Patent ID: 7486958
Filing Date: 2009-02-03
Classification: H04L,Y10S

Abstract:
1. A method for maintaining a publicly searchable database of points of interest, said method comprising the steps of: establishing a telephone call with a user, said telephone call being established through a telephone communication network; identifying a telephone number associated with the telephone call; matching a physical address with the identified telephone number; matching a point of interest with the physical address; assigning a unique password to the point of interest; providing to the user the assigned unique password; establishing communication with the user via an Internet connection, wherein the user initiates the communication by login on a designated website by providing the telephone number and the assigned unique password; receiving from the user, over the Internet connection, the assigned unique password; authenticating the user login by verifying the unique password provided is assigned to the telephone number provided; receiving from the user, via the Internet connection, business information associated with the point of interest, said business information including at least one of a name of a business establishment, a physical address of the business establishment, the business operating hours of the business establishment, and an URL of the business establishment; accessing the database containing a directory of points of interest; determining whether the database includes pre-stored record information associated with the point of interest; if it is determined that the database includes pre-stored record information associated with the point of interest, retrieving, from the database, the pre-stored record information associated with the point of interest and updating the pre-stored information by editing the information with the business information received from the user; and if it is determined that the database does not include pre-stored information associated with the point of interest, adding the business information received from the user to the database to thereby create a new record information associated with the point of interest.