Commercial product routing system with video vending capability

• US 20060215029A1
• Filed: 10/16/2003
• Published: 09/28/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/12/1993
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Telebuyer LLC
• Original Assignee: Telebuyer LLC
• Inventors: Katz, Ronald A.
• Granted Patent: US 8,111,279 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/150
• 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 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 selectively interconnect the video recording unit with the remote telephone terminals through the telephonic interface apparatus to record and receive video communication.

Claims

1-16. -16. (canceled)

17. A method for directing and exchanging on-line and off-line communications under control of a traffic control system to accomplish transactions that relate to merchandise or a service available for purchase, the method involving selectively interfacing a video storage device storing video data for one or more vendors with buyers at remote locations using wireless video communication structures and with a capability to electronically communicate through a public communication system, comprising the steps of:

interfacing the buyers with the traffic control system in communication with one or more vendors, through the wireless video communication structures and the public communication system wherein certain buyers electronically communicate with the traffic control system via lines of the public communication system;

receiving request data to initiate a transaction at the traffic control system entered by an interfaced buyer to indicate an area of interest concerning the merchandise or the service and including an indication of a maximum amount offered by the interfaced buyer for select merchandise or service, at least certain of the request data also for communication with the video storage device having stored video data relating to a plurality of different vendors;

receiving identification data at the traffic control system provided by the interfaced buyer;

storing at least a part of the request data from the interfaced buyer at the traffic control system and using at least a part of it to selectively obtain proposed data at least in part from the video storage device having stored video data relating to the different vendors and responsive to the interfaced buyer'"'"'s request data;

as part of said proposed data selectively displaying stored video data from said video storage device as well as graphic data including text at wireless video communication structure at the remote location used by said interfaced buyer to allow the buyer to view the video data and the graphic data relating to the request data prior to making a purchase;

also storing at the traffic control system, billing data including a record of charges incurred for each buyer relating to transactions initiated by interfaced buyers; and

electronically transmitting an indication of confirmation relating to the transaction initiated after an interface between the interfaced buyer and the traffic control system is terminated.

18. A method according to claim 17, wherein the wireless video communication is a cellular communication.

19. A method according to claim 17, wherein the request data from the interfaced buyer includes data to facilitate subsequent electronic communication and wherein the method further comprises the step of:

downloading additional data relating to the area of interest to the interfaced buyer'"'"'s wireless video communication structure by subsequent electronic communication, after the interface between the interfaced buyer and traffic control system is terminated.

20. A method according to claim 19, wherein the additional data indicates that a presentation including video data related to an indicated area of interest is available at the traffic control system.

21. A method according to claim 17, wherein the interfacing is accomplished over ISDN lines.

22. A method according to claim 19, further comprising the step of:

identifying the wireless video communication structures used by the buyers based upon automatically provided incoming data signals.

23. A method according to claim 22, wherein the incoming data signals are MIN signals.

24. A method according to claim 17, further comprising the step of:

facilitating access by the buyers to various different vendors under control of the traffic control system wherein each vendor has a video storage device for storing video data.

25. A method according to claim 17, further comprising the step of:

utilizing a clock to limit and control the time during which an offering by a vendor including provision of video data to the buyer is made under control of the traffic control system.

26. A method according to claim 25, further comprising the step of:

monitoring time limitations with the clock.

27. A method according to claim 17, wherein the stored video data includes a graphical display including text of pertinent data associated with a vendor.

28. A method according to claim 27, further comprising the step of:

registering the buyers or vendors or both in the traffic control system prior to facilitating electronic communications.

29. A method according to claim 28, wherein the registering step requires the buyers or the vendors or both to provide their names.

30. A method according to claim 28, wherein the registering step requires the buyers or the vendors or both to provide data to facilitate subsequent electronic communications.

31. A method according to claim 28, wherein the registering step requires the buyers or the vendors or both to provide their telephone numbers.

32. A method according to claim 17, further comprising the step of:

requiring the buyers to provide identification data prior to allowing the buyers access to stored video data associated with any vendor.

33. A method according to claim 17, further comprising the step of:

storing one or more video images as part of the stored video data relating to a particular vendor at the video storage device located at a vendor site.

34. A method according to claim 17, further comprising the step of:

storing the video data from a plurality of different vendors at the video storage device that is located at a site associated with the traffic control system.

35. A method according to claim 34, wherein the traffic control system has a data file including a list of merchandise or service codes.

36. A method according to claim 17, further comprising the step of:

offering the buyers various choices as part of the proposed data associated with a vendor, as related to the area of interest indicated by the interfaced buyer.

37. A method according to claim 17, further comprising the step of:

including within the area of interest, data on specific merchandise or service that a buyer is interested in purchasing identified by merchandise or service codes.

38. A method according to claim 17, wherein a vendor notifies the buyers via the traffic control system of discounted merchandise available for purchase after the initiated transaction.

39. A method according to claim 37, further comprising the step of:

providing EDI to facilitate consummation of a sale transaction between buyers and a vendor.

40. A method according to claim 39, wherein the specific merchandise is a tangible good.

41. A method according to claim 37, wherein the buyer consummates sale of the specific merchandise or service.

42. A method according to claim 37, wherein the buyer provides billing information for a purchase transaction.

43. A method according to claim 17, further comprising the step of:

providing an identification number that identifies the transaction to a buyer.

44. A method according to claim 43, wherein the identification number is provided during the interface facilitated under control of the traffic control system.

45. A method according to claim 43, wherein the identification number is provided with the indication of confirmation after the interface facilitated under control of the traffic control system is terminated.

46. A method according to claim 17, wherein communications to accomplish the transaction include transmission of audio data.

47. A method according to claim 17, wherein the stored video data includes high resolution still images.

48. A method according to claim 17, further comprising the step of:

providing a graphical display including text data associated with the buyer via the traffic control system

49. A method according to claim 17, wherein the traffic control system stores data to facilitate communication between different business entities of which the buyers and vendor are representatives.

50. A method according to claim 17, further comprising the step of:

maintaining at the traffic control system, a record of prior transactions with buyers and charges associated with the prior transactions.

51. A method according to claim 17, further comprising the step of:

storing EDI software at a site associated with the traffic control system for use by the buyers and a vendor via the traffic control system.

52. A method according to claim 17, further comprising the step of:

registering buyers with the traffic control system and during the registration step, designating an identification number for use in subsequent electronic communications.

53. A method according to claim 52, further comprising the step of:

providing a check digit as part of the identification number.

54. A method according to claim 17, further comprising the step of:

facilitating on-line communication between the buyers and the traffic control system via an on-line computer service.

55. A method according to claim 54, further comprising the step of:

connecting the buyers with the traffic control system using an autodialing operation.

56. A method according to claim 54, further comprising the step of:

maintaining a record of various buyers accessing the traffic control system.

57. A method according to claim 56, further comprising the step of:

also maintaining a record of the amount of time individual buyers spend viewing the stored video data at the video storage device.

58. A method according to claim 17, further comprising the step of:

obtaining data through the traffic control system on buyer reactions to an offer associated with select stored video data viewed by the buyers.

59. A method according to claim 17, further comprising the step of:

offering to the buyers various selections relating to an area of interest indicated by the buyers.

60. A method according to claim 17, further comprising the step of:

associating one or more sites with the buyers; and

requiring vendors to register with the traffic control system to entitle access to one or more sites associated with the buyers by providing information relating to the vendors.

61. A method according to claim 60, wherein the vendors provide name data.

62. A method according to claim 60, wherein the vendors provide area of interest data.

63. A method according to claim 60, wherein the vendors provide a name of a business entity with which each one is associated.

64. A method according to claim 60, wherein the vendors provide data to facilitate subsequent electronic communication.

65. A method according to claim 60, wherein the vendors provide telephone number data.

66. A method according to claim 17, wherein both the buyers and the vendors are associated with separate business entities for communications between the business entities.

67. A method according to claim 17, wherein the stored video transcriptions are received through cellular transmission.