Patent ID: 7072643

Claim:
A communication assistance system comprising: a first database having a plurality of listings therein, each of said listings having at least one contact name and a corresponding contact number; a switching device configured to direct a communication from a telephone device of a user to said system; and a past requested listing table for at least one of said users of said system, configured to store prior requested listings obtained from said database, as previously requested by said user, said prior requested listings stored in said past requested listing table each maintain a counter field corresponding to the number of times that a particular listing was requested by said user where a single entry for each particular listing requested by said user is stored with the total number of times said listing was requested is indicated in said counter field, and said prior requested listings also maintains a time and date field corresponding to the time and date at which a particular listing was requested by said user, including information corresponding to the last time and date said listing was requested by said user, wherein when said user contacts said system with said telephone device, said system recognizes said user and, prior to said user making any directory search requests, retrieves at least a portion of said stored prior requested listings from said past requested listing table and delivers them to a customer service representative at an operator terminal of said system.