Customer engagement platform and portal having multi-media capabilities

• US 10,250,520 B2
• Filed: 08/30/2012
• Issued: 04/02/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 08/30/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Imes, Kevin R., Hollister, James, Addison, Jarod
• Primary Examiner(s): Anyan, Barbara B
• Application Number:
  US13/600,086
• Publication Number:
  US 20130054758A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,406 Days
• Field of Search: 709203, 709208, 709217, 709219, 709223, 709224, 709231, 709232
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/435 Filtering based on additional data, e.g. user or group profiles
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/95 Retrieval from the web
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2827 Reporting to a device within the home network; wherein the reception of the information reported automatically triggers the execution of a home appliance functionality
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/2849 Audio/video appliances
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/285 Generic home appliances, e.g. refrigerators
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0253 using browsers or web-pages for accessing management information
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/70 Admission control; Resource allocation

Abstract

A system for managing a customer engagement portal associated with a site includes a media manager associated with the site and at least one network device associated with the site. The network device and the media manager are in communication to wirelessly transfer streams of media. The network device is configured to output streams of media. The site also has a mobile device associated therewith that is configured to initiate a change in an operating condition of the at least one network device for a location remote from the site. The network device is configured to output the streams of media simultaneously with the operating condition of the network deceive being changed.

Claims

1. A system for managing customer engagement, comprising:

a customer engagement portal to be disposed at a site, said customer engagement portal configured to receive inputs, including inputs related to media information;

at least one memory storing instructions;

at least one processor associated with said customer engagement portal and configured to execute the instructions stored in said at least one memory to manage said media information;

a first network device to be disposed at said site and communicatively coupleable with said at least one processor to wirelessly transmit a media stream therebetween, said first network device configured to output said media stream, and said first network device having an operating condition capable of being altered;

a second network device to be disposed at said site and communicatively coupleable with said at least one processor to wirelessly transmit another media stream therebetween, said second network device configured to output said other media stream, and said second network device having another operating condition capable of being altered;

a mobile device associated with said site and configured to initiate a change of at least one of said operating condition of said first network device while said first network device outputs said media stream and said other operating condition of said second network device while said second network device outputs said other media stream; and

a customer engagement platform communicatively couplable with both said customer engagement portal and said mobile device, the customer engagement platform configured to provide the media information based on both a present location of said mobile device relative to said customer engagement portal and a tracked travel pattern of a user associated with the mobile device,

wherein the tracked travel pattern of the user includes a determined frequency of the user being at the site and a previous movement of the user from one location to another location,

wherein said operating condition and said other operating condition are independent of and unrelated to said media stream and said other media stream, and

wherein said customer engagement portal is integrated into one of said first network device or said second network device.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said media stream and said other media stream include an audio stream, a video stream, streams, or a combination of an audio stream and a video stream.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein said audio stream includes music.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein said first network device and said second network device are configured to output music at a same time.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein said first network device and said second network device are configured to output the same music at a same time.

6. The system of claim 4, wherein said first network device and said second network device are configured to output different music at a same time.

7. The system of claim 2, wherein said first network device and said second network device are configured to output the audio stream that is input from an online streaming source.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein said first network device and said second network device are each one of or a part of one of the following:

a tablet, a smart phone, an energy management system, an energy management device, a personal computer, a consumer electronic device, a media device, a smart utility meter, an advanced metering infrastructure, a smart energy device, an energy display device, a home automation controller, an energy hub, a smart energy gateway, a set-top box, a digital media subscriber system, a cable modem, a broadband communication device, a fiber optic enabled communications device, a media gateway, a home media management system, a media server, a network server, a network storage device, a wireless speaker, a retail energy provider'"'"'s server, a wholesale energy provider'"'"'s server, a COOP energy provider'"'"'s server, a retail business server, a commercial site server, an industrial site server, a multi-residential site server, a temporary lodging server, a hotel server, a motel server, a condominium server, a utility provider'"'"'s server, which include waste, water, power or combinations thereof, an energy substation, a news media server, a weather server, an advertisement server or service provider, a network radio server or service provider, a network media server or service provider, a music server or server provider, a search engine server or service provider, an information server or service provider, a wireless information network device, a vehicle charging station, a renewable energy production device, a renewable energy control device, an energy storage management system, a smart appliance, an HVAC system, a water pump, a heat pump, a hot water heater, a thermostat (TSTAT), an energy controller, an irrigation system, a lighting system, an alarm system, a smart power outlet, an energy detection device, a garage door opening system or device, a power management device, a power measurement unit (PMU), an air handler, a wireless air damper, a humidity control system, a heat and motion sensing device, a smart power outlet, a switch router, a wireless router, an automobile or transportation device, or a network communication device.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein said customer engagement portal is configured to allow the user of the mobile device to create play lists of songs to be output by one or more of said first network device and said second network device.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein said at least one processor executes the instructions stored in said at least one memory to allow for synchronization with said mobile device.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein at least said first network device and said second network device are configured to output said media stream and said other media stream simultaneously.

12. The system of claim 1 wherein one of said first network device or said second network device is a thermostat and wherein said change of said operating condition includes altering a temperature set point of said thermostat.

13. A system for managing customer engagement, comprising:

a customer engagement portal to be disposed at a site, said customer engagement portal configured to receive multiple inputs, including inputs related to management of media information and management of non-media information that is independent of and unrelated to the media information;

at least one memory storing instructions;

at least one processor associated with said customer engagement portal and configured to execute the instructions stored in said at least one memory to manage the media information;

at least one network device to be disposed at said site and communicatively coupleable with said at least one processor to wirelessly receive streams of media, said at least one network device being configured to output said streams of media, including in response to and related to the media information; and

a mobile device associated with said site and configured to initiate a change in an operating condition of said at least one network device, wherein said change in said operating condition is in response to an input related to non-media information and is independent of and unrelated to said streams of media, said at least one network device being configured to output said streams of media simultaneously while said operating condition of said at least one network device is being changed;

a customer engagement platform communicatively couplable with both said customer engagement portal and said mobile device, the customer engagement platform configured to provide the media information based on both a present location of said mobile device relative to said customer engagement portal and a tracked travel pattern of a user associated with the mobile device,

wherein the tracked travel pattern of the user includes a determined frequency of the user at the site and a previous movement of the user from one location to another location,

wherein said customer engagement portal and said at least one processor are integrated into said at least one network device.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein said streams of media include streams of audio and streams of video.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein at least a portion of said streams of audio includes music.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein said customer engagement portal is configured to allow the user associated with the mobile device to create play lists of songs to be output by said at least one network device.

17. The system of claim 13, wherein said at least one network device is configured to output the streams of audio from an online streaming source.

18. The system of claim 13, wherein said at least one network device is operable to transmit streams of media to said at least one processor.

19. The system of claim 13, further comprising:

a plurality of network device that are each in wireless communication with said at least one processor.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein said plurality of network devices are configured to play music at a same time.

21. The system of claim 19, wherein said plurality of network devices are configured to play different music at a same time.

22. The system of claim 13, wherein said at least one network device is one of or a part of one of the following:

a tablet, a smart phone, an energy management system, an energy management device, a personal computer, a consumer electronic device, a media device, a smart utility meter, an advanced metering infrastructure, a smart energy device, an energy display device, a home automation controller, an energy hub, a smart energy gateway, a set-top box, a digital media subscriber system, a cable modem, a broadband communication device, a fiber optic enabled communications device, a media gateway, a home media management system, a media server, a network server, a network storage device, a wireless speaker, a retail energy provider'"'"'s server, a wholesale energy provider'"'"'s server, a COOP energy provider'"'"'s server, a retail business server, a commercial site server, an industrial site server, a multi-residential site server, a temporary lodging server, a hotel server, a motel server, a condominium server, a utility provider'"'"'s server, which include waste, water, power or combinations thereof, an energy substation, a news media server, a weather server, an advertisement server or service provider, a network radio server or service provider, a network media server or service provider, a music server or server provider, a search engine server or service provider, an information server or service provider, a wireless information network device, a vehicle charging station, a renewable energy production device, a renewable energy control device, an energy storage management system, a smart appliance, an HVAC system, a water pump, a heat pump, a hot water heater, a thermostat (TSTAT), an energy controller, an irrigation system, a lighting system, an alarm system, a smart power outlet, an energy detection device, a garage door opening system or device, a power management device, a power measurement unit (PMU), an air handler, a wireless air damper, a humidity control system, a heat and motion sensing device, a smart power outlet, a switch router, a wireless router, an automobile or transportation device, or a network communication device.

23. The system of claim 13, wherein said at least one processor further executes the stored instructions to allow for synchronization with said mobile device.

24. A method of managing customer engagement at a site, comprising:

associating a customer engagement portal with a site, said customer engagement portal configured to receive inputs regarding the site, including inputs related to media information and non-media information independent of and unrelated to the media information;

associating at least one processor with said customer engagement portal to execute instructions stored in at least one memory to manage said media information;

providing at least one network device that is integrated with said customer engagement portal and configured to receive media information and non-media information;

communicatively coupling both said associated customer engagement portal and a mobile device to provide media information based on both a present location of said mobile device relative to said associated customer engagement portal and a tracked travel pattern of a user associated with the mobile device, the tracked travel pattern of the user including a determined frequency of the user being at the site and a previous movement of the user form one location to another location;

wirelessly transmitting media information, including media streams between said at least one processor and said at least one network device;

initiating a change in an operating condition of said least one network device through said mobile device; and

outputting said media streams from said at least one network device simultaneously with said initiating said change in said operating condition, wherein said change in said operating condition is related to non-media information and independent and unrelated to the media information.

25. The method of claim 24, further comprising:

outputting audio streams and video streams from said plurality of network devices.

26. The method of claim 25, further comprising:

outputting audio from an online streaming source from each of said plurality of network devices.

27. The method of claim 24, wherein the at least one network device associated with the site is among a plurality of network devices that are associated with the site;

wirelessly transmitting media streams between said at least one processor and said plurality of network devices;

outputting said media streams from at least one of said plurality of network devices simultaneously with said initiating said change in said operating condition.

28. A system for managing customer engagement, comprising:

a customer engagement portal to be disposed at a site, said customer engagement portal configured to receive inputs, including inputs related to media information;

at least one memory storing instructions;

at least one processor associated with said customer engagement portal that executes the instructions stored in said at least one memory to manage said media information;

a first network device to be disposed at said site and in communication with said at least one processor to allow for wireless transmission of media streams therebetween, said first network device being configured to output said media streams, and said first network device having an operating condition capable of being altered;

a second network device to be disposed at said site and in communication with said at least one processor to allow for the wireless transmission of media streams therebetween, said second network device being configured to output said media streams, and said second network device having an operating condition capable of being altered; and

a mobile device associated with said site and configured to initiate a change of said operating condition of at least one of said first network device or said second network device while said at least one of said first network device or said second network device outputs said media streams,

wherein said operating condition is independent of and unrelated to said media streams, and

wherein said customer engagement portal is integrated into one of said first network device or said second network device,

wherein the least one processor further executes the instructions stored in said at least one memory to automatically determine a location of said mobile device relative to the site, and

wherein said customer engagement platform is configured to initiate or stop use of the media streams by the first network device and the second network device in response to the determined location.

29. A system for managing customer engagement, comprising:

a customer engagement portal to be disposed at a site, said customer engagement portal configured to receive multiple inputs, including inputs related to management of media information and management of non-media information that is independent of and unrelated to the media information;

at least one memory storing instructions;

at least one processor associated with said customer engagement portal that executes the instructions stored in said at least one memory to manage the media information;

at least one network device to be disposed at said site and in communication with said at least one processor to wirelessly receive streams of media, said at least one network device being configured to output said streams of media, including in response to and related to the media information; and

a mobile device associated with said site and configured to initiate a change in an operating condition of said at least one network device, wherein said change in said operating condition is in response to an input related to non-media information and is independent of and unrelated to said streams of media, said at least one network device being configured to output said streams of media simultaneously while said operating condition of said at least one network device is being changed;

wherein said customer engagement portal and said at least one processor are integrated into said at least one network device,

wherein the least one processor further executes the instructions stored in said at least one memory to at least one processor that executes the instructions stored in said at least one memory to automatically determine a location of said mobile device relative to the site; and

wherein said customer engagement platform is configured to initiate or stop use of the media streams by the at least one network device in response to the determined location.