Telephone device with enhanced audio-visual features for interacting with nearby displays and display screens

• US 20010055951A1
• Filed: 06/13/2001
• Published: 12/27/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 06/15/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Benjamin Slotznick
• Inventors: Slotznick, Benjamin
• Granted Patent: US 7,058,356 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/41.3
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/215 by non-intrusive coupling means, e.g. acoustic couplers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2757 by data transmission, e.g. downloading
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/02 including a Bluetooth interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4122 additional display device, e.g. video projector digital output for controlling a plurality of local displays G06F3/1423
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41265 having a remote control device for bidirectional communication between the remote control device and client device unidirectional remote control device H04N21/42204
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41407 embedded in a portable device, e.g. video client on a mobile phone, PDA, laptop constructional details of equipment or arrangements specially adapted for portable computer application G06F1/1626; arrangements specially adapted for mobile receivers in broadcast systems H04H20/57
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42204 User interfaces specially adapted for controlling a client device through a remote control device; Remote control devices therefor constructive details of casings for the remote control device H01H9/0235; user interfaces for controlling a tuning device of a television receiver through a remote control H03J9/00; remote control of peripheral devices connected to a television receiver through the remote control device of the television receiver H04B1/205
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/426 Internal components of the client ; Characteristics thereof H04N5/44 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43637 involving a wireless protocol, e.g. Bluetooth, RF or wireless LAN [IEEE 802.11] arrangements for wireless networking or broadcasting of information in indoor or near-field type systems H04B10/114
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4622 Retrieving content or additional data from different sources, e.g. from a broadcast channel and the Internet web site content organization and management for information retrieval from the Internet G06F16/958; transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82; stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services including data channel over packet-switching network H04L12/1859
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4782 Web browsing , e.g. WebTV
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/812 involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8586 by using a URL processing chained hypermedia data for information retrieval G06F16/94; information retrieval from the Internet by using URLs G06F16/955; URL in broadcast information H04H20/93; Web-based protocols H04L67/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/64 Constructional details of receivers, e.g. cabinets or dust covers furniture aspects of television cabinets A47B81/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/163 by receiver means only
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/70 Services for machine-to-machine communication [M2M] or machine type communication [MTC]

Abstract

A telephone device is used to establish two-way communication with a remotely located entity, or to transfer content from a display screen of the telephone device to a nearby display screen for full viewing of the content. The two-way communication is initiated by an object emitting a signal containing a telephone number to the telephone device, which, in turn, automatically dials the telephone number. Alternatively, the object emits a signal containing an electronic address to a telephone device, which, in turn, automatically goes to the electronic address. Transfer of content also is achieved by transmitting an electronic address of content shown on a telephone device display screen to a nearby device which retrieves the content and then displays it on the nearby display screen.

Claims

1. A method of using a telephone device to allow a user to communicate with a remotely located entity, the telephone device including (i) a button which facilitates communication between the telephone device and the remotely located entity, and (ii) a wireless receiver, the method comprising:

(a) an object or a device connected to an object emitting a signal containing a telephone number of the remotely located entity;

(b) the wireless receiver receiving the signal emitted by the object or the device connected to the object; and

(c) the telephone device automatically establishing two-way communication with the remotely located entity upon selection by the user of the button, wherein selection of the button causes the telephone device to automatically dial the telephone number of the remotely located entity.

2. The method of

claim 1

wherein the object is a set-top box of a TV system, the method further comprising:

(d) the set-top box receiving the telephone number from broadcast signals sent over the TV system, wherein step (a) is performed by the set-top box emitting a signal containing the telephone number of the remotely located entity.

3. The method of

claim 2

wherein the telephone device is a wireless telephone device having a base station in the set-top box, and the set-top box is hardwired to a telephone outlet, and wherein step (c) is performed by using the hardwired telephone outlet in the base station of the set-top box to establish two-way communication with the remotely located entity.

4. The method of

claim 2

wherein the telephone device is a cellular telephone device, and step (c) is performed by using a cellular telephone network to establish two-way communication with the remotely located entity.

5. The method of

claim 1

wherein the automatic establishment of two-way communication with the remotely located entity in step (c) occurs by:

(i) the telephone device automatically dialing the telephone number of the remotely located entity and communicating user identity information to the remotely located entity, and

(ii) the remotely located entity using the user identity information to initiate a call to the telephone device.

6. The method of

claim 5

wherein the user identity information is the telephone number of the telephone device.

7. The method of

claim 1

further comprising:

(d) the user engaging in an audio session with a person or machine at the remotely located entity upon establishing the two-way communication.

8. The method of

claim 1

wherein the telephone device includes transceiver circuitry associated with normal telephone communication functions which is separate from the wireless receiver, and the two-way communication in step (c) uses only the transceiver circuitry.

9. The method of

claim 1

wherein the object is an outdoor sign or billboard.

10. The method of

claim 1

wherein the device connected to an object is a wireless transmitter connected to a television, the method further comprising:

(d) the television receiving the telephone number from broadcast signals received by the television, wherein step (a) is performed by the wireless transmitter emitting a signal containing the telephone number of the remotely located entity.

11. A method of using a telephone device to allow a user to communicate with a remotely located entity, the telephone device including (i) a button which facilitates communication between the telephone device and the remotely located entity, and (ii) a wireless receiver, the method comprising:

(a) an object or a device connected to an object emitting a signal containing an electronic address of the remotely located entity;

(b) the wireless receiver receiving the signal emitted by the object or the device connected to the object; and

(c) the telephone device automatically establishing communication with the remotely located entity upon selection by the user of the button, wherein selection of the button causes the telephone device to automatically contact the electronic address contained within the emitted signal.

12. The method of

claim 11

wherein the electronic address is a web site address of the remotely located entity, and selection of the button causes the telephone device to automatically go to the web site address of the remotely located entity.

13. The method of

claim 12

wherein the telephone device further includes (iii) a display screen that displays content, the method further comprising:

(d) the web site of the remotely located entity displaying content on the display screen retrieved by the telephone device during the communication with the remotely located entity.

14. The method of

claim 11

wherein the automatic establishment of two-way communication with the remotely located entity in step (c) occurs by:

(i) the telephone device automatically dialing the telephone number of the remotely located entity and communicating user identity information to the remotely located entity, and

(ii) the remotely located entity using the user identity information to initiate a call to the telephone device.

15. The method of

claim 14

wherein the user identity information is the telephone number of the telephone device.

16. The method of

claim 11

wherein the telephone device includes transceiver circuitry associated with normal telephone communication functions which is separate from the wireless receiver, and the communication in step (c) uses only the transceiver circuitry.

17. A method of using a telephone device to view content on a nearby display screen which is not physically connected to the telephone device, the telephone device including (i) a display screen which displays content, (ii) a button which facilitates communication of content between the telephone device and a local control device connected to the nearby display screen, and (iii) a wireless transmitter, the method comprising:

(a) storing content in the telephone device;

(b) displaying the content on the display screen of the telephone device;

(c) communicating the content from the telephone device to the local control device via a signal sent by the wireless transmitter upon selection of the button; and

(d) the local control device receiving the signal and providing the content to the nearby display screen for display thereon.

18. The method of

claim 17

wherein the local control device includes a decoder, and step (d) further comprises the local control device using the decoder to convert the signal received from the telephone device into a format for viewing by the nearby display screen.

19. The method of

claim 17

wherein the content shown on the telephone device display screen is a portion of a full content image, and step (d) further comprises providing the full content image to the local control device for display on the nearby display screen.

20. A method of using a telephone device to view content on a nearby display screen which is not physically connected to the telephone device, the telephone device including (i) a display screen which displays content, or a portion thereof, (ii) a button which facilitates communication of content between the telephone device and a local control device connected to the nearby display screen, and (iii) a wireless transmitter, the method comprising:

(a) storing content, or a portion thereof, and an electronic address of the content in the telephone device;

(b) displaying the content, or a portion thereof, on the display screen of the telephone device;

(c) communicating the electronic address of the content from the telephone device to the local control device via a signal sent by the wireless transmitter upon selection of the button;

(d) the local control device receiving the signal and transmitting a request over an electronic network to retrieve the content from a remote location; and

(e) upon receiving the content, the local control device provides the content to the nearby display screen for display thereon.

21. The method of

claim 20

wherein the content shown on the telephone device display screen is a portion of a full content image, and step (e) further comprises providing the full content image to the local control device for display on the nearby display screen.

22. The method of

claim 20

wherein the electronic address is a web site address, the remote location is a web site, and the electronic network is the Internet.

23. The method of

claim 20

further comprising:

(f) retrieving the content, or a portion thereof, that is stored in the telephone device in step (a) from a remote source.

24. The method of

claim 20

wherein the local control device further comprises a payment module which tracks usage charges for providing content to the nearby display screen, the method further comprising:

(f) the telephone device communicating customer identity information to the payment module; and

(g) the payment module inhibiting at least one of steps (c), (d) and (e) from occurring unless the payment module properly authorizes the telephone device to use the nearby display screen for viewing content.

25. The method of

claim 24

wherein the customer identity information is the telephone number of the telephone device.

26. A method of using a telephone device to view content on a nearby display screen which is not physically connected to the telephone device, the telephone device including (i) a display screen which displays an electronic address of content, (ii) a button which facilitates communication of the electronic address between the telephone device and a local control device connected to the nearby display screen, and (iii) a wireless transmitter, the method comprising:

(a) the telephone device retrieving an electronic address of content from a remote source, and storing the electronic address in the telephone device;

(b) displaying the electronic address on the display screen of the telephone device;

(c) communicating the electronic address from the telephone device to the local control device via a signal sent by the wireless transmitter upon selection of the button; and

(d) the local control device receiving the signal and transmitting a request over an electronic network to retrieve content at the electronic address from a remote location; and

(e) upon receiving the content, the local control device provides the content to the nearby display screen for display thereon.

27. The method of

claim 26

wherein the local control device further comprises a payment module which tracks usage charges for providing content to the nearby display screen, the method further comprising:

(f) the telephone device communicating customer identity information to the payment module; and

(g) the payment module inhibiting at least one of steps (c), (d) and (e) from occurring unless the payment module properly authorizes the telephone device to use the nearby display screen for viewing content.

28. The method of

claim 27

wherein the customer identity information is the telephone number of the telephone device.

29. The method of

claim 26

wherein the electronic address is a web site address, the remote location is a web site, and the electronic network is the Internet.

30. A method of using a wireless telephone device and a set-top box of a TV system to allow a user to communicate with a remotely located entity, the wireless telephone device including a button which facilitates communication between the telephone and the remotely located entity, the set-top box including a base station of the wireless telephone device, the set-top box being in communication with a telephone system and being connected to a television, the method comprising:

(a) the set-top box storing a telephone number and causes telephone number information to be displayed on the television; and

(b) upon selection by the user of the button, the telephone device sending a signal to the set-top box to dial the telephone number, thereby establishing two-way communication between the telephone device and the remotely located entity via base station and the telephone system.

31. The method of

claim 30

further comprising:

(c) the set-top box prestoring a listing of telephone numbers corresponding to specified television stations, wherein the telephone number dialed in step (b) is the prestored telephone number of the currently active television channel.

32. The method of

claim 31

further comprising:

(d) the television station automatically forwarding any received telephone calls to a telephone number of the remotely located entity.

33. The method of

claim 30

wherein the establishment of two-way communication with the remotely located entity in step (b) occurs by:

(i) the telephone device sending a signal to the set-top box to dial the telephone number of the remotely located entity and communicating user identity information to the remotely located entity, and

(ii) the remotely located entity using the user identity information to initiate a call to the telephone device.

34. The method of

claim 33

wherein the user identity information is the telephone number of the telephone device.

35. The method of

claim 30

further comprising:

(c) the user engaging in an audio session with a person or machine at the remotely located entity upon establishing the two-way communication.

36. The method of

claim 30

wherein the telephone system is external to the TV system.

37. The method of

claim 30

wherein the telephone system uses the TV system for establishing and maintaining the two-way communication.

38. The method of

claim 30

wherein the telephone number information is the telephone number stored at the set-top box.

39. The method of

claim 30

wherein the telephone number information is a telephone icon which indicates that the telephone number stored at the set-top box will be dialed upon selection of the button.

40. The method of

claim 30

wherein the telephone number information is the telephone number stored at the set-top box and a telephone icon which indicates that the telephone number stored at the set-top box will be dialed upon selection of the button.

41. The method of

claim 30

further comprising:

(c) the set-top box receiving the telephone number which is stored in step (a) from broadcast signals sent by the TV system.