IP Library Granted Patent US 9,094,486
Granted Patent B2
US 9,094,486 · App. 11/761,932 · Granted Jul 28, 2015

Methods and apparatuses to track information via passing information during telephonic call process

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,094,486
App. No.
11/761,932
Granted
Jul 28, 2015
Kind
B2
Abstract

Methods and systems to facilitate real time communications via a telephonic apparatuses that support data communications. In one embodiment, a telephonic apparatus includes: a network interface to submit a query over a data communication network and to receive a listing with embedded information about the query; and a call module coupled to the network interface, the call module to provide the received information about the query in a message sent over the data communication network for a telephonic connection according to the listing. In one embodiment, the telephonic apparatus receives a telephonic reference of a callee of the listing as a response to the message and initiates a telephonic connection to the callee using the telephonic reference of the callee received as a response to the message. In another embodiment, telephonic apparatus receives a callback responsive to the message for the telephonic connection.

Claims (62)

1. A method implemented in a telephonic apparatus, comprising:

submitting, by the telephonic apparatus, a query for a listing over a data communication network to a server;

receiving, by the telephonic apparatus, the listing over the data communication network from the server, the listing embedded with information including first information identifying the query used to identify the listing, wherein the first information identifying the query comprises one or more of a search criterion and/or an identification of an advertisement;

processing, by the telephonic apparatus, a user request for a telephonic connection to an advertiser identified in the listing; and

responsive to the user request, causing, by the telephonic apparatus, association of the first information identifying the query used to identify the listing and second information identifying one or more circumstances related to the query with the telephonic connection to the advertiser, the causing comprising:

providing, by the telephonic apparatus, the first information identifying the query used to identify the listing and the second information identifying one or more circumstances related to the query in a message transmitted to a connection server over the data communication network during establishing the telephonic connection between the telephonic apparatus and the advertiser identified in the listing, wherein the connection server associates the telephonic connection with the query used to identify the listing and the one or more circumstances related to the query based at least in part on the first information and the second information received during the establishing of the telephonic connection;

wherein the second information identifying the one or more circumstances related to the query indicates one or more of a hierarchy of directories processed prior to the submitting the query for the listing, a predefined query, a link to the listing, a time related to the query, and/or a location related to the query; and

wherein the telephonic connection is based at least in part on a telephonic reference, the telephonic reference comprising encrypted information, the encrypted information comprising at least some of the first information identifying the query and at least some of second information identifying one or more circumstances related to the query.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the telephonic reference corresponds to the advertiser and the method further comprises:

receiving the telephonic reference responsive to the message; and

initiating the telephonic connection using the telephonic reference received as a response to the message.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein:

the listing includes an encrypted telephonic reference of the callee; and

the telephonic reference received as the response to the message is decrypted from the encrypted telephonic reference.

4. The method of claim 2 , wherein:

the listing includes a reference corresponding to the advertiser; and

the telephonic reference received as the response to the message is retrieved from a database using the reference.

5. The method of claim 2 , wherein the telephonic reference comprises at least one of a session initiation protocol uniform resource identifier, a telephone number without an extension, a telephone number with an extension, a user identifier, and/or an Internet address.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving a callback responsive to the message for the telephonic connection.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the message comprises a hypertext transfer protocol request to the connection server.

8. The method of claim 6 , wherein the message includes the telephonic reference, and the telephone reference corresponds to the telephonic apparatus.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the telephonic connection comprises a peer to peer voice over Internet protocol connection.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein:

the listing comprises the advertisement presented on the telephonic apparatus on behalf of the advertiser; and

the advertiser is charged an advertisement fee in response to the telephonic connection being connected to the advertiser.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first information identifying the query further includes at least one of a position of the advertisement in a result of a search performed in response to the query and/or a price of an advertisement fee offered by the advertiser.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second information identifying the one or more circumstances related to the query includes at least one of at least an identification of a distributor of the telephonic apparatus, an identification of a distribution channel of the advertisement, and/or an identifier of a party who has a contribution in a process of delivering the advertisement to the telephonic apparatus.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the telephonic reference corresponds to the advertiser and the message includes the telephonic reference.

14. A non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium storing instructions which, when executed by a computing device, cause the computing device to:

submit a query for a listing over a data communication network to a server;

receive the listing over the data communication network from the server, the listing embedded with information including first information identifying the query used to identify the listing, wherein the first information identifying the query comprises one or more of a search criterion and/or an identification of an advertisement;

process a user request for a telephonic connection to an advertiser identified in the listing; and

responsive to the user request, cause association of the first information identifying the query used to identify the listing and second information identifying one or more circumstances related to the query with the telephonic connection to the advertiser, the causing comprising:

providing the first information identifying the query used to identify the listing and the second information identifying one or more circumstances related to the query in a message transmitted to a connection server over the data communication network during establishing the telephonic connection between the telephonic apparatus and the advertiser identified in the listing, wherein the connection server associates the telephonic connection with the query used to identify the listing and the one or more circumstances related to the query based at least in part on the first information and the second information received during the establishment of the telephonic connection;

wherein the second information identifying the one or more circumstances related to the query indicates one or more of a hierarchy of directories processed prior to the submitting the query for the listing, a predefined query, a link to the listing, a time related to the query, and/or a location related to the query; and

wherein the telephonic connection is based at least in part on a telephonic reference, the telephonic reference comprising encrypted information, the encrypted information comprising at least some of the first information identifying the query and at least some of second information identifying one or more circumstances related to the query.

15. A telephonic apparatus, comprising:

a processor;

a network interface configured to submit a query over a data communication network to a server and to receive from the server a listing with embedded information including first information identifying the query used to identify the listing, wherein the first information identifying the query comprises one or more of a search criterion and/or an identification of an advertisement; and

a call module executed by the processor and coupled to the network interface, the call module configured to:

process a user request for a telephonic connection to an advertiser identified in the listing; and

responsive to the user request, cause association of the first information identifying the query used to identify the listing and second information identifying one or more circumstances related to the query with the telephonic connection to the advertiser, the causing comprising:

providing the first information identifying the query used to identify the listing and the second information identifying one or more circumstances related to the query in a message sent over the data communication network to establish the telephonic connection between the telephonic apparatus and the advertiser identified in the listing, wherein the connection server associates the telephonic connection with the query used to identify the listing and the one or more circumstances related to the query based at least in part on the first information and the second information received during the establishing of the telephonic connection;

wherein the second information identifying the one or more circumstances related to the query indicates one or more of a hierarchy of directories processed prior to the submitting the query for the listing, a predefined query, a link to the listing, a time related to the query, and/or a location related to the query; and

wherein the telephonic connection is based at least in part on a telephonic reference, the telephonic reference comprising encrypted information, the encrypted information comprising at least some of the first information identifying the query and at least some of second information identifying one or more circumstances related to the query.

16. A method, comprising:

responsive to a query received over a data communication network, providing, by a computing device and via the communication network, a listing with embedded information including first information identifying the query used to identify the listing for presentation on a telephonic apparatus to provide a telephonic connection from the telephonic apparatus, wherein the first information identifying the query comprises one or more of a search criterion and/or an identification of an advertisement;

receiving, by the computing device and via the communication network, a message from the telephonic apparatus during establishing of the telephonic connection, the message including the first information identifying the query used to identify the listing and the second information identifying one or more circumstances related to the query;

extracting, by the computing device, from the message the information identifying the query used to identify the listing; and

associating, by the computing device, the telephonic connection with the query used to identify the listing and the one or more circumstances related to the query based at least in part on the first information and the second information;

wherein the second information identifying the one or more circumstances related to the query indicates one or more of a hierarchy of directories processed prior to the submitting the query for the listing, a predefined query, a link to the listing, a time related to the query, and/or a location related to the query; and

wherein the telephonic connection is based at least in part on a telephonic reference, the telephonic reference comprising encrypted information, the encrypted information comprising at least some of the first information identifying the query and at least some of second information identifying one or more circumstances related to the query.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the telephonic reference corresponds to the advertiser and the method further comprises:

resolving the telephonic reference; and

providing the telephonic reference to the telephonic apparatus as a response to the message.

18. The method of claim 16 , further comprising:

determining the telephonic reference, the telephonic reference corresponding to the telephonic apparatus; and

initiating the telephonic connection with the telephonic apparatus in response to the message.

19. The method of claim 16 , wherein the telephonic reference corresponds to the advertiser and the method further comprises:

initiating a separate telephonic connection using the telephonic reference; and

bridging the telephonic connection from the telephonic apparatus and the separate telephonic connection.

Assignments (36)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jan 7, 2025
From: PNC BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: UTBK LLC
Reel/Frame 069830/0339 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jan 7, 2025
From: PNC BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS AGENT
To: YELLOWPAGES.COM LLC
Reel/Frame 069830/0527 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded May 10, 2024
From: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
To: DEX MEDIA, INC.; YP LLC; YELLOWPAGES.COM LLC; YP ADVERTISING & PUBLISHING LLC; PRINT MEDIA LLC; CERBERUS YP DIGITAL BLOCKER LLC; CERBERUS YP BLOCKER LLC; YP HOLDINGS LLC; PRINT MEDIA HOLDINGS LLC; YP INTERMEDIATE HOLDINGS CORP.; YP WESTERN HOLDINGS CORP.; YP SOUTHEAST HOLDINGS CORP.; YP MIDWEST HOLDINGS CORP.; YP CONNECTICUT HOLDINGS CORP.; PLUSMO HOLDINGS CORP.; INGENIO HOLDINGS CORP.
Reel/Frame 067381/0745 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded May 7, 2024
From: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
To: THRYV, INC.
Reel/Frame 067341/0434 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded May 3, 2024
From: THRYV, INC.
To: CITIZENS BANK, N.A.
Reel/Frame 067310/0627 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded May 1, 2024
From: THRYV, INC.
To: CITIZENS BANK, N.A.
Reel/Frame 067287/0759 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Aug 3, 2021
From: TREE LINE DIRECT LENDING, LP, AS RETIRING AGENT
To: TREE LINE CAPITAL PARTNERS, LLC, AS SUCCESSOR AGENT
Reel/Frame 057064/0788 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY Recorded Mar 2, 2021
From: WILMINGTON TRUST, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
To: THRYV, INC. (FORMERLY KNOWN AS DEX MEDIA, INC.); THRYV HOLDINGS, INC. (FORMERLY KNOWN AS DEX MEDIA HOLDINGS, INC.)
Reel/Frame 055472/0592 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Mar 1, 2021
From: THRYV, INC.
To: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 055452/0258 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 25, 2020
From: YELLOWPAGES.COM, LLC
To: THRYV, INC.
Reel/Frame 052071/0589 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE NATURE OF CONVEYANCE PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL: 043194 FRAME: 0505. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE SECURITY INTEREST. Recorded Aug 14, 2017
From: PNC BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
To: YP INTERACTIVE LLC
Reel/Frame 043544/0720 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE NATURE OF CONVEYANCE PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL: 043170 FRAME: 0318. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE SECURITY INTEREST. Recorded Aug 10, 2017
From: PNC BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
To: UTBK LLC
Reel/Frame 043512/0799 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE NATURE OF CONVEYANCE PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL: 043183 FRAME: 0734. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST. Recorded Aug 9, 2017
From: PNC BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
To: YELLOWPAGES.COM LLC
Reel/Frame 043493/0648 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jul 28, 2017
From: YELLOWPAGES.COM LLC
To: WILMINGTON TRUST, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
Reel/Frame 043363/0518 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jul 17, 2017
From: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.
To: INGENIO LLC
Reel/Frame 043217/0875 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jul 14, 2017
From: PNC BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
To: YP INTERACTIVE LLC
Reel/Frame 043194/0585 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jul 13, 2017
From: PNC BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
To: YELLOWPAGES.COM LLC
Reel/Frame 043183/0734 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jul 12, 2017
From: PNC BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
To: UTBK LLC
Reel/Frame 043170/0318 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Jul 3, 2017
From: YP LLC; YELLOWPAGES.COM LLC; YP ADVERTISING & PUBLISHING LLC; PRINT MEDIA LLC; DEX MEDIA HOLDINGS, INC.; CERBERUS YP DIGITAL BLOCKER LLC; CERBERUS YP BLOCKER LLC; YP HOLDINGS LLC; PRINT MEDIA HOLDINGS LLC; YP INTERMEDIATE HOLDINGS CORP.; YP WESTERN HOLDINGS CORP.; YP SOUTHEAST HOLDINGS CORP.; YP MIDWEST HOLDINGS CORP.; YP CONNECTICUT HOLDINGS CORP.; PLUSMO HOLDINGS CORP.; INGENIO HOLDINGS CORP.
To: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
Reel/Frame 043074/0794 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Dec 1, 2016
From: YELLOWPAGES.COM LLC
To: PNC BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS AGENT
Reel/Frame 040540/0948 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Apr 1, 2015
From: MEDLEY CAPITAL CORPORATION
To: INGENIO, LLC (FORMERLY KNOWN AS INGENIO ACQUISITION, LLC
Reel/Frame 035353/0871 →
MERGER Recorded Jan 9, 2015
From: YP INTERACTIVE LLC
To: YELLOWPAGES.COM LLC
Reel/Frame 034747/0850 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Jun 4, 2014
From: INGENIO LLC
To: YP INTERACTIVE LLC
Reel/Frame 033085/0126 →
GRANT OF SECURITY INTEREST -- PATENTS Recorded Feb 28, 2014
From: YP INTERACTIVE LLC (FORMERLY KNOWN AS INGENIO LLC)
To: PNC BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 032372/0639 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Jul 2, 2013
From: INGENIO LLC
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 030740/0085 →
RELEASE OF GRANT OF SECURITY INTEREST -- PATENTS Recorded Jun 5, 2013
From: CERBERUS YP ARRANGER, LLC
To: INGENIO LLC (FORMERLY KNOWN AS INGENIO, INC.)
Reel/Frame 030554/0356 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded May 10, 2013
From: PNC BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
To: INGENIO LLC
Reel/Frame 030389/0746 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded May 10, 2013
From: CERBERUS YP ARRANGER, LLC
To: INGENIO LLC
Reel/Frame 030389/0946 →
LICENSE Recorded May 10, 2013
From: YP HOLDINGS LLC; INGENIO LLC
To: INGENIO ACQUISITION, LLC
Reel/Frame 030390/0131 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded May 10, 2013
From: INGENIO ACQUISITION, LLC
To: MEDLEY CAPITAL CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 030390/0231 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 3, 2013
From: UTBK LLC
To: INGENIO LLC
Reel/Frame 030341/0882 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Nov 19, 2012
From: UTBK LLC
To: PNC BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 029342/0075 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Nov 16, 2012
From: FORTRESS CREDIT CO LLC., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: INGENIO, INC.
Reel/Frame 029453/0560 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Nov 9, 2012
From: UTBK, INC.
To: UTBK LLC
Reel/Frame 029275/0129 →
GRANT OF SECURITY INTEREST - PATENTS Recorded May 8, 2012
From: INGENIO, INC.
To: FORTRESS CREDIT CO LLC, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 028177/0004 →
GRANT OF SECURITY INTEREST - PATENTS Recorded May 8, 2012
From: INGENIO, INC.
To: CERBERUS YP ARRANGER, LLC, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
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