Connecting consumers with service providers

• US 8,510,128 B2
• Filed: 09/13/2010
• Issued: 08/13/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/22/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: American Well Corporation (Amwell Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: American Well Corporation (Amwell Incorporated)
• Inventors: Schoenberg, Roy
• Primary Examiner(s): Dunham, Jason
• Assistant Examiner(s): MISIASZEK, AMBER ALTSCHUL
• Application Number:
  US12/880,657
• Publication Number:
  US 20110004487A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,065 Days
• Field of Search: 705 2- 4
• US Class Current: 705/2
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/02 Reservations, e.g. for tickets, services or events
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0633 Lists, e.g. purchase orders, compilation or processing
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/60 for patient-specific data, e.g. for electronic patient records
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/20 for the management or administration of healthcare resources or facilities, e.g. managing hospital staff or surgery rooms
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 for local operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation

Abstract

An animated representation of a consumer is enabled to interact with an animated representation of a point of service rendered in a user interface to select characteristics of a medical service provider; the selected characteristics of the medical service provider are received; an available medical service provider is identified based at least in part on the selected characteristics; and a communication channel is provided to establish an electronic, real-time communication between the consumer and the identified medical service provider.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method, the method comprising:

sending to one or more computing systems a graphical user interface that when rendered on a display device, renders in a virtual world environment a visual representation of a list of characteristics associated with real-world medical service providers;

receiving, from the one or more computing systems, a selection of one or more characteristics, with the selection made by a virtual representation of a real-world consumer in the virtual world environment;

identifying by the one or more computing systems an available, real-world medical service provider available for consultation in the real-world based at least in part on the received selection made in the virtual world of the one or more characteristics; and

establishing by the one or more computing systems a real-world communication channel between a device used by the real-world consumer and a device used by the identified real-world medical service provider.

2. The computer implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

sending to the one or more computing systems information for a virtual representation of a point of service.

3. The computer implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

sending to the one or more computing systems information for a virtual representation of a point of service, wherein the one or more computing systems are configured to store the information for the virtual representation of the real-world consumer.

4. The computer implemented method of claim 3, further comprising:

enabling the virtual representation of the real-world consumer to interact with the virtual representation of the point of service.

5. The computer implemented method of claim 4, wherein an interaction between the virtual representation of the real-world consumer and the virtual representation of the point of service comprises sending a plurality of queries related to at least one of medical diagnosis and medical treatment.

6. The computer implemented method of claim 5, wherein the virtual representation of the point of service is at least partially configurable by the point of service and at least partially controllable by the point of service.

7. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the real-world communication channel comprises at least one of a voice-based communication, a video-based communication, or a text-based communication.

8. The computer implemented method of claim 1, further comprising sending information for the virtual representation of the real-world consumer to the graphical user interface.

9. The computer implemented method of claim 8, wherein sending the information for the virtual representation of the real-world consumer to the graphical user interface comprises sending an executable file to the graphical user interface.

10. The computer implemented method of claim 8, wherein the information for the virtual representation of the real-world consumer is provided to the graphical user interface in response to at least one input received from the graphical user interface.

11. The computer implemented method of claim 8, wherein the virtual representation of the real-world consumer is at least partially configurable by the real-world consumer and at least partially controllable by the real-world consumer.

12. The computer implemented method of claim 1, further comprising sending modifications to the virtual representation of the real-world consumer, the modifications based at least in part on an input received from the real-world consumer.

13. The computer implemented method of claim 12, wherein the input is received from the real-world consumer during the interaction between the virtual representation of the consumer and a virtual representation of a point of service on the graphical user interface.

14. A computer program product embodied on a non-transitory computer readable storage medium, the computer program product comprising instructions for causing a computer to:

send a graphical user interface that when rendered on a display device, renders in a virtual world environment a visual representation of a list of characteristics associated with real-world medical service providers;

receive a selection of one or more characteristics, with the selection made by a virtual representation of a real-world consumer in the virtual world environment;

identify an available, real-world medical service provider available for consultation in the real-world based at least in part on the received selection made in the virtual world of the one or more characteristics; and

establish a real-world communication channel between a device used by the real-world consumer and a device used by the identified real-world medical service provider.

15. The computer program product of claim 14, wherein the computer program product further comprises instructions for causing the computer to:

send information for a virtual representation of a point of service.

16. The computer program product of claim 14, wherein the computer program product further comprises instructions for causing the computer to:

send information for a virtual representation of a point of service, wherein the computer is configured to store the virtual representation of the real-world consumer.

17. The computer program product of claim 14, wherein the computer program product further comprises instructions for causing the computer to:

send an executable program to the graphical user interface.

18. The computer program product of claim 14, wherein an interaction between the virtual representation of the real-world consumer and a virtual representation of a point of service comprises instructions to send a plurality of queries related to at least one of medical diagnosis and medical treatment.

19. The computer program product of claim 18, wherein the virtual representation of a service provider is at least partially configurable by the service provider.

20. An apparatus comprising:

a processor; and

a computer program product residing on a computer readable medium comprising instructions for causing the processor to;

send a graphical user interface that when rendered on a display device, renders in a virtual world environment a visual representation of a list of characteristics associated with real-world medical service providers;

receive a selection of one or more characteristics, with the selection made by a virtual representation of a real-world consumer in the virtual world environment;

identify an available, real-world medical service provider available for consultation in the real-world based at least in part on the received selection made in the virtual world of the one or more characteristics; and

establish a real-world communication channel between a device used by the real-world consumer and a device used by the identified real-world medical service provider.

21. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the computer program product further comprises instructions for causing the computer to:

enable the virtual representation of the real-world consumer to interact with a virtual representation of a point of service.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein an interaction between the virtual representation of the real-world consumer and the virtual representation of the point of service comprises a sending of a plurality of queries related to at least one of medical diagnosis and medical treatment.

23. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the virtual representation of the point of service is at least partially configurable by the point of service and at least partially controllable by the point of service.

24. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the virtual representation of the real-world consumer is at least partially configurable by the real-world consumer and at least partially controllable by the real-world consumer.

25. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the computer program product further comprises instructions for causing the computer to:

send modifications to the virtual representation of the real-world consumer, the modifications based at least in part on an input received from the real-world consumer.

26. A computer implemented method, the method comprising:

receiving at a computing system a graphical user interface that when rendered on a display device associated with the computer system provides an interface to a virtual world environment, the interface including a visual representation of a list of characteristics associated with a set of real-world medical service providers;

sending from the computing system a selection of one or more characteristics of a suitable medical service provider, with the selection made by a virtual representation of a real-world consumer in the virtual world environment;

receiving by the computing system an interface that identifies an available, real-world medical service provider available for consultation in the real-world having characteristics that match the selected one or more characteristics made in the virtual world; and

joining a real-world communication channel established between a device used by the real-world consumer and a device used by the identified real-world medical service provider.

27. The computer-implemented method of claim 26, further comprising:

enabling the virtual representation of the real-world consumer to interact with a virtual representation of a point of service.

28. The computer-implemented method of claim 26, wherein the virtual representation of the real-world consumer is at least partially configurable by the real-world consumer and at least partially controllable by the real-world consumer.