US4554418A — Information monitoring and notification method an…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 133 words

A data monitoring and notification system comprising: means for receiving input data pertaining to classes of events of interests; means for deriving subclasses of selected relevant data from said received input data, said means operatively connected to said receiving means whereby said deriving means may process said received data; means for receiving and storing specified threshold values relating to said received and processed data; means for comparing said threshold values and said received and processed data to determine when said threshold values have been met; and means for establishing remote contact via telecommunications networks with a user and thereafter transmitting desired data pertaining to said received and processed data to said user, said contact means operatively connected to said comparing means whereby said remote contact is initiated when said threshold value is met.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 133 words

A data monitoring and notification system comprising: means for receiving input data pertaining to classes of events of interests; means for deriving subclasses of selected relevant data from said received input data, said means operatively connected to said receiving means whereby said deriving means may process said received data; means for receiving and storing specified threshold values relating to said received and processed data; means for comparing said threshold values and said received and processed data to determine when said threshold values have been met; and means for establishing remote contact via telecommunications networks with a user and thereafter transmitting desired data pertaining to said received and processed data to said user, said contact means operatively connected to said comparing means whereby said remote contact is initiated when said threshold value is met.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 13 words

The system of claim 1 wherein said input data comprises financial market information.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 24 words

The system of claim 1 wherein said transmission of said desired data is accomplished by synthesized voice audio signals delivered via said telecommunications networks.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 34 words

The system of claim 1 wherein said remote contact is accomplished by means of electronic data transfer via said telecommunictions network between said system and a remote electronic data receiving device of the user.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 12 words

The system of claim 1 wherein said telecommunications networks comprise telephone networks.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 14 words

The system of claim 1 wherein said telecommunications networks comprise coaxial cable distribution networks.

Claim 8

Independent Claim 155 words

A system for monitoring financial market information in near real time and for notifying selected users upon occurrences of specific selected events of interest, said system comprising: a data processing system including a central processing unit and a memory system; first information input systems for receiving first input information comprising data pertaining to the various financial markets of interest; second information input systems for receiving second input information comprising data described said specific events of interest, and describing a desired notification sequence; information output systems for remotely contacting said users via telecommunications networks and thereafter transmitting desired information pertaining to said events of interest; wherein said data processing system monitors said first input information and detects the occurrence of said events of interest described by said second input data, and activates said information output system in accordance with said described desired contact sequence to initiate said remote user contact when said occurrence has been detected.

Claim 9

Independent Claim 155 words

A system for monitoring financial market information in near real time and for notifying selected users upon occurrences of specific selected events of interest, said system comprising: a data processing system including a central processing unit and a memory system; first information input systems for receiving first input information comprising data pertaining to the various financial markets of interest; second information input systems for receiving second input information comprising data described said specific events of interest, and describing a desired notification sequence; information output systems for remotely contacting said users via telecommunications networks and thereafter transmitting desired information pertaining to said events of interest; wherein said data processing system monitors said first input information and detects the occurrence of said events of interest described by said second input data, and activates said information output system in accordance with said described desired contact sequence to initiate said remote user contact when said occurrence has been detected.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 23 words

The system of claim 7 wherein said first information input systems receive stock ticker information pertaining to desired stock, commodities, and futures markets.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 16 words

The system of claim 7 wherein said second information input systems comprise a data input terminal.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 41 words

The system of claim 7 wherein said second information input systems comprise a data modem, whereby said second input data may be received by said data processing system from remote data terminals connected to said data modem by said telecommunications networks.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 25 words

The system of claim 7 wherein said second information input system comprises a detector for receiving user-coded input data by means of said telecommunications networks.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 12 words

The system of claim 11 wherein said detector detects coded audio signals.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 21 words

The system of claim 12 wherein said coded audio signals comprise speech, and wherein said detector comprises means for speech recognition.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 32 words

The system of claim 12 wherein said telecommunications networks comprise a telephone network, and wherein said coded audio signals comprise the dual tone multi-frequency output of a push button telephone key pad.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 30 words

The system of claim 12 wherein said telecommunications networks comprise a telephone network, and wherein said coded audio signals comprise the dial pulse output of a standard rotary telephone dial.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 27 words

The system of claim 7 wherein said information output systems comprise a speech synthesizer, said speech synthesizer producing an intelligible audio signal for transmitting said desired information.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 29 words

The system of claim 7 wherein said information output systems comprise a data modem for transmitting said desired information to remote data terminals by means of said telecommunications network.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 16 words

The system of claim 16 further comprising means for verifying that said data transmission should commence.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 17 words

The system of claim 16 further comprising means for verifying that said data transmission has been received.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 21 words

The system of claim 7 wherein said information output system further comprises means for verifying that said data transmission should commence.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 22 words

The system of claim 7 wherein said information output system further comprises means for verifying that said data transmission has been received.

Claim 24

Independent Claim 118 words

A method of data monitoring and notification comprising the steps of: receiving input data pertaining to classes of events of interest; storing descriptions of relevant subclasses of said input data which are of special interest; processing said received data and deriving said subclasses of relevant data therefrom; storing a set of specified conditions including specified threshold values; comparing said threshold values and said received and processed data to determine when said threshold values have been met; and initiating a contact sequence when said comparison establishes that said threshold values have been met, said contact sequence for remotely contacting a user via telecommunications networks and thereafter transmitting desired data to said user pertaining to said received and processed data.

Claim 25

Independent Claim 118 words

A method of data monitoring and notification comprising the steps of: receiving input data pertaining to classes of events of interest; storing descriptions of relevant subclasses of said input data which are of special interest; processing said received data and deriving said subclasses of relevant data therefrom; storing a set of specified conditions including specified threshold values; comparing said threshold values and said received and processed data to determine when said threshold values have been met; and initiating a contact sequence when said comparison establishes that said threshold values have been met, said contact sequence for remotely contacting a user via telecommunications networks and thereafter transmitting desired data to said user pertaining to said received and processed data.

Claim 26

Dependent Claim 52 words

The method of claim 22 further comprising the steps of further processing said subclasses of relevant data in accordance with processing instructions contained within said set of specified conditions, and comparing said threshold values also to said further processed relevant data to determine when said further processed data meets said threshold values.

Claim 27

Dependent Claim 43 words

The method of claim 23 wherein said processing of said data further includes the steps of maintaining historical data files pertaining to select subclasses of relevant data, and appropriately updating said historical data files upon receipt of said select subclass of relevant data.

Claim 28

Dependent Claim 36 words

The method of claim 23 wherein said specified conditions further include adaptive conditions, and wherein said method further comprises the step of modifying said adaptive conditions in response to receipt of associated subclasses of relevant data.

Claim 29

Dependent Claim 13 words

The method of claim 22 wherein said telecommunications networks comprise a telephone network.

Claim 30

Dependent Claim 21 words

The method of claim 22 wherein said relevant data is transmitted after receiving a verification that appropriate contact has been established.

Claim 31

Dependent Claim 43 words

The method of claim 22 wherein said specified conditions further include a hierarchical listing of telecommunications network addresses, and wherein said method further includes the steps of initiating additional attempted contacts at other hierarchical listed addresses when a previously attempted contact has failed.

Claim 32

Dependent Claim 25 words

The method of claim 22 wherein said relevant data is transmitted to said user via said telecommunications network as a user-intelligible synthesized voice audio signal.

Claim 33

Dependent Claim 23 words

The method of claim 22 wherein said relevant data is transmitted via said telecommunications network to a data receiving terminal of said user.

Claim 34

Dependent Claim 22 words

The method of claim 22 wherein said contact sequence is terminated after receiving a verification that said data transmission has been received.

Claim 35

Dependent Claim 47 words

The method of claim 22 wherein the step of storing descriptions of relevant subclasses of said input data further comprises the steps of: receiving description input data signals via said telecommunications networks; processing said description input data signals to derive said descriptions therefrom; and storing said descriptions.

Claim 36

Dependent Claim 24 words

The method of claim 32 wherein said description input data signals comprise the dual tone multi-frequency output of a push button telephone key pad.

Claim 37

Dependent Claim 27 words

The system of claim 32 wherein said description input data signals comprise speech, and wherein said step of processing said description input data signals comprises speech recognition.

Claim 38

Dependent Claim 46 words

The method of claim 22 wherein said step of storing a set of specified conditions further comprises the steps of: receiving specified condition data signals via said telecommunications networks; processing said specified condition data signals to derive said specified conditions therefrom; and storing said specified conditions.

Claim 39

Dependent Claim 24 words

The method of claim 35 wherein said specified condition data signals comprise the dual tone multi-frequency output of a push button telephone key pad.

Claim 40

Dependent Claim 27 words

The method of claim 35 wherein said specified condition data signals comprise speech, and wherein said step of processing said specified condition data signals comprises speech recognition.

Claim 41

Independent Claim 154 words

A method for monitoring financial market information in near real time and for notifying selected users upon occurrences of specific events of interest, said method comprising the steps of: receiving input data pertaining to the financial markets of interest; storing descriptions of specific securities and information which is of special interest to specified users; comparing said received input data to said descriptions to identify that portion of said input data which is of special interest; storing a set of user-specified conditions including specified threshold valves; comparing said identified input data of special interest to said threshold values to determine when one or more of said threshold values have been met; initiating a remote contact with the users whose specified threshold values have been met, said contact initiated via telecommunications networks when one or more of said threshold values have been met; and thereafter transmitting relevant information pertaining to said financial markets to said users.

Claim 42

Independent Claim 154 words

A method for monitoring financial market information in near real time and for notifying selected users upon occurrences of specific events of interest, said method comprising the steps of: receiving input data pertaining to the financial markets of interest; storing descriptions of specific securities and information which is of special interest to specified users; comparing said received input data to said descriptions to identify that portion of said input data which is of special interest; storing a set of user-specified conditions including specified threshold valves; comparing said identified input data of special interest to said threshold values to determine when one or more of said threshold values have been met; initiating a remote contact with the users whose specified threshold values have been met, said contact initiated via telecommunications networks when one or more of said threshold values have been met; and thereafter transmitting relevant information pertaining to said financial markets to said users.

Claim 43

Dependent Claim 58 words

The method of claim 38 wherein said set of user-specified conditions further includes processing instructions, and wherein said method further comprises the steps of processing said identified input data according to said processing instructions, and comparing the processed results to said threshold values to determine when one or more threshold values have been met by said processed results.

Claim 44

Dependent Claim 31 words

The method of claim 38 wherein said set of user-specified conditions further includes a desired contact sequence description, and wherein said remote contact proceeds in accordance with said contact sequence description.

Claim 45

Dependent Claim 58 words

The method of claim 40 wherein said contact sequence description includes a hierachical listing of alternate telecommunications network addresses, and wherein said remote contact comprises the steps of initiating a first attempted user contact at a first of said hierarchical addresses, and thereafter initiating additional attempted contacts at subsequent hierarchical addresses when a previously attempted contact has failed.

Claim 46

Dependent Claim 59 words

The method of claim 40 wherein said contact sequence description further includes a pre-transmission verification requirement, and wherein said method further comprises the steps of: transmitting a preliminary message when said remote contact has been achieved; testing for receipt of a pre-transmission verification signal; and transmitting said relevant financial market information only if said pre-transmission verification signal is received.

Claim 47

Dependent Claim 53 words

The method of claim 40 wherein said contact sequence description further includes a post-transmission verification requirement, and wherein said method further comprises the steps of: testing for receipt of a post-transmission verification signal; and continuing said remote contact in accordance with said contact sequence description if said post-transmission verification signal is not received.

Claim 48

Dependent Claim 34 words

The method of claim 38 wherein said user-specified conditions further include adaptive conditions, and wherein said method further comprises the step of modifying said said adaptive conditions in response to said received input data.

Claim 49

Dependent Claim 34 words

The system of claim 38 wherein said remote contact further comprises the steps of generating a voice synthesized audio signal representative of said relevant information, and thereafter transmitting said audio signal to said users.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1988-11-18	1989-05-20	1989-11-19	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1992-11-18	1993-05-20	1993-11-19	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1996-11-18	1997-05-20	1997-11-19	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Information monitoring and notification method and apparatus

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