apply to a user search query. The categories may be yellow page business listings. The category classification component may include a category model that is automatically trained on one or more of a number of possible training data sources. The training data sources may include directory listings, web documents, query traffic, and advertisement traffic.

Personal address book data is revised and updated based on communication sources and destination. An address tabulator compares a number of communications directed to a selected destination and based on a subscriber profile, determines if address or contact information associated with the destination is to be added to a personal address book or other contact database. Contact information can be obtained using a reverse phone number lookup in a white pages or yellow pages directory, or using an Internet-based search engine or database. The tabulator can be configured to access the subscriber profile prior to initiating a communication, during a communication, or after completion of the communication. In one example, subscriber billing records are delivered to the tabulator for identification of destinations for which contact information is to be added to the personal address book. Additional or revised contact information can be stored in the personal address book automatically, or in response to a subscriber instruction delivered from a mobile station.

A method and system are provided for collecting images of objects at geographic locations for publication in an online directory, such as online Yellow Pages. A camera and a GPS receiver, both receiving time information from a synchronized clock, are mounted on a vehicle. Time-stamped images captured by the camera and time-stamped geographic locations (e.g., longitude and latitude coordinates) determined by the GPS receiver are recorded. Each image is then associated with a geographic location based on corresponding respective time-stamps. Thereafter, each image is correlated with a street addresses based on each image's associated geographic location, for example by referring to a lookup table that correlates addresses with geographic coordinates. The address-correlated images may then be used in an online directory, where each listing (e.g., business) can be displayed with an image of an object (e.g., store front) taken at the address in the listing.

A method and apparatus that eliminates blind networking and allows targeted networking amongst event attendees, both for personal as well as professional reasons, while also making events ubiquitously available anytime anywhere beyond the physical limitations of time and space, such that anyone anywhere in the world can not only attend the event from the comfort of his office desk or home but also network with the other event attendees without physically attending the event is disclosed. Event hosts can be any non-profit / for-profit organization or entity hosting events of any nature in any realm. Another embodiment of the invention provides enhanced, multiple levels of profile content privacy that give complete freedom, control, and flexibility to the users to express themselves fearlessly by controlling the specific chosen contents in their profiles for input, storage, analysis, retrieval, and / or display to specific chosen authorized users or groups. Another embodiment of the invention provides integration in a chat / instant messaging to allow a user to set up an online meeting with one or more participants in the chat and / or that allows a user to find a meeting place where one or more participants can decide to meet in person locally or globally in various parts of the world. Another embodiment of the invention is related to sales and revenue generation, particularly for e-commerce / e-services companies whose products or services, which include but not limited to, yellow page, directory, or business information databases by area, reach large numbers of users directly.

In response to a query for information in a geographic region or at a location, ranked ads may be plotted on, or in association with, a map (e.g., as a list beside the map), satellite photo, or any other form of visual representation of geographic information (referred to generally as “maps”). Sponsored ads might be shown in a dedicated place and / or might be elevated above other non-sponsored search results (e.g., Yellow Page listings). The number of ads shown in the list and / or plotted on the map could vary as a function of the resolution of the map or geographic image. The ads could be ranked or scored, and attributes or features of various ads may be a function of such a score or ranking. The plots on the map might be selectable to provide a pop-up with further information and possibly sponsored information (such as images, further ads, etc).

A multi-tier syndication system is provided to enable each business within a supply chain to publish and consume multiple information feeds on a data network (e.g., the Internet), resulting in a virtual yellow page, which search engine and directories can aggregate in order to easily provide the information to their customers.

An electronic Yellow Pages viewer shows the pages of a Yellow Pages directory as they appear in the bound version. The print queue used to print the bound version is intercepted, and each page is rasterized into a JPEG file or otherwise converted into an image file. The page / header / advertisement data are parsed to create an index which associates each Yellow Pages heading with the first page on which that heading appears. The viewer runs as a Java applet inside a World Wide Web browser and allows a user to access a page by typing the name of a heading, selecting the heading from a tree view or typing a page number. A Yellow Pages advertiser receives an electronic bill with an electronic tear sheet showing the page on which the advertisement appears. The bill can also include one or more of the reverse page, the opposite page, or other pages in the same heading. The advertisement can be selectively highlighted.

A method and system are provided for collecting images of objects at geographic locations for publication in an online directory, such as online Yellow Pages. A camera and a GPS receiver, both receiving time information from a synchronized clock, are mounted on a vehicle. Time-stamped images captured by the camera and time-stamped geographic locations (e.g., longitude and latitude coordinates) determined by the GPS receiver are recorded. Each image is then associated with a geographic location based on corresponding respective time-stamps. Thereafter, each image is correlated with a street addresses based on each image's associated geographic location, for example by referring to a lookup table that correlates addresses with geographic coordinates. The address-correlated images may then be used in an online directory, where each listing (e.g., business) can be displayed with an image of an object (e.g., store front) taken at the address in the listing.

A system, method and software program is provided for creating and implementing self-contained mini-applications that store, retrieve and display data and allow user interaction in a constrained computing environment such as a set-top box used in the delivery of digital television. The system, method and software program of the present invention, also known as “TV widgets” allows users to personalize data and facilitate the access of such data with a click of a button from a remote control unit. The TV widgets include a myriad of widgets of which some are, “My 8 ball”, a widget that recommends television programming to a viewer, “My TV search” for searching specific television programs, “My Weather”, “My Yellow Pages”, “Smart Navigation”, “Instant Messaging with Smart User Interface”, as well as others. A TV widget framework provides user interface context for launching and managing the widgets, in addition, it maintains a library code that implements the TV widget components. Among the implementations of the TV widgets is a widget based TV navigator created as a collection of widgets from conventional grid guides and navigators that include a grid guide widget, a “what's on now” widget (sorted by channel), a movie recommendation widget among others.

The invention discloses an intelligent system for managing and scheduling taxis, which comprises a server system for managing and scheduling the taxis, taxi-mounted terminals, passenger terminals, a location satellite, a yellow page database, a wireless communication network charging system, a wired communication network charging system and a public electronic communication network, wherein electronic communication among the server system, the taxi-mounted terminals, the passenger terminals, the location satellite, the yellow page database, the wireless communication network charging system, the wired communication network charging system and the public electronic communication network is used for managing and scheduling the taxis. The initial states of the taxis which are controlled by the server system are states of waiting to be provided with transporting services, and the initial state of one taxi subjected to site stopping, telecommunications ordering and relevant operations of a taxi driver becomes setting, leaving for a place of waiting, transporting service (cooperation), transporting service (individual), out of service, waiting for carrying passengers on the way, transporting of on-the-way passengers (cooperation), transporting of on-the-way passengers (individual) and the like. Under the condition that the taxi is in the state of transporting service (cooperation) or transporting of on-the-way passengers (cooperation) and the taxi is not filled with the passengers, cooperation transporting service or cooperation on-the-way passenger transportation that the quantity of the passengers is not more than the vacancy can also be accepted.

A vehicle borne terminal system and method based on traffic information network platform comprises the traffic information network as the back stage to provide timely traffic information, vehicle borne computer from Shenzhou Longxin network computer and touch display, with the processor of No.1 of the LongXin using MIPS instruction collection, linking with the parallel input and output together with the display, connecting the signal collection device and radio modulator through two RS232 serial port and GPS, the vehicle borne terminal communicating with the back traffic information grid timely through the radio communication network to realize all kinds of front and back services. It not only completes all kinds of front services, but also displays the overall timely status of the road based on the dynamic navigating service and moving yellow page.

A system receives yellow page data, map provider data, and document data in response to a local search query, and geocodes the data to assign a geographic identifier and to match at least one address associated with the local search query. The system also indexes the geocoded data to determine business information and location information associated with the local search query. The system further provides local search results and a map based on the indexed data.

Methods and apparatus for gradually delivering information over a terrestrial or satellite network are disclosed. Packets of information are conveyed wirelessly from a central server to customers using a portion of standard FM radio or television signals. These packets are conveyed to a wireless receiver at the customer's premises over a relatively long period of time. The packets are slowly accumulated in the customer's receiver, which includes a storage device such as an array of hard drives or memory chips. After this "accumulation period" is completed, subscribers may then retrieve and display or use the information. The invention may utilize a stand-alone receiver-storage-printer combination which automatically receives the gradual download, and then periodically prints the information on paper. The invention may be used to convey the full-page text and graphical content of newspapers, magazines, catalogs, manuals, directories or the white or yellow pages.

A method and system for actively encouraging clients of businesses such as retail stores and service providers, to submit reviews of such businesses to an Internet yellow pages website. Using the methods and system, a business will employ any of several methods to provide encouragement and / or incentive at the physical point of sale for the customer to acces an Internet yellow pages site to submit a review of the business.

The invention discloses a method, a device and a system for displaying incoming information, belonging to the technical field of communication. The method comprises the following steps: a terminal receives a call request, wherein the call request carries a calling phone number; if the calling phone number is not stored in a local phone book, the terminal sends a user name inquiring request to a server, wherein the user name inquiring request carries the calling phone number, so that the server inquires user name information corresponding to the calling phone number in a yellow page database; and if the terminal receives the user name information corresponding to the calling phone number sent by the server, the terminal displays the user name information in incoming information. By adopting the method, the device and the system disclosed by the invention, the amount of information which can be displayed by incoming information can be improved.

The invention discloses a campus positioning system based on an LBS (Local Based Service) platform, which integrates Wi-Fi (Wireless Fidelity), GPRS (General Packet Radio Service) technology and Internet, mobile communication, a GIS (Geographic Information System) and other networks, and achieves the functions of terminal positioning, map inquiry, navigation, tracking management, short-message notification and the like by utilizing a GPS (Global Positioning System) chip cell phone or a PDA (Personal Digital Assistant) client side. The system provides various information services related to the positions of schools for students, teachers and visitors, realizes personnel and building position management, achieves yellow-page inquiry management that flexible and various bidirectional spatial inquiry of both graphical information and attribute information in the Web GIS system can be carried out, realizes group management that actions of a user within an effective period of time are record to form space and time combined data to design a user and group essential information database for data storage, and provides normative expansion interfaces to achieve efficient communication and cooperation among interiors of teaching and research sections, all the departments and all the personnel. The system has the advantages of high cost and precision, strong cooperative handling capability and the like.

The invention discloses a two-dimensional code-based mobile yellow page system. The system comprises a yellow page directory, a mobile terminal and a yellow page website, wherein the yellow page website comprises a yellow page database, a yellow page data processing module, an online decoding module, a yellow page display module, a free dial-up module, a search processing module and an advertisement processing module. The yellow page can carry more enterprises and embody more different forms of information by establishing the yellow page database which is bound to the yellow page website, so that the drawbacks of incomplete information, delayed information update and large amount of paper waste in the original yellow page are eliminated; the yellow page is convenient for a user to carry by using a matched yellow page of a paper carrier which is compiled in a two-dimensional code format; a common mobile phone can enter pages of related enterprises of the yellow page website without installing two-dimensional reading software by using the online reading of the two-dimensional code by the yellow page website so as to learn more information about the enterprises; and simultaneously a free call can be realized by the yellow page website.

The invention discloses a number information obtaining method and obtaining system, and a cloud number information system and relates to the field of mobile internet. The method includes: receiving a number information query request sent by a client, wherein the request carries a number which a user wants to inquire; searching for number information corresponding to the number in cloud number information resources; and returning the number obtained through the query to the client. Therefore, cloud number information resources which are relatively reliable and rich can be formed through a plurality of ways: acquiring enterprise information according to a number; using the number as a keyword to search for network information; acquiring information of assessment on the number by users; and acquiring conventional information of the number from a voice information enquiry service or number yellow pages. The number information obtaining method and obtaining method, and the cloud number information system enable a user to search for the cloud number information of a number in a real-time manner when the foreign number calls so that the security of the number is judged and the cloud number information is free from limitation of a handset storage space and format and thus the number and content of the number information are both comparatively rich.

A method and apparatus that eliminates blind networking and allows targeted networking amongst event attendees, both for personal as well as professional reasons, while also making events ubiquitously available anytime anywhere beyond the physical limitations of time and space, such that anyone anywhere in the world can not only attend the event from the comfort of his office desk or home but also network with the other event attendees without physically attending the event is disclosed. Event hosts can be any non-profit / for-profit organization or entity hosting events of any nature in any realm. Another embodiment of the invention provides enhanced, multiple levels of profile content privacy that give complete freedom, control, and flexibility to the users to express themselves fearlessly by controlling the specific chosen contents in their profiles for input, storage, analysis, retrieval, and / or display to specific chosen authorized users or groups. Another embodiment of the invention provides integration in a chat / instant messaging to allow a user to set up an online meeting with one or more participants in the chat and / or that allows a user to find a meeting place where one or more participants can decide to meet in person locally or globally in various parts of the world. Another embodiment of the invention is related to sales and revenue generation, particularly for e-commerce / e-services companies whose products or services, which include but not limited to, yellow page, directory, or business information databases by area, reach large numbers of users directly.

The invention discloses a system and method for obtaining future information. The system comprises a server and a client side communicated with the server, wherein the client side comprises a future information subscription setting unit and a subscription information displaying unit; a subscriber sets the theme of the future information by virtue of the future information subscription setting unit; and the subscription information displaying unit is used for presenting the future information sent by the server. The server comprises an information subscription receiving unit, an information content searching unit, a theme and search result matching unit, an information transmitting unit and a storage unit. According to the system and method for obtaining the future information, various news data resources are searched and analyzed to form a news yellow page theme or a future information candidate subscription theme; the themes are pushed to the user of an equipment terminal, and the user browses and subscripts the interested theme; and the user can receive the content and result of news / events (or other pieces of information) about to happen on certain time or site in the future, wherein the news / events are subscripted before.

A method and system for providing directory assistance to erroneous calls. The method and system includes an intercept system that intercepts erroneous calls and automatically routes them to a directory assistance service. The directory assistance service provides a least one advertisement and a variety of other internal and external information services to the callers using a business subscriber information service, a white page database service; a yellow pages database service; a business intelligence database service; and / or an Internet search service.

A method and system for providing directory assistance to erroneous calls. The method and system includes an intercept system that intercepts erroneous calls and automatically routes them to a directory assistance service. The directory assistance service provides a least one advertisement and a variety of other services to the callers using a business subscriber information service, a white page database service; a yellow pages database service; a business intelligence database service; rule-based expert system service; and / or an Internet search service. The directory assistance service accepts fees from advertisers, businesses and providers of the variety of services to refer information to callers.

A multi-modal system providing for a single point of contact that can allow users to manage their personal contact information and contact lists, and connect to other users and businesses in a personalized, efficient, location-sensitive and organized manner. By accessing the system using any type of telephony-based device, a user can manage all of their personal and business contacts as well as perform generalized searches in public databases, such as white page and / or yellow page listings, or more personalized searches through databases of their business or personal contacts. A user may also, during a generalized search, go to a personalized search, and vice-versa. The system may also provide users with the opportunity to select certain businesses from their contact lists and allow these businesses to provide them with personalized data, either on demand or based on user-controlled permissions or areas of interest through various technologies including presence technologies.

A system and related techniques automatically parse Web and other network sites, to determine whether the site contains content directed to local content or interests. The invention may then access a content database to retrieve ads or other media or content which match or correspond to the detected locality or region, such as ads for local or regional restaurants, car dealerships, physicians, sports or other services or products. The locality or region may be identified, for instance, by the presence of geographic clues or indicators in the general content of the Web site, for instance, the presence of ZIP codes, telephone numbers, town names or other semantic or other indicators which have some geographic connotation. Because the delivery of localized content according to the invention depends not on user input but on an examination of Web sites for these types of indicators, which examination may be performed by programmed agents, localized ads or other content may be automatically generated and delivered without user input or tracking. According to the invention in one regard, the user may therefore view ads and other content which may be akin to an online “yellow pages” experience, in which advertisements and other content are automatically grouped according to region or area.