Enhanced telecommunication services

• US 20040204063A1
• Filed: 02/22/2003
• Published: 10/14/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 02/22/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Enhanced Telecommunications LLC
• Original Assignee: Julian Van Erlach
• Inventors: Van Erlach, Julian
• Granted Patent: US 7,127,261 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/556.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0239 Online discounts or incentives
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0255 based on user history
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0267 Wireless devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0269 based on user profile or attribute
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals

Abstract

Methods and platforms are disclosed for providing enhanced telecommunication wireless and wireline services comprising: 1) wireless device location-based personal contact service; 2) digital multi-media telecommunication session documentation; 3) provision of digital product samples according to subscriber-definable criteria and to a wireless device upon reading of a product identifying code with a wireless device; 4) wireless location-based product price, availability and information service; 5) short-range wireless device CRM (customer relationship management) functions; 6) wireless vital sign monitoring service capable of automatic messaging; 7) entertainment event futures determination method and securities market. The invention is physically comprised of a telecommunication platform such as a web-enabled computer, television or other device; or a telephone, cell phone, or wireless PDA that integrates some or all of: a computing apparatus, a digital camera, a data input method from external wireless devices, a network interface capable of interfacing with the Internet and/or a telecommunications network such as a public telephone network, a short-range wireless communication method with other wireless devices, such as Bluetooth, a user interface, a bar code or other product code (such as RFID) reading apparatus and software, a global positioning system (GPS) or other device location determination method, a network service provider and related application hosting facilities, software and databases.

Claims

1. Methods and platforms for providing enhanced telecommunication services comprising:

1.1 A method of wireless device-based, specified location-based interpersonal contact initiation and personal information reviewing and exchange, further comprising multiple wireless devices equipped with geographic location determination technology, a global positioning system, a wireless network provider, and databases and hosting engines containing user personal profiles and transaction criteria logic wherein a user of a wireless device specifies at least one of a desired distance from one'"'"'s device or a specific location regarding the transmission of one'"'"'s own, or the reviewing of other personal profiles.

1.2 A method of generating a multimedia digital document of a telecommunication session comprising at least one correspondent, a telecommunication service provider, a software engine and database, and enabling software and hardware means of converting speech to text, image, sound, and data into an integrated digital document of said telecommunication session which may then be referenced in whole.

1.3 A method or providing digital product samples to wireline and wireless electronic devices, including but not limited to music, video, games, books, and product images and information based a recipient-definable filter criteria for receiving such samples, including but not limited to genre, category, type or other product characterization and a further means of providing said samples upon the reading of a product identifying code by a user with a wireless device and requesting said samples associated with said product identifying code

1.4 A method of providing to wireless devices equipped with global positioning technology, product-specific price, availability and descriptive or related information upon a reading of a product identifying code such as a bar or RFID (radio frequency identification) code with such a device or manual entry of said code into such device by cross-referencing said product code to an updateable database of geocoded merchant locations, inventory status and prices

1.5 Short-range wireless CRM (customer relationship management) methods comprising the local recognition of the proximity of a wireless device through RF technology including Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, the obtaining of information about the user or owner of said device by a local wireless network server from the wireless device, the cross-referencing of that information to internal or external databases and the consequent serving of customized content to a local digital smart sign viewable by said user, or serving of said content to said wireless device

1.6 A method of providing a wireless living being vital sign and location monitoring and related messaging service comprising a first device capable of monitoring one or more vital signs or location of a living being, global position determination technology, a local wireless network, digital telecommunication devices addressable by said wireless vital sign monitor and programming of said digital devices enabling the transmission of vital sign status messages under user specifiable parameters to definable telephone or Internet addresses

3. A method of claim 1 wherein a service provider provides a personal introduction and profile viewing service to users of wireless devices equipped with global positioning technology wherein the receipt, viewing, or transmission of personal messages and profiles is a function of user-specified location of the devices of other users or subscribers, or distance from one'"'"'s own wireless device

4. A method of claims 1 and 3 wherein a service provider or host maintains and updates a database of users, user profiles and the location of registered user devices in real time or at intervals of time through the use of global positioning or other location determination technology for wireless devices and establishes an association of said device location with said user profiles

5. A method of claims 1 and 3 wherein a service provider or host maintains a log and records a history of interpersonal communications according to location criteria

6. A method of claims 1 and 3 wherein a service provider provides on request the personal profiles to a user of those persons who frequently call from a user-definable geographic area but whose wireless devices are not presently located within that area

7. A method of claim 1 wherein a service provider digitally integrates the speech-to-text for one or more languages into one or more other languages, image, sound and other digital data, including location at the time of data generation, generated by participants of a telecommunication session into a digital document containing a chronological or other user specifiable arrangement of said data into said digital document

8. A method of claims 1 and 7 wherein said digital document is accessible from a remote location by an electronic device or is transmitted to such a device upon user request

9. A method of claims 1 and 7 wherein said integrated digital document services is provided for a fee to users or subscribers

10. A method of claims 1 and 7 wherein said integrated digital document is referencable by one or more user names during the communication session, date and time of generation, key words or phrases contained, location of data generation, or telephone number or other network address

11. A method of claim 1 wherein a service provider provides digital product samples or product reviews to electronic devices of new or yet to be sold products or services, including but not limited to music, video, games and books, according to user-specified criteria regarding said product, including but not limited to genre, type and category;

where said user criteria may be incorporated into a subscription service

12. A method of claims 1 and 11 wherein said samples are emailed as attachment files;

web links or hosted on an Internet site customizable according to said user criteria

13. A method of claims 1 and 11 wherein a content provider offers and provides consideration for the referral of digital samples by a recipient to a third party

14. A method of claim 1 wherein a wireless network service provides to a wireless device digital product samples according to a product identifying code such as RFID, barcode or magnetic code, read by, or entered into a wireless device by a user wherein said network may be cellular or local, and wherein said digital samples are stored on a database server and indexed by a product identifying code such as and RFID, barcode or magnetic code, and a logic engine serves said samples to said device upon matching said product codes

15. A method of claim 1 of providing to wireless devices equipped with global position determination technology, product-related information, including price and inventory availability, upon a user reading or entering into said wireless device a product identifying code such as an RFID, barcode or magnetic code, and requesting a service provider to perform a lookup type according to a distance criteria selected by the user, from the location of said wireless device of available inventory matching said product code

16. A method of claims 1 and 15 of a service provider maintaining and updating a database of inventory and prices cross-referenced to product identifying codes such as RFID, UPC, barcodes or other codes and according to the geocoded locations of merchants reporting said inventory and price status;

and further cross-referencing said data with the wireless look-up requests from users with wireless devices according to user-defined radial or driving distance criteria from the current location of users'"'"' wireless devices, further cross-referenced to geocoded maps of establishment locations and driving distances

17. A method of claim 1 comprising wireless or wireline short-range provision of content to a local smart sign or wireless device by a local smart wireless network upon obtaining user or owner-identifying information from the proximal wireless device to the network

18. A method of claims 1 and 17 wherein said smart local network obtains a wireless device identification, or user or owner information from said wireless device and cross-references said identifying information to internal transactional or customer databases, or to external device registered owner databases

19. A method of claims 17 and 18 wherein content is served to a proximal smart sign or said wireless device based in whole or in part on information obtained about the owner or user of said wireless device from a transmission of, or other information obtained about said wireless device and its registered owner

20. A method of claim 1 comprising the steps of a wireless living being vital sign or location monitor effecting the transmission of an electronic message to specified telephone or Internet addresses through a local wireless network connecting digital telephones or computers connected to the Internet which network is programmed to send said messages upon one or more of regular time intervals, or exception conditions regarding pre-determined values of vital signs or location of the subject and further containing the values of one or more vital signs and location

29. The method of claims 1 and 2 wherein the use of said enhanced telecommunication services is offered by a telecommunication services provider as part of a menu of telecommunication services to subscribers, as a-la-carte pay for use services, as a premium service, or as any other form of core or optional service, or wherein a service provider charges per call fees for said premium or enhanced telecommunication services, includes said service as part of a subscriber package;

or charges according to size of electronic transcript or any variation thereof; and

where a plurality of service providers agree to charge or share charges for all or any portion of said enhanced telecommunication services and where a plurality of service providers agree to effectively operate so as to offer the services described herein

2. An Internet hosted method of creating an index of, or securities market based upon expectations of one or more participants regarding the sales over specifiable time periods, of as yet unreleased for sale entertainment or other products and services where an index or security is based on a mathematical function of indicated sales expectations or on bid and ask prices related to expected future sales levels of specific products or services or combinations of specific products or services

21. A method of claim 2 wherein an Internet site hosts a securities market derived from bid and ask prices related to future sales expectations of products and services over specifiable time periods

22. A method of claim 2 wherein said host site contains and provides historical information related to sales and publicity of goods and services and further enables tabular or graphical user review of such information

23. A method of claim 2 wherein incentives are provided to participants for accuracy of estimates or other forms of participation

24. A method of claim 2 wherein users are required or enabled to provide personal demographic information

25. A method of claim 2 wherein a tradable security represents a function of the expected sales value of a product or service over a definable period of time

26. A method of claim 2 wherein an index is a function of aggregate user expectation regarding the sales of a good or service over a definable period of time

27. A method of claim 2 wherein producers of a good or service for which an security is trading or an index is created utilize said values to adjust or make marketing, sales, distribution, promotion, or manufacturing plans

28. A method of claim 2 where said market charges users a fee to subscribe, or to trade or to otherwise participate in said market