Multi-modal, multi-path user interface for simultaneous access to internet data over multiple media

• US 6,948,129 B1
• Filed: 02/08/2002
• Issued: 09/20/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 02/08/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LogicTree, LLC
• Original Assignee: Masoud S. Loghmani
• Inventors: Loghmani, Masoud S
• Primary Examiner(s): Bayerl, Raymond J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Vu, Kieu D.
• Application Number:
  US10/067,985
• Time in Patent Office: 1,320 Days
• Field of Search: 345/751, 345/752, 345/753, 345/727, 345/728, 345/733, 345/716, 345/734, 345/968, 345/1.1, 345/3.1, 345/759, 709/227, 709/228, 709/229, 709/201
• US Class Current: 715/751
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2209/5016 Session
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/5033 considering data affinity

Abstract

A method for simultaneous multi-path, multi-modal, and multi-user interface to users is discussed, where multiple inputs during the same user session arriving from different devices are handled properly. Each input is assigned a unique identifier, clocked with a counter and associated with an address. Other inputs that attempt to arrive at the same location are discarded.

Claims

1. A system that allows multiple devices to access the same transaction session at the same time, the system comprising:

a session management gateway connected to an application with which the transaction session is established and to the multiple devices; and

a memory device;

wherein the session management gateway is programmable to process a query from the application for transmission to the multiple devices and to process simultaneous inputs from the multiple devices in response to the query during the transaction session by assigning a unique identifier to the query and providing a query turn indicator, the unique identifier and the query turn indicator being stored in the memory device, transmitted with the query to the multiple devices logged to the transaction session and attached by the multiple devices receiving the query to the inputs generated via the multiple devices, the session management gateway being operable to compare the unique identifier and the query turn indicator received with the inputs with the unique identifier and the query turn indicator corresponding to the query and stored in the memory device to process the inputs received from all of the multiple devices in response to the query properly by accepting the corresponding one of the inputs when a match is determined, and discarding the inputs responding to the query that are identified as subsequently received via their respective query turn indicators.

2. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the session management gateway is configured to allow multiple users to access the same transaction session and concurrently interact with that transaction session via different multiple devices.

3. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the session management gateway is configured to allow for inputs from devices selected from the group consisting of a computer keyboard, a microphone, a phone, other data input device, and other voice input device at the same time while responding with the appropriate outputs.

4. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein different types of inputs can be received concurrently and processed during the transaction session, the different types of inputs being spoken inputs and keypad inputs.

5. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the session management gateway is programmable to format the query for use by different types of the multiple devices requiring different formats.

6. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the session management gateway is programmable to indicate the unique identifier as invalid in the memory device to prevent incorrect inputs from being accepted by the session management gateway as valid when query is repeated.

7. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the session management gateway comprises a counter and operates the counter as an invocation counter for the query turn indicator to track when the inputs are made.

8. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the query turn indicator identifies how many times the session management gateway has sent queries to the multiple devices.

9. A system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a database connected to the session management gateway for storing data relating to the transaction session.

10. A system as claimed in claim 9, wherein the session management gateway is programmable to maintain data relating to said transaction session with the application in the database separate from interaction sessions with the multiple devices and interaction sessions with the application.

11. A system as claimed in claim 10, wherein the interaction session with the application is maintained in the database even if none of the multiple devices are connected to the transaction session.

12. A method for managing concurrent inputs from multiple devices in response to a query, the multiple devices interacting with the same application in the same transaction session, the method comprising the steps of:

assigning a unique identifier to the query;

providing a query turn indicator;

storing the unique identifier and the query turn indicator in a memory device;

transmitting the unique identifier and the query turn indicator with the query to the multiple devices logged to the transaction session;

attaching the unique identifier and the query turn indicator to the inputs generated via the multiple devices,

receiving transmitted ones of the inputs;

comparing the unique identifier and the query turn indicator received with the inputs with the unique identifier and the query turn indicator corresponding to the query and stored in the memory device;

accepting the corresponding one of the inputs when a match is determined, and

discarding the inputs responding to the query that are identified as subsequently received via their respective query turn indicators.

13. A method as claimed in claim 12, wherein the inputs can be different types of inputs selected from the group consisting of spoken inputs and keypad inputs.

14. A method as claimed in claim 12, further comprising the step of format the query for use by different types of the multiple devices requiring different formats.

15. A method as claimed in claim 12, further comprising the step of indicating the unique identifier as invalid in the memory device to prevent incorrect inputs from being accepted as valid when query is repeated.

16. A method as claimed in claim 12, wherein providing step comprises operating a counter provided to each of the inputs as an invocation counter for the query turn indicator to track when the inputs are made.

17. A method as claimed in claim 12, wherein the query turn indicator identifies how many times the session management gateway has sent queries to the multiple devices.

18. A method as claimed in claim 12, further comprising the step of storing data relating to the transaction session.

19. A method as claimed in claim 18, wherein the storing step for storing data relating to the transaction session comprises the step of maintaining data relating to said transaction session with the application separate from interaction sessions with the multiple devices and interaction sessions with the application.

20. A method as claimed in claim 19, wherein data relating to the interaction session with the application is stored even if none of the multiple devices are connected to the transaction session.