Technique for effectively collecting and analyzing data in providing information assistance services

Abstract

In an information/call center where calls are received, requesting information concerning entities, goods and services, directions to a given destination, etc., data is collected in processing such calls. In accordance with the invention, the collected data is analyzed to generate dynamic data to supplement and/or improve the traditional databases, typically searched by an operator for responses to the information requests. In providing a public information assistance service, such dynamic data may concern, e.g., the most popular movies, restaurants, requested categories, etc. In providing a personalized information assistance service, such dynamic data may concern, e.g., previous telephone connections made for a subscriber, the most popular telephone connections requested by a subscriber, etc. In addition, based on the past search behavior, “fuzzy” logic is developed for correlating between search terms. When one search term is used in a search, the correlated search term may be suggested for adoption, in accordance with the fuzzy logic.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A system for providing an information assistance service comprising: 
 a database;    an interface for receiving communication calls requesting information, the database being searched for the requested information;    one or more devices for generating data in processing the communication calls; and    a processor for deriving information from the data, the derived information being used for responding to information requests in communication calls.    
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1  wherein one or more of the communication calls are initiated from a mobile device.  
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2  wherein the mobile device includes a wireless telephone.  
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 2  wherein the mobile device includes a personal information manager (PIM).  
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1  comprising a call center.  
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the interface includes a switching facility.  
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the one or more devices include a facility for accessing the database.  
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the data concerns events of searching for entities.  
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8  wherein the derived information concerns search categories.  
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 8  wherein the derived information concerns selected entities.  
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10  wherein the selected entities are selected as a function of the numbers of searches for the respective selected entities.  
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11  wherein the selected entities include restaurants.  
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 11  wherein the selected entities include movies.  
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the requested information concerns travel directions.  
     
     
         15 . A system for providing a communications service comprising: 
 a mechanism for assisting a user to establish communication connections;    one or more devices for generating data in establishing the communication connections;    a processor for deriving information from the data, the information concerning at least one of the communication connections; and    a server for providing the information at a predetermined data location accessible by the user.    
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 15  wherein the predetermined data location is accessible through a communication network.  
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 16  wherein the communication network includes at least part of an Internet.  
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 15  wherein the predetermined data location includes a uniform resource locator (URL).  
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 15  wherein the mechanism includes receiving from the user communication calls requesting assistance in establishing the communication connections.  
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 19  wherein one or more of the communication calls are initiated from a mobile device.  
     
     
         21 . The system of  claim 20  wherein the mobile device includes a wireless telephone.  
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 20  wherein the mobile device includes a PIM.  
     
     
         23 . The system of  claim 15  comprising a call center.  
     
     
         24 . The system of  claim 15  wherein the data concerns an occurrence of an event in assisting the user to establish at least one of the communication connections.  
     
     
         25 . The system of  claim 24  wherein the event concerns a search for an entity to which the at least one communication connection is established.  
     
     
         26 . The system of  claim 25  wherein the search is conducted using a data source associated with the user.  
     
     
         27 . The system of  claim 26  wherein the data source contains contacts information.  
     
     
         28 . The system of  claim 27  wherein the data source is identified by a telephone number of the user.  
     
     
         29 . A system for evaluating performance of an information assistance service comprising: 
 a mechanism for processing communication calls which involve a call activity;    one or more devices for generating data in processing the communication calls; and    a processor for deriving information from the data, the information being used to evaluate a performance of the call activity.    
     
     
         30 . The system of  claim 29  wherein the call activity is performed by an operator.  
     
     
         31 . The system of  claim 29  wherein the data includes information identifying an operator.  
     
     
         32 . The system of  claim 29  wherein the data concerns the call activity.  
     
     
         33 . The system of  claim 32  wherein the call activity includes conducting a search.  
     
     
         34 . The system of  claim 33  wherein the information concerns time for conducting a search.  
     
     
         35 . The system of  claim 34  wherein the performance is evaluated based on an average time for conducting a search.  
     
     
         36 . The system of  claim 29  wherein one or more of the communication calls are initiated from a mobile device.  
     
     
         37 . The system of  claim 36  wherein the mobile device includes a wireless telephone.  
     
     
         38 . The system of  claim 37  wherein the mobile device includes a PIM.  
     
     
         39 . The system of  claim 29  comprising a call center.  
     
     
         40 . A system for providing an information assistance service comprising: 
 a communication interface for receiving a request for information; and    a search facility for conducting a search using a first search criterion in response to the request, a second search criterion being provided in lieu of the first search criterion in conducting the search based on a correlation between the first search criterion and the second search criterion, the correlation being a function of the number of searches prior to the search where use of the first search criterion is followed by use of the second search criterion, and where use of the second search criterion, but not the first search criterion, produces desired results.    
     
     
         41 . The system of  claim 40  wherein the request is communicated in a communication call.  
     
     
         42 . The system of  claim 41  wherein the communication call is initiated from a mobile device.  
     
     
         43 . The system of  claim 42  wherein the mobile device includes a wireless telephone.  
     
     
         44 . The system of  claim 42  wherein the mobile device includes a PIM.  
     
     
         45 . The system of  claim 40  comprising a call center.  
     
     
         46 . The system of  claim 40  wherein the communication interface includes a switching facility.  
     
     
         47 . The system of  claim 40  wherein the first search criterion includes a first search term, and the second search criterion includes a second search term.  
     
     
         48 . The system of  claim 40  further comprising one or more devices for generate data concerning the searches.  
     
     
         49 . The system of  claim 48  wherein the data includes the first search criterion and the second search criterion.  
     
     
         50 . The system of  claim 48  wherein the one or more devices include the search facility.  
     
     
         51 . A method for providing an information assistance service comprising: 
 receiving communication calls requesting information;    searching a database for the requested information;    generating data in processing the communication calls; and    deriving information from the data, the derived information being used for responding to information requests in communication calls.    
     
     
         52 . The method of  claim 51  wherein one or more of the communication calls are initiated from a mobile device.  
     
     
         53 . The method of  claim 52  wherein the mobile device includes a wireless telephone.  
     
     
         54 . The method of  claim 52  wherein the mobile device includes a PIM.  
     
     
         55 . The method of  claim 51  wherein the data concerns events of searching for entities.  
     
     
         56 . The system of  claim 55  wherein the derived information concerns search categories.  
     
     
         57 . The method of  claim 55  wherein the derived information concerns selected entities.  
     
     
         58 . The method of  claim 57  wherein the selected entities are selected as a function of the numbers of searches for the respective selected entities.  
     
     
         59 . The method of  claim 58  wherein the selected entities include restaurants.  
     
     
         60 . The method of  claim 58  wherein the selected entities include movies.  
     
     
         61 . The method of  claim 51  wherein the requested information concerns travel directions.  
     
     
         62 . A method for providing a communications service comprising: 
 assisting a user to establish communication connections;    generating data in establishing the communication connections;    deriving information from the data, the information concerning at least one of the communication connections; and    providing the information at a predetermined data location accessible by the user.    
     
     
         63 . The method of  claim 62  wherein the predetermined data location is accessible through a communication network.  
     
     
         64 . The method of  claim 63  wherein the communication network includes at least part of an Internet.  
     
     
         65 . The method of  claim 62  wherein the predetermined data location includes a URL.  
     
     
         66 . The method of  claim 62  further comprising receiving from the user communication calls requesting assistance in establishing the communication connections.  
     
     
         67 . The method of  claim 66  wherein one or more of the communication calls are initiated from a mobile device.  
     
     
         68 . The method of  claim 67  wherein the mobile device includes a wireless telephone.  
     
     
         69 . The method of  claim 67  wherein the mobile device includes a PIM.  
     
     
         70 . The method of  claim 62  wherein the data concerns an occurrence of an event in assisting the user to establish at least one of the communication connections.  
     
     
         71 . The method of  claim 70  wherein the event concerns a search for an entity to which the at least one communication connection is established.  
     
     
         72 . The method of  claim 71  wherein the search is conducted using a data source associated with the user.  
     
     
         73 . The method of  claim 72  wherein the data source contains contacts information.  
     
     
         74 . The method of  claim 72  wherein the data source is identified by a telephone number of the user.  
     
     
         75 . A method for evaluating performance of an information assistance service comprising: 
 processing communication calls which involve a call activity; 
 generating data in processing the communication calls; and  
 deriving information from the data, the information being used to evaluate a performance of the call activity.  
   
     
     
         76 . The method of  claim 75  wherein the call activity is performed by an operator.  
     
     
         77 . The method of  claim 75  wherein the data includes information identifying an operator.  
     
     
         78 . The method of  claim 75  wherein the data concerns the call activity.  
     
     
         79 . The method of  claim 78  wherein the call activity includes conducting a search.  
     
     
         80 . The method of  claim 79  wherein the information concerns time for conducting a search.  
     
     
         81 . The method of  claim 80  wherein the performance is evaluated based on an average time for conducting a search.  
     
     
         82 . The method of  claim 75  wherein one or more of the communication calls are initiated from a mobile device.  
     
     
         83 . The method of  claim 82  wherein the mobile device includes a wireless telephone.  
     
     
         84 . The method of  claim 82  wherein the mobile device includes a PIM.  
     
     
         85 . A method for providing an information assistance service comprising: 
 receiving a request for information;    conducting a search using a first search criterion in response to the request; and    providing a second search criterion in lieu of the first search criterion in conducting the search based on a correlation between the first search criterion and the second search criterion, the correlation being a function of the number of searches prior to the search where use of the first search criterion is followed by use of the second search criterion, and where use of the second search criterion, but not the first search criterion, produces desired results.    
     
     
         86 . The method of  claim 85  wherein the request is communicated in a communication call.  
     
     
         87 . The method of  claim 86  wherein the communication call is initiated from a mobile device.  
     
     
         88 . The method of  claim 87  wherein the mobile device includes a wireless telephone.  
     
     
         89 . The method of  claim 87  wherein the mobile device includes a PIM.  
     
     
         90 . The method of  claim 85  wherein the first search criterion includes a first search term, and the second search criterion includes a second search term.  
     
     
         91 . The method of  claim 85  further comprising generating data concerning the searches.  
     
     
         92 . The method of  claim 91  wherein the data includes the first search criterion and the second search criterion.