US6944447B2
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Location-based services
Assignee: Accenture Global Services Ltd
•
Filing: 2001-09-04
•
Granted: 2005-09-13
•
Expires: 2021-09-04
Abstract
Abstract The present invention discloses a method and system for providing location-based services to a remote terminal that is connected to various types of communication systems. A tailored request for information is generated with the remote terminal. In addition, a geographic indicator associated with the remote terminal is also generated in the preferred embodiment. The tailored request for information and the geographic indicator are transmitted to a location-based application server. A structured response to the tailored request for information is generated with the location-based application server, wherein the structured response is based on the geographic indicator of the remote terminal. The structured response is the transmitted to the remote terminal using one of several different types of communication protocols and/or mediums.
Inventors
- 👤 Eric A. Portman
- 👤 Michael L. Gailey
- 👤 Chad S. Holmes
- 👤 Michael J. Burgiss
- 👤 Angela King Smith
- 👤 Ashton F. Pitts III
- 👤 Stephen L. Dempsen
- 👤 Vinny Wai-yan Che
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-01 05:01
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F16/00; G06F16/20; G06F16/24; G06F16/245; G06F16/2452; G06F16/24522; G06F16/30; G06F16/33; G06F16/3331; G06F16/334; G06F16/3344; G06F16/90; G06F16/95; G06F16/953; G06F16/9537; G06Q; G06Q10/00; G06Q10/06; G06Q30/00; G06Q30/02; G10; G10L; G10L15/00; G10L15/08; G10L15/18; G10L15/1822; H; H04; H04L; H04L67/00; H04L67/50; H04L67/52; H04M; H04M3/00; H04M3/42; H04M3/42204; H04M3/42348; H04M3/487; H04M3/493; H04M3/4936; H04W; H04W4/00; H04W4/02; H04W4/029; H04W4/20; G10L15/26; G10L15/28; G10L15/30; G10L15/22; G10L2015/226; G10L2015/228; H04L67/2866; H04L67/30; H04L67/306; H04M2201/00; H04M2201/40; H04M2207/00; H04M2207/18; H04M2242/00; H04M2242/15; H04M2242/30; H04W4/23; H04W76/00; H04W76/10
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 57
Claim 1
Independent Claim
155 words
A method of providing location-based services to a remote terminal in a wireless communication system, comprising the steps of: generating a text-based tailored request for information with said remote terminal, wherein said text-based tailored request for information comprises a non-predefined text based statement that is a question or a statement composed in a naturally written sentence; transmitting said text-based tailored request for information to a wireless application protocol server connected to said remote terminal using a wireless application protocol; interpreting said text-based tailored request for information with said wireless application protocol server generate a structured request that is sent to a location-based application server; obtaining a geographic indicator of said remote terminal with said location-based application server; processing said structured request with said location-based application server to generate a structured response to said structured request that is based on said geographic indicator of said remote terminal; and directing said structured response to said remote terminal.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
155 words
A method of providing location-based services to a remote terminal in a wireless communication system, comprising the steps of: generating a text-based tailored request for information with said remote terminal, wherein said text-based tailored request for information comprises a non-predefined text based statement that is a question or a statement composed in a naturally written sentence; transmitting said text-based tailored request for information to a wireless application protocol server connected to said remote terminal using a wireless application protocol; interpreting said text-based tailored request for information with said wireless application protocol server generate a structured request that is sent to a location-based application server; obtaining a geographic indicator of said remote terminal with said location-based application server; processing said structured request with said location-based application server to generate a structured response to said structured request that is based on said geographic indicator of said remote terminal; and directing said structured response to said remote terminal.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
36 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein said text-based tailored request for information comprises a request for directory assistance including a first name and a last name of a person for which information has been requested.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein said text-based tailored request for information comprises a request about a respective business/service.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein said text-based tailored request for information comprises a request about a respective product.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
39 words
The method of claim 1 , further comprising the initial step of transmitting an open ended prompt to said remote terminal and receiving said text-based tailored request for information from said remote terminal in response to said open-ended prompt.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 1 , further comprising selective voice-based communication and generating a voice-based tailored request for information based on the structured response.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
36 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein obtaining said geographic indicator comprises receiving a geographic indicator from said remote terminal that has been preset by a user of said remote terminal to a desired geographic location.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein said text-based tailored request is generated extemporaneously by a user of said remote terminal.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
147 words
A method of providing location-based services in a communication system that includes a plurality of remote terminals, the method comprising: transmitting an open-ended prompt for receipt by the remote terminal; a location-based services system receiving from a remote terminal an extemporaneous verbalization in response to the open-ended prompt, wherein the extemporaneous verbalization is a plurality of spoken words chosen by the speaker to convey an intended meaning; receiving a geographic indicator indicative of a geographic position; recognizing one or more words contained in the extemporaneous verbalization; determining a context of the recognized one or more words based on the extemporaneous verbalization; creating a structured request for information based on the recognized one or more words and the determined context; and generating a structured response to the extemporaneous verbalization with the location-based services system that is responsive to the structured request and is based on the geographic indicator.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
147 words
A method of providing location-based services in a communication system that includes a plurality of remote terminals, the method comprising: transmitting an open-ended prompt for receipt by the remote terminal; a location-based services system receiving from a remote terminal an extemporaneous verbalization in response to the open-ended prompt, wherein the extemporaneous verbalization is a plurality of spoken words chosen by the speaker to convey an intended meaning; receiving a geographic indicator indicative of a geographic position; recognizing one or more words contained in the extemporaneous verbalization; determining a context of the recognized one or more words based on the extemporaneous verbalization; creating a structured request for information based on the recognized one or more words and the determined context; and generating a structured response to the extemporaneous verbalization with the location-based services system that is responsive to the structured request and is based on the geographic indicator.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
46 words
The method of claim 9 , wherein the extemporaneous verbalization consists of a plurality of spoken words that would be understood by a listener to be a request for information or a statement related to at least one of location-based goods or services or combinations thereof.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 9 , further comprising transmitting the structured response for receipt by said remote terminal.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method of claim 9 , wherein determining a context comprises interpreting the meaning of each of the recognized one or more words based on the extemporaneous verbalization.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method of claim 9 , wherein the extemporaneous verbalization is a request for a geographic location of a vendor of at least one of goods or services or combinations thereof.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
36 words
The method of claim 9 , wherein the structured response provides a location of a vendor of at least one of goods or services or combinations thereof that are in close proximity to the geographic position.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
37 words
The method of claim 9 , wherein the extemporaneous verbalization includes a designation of a geographic area and the structured response is based on the geographic indicator, the structured request and the designation of the geographic area.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
48 words
The method of claim 9 , wherein creating a structured request comprises indicating that a structured request is unavailable for the extemporaneous verbalization and generating a structured response comprises generating a structured response that is a prompt for input of a text message representative of the extemporaneous verbalization.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
154 words
A location-based services system, comprising: a voice recognition server configured to receive a plurality of extemporaneously spoken words from a remote terminal in response to an open-ended prompt transmittable for receipt by the remote terminal; wherein the voice recognition server is configured to recognize terms from among the extemporaneously spoken words; a natural language processing server in communication with the voice recognition server, wherein the natural language processing server is configured to determine a context of the terms recognized by the voice recognition server and further configured to transform the terms and the determined context into a structured request; and a location-based application server in communication with the natural language processing server, wherein the location-based application server is configured to receive a geographic indicator and the structured request, the location-based application server is further configured to generate a structured response to the extemporaneously spoken words based on the geographic indicator and the structured request.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
154 words
A location-based services system, comprising: a voice recognition server configured to receive a plurality of extemporaneously spoken words from a remote terminal in response to an open-ended prompt transmittable for receipt by the remote terminal; wherein the voice recognition server is configured to recognize terms from among the extemporaneously spoken words; a natural language processing server in communication with the voice recognition server, wherein the natural language processing server is configured to determine a context of the terms recognized by the voice recognition server and further configured to transform the terms and the determined context into a structured request; and a location-based application server in communication with the natural language processing server, wherein the location-based application server is configured to receive a geographic indicator and the structured request, the location-based application server is further configured to generate a structured response to the extemporaneously spoken words based on the geographic indicator and the structured request.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
50 words
The location-based services system of claim 17 , wherein the extemporaneously spoken words include a plurality of words that are ordered so as to be understood by a listener as a request for information or a statement related to at least one of location-based goods or services or combinations thereof.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
27 words
The location-based services system of claim 17 , wherein the location-based application server is further configured to transmit the structured response for receipt by a remote terminal.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
32 words
The location-based services system of claim 17 , wherein the natural language processing server is configured to interpret the meaning of each of the recognized terms based on the extemporaneously spoken words.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
34 words
The location-based services system of claim 17 , wherein the extemporaneously spoken words is a request for a geographic location of a vendor of at least one of goods or services or combinations thereof.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
48 words
The location-based services system of claim 17 , wherein the location-based application server is configured to generate a structured response that is a prompt for a text-based request when the natural language processing server is unable to transform the terms and the determined context into a structured request.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
43 words
The location-based services system of claim 17 , wherein the structured response provides a location of a vendor of at least one of goods or services or combinations thereof that is in close proximity to a geographic location indicated by the geographic indicator.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
47 words
The location-based services system of claim 17 , wherein the extemporaneously spoken words include a designation of a geographic area and the location-based application server is configured to generate the structured response based on the geographic indicator, the structured request and the designation of the geographic area.
Claim 28
Independent Claim
171 words
A method of providing location-based services in a communication system that includes a plurality of remote terminals, the method comprising: transmitting an open-ended prompt related to at least one of location-based goods or services or combinations thereof to a remote terminal; receiving from the remote terminal a verbalization in response to the open-ended prompt, wherein the verbalization is a plurality of spoken words that would be recognized by a listener as some form of a response to the open-ended prompt; receiving a geographic indicator indicative of a geographic location; analyzing the verbalization to selectively identify a plurality of predetermined words that are included in the verbalization; determining a meaning of each of the identified words based on the context of the verbalization; transforming the identified words into a structured request that includes a predetermined structured request parameter based on the determined meaning of each of the identified words; and generating a structured response to the verbalization, wherein the structured response is generated based on the structured request and the geographic indicator.
Claim 29
Independent Claim
171 words
A method of providing location-based services in a communication system that includes a plurality of remote terminals, the method comprising: transmitting an open-ended prompt related to at least one of location-based goods or services or combinations thereof to a remote terminal; receiving from the remote terminal a verbalization in response to the open-ended prompt, wherein the verbalization is a plurality of spoken words that would be recognized by a listener as some form of a response to the open-ended prompt; receiving a geographic indicator indicative of a geographic location; analyzing the verbalization to selectively identify a plurality of predetermined words that are included in the verbalization; determining a meaning of each of the identified words based on the context of the verbalization; transforming the identified words into a structured request that includes a predetermined structured request parameter based on the determined meaning of each of the identified words; and generating a structured response to the verbalization, wherein the structured response is generated based on the structured request and the geographic indicator.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 25 , further comprising transmitting the structured response for receipt by the remote terminal.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method of claim 25 , wherein the geographic indicator is a geographic location that is chosen with the remote terminal to be other than the current geographic location of the remote terminal.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
35 words
The method of claim 25 , wherein the verbalization includes a geographic radius surrounding the remote terminal, and the structured response is generated based on the geographic indicator, the structured request and the geographic radius.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
40 words
The method of claim 25 , wherein the open-ended prompt is a request for directory assistance, and the verbalization includes spoken words that are a last name and a first name of a person for which information has been requested.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
38 words
The method of claim 29 , wherein the request for directory assistance also includes a request for geographic information, and the verbalization also includes a spoken word that is indicative of geographic information that is said geographic indicator.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
44 words
The method of claim 25 , wherein the open-ended prompt is a request for a business request, and the verbalization is spoken words that form a request for specific information pertaining to at least one of a particular business or service or combinations thereof.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
43 words
The method of claim 25 , wherein the open-ended prompt is a request for a business request, and the verbalization is spoken words that form a request for specific information on a governmental agency, office, department, or person holding office or combinations thereof.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
47 words
The method of claim 25 , wherein the open-ended prompt is a request for a business request, and the verbalization is spoken words that form a request for information on at least one of a particular product, a brand of merchandise or a service or combinations thereof.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 25 , wherein receiving the geographic indicator comprises receiving a current geographic location of the remote terminal.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 25 , wherein receiving the geographic indicator comprises receiving an updated geographic indicator as the remote terminal changes geographic locations.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 25 , wherein the structured response comprises a voice signal.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
196 words
A location-based services system, comprising: a remote terminal configured to receive and provide an open-ended prompt to a user of the remote terminal, wherein the open-end prompt is related to at least one of location-based goods or services, or combinations thereof; the remote terminal further configurable to transmit a verbalization in response to the open-ended prompt, wherein the verbalization is a plurality of extemporaneously spoken words that convey a question or a statement; a voice recognition server configured to receive the verbalization and further configured to selectively identify terms from among the extemporaneously spoken words; a natural language processing server in communication with the voice recognition server, wherein the natural language processing server is configured to determine a context of the terms identified by the voice recognition server and further configured to transform the terms and the determined context into a structured request; and a location-based application server in communication with the natural language processing server, wherein the location-based application server is configured to receive a geographic indicator and the structured request, the location-based application server is further configured to generate a structured response to the verbalization based on the geographic indicator and the structured request.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
196 words
A location-based services system, comprising: a remote terminal configured to receive and provide an open-ended prompt to a user of the remote terminal, wherein the open-end prompt is related to at least one of location-based goods or services, or combinations thereof; the remote terminal further configurable to transmit a verbalization in response to the open-ended prompt, wherein the verbalization is a plurality of extemporaneously spoken words that convey a question or a statement; a voice recognition server configured to receive the verbalization and further configured to selectively identify terms from among the extemporaneously spoken words; a natural language processing server in communication with the voice recognition server, wherein the natural language processing server is configured to determine a context of the terms identified by the voice recognition server and further configured to transform the terms and the determined context into a structured request; and a location-based application server in communication with the natural language processing server, wherein the location-based application server is configured to receive a geographic indicator and the structured request, the location-based application server is further configured to generate a structured response to the verbalization based on the geographic indicator and the structured request.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
25 words
The location-based services system of claim 37 , wherein the location-based application server is further configured to transmit the structured response to the remote terminal.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
35 words
The location-based services system of claim 37 , wherein the geographic indicator is a geographic location that is set with the remote terminal to be other than the current geographic location of the remote terminal.
Claim 45
Dependent Claim
44 words
The location-based services system of claim 37 , wherein the verbalization includes a geographic radius surrounding the remote terminal and the location-based application server is further configured to generate the structured response based on the geographic indicator, the structured request and the geographic radius.
Claim 46
Dependent Claim
42 words
The location-based services system of claim 37 , wherein the open-ended prompt is a request for directory assistance, and the verbalization includes spoken words that are a last name and a first name of a person for which information has been requested.
Claim 47
Dependent Claim
38 words
The location-based services system of claim 41 , wherein the request for directory assistance also includes a request for geographic information, and the verbalization also includes a spoken word indicative of geographic information that is said geographic indicator.
Claim 48
Dependent Claim
46 words
The location-based services system of claim 37 , wherein the open-ended prompt is a request for a business request, and the verbalization is spoken words that form a request for specific information pertaining to at least one of a particular business or service or combination thereof.
Claim 49
Dependent Claim
42 words
The location-based services system of claim 37 , wherein the open-ended prompt is a request for a business request, and the verbalization is spoken words that form a request for specific information on a governmental agency, office, department, or person holding office.
Claim 50
Dependent Claim
46 words
The location-based services system of claim 37 , wherein the open-ended prompt is a request for a business request, and the verbalization is spoken words that form a request for information on at least one of a particular product, a brand of merchandise or a service.
Claim 51
Dependent Claim
29 words
The location-based services system of claim 37 , wherein the location-based application server is configured to receive a current geographic location of the remote terminal as the geographic indicator.
Claim 52
Dependent Claim
28 words
The location-based services system of claim 46 , wherein the location-based application server is configured to receive an updated geographic indicator as the remote terminal changes geographic locations.
Claim 53
Dependent Claim
16 words
The location-based services system of claim 37 , wherein the structured response comprises a voice signal.
Claim 54
Dependent Claim
66 words
The location-based services system of claim 37 , wherein the verbalization comprises a request for information about at least one of a particular business or service or combination thereof that includes at least one of a business name, a business address, a type of business, a type of product, a type of service offered, a price range of products or a price range of services offered.
Claim 55
Dependent Claim
69 words
The location-based services system of claim 37 , wherein the verbalization is a business request that is at least one of a request for information about at least one of a particular product or service or combinations thereof, a request for information on a brand of product, or a request for information on a type of at least one of a product or a service or a combination thereof.
Claim 56
Dependent Claim
23 words
The location-based services system of claim 37 , wherein the geographic indicator is determined by a respective geographic location of the remote terminal.
Claim 57
Dependent Claim
25 words
The location-based services system of claim 37 , wherein the remote terminal is a wireless communication device that is connected to a wireless communication system.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US5625668A
Cited
US5764731A
Cited
US20010044309A1
Cited
US6091956A
Cited
US6076099A
Cited
US6418216B1
Cited
US6317718B1
Cited
US6199099B1
Cited
US6560456B1
Cited
US20020090934A1
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2008-09-12 | 2009-03-14 | 2009-09-13 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2012-09-12 | 2013-03-14 | 2013-09-13 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2016-09-12 | 2017-03-14 | 2017-09-13 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |