Cellular telephone

• US 20010044324A1
• Filed: 12/08/2000
• Published: 11/22/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 12/13/1999
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Currier T. Andrew, Peter Carayiannis
• Original Assignee: Currier T. Andrew, Peter Carayiannis
• Inventors: Carayiannis, Peter, Currier, T. Andrew
• Application Number:
  US09/732,305
• Publication Number:
  US 20010044324A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/564
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2755 by optical scanning
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/724 User interfaces specially adapted for cordless or mobile telephones

Abstract

A business card and an associated intelligent device are provided. In one embodiment, the business card is a conventional business card bearing information about the owner of the card and further included a machine readable indicia, such as a barcode. The indicia is encoded to represent the information born on the card. The intelligent device, which is typically a cellular telephone, includes a reader that is operable to receive the indicia, and a processor that is operable to decode the indicia into an electronic data representative of the information. Typically, the electronic data is divided into a plurality of fields, and is stored in a telephone or address directory within the device. The cell phone or other intelligent device is operable to dial a telephone number contained in the indicia.

Claims

1. A mobile telephone comprising:

a housing;

a reader within said housing, said reader being operable to receive an encoded indicia on a business card, said encoded indicia being representative of information about a respective owner of said business card;

a processor within said housing and connected to receive said indicia from said reader, said processor being operable to actuate said reader and decode at least a portion of said indicia received from said reader; and

,

an output device connected to said processing unit for presenting at least a portion of said decoded information.

2. The mobile telephone according to

claim 1

further comprising a dialer operable to dial a telephone number encoded within said indicia.

3. The mobile telephone according to

claim 1

wherein said indicia is a barcode and said reader is a barcode reader.

4. The mobile telephone according to

claim 1

wherein said output device is a speaker.

5. The mobile telephone according to

claim 1

wherein said output device is a display screen.

6. A computer-based method of reading a business card having a machine-readable indicia, said indicia being representative of information about an owner of said business card, said method comprising the steps of:

reading said machine-readable indicia on said business card;

decoding said indicia into an electronic record; and

storing said decoded indicia in a memory device of a mobile telephone.

7. The method according to

claim 6

wherein said indicia is a bar code.

8. The method according to

claim 6

further comprising the steps of:

retrieving a telephone number incorporated into said decoded indicia from said memory device;

activating a dialer device within said telephone and dialing said retrieved telephone number.

9. A computer based method of dialing a telephone number comprising the steps of:

reading a machine-readable indicia from a business card, said indicia including a telephone number;

decoding said indicia into an electronic record; and

activating a telephone dialer using said telephone number decoded from said indicia.

10. The method according to

claim 9

wherein said indicia is a bar code.