1. A method for pairing radio frequency (RF) remote controls with controlled media devices, the method comprising:
detecting presence of a radio frequency identifier (RFID) tag of an RF remote control in a first interrogation zone established by a first RFID tag reader of a first controlled media device that is configured to receive a media content stream with a media content event of interest;
automatically initiating a first pairing process between the first controlled media device and the RF remote control in response to detecting presence of the RFID tag in the first interrogation zone, wherein upon completion of the first pairing process, the first controlled media device becomes paired with the RF remote control and becomes configured to operate in accordance with a subsequently received RF signal emitted by the RF remote control when the subsequently received RF signal is one of a first plurality of RF signals;
detecting presence of the RFID tag in a second interrogation zone established by a second RFID tag reader of a second controlled media device that is operating at the same time as the first controlled media device, wherein the second controlled media device is configured to receive the media content event of interest from the first controlled media device and is configured to present video information of the media content event of interest to a user on a display of the second controlled media device; and
automatically initiating a second pairing process in response to detecting the presence of the RFID tag in the second interrogation zone, wherein upon completion of the second pairing process, the second controlled media device becomes paired with the RF remote control and becomes configured to operate in accordance with the subsequently received RF signal emitted by the RF remote control when the subsequently received RF signal is one of a second plurality of RF signals, wherein the second plurality of RF signals are different from the first plurality of RF signals,
wherein during concurrent operation of the first controlled media device and the second controlled media device, while the first controlled media device and the second controlled media device are concurrently paired with the RF remote control, the subsequently received RF signal emitted by the RF remote control is detected by the first controlled media device and the second controlled media device,
wherein the first controlled media device operates in response to the subsequently received RF signal when the subsequently received RF signal emitted by the RF remote control is one of the first plurality of RF signals, and
wherein the second controlled media device operates in response to the subsequently received RF signal emitted by the RF remote control when the subsequently received RF signal is one of the second plurality of RF signals.
2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:
receiving, at the first controlled media device, a unique identifier associated with the RF remote control after detecting the presence of the RFID tag in the first interrogation zone established by the first RFID tag reader;
storing, at the first controlled media device, the unique identifier associated with the RF remote control, wherein the first controlled media device operates in response to the subsequently received RF signal emitted by the RF remote control only when the unique identifier associated with the RF remote control is included in the subsequently received RF signal;
receiving, at the second controlled media device, the unique identifier associated with the RF remote control after detecting the presence of the RFID tag in the second interrogation zone established by the second RFID tag reader, and
storing, at the second controlled media device, the unique identifier associated with the RF remote control, wherein the second controlled media device operates in response to the subsequently received RF signal emitted by the RF remote control only when the unique identifier associated with the RF remote control is included in the subsequently received RF signal.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein after the first controlled media device becomes configured to operate in accordance with at least one command in the subsequently received RF signal emitted by the RF remote control, and further comprising:
subsequently detecting the presence of the RFID tag in the first interrogation zone established by the first RFID tag reader;
automatically initiating a de-pairing process between the RF remote control and the first controlled media device; and
completing the de-pairing process between the RF remote control and the first controlled media device,
wherein the first controlled media device then becomes reconfigured to not operate in accordance with the subsequently received RF signal emitted by the RF remote control.
4. A method for pairing a radio frequency (RF) remote control with controlled devices, the method comprising:
detecting presence of a radio frequency identifier (RFID) tag of the RF remote control in a first interrogation zone established by a first RFID tag reader of a first controlled device that is configured to receive a media content stream with a media content event of interest;
pairing the RF remote control and the first controlled device, wherein the pairing is based on a unique identifier associated with the RF remote control that is identifiable by the first controlled device when operating;
detecting presence of the RFID tag of the RF remote control in a second interrogation zone established by a second RFID tag reader of a second controlled device, wherein the second controlled media device is configured to receive the media content event of interest from the first controlled media device and is configured to present video information of the media content event of interest to a user on a display of the second controlled media device; and
pairing the RF remote control and the second controlled device, wherein the pairing is based on the unique identifier associated with the RF remote control that is identifiable by the second controlled device when operating,
wherein the concurrently operating first controlled device and second controlled device are concurrently paired with the RF remote control,
wherein a subsequently received first RF signal emitted by the RF remote control that is received by both the concurrently operating first controlled device and second controlled device includes at least one first command configured to control operation of the first controlled device and includes the unique identifier, wherein the first controlled device responds to the at least one first command only when the unique identifier associated with the RF remote control is present in the subsequently received first RF signal, and
wherein a subsequently received second RF signal emitted by the RF remote control that is received by both the concurrently operating first controlled device and second controlled device includes at least one second command configured to control operation of the second controlled device and includes the unique identifier, wherein the second controlled device responds to the at least one second command only when the unique identifier associated with the RF remote control is present in the subsequently received second RF signal.
5. The method of claim 4, wherein detecting presence of the RFID tag in the first interrogation zone comprises:
detecting the unique identifier associated with the RF remote control in a magnetic field modulated by the RFID tag.
6. The method of claim 4, wherein detecting presence of the RFID tag comprises:
receiving the unique identifier associated with the RF remote control in an RF identification signal emitted by the RF remote control.
7. The method of claim 4, further comprising:
storing the unique identifier associated with the RF remote control in a memory of the first controlled device during the detecting of the presence of the RFID tag in the first interrogation zone;
retrieving the stored unique identifier associated with the RF remote control from the memory of the first controlled device in response to receiving the subsequently received first RF signal emitted by the RF remote control;
comparing, at the first controlled device, the stored unique identifier associated with the RF remote control with an identifier in the received first RF signal, wherein the first controlled device responds to the at least one first command only when the unique identifier associated with the RF remote control matches the identifier in the received first RF signal;
retrieving the stored unique identifier associated with the RF remote control from the memory of the second controlled device in response to receiving the subsequently received second RF signal emitted by the RF remote control;
comparing, at the second controlled device, the stored unique identifier associated with the RF remote control with an identifier in the received first RF signal, wherein the second controlled device responds to the at least one second command only when the unique identifier associated with the RF remote control matches the identifier in the received first RF signal; and
storing the unique identifier associated with the RF remote control in a memory of the second controlled device during the detecting of the presence of the RFID tag in the second interrogation zone.
8. The method of claim 4, wherein the RF remote control is a first RF remote control, wherein the RFID tag is a first RFID tag in the first RF remote control, wherein the unique identifier is a first unique identifier associated with the first RF remote control, and further comprising:
detecting presence of a second RFID tag of a second RF remote control in the first interrogation zone established by the first RFID tag reader of the first controlled device;
pairing the second RF remote control and the first controlled device, wherein the pairing is based on a second unique identifier associated with the second RF remote control that is identifiable by the second controlled device;
detecting presence of the second RFID tag of the second RF remote control in the second interrogation zone established by the second RFID tag reader of the second controlled device; and
pairing the second RF remote control and the second controlled device, wherein the pairing is based on the second unique identifier associated with the second RF remote control that is identifiable by the second controlled device,
wherein a subsequently received third RF signal emitted by the second RF remote control includes at least one command configured to control operation of the first controlled device and includes the second unique identifier, and
wherein a subsequently received fourth RF signal emitted by the second RF remote control includes at least one command configured to control operation of the second controlled device and includes the second unique identifier.
9. The method of claim 4, wherein the RF remote control is a first RF remote control, wherein the RFID tag is a first RFID tag in the first RF remote control, wherein the unique identifier is a first unique identifier associated with the first RF remote control, and further comprising:
detecting presence of a second RFID tag of a second RF remote control in the first interrogation zone established by the first RFID tag reader of the first controlled device; and
pairing the second RF remote control and the first controlled device, wherein the pairing is based on a second unique identifier associated with the second RF remote control that is identifiable by the second controlled device,
wherein a subsequently received third RF signal emitted by the second RF remote control includes at least one command configured to control operation of the first controlled device and includes the second unique identifier, and
wherein the subsequently received third RF signal emitted by the second RF remote control is disregarded by the second controlled device.
10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:
receiving, at the RF remote control during the first pairing process, a first unique identifier that identifies the first controlled media device; and
receiving, at the RF remote control during the second pairing process, a second unique identifier that identifies the second controlled media device,
wherein at least one of the subsequently received RF signal includes the first unique identifier that identifies the at least one subsequently received RF signal as one of the first plurality of RF signals that controls the first controlled media device, and
wherein at least one other of the subsequently received RF signal includes the second unique identifier that identifies the at least one other subsequently received RF signal as one of the second plurality of RF signals that controls the second controlled media device.
11. A method for pairing a radio frequency (RF) remote control with a controlled media device, the method comprising:
detecting presence of a radio frequency identifier (RFID) tag in a first interrogation zone established by a first RFID tag reader that is a component of the controlled media device configured to receive broadcasted media content, wherein the RFID tag resides in or is affixed to the RF remote control configured to operate the controlled media device by communicating a first plurality of RF signals that are received by the controlled media device;
automatically initiating a pairing process between the controlled media device and the RF remote control in response to detecting a presence of the RFID tag in the first interrogation zone of the first RFID tag reader;
completing the pairing process between the RF remote control and the controlled media device, wherein the pairing process identifies a unique identifier associated with the RF remote control;
detecting presence of the RFID tag in a second interrogation zone established by a second RFID tag reader that is a component of a media content presentation device,
wherein the component of the media content presentation device is configured to receive the broadcasted media content from the controlled media device,
wherein the component of the media content presentation device is configured to present video information of the broadcasted media content received from the controlled media device to a user on a display of the second controlled media device,
wherein the RF remote control is configured to operate the media content presentation device by communicating a second plurality of RF signals that are received by the media content presentation device, and
wherein the second plurality of RF signals are different than the first plurality of RF signals;
automatically initiating a pairing process between the media content presentation device and the RF remote control in response to detecting a presence of the RFID tag in the second interrogation zone of the media content presentation device; and
completing the pairing process between the RF remote control and the media content presentation device, wherein the pairing process identifies the unique identifier associated with the RF remote control,
wherein during concurrent operation of the controlled media device and the media content presentation device to present the broadcasted media content, a subsequently received RF signal emitted by the RF remote control that is received by the controlled media device and the media content presentation device includes at least one command configured to control operation of the controlled media device or the media content presentation device, and includes the unique identifier of the RF remote control,
wherein when the subsequently received RF signal is one of the first plurality of RF signals, the controlled media device is controlled, and
wherein when the subsequently received RF signal is one of the second plurality of RF signals, the media content presentation device is controlled.
12. The method of claim 1,
wherein the first media content stream is a first media content stream,
wherein a third media device is configured to receive the media content event of interest in a second media content stream that is different from the first media content stream,
wherein the third controlled media device is not paired with the RF remote control, and
wherein the third controlled media device does not respond to any subsequently received RF signals emitted by the RF remote control.
13. The method of claim 1, wherein the RF remote control is a first RF remote control and the RFID tag is a first RFID tag, and further comprising:
detecting presence of a second RFID tag of a second RF remote control in the first interrogation zone established by the first RFID tag reader of a first controlled media device;
automatically initiating a third pairing process between the first controlled media device and the second RF remote control in response to detecting presence of the second RFID tag in the first interrogation zone, wherein upon completion of the third pairing process, the first controlled media device becomes paired with the second RF remote control and becomes configured to operate in accordance with a subsequently received RF signal emitted by the second RF remote control when the subsequently received RF signal is one of the first plurality of RF signals;
detecting presence of the second RFID tag in a second interrogation zone established by the second RFID tag reader of the second controlled media device that is operating at the same time as the first controlled media device; and
automatically initiating a fourth pairing process in response to detecting the presence of the second RFID tag in the second interrogation zone, wherein upon completion of the fourth pairing process, the second controlled media device becomes paired with the second RF remote control and becomes configured to operate in accordance with the subsequently received RF signal emitted by the second RF remote control when the subsequently received RF signal is one of the second plurality of RF signals,
wherein during concurrent operation of the first controlled media device and the second controlled media device, while the first controlled media device and the second controlled media device are concurrently paired with the RF remote control, RF signals emitted by the first RF remote control and the second RF remote control detected by the first controlled media device and the second controlled media device,
wherein the first controlled media device operates in response to the subsequently received RF signal when the subsequently received RF signal emitted by the first RF remote control and the second RF remote control is one of the first plurality of RF signals, and
wherein the second controlled media device operates in response to the subsequently received RF signal emitted by the first RF remote control and the second RF remote control when the subsequently received RF signal is one of the second plurality of RF signals.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. An e-commerce shopping method comprising:
receiving, via at least one program executing on computer equipment, wherein the at least one program is stored on at least one non-transitory storage medium, shopper free form input representing an unstructured shopping request, wherein the free form input comprises at least two of a free form voice input, a text message, an email, a fax message, a browser input and an image and wherein the free form input further comprises information related to one or more items, at least one of a shipping address, and payment details;
extracting semantics by a software program executing on computer equipment, wherein the software program is stored on at least one non-transitory storage medium, from the shopper free form input relating to at least one item available for sale;
automatically adding, via at least one program executing on computer equipment, wherein the at least one program is stored on at least one non-transitory storage medium, at least one item to an electronic shopping cart based upon the extracted semantics; and
providing, via at least one program executing on computer equipment, wherein the at least one program is stored on at least one non-transitory storage medium, an ability to a corresponding shopper to automatically purchase the items contained in the electronic shopping cart.
2. The method of claim 1, the extracting step further comprising:
during the extracting step, ascertaining, via at least one program executing on computer equipment, wherein the at least one program is stored on at least one non-transitory storage medium, an ambiguity regarding a plurality of possible items to which a portion of the free form input refers; and
resolving, via at least one program executing on computer equipment, wherein the at least one program is stored on at least one non-transitory storage medium, the ambiguity in favor of one of the possible items based upon previously stored data contained in a machine readable media relating to the shopper, wherein the previously stored data includes at least one of shopper purchase history data and shopper preference data, wherein the at least one added item includes the favored item of the resolving step.
3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:
during the extracting step, ascertaining, via at least one program executing on computer equipment, wherein the at least one program is stored on at least one non-transitory storage medium, an ambiguity regarding a plurality of possible items to which a portion of the free form input refers;
narrowing, via at least one program executing on computer equipment, wherein the at least one program is stored on at least one non-transitory storage medium, possible interpretations for the ambiguity to a set of likely meanings; and
presenting, via at least one program executing on computer equipment, wherein the at least one program is stored on at least one non-transitory storage medium, a set of shopper selectable options for resolving the ambiguity, wherein said set of options is based on results of the narrowing step.
4. The method of claim 1, wherein the steps of method 1 are performed during a real-time interactive communication session between a shopper and an automated commerce system.
5. The method of claim 4, further comprising:
presenting, via at least one program executing on computer equipment, wherein the at least one program is stored on at least one non-transitory storage medium, the electronic shopping cart items for shopper confirmation;
providing, via at least one program executing on computer equipment, wherein the at least one program is stored on at least one non-transitory storage medium, at least one option for the corresponding shopper to edit presented shopping cart item information;
receiving, via at least one program executing on computer equipment, wherein the at least one program is stored on at least one non-transitory storage medium, a user selected response to check out items in the electronic shopping cart; and
finalizing, via at least one program executing on computer equipment, wherein the at least one program is stored on at least one non-transitory storage medium, an electronic commerce transaction during check out to finalize the shopper purchase of the check out items.
6. The method of claim 4, wherein the real-time interactive communication session is at least one of an online Web based shopping session, an interactive voice responsive session, and a text-exchange session.
7. The method claim 1, wherein the received free form input is provided within at least one of an e-mail message and a fax message.
8. The method of claim 1, wherein the free form input is in a natural language format, wherein the natural language format refers to a format corresponding to a natural language, which is a language created by human beings for interpersonal communication between a set of human beings, wherein the natural language is distinguished from constructed languages and formal languages.
9. The method of claim 1, wherein the free form input in a natural language format for an English language as spoken between two human beings for human-to-human communications.
10. The method of claim 1, wherein said steps of claim 1 are steps preformed automatically by at least one machine in accordance with at least one computer program having a plurality of code sections that are executable by the at least one machine.
11. The method of claim 1, wherein the steps of claim 1 are performed by at least one of a service agent and a computing device manipulated by the service agent, the steps being performed in response to a service request.
12. A system for conducting electronic commerce comprising:
an e-commerce server configured to receive shopper input, to conduct an e-commerce transaction based upon this input, wherein during the e-commerce transaction a shopper purchases at least one available item;
an input processing system configured to receive free form shopper input comprising at least two of a free form voice input, a text message, an email, a fax message, a browser input, and an image and semantically interpret the free form shopper input into discrete data fields relevant for the e-commerce transaction, wherein the free form shopper input is an unstructured shopping request comprising information related to one or more items, at least one of a shipping address, and payment details; and
a merchandise data store configured to record a set of items available for purchase, wherein at least a portion of the discrete data fields identify shopper desired ones of the set of items.
13. The system of claim 12 further comprising:
a disambiguation engine configured to resolve ambiguities detected by the input processing system when converting content contained in the free form shopper input to information placed in the discrete data fields; and
a shopper data store configured to store and index shopper specific information that includes information relating to shopper preferences and purchase history, wherein the disambiguation engine utilizes data stored in the shopper data store to resolve ambiguities.
14. The system of claim 12, further comprising: a natural language understanding engine configured to convert free form shopper input into data into discrete units of information that are associated with the e-commerce transaction.
15. The system of claim 14, wherein the shopper free form input is contained within shopper provided utterances, said system further comprising: a speech recognition engine configured to convert the shopper provided utterances into text, which is further processed by the natural language understanding engine.
16. The system of claim 14, wherein the shopper free form input is contained within an image file, said system further comprising: an optional character recognition engine configured to extract text from the image file, which is further processed by the natural language understanding engine.
17. A program stored in at least one non-transitory storage medium that when executed by at least one computing device produces a shopper facing e-commerce interface comprises:
a natural language input element through which a shopper is able to input an unstructured shopping request in a natural language format, wherein the free form input comprises at least two of a free form voice input, a text message, an email, a fax message, a browser input and an image and wherein the free form input further comprises information related to one or more items, at least one of a shipping address, and payment details;
a shopping cart configured to present a plurality of items specified by the shopper for shopper purchase, wherein the presented items are determined from the unstructured shopping request provided via the natural language input element; and
at least one shopping interactive option configured to be selected by a user, wherein a selection of the shopping interactive option results in at least one of a change in the items presented in the shopping cart and a finalization of an e-commerce transaction involving a purchase of the items presented in the shopping cart.
18. The program stored in at least one non-transitory storage medium of claim 17, said e-commerce interface further comprising: a shopper profile editing interface configured to permit a shopper to configure item purchasing preferences, which are used by a natural language processing system to resolve ambiguities detected in the input when the natural language processing system semantically interprets the unstructured shopping request into discrete data elements specific to at least one of the presented items.
19. The program stored in at least one non-transitory storage medium of claim 17, wherein said e-commerce interface is a Web based interface accessible via a browser having a graphical user interface (GUI), wherein the natural language input element, the shopping interactive option, and the shopping cart are represented by GUI elements.
20. The program stored in at least one non-transitory storage medium of claim 17, wherein said e-commerce interface is a voice only interface for interacting with an automated voice response system over a real-time communication channel.