System for scheduling and transmitting messages

• US 8,195,752 B2
• Filed: 12/05/2008
• Issued: 06/05/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/02/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Toshiba Global Commerce Solutions Holdings Corporation (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Hoblit, Robert S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Colin, Carl
• Assistant Examiner(s): Siddiqi, Mohammad
• Application Number:
  US12/329,479
• Publication Number:
  US 20090158158A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,278 Days
• Field of Search: 709/219, 709/223, 709204-207, 709/227, 379/67.1, 379/88.25, 379/88.13, 725/22, 725/32, 725/42
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/00 Commerce
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/226 Delivery according to priorities
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/14 Delay circuits; Timers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/16 Sequence circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/4554 Sender-side editing
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42314 in private branch exchanges
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/533 Voice mail systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/53366 Message disposing or creating aspects

Abstract

A system for scheduling and transmitting messages is disclosed. The system stores a plurality of audio files in an audio database, generates a schedule of queued messages via the plurality of audio files, transmits the queued messages based on the schedule, and reconfigures the schedule based on a user interaction delivering the queued messages in accordance with the reconfigured schedule. A scheduled plurality of messages can be transmitted in a clear and professional manner. Additionally, “ad hoc” messages can be incorporated into the schedule without significantly disrupting the other messages.

Claims

1. A non-transitory computer readable medium including programming instructions executed by a computer for scheduling and transmitting messages comprising:

storing a plurality of audio files in an audio database;

generating a schedule of queued audio messages, each queued audio message including at least one of the plurality of audio files, wherein each queued audio message comprises a plurality of different attributes, the schedule being generated based on the plurality of different attributes, and one of the plurality of different attributes being a priority level of the associated message;

transmitting at least one of the queued audio messages based on the schedule;

reconfiguring the schedule based on a user interaction, including utilizing the plurality of audio files to generate an ad-hoc audio message from the plurality of audio files based on the user interaction, wherein the ad-hoc audio message is a composite audio message including a plurality of component audio files combined to create the ad-hoc audio message, and reconfiguring the schedule to include the ad-hoc audio message based on the priority level of the ad-hoc audio message; and

delivering the queued audio messages and the ad-hoc audio message in accordance with the reconfigured schedule, wherein the queued audio messages and the ad-hoc audio message are played to a store environment for in-store customers, and wherein delivering the queued and ad-hoc audio messages in accordance with the reconfigured schedule includes;

checking for queued and ad-hoc audio messages that are due and processing the due audio messages if appropriate, including determining if feedback is requested, obtaining the requested feedback from at least one of the in-store customers, and processing the requested feedback, and checking for overdue messages and processing the overdue messages if appropriate, including;

determining if one or more overdue messages should be currently played;

processing the one or more overdue messages as due audio messages if the one or more overdue messages are to be currently played;

determining if the one or more overdue messages should be rescheduled;

modifying the attributes of the overdue messages that are rescheduled;

determining if there are other overdue actions associated with the overdue messages that are rescheduled; and

executing the other overdue actions if appropriate.

2. The computer readable medium of claim 1 in which the generating a schedule comprises:

building a message structure;

building a schedule profile for the plurality of audio files; and

associating a message with the schedule profile.

3. The computer readable medium of claim 1 wherein the ad-hoc audio message has a category, and wherein at least one of the component audio files is a static component that is always used for the category of the ad-hoc audio message, and wherein at least one of the component audio files is a variable component that varies for the category of the ad-hoc audio message, the variable component being selected by the user interaction.

4. The computer readable medium of claim 1 wherein generating the ad-hoc audio message includes receiving a user selection of a category of message, and receiving user selections of individual variable components of the message which vary for the category of message, the individual variable components combining to form the ad-hoc audio message.

5. The computer readable medium of claim 1 wherein one of the plurality of attributes is the priority level of the audio message and a different one of the attributes is an interruptability of the audio message.

6. The computer readable medium of claim 1 wherein the ad-hoc message includes a query played to the in-store customers as to whether the in-store customers would like to receive an automatic discount on an item previously identified in a played one of the queued audio messages, wherein the feedback from the in-store customers indicates an answer to the query, and wherein a coupon is generated in the store environment for customers answering the query appropriately.

7. A non-transitory computer readable medium including program instructions executed by a computer for scheduling and transmitting messages comprising the steps of:

storing a plurality of audio files in an audio database;

generating a schedule of queued audio messages, each queued audio message including at least one of the plurality of audio files, wherein each queued audio message comprises a plurality of different attributes, the schedule being generated based on the plurality of attributes, and one of the plurality of different attributes being a priority level of the associated message, wherein at least one of the queued messages comprises a prompt to obtain feedback, and wherein generating the schedule includes;

utilizing the plurality of audio files to generate an ad-hoc audio message from the plurality of audio files based on the user interaction, wherein the ad-hoc audio message is a composite audio message including a plurality of component audio files combined to create the ad-hoc audio message, and reconfiguring the schedule to include the ad-hoc audio message based on a priority level of the ad-hoc audio message;

transmitting the queued audio messages and the ad-hoc audio message based on the schedule, wherein the queued audio messages and the ad-hoc audio message are played to a store environment for in-store customers, and wherein transmitting the queued and ad-hoc audio messages includes checking for queued and ad-hoc audio messages that are due and processing the due audio messages if appropriate;

obtaining the feedback related to the prompt from at least one of the in-store customers and processing the obtained feedback; and

checking for overdue messages and processing the overdue messages if appropriate, including;

determining if one or more overdue messages should be currently played;

processing the one or more overdue messages as due audio messages if the one or more overdue messages are to be currently played;

determining if the one or more overdue messages should be rescheduled;

modifying the attributes of the overdue messages that are rescheduled;

determining if there are other overdue actions associated with the overdue messages that are rescheduled; and

executing the other overdue actions if appropriate.

8. The computer readable medium of claim 7 in which the generating a schedule comprises:

building a message structure;

building a schedule profile for the plurality of audio files; and

associating a message with the schedule profile.

9. The computer readable medium of claim 7 wherein the ad-hoc audio message has a category, and wherein at least one of the component audio files is a static component that is always used for the category of the ad-hoc audio message, and wherein at least one of the component audio files is a variable component that varies for the category of the ad-hoc audio message, the variable component being selected by the user interaction.

10. The computer readable medium of claim 7 wherein generating the ad-hoc audio message includes receiving a user selection of a category of message, and receiving user selections of individual variable components of the message which vary for the category of message, the individual variable components combining to form the ad-hoc audio message.

11. The computer readable medium of claim 7 wherein one of the plurality of attributes is the priority level of the audio message and a different one of the attributes is an interruptability of the audio message.

12. A programmable audio message system for scheduling and transmitting messages, the system comprising computer memory operatively coupled to a computer processor, the computer memory storing computer program instructions that, when executed, cause the system to carry out the steps of:

storing a plurality of audio files in an audio database;

generating, by a scheduling mechanism coupled to the audio database, a schedule of queued audio messages, each queued audio message including at least one of the plurality of audio files, wherein each queued audio message comprises a plurality of different attributes, the schedule being generated based on the plurality of attributes, and one of the plurality of different attributes being a priority level of the associated message, wherein at least one of the queued messages comprises a prompt to obtain feedback, and wherein the scheduling mechanism includes;

a mechanism for utilizing the plurality of audio files to generate an ad-hoc audio message from the plurality of audio files based on the user interaction, wherein the ad-hoc audio message is a composite audio message including a plurality of component audio files combined to create the ad-hoc audio message, and a mechanism for reconfiguring the schedule to include the ad-hoc audio message based on a priority level of the ad-hoc audio message;

transmitting, by a transmission mechanism coupled to the scheduling mechanism, the queued audio messages and the ad-hoc audio message based on the schedule, wherein the queued audio messages and the ad-hoc audio message are played to a store environment for in-store customers, and wherein transmitting the queued and ad-hoc audio messages includes checking for queued and ad-hoc audio messages that are due and processing the due audio messages if appropriate;

obtaining, by a feedback mechanism, the feedback related to the prompt from at least one of the in-store customers and processing the obtained feedback; and

checking, by a message checking mechanism, for overdue messages and processing the overdue messages if appropriate, including;

determining if one or more overdue messages should be currently played;

processing the one or more overdue messages as due audio messages if the one or more overdue messages are to be currently played;

determining if the one or more overdue messages should be rescheduled;

modifying the attributes of the overdue messages that are rescheduled;

determining if there are other overdue actions associated with the overdue messages that are rescheduled; and

a executing the other overdue actions if appropriate.

13. The programmable audio message system of claim 12 wherein the scheduling mechanism generates a schedule by building a message structure, building a schedule profile for the plurality of audio files, and associating a message with the schedule profile.

14. The programmable audio message system of claim 12 wherein the ad-hoc audio message has a category, and wherein at least one of the component audio files is a static component that is always used for the category of the ad-hoc audio message, and wherein at least one of the component audio files is a variable component that varies for the category of the ad-hoc audio message, the variable component being selected by the user interaction.

15. The programmable audio message system of claim 12 wherein the mechanism to generate the ad-hoc audio message includes a mechanism for receiving a user selection of a category of message and receiving user selections of individual variable components of the message which vary for the category of message, the individual variable components combining to form the ad-hoc audio message.

16. The programmable audio message system of claim 12 wherein one of the plurality of attributes is the priority level of the audio message and a different one of the attributes is an interruptability of the audio message.

17. The programmable audio message system of claim 12 wherein the ad-hoc message includes a query played to the in-store customers as to whether the in-store customers would like to receive an automatic discount on an item previously identified in a played one of the queued audio messages, wherein the feedback from the in-store customers indicates an answer to the query, and wherein a coupon is generated in the store environment for customers answering the query appropriately.

18. The programmable audio message system of claim 12 wherein the user interaction is initiated via a keypad based device.

19. The programmable audio message system of claim 18 wherein the keypad based device comprises a computer.

20. The programmable audio message system of claim 18 wherein the keypad based device comprises a telephone.