CONTEST
Competed
$5,000
This contest is closed.
Problem
Patexia seeks prior art for US Patent 5,339,352 (‘352), with a focus on claims 1, 2, 5, 8, and 9. The patent allegedly describes a telephone directory information system (also known in the US as a 411 system) that allows mobile phone users to call into the system to be automatically connected to a phone number based on their directory listing choices. The patent applies specifically to the mobile phone (as opposed to landline) context.
The system contains the following components:
- a mobile phone (or a “wireless communication terminal”) for the mobile user to access the system
- a “mobile communications switching office” (or “MCSO”) to receive the initial request
- an operator service system to process the 411 information request
- and a station representing the desired phone number that the mobile user is attempting to connect to via the 411 system
Using these components, the system works through the following steps:
- the mobile phone sends a directory assistance request to the MCSO
- the MCSO forwards the mobile phone identity to the operator service system
- the MCSO facilitates the establishment of a landline communication link between the mobile phone to the operator service system
- through this link: (1) the mobile phone identifies the desired phone number listing, (2) the operator service system retrieves the desired phone number, and (3) the mobile phone communicates its request to connect to the desired phone number
- the operator service system facilitates the establishment of a landline communication link between the mobile phone and the desired phone number
The patent additionally include dependent claims that further specify:
- the mobile phone identity is used to create a billing record of the 411 request
- the established landline communication link between the mobile phone and operator service system (3.) is via a dedicated trunk line
- the request to connect to the desired phone number (4.3.) can occur by the mobile user staying on the line to auto-connect to the desired phone number, if the mobile user is a subscriber to the 411 system
- the desired phone number is represented by a telephone station, and the established landline communication link between the mobile phone and the telephone station (5.) is via the switched telephone network
Figure. Map describing the connections made by the 411 information system
Submission Boundaries
- references filed or published before 10/01/1992
- non-patent literature references preferred, patent references allowed
- no geographic restrictions for references
- no references allowed from the known references list
Questions
| # | Question | Value |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Is the reference either a US patent filed, a foreign patent published, or a non-patent document published before October 1st, 1992? | T/F |
| 2 | Does the reference describe a system to provide directory assistance call completion service to a mobile phone user? | 5 |
| 3 | Does this system work by first having the mobile phone (or “wireless communication terminal”) send a directory assistance request to the “mobile communications switching office (or “MCSO”)? | 5 |
| 4 | Does the MCSO then forward the identity of the mobile phone (e.g., the “MSID”) to an operator service system (or “OSS”), and establish a landline communication link between the mobile phone and the OSS via a dedicated trunk from the MCSO to the OSS? | 20 |
| 5 | Does the system use the identity of the mobile phone to form a billing record for the directory assistance call completion service, as well as determine if the mobile phone user has subscribed to the completion service in particular? | 20 |
| 6 | Does the mobile phone then send a directory listing, and does the system retrieve a phone number for that listing in response? | 10 |
| 7 | Does the mobile phone then send a request to be transferred (or “complete the connection”) to the phone number of the requested listing? | 10 |
| 8 | As an alternative to sending an explicit request, if the mobile user is a subscriber to the completion service, can the user stay on the line to be automatically connected to the phone number of the requested listing? | 10 |
| 9 | Does the system then establish a connection between the mobile phone a landline communication link to the identified phone number’s telephone station via the switched telephone network? | 10 |
| 10 | Does the system finally record the identity of the mobile phone at the operator service system, either separately or in conjunction with the billing record? | 10 |
Additional Notes
This is a Prior Art Search contest aimed at determining if a patent idea was known and publicly available before a patent was filed.
+10 bonus points will be awarded for non-patent literature.
+5 bonus points will be awarded for foreign language references.
This contest will close on Sunday, February 8th, 2015 at 11:59 PM PST and is subject to modified prize distribution awards:
- the top submission will be designated as a winner and receive $3,000
- the next scored 2 submissions will be designated as winners and receive $500 each
- the next scored submissions (to a maximum of 10) will be designated as runners up and receive a minimum of $100 each
Please review the Contest Rules. For more information on how to submit to this Contest type, please read the Intro to Prior Art Search page.
