Mixed-mode interaction

• US 20080032720A1
• Filed: 05/16/2007
• Published: 02/07/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 07/13/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Aeritas LLC
• Original Assignee: Aeritas LLC
• Inventors: Bomar, Kevin, Mamdani, Malik, Johnson, Patrick
• Granted Patent: US 7,706,819 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/466
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/02 involving a neutral party, e.g. certification authority, notary or trusted third party [TTP]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/04 Payment circuits
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/12 specially adapted for electronic shopping systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/322 Aspects of commerce using mobile devices [M-devices]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/326 Payment applications installed on the mobile devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3272 using an audio code
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/36 using electronic wallets or electronic money safes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/385 using an alias or single-use codes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/4014 Identity check for transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0261 based on user location
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0267 Wireless devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/22 Procedures used during a speech recognition process, e.g. man-machine dialogue
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/7243 with interactive means for internal management of messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72445 for supporting Internet browser applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/105 Financial transactions and auctions, e.g. bidding auctioneering devices in packet switching networks H04L12/1804
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/353 where the information comprises non-audio but is provided over voice channels protocols for multimedia information services per se H04L65/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/18 : wireless networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/74 : with voice recognition means voice activated dialling H04M1/271; voice recognition algorithms G10L15/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4938 : comprising a voice browser which renders and interprets, e.g. VoiceXML
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 : Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 : Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 : Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/18 : Information format or content conversion, e.g. adaptation by the network of the transmitted or received information for the purpose of wireless delivery to users or terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/184 : Messaging devices, e.g. message centre

Abstract

A user of a wireless device, such as a mobile phone, can make purchases or obtain information via a network, such as the Internet, using both voice and non-verbal methods. Users can submit voice queries and receive non-verbal replies, submit non-verbal queries and receive voice replies, or perform similar operations that marry the voice and data capabilities of modern mobile communication devices. The user may provide notification criteria indicating under what conditions a notification should be sent to the user'"'"'s wireless device. When purchasing opportunities matching the selected notification criteria become available, the user is notified. The user can respond to the notification, and immediately take advantage of the purchasing opportunity if he so desires. Mixed-mode interactions can also be used by sellers to more advantageously control the marketing of distressed, time sensitive, or other merchandise/services.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving spoken input from a wireless communication device;

retrieving information associated with the spoken input; and

delivering, to the wireless communication device, a non-verbal response to the spoken input, the non-verbal response based on the retrieved information.

2. The method as in claim 1, wherein the step of delivering includes using a Wireless Markup Language to deliver the non-verbal response.

3. The method as in claim 1, wherein the step of delivering includes using a Short Messaging Service message to deliver the non-verbal response.

4. The method as in claim 1, wherein the step of delivering includes using Simple Mail Transport Protocol to deliver the non-verbal response.

5. The method as in claim 1, wherein the non-verbal response includes the retrieved information.

6. The method as in claim 1, wherein the non-verbal response includes a Uniform Resource Locator.

7. The method as in claim 1, wherein the non-verbal response includes a Handheld Device Markup Language link.

8. A system comprising a server configurable to:

receive spoken input from a wireless communication device;

retrieve information associated with said spoken input; and

deliver, to said wireless communication device, a non-verbal response to said spoken input, said non-verbal response based on said retrieved information.

9. The system as in claim 8, further including a Wireless Applications Protocol gateway, said server configurable to deliver said non-verbal response via said Wireless Applications Protocol gateway.

10. The system as in claim 8, further including a Short Messaging Service gateway, said server configurable to deliver said non-verbal response via said Short Messaging Service gateway.

11. The system as in claim 8, further including a Simple Mail Transport Protocol gateway, said server configurable to deliver said non-verbal response via said Simple Mail Transport Protocol gateway.

12. The system as in claim 8, wherein said non-verbal response includes said retrieved information.

13. The system as in claim 8, wherein said non-verbal response includes a Uniform Resource Locator.

14. The system as in claim 8, wherein said non-verbal response includes a Handheld Device Markup Language link.

15. A method comprising:

obtaining, from a wireless communication device user, purchase notification criteria;

obtaining information associated with purchasing opportunities;

selecting purchasing opportunities based, at least in part, on the purchase notification criteria;

notifying the user of selected purchasing opportunities via a wireless communication device;

receiving spoken input from the wireless communication device in response to the notification; and

delivering, to the user'"'"'s wireless communication device, a non-verbal response to the spoken input.

16. The method as in claim 15, wherein the step of delivering includes using a Wireless Markup Language to deliver the non-verbal response.

17. The method as in claim 15, wherein the step of delivering includes using a Short Messaging Service message to deliver the non-verbal response.

18. The method as in claim 15, wherein the step of delivering includes using Simple Mail Transport Protocol to deliver the non-verbal response.

19. The method as in claim 15, wherein the non-verbal response includes information associated with the selected purchasing opportunities.

20. The method as in claim 15, wherein the non-verbal response includes a Uniform Resource Locator.

21. The method as in claim 15, wherein the non-verbal response includes a Handheld Device Markup Language link.

22. A method comprising:

receiving non-verbal input from a wireless communication device;

retrieving information associated with the non-verbal input; and

delivering, to the wireless communication device, a verbal response to the non-verbal input, the verbal response based on the retrieved information.

23. The method as in claim 22, wherein the step of delivering includes using a Wireless Markup Language to deliver the non-verbal response.

24. The method as in claim 22, wherein the step of delivering includes using a Short Messaging Service message to deliver the non-verbal response.

25. The method as in claim 22, wherein the step of delivering includes using Simple Mail Transport Protocol to deliver the non-verbal response.

26. The method as in claim 22, wherein the non-verbal response includes the retrieved information.

27. The method as in claim 22, wherein the non-verbal response includes a Uniform Resource Locator.

28. The method as in claim 22, wherein the non-verbal response includes a Handheld Device Markup Language link.

29. A method comprising:

obtaining, from a wireless communication device user, purchase notification criteria;

obtaining information associated with purchasing opportunities;

selecting purchasing opportunities based, at least in part, on the purchase notification criteria;

notifying the user of selected purchasing opportunities via a wireless communication device;

receiving non-verbal input from the wireless communication device in response to the notification; and

delivering, to the user'"'"'s wireless communication device, a verbal response to the spoken input.

30. A system comprising a server configurable to:

receive non-verbal input from a wireless communication device;

retrieve information associated with said non-verbal input; and

deliver, to said wireless communication device, a verbal response to said non-verbal input, said verbal response based on said retrieved information.