Observation platform for using structured communications

• US 9,971,984 B2
• Filed: 07/12/2016
• Issued: 05/15/2018
• 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., Kittler, Andrew W.
• Primary Examiner(s): DOAN, PHUOC HUU
• Application Number:
  US15/208,331
• Publication Number:
  US 20160321596A1
• Time in Patent Office: 672 Days
• Field of Search: 4554121, 4554566, 4554563, 455457, 455418, 701208, 701532, 3482071
• 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

In a method of characterizing communications in a group of users, a computer system recognizes a group of users. Each user of the group of users is associated with one of a plurality of communication devices. The computer system records a communication between at least two of the communication devices. At least a portion of the communication is an audible communication. The computer system identifies features based upon the communication. The computer system generates a visual representation of the features.

Claims

1. A method of characterizing communications in a group of users, comprising:

recognizing, by a computer system, a group of users wherein each user of said group of users is associated with one of a plurality of communication devices, wherein said plurality of communication devices are separate from said computer system;

recording, by said computer system in storage of said computer system, a communication between at least two of said communication devices wherein at least a portion of said communication is an audible communication;

identifying, by said computer system, features based upon said communication; and

generating, by said computer system, a visual representation of said features that is displayed on a display.

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

making said visual representation available to a manager for making a decision.

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

availability of a user of said group of users, location of a user of said group of users, communication history of a user, context of said communication, a classification of said communication, a frequency of communications between two users of said group of users, a length of said communication, and a response time to said communication.

4. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said group of users is recognized based on a geographic location of users.

5. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said group of users is recognized based on a classification of users.

6. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said visual representation represents when a user of said group of users is engaged in said communication.

7. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said visual representation represents when a user of said group of users asks a question in said communication.

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

recording, by said computer system, geographic locations of said plurality of communication devices.

9. The method as recited in claim 8, wherein said visual representation represents where users of said group of users are located.

10. The method as recited in claim 8, wherein said visual representation represents where said group of users is not located.

11. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein at least a portion of said communication is a pre-recorded audible communication.

12. A non-transitory computer-usable storage medium having instructions embodied therein that when executed cause a computer system to perform a method of characterizing communications in a group of users, said method comprising:

recognizing, by a computer system, a group of users wherein each user of said group of users is associated with one of a plurality of communication devices, wherein said plurality of communication devices are separate from said computer system;

recording, by said computer system in storage of said computer system, a communication between at least two of said communication devices wherein at least a portion of said communication is an audible communication;

identifying, by said computer system, features based upon said communication; and

generating, by said computer system, a visual representation of said features that is displayed on a display.

13. The non-transitory computer-usable storage medium of claim 12, wherein said method further comprises:

making said visual representation available to a manager for making a decision.

14. The non-transitory computer-usable storage medium of claim 12, wherein said method further comprises:

recording, by said computer system, geographic locations of said communication devices.

15. A structured communications observation platform comprising:

a plurality of communication devices comprising;

a first communication device;

a second communication device; and

a third communication device; and

a computer system, wherein said second communication device is associated with said computer system, wherein said plurality of communication devices are separate from said computer system, and wherein said computer system is configured to;

recognize a group of users wherein each user of said group of users are associated with one of said plurality of communication devices;

record, in storage of said computer system, a communication between at least two of said plurality of communication devices, wherein at least a portion of said communication is an audible communication;

identify features based upon said communication; and

generate a visual representation of said features that is displayed on a display.

16. The structured communications observation platform recited in claim 15, wherein said computer system is further configured to:

make said visual representation available to a manager for a decision making purpose.

17. The structured communications observation platform recited in claim 15, wherein said visual representation represents when a user of said group of users is engaged in said communication.

18. The structured communications observation platform recited in claim 15, wherein said visual representation represents where said each user of said group of users is located.

19. The structured communications observation platform recited in claim 15, wherein said visual representation represents where said group of users is not located.

20. The structured communications observation platform recited in claim 15, wherein at least a portion of said communication is a pre-recorded audible communication.