Patent ID: 8195752
Filing Date: 2012-06-05
Classification: G06Q,H04L,H04M

Abstract:
1. A non-transitory computer readable medium including programming instructions executed by a computer for scheduling and transmitting messages comprising: storing a plurality of audio files in an audio database; generating a schedule of queued audio messages, each queued audio message including at least one of the plurality of audio files, wherein each queued audio message comprises a plurality of different attributes, the schedule being generated based on the plurality of different attributes, and one of the plurality of different attributes being a priority level of the associated message; transmitting at least one of the queued audio messages based on the schedule; reconfiguring the schedule based on a user interaction, including utilizing the plurality of audio files to generate an ad-hoc audio message from the plurality of audio files based on the user interaction, wherein the ad-hoc audio message is a composite audio message including a plurality of component audio files combined to create the ad-hoc audio message, and reconfiguring the schedule to include the ad-hoc audio message based on the priority level of the ad-hoc audio message; and delivering the queued audio messages and the ad-hoc audio message in accordance with the reconfigured schedule, wherein the queued audio messages and the ad-hoc audio message are played to a store environment for in-store customers, and wherein delivering the queued and ad-hoc audio messages in accordance with the reconfigured schedule includes: checking for queued and ad-hoc audio messages that are due and processing the due audio messages if appropriate, including determining if feedback is requested, obtaining the requested feedback from at least one of the in-store customers, and processing the requested feedback, and checking for overdue messages and processing the overdue messages if appropriate, including: determining if one or more overdue messages should be currently played; processing the one or more overdue messages as due audio messages if the one or more overdue messages are to be currently played; determining if the one or more overdue messages should be rescheduled; modifying the attributes of the overdue messages that are rescheduled; determining if there are other overdue actions associated with the overdue messages that are rescheduled; and executing the other overdue actions if appropriate.