Voice-Response Directory Assistance Targeted Advertising Engine

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Solution Overview

Problem

Directory assistance systems face financial challenges due to high fees for providing directory assistance services, and phone companies incur costs for unused numbers, making it difficult for entities to operate profitably and manage disconnected numbers effectively.

Innovation Solution

A voice-response directory assistance system with a targeted advertising engine that determines user location, provides targeted advertisements, and offers a selection mechanism for business or residential listings, allowing for revenue generation through trackable numbers and connecting users to relevant entities, while managing unused numbers by providing disconnect messages and generating revenue from previous owners.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If the entity offers directory assistance system as a free service to constituents, then user accessibility and service coverage are improved, but the entity incurs significant business expense and cannot operate profitably

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveuser accessibilityVSAvoidbusiness expense

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The patent converts the previously harmful effect of disconnected numbers (which caused regulatory compliance costs and waste) into a beneficial resource by implementing targeted advertising. The system uses disconnected numbers as a channel to deliver advertisements to former subscribers, transforming a cost center into a revenue generator that offsets the directory assistance service costs.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes the usage parameter of disconnected numbers from zero (unused) to active (advertising channel). By reassigning these numbers to carry advertisement messages, the system creates new value from previously wasted resources, enabling the entity to recover costs while maintaining free access for legitimate directory assistance users.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Reliability

If the phone company plays disconnect messages on millions of disconnected numbers, then regulatory compliance is improved, but the cost increases significantly with no revenue generation

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveregulatory complianceVSAvoidoperating cost

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The patent makes the disconnected numbers serve multiple functions: they continue to receive disconnect messages for regulatory compliance while simultaneously serving as advertising channels. This multi-functionality allows the system to meet legal requirements while generating revenue, eliminating the need to choose between compliance and cost reduction.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The system converts the previously purely costly disconnect messages into dual-purpose communications that both comply with regulations and generate advertising revenue. By layering advertisement delivery onto the existing disconnect message infrastructure, the system transforms a cost center into a revenue generator.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

3Device complexity

If the system provides traditional directory assistance without targeted advertising, then service simplicity is maintained, but revenue generation is insufficient to cover costs

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveservice simplicityVSAvoidoperating cost

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the communication flow into distinct paths: traditional directory assistance requests continue through the existing simple workflow, while disconnected numbers are routed to a separate targeted advertising system. This segmentation allows the system to maintain simplicity for legitimate users while adding advertising revenue generation through a parallel channel.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system introduces an intermediary advertising engine that operates alongside the traditional directory assistance service. This intermediary component handles the complex advertising matching and delivery for disconnected numbers, while the main directory assistance service remains simple and unchanged for its primary users.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentUS8737591B2Method and apparatus of a voice-response directory assistance system having a targeted advertising engine

Publication Date: 2014.05.27 MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING LLC

AI summary

A method and/or apparatus of a voice-response directory assistance system having a targeted advertising engine is disclosed. In one embodiment, a method of a directory assistance system includes providing a greeting to a user of a mobile communication device, automatically determining a location based information of the user, determining a telephone number of a listing requested by the user, providing a targeted advertisement to the user based on the location information, and communicating the telephone number to the user. The method may include requesting a selection of a business listing and a residential listing through the greeting. The method may include processing a caller identification data to determine the location based information of the user, applying the caller identification data to a library of potential advertisements and selecting the potential advertisement as the targeted advertisement through applying the caller identification data to the library of potential advertisements.