Source: http://www.google.com/patents/US20030013438?dq=6,654,957
Timestamp: 2015-09-02 04:35:39
Document Index: 409391672

Matched Legal Cases: ['art. 3', 'art. 9', 'art. 12', 'art. 17', 'art. 18', 'art. 20', 'art. 21', 'art. 22', 'art. 24']

Patent US20030013438 - Pocket concierge system and method - Google PatentsSearch Images Maps Play YouTube News Gmail Drive More »Sign inAdvanced Patent SearchPatentsThe Pocket Concierge Method and System comprises at least one call center, digital communications networks, at least one multimedia wireless terminal in which the primary user interface is not a keypad or keyboard, and navigational, informational, commercial, and communications services tailored to mobile...http://www.google.com/patents/US20030013438?utm_source=gb-gplus-sharePatent US20030013438 - Pocket concierge system and methodAdvanced Patent SearchPublication numberUS20030013438 A1Publication typeApplicationApplication numberUS 10/201,916Publication dateJan 16, 2003Filing dateJul 22, 2002Priority dateJul 12, 2001Publication number10201916, 201916, US 2003/0013438 A1, US 2003/013438 A1, US 20030013438 A1, US 20030013438A1, US 2003013438 A1, US 2003013438A1, US-A1-20030013438, US-A1-2003013438, US2003/0013438A1, US2003/013438A1, US20030013438 A1, US20030013438A1, US2003013438 A1, US2003013438A1InventorsGeorge DarbyOriginal AssigneeDarby George EugeneExport CitationBiBTeX, EndNote, RefManPatent Citations (5), Referenced by (105), Classifications (16) External Links: USPTO, USPTO Assignment, EspacenetPocket concierge system and method
I claim: 1. A method of providing information services, comprising: using a Call Center to provide multimedia applications selected from the group comprising navigational, informational, commercial, and communications services to at least one Pocket Part by means of a wireless digital network selected from the group comprising a mobile telephone network and a proximate area network; wherein the primary user interface on the Pocket Part is selected from the group comprising touch-sensitive display panel, voice recognition, soft keyboard, conversation with a person associated with the Call Center, and conversation with a software agent associated with the Call Center. 2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the provision of navigational services by: equipping a Pocket Part with a video camera with sensitivity and processing in a spectral range selected from the group comprising visible light, infrared, and multispectral; matching at the Call Center or a Network server the video output from the Pocket Part camera showing the locale of an end-user of the Pocket Part with a wireframe model of that locale sourced from a Call Center or Network server; superimposing the wireframe model on the video of the locale sourced from the end-user's Pocket Part; sourcing from the Call Center or Network server additional textual detail about features in the locale, and additional iconic and textual detail about navigating to points within the locale shown in the video sourced from the end-user's Pocket Part; superimposing the additional detail on the locale video with reference to features in the wireframe model to create a composite video; transmitting a composite video of locale video, wireframe model, and additional detail to the end-user's Pocket Part, and displaying the composite video on the display of the Pocket Part. 3. A method of providing information services, comprising: exchanging between a Pocket Part and a Call Center requests by a user of the Pocket Part and responses to those requests; wherein the primary user interface on the Pocket Part is selected from the group comprising touch-sensitive display panel, voice recognition, soft keyboard, conversation with a person associated with the Call Center, and conversation with a software agent associated with the Call Center; wherein the messages exchanged between the Pocket Part and the Call Center are in digital format and are via wireless transmission; and wherein an audio, user interface between the Pocket Part and the user of the Pocket Part is selected from the group comprising a wireless headset, wireless earset (an ear-mounted headphone and microphone with wireless transmit and receive connectivity to the Pocket Part), wired headset, and wired earset. 4. A method of providing information services, comprising: using a Pocket Part enrolled in an inventory tracking program resident on a Pocket Part asset management server interfaced with a serving Call Center; exchanging between the Pocket Part and the asset management server messages concerning asset management; exchanging between the Pocket Part and the Call Center requests by a user of the Pocket Part and responses to those requests; wherein the primary user interface on the Pocket Part is selected from the group comprising touch-sensitive display panel, voice recognition, soft keyboard, conversation with a person associated with the Call Center, and conversation with a software agent associated with the Call Center; wherein the messages exchanged between the Pocket Part and the Call Center are in digital format and are via wireless transmission; and wherein an audio, user interface between the Pocket Part and the user of the Pocket Part is selected from the group comprising a wireless headset, wireless earset (an ear-mounted headphone and microphone with wireless transmit and receive connectivity to the Pocket Part), wired headset, and wired earset. 5. The method of claim 3 or 4, further comprising: using wireline transmission as a backup transmission path between the Pocket Part and the Call Center when the Pocket Part is in a location where wireless service unavailable or unreliable. 6. The method of claim 3 or 4, further comprising: equipping the Pocket Part with a user interface selected from the group comprising eye goggle, tactile/skin pad, and video recognition. 7. The method of claim 3 or 4, further comprising: equipping the Pocket Part with a proximate area network interface; and using a proximate area network for local wireless communications between the Pocket Part and proximate area network nodes selected from the group comprising Point of Sale, Point of Offer, navigational, and inventory tracking. 8. The method of claim 3 or 4, further comprising: using a Network interfaced with the Call Center and with one ore more servers to provide services requested by a user of the Pocket Part. 9. The method of claim 3 or 4, further comprising: equipping the Pocket Part with a sensor selected from the group comprising medical sensors, environmental sensors, panic button, dosimeters, audio transducers, video transducers, and impact transducers; providing sensor output signals to a server interfaced with the Call Center; and dispatching assistance to a user of the Pocket Part based on analysis of the sensor output. 10. The method of claim 3 or 4, further comprising: equipping the Call Center with a means of natural language translation; and providing natural language translation of the messages exchanged between a user of the Pocket Part and a person selected from the group comprising a Call Center operator and a third party in communication with the Call Center over a Network. 11. The method of claim 3 or 4, further comprising: equipping the Pocket Part and the Call Center with a means for determining the geographic location of the Pocket Part and for exchanging geographic location messages between the Pocket Part and the Call Center; and presenting navigational instructions to a user of the Pocket Part based on the geographic location messages and on input by the user of the Pocket Part. 12. The method of claim 3 or 4, further comprising: periodically polling the location of each Pocket Part managed by an asset management server interfaced with the Call Center to determine compliance with predefined geographic limits of permitted use of the Pocket Part; and if a given Pocket Part is located outside the predefined geographic limits of permitted use of the Pocket Part, implementing a predefined response selected from the group comprising a warning that user functionality will be disabled unless the Pocket Part is returned to within permitted geographic limits, a warning that surcharges will be incurred while the Pocket Part is outside permitted geographic limits, disablement of user functionality of the Pocket Part, and surcharging the user for having the Pocket Part outside predefined geographic limits. 13. The method of claim 3 or 4, further comprising: determining the geographic location of the Pocket Part using a method selected from the group comprising RF triangulation, RF proximity detection via a proximate area network, announcements by the Pocket Part over a Network, and transaction history. 14. The method of claim 3 or 4, further comprising: equipping the Pocket Part with a button or menu selection that, when activated, causes an instant display on the Pocket Part of the location of the user and of other points of interest of types selected by the user in a given locale. 15. The method of claim 3 or 4, further comprising: enabling user functionality of the Pocket Part only so long as the Pocket Part receives a “keep alive” command from an asset management server interfaced with the Call Center. 16. The method of claim 3 or 4, further comprising: equipping the Pocket Part with an RF tag; detecting RF tags in proximity to an RF tag detector, and using messages between RF tag detectors and an inventory tracking program resident on an asset management server interfaced to the Call Center to track the location of the Pocket Part. 17. The method of claim 3 or 4, further comprising: equipping the Pocket Part and a server interfaced with the Call Center with application software tailored to industry sectors selected from the group comprising financial services, pharmaceuticals, sales force automation, security, engineering, construction, medical, manufacturing, extractive, legal, supply chain, distribution channel, retail sales, and travel industry; transmitting to the Pocket Part from the server in response to Pocket Part user or Call Center operator inquiry information responsive to such inquiry, wherein such responsive information is selected from the group comprising multimedia and single medium (audio, video, text, or graphics); and displaying such information on the Pocket Part. 18. The method of claim 3 or 4, further comprising: loading servers interfaced with the Call Center with information selected from the group comprising product information, destination information, service information, training, and educational information; providing resources selected from the group comprising persons, databases, and software agents, each with connectivity to the Call Center; and distributing to a Pocket Part information requested by a user of the Pocket Part and obtained from such resources; and presenting such information on the Pocket Part, wherein such presentation is selected from the group comprising multimedia and single medium (audio, video, text, or graphics). 19. The method of claim 3 or 4, further comprising: equipping the Call Center with a means for directory number translation (“follow me service”) so that voice, fax, video, and data calls intended for other network addresses (including telephone numbers) of a user of a Pocket Part are delivered to such user on the Pocket Part. 20. The method of claim 3 or 4, further comprising: equipping servers interfaced with the Call Center with a means for storing and forwarding messages and a means for message payload conversion; converting message payloads between formats selected from the group comprising voice and text; and forwarding messages in a format specified by a user of a Pocket Part to that user's Pocket Part. 21. The method of claim 3 or 4, further comprising: equipping servers interfaced with the Call Center with a means for storing and forwarding messages and a means for message payload conversion; converting message payloads between formats selected from the group comprising fax, graphics, and video; and forwarding messages in a format specified by a user of a Pocket Part to that user's Pocket Part. 22. The method of claim 3 or 4, further comprising: interfacing with the Call Center one or more servers containing foreign language information; equipping the Pocket Part and one or more Call Center servers with foreign language application software; staffing the seats in the Call Center with personnel competent in the foreign language and in one or more languages of the locale in which the Pocket Part is used; providing to the Pocket Part in a foreign language selected by the user of the Pocket Part oral and server-based information related to the locale; and optionally, providing to the Pocket Part in a local language oral and server-based information related to such locale. 23. The method of claim 3 or 4, further comprising: reducing transmission capacity required between the Call Center and the Pocket Part by storing in the Pocket Part software components selected from the group comprising graphic elements, lip motion rules, and body motion rules; and using such components in generating content presented on the Pocket Part. 24. The method of claim 3 or 4, further comprising: responding to inquiries from a user of the Pocket Part concerning the location of goods or services by transmitting to the Pocket Part location and navigational information selected from the group comprising text, video, audio, and graphics and oriented to the user's present position. 25. The method of claim 3 or 4, further comprising: providing to a user of the Pocket Part services selected from the group comprising assistance from personnel associated with a Call Center, assistance from software agents, access to one or more databases, access to one or more application servers, Internet access, live television programming, live radio programming, news, weather forecasts, prerecorded audio programming, prerecorded video programming, single player games, multiplayer games, data calling, local calling, domestic long distance calling, international long distance calling, video calling, location reporting, navigational guidance, private network access, contests, fax, email, paging, web browsing, messaging, conferencing, telemedicine, telesecurity, remote sensing using sensors associated with the Pocket Part, access to sensors interfaced with the Call Center, remote diagnostics, reservations, entertainment, shopping/procurement, industry sector (financial services, pharmaceuticals, sales force automation, security, engineering, construction, medical, manufacturing, extractive, legal, supply chain management, distribution channel management, and travel industry) software applications, industry sector information services, fee-based services, educational courseware, and training courseware. 26. The method of claim 3 or 4, further comprising: providing to a user of the Pocket Part services packaged and quantified (by call-minutes or packets) in tiers, wherein such communications and information services are selected from the group comprising assistance from personnel associated with a Call Center, assistance from software agents, access to one or more databases, access to one or more application servers, Internet access, live television programming, live radio programming, news, weather forecasts, prerecorded audio programming, prerecorded video programming, single player games, multiplayer games, data calling, local calling, domestic long distance calling, international long distance calling, video calling, location reporting, navigational guidance, private network access, contests, fax, email, paging, web browsing, messaging, conferencing, telemedicine, telesecurity, remote sensing using sensors associated with the Pocket Part, access to sensors interfaced with the Call Center, remote diagnostics, reservations, entertainment, shopping/procurement, industry sector (financial services, pharmaceuticals, sales force automation, security, engineering, construction, medical, manufacturing, extractive, legal, supply chain management, distribution channel management, and travel industry) software applications, industry sector information services, fee-based services, educational courseware, and training courseware. 27. The method of claim 3 or 4, further comprising: providing to a user of the Pocket Part services packaged and quantified (by call-minutes or packets) in tiers, wherein such services are selected from the group comprising assistance from personnel associated with a Call Center, assistance from software agents, access to one or more databases, access to one or more application servers, Internet access, live television programming, live radio programming, news, weather forecasts, prerecorded audio programming, prerecorded video programming, single player games, multiplayer games, data calling, local calling, domestic long distance calling, international long distance calling, video calling, location reporting, physical security, building access, room access, navigational guidance, private network access, contests, fax, email, paging, web browsing, messaging, conferencing, telemedicine, telesecurity, remote sensing using sensors associated with the Pocket Part, access to sensors interfaced with the Call Center, remote diagnostics, reservations, entertainment, shopping/procurement, industry sector (financial services, pharmaceuticals, sales force automation, security, engineering, construction, medical, manufacturing, extractive, legal, supply chain management, distribution channel management, and travel industr