System and method to customize a telephone

• US 10,104,222 B2
• Filed: 05/25/2017
• Issued: 10/16/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 08/28/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TP Lab, Inc.
• Original Assignee: TP Lab, Inc.
• Inventors: Ho, Chi Fai, Simon Chiu, Shin Cheung
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Joseph J
• Application Number:
  US15/605,323
• Publication Number:
  US 20170272566A1
• Time in Patent Office: 509 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2471 Configurable and interactive telephone terminals with subscriber controlled features modifications, e.g. with ADSI capability [Analog Display Services Interface] systems providing special services or facilities to subscribers H04M3/42; administration or customization of services H04M3/42136; by downloading data to substation equipment H04M3/42178
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72403 with means for local support of applications that increase the functionality
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72448 with means for adapting the functionality of the device according to specific conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72472 wherein the items are sorted according to specific criteria, e.g. frequency of use
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/38 Displays
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/40 using speech recognition
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/255 comprising a personalized user interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/58 including a multilanguage function
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42068 where the identifier is used to access a profile
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42153 by subscriber
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42178 by downloading data to substation equipment
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for customizing a telephone are disclosed in which preferred communication services are conveniently accessible to a user, in which a telephone is tailored to the specific requirements of a user.

Claims

1. A voice communication device capable of being tailored to the needs of a user of the voice communication device comprising at least one capsule, wherein the voice communication device is selected from a land line telephone, a cellular telephone a satellite telephone and a personal digital assistant (PDA) operable to access a communication service over a communication network, wherein each of the at least one capsules is operable to store a user role description comprising information relating to a user of the voice communication device, which information describes the role of the user, wherein the user role description is associated with a time of day, and to store a preferred communication service, wherein the preferred communication service is associated with a corresponding user role description wherein the voice communication device is operable to permit input in the at least one capsule of the user role description and the preferred communication service associated with the corresponding user role description, and the voice communication device is further operable to access and automatically initiate a communication connection with and make available to the user a preferred communication service based on the time of day via a voice communication session between the voice communication device and a voice interactive system of a communication service provider selected from the group consisting of a web server, a Wireless Application Protocol (WAP) gateway, a File Transfer Protocol (FTP) server, a media server and an application layer gateway over a communication network operated by a service network provider, wherein the preferred communication service is selected from the group consisting of a commercial transaction service, a ticketing service, a phone banking service, a group call service, a hotline telephone service, a directory service, a yellow page service, a reminder service, an automatic wakeup call service, a conference call reminder service, an appointment reminder service, an information service, a news headlines service, a local weather report service, a road condition service, a morning commute information service, a bulletin board service which provides school event information, a dating service, an entertainment information service, a restaurant information service, a restaurant reservation service, a stock quote service, an emergency alert service, a flood warning service, a child care information service, a pediatric advice information service, a healthcare information service, a medical emergency service, a group chat service, a homework advice service, a hotel reservation service, a hotel show reservation service, a sports score information service, a sports information service, a diocese information service, a spiritual advice service, a charity information service and a child abduction alert service.

2. The invention of claim 1 wherein the communication network is selected from a telephone network, an Internet Protocol network, a wide area network, a Virtual Private Network, a wired network, and a wireless network.

3. The invention of claim 1 wherein the information relating to a user of the voice communication device is selected from at least one of a user identity, user age, user location, user language preference, user interests, user hobbies, user cultural affiliation, user ethnical affiliation, or user authentication information.

4. The invention of claim 3 wherein the user identity is selected from a guest name, employee number, or subscriber name.

5. The invention of claim 1 comprising a plurality of capsules.

6. The invention of claim 1, the at least one capsule comprising at least one data file stored in the voice communication device.

7. The invention of claim 1, the at least one capsule comprising programming logic in the voice communication device.

8. The invention of claim 1 wherein the voice communication device is operable to select or change a role based on user input.

9. The invention of claim 1 wherein the voice communication device comprises a touchscreen and/or microphone with voice command functionality to receive user input.

10. The invention of claim 1 said voice communication device further comprising means for a user to select and use a preferred communication service.

11. The invention of claim 10 said means comprising an input module and an output module.

12. The invention of claim 1 further comprising at least one of a capsule updater or a service updater.

13. A method for tailoring a voice communication device to a user comprising providing a voice communication device selected from a land line telephone, a cellular telephone a satellite telephone and a personal digital assistant (PDA) operable to access a communication service over a communication network, with at least one capsule operable to store a user role description comprising information relating to a user of the voice communication device, which information describes the role of the user, wherein the user role description is associated with a time of day, and to store at least one preferred communication service, associating the preferred communication service with a corresponding user role description, inputting in the at least one capsule the user role description and the preferred communication service associated with the corresponding user role description, and providing the voice communication device with operability to access and automatically initiate a communication connection with and make available to the user the preferred communication service based on the time of day via a voice communication session between the voice communication device and a voice interactive system of a communication service provider selected from the group consisting of a web server, a Wireless Application Protocol (WAP) gateway, a File Transfer Protocol (FTP) server, a media server and an application layer gateway over a communication network operated by a service network provider, wherein the preferred communication service is selected from the group consisting of a commercial transaction service, a ticketing service, a phone banking service, a group call service, a hotline telephone service, a directory service, a yellow page service, a reminder service, an automatic wakeup call service, a conference call reminder service, an appointment reminder service, an information service, a news headlines service, a local weather report service, a road condition service, a morning commute information service, a bulletin board service which provides school event information, a dating service, an entertainment information service, a restaurant information service, a restaurant reservation service, a stock quote service, an emergency alert service, a flood warning service, a child care information service, a pediatric advice information service, a healthcare information service, a medical emergency service, a group chat service, a homework advice service, a hotel reservation service, a hotel show reservation service, a sports score information service, a sports information service, a diocese information service, a spiritual advice service, a charity information service and a child abduction alert service.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the information relating to a user of the voice communication device is selected from at least one of a user identity, user age, user location, user language preference, user interests, user hobbies, user cultural affiliation, user ethnical affiliation, or user authentication information.

15. The invention of claim 14 wherein the user identity is selected from a guest name, employee number, or subscriber name.

16. The invention of claim 13 comprising providing a plurality of capsules.

17. The method of claim 13 comprising providing the voice communication device with an input module for inputting the user role information or the preferred communication service.

18. A method of automatically establishing a communication connection between a voice communication device and a preferred communication service based on at least one attribute of a user of the voice communication device, comprising providing a voice communication device selected from a land line telephone, a cellular telephone a satellite telephone and a personal digital assistant (PDA) operable to access a communication service over a communication network with at least one capsule operable to store a user role description comprising information relating to a user of the voice communication device, which information describes the role of the user, wherein the user role description is associated with a time of day, and to store a preferred communication service associated with a corresponding user role description, inputting in the at least one capsule the user role description and the preferred communication service associated with the corresponding user role description and making the preferred communication service available to the user and automatically initiating a communication session with the preferred communication service based on the time of day via a voice communication session with a voice interactive system of a communication service provider wherein the communication service provider is selected from the group consisting of a web server, a Wireless Application Protocol (WAP) gateway, a File Transfer Protocol (FTP) server, a media server and an application layer gateway, wherein the preferred communication service is selected from the group consisting of a commercial transaction service, a ticketing service, a phone banking service, a group call service, a hotline telephone service, a directory service, a yellow page service, a reminder service, an automatic wakeup call service, a conference call reminder service, an appointment reminder service, an information service, a news headlines service, a local weather report service, a road condition service, a morning commute information service, a bulletin board service which provides school event information, a dating service, an entertainment information service, a restaurant information service, a restaurant reservation service, a stock quote service, an emergency alert service, a flood warning service, a child care information service, a pediatric advice information service, a healthcare information service, a medical emergency service, a group chat service, a homework advice service, a hotel reservation service, a hotel show reservation service, a sports score information service, a sports information service, a diocese information service, a spiritual advice service, a charity information service and a child abduction alert service.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein the information relating to a user of the voice communication device is selected from at least one of a user identity, user age, user location, user language preference, user interests, user hobbies, user cultural affiliation, user ethnical affiliation, or user authentication information.

20. The method according to claim 18 comprising retrieving from the at least one capsule information applicable to the preferred communication service and sending the retrieved information over the voice communication session to a preferred communication service provider.

21. The invention of claim 18 comprising providing a plurality of capsules.