One button access to network services from a remote control device

• US 20050009567A1
• Filed: 07/07/2003
• Published: 01/13/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 07/07/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Holmes, David W.
• Granted Patent: US 7,583,959 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/563
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/271 controlled by voice recognition
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/18 wireless networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42204 Arrangements at the exchange for service or number selection by voice at the terminal H04M1/27
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/493 Interactive information services, e.g. directory enquiries ; Arrangements therefor, e.g. interactive voice response [IVR] systems or voice portals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/16 Communication-related supplementary services, e.g. call-transfer or call-hold

Abstract

Systems and methods of accessing a network-based communication service provide for generating a dialing request at a remote control device based on user input. A dialing signal is transmitted toward a mobile communication device based on the request, where the dialing signal instructs the mobile communication device to access the network-based communication service. Communication services can enable a user to use information retrieval at a network server as well as use number dialing at the network server. In one example, the dialing signal is transmitted according to a Bluetooth standard.

Claims

1. A method of remotely generating signals to access a network-based communication service from a mobile communication device, comprising:

generating a dialing request at a remote control device based on user input; and

transmitting a dialing signal toward the mobile communication device based on the dialing request, the dialing signal instructing the mobile communication device to access the network-based communication service.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the dialing request is initiated by a user manipulation of an access button that is dedicated to network-based communication services.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the network-based communication service is a voice information service, the voice information service enabling a user to use information retrieval at a network server.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the network-based communication service is a voice dialing service, the voice dialing service enabling a user to use number dialing at a network server.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the network-based communication service is an automated communication service that does not require voice commands.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein accessing the automated communication service results in an automatic playing of a prerecorded message.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein accessing the automated communication service results in an automatic registering of a vote.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the dialing signal includes a telephone number associated with the network-based communication service, the method further including retrieving the telephone number from a memory of the remote control device.

9. The method of claim 8, further including storing the telephone number to the memory before generating the dialing request.

10. The method of claim 9, further including storing the telephone number to the memory based on input from a user of the mobile communication device.

11. The method of claim 9, further including storing the telephone number to the memory based on input from a provider of the network-based communication service.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein storage of the telephone number to the memory is initiated by the provider of the network-based communication service.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein storage of the telephone number to the memory is initiated by a user of the remote control device.

14. The method of claim 9, further including storing the telephone number to the memory based on input from a manufacturer of the remote control device.

15. The method of claim 9, further including verifying authorization to write to the memory before storing the telephone number.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the transmitting of the dialing signal occurs over a wireless connection with the mobile communication device.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the wireless connection is a radio frequency (RF) connection.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the transmitting of the dialing signal occurs in accordance with a Bluetooth standard.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the wireless connection is an infrared (IR) connection.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein the transmitting of the dialing signal occurs over a wired connection with the mobile communication device.

21. The method of claim 1, wherein the mobile communication device is a personal digital assistant (PDA) configured for wireless communication.

22. The method of claim 1, wherein the mobile communication device is a wireless phone.

23. A method of remotely accessing a network-based communication service comprising:

receiving a dialing signal at a mobile communication device, the dialing signal being based on user input to a remote control device; and

accessing the network-based communication service in response to the dialing signal.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein a dialing request is initiated by a user manipulation of an access button that is dedicated to network-based communication services, the dialing signal being based on the dialing request.

25. The method of claim 23, wherein the network-based communication service is a voice information service, the voice information service enabling a user to use information retrieval at a network server.

26. The method of claim 23, wherein the network-based communication service is a voice dialing service, the voice dialing service enabling a user to use number dialing at a network server.

28. The method of claim 23, wherein the receiving of the dialing signal occurs over a wireless connection with the remote control device.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein the wireless connection is a radio frequency (RF) connection.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein the receiving of the dialing signal occurs in accordance with a Bluetooth standard.

31. The method of claim 28, wherein the wireless connection is an infrared (IR) connection.

32. The method of claim 29, wherein the receiving of the dialing signal occurs over a wired connection with the remote control device.

27. The method of 23, wherein the network-based communication service is an automated communication service that does not require voice commands.

33. A method of accessing a network-based communication service comprising:

verifying authorization to write to a memory of a remote control device;

storing a telephone number to the memory of the remote control device, the telephone number being associated with the network-based communication service;

generating a dialing request based on user input to the remote control device, the dialing request being initiated by a user manipulation of an access button that is dedicated to network-based communication services;

transmitting a dialing signal toward a mobile communication device based on the dialing request, the dialing signal including the telephone number and instructing the mobile communication device to access the network-based communication service;

receiving the dialing signal at the mobile communication device; and

using the telephone number to remotely access the network-based communication service.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein the network-based communication service is either a voice information service or a voice dialing service, the voice information service enabling a user to use information retrieval at a network server, the voice dialing service enabling the user to use number dialing at the network server.

35. The method of claim 33, wherein the network-based communication is an automated communication service that does not require voice commands.

36. A remote control device comprising:

a user interface; and

a remote communication module coupled to the user interface, the remote communication module to transmit a dialing signal toward a mobile communication device based on a dialing request from the user interface, the dialing signal to instruct the mobile communication device to access a network-based communication service.

37. The remote control device of claim 36, wherein the user interface includes an access button that is dedicated to network-based communication services, user manipulation of the button to initiate the dialing request.

38. The remote control device of claim 37, wherein the user interface has no buttons other than the access button.

39. The remote control device of claim 36, wherein the network-based communication service is a voice information service, the voice information service to enable a user to use information retrieval at a network server.

40. The remote control device of claim 36, wherein the network-based communication service is a voice dialing service, the voice dialing service to enable a user to use number dialing at a network server.

41. The remote control device of claim 36, wherein the network-based communication service is an automated communication service that does not require voice commands.

42. The remote control device of claim 36, further including a memory, the memory to store a telephone number associated with the network-based communication service.

43. The remote control device of claim 36, wherein the remote communication module includes a Bluetooth module, the Bluetooth module to transmit the dialing signal according to a Bluetooth standard.

44. A mobile communication device comprising:

a phone communication module, the phone communication module to receive a dialing signal that is based on user input to a remote control device; and

a wireless transceiver coupled to the phone communication module, the wireless transceiver to access a network-based communication service in response to the dialing signal.

45. The mobile communication device of claim 44, wherein a dialing request is initiated by a user manipulation of an access button that is dedicated to network-based communication services, the dialing signal being based on the dialing request.

46. The mobile communication device of claim 44, further including a memory to store a telephone number associated with the network-based communication service, the wireless transceiver to use the telephone number to access the network-based communication service in response to the dialing signal.

47. The mobile communication device of claim 44, wherein the network-based communication service is a voice information service, the voice information service to enable a user to use information retrieval at a network server.

48. The mobile communication device of claim 44, wherein the network-based communication service is a voice dialing service, the voice dialing service to enable a user to use number dialing at a network server.

49. The mobile communication device of claim 44, wherein the network-based communication service is an automated communication service that does not require voice commands.

50. The mobile communication device of claim 44, wherein the mobile communication device is a personal digital assistant (PDA) configured for wireless communication.

51. The mobile communication device of claim 44, wherein the mobile communication device is a wireless phone.

52. A machine readable medium comprising a set of stored instructions capable of being executed by a processor to:

generate a dialing request at a remote control device based on user input; and

transmit a dialing signal toward a mobile communication device based on the request, the dialing signal to instruct the mobile communication device to access a network-based communication service.

53. The machine readable medium of claim 52, wherein the dialing request is to be initiated by a user manipulation of an access button that is dedicated to network-based communication services.

54. A machine readable medium comprising a set of stored instructions capable of being executed by a processor to:

receive a dialing signal at a mobile communication device, the dialing signal to be based on a dialing request from a user interface of a remote control device; and

access the network-based communication service in response to the dialing signal.

55. The machine readable medium of claim 54, wherein the dialing request is to be initiated by a user manipulation of an access button that is to be dedicated to network-based communication services.

56. A method of providing a network-based communication service comprising:

receiving a call from a mobile communication device, the call being initiated by user input to a remote control device; and

generating the network-based communication service during the call.

57. The method of claim 56, wherein the dialing request is initiated by a user manipulation of an access button that is dedicated to network-based communication services.

58. The method of claim 56, further including generating a voice information service, the voice information service enabling a user to use information retrieval at a network server by speaking into the mobile communication device.

59. The method of claim 56, further including generating a voice dialing service, the voice dialing service enabling a user to use number dialing at a network server by speaking into the mobile communication device.

60. The method of claim 56, further including generating an automated communication service in response to receiving the call.

61. The method of claim 56, wherein the network-based communication service is an automated communication service that does not require voice commands.

62. The method of claim 61, further including automatically playing a prerecorded message in response to receiving the call.

63. The method of claim 61, further including automatically registering a vote in response to receiving the call.