Directory assistance with multi-modal messaging

A computer program embodied on a computer readable medium for providing information assistance to a wireless terminal in a wireless communication system, comprising:

• a code segment that allows a requestor to generate a request for an information item associated with a subscriber terminal using the wireless terminal;
• a code segment that transmits the request to a information assistance application located on a information assistance server;
• a code segment that determines how to contact the subscriber terminal;
• a code segment that generates an authorization request to provide the information record of the subscriber terminal to the wireless terminal;
• a code segment that transmits the authorization request to the subscriber terminal;
• and
• a code segment that interprets a reply from the subscriber terminal indicating if the information record of the subscriber terminal may be provided to the wireless terminal.

A system for providing information assistance to a wireless terminal, comprising:

• logic that allows a requestor to generate a request for an information item associated with a subscriber terminal using the wireless terminal;
• logic that transmits the request to an information assistance application;
• logic that determines an identity of a person associated with the subscriber terminal;
• logic that determines how to contact the subscriber terminal as a function of a contact preference associated with the subscriber terminal;
• logic that generates an authorization request to provide the information item associated with the subscriber terminal to the wireless terminal as a function of the contact preference;
• logic that transmits the authorization request to the subscriber terminal;
• and
• logic that allows the subscriber terminal to generate a reply to the authorization request indicating whether or not to provide the information record to the wireless terminal.

A system for providing information assistance to a wireless terminal, comprising:

• means for allowing a requestor to generate a request for a contact information record of a subscriber terminal using the wireless terminal;
• means for determining an identity associated with the subscriber terminal;
• means for generating a message for the subscriber terminal requesting permission to release the contact information record associated with the subscriber terminal to the requestor;
• means for transmitting the message to the subscriber terminal;
• means for the subscriber terminal to generate a reply to the message;
• and
• means for interpreting the reply from the subscriber terminal.