Patent ID: 6816580
Filing Date: 2004-11-09
Classification: H04M

Abstract:
A method for use by a provider of an information assistance service, the method comprising:determining that a user is affiliated with at least one of entities which are predetermined by the information assistance service provider; maintaining a record associated with a user, the record containing information about the at least one entity with which the user is affiliated; obtaining data identifying the user when the user makes a request for an information assistance service; providing the information assistance service requested by the user, which incurs charges due to the information assistance service provider; determining, based on the data, the record associated with the user; and crediting, by the information assistance service provider, at least a portion of the charges to an entity with which the user is affiliated and which is selected based at least on the information in the record, an amount of the portion being a function of a number of parties affiliated with the selected entity.