Voice communication concerning a local entity
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A local entity without its own means of voice communication is provided with the semblance of having a voice interaction capability. This is done by providing a beacon device at or near the entity, the beacon device transmitting, over a short-range communication link, contact data identifying a voice service associated with, but hosted separately from, the entity. The transmitted contact data is picked up by equipment carried by a nearby person and used to contact the voice service over a wireless network. The person then interacts with the voice service, the latter acting as a voice proxy for the local entity. The contact data can be presented to the user in other ways, for example, by being inscribed on the local entity for scanning or user input into the equipment.
17 Citations
92 Claims
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1-68. -68. (canceled)
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69. A method of voice communication concerning a local entity wherein:
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upon a user approaching the local entity, a voice service associated with the entity but separately hosted, is activated and presents voice output to the user; and
the voice service coordinates operation of functionality located at the local entity with said voice output by means of control data passed from the voice service to said functionality via user-carried equipment and a short-range wireless link between the equipment and said functionality. - View Dependent Claims (71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77)
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70. (canceled)
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78. A system for enabling verbal communication on behalf of a local entity with a nearby user, the system comprising:
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user equipment to be carried by a user and comprising a wireless communication subsystem;
a communications infrastructure comprising at least a wireless network for communicating with the wireless communication subsystem of the user equipment;
an audio output arrangement forming part of the user equipment, or located in the locality of the local entity and connected to the communication infrastructure;
an audio input arrangement forming part of the user'"'"'s equipment, or located in the locality of said entity and connected to said communications infrastructure;
controllable functionality associated with the local entity;
a short-range-communications arrangement comprising complimentary elements at the local entity and in the user equipment for establishing a short range wireless link between the user equipment and said controllable functionality; and
a voice service arrangement associated with the entity but separately hosted, the voice service arrangement being operative to present voice output to the user equipment upon the user approaching the local entity and to coordinate operation of said functionality with said voice output by means of control data passed from the voice service to said functionality via said short-range-communications arrangement. - View Dependent Claims (79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84)
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85. A method of voice communication concerning a local entity wherein:
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upon a user approaching the local entity, a beacon device located at the local entity passes entity-related data over a short-range wireless link to user-carried equipment, the entity-related data comprising voice-service contact data identifying a voice service associated with the local entity but separately hosted, and parameter data indicative of a current state of the local entity;
the voice-service contact data is used by the user-carried equipment to contact the voice service and pass it said parameter data; and
the voice service presents voice output to the service, the parameter data being used by the voice service in determining its voice output. - View Dependent Claims (86, 87, 88)
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89. A system for enabling verbal communication on behalf of a local entity with a nearby user, the system comprising:
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user equipment to be carried by a user and comprising a wireless communication subsystem;
a communications infrastructure comprising at least a wireless network for communicating with the wireless communication subsystem of the user equipment;
an audio output arrangement forming part of the user equipment, or located in the locality of the local entity and connected to the communication infrastructure;
an audio input arrangement forming part of the user'"'"'s equipment, or located in the locality of said entity and connected to said communications infrastructure;
a short-range-communications arrangement comprising complimentary elements at the local entity and in the user equipment for establishing a short range wireless link between the user equipment and the entity;
a voice service arrangement associated with the entity but separately hosted, the voice service arrangement being operative to present voice output to the user equipment upon the user approaching the local entity; and
a beacon device located at the local entity for passing entity-related data over the short-range-communications arrangement to the user equipment upon the user approaching the local entity, the entity-related data comprising voice-service contact data identifying the voice service and parameter data indicative of a current state of the local entity;
whereinthe voice-service contact data is used by the user equipment to contact the voice service and pass it said parameter data; and
the voice service presents voice output to the user equipment, the parameter data being used by the voice service in determining its voice output. - View Dependent Claims (90, 91, 92)
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Specification