Remote prompting infrastructure

Abstract

The invention relates to a method and apparatus for sending and receiving prompts to end-users inside and outside the home. A prompt, for example, a message, image, or sound is presented to the end user in order to notify them of a health event, serve as a simple reminder, helps them through their daily activities. The invention includes, for example, the following components: a remote prompting client which runs on the end-user's home network and is typically associated with a physical display device. This entity has the ability to receive a prompt request from a remote prompting host, and display the prompt to the end-user; and a remote prompting host which runs on the end-user's home network and has the ability to scan the network and discover all existing remote prompting clients.

1 . A system comprising:
 a sensor configured to collect data related to an event associated with a user, wherein the sensor is configured to support a wireless protocol operational in sub-gigahertz frequency range providing a data rate of up to 100 kbps; and   a remote prompting host device configured to:
 receive, from the sensor, event data based on the data collected by the sensor using the wireless protocol, 
 identify the event based on the received event data, and 
 generate and provide to one or more client devices a prompt related to the identified event, wherein the prompt includes information about the identified event and an action responsive to the identified event. 
   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a bridge device to bridge wireless communication based at least on the wireless protocol supported by the sensor and communication based at least on a communication protocol supported by the remote prompting host device. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the communication protocol supported by the remote prompting host device includes Ethernet. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the bridge device includes a Transducer Access Point (TAP) device configured to bridge communication between the sensor and the remote prompting host device, wherein the TAP device is configured to support communication based on the wireless protocol operational in sub-gigahertz frequency range providing a data rate of up to 100 kbps and Ethernet. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the remote prompting host device is configured to provide a notification to a first client device indicating that the prompt associated with the identified event is received at a second client device. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more client devices include one or more of a network display device, a television, a phone, a cell phone, a picture frame display, and a mirror. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the prompt is at least one of a message, an image and a sound. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the remote prompting host device is configured to:
 pair an advertisement with the prompt based on the event,   send the advertisement with the prompt, and   notify a central server responsible for the advertisement that the advertisement was sent and displayed at a client device.   
     
     
         9 . A method comprising:
 receiving data related to an event associated with a user, wherein the data is collected based on a wireless protocol operational in sub-gigahertz frequency range providing a data rate of up to 100 kbps; and   identifying the event based on the received data, and   providing, to one or more client devices, a prompt related to the identified event, wherein the prompt includes information about the identified event and an action responsive to the identified event.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the receiving comprises receiving data from a bridge device that is configured to bridge wireless communication based at least on the wireless protocol and communication based at least on Ethernet. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising providing a notification to a first client device indicating that the prompt associated with the identified event is received at a second client device. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the one or more client devices include one or more of a network display device, a television, a phone, a cell phone, a picture frame display, and a mirror. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the prompt is at least one of a message, an image and a sound. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 pairing an advertisement with the prompt based on the event,   sending the advertisement with the prompt, and   notifying a central server responsible for the advertisement that the advertisement was sent and displayed at a client device.