Varied message playback methods and apparatus

• US 9,626,843 B2
• Filed: 04/11/2016
• Issued: 04/18/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Martigold Enterprises, LLC
• Original Assignee: Martigold Enterprises, LLC
• Inventors: Martin, George, Goldman, Yale E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Boccio, Vincent F
• Application Number:
  US15/096,183
• Publication Number:
  US 20160225237A1
• Time in Patent Office: 372 Days
• Field of Search: 707736, 704272
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2500/06 Stock management
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 29/00 Arrangement or mounting of control or safety devices
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 29/008 Alarm devices
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 3/00 Audible signalling systems; Audible personal calling systems
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 3/10 using electric transmission; using electromagnetic transmission
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 3/1033 with voice message alert
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 3/105 with call or message storage means
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 2025/005 Message recorded in a memory device
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 25/00 Audible advertising sound recording or reproducing per se G11B; public address systems H04R27/00
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 17/22 Interactive procedures; Man-machine interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4936 Speech interaction details speech recognition per se G10L15/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4938 comprising a voice browser which renders and interprets, e.g. VoiceXML

Abstract

A system for playback of messages. Context appropriate messages for an environment may be played back. Messages may be user behavior interactive and subject to user behavior initiated message playback conditions. User generated environment events may be automatically analyzed and user behavior interactive messages may be automatically coordinated. An automated themed message playback apparatus may have a self-contained housing within which a stored themed message, an in situ user generated environment event sensor, and an automated themed message playback device are housed. User generated environment events may be automatically sensed in situ.

Claims

1. A method for automatically playing back context appropriate messages for an environment comprising the steps of:

storing multiple user relevant environment themed behavior interactive messages, said multiple messages each being appropriate for a given user generated environment event, and such storage provided on an automated, battery powered, self-contained selectively positionable and repositionable message playback device within a self-contained housing;

storing a user environment behavior initiated message playback condition appropriate for said given user generated environment event on said automated, battery powered, self-contained selectively positionable and repositionable message playback device within said self-contained housing;

automatically in-situ sensing from within said environment by said automated, battery powered, self-contained selectively positionable and repositionable message playback device within said self-contained housing said given user generated environment event;

automatically analyzing by said automated, battery powered, self-contained selectively positionable and repositionable message playback device within said self-contained housing prior messages said given user generated environment event utilized with respect to said user environment behavior initiated message playback condition appropriate for said given user generated environment event;

automatically identifying appropriate stored user environment behavior interactive messages appropriate to said given user generated environment event to play back based on said automated analysis;

varying message playback for said given user generated environment event to vary message content experienced by selecting as an appropriate stored message from said multiple user relevant environment themed behavior interactive messages one of said stored multiple user relevant environment themed behavior interactive messages based on said steps of automatically identifying appropriate stored user environment behavior interactive messages appropriate to said given user generated environment event to play back based on said automated analysis and said step of varying message playback to vary message content for said given user generated environment event to be experienced by said user;

selecting a new message as compared to at least one prior message from said stored multiple user relevant environment themed behavior interactive messages;

playing said new message as compared to at least one prior message; and

automatically individually addressing said user by said automated, battery powered, self-contained selectively positionable and repositionable message playback device within a self-contained housing, by said selected appropriate stored message.

2. The method for automatically playing back context appropriate messages for an environment as described in claim 1 wherein said environment comprises an environment selected from the group consisting of an automobile, a refrigerator, and a pantry.

3. The method for automatically playing back context appropriate messages for an environment as described in claim 1 wherein said environment comprises a refrigerator environment, and wherein said step of automatically analyzing said given user generated environment event comprises the step of analyzing the number of times said refrigerator environment has changed in a given period.

4. The method for automatically playing back context appropriate messages for an environment as described in claim 1 wherein said environment comprises a refrigerator environment, and wherein said step of storing multiple user relevant environment themed behavior interactive messages comprises the steps of storing at least one humor related behavior interactive message, storing at least one user goal related behavior interactive message, and storing at least one reminder related behavior interactive message.

5. The method for automatically playing back context appropriate messages for an environment as described in claim 1 wherein said step of automatically in-situ sensing comprises the step of sensing selected from the group consisting of sensing light, sensing motion, sensing vibration, sensing acceleration, sensing sound, sensing temperature, sensing an electronic signal, and sensing a magnetic change.

6. The method for automatically playing back context appropriate messages for an environment as described in claim 1 wherein said step of automatically in-situ sensing comprises the steps of sensing refrigerator light activation, and sensing the number of times a refrigerator door has opened.

7. The method for automatically playing back context appropriate messages for an environment as described in claim 1 wherein said steps of automatically analyzing comprises the step of accounting for dynamically changing circumstances in said environment during a reference period.

8. The method for automatically playing back context appropriate messages for an environment as described in claim 7 wherein said environment comprises a refrigerator environment, and wherein said reference period comprises a time of day.

9. The method for automatically playing back context appropriate messages for an environment as described in claim 8 wherein said time of day comprises a time of day selected from the group consisting of morning, afternoon, evening, night, breakfast time, lunch time, dinner time, and snack time.

10. The method for automatically playing back context appropriate messages for an environment as described in claim 7 wherein said environment comprises a refrigerator environment, and wherein said step of accounting for dynamically changing circumstances comprises the step of accounting for the number of times a refrigerator door is opened.

11. The method for automatically playing back context appropriate messages for an environment as described in claim 7 wherein said environment comprises a refrigerator environment, and wherein said step of accounting for dynamically changing circumstances comprises a step selected from the group consisting of varying message playback to vary message content.

12. The method for automatically playing back context appropriate messages for an environment as described in claim 7 wherein said step of varying message playback to vary message content comprises the step of playing back at least one more aggressive message content item.

13. The method for automatically playing back context appropriate messages for an environment as described in claim 12 wherein said step of varying message playback to vary message content comprises the step of itemizing user generated environment events.

14. The method for automatically playing back context appropriate messages for an environment as described in claim 1 further comprising the step of relating message content to the number of the times said event has occurred in a given period.

15. The method for automatically playing back context appropriate messages for an environment as described in claim 14 wherein said step of relating comprises the step of playing back at least one more aggressive message content item for a higher the number of times the said event has occurred.

16. The method for automatically playing back context appropriate messages for an environment as described in claim 14 wherein said step of relating comprises the step of itemizing the number of the times said event has occurred.

17. The method for automatically playing back context appropriate messages for an environment as described in claim 1 wherein said step of automatically identifying appropriate stored user environment behavior interactive messages appropriate to said given user generated environment event to play back based on said automated analysis comprises the step of selecting a relevant user environment behavior interactive message to said environment behavior initiated message playback condition.

18. The method for automatically playing back context appropriate messages for an environment as described in claim 1 wherein said step of selecting a new message as compared to at least one prior message from said stored multiple user relevant environment themed behavior interactive messages comprises the step of selecting from most relevant user environment behavior interactive messages.

19. The method for automatically playing back context appropriate messages for an environment as described in claim 1 wherein said step of automatically identifying appropriate stored user environment behavior interactive messages appropriate to said given user generated environment event to play back comprises the step of addressing a user need.

20. The method for automatically playing back context appropriate messages for an environment as described in claim 1 further comprising the step of engaging in an ecommerce transaction.

21. The method for automatically playing back context appropriate messages for an environment as described in claim 1 further comprising the step of utilizing sponsored message content.

22. The method for automatically playing back context appropriate messages for an environment as described in claim 21 wherein said step of utilizing sponsored message content comprises the step of utilizing at least one advertising message.

23. The method for automatically playing back context appropriate messages for an environment as described in claim 1 further comprising the step of utilizing food relevant content messages.

24. The method for automatically playing back context appropriate messages for an environment as described in claim 21 further comprising the step of utilizing a smartphone connection.