PHONE APPLIANCE WITH DISPLAY SCREEN AND METHODS OF USING THE SAME

• US 20140192800A1
• Filed: 02/10/2014
• Published: 07/10/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ching-Yi Lin
• Original Assignee: Ching-Yi Lin
• Inventors: Lin, Ching-Yi
• Granted Patent: US 11,652,914 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/352
• 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

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. (canceled)

2-27. -27. (canceled)

28. A phone appliance for making voice communications and for facilitating sending data communications via at least one data network, said phone appliance comprising:

a transceiver for transmitting and receiving the voice communications and the data communications via the at least one data network; and

a display screen for displaying at least one data communication received via the at least one data network;

said phone appliance configured for Internet access for viewing Internet content and for downloading software wirelessly via accessing the Internet content for adding at least one additional function to said phone appliance, said one additional function includes performing at least one service associated with the Internet content;

wherein, when said phone appliance is operable, a time when the user initiates downloading of the at least one data communication received for display by the display screen via the user accessing the Internet content is independent of a time when the user makes a voice communication call.

29. The phone appliance according to claim 28 wherein the display screen is a touch screen display, and wherein the user interacting with the Internet content is via the touch screen display.

30. The phone appliance according to claim 28, further comprising software configured for facilitating recording the voice communications.

31. The phone appliance according to claim 28, wherein the phone appliance is configured to compress the voice communications and/or the data communications.

32. The phone appliance according to claim 28, wherein the phone appliance is a mobile phone device.

33. The phone appliance according to claim 28, wherein the at least one data communication received is selected from the group consisting of an advertisement, multimedia, a video clip, an electronic message, a query, an order form, and information from at least one vendor.

34. The phone appliance according to claim 28, further comprising software for receiving and transmitting email.

35. A method for making voice communications and for facilitating sending data communications via at least one data network, said method comprising:

transmitting and receiving the voice communications and the data communications via the at least one data network using a phone appliance; and

displaying at least one data communication received via the at least one data network on a display screen of the phone appliance;

said phone appliance configured for Internet access for viewing Internet content and for downloading software wirelessly via accessing the Internet content for adding at least one additional function to said phone appliance, said one additional function includes performing at least one service associated with the Internet content;

wherein, when said phone appliance is operable, a time when the user initiates downloading of the at least one data communication received for display by the display screen via the user accessing Internet content is independent of a time when the user makes a voice communication call.

36. The method according to claim 35, wherein the display screen is a touch screen display, and wherein an alpha-numeric communication is created via a user interacting with the touch screen display.

37. The method according to claim 35, further comprising software configured for facilitating recording the voice communications.

38. The method according to claim 35, wherein the phone appliance is configured to compress the voice communications and/or the data communications.

39. The method according to claim 35, wherein the phone appliance is a mobile phone device.

40. The method according to claim 35, wherein the at least one data communication received is selected from the group consisting of an advertisement, multimedia, a video clip, an electronic message, a query, an order form, and information from at least one vendor.

41. The method according to claim 35, further comprising software for receiving and transmitting email.

42. A system for making voice communications and for facilitating sending data communications via at least one data network, the system comprising:

at least one phone appliance comprising a transceiver for transmitting and receiving the data communications for display and the voice communications via the at least one data network;

a display screen for displaying at least one data communication received via the at least one data network, wherein said at least one data communication received includes Internet content; and

software downloaded wirelessly via accessing the Internet content for adding at least one additional function to said phone appliance, said one additional function includes performing at least one service associated with the Internet content, wherein, when said at least one phone appliance is operable, a time when a user initiates downloading of the at least one data communication received for display by the display screen via the user accessing the Internet content is independent of a time when the user makes the at least one phone call; and

a computing device in operative communication with the at least one data network for receiving and sending the data communications for display and/or the voice communications from and to the at least one phone appliance via the at least one data network.

43. The phone appliance according to claim 42, wherein the display screen is a touch screen display, and wherein software downloaded is downloaded via a user accessing and interacting with the Internet content via the touch screen display.

44. The phone appliance according to claim 42, further comprising software configured for facilitating recording the voice communications.

45. The phone appliance according to claim 42, wherein the phone appliance is configured to compress the voice communications and/or the data communications.

46. The phone appliance according to claim 42, wherein the phone appliance is a mobile phone device.

47. The phone appliance according to claim 42, wherein the at least one data communication received is selected from the group consisting of an advertisement, multimedia, a video clip, an electronic message, a query, an order form, and information from at least one vendor.

48. The phone appliance according to claim 42, further comprising software for receiving and transmitting email.