Data entry confirmation system for a device or system with dialing capability

Abstract

A Data Entry Confirmation System (DECS) is provided whereby a user with a communication device capable of communicating with the DECS is able to perform a pre-dialing operation based on contact information inputted onto the communication device and transmitted by said communication device to the DECS. Thus, the DECS is able to perform a reverse caller ID operation allowing a user to confirm identity of the party the user wishes to call prior to actually calling the party. The DECS uses the input contact information to retrieve corresponding contact information from one or more databases with which it is in communication and transmit said output contact information to the user device.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method comprising:
 performing, by a DECS (Data Entry Confirmation System), a pre-dialing operation to generate output contact information, the pre-dialing operation using input contact information received by the DECS in response to transmission of search input options by the DECS.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising the step of performing a dialing operation based on information obtained from the output contact information generated by the DECS. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  where the input contact information is one of a name, an address, a telephone number and e-mail address. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  where the step of performing a pre-dialing operation comprises transmitting, by the DECS, search input options, and in response to receiving a selected option, transmitting by the DECS a request for entry of input contact information and upon receiving said input contact information, performing, by the DECS, a search of one or more databases for corresponding output contact information. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4  where the search performed by the DECS is a look ahead search. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1  whereby prior to performing a pre-dialing operation, the DECS downloads operating software to registered subscriber devices and established communications with the registered subscribers in accordance with a communication standard being followed by the DECS and the registered subscribers. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6  where the DECS transmits a message providing a dialing option and a pre-dialing option to a subscriber device after having established communications with the subscriber device. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising retrieving, by the DECS, the output contact information from one or more databases in communication with the DECS; transmitting, by the DECS, said output contact information to a subscriber device; and providing the subscriber device the option to request a dialing operation. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1  where the DECS transmits N types of search input options where N is an integer equal to 1 or greater. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1  where the DECS retrieves the output contact information from its own database. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 2  where the DECS performs a pre-dialing operation upon receiving a pre-dialing request command and the DECS extracts information from the output contact information to perform the dialing operation. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1  where the DECS performs a dialing operation without using any information from the output contact information. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1  where the DECS is part of a communication system comprising transmitting, receiving and processing equipment in communication with the DECS and said DECS is capable of communicating with M databases over a communication network, where M is an integer equal to 1 or greater. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13  where the communication network is the Internet. 
     
     
         15 . A communication device comprising:
 processing circuitry; and   a keypad and display coupled to the processing circuitry, said processing circuitry comprising at least a transmitter and receiver circuitry to convey information to a DECS and said keypad and display being operable to perform a pre-dialing operation with the DECS.   
     
     
         16 . The communication device of  claim 15  where the processing circuitry comprises memory circuits onto which the DECS is capable of downloading software. 
     
     
         17 . The communication device of  claim 15  where the keypad and display are operable to perform a dialing operation based on DECS generated output contact information resulting from the pre-dialing operation. 
     
     
         18 . The communication device of  claim 15  where the keypad and display are operable to enter input contact information based on a prompt received from the DECS. 
     
     
         19 . The communication device of  claim 15  where the keypads and displays are operable to select the type of input contact information to transmit to the DECS in response to search input options received from the DECS and to select output contact information received from the DECS for performing a dialing operation. 
     
     
         20 . The communication device of  claim 15  configured to operate in accordance with communication standards and protocols of the DECS and communication standards and protocols of communication standards with which the DECS conveys information in performing pre-dialing operations.