Group specific simplified cellular telephones

• US 20040185895A1
• Filed: 03/07/2003
• Published: 09/23/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/07/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Alain Aisenberg
• Original Assignee: Alain Aisenberg
• Inventors: Aisenberg, Alain
• Granted Patent: US 7,200,416 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/550.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0279 Improving the user comfort or ergonomics
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/27475 using interactive graphical means or pictorial representations
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/576 associated with a pictorial or graphical representation
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/677 Preventing the dialling or sending of predetermined telephone numbers or selected types of telephone numbers, e.g. long distance numbers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6775 by providing access to preprogrammed keys
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72424 with manual activation of emergency-service functions
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72475 specially adapted for disabled users

Abstract

A group specific communication assembly such as a telephone assembly which is operative to appeal to anyone or all of specific groups of individuals such as, but not limited to, children, teenagers, the elderly, the visually challenged or hearing impaired, the chronically ill, etc. A programmable control assembly includes a plurality of control members which are structured for selective operation of the telephone assembly, such that activation of at least some of said plurality of control members comprise dialing buttons selectively operable by a user to define a limited access operation. At least some of said plurality of control members being disposed in cooperative relation to corresponding ones of a plurality of windows to at least partially define a predetermined display which may be configured to represent facial characteristics applicable to a younger group of users.

Claims

1. A telephone assembly comprising:

a) a casing including a cover plate mounted thereon in an exposed position,

b) said cover plate comprising a plurality of windows extending therethrough, said plurality of windows collectively and at least partially defining a predetermined display,

c) a control assembly including a plurality of control members disposed on said casing and structured for selective operation of the telephone assembly, and

d) at least some of said plurality of control members being cooperatively disposed with said plurality of windows to define accessible positioning thereof while at least partially defining said predetermined display with said plurality of windows.

2. A telephone assembly as recited in claim 1 wherein at least some of said plurality of control members are selectively accessible through a corresponding one of said plurality of windows.

3. A telephone assembly as recited in claim 2 wherein others of said plurality of control members are spaced apart from said plurality of windows.

4. A telephone assembly as recited in claim 2 wherein said plurality of windows and respective ones of said plurality of control members are correspondingly dimensioned and configured.

5. A telephone assembly as recited in claim 4 wherein said respective ones of said plurality of control members are movably mounted within corresponding ones of said plurality of windows.

6. A telephone assembly as recited in claim 5 wherein said respective ones of said plurality of control members comprise dialing buttons selectively operable by a user to move within and relative to corresponding ones of said plurality of windows.

7. A telephone assembly as recited in claim 6 wherein each of said plurality of dialing buttons are operative for individual, pre-set calling numbers.

8. A telephone assembly as recited in claim 6 wherein each of said plurality of dialing buttons comprises identifying indicia viewable thereon.

9. A telephone assembly as recited in claim 8 wherein each of said identifying indicia corresponds to an identity of a specific calling number.

10. A telephone assembly as recited in claim 9 wherein others of said plurality of control members comprise a plurality of function buttons spaced apart from said plurality of windows and structured for operational programing of the telephone assembly.

11. A telephone assembly as recited in claim 10 wherein said plurality of dialing buttons, said plurality of windows and said plurality of function buttons collectively and at least partially define said-predetermined display.

12. A telephone assembly as recited in claim 11 wherein said predetermined display is configured to represent facial characteristics.

13. A telephone assembly as recited in claim 12 wherein said facial characteristics substantially corresponds to a clown face.

14. A telephone assembly as recited in claim 1 wherein said predetermined display is configured to represent facial characteristics.

15. A telephone assembly as recited in claim 14 wherein said facial characteristics substantially correspond to a clown face.

16. A telephone assembly as recited in claim 14 wherein a first number of said control members are accessibly mounted within said plurality of windows, at least some of said first number of control members including identifying indicia displayed thereon.

17. A telephone assembly as recited in claim 16 wherein each of said identifying indicia corresponds to an identity of a specific calling number.

18. A telephone assembly as recited in claim 16 wherein said plurality of windows, said first number of control members and said identifying indicia collectively and at least partially define said facial characteristics.

19. A telephone assembly as recited in claim 18 wherein a second number of said plurality of control members are spaced apart from said plurality of windows and also at least partially define said predetermined display.

20. A telephone assembly as recited in claim 19 further comprising an antenna structure extending outwardly from said casing and also configured to at least partially define said predetermined display.

21. A telephone assembly as recited in claim 1 wherein said cover plate is removably mounted on said casing and comprises one of a plurality of replaceable cover plates.

22. A communication assembly comprising:

a) a casing including a cover-plate mounted thereon in an exposed position,

b) a control assembly including a plurality of control members disposed and structured to operate the communication assembly,

c) said cover plate including a plurality of windows cooperatively structured with correspondingly disposed ones of said plurality of control members to facilitate visual and physical access to said correspondingly disposed control members, and

d) said plurality of windows and said plurality of control members cooperatively disposed and configured to at least partially define a predetermined display substantially representative of facial characteristics.

23. A communication assembly as recited in claim 22 wherein said plurality of control members comprise dialing buttons.

24. A communication assembly as recited in claim 22 wherein said plurality of control members comprise function buttons.

25. A communication assembly as recited in claim 22 wherein said plurality of control members comprise at least one indicator structure.

26. A communication assembly as recited in claim 22 wherein said predetermined display is further defined by a speaker structure.

27. A communication assembly as recited in claim 22 wherein said predetermined display is further defined by a microphone structure.

28. A communication assembly as recited in claim 22 further comprising identifying indicia formed on at least some of said control members, said identifying indicia comprising a pictorial display representative of predetermined entities.

29. A communication assembly as recited in claim 22 further comprising an antenna structure disposed and configured as an integrated part of said predetermined display.

30. A communication assembly comprising:

a) a portable casing including a cover plate mounted thereon in an exposed position,

b) a control assembly including at least one control member disposed and structured to operate the communication assembly,

c) said cover plate including at least one window cooperatively structured and disposed with said one control member to facilitate visual and physical access thereto, and

d) a display assembly associated with said one control member and structured to display identifying indicia representative of a predetermined entity.

31. A communication assembly as recited in claim 30 wherein said display assembly comprises a display screen integrated in said control member and structured to display said identifying indicia.

32. A communication assembly as recited in claim 31 wherein said identifying indicia comprises a pictorial display of said predetermined entity viewable on said display screen.

33. A communication assembly as recited in claim 31 comprising a telephone structured to include caller identification capabilities, said predetermined entity comprising an incoming calling identity.

34. A communication assembly as recited in claim 31 wherein said identifying indicia comprises a pictorial display of said predetermined entity viewable on said display screen.

35. A communication assembly as recited in claim 31 wherein said communication device comprises a telephone structured to store a plurality of calling numbers, said telephone further structured to include scrolling capabilities operable by said control assembly.

36. A communication assembly as recited in claim 35 wherein said control assembly is operatively connected to said display assembly to selectively scroll said plurality of stored calling numbers each being independently viewable as said identifying indicia on said display screen.

37. A communication assembly as recited in claim 36 wherein said plurality of calling numbers are represented as pictorial displays on said display screen.

38. A communication assembly as recited in claim 31 comprising a radio, said identifying indicia displayed on said display screen comprising a radio station.

39. A communication assembly including an anti-theft capability comprising a protection code operative to restrict use of the communication assembly until said protection code has been correctly input through predetermined manipulation of said control assembly.

40. A communication as recited in claim 39 wherein said protection code is further operative to restrict programming of the communication assembly including the adding and deleting of predetermined telephone numbers.