Commercial product telephonic routing system with mobile wireless and video vending capability

• US 20030185356A1
• Filed: 12/18/2002
• Published: 10/02/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/12/1993
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Telebuyer LLC
• Original Assignee: Telebuyer LLC
• Inventors: Katz, Ronald A.
• Application Number:
  US10/323,222
• Publication Number:
  US 20030185356A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/93.12
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• 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 3/565 relating to time schedule aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/567 Multimedia conference systems
• 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, exemplified as buyer groups and vendor groups, for video communication through a dial-up telephone system, for analyzing and compiling data to selectively implement communication, as for consummating sales and the like. The traffic-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 process data and selectively interconnect the video source with the remote telephone terminals through the telephonic interface apparatus to receive video communication.

Claims

1. A traffic control system for enabling communication exchanges between at least one inquiring user at an inquiring user terminal and at least one responder site with video data relating to subject matter for communication, the traffic control system for use with a public telephone system to enable communication exchanges between terminals and sites at remote locations, related to the possibility of consummating a communication, the traffic control system comprising:

an interface for communications through the public telephone system involving a user and a responding site and for receiving inquiry data from a user at an active inquiring user terminal including identification data and type of subject matter data for communication relating to an area of interest;

memory storage to receive and store responder data including data relating to different subject matter for communication relating to areas of interest; and

a processor to control, manage and interconnect with remote inquiring user terminals and responder sites, and to selectively provide video data for display by an active inquiring user terminal in accordance with types of subject matter for communication relating to an area of interest as communicated from an inquiring user terminal pursuant to a possible communication.

2. A traffic control system according to claim 1 wherein the subject matter for communication involves goods or services.

3. A traffic control system according to claim 2 wherein a user may accomplish a commercial transaction for goods or services.

4. A traffic control system according to claim 2 wherein the inquiry data includes an indication of the amount that a buyer is willing to pay for a good or service.

5. A traffic control system according to claim 4 wherein the amount that a buyer is willing to pay is expressed as a maximum amount.

6. A traffic control system according to claim 1 wherein the subject matter for communication relates to persons.

7. A traffic control system according to claim 6 wherein the subject matter relates to areas of interest expressed in a dating service.

8. A traffic control system according to claim 1 wherein the processor further interconnects an active inquiring user terminal to receive video data from another responder site.

9. A traffic control system according to claim 1 wherein the video data is dynamic.

10. A traffic control system according to claim 1 wherein the video data is high resolution still image video.

11. A traffic control system according to claim 1 wherein the processor affords access to the memory storage by an user utilizing a dial-up telephone instrument.

12. A traffic control system according to claim 11 wherein access involves using a caller paid telephone line.

13. A traffic control system according to claim 1 wherein the inquiry data includes a check digit.

14. A traffic control system according to claim 1 wherein said responder data includes video data and text data for display by an active inquiring user terminal.

15. A traffic control system according to claim 1 wherein the inquiry data includes billing data for a user.

16. A traffic control system according to claim 1 wherein the interface communicates with a personal computer at a user terminal.

17. A traffic control system according to claim 1 wherein the interface provides a user relating to multiple choices for selection to comprise inquiry data.

18. A traffic control system according to claim 1 further including a wireless mobile network for receiving inquiry data from mobile terminals.

19. A traffic control system according to claim 1 further including a voice recognition unit for receiving inquiry data expressed by voice.

28. A process according to claim 1 wherein at least part of the inquiry data is communicated by electronic mail.

29. A process according to claim 1 wherein the video data is dynamic.

30. A process according to claim 1 wherein the video data is high resolution still image video.

31. A process according to claim 1 wherein access to stored responder data is provided to a user using a dial-up telephone instrument.

32. A process according to claim 31 wherein access by the user involves using a caller paid telephone line.

38. A process according to claim 1 wherein the interfacing step includes interfacing mobile wireless inquiring user terminals.

39. A process according to claim 1 wherein the interfacing step includes voice recognition operations for the users.

20. A process of traffic control for enabling communication exchanges between at least one inquiring user at an inquiring user terminal and at least one responder site with video data relating to subject matter for communication, the communication exchanges involving a public telephone system and comprising the steps of:

interfacing user terminals and responder sites through the public telephone system to receive inquiry data from a user at an active inquiring user terminal including identification data and type of subject matter data for communication relating to area of interest;

receiving and storing responder data including data relating to different subject matter relating to areas of interest; and

processing inquiry data and responder data in response to an inquiry from an active inquiring user terminal to selectively provide video data from responder data to an active inquiring user terminal in accordance with inquiry data received relating to area of interest.

21. A process according to claim 20 wherein the subject matter for communication involves goods or services.

22. A process according to claim 21 wherein a user may accomplish a commercial transaction for goods or services.

23. A process according to claim 21 wherein the inquiry data includes an indication of the amount that a buyer is willing to pay for goods or services.

24. A process according to claim 23 wherein the amount that a buyer is willing to pay for goods or services is expressed as a maximum amount.

25. A process according to claim 20 wherein the subject matter for communication relates to persons.

26. A process according to claim 25 wherein the subject matter for communication relates to areas of interest expressed in a dating service.

27. A process according to claim 20 wherein an active inquiring terminal user is further interconnected to receive video data from another responder site.

33. A process according to claim 20 wherein the inquiry data includes a check digit.

34. A process according to claim 20 wherein said responder data includes video data and text data for display at an active inquiring user terminal.

35. A process according to claim 20 wherein the inquiry data includes billing data for a user.

36. A process according to claim 20 wherein the Interfacing step includes interfacing a personal computer as a user terminal.

37. A process according to claim 20 wherein the interfacing step includes providing a user at an active user inquiry terminal with multiple choices in the selection of inquiry data.

40. A traffic control system for establishing selective communication exchanges between a plurality of inquiry user terminals and a plurality of responder sites with video data relating to select subject matter for communication, the traffic control system for use with a public telephone system, the traffic control system comprising:

an interface to the public telephone system for receiving inquiry data from a user at an active user terminal including subject matter data with an indication for an area of interest;

a memory storage to receive and store subject matter data for the responder sites indicating area of interest; and

a processor coupled to the memory storage and the interface and including site location logic for identifying responder sites related to areas of interest as expressed in inquiry data from individual inquiring user terminals to selectively interconnect inquiring user terminals and relevant responder sites on the basis of subject matter data to thereby provide video data relative to the expressed inquiry data.

41. A system according to claim 40 wherein the interface includes a wireless mobile station for video communication with remote wireless terminals.

42. A system according to claim 41 wherein the interface includes a voice recognition unit for communicating with the remote terminals.

43. A system according to claim 41 wherein said subject matter data comprises merchandise data.

44. A traffic control system according to claim 40 wherein said interface includes dial-up capability to dial-up a vendor terminal through said public telephone system controlled by said processor in accordance with said location logic.

45. A traffic control system according to claim 40 wherein said at least one responder site stores text data relating to merchandise and wherein said text data is selectively supplied to an active inquiry user terminal for display.

46. A traffic control system according to claim 40 wherein said inquiry data includes identification data.

47. A traffic control system according to claim 46 wherein said identification data comprises a check digit.

48. A traffic control system according to claim 46 wherein said identification data comprises a buyer e-mail address.

49. A traffic control system according to claim 46 wherein said identification data is stored by said processor for billing purposes related to a transaction.

50. A traffic control system according to claim 40 wherein said video data includes include dynamic video representations.

51. A traffic control system according to claim 40 wherein said inquiry data is from a prospective buyer includes an indication of the maximum amount that a buyer is willing to pay in a transaction.

52. A traffic control system according to claim 40 wherein said interface includes an on line computer service.

53. A traffic control system according to claim 40 further including an operator terminal.

54. A process of traffic control involving a plurality of inquiring user terminals with video display capability and a plurality of responder sites associated with defined subject matter, and further involving a public telephone system, the process of traffic control for the possible consummation of video communication between an inquiring user terminal and a select responder site, and comprising the steps of:

storing video recordings relating to defined subject matter for responder sites and subject matter classifications relating to area of interest;

receiving inquiry data from an active inquiring user terminal including defined subject matter indications relating to an areas of interest; and

processing inquiry data from the active inquiring user terminal to selectively establish communication with a select responder site to provide video recordings to the active user terminal relating to defined subject matter for display at the active inquiry terminal responsive to inquiry data received from the active inquiry user terminal.

55. A process of traffic control according to claim 54 further including a step of receiving inquiry data including identification of an active inquiring user terminal.

56. A process according to claim 54 wherein said process step to selectively establish communication includes dialing up a responder site through a public telephone system.

57. A process according to claim 54 including a further step of receiving identification data from an active inquiring user terminal for billing purposes related to a communication.

58. A process according to claim 54 wherein said inquiry data relates to merchandise and further includes the maximum amount that user is willing to pay in a transaction.

59. A process according to claim 54 wherein said step of receiving inquiry data includes communication through an on line computer service.

60. One or more processor readable storage devices embodying processor readable code, said processor readable code for programming a process capacity that performs a method of selectively establishing video communication between an inquiry telephone terminal from which communication of a desired subject matter is desired and one or more select respondent terminals for providing video data relating to certain subject matter, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving inquiry data from an inquiry telephone terminal indicating subject matter for a desired communication, as an expressed area of interest;

accessing storage capacity to provide respondent reference data relating to subject matters of desired communications; and

determining one or more select respondent terminals based on the inquiry data from an inquiry telephone terminal and the respondent reference data to provide select video communication.

61. One or more storage devices in accordance with claim 60 wherein subject matter for a desired communication is directed to the merchandising of products or services.

62. One or more storage devices in accordance with claim 60 further including a step of coupling an inquiry terminal to a select respondent terminal for select video communication.