This patent covers a "telephone directory assistance service in which a telephone user calls to the system and the system will, based on the requested number or type of service, hear a recorded advertisement."

Now, when it comes to the issuance of business process patents, one of the key elements is that the process needs to be original, or at least "novel". The idea of advertiser based information portals, on the web, in print (e.g.: community newspapers or "free weeklies") or even on the phone is certainly anything BUT novel. It's the sort of thing that you would cover in a basic economics class - if you're not getting revenue from the service user, get it from some other source such as an advertiser.

Now that the patent is issued, it does put a significant cramp into the growing number of 800-Free-411 knockoffs, which personally isn't such a big deal in my book. However, Apptera, who is putting all of its chips on the advertising exchange it has developed and is implementing at carrier giant AT&T may have to either license or contest Jingle's patent if it wants to continue down its current product roadmap.