METHOD FOR BUYER-SELLER-ON-LINE COMMERCE

• US 20020001372A1
• Filed: 08/10/1999
• Published: 01/03/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 03/12/1993
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Telebuyer LLC
• Original Assignee: Telebuyer LLC
• Inventors: KATZ, RONALD A.
• Granted Patent: US 7,848,496 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/93.12
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/208 Input by product or record sensing, e.g. weighing or scanner processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0613 Third-party assisted
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/08 Auctions
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19645 Multiple cameras, each having view on one of a plurality of scenes, e.g. multiple cameras for multi-room surveillance or for tracking an object by view hand-over
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19658 Telephone systems used to communicate with a camera, e.g. PSTN, GSM, POTS
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/19689 Remote control of cameras, e.g. remote orientation or image zooming control for a PTZ camera
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/2281 Call monitoring, e.g. for law enforcement purposes; Call tracing; Detection or prevention of malicious calls
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42 Systems providing special services or facilities to subscribers specially adapted for wireless communication networks H04W4/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/432 Arrangements for calling a subscriber at a specific time, e.g. morning call service
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/493 Interactive information services, e.g. directory enquiries ; Arrangements therefor, e.g. interactive voice response [IVR] systems or voice portals
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/51 Centralised call answering arrangements requiring operator intervention , e.g. call or contact centers for telemarketing
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5125 with remote located operators
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5158 in combination with automated outdialling systems devices for signalling identity of wanted subscriber H04M1/26
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/564 whereby the feature is a sub-conference
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/565 relating to time schedule aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/567 Multimedia conference systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/006 Networks other than PSTN/ISDN providing telephone service, e.g. Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) , including next generation networks with a packet-switched transport layer H04L65/00 takes precedence; aspects not specific to the type of network H04M3/00; special services in those networks H04M3/42
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2187 Live feed
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4223 : Cameras H04N23/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4334 : Recording operations recording of a television signal H04N5/76; arrangements for recording or accumulating broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/27
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/76 : Television signal recording
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/142 : Constructional details of the terminal equipment, e.g. arrangements of the camera and the display
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/147 : Communication arrangements, e.g. identifying the communication as a video-communication, intermediate storage of the signals selecting H04Q
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/152 : Multipoint control units therefor

Abstract

A traffic control system selectively interfaces members of plural groups, as buyer groups and vendor groups, for video communication through a dial-up telephone system, for analyzing and compiling data, scheduling appointments, implementing conferences, consummating sales and the like. The traffick-control system comprises a telephonic interface apparatus for interfacing remote telephonic terminals of the dial-up telephone system identified with the members of plural groups, a video recording unit for recording and playing video transcriptions, a storage memory for storing data on the members, including telephonic terminal numbers and area-of-interest codes and a control computer to selectively interconnect the video recording unit with the remote telephone terminals through the telephonic interface apparatus to record and receive video communication.

Claims

1. A communication traffic system for selectively enabling communications between members of plural groups, as buyer groups and vendor groups, for video communication through a dial-up telephone system, comprising:

a telephonic interface apparatus for interfacing remote telephonic terminals of said dial-up telephone system, said terminals being identified with said members of plural groups;

a video recording unit for recording and playing video transcriptions;

a storage memory for storing data on said members of said groups, including telephonic terminal numbers and assigned codes; and

a control computer to selectively interconnect said video recording unit with said remote telephone terminals through said telephonic interface apparatus to record and receive video communication.

2. A communication traffic system in accordance with claim 1, further including a qualification unit for testing said remote terminals for selective interconnection to said video recording unit.

3. A communication traffic system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said telephonic interface apparatus includes an audio response unit.

4. A communication traffic system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said telephonic interface apparatus includes an audio dialer.

5. A communication traffic system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said telephonic interface apparatus includes an audio response unit and an autodialer.

6. A communication traffic system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said telephonic interface apparatus includes a “

D”

channel circuit for receiving terminal data indicative of telephonic terminal numbers, said terminal data being supplied to said control computer.

7. A communication system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said storage memory includes a memory capability storing data for testing telephonic terminal numbers for selective access to said video recording unit.

8. A communication traffic system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said storage memory includes a memory capability storing specific areas-of-interest codes for said members indicating approvals and wherein said control computer tests said codes for selective interconnection to said video recording unit.

9. A communication traffic system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said storage memory includes a memory capability storing member associations with said plural groups.

11. A communication traffic system for selectively interfacing participants of one group at one plurality of remote video telephonic terminals with participants of another group at another plurality of remote video terminals through a dial-up telephone system, comprising:

a video recording unit for recording and playing video transcriptions;

a storage memory for storing access codes for said participants of said group; and

a control computer for selectively intercoupling said video recording unit and said remote video telephonic terminals of said pluralities in accordance with said access codes in said storage memory.

12. A process of controlling video communication traffic between participants of one group at one plurality of remote video telephonic terminals and participants of another group at another plurality of remote video telephonic terminals through a dial-up telephone system, comprising the steps of:

storing access codes for said participants to indicate areas-of-interest;

interfacing said remote video telephonic terminals through said dial-up telephone system to receive identification data for access codes;

providing a video recording capability; and

controlling selective interconnection of said remote video telephonic terminals to said video recording capability to selectively record and play video data.

13. A communication traffic system for selectively enabling communications, between members of plural groups, as buyer groups and vendor groups, said communications facilitating data transmissions, stored video transcriptions and real-time video communication through a dial-up telephone system, comprising:

a telephonic interface apparatus for interfacing remote telephonic terminals of said dial-up telephone system, said terminals being identified with said members of said plural groups;

a video recording unit for recording and playing video presentations upon request by said members;

a storage memory for storing data on said members of said groups, including telephonic terminal numbers and assigned codes; and

a control computer configured to accomplish at least one of a variety of transactions, including selectively transmit data to select members in accordance with said assigned codes, interconnect said video recording unit with select remote telephone terminals through said telephonic interface apparatus to facilitate viewings of said video presentations and process data obtained during real-time video communication between select members.

14. A communication traffic system as defined in claim 13, wherein said communication traffic system and said remote terminals comprise capabilities of transmitting and receiving analog and digital video signals.

15. A communication traffic system as defined in claim 13, further comprising:

detail logic for maintaining a record of all telephonic charges incurred for billing charges incurred by certain members to other members.

16. A communication traffic system as defined in claim 13, wherein said computer further comprises:

memory structure for storing real-time video conference schedule data, upon receiving calls from members of plural groups through said dial-up telephone facility.