Method for providing information by calling from information provider, and service server for implementing the same

A method for providing information by calling from an information provider, comprising the steps of:

• (a) recording an information providing contract that is concluded between a user and the information provider via a first communication path established by calling from the user, while preserving anonymity of the user;
• and
• (b) specifying in response to a call made by the information provider, the user who has concluded the information providing contract with the calling information provider on the basis of the recorded information providing contract, and thereby enabling information to be provided from the information provider to the user via a second communication path;
• wherein step (a) includes the substeps of:
• (i) assigning the user one of user numbers which are used to distinguish among a plurality of users who have concluded information providing contracts with the information provider while preserving the anonymity of the users;
• (ii) storing an association between the user number, the user and the information provider;
• and
• (iii) notifying the information provider of the user number;
• wherein step (b) includes the substeps of:
• (i) specifying the user who has concluded the information providing contract, based on the user number received from the information provider and on the stored association;
• wherein substep(a)(i) includes the substep of:
• confirming the user's intention to enter into the contract via a third communication path after the first communication path has been disconnected;
• and
• assigning the user number after the intention to enter into the contract has been confirmed.

A service server which, by being connected to a communication networks, enables information to be provided by calling from an information provider, comprising:

• means for recording an information providing contract that is concluded between a user and the information provider via a first communication path established by calling from the user, while preserving anonymity of the user;
• and
• means for specifying, in response to a call made by the information provider, the user who has concluded the information providing contract with the calling information provider on the basis of the recorded information providing contract, and thereby enabling information to be provided from the information provider to the user via a second communication path;
• wherein the contract recording means includes:
• means for assigning the user one of user numbers which are used to distinguish among a plurality of users who have concluded information providing contracts with the information provider while preserving the anonymity of the users;
• means for storing an association between the user number, the user and the information provider;
• and
• means for notifying the information provider of the user number;
• wherein the user specifying means includes:
• means for specifying the user who has concluded the information providing contract, based on the user number received from the information provider and on the stored association;
• wherein the user number assigning means includes:
• means for confirming the user's intention to enter into the contract via a third communication path after the first communication path has been disconnected;
• and
• means for assigning the user number after the intention to enter into the contract has been confirmed.