Phone appliance with display screen and methods of using the same

• US 20050063525A1
• Filed: 08/02/2004
• Published: 03/24/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ching Y.I. Lin
• Original Assignee: Ching Y.I. Lin
• Inventors: Lin, Ching Yi
• Granted Patent: US 7,376,222 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/93.10
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/00 User-to-user messaging in packet-switching networks, transmitted according to store-and-forward or real-time protocols, e.g. e-mail
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/535 Tracking the activity of the user network monitoring arrangements H04L43/00; recording of computer activity G06F11/34
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/00 Substation equipment, e.g. for use by subscribers subscriber services or facilities provided at exchanges H04M3/00; prepayment telephone coin boxes H04M17/00; current supply arrangements H04M19/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2471 Configurable and interactive telephone terminals with subscriber controlled features modifications, e.g. with ADSI capability [Analog Display Services Interface] systems providing special services or facilities to subscribers H04M3/42; administration or customization of services H04M3/42136; by downloading data to substation equipment H04M3/42178
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2473 Telephone terminals interfacing a personal computer, e.g. using an API (Application Programming Interface) details of API H04M7/0021
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2478 Telephone terminals specially adapted for non-voice services, e.g. email, internet access centralized arrangements where telephones services are combined H04M7/0024; for recording text messages H04M3/5322; for accessing Internet H04M3/4938
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2535 adapted for voice communication over an Internet Protocol [IP] network Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) network equipment and services H04M7/006; implementation or adaptation of Internet protocol [IP], of transmission control protocol [TCP] or of user datagram protocol [UDP] H04L69/16
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/56 for VoIP communications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/83 Notification aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/84 Types of notifications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/38 Displays
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/203 composed of PSTN and data network, e.g. the Internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/202 VoIP; Packet switched telephony
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/81 Notifying aspects, e.g. notifications or displays to the user
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/8129 Type of notification
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/22 including a touch pad, a touch sensor or a touch detector digitizers for touch screens G06F3/041

Abstract

A phone appliance and method of use are provided where the phone appliance can be used to make VoIP communications calls. In a preferred embodiment, the phone appliance includes an RF connection for connecting to a computer or other computing device for facilitating the placement of the VoIP communications calls. The phone appliance further includes a display or portal for depicting advertisements provided by various advertisers. The advertisements provided can be used to defray all or part of the cost associated with making VoIP communications calls. The portal can also be used to communicate with businesses for ordering products, such as ordering a pizza, and to perform various services, such as purchasing stocks. In an exemplary system, the phone appliance is used to transmit to a control center information related to the user of the phone appliance, such as interests and buying habits, and queries for receiving additional information for various advertised products and services. The control center transmits the queries to the appropriate vendors for providing the user with additional information. Other functions and features are provided to the phone appliance, such as being able to download e-mail messages stored within or received by the computer.

Claims

1. A phone appliance for facilitating sending voice-over-data communications, including voice-over-the-Internet protocol (VoIP) data communications, via a voice-over-data network said phone appliance comprising:

means for performing gateway functions for interfacing with the voice-over-data network;

means for establishing a communication link with the voice-over-data network for communicating via the voice-over-data network, including transmitting and receiving VoIP data communications;

means for displaying data received via the voice-over-data network and transmitted to the phone appliance via the established communication link; and

means for responding to data displayed by the means for displaying via the established communication link.

2. The phone appliance according to claim 1, wherein the communication link is a wireless RF communication link to a computer connected to the voice-over-data network.

3. The phone appliance according to claim 1, wherein the means for displaying data is a touch screen display.

4. The phone appliance according to claim 3, wherein the means for responding to data includes a pointer for making contact with the touch screen display.

5. The phone appliance according to claim 1, wherein the means for responding is a plurality of keys.

6. The phone appliance according to claim 1, wherein the means for performing gateway functions performs at least one gateway function.

7. The phone appliance according to claim 1, further comprising means for converting analog to digital, generating packets of data from voice signals and means for compressing the data.

8. The phone appliance according to claim 1, further comprising encryption/decryption means for facilitating secure transmission of data.

9. The phone appliance according to claim 1, wherein the data displayed by the means for displaying is an advertisement or information.

10. The phone appliance according to claim 1, further comprising means for recording audio signals transmitted over the voice-over-data network.

11. A voice-over-data network system for providing voice communications over a data communications network to at least one user, including voice-over-the-Internet protocol (VoIP) data communications, the system comprising:

at least one phone appliance having means for performing gateway functions for interfacing with the data communications network means for establishing a communication link with the data communications network for communicating via the data communications network, including transmitting and receiving VoIP data communications, means for displaying data received via the data communications network and transmitted to the at least one phone appliance via the established communication link, and means for responding to data displayed by the means for displaying via the established communication link; and

a control center having means for receiving and providing data from and to the at least one phone appliance via the data communications network, the control center further having means for analyzing data generated by the means for responding and received via the data communications network, and means for maintaining at least one database correlating the analyzed data with users of the plurality of phone appliances.

12. The system according to claim 11, wherein data displayed by the means for displaying includes an advertisement or information from vendors.

13. The system according to claim 11, wherein the means for maintaining at least one database includes maintaining a database correlating at least buying habits of the at least one user of the at least one phone appliance.

14. The system according to claim 11, wherein a service operator and/or a user affiliated with the control center defrays part or all of the cost associated with the voice over the data network communications.

15. The system according to claim 11, wherein the communication link is a wireless RF communication link to a computer connected to the data communications network.

16. The system according to claim 11, wherein the means for displaying data is a touch screen display.

17. The system according to claim 16, wherein the means for responding to data includes a pointer for making contact with the touch screen display.

18. The system according to claim 11, wherein the means for responding includes at least one key.

19. The system according to claim 11, wherein the means for performing gateway functions performs at least one gateway function.

20. The system according to claim 11, wherein the at least one phone appliance includes means for converting analog to digital, generating packets of data from voice signals and means for compressing the data.

21. The system according to claim 11, wherein the at least one phone appliance includes encryption/decryption means for facilitating secure transmission of data.

22. The system according to claim 11, further comprising means for keeping track of billing information corresponding to the at least one user.

23. A method for facilitating voice over a data network communications, comprising the steps of:

providing a voice-over-the-data network phone;

performing at least one gateway function for establishing a communication link with a voice-over-a-data communications network using the voice-over-the-data network phone for communicating via the voice-over-the-data communications network, including transmitting and receiving voice-over-the-Internet protocol (VoIP) data communications; and

displaying data received via the voice-over-the-data communications network on a display of the voice-over-the-data network phone.

24. The method according to claim 23, wherein the step of establishing a communication link further comprises the step of establishing a wireless RF communication link to a computer connected to the voice-over-the data communications network.

25. The method according to claim 23, wherein the step of displaying data further comprises the step of displaying data on a touch screen display of the voice-over-the-data network phone.

26. The method according to claim 23, wherein the data displayed is selected from the group consisting of an advertisement, multimedia, a video clip, an electronic message, and information from at least one vendor.