INDICATIVE OF A POSITION IN A QUEUE

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

[0001] This application claims priority of U.S. Provisional Application Serial No. 62/020,188, filed on July 2, 2014, and of U.S. Provisional Application Serial No. 61/888,483, filed on October 8, 2013, the specifications of which are hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

BACKGROUND

(a) Field

[0002] The subject matter disclosed generally relates to queues and waiting rooms. More specifically, the subject matter relates to methods to provide a person waiting for a service with information about a position in a queue.

(b) Related Prior Art

[0003] Waiting rooms are a part of many facilities. Health care facilities, such as hospitals and medical clinics, are known for their waiting rooms that are often full. In many countries, patients have to wait hours before seeing a physician or another health professional. In many cases, especially in medical clinics, patients only have minor injuries or medical problems and could easily go elsewhere (for example, go back home).

[0004] However, it is usually advised not to leave the waiting room, because if a patient is not in the waiting room when he or she is called, his or her place is lost. This leads in a frustrating wait in an overcrowded waiting room, whereas many of the patients with minor medical problems could easily go home (or elsewhere) to wait before meeting a health professional. This is particularly true in cases in which a patient has to go to the emergency room for a routine examination, such a situation is common for example when people do not have a family doctor or general practitioner.

[0005] Even for patients who have an appointment with a health professional, there are often delays and the appointment does not take place on time. This situation also leads to substantial waiting by patients that could be avoided if a proper method and system, as disclosed hereinbelow, was implemented in the facility.

[0006] This situation exists elsewhere. Public service providers of many types sometimes also include waiting rooms. For example, immigration services, passport offices, public insurance providers, welfare providers and other public service providers often require their customers to wait in a waiting room before they can meet a representative of their service. The issue is the same as for many patients in medical clinics: the customer would better spend time elsewhere than in the waiting room, for example in adjacent stores or at home. However, as in the previous situation, when the person's name (or ticket number) is called, he or she has to be present in the waiting room, otherwise their place is lost.

[0007] Other facilities having waiting rooms include many business places, for example when a customer waits for his car to be repaired at the mechanic's garage. The person is left on foot, waiting in a boring place for hours. It is possible to walk around and go to neighboring stores. Unlike in previous cases, the customer does not lose his place when his name is called. However, the customer may want to take his car back as soon as possible, and the business owner does not always have time to call every customer when their car is ready.

[0008] Other businesses in a similar situation include drug stores, picture printing businesses. More generally, every service provider or business requiring the customer to wait for a significant time may face this situation.

[0009] Therefore, there is a need in the market for a method and system that allows patients or customers to leave a waiting room and be informed about their position in the queue or warned that their turn is coming soon so they can come back on time. This method and system should not be a burden for the service provider or business owner, i.e., it should be at least partly automated. Definitions:

[0010] The term "facility" is intended to mean a public service provider, a health care facility (comprising, but not limited to, a hospital or a medical clinic), or a business place.

[0011 ] The term "waiting room" is intended to mean a room in which patients or customers wait. It may also mean a virtual waiting room, i.e., a group of waiting persons that are not physically waiting together, but are still waiting for the same service or product. A waiting room may comprise only one queue, or a plurality of queues.

[0012] The term "queue" is intended to mean a given order in which many people (persons) are waiting. The queue may be a physical queue, such as people physically waiting one behind the other, or simply refer to the order in which people are waiting. People having a ticket and sitting in a waiting room thus form a non-visible queue, because even though no queue is visible (people are not waiting one behind the other), there is an order in which people (or ticket numbers) are called. Patients waiting in a medical clinic have no tickets and do not form a physical queue, but there is still a queue since there is an order in which each patient may meet their respective doctor, for example. The present document thus refers to the term "queue" in the broad meaning of waiting order as explained herein.

[0013] The term "waiting person" is intended to mean the person waiting in a queue, comprising patients or customers of a business or service provider.

[0014] The term "electronic record file" or "waiting person file" is intended to mean an electronic file containing information on the waiting person. For example, in a medical clinic, the waiting person file may be an electronic medical record (EMR) (aka: a patient file); at a mechanic or other business place, it may be a customer's file with phone number and/or address, etc. In the present document, the expression "opening a waiting person file" comprises opening the whole file, or seeing only a part of the file. For example, in a medical clinic, a reception clerk may not be allowed to see the full EMR but only the useful part with phone number and address (also known as the index of the patient). It is understood here that "opening a waiting person file" includes these variants.

[0015] The phrase "indicative of a position in a queue", sometimes referred to as "indicative of a remaining waiting time in a queue" or as "information about a queue", is intended to mean conveying information such as the position in the queue, the estimated remaining waiting time in the queue, the rate at which the queue is lessening, the time at which a waiting person is expected to be called (by his name/number etc.) and other information that can help determining or estimating the position in the queue, the state of the queue or any time-related information about the queue and a person's position therein.

[0016] The term "signal" is intended to mean an electromagnetic signal that can be transported through any type of cable, wire, optic fiber or in free space. The signal has at least one characteristic (frequency, amplitude, or modulation of any type) that allows the signal to convey information.

[0017] The term "plug-in" is intended to mean a software application that complements a database manager. It comprises a partial software application, a complete software application having a part configured for the implementation of an embodiment of the present invention, a piece of code, a library of functions, a DLL or any other complete or partial software application or programing code in which the present invention may be embodied.

[0018] A database manager is a computer program or software that allows a user or a program to view, extract, modify or add information in a database. The database may be included or not in the database manager. The plug-in or application described above may also be included or not in the database manager, depending on the embodiment. For example, a database manager can be a Digital Medical Record.

SUMMARY

[0019] According to an aspect of the invention, there is provided a computer- implemented method for sending to a waiting person a signal indicative of a remaining waiting time in a queue, the method comprising: detecting, by a front-end computer, an opening of an electronic record file to which is associated the waiting person; upon detecting the opening of the electronic record file, opting-in, by a server, the waiting person to the queue; and detecting, by the front-end computer, subsequent activity in previously opened electronic record files associated to persons, to assess, by the server, the remaining waiting time in the queue for the waiting person.

[0020] According to an embodiment, the method further comprises verifying, by the server, if the remaining waiting time is under a predetermined threshold value.

[0021 ] According to an embodiment, the method further comprises sending, by the server, to the waiting person a callback signal if the remaining waiting time is under the predetermined threshold value.

[0022] According to an embodiment, sending the callback signal comprises sending the callback signal using existing contact information for the waiting person in the electronic record file.

[0023] According to an embodiment, detecting subsequent activity in previously opened electronic record files comprises determining the occurrence of an action in one of the previously opened electronic record files indicating that a person associated to the one of the previously opened electronic record files is removed from the queue.

[0024] According to an embodiment, assessing the remaining waiting time comprises using the rate at which the queue shortens.

[0025] According to an embodiment, opting-in the waiting person to the queue comprises requesting authorization via the front-end computer.

[0026] According to an embodiment, the method further comprises billing a telecommunication account associated to the contact information.

[0027] In another aspect of the invention, there is provided a system for sending to a waiting person a signal indicative of a remaining waiting time in a queue, the system comprising: a front-end computer comprising a memory for storing electronic record files and a processor for executing instructions which cause the front-end computer to: detect an opening of an electronic record file to which is associated the waiting person; and detect subsequent activity in previously opened electronic record files; and a server in communication with the front-end computer and for communication with an end-user device; comprising a processor for executing instructions which cause the server to: upon detecting the opening, opt-in the waiting person in the queue; and assess the remaining waiting time in the queue for the waiting person based on the subsequent activity in the previously opened electronic record files.

[0028] According to an embodiment, the processor of the server comprises instructions which further cause the server to send the signal indicative of the remaining waiting time in a queue to the end-user device.

[0029] According to an embodiment, the server is for communication with an end- user device comprising at least one of a phone, a smartphone, and a computer.

[0030] According to an embodiment, the server is remote from the front-end computer.

[0031 ] According to another embodiment, the server is within the front-end computer.

[0032] According to an embodiment, the processor of the server comprises instructions which further cause the server to verify if the remaining waiting time is under a predetermined threshold value.

[0033] According to an embodiment, the processor of the server comprises instructions which further cause the server to send to the waiting person a callback signal if the remaining waiting time is under the predetermined threshold value.

[0034] According to an embodiment, the processor of the server comprises instructions which cause the server to send the callback signal using existing contact information for the waiting person in the electronic record file. [0035] According to an embodiment, the processor is for executing instructions which cause the front-end computer to detect subsequent activity in previously opened electronic record files comprising the occurrence of an action in one of the previously opened electronic record files indicating that a person associated to the one of the previously opened electronic record files is removed from the queue.

[0036] According to an embodiment, the processor of the server comprises instructions which cause the server to use the rate at which the queue shortens to assess the remaining waiting time.

[0037] According to an embodiment, the processor of the front-end computer comprises instructions which further cause the front-end computer to prompt for an authorization of the waiting person for opting-in to the queue.

[0038] According to an embodiment, the processor of the server comprises instructions which further cause the server to bill a telecommunication account associated to the end-user device.

[0039] In another aspect of the invention, there is provided an electronic record file manager for sending to a waiting person a signal indicative of a remaining waiting time in a queue, the electronic record file manager comprising: a database, stored on a memory, for storing electronic record files; an interface for displaying the electronic record files, the interface being in communication with the database to query information from electronic record files, and with a processor adapted to: detect an opening of an electronic record file to which is associated the waiting person; upon detecting the opening of the electronic record file, opt-in the waiting person to the queue; and detect subsequent activity in previously opened electronic record files associated to persons to assess the remaining waiting time in the queue for the waiting person.

[0040] According to an embodiment, the processor is further adapted to instruct a signal generator to send the signal indicative of the remaining waiting time in a queue to an end-user device;

[0041 ] [0042] According to an embodiment, the database if for storing electronic record files comprising contact information therein.

[0043] According to an embodiment, the processor is adapted to instruct a signal generator to send the signal indicative of the remaining waiting time in a queue to an end-user device based on the contact information in the electronic record file to which is associated the waiting person.

[0044] According to an embodiment, the processor is adapted to instruct a signal generator to send the signal comprises instructing a phone server to send either a phone call or a text message.

[0045] According to an embodiment, the electronic record file manager is an electronic medical record (EMR).

[0046] According to an embodiment, the interface is adapted to prompt for an authorization of the waiting person for opting-in to the queue.

[0047] According to an embodiment, the processor of the server comprises instructions which further cause the server to verify if the remaining waiting time is under a predetermined threshold value.

[0048] According to an embodiment, the processor is further adapted to send to the waiting person a callback signal if the remaining waiting time is under the predetermined threshold value.

[0049] According to an embodiment, the processor adapted to detect subsequent activity in previously opened electronic record files is adapted to determine the occurrence of an action in one of the previously opened electronic record files indicating that a person associated to the one of the previously opened electronic record files is removed from the queue.

[0050] According to an embodiment, the processor is adapted to assess the remaining waiting time using the rate at which the queue shortens. [0051] According to an embodiment, the processor is adapted to manage a plurality of queues, to opt-in the waiting person to the right one of the plurality of queues and to assess the remaining waiting time in the right one of the plurality of queues for the waiting person.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0052] Further features and advantages of the present disclosure will become apparent from the following detailed description, taken in combination with the appended drawings, in which:

[0053] Figures 1A to 1 E are block diagrams illustrating various embodiments of the system for providing a waiting person with information about his position in a queue;

[0054] Figure 2A is a flowchart of the prior art waiting process in a facility;

[0055] Figure 2B is a flowchart of a waiting process in a facility in which an embodiment of the present method is implemented;

[0056] Figure 3A is a flowchart of the prior art waiting process in a health care facility when the waiting person does not have an appointment;

[0057] Figure 3B is a flowchart of a waiting process in a health care facility, when the waiting person does not have any appointment, in which an embodiment of the present method is implemented;

[0058] Figure 4A is a flowchart of the prior art waiting process in a private service provider;

[0059] Figure 4B is a flowchart of a waiting process in a private service provider in which an embodiment of the present method is implemented;

[0060] Figure 5 is a flowchart of a waiting process in a health care facility having a signaling device at an entrance thereof, when the waiting person does not have any appointment, in which an embodiment of the present method is implemented;

[0061] Figure 6 is a diagram illustrating an exemplary computing environment in which embodiments of the present invention may be implemented; and [0062] Figures 7A to 7C are block diagrams illustrating various embodiments of the system for providing a waiting person with information about his position in a queue using a signaling device.

[0063] It will be noted that throughout the appended drawings, like features are identified by like reference numerals.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0064] In reference to Figures 1 A-1 E, a system for providing a waiting person 150 with information about his position in a queue 102 is described. A facility 100 may be a health care facility (e.g., hospital, medical clinic, health care professional office, etc.), a public service provider (e.g., immigration services, passport services, public insurance services, welfare or job finding services, or other public services depending on the country), or a business place (e.g., drug stores / pharmacies, garages and mechanical services, printing services including picture printing services, restaurants, Santa Claus in a shopping mall, etc.). The facility 100 comprises a waiting room in which the waiting person 150 may wait. The waiting room usually comprises more than one waiting person 150.

[0065] A queue 102 is a waiting order. The queue 102 may be a physical queue, with people waiting in a line one behind the other, or simply the order in which the waiting persons 150 are expected to be called. The waiting persons 150 may thus sit/stand freely in a waiting room 101 or outside and still be part a queue 102 because they have a ticket number or a pre-determined position in the waiting order. The waiting room 101 may comprise one queue 102 or a plurality of queues.

[0066] According to an embodiment, the waiting room 101 comprises a screen 108 configured to publicly display information indicative of the state of the queue (for example, the current number being served). The screen 108 is in communication with a computer system 110 that controls the information being displayed.

[0067] According to an embodiment, the facility 100 comprises a computer system 110. The computer system 110 may be used by a computer user 120. According to an embodiment, the computer user 120 is a reception clerk who receives first the waiting persons 150. The waiting persons 150 may thus receive a position in the queue 102, and this position may be embodied as a ticket with a number thereon, or simply as a position in the waiting order known by the computer system 110.

[0068] According to another embodiment, the computer user 120 is the waiting person 150, who subscribes himself or herself in the queue 102.

[0069] The computer system 110 should comprise a memory 105 with a database 114 stored thereon. The database 114 should comprise a waiting person file 115. The waiting person file 115 is a file with information about the waiting person 150. For example, in health care facilities, the waiting person file 115 is an electronic medical record. In this situation, the reception clerk who acts as the computer user 120 may not see the whole electronic medical record. The waiting person file 115 is defined to include partial files (i.e., the "index of the patient"), such as the ones found in such situations.

[0070] The computer system 110 can be described as a front-end computer since it is in communication with the server 130, which can be remote or located in the facility 100. According to an embodiment, the server functions are executed within the computer system 110, which serves both as a front-end computer and a server. According to an embodiment, some of the instructions that are described herein as being performed by the server 130 are rather performed by the computer system 110, or some of the instructions that are described herein as being performed by the computer system 110 are rather performed by the server 130.

[0071] The computer user 120 is allowed to see a waiting person file 115 through a user interface 112 implemented in the computer system 110. The computer user 120 is also allowed to create a new waiting person file 115 if there is none for a waiting person 150. Information in the waiting person file 115 may also be modified, for example if the phone number, address or email has changed since the last visit of the waiting person 150, or if there is a new one. [0072] Advantageously, the waiting person file 115 comprises a way to remotely communicate substantially instantaneously (or at least very quickly) with the waiting person 150, for example a phone number or email address, so a phone call, a text message, a push notification or an email may be sent later.

[0073] In order to extract data from the database 114 or to input new data in the database 114, a database manager 116 may be used. In the field of electronic medical records (EMR) managers, some commercialized software solutions are known under the brands of KinLogix, Wolf Medical Systems, PS Suite, Medfar, MedeSync, Oscar, Soft Info and Purkinje, for example.

[0074] According to an embodiment of the present invention, a plug-in 118 is incorporated, either internally or externally, to the database manager 116. This plug-in 118 allows communication with a server 130. The server 130 may be remote (outside the facility 100), inside the facility 100, or even form a part of the computer system 110. It may also be a part of the Cloud or other types of decentralized processing systems or memories. The server 130 may comprise a processor 135 to perform calculations and/or other logical operations. The processor 135 may be found outside the server, or even in the computer system 110 as shown in Figure 1 E. The server 130 is in relation with a phone server 132 or another suitable signal generator to make phone calls or text messages.

[0075] The plug-in 118 may be external to the database manager 116, such as a library of functions, a function, a DLL, etc., that complements the database manager 116. According to another embodiment, it is a part of the database manager 116: the database manager 116 thus comprises a function or a library of functions therein. Pure programing code within the database manager 116 software may act as the plug-in 118 too.

[0076] The plug-in 118 allows the database manager 116 to extract relevant data from the database 114 (or more precisely, from the waiting person file 115), and send this relevant data to the server 130. The relevant data comprises phones numbers and emails. Alternatively, an IP address, a SIM card ID or any other unique device identification can be used.

[0077] Other additional information may be found in the computer system and sent to server 130 by the database manager 116 thanks to plug-in 118. Additional information includes data about the times at which each waiting person 150 has his name called, and a list or number of waiting persons 150 whose names will be called before a given waiting person 150. That way, a rate may be estimated by the processor 135 in the server 130. It also allows assessing the time at which the given waiting person 150 will have his name called.

[0078] The waiting person 150 may receive information through an electronic device 160, including, but not limited to, a phone (including a traditional phone, a cell phone, a smart phone, etc.), a computer (including PC, Mac, laptop, tablet, etc.), a pager, an mp3 player, a walkie-talkie, a radio, a FM Radio Data System (RDS) device, etc.

[0079] The server 130 may send a signal indicative of the position of the waiting person 150 in the queue 102. This signal may be sent via a telecommunication network 161 and take the form of a text message, an automated phone call, a traditional phone call, an email, a radio signal or any signal that is suitable to transmit information to the electronic device 160. According to another embodiment, the signal may be sent to the web 170 and take the form of an email or an update on a dedicated website 175. The website 175 may be public (everyone has access to it) or may contain a web page corresponding to each user (e.g., waiting person, client, etc.), thus requiring a password or similar key for the waiting person 150 to access the website 175. The website 175 may be a social network website.

[0080] The telecommunication network 161 may be of many types: electrical/optical, analogic/digital, phone/TV/radio/internet, etc. It may be bidirectional, such as a phone telecommunication network, or unidirectional, for example a radio network that can send radio signals, such as RDS signals. The web 170 may be viewed as a particular case of the telecommunication network 161.

[0081] According to an embodiment, if the electronic device 160 is an RDS device, it may comprise a RDS hardware key. This key is adapted to be configured for receiving notifications about the queue. Configuration may occur on site, when the waiting person 150 subscribes to the queue 102. Configuration may be done by connecting the RDS key to a computer (including the computer system 110). For ease and rapidity, configuration may use a wireless technology such as Near Field Communication (NFC) or Radio Frequency Identification (RFID). That way, the RDS device may be configured and receive appropriate notification. This NFC or RFID communication may also be bidirectional and used for subscribing to the queue 102 in a very fast way. The RDS key may be embedded in another type of electronic device 160, such as a smartphone.

[0082] According to an embodiment, the facility 100 has a website 175 in which it is possible to subscribe to the queue 102 for a given service or product with one or a few clicks, or a QR code, a bar code or another code that can be scanned communicate a URL.. In this embodiment, the waiting person 150 needs an electronic device 160 which is a smartphone (or at least has both a phone number and internet access through the same provider). It is possible for him to load the website 175 and click on a button on the interface of the website 175 (or choose an authorization option). After the waiting person 150 clicked on the authorization button, the server 130 is configured to trace the phone number of the electronic device 160 through which the action of clicking was done, even though the waiting person 150 did not enter this information in the website 175 or mobile application. The waiting person may then receive, through his phone (call/text message), notifications indicative of his position in the queue through which he subscribed on the website 175. According to an embodiment, billing for this service can occur on the phone/internet bill.

[0083] As mentioned above, the phrase "indicative of a position in a queue" does not necessarily mean that an actual position is known, even though it is possible. This phrase can also mean "indicative of a remaining waiting time in a queue" or simply "information about a queue". It means that there is information conveyed such as the position in the queue, the estimated remaining waiting time in the queue, the rate at which the queue is lessening, the time at which a waiting person is expected to be called or other information that can help determining or estimating the position in the queue, the state of the queue or any time-related information about the queue and a person's position therein. In all cases, this information is dynamical: it changes over time as new data about the queue is known.

[0084] This new data about the queue allowing to update the information for the waiting person 150 can come from various sources. A way to gather this new information is to detect what is occurring in the files. For example, if a record file for a given person is closed, it can mean that this given person is receiving the service or has received it; this given person can thus be removed from the queue, which lessens. When this event happens twice, the time between these two events can be tracked to estimate the rate. The position of the waiting person 150 in the queue, and/or the estimated waiting time, are therefore updated. This tracking/detection can be performed by a specific unit or module, such as the customer flow management module 1 19 shown in Figures 1 B-1 E, implemented in the computer system 1 10 or alternatively in the server 130.

[0085] According to an embodiment the plug-in 118 for the electronic medical records database manager 116 comprises: a detection function for detecting an opening of the patient file (waiting person file 115) in the computer system 110, wherein the opening is made by the computer user 120; an authorization function for requesting an authorization to the computer user 120 and for receiving the authorization from the computer user 120; a processing function for processing the information about the queue 102 to assess remaining waiting time for the patient (waiting person 150) in the queue 102; and a communication function for automatically sending to the electronic device 160 a signal indicative of the position in the queue 102 for the patient (waiting person 150).

[0086] Other embodiments may have a confirmation function, or no authorization function. Advantageously for the service provider / business owner, the sending of the signal is automated to avoid spending time calling or sending emails manually. Emails or websites also require an internet connection at all times. This is why in many embodiments of the present invention, automated phone calls and text messages are preferred over other types of signals, because they only require a phone or a cell phone. However, the other types of signals may be useful in many specific situations, for example if all the waiting persons 150 have internet access at all times.

[0087] According to an embodiment, the waiting person 150 receives at least one signal indicative of the estimated remaining waiting time before his name (or ticket, number, etc.) is called. According to another embodiment, the waiting person 150 receives at least one signal indicative of the estimated time at which his name will be called. According to another embodiment, the waiting person receives at least one signal indicative of his position in the queue. These various embodiments may coexist, and illustrate how the expression "signal indicative of a position in a queue" should be understood.

[0088] This system leads to a greater convenience for the patient or customer, who can go elsewhere during the waiting period, rather than wait in a waiting room 101 . It also leads to a greater efficiency for the facility 100. New facilities (new medical clinics, new business places, new public service providers) may thus be designed with a reduced waiting room area, allowing cost reduction during construction and real estate transactions, or more productive space, for example an increased for-sale products area for business places.

[0089] According to another embodiment shown in Figure 1 B, an electronic record files manager 117 is in communication with various modules providing various functionalities. For example, a communication module 111 may be used to communicate with elements that are inside the facility 100, such as the screen 108, a printer for tickets and the like.

[0090] According to an embodiment, a customer flow management 119 is used to detect activities performed in the electronic record files manager 117. The activities that can be detected are the opening of a file and the closing of a file. Other activities or information can also be detected, such a time at which the waiting person is supposed to pass, or the identity of the queue to which the waiting person 150 should be inserted. According to an embodiment, there are a plurality of computer systems 110, each one of them being used by a different person in the facility 100. The identification of the computer system 110 being used for opening a file can be used to determine at which stage a given person is in the queue. For example, in the context of a clinic or hospital, a reception clerk accessing the record file means that the associated person is inserted (or opted-in) to the queue; if a nurse accesses the record file, it means that the associated person is now being considered; the medical doctor accessing the record file means that the consultation is taking place (the service is being provided). Therefore, detecting the identity of who performs the activity in the record files (e.g. using a user ID or simply based on which computer the activity is performed) helps determining what happens with the real queue in the facility.

[0091] According to an embodiment, the facility holds more than one queue. For example, in a clinic, one queue can be associated to one medical doctor. If there is more than one medical doctor, there are more than one queue in the facility 100. It is therefore good to know which medical doctor the waiting person 150 will see in order to know which queue he will be inserted, because all queues can shrink at a different rate for each one of therm. According to another embodiment, there is only one queue but more than one service provider for the queue.

[0092] Furthermore, as mentioned above, there are embodiments in which an authorization of each waiting person 150 is required, i.e., they have a choice to opt-in or not for the service of queue notification. This may be described as an opt-in module 1 3 in communication with the electronic record file manager 117. This opt-in module 113 gives computer instructions to prompt, on the interface, an authorization to opt-in,. The result is then sent to the server 130.

[0093] Figure 1C shows an embodiment in which the screen 108 is absent. In this case, the communication module 111 is not present.

[0094] Whereas the previous figures showed modules which were implemented as extensions or plug-ins to the electronic record file manager 117, they can also be an integrated part of the electronic record file manager 117, as shown in Figure 1 D. In this embodiment, the electronic record file manager 117 comprises an interface 112 for data visualization and modification, opening/closing of files, etc. The opt-in module 113 and the customer flow management 119 are functions within the electronic record file manager 117.

[0095] In an embodiment in which the electronic record file manager 117 is an electronic medical record (EMR), the modules can either be extensions or add-ins to the EMR, or instead be an integral part of the EMR.

[0096] Although the processing functions of assessing the rate at which the queue lessens or shrinks are shown in the previous figures as being performed within a processor 135 located in the server 130, processing functions can also be integrally or partially performed within the computer system 110. Figure 1 E shows a system in which the processor 135 is located in the computer system 110.

[0097] In another embodiment, instead of being remote, the server 130 is in the same unit as the computer system 110, or is the same as the computer system 110. [0098] Now referring to Figures 2A and 2B, an exemplary flowchart of a conventional waiting process in a facility is shown in Figure 2A and compared with a flowchart of a waiting process in which an embodiment of the present invention is implemented, as in Figure 2B.

[0099] For example, in an exemplary conventional waiting process as in Figure 2A, a waiting person 150 arrives (step 200). Then, the waiting person file 115 is opened (step 204), which may be done by a computer user 120 such as a reception clerk or the waiting person 150. Thereafter, the waiting person waits in the waiting room 101 (step 244). Eventually and possibly after a couple of hours, the person's name (or number, ticket, ID, etc.) is called (step 248).

[00100] Figure 2B represents a similar waiting process in which the present invention is embodied. It also begins when a waiting person 150 arrives (step 200). Then, the waiting person file 115 is opened (step 204), which may be done by a computer user 120 such as a reception clerk or the waiting person 150. There exist some types of queues for which no waiting person file 1 15 is required, in which case the related steps are absent. Thereafter, the plug-in 118 in the computer system detects the opening of the waiting person file 115 (step 208) and an authorization requests is sent to the computer user 120 through the user interface 112 (step 212). If the computer user 120 is not the waiting person 150, the computer user 120 asks to the waiting person 150 the authorization to proceed with the use of the method as described herein. Embodiments of the present invention with no authorization steps may exist, but it is advantageous that the authorization is asked and authorized, because the method sends a signal (phone call, text message, etc.) and the waiting person 150 may refuse the benefits of the present invention if he does not want to receive such signals, or does not want to pay for them. Once the authorization has been given by the waiting person (step 216), the computer user 120 enters the authorization in the computer system 110 to proceed (step 220). The waiting person may thus leave the waiting room (step 224). According to an embodiment, the choice to opt-in can be stored and memorized in the computer system 1 10 or in the server 130 so there is no need to ask again to opt-in. In this case, opting-in can be made automatically. According to another embodiment, pre- authorization is already given. For example, the service may be prepaid by the government or the facility 100. In this case, opting-in is a formality that does not necessarily require actual authorization from the waiting person 150. Subscribing to the service can therefore be an automatic opting-in to the notification service.

[00101] As new data about the queue enters the computer system 110, for example when the queue is lessening, the processor 135 processes the new information to assess remaining waiting time, estimated time at which the given waiting person will be called, position in the queue, etc. (step 228). A signal may be generated (step 232) and sent (step 236) to the waiting person 150 through a telecommunication network 161 using an electronic device 160, the signal being indicative of the position in the queue, as described hereinabove in reference with Figure 1 .

[00102] At step 228, the estimation may be done in various ways. For example, the processor 135 may estimate the total waiting time by measuring the time elapsed between the first opening of the waiting person file 115 of a given waiting person 150 (for example when a reception clerk, acting as a computer user 120, opens a waiting person file 115 or index), and the opening of the waiting person file 115 when the waiting person actually receives the service. This time that is measured is then applied for subsequent waiting persons, based on the supposition that they will wait approximately the same time period. Shortly, because the server 130 is in communication with the database manager 116 or the database 114 through the plug-in 118, it is able to detect opening, closing, or modification and thus measure the time elapsed for a waiting person, therefore estimating the waiting time period for the following waiting persons. Alternatively, estimation of the rate can be performed via historical data of the service provider. For example, the rate at which the queue shrinks for a given service provider at a given time of the day can be estimated based on the rate of the past week or month for the given service provider at the given time.

[00103] According to an embodiment, between steps 228 and 232, a confirmation may be requested by the system to the waiting person 150, and the waiting person 150 has to confirm. It allows the confirmation of the phone number. It also allows billing at this moment on the phone bill.

[00104] When the waiting person 150 receives a signal suggesting or requiring a return to the facility 100 or waiting room 101 , the waiting person 150 may come to the waiting room (step 240) for a short wait (or no wait at all). The waiting person 150 is thus called (step 248) before receiving the service or product for which he was waiting.

[00105] It is also realistic that, using the present invention, the waiting person 150 does not even have to present himself at the beginning of the process. Subscription to the queue 102 may be done remotely through a communication network (website, phone call, email, etc.).

[00106] As it will be seen in the examples presented hereafter, further interactions, such as confirmation, information request, or billing, are possible.

[00107] Payment authorization may be included in the general authorization request. The payment may be done using the phone bill. Alternatively, the payment may be done using cash, credit card, a debit card, a membership account or a PayPal™ account. Therefore, in some cases, card information should be given to the computer user 120, or payment should occur directly when the waiting person 150 arrives or comes back to the facility 100.

[00108] According to an embodiment, when the server 130 is in communication with the electronic device 160, and if the electronic device 160 comprises a geo-locating device, the processor 135 may use that information to estimate the time required by the waiting person to come back to the waiting room 101. The geo-locating device may be a GPS, or the electronic device 160 itself, that may be localized using a 3G communication network. Bluetooth (via a iBeacon™) can also be used for localization. Therefore, the processor 135 may assess when it is optimal to send a signal (step 236), the signal suggesting to the waiting person 150 that he should come back. For example, if the processor determines that it would takes 20 minutes for the waiting person to come back to the facility 100, and also estimates the remaining waiting time to be 25 minutes, a signal suggesting a return to the facility 100 may be sent approximately at that moment.

[00109] In other embodiments, after the waiting person 150 has received a first text message or phone call, he may text back or call back to receive update about the queue 102. Other types of signals, as mentioned above, may be used for such interactive communications.

[00110] According to another embodiment, there is provided, near an entrance to the waiting room 101 , a signaling device 180 that can emit signals in the neighboring environment. According to an embodiment, the signaling device 180 is an indoor positioning system such as an iBeacon™ sold by Apple Inc. Such indoor positioning systems are low-powered, low-cost transmitters that can notify nearby electronic devices of their presence. Communications between the signaling device 180 and the electronic device 160 is performed over a wireless link. The wireless link may make use of either one of optical, radio-frequency or acoustic technologies. According to an embodiment, a plurality of signaling devices 180 are provided. In other embodiments, similar signaling devices 180 can be used, such as a NFC device, or other future devices that will include similar capabilities as an iBeacon™. The signaling device 180 needs to be able to emit a signal that can be understood by the electronic device 160. In this case, the electronic device 160 is preferably a smartphone or any other mobile device that has signal detection capabilities as well as the possibility to install an application 182 thereon.

[00111] The signal emitted by the signaling device 180 contains information about the identity of the signaling device 180. It allows the application 182 to identify the location or facility 100 for which the person can subscribe. According to an embodiment, the intensity of the signal emitted by the signaling device 180 is adjustable so it can be detected at a predetermined distance. According to an embodiment, the signaling device 180 can contain more than one ID tags. For example, it can identify both the facility, the floor level and the department at the same time. According to an embodiment, the application 182 can detect more than one signaling device 180 at the same time, thereby enabling micro-localization.

[00112] If the application 182 is installed on the electronic device 160, the application 182 needs to detect automatically the presence of the signaling device 180. For example, the application 182 can be set to search repeatedly at a given frequency for the presence of a signal coming from a signaling device 180. Alternatively, the signaling device 180 can be adapted to send a signal having a capability to trigger the application 182 on the electronic device.

[00113] In this case, the application 182 informs the waiting person 150 signaling device 180 of the existence of the service at this particular facility 100. Preferably, the application 182 asks permission to the waiting person 150 if subscription to the service for this particular facility 100 at that moment is desired. According to another embodiment, the permission is asked through text messaging, push notification, phone call or another communication means suitable for the electronic device 160.

[00114] If the waiting person 150 accepts to subscribe to the service, steps 224 to 248 as shown in Fig. 2B can be performed.

[00115] The application 182 is installed on the electronic device 160 which needs to be connected on the web 170 or a telecommunication network 161. Data, such as the will of the waiting person 150 to subscribe to the service at a location determined by the identity of the signaling device 180, can thus be transmitted through a network to the server 130. The information can be treated at the server 130, which manages waiting queues at various locations, or in the plug-in 118, which manages the queue 102 in the facility 100. In either case, a link needs to be established with the database manager 116 to know the position of the waiting person 150 in the queue. Not all the waiting persons are users of the service. Therefore, complete information about the queue is only found through the database manager 116 and not in the server 130, which only deals with users of the service. [00116] According to an embodiment, a plurality of signaling devices 180 can be provided at a periphery of the facility 100. It allows tracking the position of the waiting person 150 after the subscription to the service, thereby allowing an estimate of the time needed for the waiting person 150 to come back to the waiting room 101. As mentioned above, such an estimate may be used to send an informative signal to the waiting person 150 sufficiently in advance so that the waiting person 150 can come back to the waiting room 101 on time for his appointment.

[00117] According to an embodiment, the signaling device 180 is used in combination with the database 114 and the database manager 116. In this case, when the person's electronic device 160 detects the presence of a signaling device 180 in the vicinity or at the entrance of the facility 100, the application 182 asks permission to the waiting person 150 to use the service. Upon authorization, and if the waiting person 150 already used the service during a prior visit (meaning that all relevant contact information is in the database 114 and can be extracted by the database manager 116), subscription to the service directly through the database manager 116 can be performed while avoiding the use of the interface 112 shown in Fig. 1 , thereby avoiding the necessity of a computer user 120 (since the computer user 120 is usually an employee of the facility 100, bypassing the computer user 120 can be a more efficient way to subscribe to the service from the facility's point of view). The plug-in 118 ensures that data between the database manager 116 and the server 130 are synchronized. Information acquired through the application 182 can also be forwarded to the database manager 116.

[00118] The computing environment in which embodiments of the present invention may be implemented may now be described. HARDWARE AND OPERATING ENVIRONMENT

[00119] Figure 6 illustrates an exemplary diagram of a suitable computing operating environment in which embodiments of the invention may be practiced. The following description is associated with Figure 6 and is intended to provide a brief, general description of suitable computer hardware and a suitable computing environment in conjunction with which the embodiments may be implemented. Not all the components are required to practice the embodiments, and variations in the arrangement and type of the components may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the embodiments. The description below applies to the computer system 110. The server 130 can also be described as such, usually without peripheral equipment such as a screen or a mouse. According to an embodiment in which the user device 160 is a tabletop computer, the user device 160 can work this way too.

[00120] Although not required, the embodiments are described in the general context of computer-executable instructions, such as program modules, being executed by a computer, such as a personal computer, a hand-held or palm-size computer, Smartphone, or an embedded system such as a computer in a consumer device or specialized industrial controller. Generally, program modules include routines, programs, objects, components, data structures, etc., that perform particular tasks or implement particular abstract data types.

[00121] Moreover, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the embodiments may be practiced with other computer system configurations, including hand-held devices, multiprocessor systems, microprocessor-based or programmable consumer electronics, network PCS, minicomputers, mainframe computers, cellular telephones, smart phones, display pagers, radio frequency (RF) devices, infrared (IR) devices, Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs), laptop computers, wearable computers, tablet computers, a device of the IPOD or IPAD family of devices manufactured by Apple Computer, integrated devices combining one or more of the preceding devices, or any other computing device capable of performing the methods and systems described herein. The embodiments may also be practiced in distributed computing environments where tasks are performed by remote processing devices that are linked through a communications network. In a distributed computing environment, program modules may be located in both local and remote memory storage devices.

[00122] The exemplary hardware and operating environment of Figure 6 includes a general purpose computing device in the form of a computer 720, including a processing unit 721 , a system memory 722, and a system bus 723 that operatively couples various system components including the system memory to the processing unit 721. There may be only one or there may be more than one processing unit 721 , such that the processor of computer 720 comprises a single central-processing unit (CPU), or a plurality of processing units, commonly referred to as a parallel processing environment. The computer 720 may be a conventional computer, a distributed computer, or any other type of computer; the embodiments are not so limited.

[00123] The system bus 723 may be any of several types of bus structures including a memory bus or memory controller, a peripheral bus, and a local bus using any of a variety of bus architectures. The system memory may also be referred to as simply the memory, and includes read only memory (ROM) 724 and random access memory (RAM) 725. A basic input/output system (BIOS) 726, containing the basic routines that help to transfer information between elements within the computer 720, such as during start-up, is stored in ROM 724. In one embodiment of the invention, the computer 720 further includes a hard disk drive 727 for reading from and writing to a hard disk, not shown, a magnetic disk drive 728 for reading from or writing to a removable magnetic disk 729, and an optical disk drive 730 for reading from or writing to a removable optical disk 731 such as a CD ROM or other optical media. In alternative embodiments of the invention, the functionality provided by the hard disk drive 727, magnetic disk 729 and optical disk drive 730 is emulated using volatile or non-volatile RAM in order to conserve power and reduce the size of the system. In these alternative embodiments, the RAM may be fixed in the computer system, or it may be a removable RAM device, such as a Compact Flash memory card. [00124] In an embodiment of the invention, the hard disk drive 727, magnetic disk drive 728, and optical disk drive 730 are connected to the system bus 723 by a hard disk drive interface 732, a magnetic disk drive interface 733, and an optical disk drive interface 734, respectively. The drives and their associated computer-readable media provide nonvolatile storage of computer-readable instructions, data structures, program modules and other data for the computer 720. It should be appreciated by those skilled in the art that any type of computer-readable media which can store data that is accessible by a computer, such as magnetic cassettes, flash memory cards, digital video disks, Bernoulli cartridges, random access memories (RAMs), read only memories (ROMs), and the like, may be used in the exemplary operating environment.

[00125] A number of program modules may be stored on the hard disk, magnetic disk 729, optical disk 731 , ROM 724, or RAM 725, including an operating system 735, one or more application programs 736, other program modules 737, and program data 738. A user may enter commands and information into the personal computer 720 through input devices such as a keyboard 740 and pointing device 742. Other input devices (not shown) may include a microphone, joystick, game pad, satellite dish, scanner, touch sensitive pad, or the like. These and other input devices are often connected to the processing unit 721 through a serial port interface 746 that is coupled to the system bus, but may be connected by other interfaces, such as a parallel port, game port, or a universal serial bus (USB). In addition, input to the system may be provided by a microphone to receive audio input.

[00126] A monitor 747 or other type of display device is also connected to the system bus 723 via an interface, such as a video adapter 748. In one embodiment of the invention, the monitor comprises a Liquid Crystal Display (LCD). In addition to the monitor, computers typically include other peripheral output devices (not shown), such as speakers and printers. The monitor may include a touch sensitive surface which allows the user to interface with the computer by pressing on or touching the surface.

[00127] The computer 720 may operate in a networked environment using logical connections to one or more remote computers, such as a remote computer 749. These logical connections are achieved by a communication device coupled to or a part of the computer 720; the embodiment is not limited to a particular type of communications device. The remote computer 749 may be another computer, a server, a router, a network PC, a client, a peer device or other common network node, and typically includes many or all of the elements described above relative to the computer 720, although only a memory storage device 750 has been illustrated in Figure 5. The logical connections depicted in Figure 6 include a local-area network (LAN) 751 and a wide- area network (WAN) 752. Such networking environments are commonplace in offices, enterprise-wide computer networks, intranets and the Internet.

[00128] When used in a LAN-networking environment, the computer 720 is connected to the local network 751 through a network interface or adapter 753, which is one type of communications device. When used in a WAN-networking environment, the computer 720 typically includes a modem 754, a type of communications device, or any other type of communications device for establishing communications over the wide area network 752, such as the Internet. The modem 754, which may be internal or external, is connected to the system bus 723 via the serial port interface 746. In a networked environment, program modules depicted relative to the personal computer 720, or portions thereof, may be stored in the remote memory storage device. It is appreciated that the network connections shown are exemplary and other means of and communications devices for establishing a communications link between the computers may be used.

[00129] The hardware and operating environment in conjunction with which embodiments of the invention may be practiced has been described. The computer in conjunction with which embodiments of the invention may be practiced may be a conventional computer a hand-held or palm-size computer, a computer in an embedded system, a distributed computer, or any other type of computer; the invention is not so limited. Such a computer typically includes one or more processing units as its processor, and a computer-readable medium such as a memory. The computer may also include a communications device such as a network adapter or a modem, so that it is able to communicatively couple other computers.

[00130] Even though the computer system 110 and the server 130 can be present in different variants, the use of such equipment is an essential part of the system. It is also essential that the computer system 110 and the server 130 are able to communicate via a telecommunication network 161 (or web 170) to the user device 160. It should however be noted that the computer system 110 can be replaced for opting-in functionalities by the user device 160 and the signaling device 180, as shown in Figures 7A-7C. In these specific embodiments, the user device 160 and the signaling device 180 are essential, while the computer system 110 is not.

[00131] The present invention will be more readily understood by referring to the following examples which are given to illustrate the invention rather than to limit its scope.

Example 1 : Waiting in a medical clinic with no appointment

[00132] The waiting process may be described in relation with the situation of a patient in a medical clinic or hospital who has no appointment, for example arriving at the emergency room.

[00133] The conventional process, illustrated in Figure 3A, would include:

• step 300: the patient arrives at the emergency room desk;

• step 304: the receptionist opens his electronic medical record (EMR) and uses/enters information depending on the case. In the computer system, the patient ID is inserted in the queue/waiting list;

• step 344: the patient waits in the waiting room; and

• step 348: the patient is called to be seen by a doctor or nurse.

[00134] If an embodiment of the present invention is added to the waiting process, as shown in Figure 3B, it would include: step 300: the patient arrives at the emergency room desk; step 304: the receptionist opens his electronic medical record (EMR) or patient index and uses/enters information depending on the case. In the computer system, the patient ID is inserted in the queue/waiting list; step 308: a plug-in to the EMR manager/software detects the opening of the patient's record; step 312: an authorization request pops up on the screen so the receptionist may ask the patient if he wants to benefit from phone calls or text messages that tell him to come back to the waiting room when his turn is evaluated to occur in a short time; step 316: the patient gives his authorization. If he does not, the rest of the method is like in Figure 3A; step 320: the plug-in receives authorization; step 324: the patient may leave the waiting room. Of course, this will only be the case if the patient's state allows him to leave the clinic; step 325: an automatic call to the patient is made by the server to ask confirmation;

step 326: the patient confirms, for example by choosing a confirmation option during the call; step 327: the confirmation is received by the server, and billing may occur; step 328: information about how fast the patients (i.e., the patient processing rate) are seen is treated by the processor, which estimates the remaining time before the given patient will be seen, or the time at which he will be seen, or similar estimations; • step 332: a signal indicative of the position of the patient in the queue is generated according to the parameters of the system. For example, only one signal can be generated, requiring the patient to come back. A signal may be generated each time a new patient is called;

• step 336: each generated signal is sent to the patient phone (at home) or cell phone, taking the form of a text message (in the case of the cell phone) or of an automated voice message;

• step 340: when a message suggesting a return to the facility is received, the patient comes back to the waiting room;

• step 348: the patient's name/number is called.

[00135] The method thus reduces the waiting time by the patient, reduces the contact between possibly infected patients and non-infected ones, and reduces the need for waiting room area, allowing the use of the area for other more productive uses.

Example 2: Waiting at a garage for a car repair

[00136] The waiting process may be described in relation with the situation of a customer having his car repaired or inspected by a mechanic.

[00137] The conventional process, illustrated in Figure 4A, would include:

• step 500: the customer arrives at the garage desk for a car repair or checkup, with or without appointment;

• step 504: the receptionist opens an existing file or creates a new file for the customer, with contact information therein;

• step 544: the customer waits in the waiting room, or goes not too far and comes back periodically; and

• step 548: the customer is called when the car is repaired or inspected.

[00138] If an embodiment of the present invention is added to the waiting process, as shown in Figure 4B, it would include: step 500: the customer calls at the garage desk from home for a car repair or checkup to subscribe to the waiting list for the day; step 504: the receptionist opens an existing file or creates a new file for the customer, or simply adds the customer name in a daily agenda with contact information therein; step 508: a plug-in to the customer file manager/software detects the opening of the customer's file or the addition of a name in the daily agenda; step 512: an authorization request pops up on the screen so the receptionist may ask the customer on phone if he wants to benefit from phone calls or text messages that tell him to come back to the waiting room when his car is evaluated to be ready in a short time; step 516: the patient gives his authorization. If he does not, the customer has to wait as usual; step 520: the plug-in receives authorization; step 528: information about how fast the cars are repaired is treated by the processor, which estimates the remaining time before the given customer will be seen, or the time at which he will be seen, or similar estimations; step 529: the geo-location of the customer's phone is used to estimate the time needed for the customer to drive to the garage. For example, if appointment is estimated to be in about 20 minutes and the customer is estimated to be at a 20 minutes ride from the garage, this will trigger steps 532 and 536; step 530: if a text message or call has already been sent, the customer texts back or calls back the phone number 132, for triggering steps 532 and 536. It is thus possible for the customer to ask for updates; • step 532: a signal indicative of the position of the customer in the queue is generated according to the parameters of the system. For example, only one signal can be generated, requiring the customer to come to the garage. A signal may be generated each time a new customer is called;

• step 536: each generated signal is sent to the customer phone (at home) or cell phone, taking the form of a text message (in the case of the cell phone) or of an automated voice message;

• step 540: when a message suggesting to come to the garage is received, the customer comes to the garage with the car;

• step 544: the customer leaves the car being repaired and wanders in the store or in the neighboring business places;

• steps 528 to 540 are repeated, except that the customer is now on foot and is waiting to have his car back;

• step 548: the customer comes back to the garage and is called by his name when the car is repaired or inspected.

[00139] This example may be implemented in various ways. For example, when the customer first calls to subscribe to the waiting list, it may comprise an automated call, in which the customer authorizes the service or confirms his phone number by choosing an authorization/confirmation option during the call. A website may works similarly. In these cases, the customer who calls or visits a website and confirms directly encompasses steps 500 to 520 mentioned above, because there is no human interaction in these cases.

Example 3: Waiting in a medical clinic where a signaling device 180 is provided

[00140] The waiting process may be described in relation with the situation of a patient in a medical clinic or hospital who has no appointment, for example arriving in the morning for a blood test, as shown in Fig. 5. The method, according to an embodiment, would include:

• step 600: the patient arrives at the entrance of the facility 100;

• step 604: the (already installed) application 182 of the patient's electronic device 160 detects the presence of an iBeacon™ signaling device 180;

• step 606: the application 182 identifies the signaling device 180 and the facility at which it is located;

• step 612: an authorization request pops up on the screen of the patient's electronic device 160 (or there is a phone call/SMS) to ask the patient if he wants to benefit from phone calls or text messages that tell him to come back to the waiting room when his turn is evaluated to occur in a short time;

• step 616: the patient gives his authorization on the electronic device, either through the application 182, or through text messaging, phone calls, by responding to a push notification, etc.;

• step 620: the plug-in 118 receives authorization through the server 130 (which bills the patient) and enters the information of the patient in the electronic medical record so the patient has a given position in the queue 102;

• step 624: the patient may leave the facility;

• step 628: information about how fast the patients (i.e., the patient processing rate) are seen is treated by the processor, which estimates the remaining time before the given patient will be seen, or the time at which he will be seen, or similar estimations; • step 632: a signal indicative of the position of the patient in the queue is generated according to the parameters of the system. For example, only one signal can be generated, requiring the patient to come back. A signal may be generated each time a new patient is called;

• step 636: each generated signal is sent to the patient electronic device;

• step 640: when a message suggesting a return to the facility is received, the patient comes back to the waiting room;

• step 648: the patient's name/number is called.

[00141] In comparison with example 1 , the patient does not need to ask at the clinic front desk to subscribe to the system.

[00142] This example is illustrated in the block diagram of Fig. 7A. There is shown a system for providing a waiting person with information about his position in a queue as in Fig. 1A. However, in comparison with Fig. 1A, there is no computer user 120, but rather a signaling device (shown at the entrance or vicinity of the facility 100) which interacts with the computing device 160. The computing device 160 can interact with server 130 for sharing data. According to another embodiment, the computing device 160 could be in direct communication with the computer system 116.

[00143] In both cases, data can be shared with the data manager 116. If the facility 100 is a clinic, the computing device 160 is adapted for inputting data about the patient into the electronic medical record. According to an embodiment, the plug-in 118 can detect a free time slot for an appointment and propose this time slot directly to the user (without any human interaction) through the computing device 160 (using the application 182, with a phone call, text message, etc.). Reservations for the time slot can be performed through the application 182 or other appropriate means for the computing device 160 as mentioned above.

[00144] According to an embodiment, when the waiting person 150 comes back to the facility 100, the interaction between the computing device 160 and the signaling device 180 can be used to notify the data manager 116 (or more generally the computer system 110) that the waiting person 150 arrived and can be served.

[00145] According to an embodiment, if a plurality of signaling devices 180 is provided, a waiting person can be automatedly directed inside the facility 100. As mentioned above, a signaling device 180 such as the iBeacon™ can be assigned an ID that has a given level of precision regarding its location (floor level, department, etc.). Furthermore, the detection range of the signaling device 180 by the computing device 160 is usually limited. When many signaling devices 180 are provided within the facility 100, it gives the opportunity to locate the waiting person 150 precisely within the facility 100. The application 182, or the server 130, or the computer system 110 can generate direction instructions (where to turn, where to take the stairs, etc.) to guide the waiting person 150 by displaying the direction instructions on the computing device 160. According to an embodiment, the interaction between the computing device 160 and the signaling device 180 can be used to notice the data manager 116 (or more generally the computer system 110) that the waiting person 150 is arriving soon (arrival time at a precise location within the facility 100 can be estimated) and can be served.

[00146] For example, this is particularly useful in large hospitals in which the patient needs to find a particular room, which could be hard to find otherwise. This is also useful because most maps and directions applications are not designed to guide people inside buildings, since the internal architecture of buildings is usually not mapped and, using only the geolocation (GPS) capabilities of a computing device, it is hard to know at which floor level a person is located.

[00147] Figure 7B shows an embodiment as in Figure 7A in which the computer system 110 is arranged as in Figure 1 B, which is described above. A difference with the workings of the embodiment of Figure 1 B is that the opt-in module 113, instead of sending opt-in information to the server 130 as in Figure 1 B, received this information from the server (which previously received this information from the user's device 160) and communicates this information to the electronic record file manager 117 to make sure that the electronic record file manager 117 knows that the waiting person is expected in the facility at some time of the day. However, if the activity in the electronic record files is to be tracked or detected, the computer system 110 remains essential for allowing activity via the electronic record file manager 117 which is implemented on the computer system 110.

[00148] Figure 7C shows an embodiment as in Figure 7B in which the screen 108 is absent, and the communication module 111 for communicating with the screen 108 is absent too.

[00149] While preferred embodiments have been described above and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, it will be evident to those skilled in the art that modifications may be made without departing from this disclosure. Such modifications are considered as possible variants comprised in the scope of the disclosure.