Automated and interactive telecommunications system

• US 6,249,809 B1
• Filed: 03/04/1998
• Issued: 06/19/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 08/30/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: William L. Bro
• Original Assignee: William L. Bro
• Inventors: Bro, William L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Rinehart, Mark H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): KANG, PAUL H
• Application Number:
  US09/034,271
• Time in Patent Office: 1,203 Days
• Field of Search: 709/217, 600/545, 379/106.02, 379/92, 379/93, 379/38, 128/732
• US Class Current: 709/217
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 80/00 ICT specially adapted for facilitating communication between medical practitioners or patients, e.g. for collaborative diagnosis, therapy or health monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/00 Telephonic communication systems specially adapted for combination with other electrical systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/40 using speech recognition speech recognition per se G10L15/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42221 Conversation recording systems at the subscriber's set H04M1/656
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/493 Interactive information services, e.g. directory enquiries ; Arrangements therefor, e.g. interactive voice response [IVR] systems or voice portals
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5158 in combination with automated outdialling systems devices for signalling identity of wanted subscriber H04M1/26

Abstract

An automated and interactive system that allows a physician, counselor, teacher, employer or trainer to produce and send information, messages and/or questions to, or to elicit responses or information from, a client, patient, employee or student. The system consists of a client database and a client program that includes for each client individual information. The database and program are operated by a central computer that has the capability to, at preselected or delayed time periods, send messages, information and/or questions to the client through the use of a variety of transmission means. The client is provided a message retrieval system having a visual indication that a message is waiting to be retrieved. The client'"'"'s telecommunication system also has an automatic dialer, such as a one-button dialer, which will automatically connect the client to the central computer, to make it extremely simple for the client to communicate to the central computer via telecommunications to listen and interact with the message, information or questions. The message retrieval system may be connected through the client'"'"'s telephone, television, computer or any other telecommunications system, and the message may be in an audio, video or text mode.

Claims

1. An automated and interactive informational system comprising:

a) means for creating and retrieving a client database;

b) means for creating and retrieving a client program that includes for each client either specific messages, information or questions;

c) computer means for accessing said client database and said client program, said computer producing in sequence, a telecommunication address, a digital client validation request signal and one of either a digital message, question or information that are only sent if the client validation request signal is responded to by the client with a valid response signal;

d) means for converting the digital signals produced by said computer to telecommunication signals that are sent to a client'"'"'s telecommunications interface in response to the client'"'"'s validation response signal;

e) means for converting the telecommunication signals originating at the client'"'"'s telecommunications interface, to digital signals for application and processing by said computer;

f) means comprising a light ar illuminated icon associated with said client'"'"'s telecommunications interface to visually indicate that a message is waiting or information is available.

2. The system of claim 1 further comprising means associated with the client telecommunication interface to automatically access said computer.

3. The system of claim 2 in which said means to automatically access said computer is a one-button dialer.

4. The system of claim 1 further comprising means for recording all outgoing and incoming client communications.

5. The system of claim 1 further comprising interactive voice response means providing selection from a menu of choices, which activate a remote host server computer to interconnect said client to either of a physician, nurse, manager or teacher who responds in live or recorded manner.

6. The system of claim 1 further comprising means to access databases other than said remote computer.

7. The system of claim 1 further comprising an audio message-waiting signal in addition to the visual signal.

8. The system of claim 1 further comprising interface means for monitoring of medical conditions.

9. The system of claim 1 further comprising a smart card reader associated with said message-waiting means.

10. The system of claim 1 further comprising processor means, associated with said message-waiting means, for storage and processing information.

11. The system of claim 1 further comprising automatic upload/download means for transmitting information in either direction.

12. The system of claim 1 further comprising infrared sensor means, associated with said message-waiting means, for communication with infrared sensor devices.

13. The system of claim 2 in which said automatic dialing means comprises a one-button dialer connected to a telephone line, television remote control device, mouse or television set-top box.

14. The system of claim 1 in which said message-waiting means is a visual message on the client'"'"'s television set or an E-mail message on the client'"'"'s computer.

15. The system of claim 1 in which said message-waiting means is a visual indicator on the client'"'"'s telephone, one-button dialer, television remote control, television set-top box, television screen, or screen-telephone screen.

16. The system of claim 1 further comprising voice recognition means.

17. The system of claim 1 further comprising paging means to notify the client of a message waiting.

18. The system of claim 1 further comprising means for video monitoring of said client.

19. The system of claim 2 in which said means to automatically access said remote computer is an icon on the personal computer, television or screen-phone screen interface.

20. The system of claim 1 further comprising means to provide the visual message-waiting indicator with intelligent beeps or colors to indicate the urgency of the message.

21. The system of claim 1 further comprising means to connect the client to a live operator.

22. The system of claim 1 further comprising means for the client to record a message.

23. The system of claim 1 further comprising means for the client to use a wallet-sized card containing an identification number and a personal voice-mail telephone number, E-mail or web site address.

24. An automated and interactive informational system comprising:

a) means for creating and retrieving a client database;

b) means for creating and retrieving a client program that includes for each client either specific messages, information or questions;

c) computer means for accessing said client database and said client program, said computer producing in sequence, a telecommunication address, a digital client validation request signal and one of either a digital message, question or information that are only sent if the client validation request signal is responded to by the client with a valid response signal;

d) means for converting the digital signals produced by said computer to telecommunication signals that are sent to a client'"'"'s telecommunications interface in response to the client'"'"'s validation response signal;

e) means for converting the telecommunication signals originating at the client'"'"'s telecommunications interface, to digital signals for application and processing by said computer;

f) means comprising a light or illuminated icon associated with said client'"'"'s telecommunications interface to visually indicate that a message is waiting or information is available;

g) means associated with the client telecommunications interface to automatically access said computer.

25. The system of claim 24 further comprising means for the client to use a wallet-sized card containing an identification number and a personal voice-mail telephone number, E-mail or web site address.

26. The system of claim 24 in which said means to automatically access said computer is a one-button dialer.

27. The system of claim 24 further comprising an audio message-waiting signal in addition to the visual signal.

28. The system of claim 26 in which said one-button dialer is connected to a telephone line, television remote control device, mouse or television set-top box.

29. The system of claim 24 in which said message-waiting means is a visual message on the client'"'"'s television set or an E-mail message on the client'"'"'s computer.

30. The system of claim 24 in which said message-waiting means is a visual indicator on the client'"'"'s telephone, one-button dialer, television remote control, television set-top box, television screen, or screen-telephone screen.

31. The system of claim 24 in which said means to automatically access said remote computer is an icon on the personal computer, television or screen-phone screen interface.

32. The system of claim 24 in which the client'"'"'s telecommunications interface provides access to on-line magazines, services and browsers.

33. The system of claim 24 further comprising means to automatically download information, messages or questions, in non real-time, to a client'"'"'s telecommunications system.