Connecting consumers with service providers

• US 9,971,873 B2
• Filed: 08/09/2017
• Issued: 05/15/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 09/08/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: American Well Corporation (Amwell Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: American Well Corporation (Amwell Incorporated)
• Inventors: Schoenberg, Roy
• Primary Examiner(s): Mejia, Anthony
• Application Number:
  US15/673,140
• Publication Number:
  US 20170357769A1
• Time in Patent Office: 279 Days
• Field of Search: 709223
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/22 Indexing; Data structures therefor; Storage structures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2455 Query execution
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/951 Indexing; Web crawling techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9538 Presentation of query results
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/14 Digital output to display device ; Cooperation and interconnection of the display device with other functional units
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06375 Prediction of business process outcome or impact based on a proposed change
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/08 Insurance
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/60 for patient-specific data, e.g. for electronic patient records
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 for local operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16Z 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other main groups of this subclass
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0811 by checking connectivity
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1069 Session establishment or de-establishment
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/54 Presence management, e.g. monitoring or registration for receipt of user log-on information, or the connection status of the users
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/56 Provisioning of proxy services store-and-forward switching systems in data switching networks H04L12/54
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/562 Brokering proxy services

Abstract

A request is received from a consumer of services to consult with a service provider having a service provider profile that satisfies at least some attributes in a set of attributes that define a suitable service provider; an available service provider satisfying at least some of the attributes in the set of attributes is identified; and a communication channel is provided to establish a communication between the consumer of services and the identified service provider.

Claims

1. A system for facilitating a connection between two terminal devices, with facilitating being at least partly based on identifying, in accordance with an implementation of one or more presence protocols, a state of a terminal device, comprising:

a presence tracking module that;

identifies a communication mode by which a first terminal device is enabled for communication, wherein the communication mode comprises one or more of a text mode, a voice mode, or a video mode; and

identifies, in accordance with an implementation of one or more presence protocols, a state of the first terminal device and updates memory with data indicative of the state of the first terminal device, wherein a state comprises (i) on-line without a communication channel to another terminal device facilitated by the system, (ii) on-line with a communication channel to another terminal device facilitated by the system in the communication mode, or (iii) offline; and

a scheduling module that receives, from the presence tracking module, data indicative of the identified communication mode and the identified state and that facilitates, based on the identified communication mode and the identified state, a real-time connection between the first terminal device and a second terminal device that initiates a request for the real-time connection, wherein, prior to the request, the first remote terminal device and its one or more communication capabilities and real-time connection status are unknown to the second terminal device.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the scheduling module and the presence tracking module are implemented in a single module.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the scheduling module is distinct from the presence tracking module.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the scheduling module facilitates the real-time connection by establishing a communication channel between the first remote terminal device and the second remote terminal device.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the scheduling module facilitates the real-time connection by transferring, to the first remote terminal device, contact information for the second remote terminal device.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the scheduling module facilitates the real-time connection by allowing the first remote terminal device to initiate a connection with the second remote terminal device.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the scheduling module facilitates the real-time connection by initiating a real-time connection at a time in the future.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the scheduling module facilitates the real-time connection by scheduling a real-time communication at a time in the future.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the presence tracking module implements the one or more presence protocols to identify the state of the first terminal device.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the presence tracking module detects the state of the first terminal device, wherein the state comprises (i) on-line without a communication channel to another terminal device facilitated by the system, (ii) on-line with a communication channel to another terminal device facilitated by the system in the communication mode, or (iii) offline.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein identifying the state comprises receiving data specifying a state of the first terminal device.

12. A method for facilitating a connection between two terminal devices, with facilitating being at least partly based on identifying, in accordance with an implementation of one or more presence protocols, a state of a terminal device, the method being implemented by a data processing system and comprising:

identifying a communication mode by which a first terminal device is enabled for communication, wherein the communication mode comprises one or more of a text mode, a voice mode, or a video mode;

identifying, in accordance with an implementation of one or more presence protocols, a state of the first terminal device;

updating memory with data indicative of the state of the first terminal device, wherein a state comprises (i) on-line without a communication channel to another terminal device facilitated by the system, (ii) on-line with a communication channel to another terminal device facilitated by the system in the communication mode, or (iii) offline;

receiving data indicative of the identified communication mode and the identified state; and

facilitating, based on the identified communication mode and the identified state, a real-time connection between the first terminal device and a second terminal device that initiates a request for the real-time connection, wherein, prior to the request, the first remote terminal device and its one or more communication capabilities and real-time connection status are unknown to the second terminal device.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein facilitating comprises establishing a communication channel between the first remote terminal device and the second remote terminal device.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein facilitating comprises transferring, to the first remote terminal device, contact information for the second remote terminal device.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein facilitating comprises allowing the first remote terminal device to initiate a connection with the second remote terminal device.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein facilitating comprises initiating a real-time connection at a time in the future.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein facilitating comprises scheduling a real-time communication at a time in the future.

18. The method of claim 12, further comprising implementing the one or more presence protocols to identify the state of the first terminal device.

19. The method of claim 12, further comprising detecting the state of the first terminal device, wherein the state comprises (i) on-line without a communication channel to another terminal device facilitated by the system, (ii) on-line with a communication channel to another terminal device facilitated by the system in the communication mode, or (iii) offline.

20. One or more machine-readable hardware storage devices storing instructions for facilitating a connection between two terminal devices, with facilitating being at least partly based on identifying, in accordance with an implementation of one or more presence protocols, a state of a terminal device, the instructions being executable by one or more processing devices to perform operations comprising:

identifying a communication mode by which a first terminal device is enabled for communication, wherein the communication mode comprises one or more of a text mode, a voice mode, or a video mode;

identifying, in accordance with an implementation of one or more presence protocols, a state of the first terminal device;

updating memory with data indicative of the state of the first terminal device, wherein a state comprises (i) on-line without a communication channel to another terminal device facilitated by the system, (ii) on-line with a communication channel to another terminal device facilitated by the system in the communication mode, or (iii) offline;

receiving data indicative of the identified communication mode and the identified state; and

facilitating, based on the identified communication mode and the identified state, a real-time connection between the first terminal device and a second terminal device that initiates a request for the real-time connection, wherein, prior to the request, the first remote terminal device and its one or more communication capabilities and real-time connection status are unknown to the second terminal device.

21. The one or more machine-readable hardware storage devices of claim 20, wherein facilitating comprises establishing a communication channel between the first remote terminal device and the second remote terminal device.

22. The one or more machine-readable hardware storage devices of claim 20, wherein facilitating comprises transferring, to the first remote terminal device, contact information for the second remote terminal device.

23. The one or more machine-readable hardware storage devices of claim 20, wherein facilitating comprises allowing the first remote terminal device to initiate a connection with the second remote terminal device.

24. The one or more machine-readable hardware storage devices of claim 20, wherein facilitating comprises initiating a real-time connection at a time in the future.

25. The one or more machine-readable hardware storage devices of claim 20, wherein facilitating comprises scheduling a real-time communication at a time in the future.

26. The one or more machine-readable hardware storage devices of claim 20, further comprising implementing the one or more presence protocols to identify the state of the first terminal device.

27. The one or more machine-readable hardware storage devices of claim 20, further comprising detecting the state of the first terminal device, wherein the state comprises (i) on-line without a communication channel to another terminal device facilitated by the system, (ii) on-line with a communication channel to another terminal device facilitated by the system in the communication mode, or (iii) offline.

28. The one or more machine-readable hardware storage devices of claim 20, wherein identifying the state comprises receiving data specifying a state of the first terminal device.

29. A system for facilitating a connection between two terminal devices, with facilitating being at least partly based on identifying, in accordance with an implementation of one or more presence protocols, a state of a terminal device, the system comprising:

one or more processing devices; and

one or more machine-readable hardware storage devices storing instructions that are executable by the one or more processing devices to perform operations comprising;

identifying a communication mode by which a first terminal device is enabled for communication, wherein the communication mode comprises one or more of a text mode, a voice mode, or a video mode;

identifying, in accordance with an implementation of one or more presence protocols, a state of the first terminal device and updating memory with data indicative of the state of the first terminal device, wherein a state comprises (i) on-line without a communication channel to another terminal device facilitated by the system, (ii) on-line with a communication channel to another terminal device facilitated by the system in the communication mode, or (iii) offline; and

receiving data indicative of the identified communication mode and the identified state and facilitating, based on the identified communication mode and the identified state, a real-time connection between the first terminal device and a second terminal device that initiates a request for the real-time connection, wherein, prior to the request, the first remote terminal device and its one or more communication capabilities and real-time connection status are unknown to the second terminal device.

30. The system of claim 29, wherein facilitating the real-time connection comprises establishing a communication channel between the first remote terminal device and the second remote terminal device.

31. The system of claim 29, wherein facilitating the real-time connection comprises transferring, to the first remote terminal device, contact information for the second remote terminal device.

32. The system of claim 29, wherein facilitating the real-time connection comprises allowing the first remote terminal device to initiate a connection with the second remote terminal device.

33. The system of claim 29, wherein facilitating the real-time connection comprises initiating a real-time connection at a time in the future.

34. The system of claim 29, wherein facilitating the real-time connection comprises scheduling a real-time communication at a time in the future.

35. The system of claim 29, wherein the operations further comprise implementing the one or more presence protocols to identify the state of the first terminal device.

36. The system of claim 29, wherein the operations further comprise detecting the state of the first terminal device, wherein the state comprises (i) on-line without a communication channel to another terminal device facilitated by the system, (ii) on-line with a communication channel to another terminal device facilitated by the system in the communication mode, or (iii) offline.

37. The system of claim 29, wherein identifying the state comprises receiving data specifying a state of the first terminal device.