Videophone system and method
First Claim
1. A videophone including at least a display screen, telephone keypad, and speaker, all of which are operatively connected, and further comprising:
- means for connecting said videophone to a communications network configured for transmitting video and audio communications, means for selectably receiving signals which can be transmitted over said communications network, which signals represent images and/or sound, and wherein said signals are transmitted from a remote location accessible through the communications network, means for selectably accessing the remote location using information entered or selected by a user of said videophone device with said videophone device, and means for selectably displaying the signals representing any transmitted signals representing the images on said display screen, and for playing any transmitted signals representing the sounds on said speaker.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
System and method for providing personal videotelephony in which a plurality of videophones are connected to a communications network that is configured for transmitted video and audio communications. Each of the videophones typically includes a camera, display device, telephone keypad, speaker and microphone all of which are operatively connected. The videophones further include means for selectably receiving and transmitting signals over the communications network, which signals represent images and/or sound, and for selectably displaying the signals representing any received signals representing the images on the display screen, and for playing any received signals representing the sounds on said speaker. Means are also provided for selectably accessing a remote location, such as, but not limited to, another videophone, using information entered or selected by a user of the videophone, and to retrieve the signals representing the images and sounds being transmitted from the remote location. In one or more embodiments the present invention further includes at least one networks operation center to store information related to the operation of the videophones and to facilitate the operation of the videophones.
9 Citations
25 Claims
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1. A videophone including at least a display screen, telephone keypad, and speaker, all of which are operatively connected, and further comprising:
- means for connecting said videophone to a communications network configured for transmitting video and audio communications, means for selectably receiving signals which can be transmitted over said communications network, which signals represent images and/or sound, and wherein said signals are transmitted from a remote location accessible through the communications network, means for selectably accessing the remote location using information entered or selected by a user of said videophone device with said videophone device, and means for selectably displaying the signals representing any transmitted signals representing the images on said display screen, and for playing any transmitted signals representing the sounds on said speaker.
- View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method for receiving and displaying information on personal videophone communications device, which device includes at least a display screen, telephone keypad, and speaker, all of which are operatively connected, comprising:
- connecting said videophone to a communications network configured for transmitting video and audio communications, selectably receiving digital signals being transmitted over said communications network representing the images and sound being transmitted, and for selectably displaying the transmitted signals representing any images on said display screen and for playing the transmitted signals representing any sounds on said speaker, wherein said signals have been stored in remotely located memory means capable of being accessed by said videophone through said communications network, and selectably accessing said remote memory means using information entered or selected by a user of the videophone device with said videophone device.
- View Dependent Claims (12, 13)
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14. A network operations center for a videophone system in which the operations center and a plurality of videophones are connected to a communications network by a plurality of communications media, said network and media being configured for transmitting video and audio communications, and in which said operations center being configured to communicate with said videophones via said communications network and communications media, said operations center comprising:
- storage means for storing information related to the users of said videophones, first processing means for receiving information requests from said video phones and for retrieving such information as is requested from said storage means and transmitting the requested information to the requesting videophone, second processing means for receiving information from said videophones and for selectively storing the received information in said storage means.
- View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
Specification