Community message board

• US 20070040891A1
• Filed: 08/17/2005
• Published: 02/22/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/17/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Jacob Calloway
• Original Assignee: Jacob Calloway
• Inventors: Calloway, Jacob
• Application Number:
  US11/205,623
• Publication Number:
  US 20070040891A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/14.10
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42203 sound input device, e.g. microphone
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4223 Cameras H04N23/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4786 e-mailing message switching systems, e.g. electronic mail systems H04L51/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4788 communicating with other users, e.g. chatting arrangements for providing for computer conferences, e.g. chat rooms, to substation in data switching networks H04L12/1813; distributed application using peer-to-peer [P2P] networks H04L67/104
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/163 by receiver means only

Abstract

The present invention provides a community message board for a plurality of users at a single location such as a home or office, the community message board comprising a monitor for broadcasting audio and video messages, a video camera for capturing video inputs, a microphone for recording audio inputs and a software program comprising machine-readable instructions for processing user inputs and controlling peripheral devices including the video camera and microphone.

Claims

1. A community message board for a plurality of users at a single location, the community message board comprising:

a monitor for broadcasting audio and video messages;

a video camera for capturing video inputs; and

a microphone for recording audio inputs.

2. The community message board of claim 1, wherein the monitor comprises a flat panel touch screen including a touch screen keyboard for entering alphanumeric text.

3. The community message board of claim 1, further comprising a voice recognition system such that a user may speak commands to operate the message board.

4. The community message board of claim 1, wherein the single location comprises a residence or office.

5. The community message board of claim 1, wherein the monitor is disposed within an interchangeable frame that is selected from a plurality of frame styles, colors and materials.

6. The community message board of claim 1, further comprising one or more memory card disk drives and one or more data ports.

7. The community message board of claim 1, further comprising a microprocessor for controlling the functionality of the message board, audio circuitry, video circuitry, memory for storing audio and video data, interface circuitry for providing user interface functionality, and input/output circuitry for communicating with one or more peripheral devices such as the video camera, microphone and speakers.

8. The community message board of claim 1, further comprising an audio/video message circuit such that one or more desired audio/video messages associated with displayed icons and text regions can be played upon touching a selected icon or text region using a finger or a stylus.

9. The community message board of claim 8, wherein digital information representing the desired audio/video message is retrieved from the memory, converted to an analog signal and transmitted to the speakers to produce the desired audio message perceptible to a human.

10. The community message board of claim 1, further comprising a software program comprising machine-readable instructions for processing user inputs and controlling peripheral devices including the video camera and microphone.

11. The community message board of claim 10, wherein the software program provides a series of screens to be selectively displayed on the monitor, including a home screen, a user mailbox screen, a user calendar screen, a community calendar screen, a security mode screen and a media center screen

12. The community message board of claim 1, wherein each user is provided with a user mailbox for sending audio/video messages to other users of the community message board.

13. The community message board of claim 1, wherein each user is provided with a personal calendar for entering and automatically reminding the user of selected holidays, birthdays, appointments, deadlines, meetings and other dates.

14. The community message board of claim 1, further comprising a community calendar that is accessible by all users, wherein any user may post a message for any other user or combination of users, including general posts that are directed to all users.

15. The community message board of claim 1, further comprising a security mode in which the video camera is employed as a monitoring device.

16. The community message board of claim 15, wherein the video camera is set to continuously record a predetermined location while the community message board displays a slide show or mirror screen.

17. The community message board of claim 15, wherein the video camera includes a motion detector such that the video camera is configured to record only when movement has been detected.

18. The community message board of claim 1, further comprising a media center for the creation of slide shows and photo albums.

19. A community message board for a plurality of users at a single location such as a residence or office, the community message board comprising:

a monitor for broadcasting audio and video messages;

a video camera for capturing video inputs;

a microphone for recording audio inputs; and

a software program comprising machine-readable instructions for processing user inputs and controlling peripheral devices including the video camera and microphone.

20. A community message board for a plurality of users at a single location, the community message board comprising:

a monitor for broadcasting audio and video messages;

a video camera for capturing video inputs;

a microphone for recording audio inputs; and

a software program comprising machine-readable instructions for providing a user mailbox screen, a user calendar screen, a community calendar screen, a security mode screen and a media center screen.