Abstract:
The present invention discloses methods and systems for providing remote reminders and scheduling. The method includes retrieving a record in a database, which is disposed in a first location. The method also includes initiating a call to a first telephone in response to the record and transmitting a first signal to the first telephone. The first signal correlates to the record. The first telephone is disposed in a second location, which is remote from the first location.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    The invention generally relates to systems and methods for providing remote telephonic scheduling reminders.  
         BACKGROUND  
         [0002]    Many systems and methods are known to keep track of schedules, tasks, and appointments. The most basic of these includes recording information on scraps of paper or Post-It Notes®, commonly referred to as “yellow stickies,” and adhering the “stickies” to a surface one is likely to view regularly, such as a desktop, computer monitor screen, or even a refrigerator door. Relying on yellow stickies to keep an appointment, however, requires one to be cognizant of the information recorded on the stickies. Thus, one cannot simply record the scheduling information and keep the appointment without further involvement.  
           [0003]    There are many commercially-available pre-printed calendars or date books in which individuals can keep track of schedules, tasks, and appointments. While these date books are more sophisticated, or at least provide greater organization of information than yellow stickies, they nonetheless suffer from the same deficiency. That is, to keep an appointment users of date books cannot simply record the scheduling information without further involvement from the user. Rather, to keep an appointment, date books require one to be cognizant of the information recorded in the date book.  
           [0004]    Electronic personal digital assistants (PDAs), personal computers (PCs), and mobile telephones allow one to keep an appointment only by recording the scheduling information into the device. These electronic devices can provide an automatic reminder of the appointment to the user, usually in the form of sound or sensation. While electronic scheduling devices allow one to keep an appointment without being cognizant of the information entered into the device, their effectiveness is limited in that the user must carry the device or have the device in relatively close proximity to feel or hear its automatic reminder. The effectiveness of these electronic devices is further limited in that certain individuals do not make use of these devices. Such individuals include, for example, unsophisticated users, technophobes, and those who may not be able to afford these devices.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0005]    The present invention comprises systems and methods for providing remote telephonic scheduling reminders. That is, the telephone providing the scheduling reminder is located in a location separate and remote from the database in which the scheduling information is located.  
           [0006]    Embodiments of the present invention may take a wide variety of forms. In one exemplary embodiment a method includes retrieving a record in a database. The database is disposed in a first location. The method also includes initiating a call to a first telephone in response to the record and transmitting a first signal to the first telephone. The first telephone is disposed in a second location, which is remote from the first location. The first signal correlates to the record. In another exemplary embodiment, the method includes creating the record in the database.  
           [0007]    Another exemplary embodiment includes a computer-readable medium. The computer readable medium has instructions that cause a processor to perform certain steps. These steps include retrieving a record in a database, which is disposed in a first location. The steps also include initiating a call to a first telephone in response to the record and transmitting a first signal to the first telephone. The first telephone is disposed in a second location, which is remote from the first location. The first signal correlates to the record.  
           [0008]    In a further exemplary embodiment, a system includes a plurality of communication devices disposed in a first location, a communication network connected to the plurality of communication devices, a processor connected to the communication network, and a database connected to the processor. The database is disposed in a second location, which is remote from the first location. The processor is operative to retrieve a record in the database, initiate a call to one of the plurality of communication devices in response to the record, and transmit a signal to the one of the plurality of communication devices. The signal correlates to the record.  
           [0009]    These exemplary embodiments are mentioned not to summarize the invention, but to provide an example of an embodiment of the invention to aid understanding. Exemplary embodiments are discussed in the Detailed Description, and further description of the invention is provided there. Advantages offered by the various embodiments of the present invention may be understood by examining this specification. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0010]    The accompanying drawings, which constitute part of this specification, help to illustrate embodiments of the invention. In the drawings, like numerals are used to indicate like elements throughout.  
         [0011]    [0011]FIG. 1 is a schematic of a system according to an embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 2 is a schematic of the Advanced Intelligent Network of FIG. 1.  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 3 is a block diagram of an embodiment of a method according to the present invention.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0014]    Embodiments of the present invention include systems for providing remote telephonic scheduling reminders. FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a system  100  according to an embodiment of the present invention. The system  100  is preferably implemented in an existing public switched telephone network (PSTN), which includes a plurality of interconnected switches, only one of which is shown, i.e., service switching point (SSP)  120 . The system  100  includes a plurality of communication devices  110 ,  111 ,  112 ,  114 , SSP  120 , a communications network  130 , an advanced intelligent network (AIN)  140 , and database  150 . Preferably, the communication devices include a first landline telephone  110 , a second landline telephone  111 , a mobile telephone  112 , and a computer  114 . Alternatively, any other suitable communication devices can be used. Moreover, any other suitable number of communication devices can be used.  
         [0015]    The landline telephones  110 ,  111 , the mobile telephone  112 , and the computer  114  are connected to the communications network  130 . The landline telephones  110 ,  111  are connected to the communications network  130  through the SSP  120 . The SSP  120  is linked to and provides local phone service to the landline telephones  110 ,  1   11  and the mobile telephone  112 .  
         [0016]    In the case of the landline telephones  110 ,  111  the link is a direct landline connection between the landline telephones  110 ,  111  and the SSP  120 . In the case of the mobile telephone  112 , the SSP  120  has an associated calling mobile switching center (not shown) connected through landline connections with at least one mobile base station (not shown) for establishing an airwave communication link with the mobile telephone  112 . In the case of the computer  114 , the link is preferably a direct landline connection with a modem (not shown) connected to the landline telephone  110 . Alternatively, the link between the computer  114  and the communications network  130  includes internet cable, satellite, or any other suitable link.  
         [0017]    The communications network  130  is preferably the PSTN. Alternatively, the communications network  130  includes the Internet, an intranet, a local area network (LAN), or a wide area network (WAN). Alternatively, any other suitable network can be used. The communications network  130  connects to AIN  140 .  
         [0018]    AIN components (not shown), suitable for implementing the present embodiment are commercially available and are known to those skilled in the art. AIN components can implement computer readable media (not shown) as known to those skilled in the art. One of the AIN components is an AIN switch that routes calls, recognizes and responds to triggers, and generates queries to obtain call information. AIN  140  preferably includes a network element (not shown) that transfers signaling communications in response to signaling protocols as presently known to those skilled in the art. The network element of AIN  140  enables communication between input devices  110 ,  111 ,  112 ,  114  and the communications network  130 .  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 2 shows a schematic of AIN  140  according to an embodiment of the present invention. In addition to that described above, AIN  140  includes a bus  141  or other communications medium for communicating information among the components and a processor  142  coupled to bus  141  that processes information. The processor  142  can be any suitable processor or microprocessor that interprets and executes instructions, such as a microprocessor, an Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC), and state machines.  
         [0020]    AIN  140  also includes a Random Access Memory (RAM) or other dynamic storage device  143  (i.e., main memory), coupled to bus  141 , that stores information and instructions to be executed by processor  142 . Main memory  143  also stores temporary variables or other intermediate information used during execution of instructions by processor  142 .  
         [0021]    AIN  140  also includes a Read Only Memory (ROM) and/or other storage device  140  coupled to bus  141 , that stores static information and instructions for processor  142 . A data storage device  145  can be coupled to bus  141  to store information and instructions. One embodiment of a suitable computer-readable medium includes an electronic, optical, magnetic, or other storage or transmission device capable of providing processor  142  with computer-readable instructions. Other examples of suitable media include, but are not limited to, a floppy disk, CD-ROM, magnetic disk, memory chip, ROM, RAM, ASIC, configured processor, all optical media, all magnetic tape or other magnetic media, or any other medium from which a computer processor can read. Also, various other forms of computer-readable media may transmit or carry instructions to a computer, including a router, private or public network, or other transmission device or channel.  
         [0022]    AIN  140  also includes a network database  146 , and a local database  147 . The network database  146  stores data related to callers, including associated telephone numbers. Such databases are known in the art. Processor  142  is directly connected to bus  141  to retrieve relevant information from network database  146 . In this embodiment, processor  142  is also connected to bus  141  to retrieve relevant information from local database  147 .  
         [0023]    AIN  140  also includes a communication interface  148 , which may include any transceiver-like mechanism that enables AIN  140  to communicate with other devices in system  100 .  
         [0024]    Referring again to FIG. 1, AIN  140  is connected to database  150 . Database  150  are remote from communication devices  110 ,  111 ,  112 , and  114 . Preferably, database  150  includes a series of records having pre-recorded messages. For example, database  150  includes records having messages such as, “it is time to take your medication,” “please return the rented videotape,” and “your library books are due back.” 
         [0025]    Database  150  can include any suitable pre-recorded message. Alternatively, instead of messages, database  150  can include distinct telephonic rings. Local database  147  includes records having messages created by the user. While there virtually is no limit to what type of messages can be created, such messages can include, for example, “John, it&#39;s time to wake up,” “appointment with Dr. Smith in half-an-hour,” and “time to take second daily dose of blood pressure medication.” 
         [0026]    AIN  140  enables a user to create a schedule of appointments, tasks, and reminders. According to one embodiment, the user dials a pre-determined phone number on any of communication devices  110 ,  111 , or  112 . Alternatively, the user can type-in a predetermined internet website address on communication device  114 . Processor  142  receives information from the user transmitted from any of the communication devices  110 ,  111 ,  112 , or  114 . The signals received by processor  142  cause processor  142  to execute sequences of instructions contained in memory  143 .  
         [0027]    Such instructions may be read into memory  143  from another computer-readable medium, such as data storage device  145 , or from a separate device via communication interface  148 . Execution of the sequences of instructions contained in memory  143  causes processor  142  to perform the process steps that will be described below. In alternative embodiments, hardwired circuitry may be used in place of or in combination with software instructions to implement the present invention. Thus, the present invention is not limited to any specific combination of hardware circuitry and software.  
         [0028]    [0028]FIG. 3 shows an embodiment of a method  200  of providing remote telephonic scheduling reminders according to an embodiment of the present invention. The method  200  may be employed by the landline telephone  110  described above, and items shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 are referred to in describing FIG. 3 to aid understanding of the embodiment  200  shown. However, embodiments of methods according to the present invention may be employed on a wide variety of devices, in addition to those shown in FIG. 1.  
         [0029]    Referring to FIG. 3, as indicated in step  210 , a caller calls a pre-determined phone number using landline telephone  110 . The next step  220  in the method shown  200  comprises identifying the caller. As described above, processor  142  can compare the calling number with a list of customer telephone numbers in network database  146 . Step  230  comprises determining whether the caller is a subscriber to the telephone reminder service. Preferably, the caller is required to enter a telephone number and a personal identification number (PIN). Alternatively, any other suitable means of verifying whether a caller is a subscriber to the service can be used. If the caller is not a subscriber, step  240  in the method  200  shows that the processor  142  directs the caller to contact customer service to subscribe to the telephone reminder service.  
         [0030]    If the caller is a subscriber, step  250  describes the processor  142  prompting the subscriber to enter scheduling information. Preferably, the subscriber is prompted to enter scheduling information by commercially available voice menus. Alternatively, any other suitable menus can be used, including web-based graphical user interfaces (GUI). The subscriber is prompted to enter scheduling information based on date, time, occasion, such as a birthday or national holiday, or any other suitable combination.  
         [0031]    As described in step  260 , the communication device, e.g., the landline telephone  110 , transmits a signal to the processor  142 . The signal is preferably generated by depressing keys on the telephone keypad or keyboard. Alternatively, the signal can be generated by the subscriber speaking into a telephone. As shown in step  270 , the processor receives the signal. According to step  280 , the signal indicates whether the subscriber desires to select a pre-recorded message or to record a custom message. Alternatively, the subscriber can select distinct available telephonic rings or tones.  
         [0032]    If the signal indicates that the message is not pre-recorded, the subscriber is directed to record a custom message in step  290  shown in the method  200 . Otherwise, as shown in step  300 , the processor selects a record from a database, e.g., database  150 , associated with a pre-recorded message. Once the scheduling information has been selected and an associated message, a record with this information is created in a database, e.g., local database  147 .  
         [0033]    As shown in step  320 , processor  142  will determine periodically whether the record condition in the database has been met. If not, the processor  142  will continue to check at a predetermined frequency. When the condition has been met, the processor  142 , as shown in step  330 , will retrieve the record from the database.  
         [0034]    Step  340  shows that the processor then initiates a call to a communication device. Preferably, the communication device called is the same device from which the subscriber called to create the schedule reminder, e.g., landline telephone  110 . Alternatively, the communication device called can be any other communication device, e.g., landline telephone  111 , or mobile telephone  112 . The processor transmits a signal to the communication device. The signal corresponds to the record in the database and rings the telephone with the chosen ring or plays the pre-recorded or custom message when the call is picked up.  
         [0035]    While the present invention has been disclosed with reference to certain embodiments, numerous modifications, alterations, and changes to the described embodiments are possible without departing from the sphere and scope of the present invention, as defined by the appended claims. Accordingly, it is intended that the present invention not be limited to the described embodiments, but that it has the full scope defined by the language of the following claims, and equivalents thereof.