Observation platform for using structured communications

• US 9,271,118 B2
• Filed: 06/30/2014
• Issued: 02/23/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 02/22/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Theatro Labs Inc.
• Original Assignee: Theatro Labs Inc.
• Inventors: Russell, Steven Paul, VanBuskirk, Guy R., Kittler, Andrew W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Doan, Phuoc H
• Application Number:
  US14/319,407
• Publication Number:
  US 20140316779A1
• Time in Patent Office: 603 Days
• Field of Search: 455/412.1, 455/456.3, 455/456.6, 455/456.2, 370/315, 704/235
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06398 Performance of employee with respect to a job function
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/26 Speech to text systems G10L15/08 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 17/22 Interactive procedures; Man-machine interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/14 Relay systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/561 Adding application-functional data or data for application control, e.g. adding metadata
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/63 Routing a service request depending on the request content or context
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/02 Calling substations, e.g. by ringing selective calling H04Q
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/021 Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/08 User group management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/20 Services signaling; Auxiliary data signalling, i.e. transmitting data via a non-traffic channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/33 for indoor environments, e.g. buildings

Abstract

Observation platform for using structured communications. A signal from a first communication device is received at a second communication device associated with a computer system, wherein a first characteristic of the signal corresponds to an audible source and a second characteristic of the signal corresponds to information indicative of a geographic position of the first communication device. A first user associated with the first communication device is recognized at the computer system. Context information for the signal is derived at the computer system associated with the second communication device. A copy of at least one characteristic of the signal is stored in a storage medium, wherein the copy of at least one characteristic of the signal is available for developing performance metrics. The signal is relayed to a destination derived from the context information.

Claims

1. A method for using structured communications in an observation platform, comprising:

receiving a first portion of a communication from a first communication device at a second communication device associated with a computer system wherein a characteristic of said first portion corresponds to an audible source;

receiving a second portion of said communication from said first communication device at said second communication device wherein a characteristic of said second portion corresponds to information indicative of a geographic position of said first communication device;

deriving context information for said communication at said computer system, wherein said context information is based on said first portion and said second portion of said communication; and

relaying said communication to a destination wherein said destination is determined at said computer system and is derived from said context information.

2. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein said first communication device is selected from the group of communication devices consisting of:

a smart phone, a tablet, and a commercially available communications device.

3. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein said first communication device is capable of downloading and executing a software app, wherein said software app is for enabling said communication.

4. The method as recited in claim 3 wherein said software app is made available to a first user associated with said first communication device for use in an environment associated with said observation platform.

5. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein said first communication device is brought to said observation platform by a user.

6. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein said first communication device is owned by an entity associated with said observation platform and is issued to a user.

7. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein said first communication device is owned by a third party and made available to a user at request of an entity associated with said observation platform.

8. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

wherein said audible source is a voice of a user;

recognizing text related to said voice; and

wherein said context information corresponds to a command related to said text.

9. The method as recited in claim 8, further comprising:

executing said command related to said text and/or context information.

10. The method as recited in claim 8, wherein said command is defined to initiate a virtual voice connection between said first communication device and a third communication device and wherein said destination is said third communication device.

11. The method as recited in claim 8, wherein said command is defined to initiate a request to access a data base and provides a query of said data base.

12. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said context information corresponds to a role of a user associated with said first communication device and said relaying said signal to said destination is based on said role.

13. A non-transitory computer-usable storage medium having instructions embodied therein that when executed cause a computer system to perform a method for using structured communications in an observation platform, said method comprising:

receiving a first portion of a communication from a first communication device at a second communication device associated with a computer system wherein a characteristic of said first portion corresponds to an audible source;

receiving a second portion of said communication from said first communication device at said second communication device wherein a characteristic of said second portion corresponds to information indicative of a geographic position of said first communication device;

deriving context information for said communication at said computer system, wherein said context information is based on said first portion and said second portion of said communication; and

relaying said communication to a destination wherein said destination is determined at said computer system and is derived from said context information.

14. The non-transitory computer-usable storage medium as recited in claim 13 wherein said first communication device is selected from the group of communication devices consisting of:

a smart phone, a tablet, and a commercially available communications device.

15. The non-transitory computer-usable storage medium as recited in claim 13 wherein said first communication device is capable of downloading and executing a software app, wherein said software app is for generating said communication.

16. The non-transitory computer-usable storage medium as recited in claim 13, further comprising:

wherein said audible source is a voice of a user;

recognizing text related to said voice; and

wherein said context information corresponds to a command related to said text.

17. The non-transitory computer-usable storage medium as recited in claim 16, further comprising:

executing said command related to said text and/or context information.

18. The non-transitory computer-usable storage medium as recited in claim 16, wherein said command is defined to initiate a virtual voice connection between said first communication device and a third communication device and wherein said destination is said third communication device.

19. The non-transitory computer-usable storage medium as recited in claim 16, wherein said command is defined to initiate a request to access a data base and provides a query of said data base.

20. The non-transitory computer-usable storage medium as recited in claim 13, wherein said context information corresponds to a role of a user associated with said first communication device and said relaying said signal to said destination is based on said role.

21. A platform for structured communications, said system comprising:

a first communication device for sending a first portion of a communication wherein a characteristic of said first portion corresponds to an audible source and for sending a second portion of said communication wherein a characteristic of said second portion corresponds to information indicative of a geographic position of said first communication device;

a second communication device for receiving said first portion and said second portion of said communication;

a computer system associated with said second communication device for deriving context information for said communication, wherein said context information is based on said first portion and said second portion of said communication, and for relaying said communication to a destination wherein said destination is determined at said computer system and is derived from said context information.