Observation platform for using structured communications

• US 9,414,195 B2
• Filed: 12/16/2014
• Issued: 08/09/2016
• 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:
  US14/572,450
• Publication Number:
  US 20150106167A1
• Time in Patent Office: 602 Days
• Field of Search: 455/412.1, 455/456.3, 455/457, 455/456.6, 701/208, 701/532, 348/207.1
• 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

Systems and methods for observing and recording users of communication devices are disclosed. A first user associated with a first communication device and a second user associated with a second communication device are recognized at a central computer system. Geographic locations of the first communication device and the second communication device are tracked at the central computer system. A communication between the first communication device and the second communication device are tracked and recorded at the central computer system, wherein at least a portion of the communication is an audible communication. Features of the communication are identified at the central computer system and made available.

Claims

1. A method for observing and recording users of communication devices, comprising:

recognizing a first user associated with a first communication device and a second user associated with a second communication device at a central computer system;

tracking geographic locations of said first communication device and said second communication device at said central computer system;

tracking and recording a communication between said first communication device and said second communication device at said central computer system, wherein at least a portion of said communication is an audible communication;

identifying features of said communication, at said central computer system; and

making said features available for decision making purposes.

2. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein a first characteristic of said communication corresponds to an audible source and a second characteristic of said communication corresponds to information indicative of a geographic position of said first communication device.

3. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein said features are selected from the group of features consisting of:

availability of a user, current location of a user, prior location of a user, communication history of a user, context of said communication, performance metrics related to a user, a classification of a user, and a classification of said communication.

4. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein said first user and said second user are selected from the group of users consisting of:

an employee, a manager, and a customer.

5. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein said first user and said second user are selected from the group of users consisting of:

a manager and at least one non-manager.

6. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein said recognizing said first user and said second user is based on a unique signature associated with transmissions of said first communication device and said second communication device.

7. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein said recognizing said first user and said second user comprises said first user and said second user identifying themselves to said central computer system.

8. A non-transitory computer-usable storage medium having instructions embodied therein that when executed cause a computer system to perform a method for observing and recording users of communication devices, said method comprising:

tracking geographic locations of a first communication device and a second communication device at a central computer system, wherein said central computer system receives communications from said first communication device and said second communication device and relays said communications to a destination based on context information derived from said communications;

tracking and recording a communication between said first communication device and said second communication device at said central computer system, wherein at least a portion of said communication is an audible communication;

identifying features of said communication, at said central computer system; and

making said features available for decision making purposes.

9. The non-transitory computer-usable storage medium as recited in claim 8 wherein a first characteristic of said communication corresponds to an audible source and a second characteristic of said communication corresponds to information indicative of a geographic position of said first communication device.

10. The non-transitory computer-usable storage medium as recited in claim 8 wherein said features are selected from the group of features consisting of:

availability of a user, current location of a user, prior location of a user, communication history of a user, context of said communication, performance metrics related to a user, a classification of a user, and a classification of said communication.

11. The non-transitory computer-usable storage medium as recited in claim 8 further comprising:

recognizing a first user associated with said first communication device and a second user associated with said second communication device at said central computer system.

12. The non-transitory computer-usable storage medium as recited in claim 11 wherein said first user and said second user are selected from the group of users consisting of:

an employee, a manager, and a customer.

13. The non-transitory computer-usable storage medium as recited in claim 11 wherein said first user and said second user are selected from the group of users consisting of:

a manager and at least one non-manager.

14. The non-transitory computer-usable storage medium as recited in claim 11 wherein said recognizing said first user and said second user is based on a unique signature associated with transmissions of said first communication device and said second communication device.

15. The non-transitory computer-usable storage medium as recited in claim 11 wherein said recognizing said first user and said second user comprises said first user and said second user identifying themselves to said central computer system.

16. A platform for structured communications, said platform comprising:

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

a second communication device for receiving said signal; and

a computer system associated with said second communication device for recognizing a first user associated with said first communication device, for deriving context information from said signal, further for tracking geographic locations of said first communication device and said second communication device at a central computer system, further for tracking and recording said signal between said first communication device and said second communication device at said central computer system, wherein at least a portion of said signal is an audible communication, further for identifying features of said signal, at said central computer system, and further for making said features available for decision making purposes.

17. The platform as recited in claim 16 wherein said signal is first received by said central computer system and then relayed to said second communication device based on context information derived from said signal.

18. The platform as recited in claim 16 wherein said recognizing said first user is based on a unique signature associated with transmissions of said first communication device and said second communication device.

19. The platform as recited in claim 16 wherein said recognizing said first user comprises said first user identifying themselves to said central computer system.

20. The platform as recited in claim 16 wherein said features are selected from the group of features consisting of:

availability of a user, current location of a user, prior location of a user, communication history of a user, context of said communication, performance metrics related to a user, a classification of a user, and a classification of said communication.