Programmable messaging system for controlling playback of messages on remote music on-hold- compatible telephone systems and other message output devices
DC CAFCFirst Claim
1. A programmable message delivery system for playing messages on message playback devices at one or more remote sites comprising:
- a communication link;
a plurality of message playback devices, each of said message playback devices comprising a storage device for storing messages and for playing selected ones of said messages through an output of said message playback device; and
a computer remotely located from said plurality of message playback devices and operable to generate and transmit control signals via said communication link for controlling at least one of said plurality of message playback devices;
each of said plurality of message playback devices being adapted to receive said control signals via said communication link, said control signals comprising identification data for identifying selected ones of said plurality of message playback devices and list data for identifying selected ones of said messages for playback by respective ones of said selected message playback devices, each of said selected message playback devices being programmable to access said messages identified therefor in said list data from said storage device and to provide said messages to said output until different ones of said messages are selected.
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Abstract
A remotely programmable message delivery system comprises a number of client computers which communicate with a server to send control signals to one or more remote message playback devices. The message playback devices are each provided with a library of messages, and comprise at least one music on-hold-compatible telephone system, a public address system or other audio and/or visual advertising device. Message playlists from the client computers can be sent via the server to the message playback devices by a communication link such as a radiopaging system. The client computer is programmed to generate screens for guiding an operator to select messages from the library of messages and the order and times at which they are to be played by selected message playback devices. Message playback devices can be organized into one or more regions to allow a message playlist to be sent to more than one message playback device using a single radiopaging signal. The client computer can also generate screens to display the text of selected messages.
186 Citations
36 Claims
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1. A programmable message delivery system for playing messages on message playback devices at one or more remote sites comprising:
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a communication link; a plurality of message playback devices, each of said message playback devices comprising a storage device for storing messages and for playing selected ones of said messages through an output of said message playback device; and a computer remotely located from said plurality of message playback devices and operable to generate and transmit control signals via said communication link for controlling at least one of said plurality of message playback devices; each of said plurality of message playback devices being adapted to receive said control signals via said communication link, said control signals comprising identification data for identifying selected ones of said plurality of message playback devices and list data for identifying selected ones of said messages for playback by respective ones of said selected message playback devices, each of said selected message playback devices being programmable to access said messages identified therefor in said list data from said storage device and to provide said messages to said output until different ones of said messages are selected. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A programmable message delivery system for playing messages on message playback devices at one or more remote sites comprising:
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a communication link; a plurality of message playback devices, each of said message playback devices comprising a storage device for storing messages and for playing selected ones of said messages through an output of said message playback device; and a computer remotely located from said plurality of message playback devices and operable to generate and transmit control signals via said communication link for controlling at least one of said plurality of message playback devices; each of said plurality of message playback devices being adapted to receive said control signals via said communication link and being programmable to access at least one of said messages from said storage device and to provide said accessed message to said output in accordance with said control signals; wherein said computer comprises a display device and is programmable to generate screens on said display device for guiding an operator to make choices selected from the group consisting of which of said messages are to be played, which of said plurality of message playback devices are to play said selected messages, a time of day when said control signals are to be transmitted to said message playback devices, a date on which said control signals are to be transmitted to said message playback devices, a sequence in which said selected messages are to be played, and how many times to repeat at least one of said selected messages in said sequence, and to generate said control signals to implement said choices via said message playback devices. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A programmable message delivery system for playing messages at multiple remote sites comprising:
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a communication link; a plurality of message playback devices, each of said message playback devices comprising a storage device for storing messages and for playing selected ones of said messages through an output of said message playback device; and a first computer for generating and transmitting control signals via said communication link for controlling at least one of said plurality of message playback devices, each of said plurality of message playback devices being adapted to receive said control signals via said communication link; a plurality of second computers, each of said plurality of second computers being configured to communicate with said first computer and being programmable to generate screens for guiding an operator to make choices selected from the group consisting of which of said messages is to be played, which of said plurality of message playback devices is to play said selected message, which of a number of subsets of said plurality of message playback devices is to play said selected message, and when said selected message is to commence playing, and to transmit data signals relating to said choices to said first computer, said first computer being programmable to generate said control signals in accordance with said data signals. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A method of programming message playback devices located at multiple remote sites comprising the steps of:
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storing a library of discrete and individually accessible messages at each of said remote sites; storing at least one of a title and an identification ode for uniquely identifying each said message at a computer located remotely with respect to said message playback devices; storing site data relating to at least a selected one of said remote sites at said computer; selecting at least one said message from said library for play at said selected remote site using said computer; generating a control signal using said computer for said message playback device corresponding to said selected remote site to play said selected message; and transmitting said control signal to at least said selected remote site. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25)
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26. A method of programming message playback devices located at multiple remote sites comprising the steps of:
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storing a library of discrete and individually accessible messages at each of said remote sites; storing message data for each said message at a first computer located remotely with respect to said message playback devices; storing site data relating to at least two selected said remote sites at said first computer; selecting different sets of said messages from said library using said first computer for play at respective said selected remote sites; generating control signals for commanding said message playback devices corresponding to said selected remote sites to play respective said sets of messages; and transmitting said control signals to at least said selected remote sites. - View Dependent Claims (27)
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28. A method of programming message playback devices located at multiple remote sites comprising the steps of:
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storing a library of discrete and individually accessible messages at each of said remote sites, each message being uniquely identified by at least one of an identification code and a title; storing said at least one of said identification code and said title for each said message at a computer located remotely with respect to said message playback devices; storing site data relating to said remote sites at said computer; generating at least one computer screen using said computer to display a list of location names corresponding to said remote sites and a list of each said message; entering playlist data using said at least one computer screen selected from the group consisting of said identification codes of selected ones of said messages, said titles of selected ones of said messages, times for commencing the play of said messages, and selected ones of said remote sites at which said messages are to be played; generating a control signal using said playlist data; and transmitting said control signal to said remote sites. - View Dependent Claims (29)
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30. A programmable message delivery system for playing messages comprising:
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a storage device for storing discrete, individually accessible messages; a processor connected to said storage device and programmable to access at least one of said messages; an input device connected to said processor; a display device connected to said processor; and at least one message output apparatus selected from the group consisting of a music on-hold-compatible telephone system, a public address system, a visual display device, an electronically-controlled sign, an audiovisual apparatus, a videoconferencing device, and a multimedia announcement device, said message output apparatus comprising an input and an output, said processor being programmable to generate at least one screen on said display device to display message data relating to each of said messages, said message data selected from the group consisting of a message titles corresponding to respective ones of said messages, message identification codes corresponding to respective said messages, and text of at least one of said messages, said processor being programmable to allow an operator to select at least one of said messages using said message data and said input devices to access said selected message via said storage device and to provide said selected message to said input of said message output apparatus for play through said output of said message output apparatus. - View Dependent Claims (31)
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32. A message playback device for playing selected messages from an optical disc, the message playback device being remotely controllable via a broadcast transmission system and comprising:
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an optical disc system for playing at least one optical disc and providing signals generated therefrom to an output; a first processor being programmed to generate control signals to control operation of said optical disc system; a receiver unit; and a second processor connected to said first processor and to said receiver unit, said receiver unit being operable to receive command signals transmitted thereto from said broadcast transmission system and to provide said command signals to said second processor, said command signals identifying selected tracks on said at least one optical disc, said second processor being programmed to convert said command signals into corresponding ones of said control signals to play said selected tracks on said optical disc system and to provide said corresponding ones of said control signals to said first processor until different said tracks on said at least one optical disc are selected.
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33. A programmable message delivery system for playing messages on message playback devices at one or more remote sites comprising:
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a communication link; a plurality of message playback devices, each of said message playback devices comprising a storage device for storing messages and for playing selected ones of said messages through an output of said message playback device; and a computer remotely located from said plurality of message playback devices and operable to generate and transmit control signals via said communication link for controlling at least one of said plurality of message playback devices; each of said plurality of message playback devices being adapted to receive said control signals via said communication link and being programmable to access at least one of said messages from said storage device and to provide said accessed message to said output in accordance with said control signals; wherein said message playback device comprises an optical disc player, a processing device, a disc having tracks for storing said messages, and a receiver adapted to receive said control signals via said communication link, said control signals comprising commands for said processing device to control said optical disc player access to at least a selected one of said tracks and play a corresponding one of said messages.
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34. A remotely controllable message playback device for playing selected messages from an optical disc comprising:
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an optical disc system for playing at least one optical disc and providing signals generated therefrom to an output; a first processor being programmed to generate control signals to control operation of said optical disc system; a receiver unit; and a second processor connected to said first processor and to said receiver unit, said receiver unit being operable to receive command signals transmitted thereto and to provide said command signals to said second processor, said second processor being programmed to convert said command signals into corresponding ones of said control signals and to provide said corresponding ones of said control signals to said first processor; wherein said command signals are selected from the group consisting of a radio frequency signal and a wireline communication signal. - View Dependent Claims (35, 36)
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Specification