Patent Issued for Single Point Devices That Connect To A Display Device (USPTO 10,798,338)

2020 OCT 20 (NewsRx) -- By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at Insurance Daily News -- From Alexandria, Virginia, NewsRx journalists report that a patent by the inventor Schoenberg, Roy (Boston, MA), filed on August 21, 2019, was published online on October 19, 2020.

The patent’s assignee for patent number 10,798,338 is American Well Corporation (Boston, Massachusetts, United States).

News editors obtained the following quote from the background information supplied by the inventors: “The present disclosure is directed to connecting consumers with service providers using a single point device.

“Systems have been developed to connect consumers and their providers over the Internet and the World Wide Web. Some systems use e-mail messaging and web-based forms to increase the level of connectivity between a member of a health plan and his assigned health care provider. The consumer sends an e-mail or goes to a website that generates and sends a message (typically an e-mail or an e-mail type message) to a local provider. These types of services have been broadly referred to as ‘e-visits.’ While generally viewed as an addition to the spectrum of services that may be desired by consumers, the benefits of such services are not clear. One of the concerns associated with offering additional communication channels, such as e-mail, is that it can result in over consumption of services, rather than provide for better coordination.

“Plans are embracing the notion of consumerism by offering advanced tools for consumers to become informed and acquire medical services. Facilitating timely and more organized communication between the member and their provider is perceived as a natural investment in the new consumer-driven healthcare world. While still at an early stage, interest in e-visits has picked up both in the commercial world as well as in the strategic planning sessions of health plans around the country. Vendors offering health portals for health plans typically now describe their roadmap for the incorporation (or interfacing with) e-visit platforms. An example of an e-visit platform is described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,590,550, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.”

As a supplement to the background information on this patent, NewsRx correspondents also obtained the inventor’s summary information for this patent: “In an aspect, a single point device is provided. The single point device includes a port for establishing a connection to a port on a display device and for switching the display device from a first mode to a second mode, wherein the display device is configured to render a program in the first mode and is further configured to stream data for a communication session received from a data processing system in the second mode, wherein the data processing system configured to receive requests from medical service providers to initiate live time communication sessions with a user of the display device. The single point device includes an audio video device configured to capture image data representing one or more images of physical entities in a field of view of the audio video device and further configured to capture acoustic data. The single point device includes a receiver device. The receiver device is configured for dedicated communication with a data processing system that receives requests from medical service providers to initiate live time communication sessions with a user of the display device. The receiver device is configured to receive (a) audio signals, during a live time communication session, from a client device of an identified medical service provider through the data processing system, and (b) a user interface signal from the data processing system and carrying user interface data that is renderable on the display device that, when rendered by the display device, causes the display device to interrupt a program displaying on the display device. The single point device includes a transmitter device. The transmitter device is configured for dedicated communication with the data processing system that receives a request from a medical service provider to initiate a live time communication sessions. The transmitter device is configured to transmit, through the data processing system and to the client device, image data captured by the audio video device and audio signals received from the audio video device. The transmitter device is configured to transmit the user interface signal received from the receiver device to the display device in the second mode to cause the display device to interrupt the program to initiate the communication session, as requested by the medical service provider.

“The receiver device can be further configured to receive a user interface signal to render a graphical user interface to prompt the user of the display device for authorization to establish a communication session through the data processing system with the client device of the identified medical service provider. The audio video device can include a microphone. The audio video device can include a speaker device configured to output the audio signals received by the receiver device. The audio video device can include a camera.

“The display device can include a television display. Causing the display device to interrupt the program and render the graphical user interface can include causing the display device to cease displaying of the program. Causing the display device to interrupt the program and render a graphical user interface can include causing the display device to display the graphical user interface in a first portion of the display device and continue displaying the program in a second portion of the display device. The first portion can be larger than the second portion.

“The dedicated communication with the data processing system can be established through a wireless network. The receiver device can be further configured to receive, from a control device, control signals indicating that the user has authorized interruption of the program.

“In an aspect, a method implemented by a data processing system for rendering live streamed data responsive to provider initiated requests for consultations is provided. The method includes receiving, from a client device of a medical service provider, a request to initiate a communication with a client device of a patient. The method includes, responsive to the request to initiate the communication, transmitting, by the data processing system to a single point device that is communicatively coupled to a display device, a signal that causes the display device to switch input modes from a first mode to a second mode, with the first mode being a mode for rendering a program and with the second mode being a mode for streaming data received from the data processing system. The method includes transmitting, to the single point device, a user interface signal carrying graphical user interface data that when rendered by the display device in the second mode interrupts displaying of a program on the display device and renders a graphical user interface, with the graphical user interface prompting a viewer of the display device for updates on a health status of the viewer and initiating a communication session. The method includes establishing, by the data processing system, the communication session between the single point device and the client device.

“The method can further include causing the graphical user interface to update with a prompt for authorization to establish a communication session through the data processing system with a client device of a medical service provider. The method can further include receiving, by the data processing system from the single point device, authorization data instructing the data processing system to establish the communication session. The method can further include detecting, by the data processing system, completion of the communication session. The method can further include, responsive to the detecting, sending termination data to the single point device that, when received by the single point device, causes the single point device to cease rendering the graphical user interface on the display device and causing the display device to return to displaying the program. The method can further include tracking the availability of a plurality of service providers. The method can further include receiving, based on the tracking, an indication that one or more service providers of the plurality of service providers are available for establishing a communication session.

“The one or more service providers can include two or more service providers. Before transmitting the graphical user interface to the single point device, the method can further include selecting one of the two or more service providers for establishing the communication session.

“Selecting one of the two or more service providers can be based on health data of a user received from the single point device. The communication session can be a full duplex communication session. The communication session can be a videoconference communication session.

“Interrupting the displaying of the program can include causing the display device to display the graphical user interface in a first portion of the display device and continue displaying the program in a second portion of the display device. The first portion can larger than the second portion. Interrupting the displaying of the program can include causing the display device to cease displaying of the program.

“These and other aspects, features, and implementations can be expressed as methods, apparatus, systems, components, program products, methods of doing business, means or steps for performing a function, and in other ways, and will become apparent from the following descriptions, including the claims.”

The claims supplied by the inventors are:

“What is claimed is:

“1. A single point device, comprising: a port for establishing a connection to a port on a display device and for switching the display device from a first mode to a second mode, wherein the display device is configured to render a program in the first mode and is further configured to stream data for a communication session received from a data processing system in the second mode, wherein the data processing system configured to receive requests from medical service providers to initiate live time communication sessions with a user of the display device; an audio video device configured to capture image data representing one or more images of physical entities in a field of view of the audio video device and further configured to capture acoustic data; one or more voice interaction facilities configured to detect one or more utterances of a keyword and, in response, activating the single point device; a receiver device configured: for dedicated communication with the data processing system; and to receive (a) audio signals, during a live time communication session, from a client device of an identified medical service provider through the data processing system, and (b) a user interface signal from the data processing system and carrying user interface data that is renderable on the display device that, when rendered by the display device, causes the display device to interrupt a program displaying on the display device; and a transmitter device configured: for dedicated communication with the data processing system; to transmit, in response to activating the single point device and to the data processing system, data indicating that the user wishes to establish a communication session with a medical service provider; to transmit, through the data processing system and to the client device, image data captured by the audio video device and audio signals received from the audio video device; and to transmit the user interface signal received from the receiver device to the display device in the second mode to cause the display device to interrupt the program to initiate the communication session, as requested by the medical service provider.

“2. The single point device of claim 1, wherein the receiver device is further configured to receive a user interface signal to render a graphical user interface to prompt the user of the display device for authorization to establish the communication session through the data processing system with the client device of the identified medical service provider.

“3. The single point device of claim 1, wherein the audio video device comprises a microphone.

“4. The single point device of claim 1, wherein the audio video device comprises a speaker device configured to output the audio signals received by the receiver device.

“5. The single point device of claim 1, wherein the single point device is configured to cause the display device to display biometric data received from one or more biometric devices during the communication session.

“6. The single point device of claim 1, wherein the audio video device comprises a camera.

“7. The single point device of claim 1, wherein causing the display device to interrupt the program and render the graphical user interface comprises causing the display device to cease displaying of the program.

“8. The single point device of claim 7, wherein the first portion is larger than the second portion.

“9. The single point device of claim 1, wherein causing the display device to interrupt the program and render the graphical user interface comprises causing the display device to display the graphical user interface in a first portion of the display device and continue displaying the program in a second portion of the display device.

“10. The single point device of claim 1, wherein the dedicated communication with the data processing system is established through a wireless network.

“11. The single point device of claim 1, wherein the receiver device is further configured to receive, from a control device, control signals indicating that the user has authorized interruption of the program.

“12. A method implemented by a data processing system for rendering live streamed data responsive to provider initiated requests for consultations, comprising: receiving, from a single point device of a patient, data indicating that the patient would like to establish a communication with a medical service provider; accessing one or more databases to retrieve data records including a plurality of fields, each field of the plurality of fields including one or more values specifying the availability of a plurality of medical service providers; selecting data representing a medical service provider of the plurality of medical service providers based at least partially on the one or more values of each field of the plurality of fields; receiving, from a client device of the selected medical service provider, a request to initiate a communication with the single point device of the patient; responsive to the request to initiate the communication, transmitting, by a data processing system to the single point device that is communicatively coupled to a display device, a signal that causes the display device to switch input modes from a first mode to a second mode, with the first mode being a mode for rendering a program and with the second mode being a mode for streaming data received from the data processing system; transmitting, to the single point device, a user interface signal carrying graphical user interface data that when rendered by the display device in the second mode interrupts displaying of a program on the display device and renders a graphical user interface, with the graphical user interface prompting a viewer of the display device for updates on a health status of the viewer and initiating a communication session; and establishing, by the data processing system, the communication session between the single point device and the client device.

“13. The method of claim 12, further including: prior to establishing the communication session, causing the graphical user interface to update with a prompt for authorization to establish the communication session through the data processing system with the client device; and receiving, by the data processing system from the single point device, authorization data instructing the data processing system to establish the communication session.

“14. The method of claim 12, further comprising: detecting, by the data processing system, completion of the communication session; and responsive to the detecting, sending termination data to the single point device that, when received by the single point device, causes the single point device to cease rendering the graphical user interface on the display device and causing the display device to return to displaying the program.

“15. The method of claim 12, further comprising: tracking the availability of a plurality of service providers; receiving, based on the tracking, an indication that one or more service providers of the plurality of service providers are available for establishing a communication session, and updating the one or more databases in accordance with the indication.

“16. The method of claim 12, wherein: selecting a medical service provided of the plurality of medical service providers is further based on health of the patient received from the single point device.

“17. The method of claim 16, wherein the health data indicates answers of the patient to a series of questions, the patient using the single point device to answer the questions.

“18. The method of claim 12, wherein the communication session is a full duplex communication session.

“19. The method of claim 12, wherein interrupting the displaying of the program comprises causing the display device to display the graphical user interface in a first portion of the display device and continue displaying the program in a second portion of the display device.

“20. The method of claim 19, wherein the first portion is larger than the second portion.

“21. The method of claim 12, wherein interrupting the displaying of the program comprises causing the display device to cease displaying of the program.

“22. The method of claim 12, wherein the communication session is a videoconference communication session.”

For additional information on this patent, see: Schoenberg, Roy. Single Point Devices That Connect To A Display Device. U.S. Patent Number 10,798,338, filed August 21, 2019, and published online on October 19, 2020. Patent URL: http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO1&Sect2=HITOFF&d=PALL&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsrchnum.htm&r=1&f=G&l=50&s1=10,798,338.PN.&OS=PN/10,798,338RS=PN/10,798,338

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