Observation platform for performing structured communications

• US 9,928,529 B2
• Filed: 12/12/2016
• Issued: 03/27/2018
• 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., Kumar, Ravi Shankar, Nagothu, Kranthimanoj
• Primary Examiner(s): DOAN, PHUOC HUU
• Application Number:
  US15/375,725
• Publication Number:
  US 20170091837A1
• Time in Patent Office: 470 Days
• Field of Search: 4554121, 4554561, 4554566, 455457, 382100, 705 1441
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06393 Score-carding, benchmarking or key performance indicator [KPI] analysis
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0207 Discounts or incentives, e.g. coupons or rebates
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0261 based on user location
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0281 Customer communication at a business location, e.g. providing product or service information, consulting
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication

Abstract

Methods and systems are disclosed for sending information in an observation platform. A determination is made, at an observation platform, that a first communication device associated with a first user is located in an environment. A determination is made, at the observation platform, that the first communication device is located in proximity to a second communication device associated with a second user. Speech information is sent to the first communication device for the first user to use in communicating with the second user.

Claims

1. A method of sending information in an observation platform, comprising:

receiving, by a communication device of said observation platform from a user of said communication device, a spoken communication that comprises a predefined communication phrase and additional information related to a context of said user;

wirelessly providing, by said communication device, said spoken communication to a computer of an organization, said computer a part of said observation platform;

deriving, by said computer from said spoken communication, a query for information about said organization;

deriving, by said computer from said spoken communication and said additional information related to said context, a destination for said information about said organization; and

providing, by said computer, said information about said organization to said destination.

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

retrieving, by said computer, said information about said organization from a database of said organization using said query.

3. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said destination comprises said communication device, said method further comprising:

based on location information of said communication device indicating proximity to a customer of said organization, including by said computer along with said information about said organization, a cue for whether touch with said customer should be initiated by said user.

4. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said information about said organization comprises information about a product, said method further comprising:

including, by said computer along with said information about said product, a customized offer for said product for a potential customer of said organization.

5. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium having instructions embodied therein that, when executed, cause components of an observation platform to perform a method of sending information in said observation platform, said method comprising:

receiving, by a communication device of said observation platform from a user of said communication device, a spoken communication that comprises a predefined communication phrase;

wirelessly providing, by said communication device, said spoken communication to a computer of an organization, said computer a part of said observation platform;

deriving, by said computer from said spoken communication, a query for information about said organization;

deriving, by said computer from said spoken communication, a destination for said information about said organization; and

providing, by said computer, said information about said organization to said destination.

6. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 5, said method further comprising:

retrieving, by said computer, said information about said organization from a database of said organization using said query.

7. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 5, wherein said destination comprises said communication device, said method further comprising:

based on location information of said communication device indicating proximity to a customer of said organization, including by said computer along with said information about said organization, a cue for whether touch with said customer should be initiated by said user.

8. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 5, wherein said information about said organization comprises information about a product, said method further comprising:

including, by said computer along with said information about said product, a customized offer for said product for a potential customer of said organization.

9. An organization based personal digital assistant comprising:

a computer of said organization; and

a communication device wirelessly communicatively coupled with said computer, said communication device configured to;

receive a spoken communication from an associate of said organization; and

provide said spoken communication to a computer;

said computer configured to;

derive, from said spoken communication, a query for information about said organization; and

provide, to a destination, said information about said organization as audible speech information.

10. The organization based personal digital assistant of claim 9, further comprising:

a database, wherein said database is communicatively coupled with said computer; and

wherein said computer is further configured to;

retrieve said information about said organization from a database of said organization using said query.

11. The organization based personal digital assistant of claim 9, wherein based on location information of said communication device indicating proximity to a customer of said organization, said computer is further configured to:

include a cue for communication to said customer as part of said audible speech information.

12. The organization based personal digital assistant of claim 11, wherein said cue is one of:

a customized offer for a product to said customer;

a first cue for said associate to initiate touch with said customer; and

second cue to inhibit said associate from touch with customer.

13. The organization based personal digital assistant of claim 9, wherein said computer is further configured to derive said destination from context of said spoken communication.

14. The organization based personal digital assistant of claim 13, wherein said destination is at least one of:

said communication device;

a second communication device in use by a customer of said organization;

a third communication device in use by a person of said organization other than said associate; and

a plurality of communication devices associated with said organization.

15. The organization based personal digital assistant of claim 9, wherein said spoken communication comprises a predefined communication phrase.

16. The organization based personal digital assistant of claim 9, wherein said information about said organization comprises:

information about a product sold by said organization.

17. The organization based personal digital assistant of claim 16, wherein said information about said product comprises inventory information.

18. The organization based personal digital assistant of claim 16, wherein said information about said product comprises one of technical details and features.

19. The organization based personal digital assistant of claim 9, wherein said information about said organization comprises:

information about a time clock system of said organization.

20. The organization based personal digital assistant of claim 9, wherein said information about said organization comprises:

information about workforce scheduling of said organization.