System and method for multi-modal browsing with integrated update feature

• US 20040104938A1
• Filed: 09/08/2003
• Published: 06/03/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/09/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gula Consulting Limited Liability Company (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Kirusa Inc.
• Inventors: Uppaladadium, VijayaBalaji Prasanna, Mathur, Rohitashva, Vaidya, Shirish, Saraswat, Vijay Anand
• Granted Patent: US 7,275,217 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/764
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/271 controlled by voice recognition
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72445 for supporting Internet browser applications

Abstract

A technique for enabling a browser to update its state upon a change between voice and visual mode. A deck of visual content cards is loaded into a visual browser, wherein one card contains a link to change from visual to voice mode. Selecting the link directs the visual browser to an update card, which has a first event handler which enters voice mode by placing a voice call to a telephone number in response to forward entry into the update card. The update card also includes a second event handler which contacts an update site to determine what content to point the visual browser to when visual mode resumes. In a first embodiment, the second event handler is actuated by backward entry into the update card upon completion of the voice call. In a second embodiment, the second event handler is actuated by expiration of a timer.

Claims

1. A method of navigating multi-modal content comprising:

receiving, in a visual browser, an indication that a user has selected a link on a first visual card;

in response to said indication, pointing said visual browser to a second visual card, whereby the pointing of said visual browser to said second visual card constitutes a forward entry into said second visual card;

in response to said forward entry into said second visual card, initiating a voice call;

contacting an update host;

receiving, from said update host, information indicative of content; and

pointing said visual browser in accordance with the received information.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said second visual card comprises, or is associated with, an event handler which is actuated upon backward entry into said second visual card, and wherein the method further comprises:

upon termination of said voice call, entering said second visual card backward, said act of contacting an update host being initiated by said event handler.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said second visual card comprises, or is associated with, an event handler which is actuated upon expiration of a timer, and wherein the method further comprises:

starting a timer, set to expire a predetermined amount of time in the future; and

after said predetermined amount of time, determining that said timer has expired, said act of contacting an update host being initiated by said event handler.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said second visual card comprises, or is associated with, an event handler which is actuated upon forward entry into said second visual card, and wherein said act of initiating a voice call is performed by said event handler.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the received information comprises an indication of a page and card to which said visual browser should be pointed, and wherein the act of pointing said visual browser in accordance with the received information comprises:

pointing the visual browser to said card within said page.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

loading said page prior to pointing the visual browser to said card.

7. A computer-readable medium having data encoded thereon which is interpretable by a browser, the data comprising:

an update card comprising;

a first event handler which initiates a voice call, said first event handler being actuatable upon a forward entry into said update card; and

a second event handler which initiates a contact to an update site which provides the browser with information concerning a location to which to point the browser; and

a content card comprising;

a link which is selectable by a user who views said content card with the browser.

8. The computer-readable medium of claim 7, wherein said browser is adapted to place a first voice call in response to instructions contained in a card, wherein said browser enters said card backward upon completion of said first voice call, and wherein said second event handler is actuatable by a backward entry into said card.

9. The computer-readable medium of claim 7, wherein said first event handler is adapted to initiate a timer following initiation of said voice call, and wherein said second event handler is actuatable by an expiration of said timer.

10. The computer-readable medium of claim 9, wherein said first event handler sets said timer to expire at a future point in time indicated by a variable, and wherein an action associated with said link sets said variable.

11. The computer-readable medium of claim 9, wherein said browser is adapted to create a new thread for placement of said voice call, and wherein said browser continues instructions contained in the data following creation of said new thread regardless of whether said voice call has been completed.

12. The computer-readable medium of claim 7, wherein the browser is a WAP browser, and the instructions are in the form of Wireless Markup Language (WML).

13. The computer-readable medium of claim 7, wherein said first event handler comprises an instruction to place said voice call to a number specified at a variable, and wherein an action associated with said link comprises the setting of said variable to a telephone number.

14. A system for facilitating multi-modal interaction with content comprising:

a network interface which communicatively connects the system to a personal communication device;

a processor;

first programming which executes on said processor, said first programming being adapted to provide information to said personal communication device through said network interface, said information being indicative of content to which a visual browser executing on said personal communication device is to be pointed.

15. The system of claim 14, further comprising:

second programming, which executes on said processor, which determines a location to which a user has navigated using a visual browser, and which communicates said location to said first programming, wherein the information provided by said first programming is based on the location determined by said second programming.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein said personal communication device comprises a wireless telephone.

17. The system of claim 14, wherein the provision of said information by said first programming is actuated by said visual browser generating a Hypertext Transport Protocol (HTTP) request comprising a Uniform Resource Locator (URL) which identifies, or is associated with, the system.