Method and apparatus for recording and presenting life stories

• US 6,340,978 B1
• Filed: 01/30/1998
• Issued: 01/22/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Making Everlasting Memories, LLC (Service Corporation International)
• Original Assignee: Making Everlasting Memories, LLC (Service Corporation International)
• Inventors: Mindrum, Gordon Scott
• Primary Examiner(s): Bayerl, Raymond J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hailu, Tadesse
• Application Number:
  US09/016,825
• Time in Patent Office: 1,453 Days
• Field of Search: 345/326, 345/349, 345/302, 345/348, 345/328, 345/333, 345/346, 345/357, 345/334, 345/347, 345/329, 369/19, 404/55, 386/54, 704/275, 707/501, 707/504, 707/102, 707/104, 707/516
• US Class Current: 715/764
• CPC Class Codes: E04H 13/003 Funeral monuments, grave sites curbing or markers not making part of vaults E04H13/008 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management

Abstract

The user interface on a computer system displays information about an entity, such as a person, a business, a pet, a country, etc. The screen is associated with the entity. A plurality of recordations are associated with the entity. The recordations are of at least two different types and are associated with the period of time. A plurality of selection mechanisms are on the screen. Each of the selection mechanisms are associated with at least one type of recordation. A time selection mechanism is adapted for selecting a period of time. The time selection mechanism is associated with at least a portion of the plurality of recordations and is operative to present one or more recordations which correspond with the selected period of time. The user interface can be accessed over a computer, either as a stand-alone or over a network, whereas on a memorial such as in a headstone.

Claims

1. An interactive user interface on a computer system for presenting information about an entity, the user interface comprising:

a) a viewable screen image associated with the entity wherein the entity is at lease one of a person, an organization, and an animal;

b) a plurality of life related recordations associated with the entity, the recordations being of at least two different types and being associated with a calendar date;

c) a plurality of selection options on the viewable screen image, each of said selection options corresponding to at least one type of recordation such that when a selection option is selected the corresponding types of recordations are presented;

d) a slidable calendar date selection option on the viewable screen image for selecting a date, said calendar date selection option being associated with at least a portion of the plurality of recordations such that when a specific date is selected the user interface presents one or more recordations which correspond to a selected calendar date;

e) one or more future messages from the entity, the content of the future messages being provided from the entity and directed to the user of the interactive user interface;

f) an access control mechanism preventing access to the future messages until a predetermined calendar date or event, wherein the event or calendar date is dictated by the entity; and

g) a list of relatives to the entity, wherein one or more of the listed relatives has a link to a screen associated with that listed relative.

2. An interactive user interface as recited in claim 1, further comprising a historical selection option and data related to historical events independent of the entity, said history selection mechanism being operative to present at least a portion of the historical data which corresponds to a selected time period.

3. An interactive user interface as recited in claim 1, further comprising background music.

4. An interactive user interface as recited in claim 1, wherein the entity is a person.

5. An interactive user interface as recited in claim 1, further comprising a graphical representation of the entity displayed on the screen.

6. An interactive user interface as recited in claim 1, wherein the types of recordations include photographs, documents and videos.

7. An interactive user interface as recited in claim 1, wherein the time selection mechanism comprises a slider bar.

8. The interactive user interface of claim 1, wherein the plurality of selection options comprises a selection option for photographs.

9. The interactive user interface of claim 8, wherein the plurality of selection options further comprises a selection option for documents.

10. The interactive user interface of claim 9, wherein the plurality of selection options further comprises a selection option for videos.

11. The interactive user interface of claim 10, wherein the plurality of selection options further comprises a selection option for audio recordings.

12. The interactive user interface of claim 1, further comprising an auto play selection option on the viewable screen image, whereby when the auto play option is selected the recordations are presented in sequential order based upon their associated time periods.

13. A method for preserving and presenting information about a deceased person, the method comprising the steps of:

a) entering into a contractual agreement with a physical customer;

b) collecting from the customer a plurality of life related recordations relating to a person and one or more future messages provided from the person;

c) categorizing the recordations in to different types;

d) referencing the recordations with a calendar date;

e) storing the categorized and referenced recordations and future messages on a computer readable medium;

f) after the person is deceased, displaying on a computer system a plurality of options, wherein of the plurality of options correspondence exists between the options and the following;

i) at least one type of recordation,

(ii) a specific date, and

(iii) at least one of the future messages;

g) selecting by a user one or more of the options;

h) presenting the recordations and future messages in accordance of a selected option by a user and preventing access to the future messages until a predetermined calendar date or event, dictated by the person or the customer; and

,

i) providing a list of relatives to the entity, wherein one or more of the listed relatives has a link to a screen associated with that listed relative.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the customer is different from the person.

15. A graphical user interface for displaying information about a person, the user interface comprising:

a) a plurality of life related recordations of different types relating to the person, each of said recordations being associated with a calendar date which is associated with the person;

b) a plurality of viewable screens each associated with at least one of said recordations;

c) a main viewable screen distinct from and linked to the plurality of viewable screens, the main viewable screen comprising;

(i) a plurality of selectable type options each corresponding to at least one type of recordation, said type options being operative to display the viewable screens corresponding to the recordations of that type when the corresponding type option is selected;

(ii) a selectable calendar date option for selecting a specific date, said specific date option being operative to display recordations associated with a selected date irrespective of the recordation type;

(iii) a selectable future message option corresponding to one or more future messages from the person, the content of the future messages being provided from the person and directed to the user of the graphical user interface;

d) an access control mechanism preventing access to future messages until a predetermined date or event, wherein the date or the event is dictated by the person; and

e) a list of relatives to the entity, wherein one or more of the listed relatives has a link to a screen associated with that listed relative.

16. The graphical user interface of claim 15, wherein the different types of recordations comprises photographs, videos, and documents.

17. The graphical user interface of claim 15, wherein each of the plurality of viewable screens comprises a selectable list of recordations of the type corresponding to the screen display.

18. An interactive user interface on a computer system for presenting information about an entity, the user interface comprising:

a) a viewable screen image associated with the entity wherein the entity is a human being;

b) a plurality of life related recordations associated with the entity, the recordations being of at least two different types and being associated with a period of time;

c) a plurality of selection options on the viewable screen image, each of said selection options corresponding to at least one type of recordation such that when a selection option is selected the corresponding types of recordations are presented;

d) a slidable time selection option on the viewable screen image for selecting a period of time, said time selection option being associated with at least a portion of the plurality of recordations such that when a period of time is selected the user interface presents one or more recordations which correspond to a selected period of time;

e) one or more future messages from the entity, the content of the future messages being provided from the entity and directed to the user of the interactive user interface;

f) an access control mechanism preventing access to the future messages until a predetermined time period or event, wherein the event or period is dictated by the entity; and

g) a list of relatives to the entity on the screen, wherein one or more of the listed relatives have a link to a screen associated with that listed relative.