Direct interaction between a user and a communication network

• US 9,451,434 B2
• Filed: 11/27/2013
• Issued: 09/20/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 11/27/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Baldwin, Christopher, Barnes, Bruce, Heinmiller, Wayne R., Kenny, Patrick, Khoshaba, Shadi, Mallian, Dolores J., Marathe, Nikhil S., Stahulak, Charles M., Towster, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): To, Jennifer
• Assistant Examiner(s): Xia, Xuyang
• Application Number:
  US14/091,894
• Publication Number:
  US 20150148013A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,028 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/017 Gesture based interaction, e.g. based on a set of recognized hand gestures interaction based on gestures traced on a digitiser G06F3/04883
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/048 Interaction techniques based on graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/16 Sound input; Sound output speech processing G10L
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/535 Tracking the activity of the user network monitoring arrangements H04L43/00; recording of computer activity G06F11/34
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/08 Protocols for interworking; Protocol conversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/08 Testing, supervising or monitoring using real traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/16 Communication-related supplementary services, e.g. call-transfer or call-hold
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/90 Services for handling of emergency or hazardous situations, e.g. earthquake and tsunami warning systems [ETWS]

Abstract

A mechanism is provided for direct interaction between an individual and a communication network. Captured data is received of the individual in an environment to be analyzed by a network management computer. The data is captured by network sensors. The network management computer determines that the individual is a subscriber to services of the communication network by identifying the subscriber from the data that has been captured. The subscriber is registered with a network carrier that operates and provides the services on the communication network. The data is obtained without assistance from a subscriber owned device providing the data. The data is analyzed to interpret commands when presented by the subscriber via the network sensors. The commands include gesture commands from the subscriber. An action is performed for the subscriber based on the commands.

Claims

1. A method of direct interaction between an individual and a communication network, the method comprising:

receiving data captured of the individual in an environment to be analyzed by a network management computer, the data being captured by network sensors;

determining by the network management computer that the individual is a subscriber to services of the communication network by identifying the subscriber from the data that has been captured;

wherein the subscriber is registered with a network carrier that operates and provides the services on the communication network; and

wherein the data is obtained without assistance from a subscriber owned device providing the data;

analyzing the data to interpret commands when presented by the subscriber via the network sensors;

wherein the commands comprise gesture commands from the subscriber;

performing an action for the subscriber based on the commands;

connecting, by the network management computer, to a business output device and a business sensor of a business entity to communicate with the subscriber when the subscriber is determined to be in a vicinity of the business output device and the business sensor;

wherein the business entity having the business output device and the business sensor has previously registered for the services in order to allow the network management computer to communicate with the subscriber and capture the data of the subscriber via the business output device and the business sensor of the business entity;

responsive to the subscriber being in the vicinity of the business output device, displaying text, images, and video on a display screen of the business output device to communicate a message directed to the subscriber by interrupting a business advertisement presented on the business output device;

responsive to the subscriber being in the vicinity of the business output device, projecting audio through speakers of the business output device to communicate the message directed to the subscriber; and

responsive to the subscriber no longer being in the vicinity of the business entity, discontinuing the message directed to the subscriber through the business output device of the business entity to allow the business advertisement to resume being presented on the business output device.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising coordinated tracking of the subscriber moving through the environment based on the network sensors capturing the data of the subscriber;

analyzing the data of the subscriber in the environment to interpret intent of the subscriber without the subscriber presenting the commands over the network sensors;

based on interpreting the intent of the subscriber, determining inferred actions to perform on behalf of the subscriber when the subscriber has not presented the commands over the network sensors; and

performing the inferred actions on behalf of the subscriber based on the intent interpreted.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising directing the subscriber to a location of a nearest network output device in order to communicate a request for confirmation of the intent of the subscriber when the nearest network output device is not in an immediate vicinity of the subscriber;

and

confirming the intent to the subscriber through the nearest network output device.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the network sensors, through which the data is captured, are not owned and operated by the subscriber;

and

wherein the nearest network output device, through which the request for confirmation is output, is not owned and operated by the subscriber.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the intent is inferred without instructions of the commands from the subscriber;

wherein analysis for determining the intent of the subscriber is based on a model created from the data previously captured over a time period for the subscriber.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the model of the subscriber is based on historical records, trends, habits, and mannerisms of the subscriber.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the model is utilized as a comparison to interpret the commands presented by the subscriber over the network sensors.

8. The method of claim 2, wherein coordinated tracking of the subscriber moving through the environment based on the network sensors capturing the data of the subscriber comprises identifying the subscriber at different locations via corresponding network sensors;

based on a model of past behavior for the subscriber, determining messages, phone calls, and changes in schedule as actions that need to be performed on behalf of the subscriber without the subscriber presenting the commands to the network sensors.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the model of the past behavior for the subscriber is utilized to determine that the subscriber has a condition of the following:

delayed in timing, ahead of time, involved in an emergency, and an anomaly in subscriber pattern;

determining that the condition of the subscriber requires communication to predefined recipients.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein determining that the individual is the subscriber to the services of the communication network by identifying the subscriber from the data that has been captured comprises identifying the subscriber by facial recognition, gait recognition, speech pattern recognition, voice recognition, and bio-morph identification recognition.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the environment includes multiple homes registered for the services that utilize network output devices and the network sensors;

wherein the environment includes a city registered for the services that utilizes the network output devices and the network sensors dispersed at various locations throughout streets of the city.

12. An apparatus comprising:

a processor; and

a memory comprising computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations for direct interaction between an individual and a communication network, the operations comprising;

receiving data of the individual in an environment to be analyzed, the data being captured by network sensors;

determining that the individual is a subscriber to services of the communication network by identifying the subscriber from the data that has been captured;

wherein the subscriber is registered with a network carrier that operates and provides the services on the communication network; and

wherein the data is obtained without assistance from a subscriber owned device providing the data;

analyzing the data to interpret commands when presented by the subscriber via the network sensors;

wherein the commands comprise gesture commands from the subscriber;

performing an action for the subscriber based on the commands;

connecting, by the network management computer, to a business output device and a business sensor of a business entity to communicate with the subscriber when the subscriber is determined to be in a vicinity of the business output device and the business sensor;

wherein the business entity having the business output device and the business sensor has previously registered for the services in order to allow the network management computer to communicate with the subscriber and capture the data of the subscriber via the business output device and the business sensor of the business entity;

responsive to the subscriber being in the vicinity of the business output device, displaying text, images, and video on a display screen of the business output device to communicate a message directed to the subscriber by interrupting a business advertisement presented on the business output device;

responsive to the subscriber being in the vicinity of the business output device, proiecting audio through speakers of the business output device to communicate the message directed to the subscriber; and

responsive to the subscriber no longer being in the vicinity of the business entity, discontinuing the message directed to the subscriber through the business output device of the business entity to allow the business advertisement to resume being presented on the business output device.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the operations further comprise coordinated tracking of the subscriber moving through the environment based on the network sensors capturing the data of the subscriber;

analyzing the data of the subscriber in the environment to interpret intent of the subscriber without the subscriber presenting the commands over the network sensors;

based on interpreting the intent of the subscriber, determining inferred actions to perform on behalf of the subscriber when the subscriber has not presented the commands over the network sensors; and

performing the inferred actions on behalf of the subscriber based on the intent interpreted.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the operations further comprise directing the subscriber to a location of a nearest network output device in order to communicate a request for confirmation of the intent of the subscriber when the nearest network output device is not in an immediate vicinity of the subscriber;

and

confirming the intent to the subscriber through the nearest network output device.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the network sensors, through which the data is captured, are not owned and operated by the subscriber;

and

wherein the nearest network output device, through which the request for confirmation is output, is not owned and operated by the subscriber.

16. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the intent is inferred without instructions of the commands from the subscriber;

and

wherein analysis for determining the intent of the subscriber is based on a model created from the data previously captured over a time period for the subscriber.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the model of the subscriber is based on historical records, trends, habits, and mannerisms of the subscriber.

18. A computer program product, tangibly embodied on a non-transitory computer readable medium, for direct interaction between an individual and a communication network, the computer program product including instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

receiving data captured of the individual in an environment to be analyzed, the data being captured by network sensors;

determining that the individual is a subscriber to services of the communication network by identifying the subscriber from the data that has been captured;

wherein the subscriber is registered with a network carrier that operates and provides the services on the communication network; and

wherein the data is obtained without assistance from a subscriber owned device and without the subscriber owned device providing the data;

analyzing the data to interpret commands when presented by the subscriber via the network sensors;

wherein the commands comprise gesture commands from the subscriber;

performing an action for the subscriber based on the commands;

connecting, by the network management computer, to a business output device and a business sensor of a business entity to communicate with the subscriber when the subscriber is determined to be in a vicinity of the business output device and the business sensor;

wherein the business entity having the business output device and the business sensor has previously registered for the services in order to allow the network management computer to communicate with the subscriber and capture the data of the subscriber via the business output device and the business sensor of the business entity;

responsive to the subscriber being in the vicinity of the business output device, displaying text, images, and video on a display screen of the business output device to communicate a message directed to the subscriber by interrupting a business advertisement presented on the business output device;

responsive to the subscriber being in the vicinity of the business output device, projecting audio through speakers of the business output device to communicate the message directed to the subscriber; and

responsive to the subscriber no longer being in the vicinity of the business entity, discontinuing the message directed to the subscriber through the business output device of the business entity to allow the business advertisement to resume being presented on the business output device.

19. The computer program product of claim 18, wherein the operations further comprise coordinated tracking of the subscriber moving through the environment based on the network sensors capturing the data of the subscriber;

analyzing the data of the subscriber in the environment to interpret intent of the subscriber without the subscriber presenting the commands over the network sensors;

based on interpreting the intent of the subscriber, determining inferred actions to perform on behalf of the subscriber when the subscriber has not presented the commands over the network sensors; and

performing the inferred actions on behalf of the subscriber based on the intent interpreted.