Measurement and validation of interaction and communication

• US 6,230,121 B1
• Filed: 03/30/1998
• Issued: 05/08/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Nuance Communications, Inc. (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Weber, Owen Wayne
• Primary Examiner(s): Hudspeth, David
• Assistant Examiner(s): ABEBE, DANIEL DEMELASH
• Application Number:
  US09/050,600
• Time in Patent Office: 1,135 Days
• Field of Search: 704/270, 704/202, 455/456, 379/38, 379/106.2
• US Class Current: 704/202
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0022 Monitoring a patient using a global network, e.g. telephone networks, internet
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1112 Global tracking of patients, e.g. by using GPS
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/16 Devices for psychotechnics using teaching or educational appliances G09B1/00 - G09B7/00; Testing reaction times ; Devices for evaluating the psychological state
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation

Abstract

A method of monitoring an individual'"'"'s interactions, by recording a value of an interaction parameter of the individual (such as conversational speech) using a measurement device, storing the value of the interaction parameter with an associated geographic coordinate, and generating a report, including the value of the interaction parameter and the associated geographic coordinate. The report can further include a timeframe associated with the particular value of the interaction parameter. The global positioning system (GPS) can be used to provide the geographic data. The directional orientation (attitude) of the individual may further be measured and used to facilitate selection of one or more other subjects as recipients of the communication (i.e., when the individual is facing one or more of the subjects). Analysis and report generation is accomplished at a remote facility which supports multiple measurement devices, so each device sends a unique identifier which distinguishes the particular measurement device.

Claims

1. A method of monitoring an individual'"'"'s interactions, comprising the steps of:

locating a measurement device proximate the individual;

recording a value of an interaction parameter of the individual, using the measurement device, wherein the interaction parameter pertains to a communication between the individual and one or more other subjects; and

storing the value of the interaction parameter with an associated geographic coordinate.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said storing step includes the step of determining the associated geographic coordinate using a global positioning system.

3. The method of claim 1 comprising the further step of generating a report including the value of the interaction parameter and the associated geographic coordinate.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein said storing step further stores the value of the interaction parameter with an associated timeframe.

5. The method of claim 4 comprising the further step of generating a report including the value of the interaction parameter, the associated geographic coordinate, and the associated timeframe.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of transmitting the value and the associated geographic coordinate with a unique identifier which distinguishes the measurement device, to an analysis unit.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein:

the analysis unit is remote from the measurement device; and

said transmitting step uses wireless communications to transmit the value, the associated geographic coordinate, and the unique identifier to the analysis unit.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein:

said recording step further records a directional orientation of the individual; and

said storing step further stores the directional orientation with the value of the interaction parameter and the associated geographic coordinate.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprising the steps of:

detecting the one or more other subjects using the measurement device; and

selecting at least one of the other subjects as a recipient of the communication, based on a geometric layout which includes the directional orientation of the individual.

10. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of detecting the one or more other subjects using the measurement device.

11. The method of claim 10 comprising the further step of generating a report including the value of the interaction parameter, the associated geographic coordinate, and another value of a related interaction parameter of at least one of the other subjects.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein said recording step includes the step of recording a speech parameter of the individual.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein said recording step counts the number of words spoken by the individual.

14. The method of claim 12 wherein said recording step records words which the individual has spoken.

15. A device for monitoring an individual'"'"'s interactions, comprising:

means for measuring a value of an interaction parameter of an individual, wherein the interaction parameter pertains to a communication between the individual and one or more other subjects;

means for associating a geographic coordinate with the value of the interaction parameter; and

means for generating a report including the value of the interaction parameter and the geographic coordinate.

16. The device of claim 15 wherein said associating means includes a global positioning system receiver.

17. The device of claim 15 further comprising means for associating a timeframe with the value of the interaction parameter, wherein said report further includes the associated timeframe.

18. The device of claim 15 further comprising:

means, remote from said measuring means, for analyzing the value and the associated geographic coordinate; and

means for transmitting the value and the associated geographic coordinate to said analyzing means with a unique identifier which distinguishes said measuring means.

19. The device of claim 15 wherein:

said measuring means further records a directional orientation of the individual; and

said associating means further associates the directional orientation of the individual with the value of the interaction parameter and the associated geographic coordinate.

20. The device of claim 19 further comprising:

means for detecting the one or more other subjects; and

means for selecting at least one of the other subjects as a recipient of the communication, based on a geometric layout which includes the directional orientation of the individual.

21. The device of claim 15 wherein

said generating means generates a report including the value of the interaction parameter, the associated geographic coordinate, and another value of a related interaction parameter of at least one of the other subjects.

22. The device of claim 15 wherein said measuring means includes means for recording a speech parameter of the individual.

23. The device of claim 22 wherein said recording means counts the number of words spoken by the individual.

24. The device of claim 22 wherein said recording means records words which the individual has spoken.

25. A method of monitoring an individual'"'"'s interactions, comprising the steps of:

locating a measurement device proximate the individual;

recording a value of an interaction parameter of the individual, using the measurement device, wherein said recording step includes the step of recording a speech parameter of the individual and said recording step counts the number of words spoken by the individual; and

storing the value of the interaction parameter with an associated geographic coordinate.

26. A device for monitoring an individual'"'"'s interactions, comprising:

means for measuring a value of an interaction parameter of an individual and recording a speech parameter of the individual, wherein said recording means counts the number of words spoken by the individual;

means for associating a geographic coordinate with the value of the interaction parameter; and

means for generating a report including the value of the interaction parameter and the geographic coordinate.