Automated communications response system

• US 10,015,318 B2
• Filed: 07/10/2015
• Issued: 07/03/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 08/11/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Eolas Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Eolas Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Landers, Steven Carl, Doyle, Michael D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Joshi, Suraj
• Assistant Examiner(s): Means, Jaren M
• Application Number:
  US14/796,538
• Publication Number:
  US 20150373201A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,089 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1827 Network arrangements for conference optimisation or adaptation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/046 Interoperability with other network applications or services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/56 Unified messaging, e.g. interactions between e-mail, instant messaging or converged IP messaging [CPM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1063 Application servers providing network services systems providing special services to telephonic subscribers H04M3/42
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1069 Session establishment or de-establishment
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/64 Automatic arrangements for answering calls; Automatic arrangements for recording messages for absent subscribers; Arrangements for recording conversations centralised dictation systems H04M11/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42161 via computer interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0015 First party call control architectures
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0063 where the network is a peer-to-peer network
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices

Abstract

In one embodiment, a system provides for end-user control over the automatic recognition of communication situations by detection of unique telecommunication event characteristics and the consequential responses to those situations by invocation of related programmatic responses. The system allows an end user to specify various patterns of telecommunication event characteristics that describe various situational aspects of incoming communications, such as the timing and originator of voice calls, the content of, timing of, and author of chat messages, etc., as well as appropriate sets of programmatic response actions to be performed in response to those communications, such as initiating conference calls, sending chat messages, routing calls to other users, etc. The system monitors incoming communications, matches characteristic patterns to recognize the situations, and then invokes the matching response actions, thereby automating many functions of the communication system that previously would have had to be performed manually.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a portable communications device including a housing containing;

a memory,

a data processor coupled to the memory,

a voice input subsystem,

a text input mechanism,

a graphic display, and

an audio output subsystem, the portable communications device configured to provide at least;

communications subsystems for at least three different types of communications including voice type communications, chat message type communications, and email message type communications,

a communications monitoring component configured to monitor incoming communications from each of the communications subsystems,

a response component configured to automate user response actions, the response component responsive in real time to at least one of a plurality of different event characteristics of at least one incoming communication from at least one of the plurality of different communication subsystems,

the communications monitoring component configured to detect at least one of the event characteristics,

the response component configured to cause execution of code responsive to any of the detected event characteristics, and

wherein the execution of the code causes one of the other communication subsystems to send a responsive communication to a sender of the at least one incoming communication.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the memory stores a program including a list of commands and a database storing rules, each rule invokable as a result of a detection of at least one of the event characteristics.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein an action performed by the response component in response to at least one real time incoming communication of at least one of the three different types of communications is the real time transmission by the portable communications device of at least one outgoing communication of said other one of the three types of communications.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the plurality of different event characteristics includes at least a who telecommunication event characteristic that identifies a source of an incoming communication detected by the communications monitoring component, and a when telecommunication event characteristic that identifies a time the incoming communication was received.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the action performed is a result of invoking the list of commands run by the data processor.

6. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein when executed by the data processor, the program causes the data processor to run at least part of the list of commands to cause the communications monitoring component to detect at least one event characteristic of an incoming communication of at least one of the three different types of communications, the event characteristic being pushed by one of the communication subsystems to the communications monitoring component, the event characteristic being one of a who event characteristic, a when event characteristic, and a type event characteristic identifying the type of the received communication.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein when executed by the data processor, the program causes the data processor to run at least part of the list of commands to pull any additional required event characteristics of the incoming communication from the communications subsystem.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein when executed by the data processor, the program causes the data processor to run at least part of the list of commands to compare pushed and any additional pulled required event characteristics to event characteristics included in rules stored in the database to determine whether the pushed and any pulled required event characteristics match a situation included in one of the rules stored in the database.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein when executed by the data processor, the program causes the data processor to run at least part of the list of commands to transmit in real time from the portable communications device the at least one outgoing communication of said other one of the three types of communications.

10. A method comprising:

causing, at a portable communications device, a communications monitoring component of the portable communications device to detect at least one of a plurality of different event characteristics, the portable communications device including a housing containing a memory, a data processor coupled to the memory, a voice input subsystem, a text input mechanism, a graphic display, and an audio output subsystem, the portable communications device configured to provide at least;

(a) communications subsystems for at least three different types of communications including voice type communications, chat message type communications, and email message type communications, (b) the communications monitoring component configured to monitor incoming communications from each of the communications subsystems, and (c) a response component configured to automate user response actions, the response component responsive in real-time to at least one of the plurality of different event characteristics of at least one incoming communication from at least one of the plurality of different communication subsystems,

causing the response component to execute code in response to the detected event characteristics, and

causing, via the execution of the code, one of the other communication subsystems to send a responsive communication to a sender of the at least one incoming communication.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the memory stores a program including a list of commands and a database storing rules, each rule invokable as a result of a detection of at least one of the event characteristics.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein an action performed by the response component in response to at least one real time incoming communication of at least one of the three different types of communications is the real time transmission by the portable communications device of at least one outgoing communication of said other one of the three types of communications.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the plurality of different event characteristics includes at least a who telecommunication event characteristic that identifies a source of an incoming communication detected by the communications monitoring component, and a when telecommunication event characteristic that identifies a time the incoming communication was received.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the action performed is a result of invoking the list of commands run by the data processor.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein when executed by the data processor, the program causing the data processor to run at least part of the list of commands to cause the communications monitoring component to detect at least one event characteristic of an incoming communication of at least one of the three different types of communications, the event characteristic being pushed by one of the communication subsystems to the communications monitoring component, the event characteristic being one of a who event characteristic, a when event characteristic, and a type event characteristic identifying the type of the received communication.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein when executed by the data processor, the program causing the data processor to run at least part of the list of commands to pull any additional required event characteristics of the incoming communication from the communications subsystem.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein when executed by the data processor, the program causing the data processor to run at least part of the list of commands to compare pushed and any additional pulled required event characteristics to event characteristics included in rules stored in the database to determine whether the pushed and any pulled required event characteristics match a situation included in one of the rules stored in the database.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein when executed by the data processor, the program causing the data processor to run at least part of the list of commands to transmit in real time from the portable communications device the at least one outgoing communication of said other one of the three types of communications.

19. An apparatus comprising:

a portable communications device including a housing containing;

a memory,

a data processor coupled to the memory,

a voice input subsystem,

a text input mechanism,

a graphic display, and

an audio output subsystem, the portable communications device configured to at least provide communications subsystems for at least three different types of communications including voice type communications, instant message type communications, and email message type communications,

wherein the data processor is configured to;

receive and store a rule configured to be applied to an instant message, the rule including an action to perform based on text of the instant message;

receive and store the instant message;

recognize at least part of the text of the received instant message;

apply a condition of the rule to the recognized text of the instant message to determine if the action for the rule should be performed;

perform the action if the condition of the rule is satisfied; and

use an artificial intelligence module to cause a responsive outgoing communication to simulate communication with a human.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the memory stores a program including a list of commands and a database storing rules, at least one rule invokable as a result of the recognition of the at least part of the text of the received instant message.

21. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the action performed by the data processor is the real time transmission by the portable communications device the responsive outgoing communication.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the recognized text includes at least a who telecommunication event characteristic that identifies a source of an incoming communication detected by the data processor, and a when telecommunication event characteristic that identifies a time the incoming communication was received.

23. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the action performed is a result of invoking at least part of the list of commands run by the data processor to perform operations to implement the action.

24. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the action includes sending of the responsive outgoing communication of either voice type or email message type.

25. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the action is in real time.

26. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the portable communications device further includes a communications monitoring component configured to monitor incoming communications from each of the communications subsystems.

27. A method comprising:

receiving and storing, at a portable communications device, a rule configured to be applied to an instant message, the rule including an action to perform based on text of the instant message, the portable communications device including a housing containing a memory, a data processor coupled to the memory, a voice input subsystem, a text input mechanism, a graphic display, and an audio output subsystem, the portable communications device configured to provide communications subsystems for at least three different types of communications including voice type communications, instant message type communications, and email message type communications;

receiving and storing the instant message;

recognizing text of the received instant message;

applying a condition of the rule to the recognized text of the instant message to determine if the action for the rule should be performed;

performing the action if the condition of the rule is satisfied; and

using an artificial intelligence module to cause a responsive outgoing communication to simulate communication with a human.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the memory stores a program including a list of commands and a database storing rules, at least one rule invokable as a result of the recognition of the at least part of the text of the received instant message.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein the action performed by the data processor is the real time transmission by the portable communications device of responsive outgoing communication.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein the recognized text includes at least a who telecommunication event characteristic that identifies a source of an incoming communication detected by the data processor, and a when telecommunication event characteristic that identifies a time the incoming communication was received.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein the action performed is a result of invoking at least part of the list of commands run by the data processor to perform operations to implement the action.

34. The method of claim 27, further including monitoring incoming communications from each of the communications subsystems at a communications monitoring component of the portable communications device.

32. The method of 31, wherein the action includes sending of the responsive outgoing communication of either voice type or email message type.

33. The method of 32, wherein the action is in real time.

35. A communication device comprising:

a memory;

a data processor coupled to the memory;

a voice input subsystem;

an audio output subsystem; and

communications subsystems for at least voice type communications and chat message type communications,

the communication device configured to;

(A) send at least chat or voice message type communications via the Internet to a server, the server configured to;

(a) receive communications via the Internet,

(b) perform actions responsive to the communications received, and

(c) send responsive communications via the Internet,

wherein the server includes;

at least one processor; and

at least one memory device that stores a plurality of instructions, a list of commands and a plurality of different rules, each rule invokable as a result of detection of at least one of a plurality of different event characteristics, wherein the execution of the code associated with the detected event characteristic is caused by the invocation of at least one of the rules, and wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, enables the server to;

i. exchange communications via the Internet with the communication device; and

ii. provide;

(a) a server communications subsystem configured to exchange at least chat or voice message type communications via the Internet with the communication device,

(b) a response component, and

(c) a server communications monitoring component configured to monitor incoming communications received by the communications subsystem, and

for each of a plurality of incoming communications received by the communication subsystem;

(i) cause the server communications monitoring component to determine if the received communication is of a designated chat or voice message type communication, and if so, in real time detect an event characteristic of the received communication, and

(ii) cause the response component to use an artificial intelligence module to automatically perform a response action associated with the received communication, the response component responsive in real time to the detected event characteristic of the received communication, and the response component configured to cause execution of code associated with the detected event characteristic of the received communication to simulate communication with a human,

wherein the execution of the code causes the server to at least send a responsive chat or voice message type communication responsive to the received communication via the Internet to the communication device; and

(B) receive the responsive chat or voice message type communication via the Internet from the server; and

(C) enable a user of the communication device to use a module to manage at least part of the operation of the invoked rule.

36. The communication device of claim 35, wherein (a) the server is configured to use natural language recognition operations to process the received communication;

and (b) the server includes the artificial intelligence module configured to cause the responsive chat or voice message type communication to simulate communication with a human.

37. The communication device of claim 35, wherein the plurality of different event characteristics includes at least:

(a) a who telecommunication event characteristic that identifies a source of the received communication detected by the monitoring component; and

(b) a when telecommunication event characteristic that identifies a time the received communication was received.

38. The communication device of claim 37, wherein:

(a) the plurality of different event characteristics includes at least a where telecommunication event characteristic that identifies information related to a location of a source of the received communication detected by the monitoring component;

(b) the detected event characteristic is pushed by the communication subsystem to the communication monitoring component, the event characteristic being one of the who telecommunication event characteristic and the when telecommunication event characteristic;

(c) the server is further configured to invoke at least part of the list of commands to pull any additional required event characteristics of the received communication from the communications subsystem;

(d) the server is further configured to invoke at least part of the list of commands to compare the pushed and any additional pulled required event characteristics to event characteristics included in the stored rules to determine whether the pushed and any required pulled event characteristics match a situation included in one of the stored rules; and

(e) the server is further configured to invoke at least part of the list of commands to transmit in real time to the communications device the responsive chat or voice message type communication.

39. The communication device of claim 37, wherein the management is via direct manipulation of at least part of a database record corresponding to at least one of the rules.

40. The communication device of claim 39, which is portable.

41. The communication device of claim 40, which includes a text input mechanism, a graphic display, and a communications subsystem for email message type communications.

42. A server comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one memory device that stores a plurality of instructions, which when executed by the at least one processor, enables the server to;

i. exchange communications via the Internet with a communication device containing a data processor coupled to a memory, a voice input subsystem an audio output subsystem, and communications subsystems for at least voice type communications and chat message type communications; and

ii. provide;

(a) a server communications subsystem configured to exchange at least chat or voice message type communications via the Internet with the communication device,

(b) a response component, and

(c) a server communications monitoring component configured to monitor incoming communications received by the communications subsystem, and

for each of a plurality of incoming communications received by the communication subsystem;

(i) cause the server communications monitoring component to determine if the received communication is of a designated chat or voice message type communication, and if so, in real time to detect an event characteristic of the received communication, and

(ii) cause the response component to use an artificial intelligence module to automatically perform a response action associated with the received communication, the response component responsive in real time to the detected event characteristic of the received communication, and the response component configured to cause execution of code associated with the detected event characteristic of the received communication to simulate communication with a human,

wherein the execution of the code causes the server to at least send a responsive chat or voice message type communication responsive to the received communication via the Internet to the communication device.

43. The server of claim 42, which is configured to use natural language recognition operations to process the received communication, and which includes the artificial intelligence module configured to cause the responsive chat or voice message type communication to simulate communication with a human.

44. The server of claim 42, wherein:

(a) the at least one memory device stores a list of commands and a plurality of different rules, each rule invokable as a result of detection of at least one of a plurality of different event characteristics;

(b) the execution of the code associated with the detected event characteristic is caused by the invocation of at least one of the rules;

(c) the plurality of different event characteristics includes at least;

(i) a who telecommunication event characteristic that identifies a source of the received communication detected by the monitoring component, and (ii) a when telecommunication event characteristic that identifies a time the received communication was received.

45. The server of claim 44, wherein:

(a) the plurality of different event characteristics includes at least a where telecommunication event characteristic that identifies an information related to a location of a source of the received communication detected by the monitoring component;

(b) the detected event characteristic is pushed by the communication subsystem to the communication monitoring component, the event characteristic being one of the who telecommunication event characteristic and the when telecommunication event characteristic;

(c) the server is further configured to invoke at least part of the list of commands to pull any additional required event characteristics of the received communication from the communications subsystem;

(d) the server is further configured to invoke at least part of the list of commands to compare the pushed and any additional pulled required event characteristics to event characteristics included in the stored rules to determine whether the pushed and any required pulled event characteristics match a situation included in one of the stored rules; and

(e) the server is further configured to invoke at least part of the list of commands to transmit in real time to the communications device the responsive chat or voice message type communication.

46. The server of claim 45, which is configured to at least provide a module to enable a user of the communication device to manage at least part of the operation of the invoked rule, and wherein the management is via direct manipulation of at least part of a database record corresponding to at least one of the rules.

47. The server of claim 46, wherein the communication device is a portable communication device.

48. The server of claim 47, wherein the communication device includes a text input mechanism, a graphic display, and a communications subsystem for email message type communications.

49. A method for causing a configuration of a set of rules invokable by a server wherein:

the server comprises;

at least one processor; and

at least one memory device that stores a plurality of instructions, which when executed by the at least one processor, enables the server to;

i. exchange communications via the Internet with a communication device containing a data processor coupled to a memory, a voice input subsystem, an audio output subsystem, and communications subsystems for at least voice type communications and chat message type communications; and

ii. provide;

(a) a server communications subsystem configured to exchange at least chat or voice message type communications via the Internet with the communication device,

(b) a response component, and

(c) a server communications monitoring component configured to monitor incoming communications received by the communications subsystem, and

for each of a plurality of incoming communications received by the communication subsystem;

(i) cause the server communications monitoring component to determine if the received communication is of a designated chat or voice message type communication, and if so, in real time detect an event characteristic of the received communication, and

(ii) cause the response component to use an artificial intelligence module to automatically perform a response action associated with the received communication, the response component responsive in real time to the detected event characteristic of the received communication, and the response component configured to cause execution of code associated with the detected event characteristic of the received communication to simulate communication with a human,

wherein the execution of the code causes the server to at least send a responsive chat or voice message type communication responsive to the received communication via the Internet to the communication device,

wherein the at least one memory device stores a list of commands and a plurality of different rules, each rule invokable as a result of detection of at least one of a plurality of different event characteristics,

wherein the execution of the code associated with the detected event characteristic is caused by the invocation of at least one of the rules of the set of rules, and

wherein the set of rules is configurable;

said method comprising;

causing the set of rules to be configured by creating or modifying at least one of the rules of the set of rules; and

causing said configured set of rules to be stored on the at least one memory device.

50. The method of claim 49, wherein the server is configured to use natural language recognition operations to process the received communication, and which includes the artificial intelligence module configured to cause the responsive chat or voice message type communication to simulate communication with a human.

51. The method of claim 49, wherein:

(a) the creation or modification of the at least one of the rules of the set of rules is caused by a user of the server;

(b) the creation or modification of the at least one of the rules of the set of rules is caused by a user of the communication device;

(c) the creation or modification of the at least one of the rules of the set of rules is directly caused by a user of the server;

or

(d) the creation or modification of the at least one of the rules of the set of rules is directly caused by a user of the communication device.

52. The method of claim 51, wherein the plurality of different event characteristics includes at least:

(a) a who telecommunication event characteristic that identifies a source of the received communication detected by the monitoring component, and (b) a when telecommunication event characteristic that identifies a time the received communication was received.

53. The method of claim 52, wherein:

(a) the plurality of different event characteristics includes at least a where telecommunication event characteristic that identifies information related to a location of a source of the received communication detected by the monitoring component;

(b) the detected event characteristic is pushed by the communication subsystem to the communication monitoring component, the event characteristic being one of the who telecommunication event characteristic and the when telecommunication event characteristic;

(c) the server is further configured to invoke at least part of the list of commands to pull any additional required event characteristics of the received communication from the communications subsystem;

(d) the server is further configured to invoke at least part of the list of commands to compare the pushed and any additional pulled required event characteristics to event characteristics included in the stored rules to determine whether the pushed and any required pulled event characteristics match a situation included in one of the stored rules; and

(e) the server is further configured to invoke at least part of the list of commands to transmit in real time to the communications device the responsive chat or voice message type communication.

54. The method of claim 53, which includes enabling a user of the communication device to use a module to manage at least part of the operation of the invoked rule, and wherein the management is via direct manipulation of at least part of a database record corresponding to at least one of the rules.

55. The method of claim 54, wherein the communication device is a portable communication device.

56. The method of claim 55, wherein the communication device includes a text input mechanism, a graphic display, and a communications subsystem for email message type communications.

57. An apparatus comprising:

one or more computer processors; and

one or more memory devices having encoded logic for execution by the one or more computer processors, which when executed causes the one or more computer processors to;

access a rule configured to be applied to an instant message, the rule including an action to perform based at least in part on content of the instant message;

receive the instant message;

recognize content of the received instant message;

apply, by the one or more computer processors, a condition of the accessed rule to the recognized content of the received instant message to determine if the action for the accessed rule should be performed; and

perform the action if the condition of the accessed rule is satisfied, said action including automatically sending a responsive chat message type communication responsive to the instant message using an artificial intelligence module configured to cause the responsive chat message type communication to simulate communication with a human.

58. The apparatus of claim 57, wherein the accessed rule is from a set of configurable rules, and wherein the logic encoded in the one or more memory devices, when executed causes the one or more computer processors to cause the set of rules to be configured by creating or modifying at least one of the rules of the set of rules.

59. The apparatus of claim 58, wherein:

(a) the creation or modification of the at least one of the rules of the set of rules is caused by a user of the apparatus;

(b) the creation or modification of the at least one of the rules of the set of rules is caused by a user of a portable communication device;

(c) the creation or modification of the at least one of the rules of the set of rules is directly caused by a user of the apparatus;

or

(d) the creation or modification of the at least one of the rules of the set of rules is directly caused by a user of a portable communication device.