Method and system for predictive human interface

• US 8,378,856 B2
• Filed: 06/29/2010
• Issued: 02/19/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Wohlert, Randolph, Pratt, James, Sullivan, Marc
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Khanh V
• Application Number:
  US12/825,628
• Publication Number:
  US 20110316723A1
• Time in Patent Office: 966 Days
• Field of Search: 341/20, 715716-729
• US Class Current: 341/20
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/048 Interaction techniques based on graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0484 for the control of specific functions or operations, e.g. selecting or manipulating an object, an image or a displayed text element, setting a parameter value or selecting a range
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management

Abstract

A method and system provide a predictive human interface for a plurality of user electronic devices, which includes establishing a user account with a service provider, registering the plurality of user electronic devices in an electronic database associated with the user account, and storing, in the electronic database, initial user preferences regarding how certain specified communications related to the user electronic devices are to be processed. The method and system also includes monitoring and storing, by a core network server, specific characteristics associated with each communication originating from the user electronic devices, generating a predictive human interface for the user electronic devices, based upon the stored specific characteristics for the user electronic devices, and providing the predictive human interface to the user electronic devices for use during a next communication originating from one of the user electronic devices.

Claims

1. A method for providing a predictive human interface for a plurality of user electronic devices:

establishing a user account with a service provider;

registering the plurality of user electronic devices in an electronic database associated with the user account;

storing, in the electronic database, initial user preferences regarding how certain specified communications related to the plurality of user electronic devices are to be processed;

monitoring and storing, by a core network server, specific characteristics associated with each communication originating from each of the plurality of user electronic devices;

generating a predictive human interface for the plurality of user electronic devices, based upon the stored specific characteristics for all of the plurality of user electronic devices; and

providing the predictive human interface to the plurality of user electronic devices for use during a next communication originating from one of the plurality of user electronic devices.

2. The method as described in claim 1,

wherein the specific characteristics include the date, time of day, and intended destination of each communication.

3. The method as described in claim 1,

wherein the specific characteristics include a location of a user electronic device when the user electronic device originates a communication.

4. The method as described in claim 1,

wherein the plurality of user electronic devices that are acceptable to be registered for the predictive human interface include cell phones, wireline phones, desktop computers, laptop computers, netbooks, and internet protocol television receivers.

5. The method as described in claim 1,

wherein the predictive human interface is regenerated, and the regenerated predictive human interface is provided to the plurality of user electronic devices after a communication originating from any one of the plurality of user electronic devices.

6. The method as described in claim 1,

wherein the predictive human interface is regenerated, and the regenerated predictive human interface is provided to the plurality of user electronic devices at designated time intervals.

7. The method as described in claim 1,

wherein the predictive human interface provides a similar user interface on all of the plurality of user electronic devices, the similar user interface presenting communication alternatives to a user that have been predicted based upon the stored specific characteristics associated with the user'"'"'s previous communications.

8. The method as described in claim 7,

wherein the communication alternatives presented are prioritized according to a most probable user communication based upon a current date and time.

9. The method as described in claim 8,

wherein the communication alternatives presented are further prioritized according to the user'"'"'s current location.

10. The method as described in claim 8,

wherein the communication alternatives are visually presented to the user as icons, each visually presented icon providing a visual distinction when a person associated with the visually presented icon is currently on-line.

11. The method as described in claim 8, wherein the communication alternatives are visually presented to the user as icons, each visually presented icon providing specific information regarding an amount of time that has elapsed since a last communication with a person associated the visually presented icon.

12. The method as described in claim 8, wherein the communication alternatives are visually presented to the user as icons, each visually presented icon providing specific information regarding a number of pending communications that have not been communicated to the user, from each person associated with each icon.

13. The method as described in claim 8,

wherein the communication alternatives presented are further prioritized according to the stored user preferences regarding how certain specified communications are to be processed.

14. The method as described in claim 7,

wherein the user may select one of the communication alternatives in order to initiate a new communication, a communication medium being automatically selected for the new communication based on an algorithm that evaluates the stored specific characteristics, the stored specific characteristics including the frequency of particular communication mediums being previously used to communicate with an intended recipient of the new communication.

15. The method as described in claim 7,

wherein the user may select one of the communication alternatives in order to initiate a new communication, a communication medium being automatically selected for the new communication based on an algorithm that evaluates the stored user preferences.

16. The method as described in claim 7,

wherein the communication alternatives supported include initiating a call, browsing the internet, sending an email, initiating a conference call, sending a text message, watching internet protocol television, and sending an instant message.

17. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, encoded with a computer-executable program for providing a predictive human interface for a plurality of user electronic devices, comprising:

an establishing segment for establishing a user account with a service provider;

a registering segment for registering the plurality of user electronic devices in an electronic database associated with the user account;

a storing segment for storing, in the electronic database, initial user preferences regarding how certain specified communications related to the plurality of user electronic devices are to be processed;

a monitoring and storing segment for monitoring and storing, by a core network server, specific characteristics associated with each communication originating from each of the plurality of user electronic devices;

a generating segment for generating a predictive human interface for the plurality of user electronic devices, based upon the stored specific characteristics for all of the plurality of user electronic devices; and

a providing segment for providing the predictive human interface to the plurality of user electronic devices for use during a next communication originating from one of the plurality of user electronic devices.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium describe in claim 17,

wherein the predictive human interface provides a similar user interface on all of the plurality of user electronic devices, the similar user interface presenting communication alternatives to a user that have been predicted based upon the stored specific characteristics associated with the user'"'"'s previous communications.

19. A core network server for providing a predictive human interface for a plurality of user electronic devices, comprising:

a receiver for receiving an identification of each of the plurality of user electronic devices associated with a user account;

a memory including an electronic database for storing the identification of each of the received plurality of user electronic devices associated a user account;

a processor for monitoring and storing specific characteristics associated with each communication originating from each of the plurality of user electronic devices;

a generator for generating a predictive human interface for the plurality of user electronic devices, based upon the stored specific characteristics for all of the plurality of user electronic devices; and

a transmitter for providing the predictive human interface to the plurality of user electronic devices for use during a next communication originating from one of the plurality of user electronic devices.

20. The core network server described in claim 19,

wherein the predictive human interface provides a similar user interface on all of the plurality of user electronic devices, the similar user interface presenting communication alternatives to a user that have been predicted based upon the stored specific characteristics associated with the user'"'"'s previous communications.