COMMUNICATION SYSTEMS AND METHODS TO BROADCAST AUDIO OR CONTROL TO A REMOTELY LOCATED DEVICE

• US 20140211961A1
• Filed: 01/30/2014
• Published: 07/31/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/30/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Richard N. Koch
• Original Assignee: Richard N. Koch
• Inventors: Koch, Richard N.
• Granted Patent: US 9,280,893 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 381/77
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link

Abstract

This disclosure enables a respective user to show support to a person of interest. One configuration includes a network (e.g., phone network, Internet, etc.) configured to receive input from a respective user (e.g., family member, friend, etc.) and control a remotely located device. The remote device can be located at any suitable locations such as a gravesite of a deceased party, a hospital room in which a disabled patient resides, etc. Via input from a respective user, the respective user can control different functions of a remote target device such as audibly communicate one or more messages in a vicinity of the gravesite, control a remote device such as light source (such as a candle, light emitting diode, etc.), etc.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a first communication device, the first communication device disposed at a site in which a disabled party resides, the first communication device comprising;

a communication interface to receive a communication signal transmitted from a user operating a second communication device at a remote location;

a resource to produce a perceptible output; and

a processor device to process the communication signal received from the second communication device and control the resource to produce the perceptible output.

2. The system as in claim 1, wherein the disabled party is a deceased party;

and wherein the site is a gravesite in which the deceased party resides, the perceptible output outputted from the resource to the deceased party.

3. The system as in claim 1, wherein the disabled party is a disabled patient in a hospital;

and

wherein the site is a health care facility in which the patient resides, the perceptible output outputted from the resource to the patient.

4. The system as in claim 1, wherein the first communication device provides feedback to the second communication device subsequent to executing a command as specified by the communication signal, the feedback indicating that the command was executed by the first communication device.

5. The system as in claim 1, wherein the first communication device provides an acknowledgment to the second communication device to indicate an active communication session between the second communication device and the first communication device, the active communication session supporting conveyance of control information from the second communication device to the first communication device.

6. The system as in claim 5, wherein the acknowledgment causes the second communication device to initiate playback of an audible signal to the user, the audible signal indicating that the first communication device is connected with the second communication device via the communication session.

7. The system as in claim 1, wherein the resource is a speaker;

and

wherein the perceptible output is playback of an audible signal from the speaker disposed in the first communication device.

8. The system as in claim 1, wherein the resource is a light source;

and

wherein the perceptible output is light outputted from the light source.

9. The system as in claim 1, wherein the resource is a display screen;

and

wherein the perceptible output is a rendition of video displayed on a display screen of the first communication device.

10. The system as in claim 1, wherein the communication signal is a prerecorded audio signal selected by the user of the second communication device for playback on the resource of the first communication device.

11. The system as in claim 1, wherein the communication signal is an audio signal generated by the user speaking into the second communication device;

and

wherein the perceptible output is playback of a rendition of the audio signal at the site.

12. The system as in claim 1, wherein the user is a first party;

wherein the communication signal is a first communication signal;

wherein the communication interface supports an active communication session between the first communication device and the second communication device, the user of the second communication device generating the first communication signal to control the first communication device while the communication session is active;

wherein the first communication device, during the active communication session, receives a second communication signal from a second party and stores the second communication signal; and

wherein the first communication device produces the perceptible output in accordance with the second communication signal subsequent to termination of the active communication session.

13. The system as in claim 1, wherein the communication signal is a first communication signal;

wherein the user is a first party;

wherein the first communication device receives a second communication signal, the second communication signal initiated by a second party at a remote location with respect to the first communication device; and

wherein the processor device simultaneously controls the perceptible output of the first communication device in accordance with the first communication signal and the second communication signal.

14. The system as in claim 1, wherein the communication signal is an audio conference signal in which multiple parties including the user communicate with each other at a remote location with respect to the site;

and

wherein the first communication device initiates playback of a rendition of the audio conference signal from the resource.

15. The system as in claim 1, wherein the first communication device:

processes the communication signal to identify a specified time at which to produce the perceptible output;

schedules generation of the perceptible output at the specified time; and

controls the first communication device to produce the perceptible output at the specified time.

16. The system as in claim 15, wherein the resource is a speaker;

and

wherein the perceptible output is an audible signal outputted from the speaker.

17. The system as in claim 15, wherein the resource is a light source;

and

wherein the perceptible output is light outputted from the light source.

18. The system as in claim 1, wherein the communication signal includes control information to control a camera disposed in the first communication device;

and

wherein the second communication device controls the camera in a manner as specified by the control information in the communication signal received from the second communication device.

19. The system as in claim 18, wherein the resource is a display screen;

and

wherein the perceptible output is a rendition of video displayed on a display screen of the first communication device, the second communication device transmitting the video to the first communication device.

20. The system as in claim 1 further comprising:

an RF transmitter, the RF transmitter transmitting the communication signal to a third communication device.

21. A method comprising:

receiving a communication signal at a first communication device, transmission of the communication signal initiated by a user operating a second communication device at a remote location with respect to the first communication device, the first communication device disposed at a site in which a called party resides, the user attempting to communicate with the first communication device;

processing the communication signal; and

controlling the first communication device to produce a perceptible output at the site, the perceptible output produced in a manner as indicated by the communication signal received from the second communication device, the called party at the site incapable of responding to the perceptible output.

22. The method as in claim 21, wherein the called party is a deceased party;

and

wherein the site is a gravesite in which the deceased party resides.

23. The method as in claim 21, wherein the called party is a disabled patient;

wherein the site is a healthcare facility in which the disabled patient resides.

24. The method as in claim 21 further comprising:

subsequent to executing a command as specified by the communication signal, providing feedback from the first communication device to the second communication device, the feedback indicating that the command was executed by the first communication device.

25. The method as in claim 21 further comprising:

providing an acknowledgment from the first communication device to the second communication device to indicate an active communication session between the first communication device and the second communication device, the active communication session enabling conveyance of control information from the second communication device to the first communication device.

26. The method as in claim 25, wherein the acknowledgment causes the second communication device to initiate playback of an audible signal to the user indicating that the first communication device is connected with the second communication device.

27. The method as in claim 21, wherein controlling the first communication device to produce the perceptible output includes:

initiating playback of an audible signal from a speaker disposed in the first communication device.

28. The method as in claim 21, wherein controlling the first communication device to produce the perceptible output includes:

initiating lighting of a light source disposed in the first communication device.

29. The method as in claim 21, wherein controlling the first communication device to produce the perceptible output includes:

initiating playback of a video signal on a display screen of the first communication device.

30. The method as in claim 21 further comprising:

receiving the communication signal from a server resource, the communication signal being a prerecorded audio signal selected by the user of the second communication device for playback on the first communication device.

31. The method as in claim 21 further comprising:

receiving the communication signal as an audio signal generated by the user speaking into the second communication device; and

wherein controlling the first communication device to produce the perceptible output includes initiating playback of a rendition of the audio signal at the first communication device, the first communication device outputting the rendition of the audio signal from the resource to the disabled party at the site.

32. The method as in claim 21, wherein the user is a first party;

wherein the communication signal is a first communication signal, the method further comprising;

establishing an active communication session between the first communication device and the second communication device, the user of the second communication device generating the first communication signal to control the first communication device while the communication session is active;

during the active communication session;

i) receiving a second communication signal, the second communication signal received from a second party attempting to communicate with the first communication device, and ii) storing the second communication signal in a repository; and

subsequent to termination of the active communication session, controlling the perceptible output of the first communication device in accordance with the second communication signal.

33. The method as in claim 21, wherein the communication signal is a first communication signal;

wherein the user is a first party, the method further comprising;

receiving a second communication signal at the first communication device, transmission of the second communication signal initiated by a second party at a remote location with respect to the first communication device; and

simultaneously controlling the first communication device to produce the perceptible output of the first communication device in accordance with the first communication signal and the second communication signal.

34. The method as in claim 21 further comprising:

receiving the communication signal as an audio conference signal in which multiple parties including the user communicate with each other; and

initiating playback of a rendition of the audio conference signal at the first communication device.

35. The method as in claim 21, wherein processing the communication signal includes:

processing the communication signal to identify a specified time at which to produce the perceptible output;

scheduling generation of the perceptible output at the specified time; and

controlling the first communication device to produce the perceptible output at the specified time.

36. The method as in claim 35, wherein producing the perceptible output at the specified time includes:

initiating playback of an audible signal from a speaker disposed in the first communication device.

37. The method as in claim 35, wherein producing the perceptible output at the specified time includes:

initiating lighting of a light source disposed in the first communication device.

38. The method as in claim 21, wherein the communication signal includes control information to control a camera disposed in the first communication device;

and

controlling the camera in the first communication device in a manner as specified by the control information in the communication signal.

41. A method comprising:

receiving a communication signal from a user at a remote location with respect to a communication device disposed at a site in which a called party resides, the user attempting to communicate with the communication device; and

forwarding the communication signal to the communication device, the control signal controlling the communication device to produce a perceptible output at the site, the called party at the site incapable of responding to the perceptible output.

42. The method as in claim 41, wherein the called party is a deceased party;

and

wherein the site is a gravesite in which the called party resides.

43. The method as in claim 42 further comprising:

initiating installation of the communication device at the gravesite.

44. The method as in claim 43, wherein forwarding the control signal includes:

identifying to which of multiple communication devices the user transmits the communication signal; and

transmitting the communication signal over a wireless link to the communication device.

45. The method as in claim 41, wherein the called party is a disabled patient;

wherein the site is a healthcare facility in which the disabled patient resides.

46. The method as in claim 41 further comprising:

providing feedback from the communication device to the user at the remote location, the feedback indicating that a command as specified by the communication signal was executed by the communication device.

51. A method comprising:

assigning a unique identifier to a communication device located at a site in which an incapacitated party resides;

receiving an incoming call transmitted from a caller device over a wireless link to the communication device located at the site in which the incapacitated party resides;

accepting the incoming call at the communication device to establish a call connection between the caller device and the communication device; and

controlling the communication device in accordance with a communication signal received over the call connection from the caller device.

52. The method as in claim 51 further comprising:

in response to receiving the incoming call, automatically operating the communication device in a loudspeaker mode in response to receiving the incoming call; and

in the loudspeaker mode, from a speaker resource of the communication device to the incapacitated party, producing an audible output as indicated by the communication signal received from the caller device.

53. The method as in claim 52, wherein the incapacitated party is a deceased party;

and

wherein the site is a gravesite in which the deceased party resides.

54. The method as in claim 52, wherein the incapacitated party is a disabled patient;

wherein the site is a healthcare facility in which the disabled patient resides.

55. The method as in claim 52, wherein the communication signal is a prerecorded audio signal selected by the user of the caller device for playback on the first communication device.

56. The method as in claim 52 further comprising:

subsequent to executing a command as specified by the communication signal, providing feedback from the communication device to the caller device indicating that the command was executed by the communication device.

57. The method as in claim 51, wherein controlling the communication device includes:

initiating playback of an audible signal from the communication device.

58. The method as in claim 51, wherein controlling the communication device includes:

initiating lighting of a light source disposed in the communication device.

59. The method as in claim 51, wherein controlling the communication device includes:

initiating playback of a video signal on a display screen of the communication device.