Observation platform for using structured communications

• US 9,445,232 B2
• Filed: 12/16/2014
• Issued: 09/13/2016
• 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 HUU
• Application Number:
  US14/572,473
• Publication Number:
  US 20150105061A1
• Time in Patent Office: 637 Days
• Field of Search: 455/412.1, 455/456.3, 455/457, 455/456.6, 455/445, 348/207.1, 705/14.58
• 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 using structured communications in an observation platform are disclosed. A signal is received from a first communication device 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, and wherein the second communication device is associated with a radio range. A first user associated with the first communication device is recognized at the computer system. Context information is derived for the signal at the computer system. The signal is relayed to a destination derived from the context information via a network, wherein the destination is outside of the radio range of the second communication device.

Claims

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

receiving a signal from a first communication device at a second communication device associated with a computer system 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, and wherein said second communication device is associated with a radio range;

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

deriving context information for said signal at said computer system; and

relaying said signal to a destination derived from said context information via a network, wherein said destination is outside of said radio range of said second communication device.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said first communication device is located within said radio range associated with said second communication device.

3. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said destination is physically remote from said second communication device.

4. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said destination is a telephony system enabling said first communication device to make a call to a third party.

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

storing a copy of at least one characteristic of said signal in a storage medium, wherein said copy of at least one characteristic of said signal is available for performance metric analysis.

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

wherein said audible source is a voice of said first user;

recognizing text related to said voice; and

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

7. The method as recited in claim 6, further comprising:

executing said command related to said text.

8. The method as recited in claim 6, 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.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein said second characteristic of said signal is a signal strength of a transceiver in communication with said first communication device and wherein said deriving said context information comprises deriving said geographic location of said first communication device based on said signal strength of said transceiver.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein said second characteristic of said signal is a plurality of signal strength characteristics transmitted from a plurality of transceivers detected by said first communication device and wherein said deriving said context information comprises deriving said geographic location of said first communication device based on said plurality of signal strength characteristics of said plurality of transceivers.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein said second characteristic of said signal is an identity of a transceiver in communication with said first communication device and wherein said deriving said context information comprises deriving said geographic location of said first communication device based on region associated with said transceiver.

12. 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 signal from a first communication device at a second communication device associated with a computer system 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, and wherein said second communication device is associated with a radio range;

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

deriving context information for said signal at said computer system; and

relaying said signal to a destination derived from said context information via a network, wherein said destination is outside of said radio range of said second communication device.

13. A method for using structured communications in a plurality of observation platforms, comprising:

receiving a signal in a first observation platform from a first communication device at a second communication device associated with a computer system associated with said first observation platform 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, and wherein said first observation platform is associated with a radio range;

recognizing a first user associated with said first communication device at said computer system;

deriving context information for said signal at said computer system; and

relaying said signal from said computer system to a second computer system associated with a second observation platform via a computer network; and

relaying said signal to a destination in said second observation platform via said second computer system wherein said destination is derived from said context information.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein said first observation platform is physically remote from said second observation platform.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein said first observation platform is located at a first physical address and said second observation platform is located at a second physical address.

16. The method as recited in claim 13, wherein said first communication device is located within said radio range and said second observation platform is located outside of said radio range.

17. The method as recited in claim 13, wherein said destination is a telephony system enabling said first communication device to make a call to a third party.

18. The method as recited in claim 13, further comprising:

storing a copy of at least one characteristic of said signal in a storage medium, wherein said copy of at least one characteristic of said signal is available for performance metric analysis.

19. The method as recited in claim 13, further comprising:

wherein said audible source is a voice of said first user;

recognizing text related to said voice; and

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

20. The method as recited in claim 19, further comprising:

executing said command related to said text.

21. The method as recited in claim 19, 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.

22. The method of claim 13, wherein said second characteristic of said signal is a plurality of signal strength characteristics detected from a plurality of transceivers in communication with said first communication device and wherein said deriving said context information comprises deriving said geographic location of said first communication device based on said plurality of signal strength characteristics of said plurality of transceivers.