Intelligent telephone
First Claim
1. A self contained portable communication system for coupling to a telephone line comprising:
- a keyboard terminal housing;
a microprocessor located within said keyboard terminal housing;
real time means, coupled to said microprocessor;
a keyboard located on said keyboard terminal housing and having a plurality of alphanumeric data entry keys comprising a full alphanumeric key set in a nonorthogonal typewriter array in communication with said microprocessor;
memory means located within said key board terminal housing and in communication with said microprocessor for storing a program for controlling the operation of said microprocessor;
random access memory means in communication with said microprocessor for temporary storage of data;
telephone line interface means for coupling to a phone line, said telephone line interface means being means for receiving electrical signals from and providing electrical signals to a phone line, including an off hook signal to maintain a phone line connection;
a telephone handset having a speaker for converting electrical signals to audio signals and a microphone for converting audio signals to electrical signals to be provided to said phone line;
a one line display means, mounted in said keyboard terminal housing and coupled to said microprocessor;
at least one appliance control device in communication with said microprocessor and in communication with at least one appliance;
whereby a user may depress data entry keys to enter data into said random access memory to cause said microprocessor to compute the cost of a telephone call placed through said communication system and to display the total cost on the display at the end of the phone call.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A microprocessor based telephone like device which includes all of the functions of any ordinary telephone, the functions of a data terminal and many additional functions to provide a highly useful voice and data communications and control device for both professional and personal use. The system generally includes a provision for direct connection and acoustic coupling to a phone line for ordinary voice communications or for data communications through a modem. A full alphanumeric keyboard coupled with a significant buffer memory and a one line display in the terminal provide for buffering of incoming and outgoing data as well as the display thereof. Inasmuch as the microprocessor based system is a bus oriented system, a great variety of controllers and communications devices and interfaces may be coupled thereto to provide a large array of data and voice communications and control capabilities.
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Citations
18 Claims
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1. A self contained portable communication system for coupling to a telephone line comprising:
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a keyboard terminal housing; a microprocessor located within said keyboard terminal housing; real time means, coupled to said microprocessor; a keyboard located on said keyboard terminal housing and having a plurality of alphanumeric data entry keys comprising a full alphanumeric key set in a nonorthogonal typewriter array in communication with said microprocessor; memory means located within said key board terminal housing and in communication with said microprocessor for storing a program for controlling the operation of said microprocessor; random access memory means in communication with said microprocessor for temporary storage of data; telephone line interface means for coupling to a phone line, said telephone line interface means being means for receiving electrical signals from and providing electrical signals to a phone line, including an off hook signal to maintain a phone line connection; a telephone handset having a speaker for converting electrical signals to audio signals and a microphone for converting audio signals to electrical signals to be provided to said phone line; a one line display means, mounted in said keyboard terminal housing and coupled to said microprocessor; at least one appliance control device in communication with said microprocessor and in communication with at least one appliance; whereby a user may depress data entry keys to enter data into said random access memory to cause said microprocessor to compute the cost of a telephone call placed through said communication system and to display the total cost on the display at the end of the phone call. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A system comprising first and second communication systems, each having:
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a keyboard terminal housing; a microprocessor located within said keyboard terminal housing; a real time means coupled to said microprocessor; a keyboard located on said keyboard terminal housing and having a plurality of alphanumeric data entry keys in communication with said microprocessor; memory means located within said keyboard terminal housing and in communication with said microprocessor for storing a program for controlling the operation of said microprocessor; random access memory means in communication with said microprocessor for temporary storage of data; telephone line interface means for coupling to a phone line, said telephone line interface means being means for receiving electrical signals from and providing electrical signals to a phone line, including an off hook signal to maintain a phone line connection; a telephone handset having a speaker for converting electrical signals to audio signals and a microphone for converting audio signals to electrical signals to be provided to said phone line; a one line display means, mounted in said keyboard terminal housing and coupled to said microprocessor; and a speech synthesizer including a speech synthesizer speaker located within said keyboard terminal housing and in electrical communication with said microprocessor; whereby depression of a data entry key will enter data to said microprocessor, which data may thereafter be converted by said speech synthesizer to tones of synthesized speech and transmitted over said speech synthesizer speaker; said first communication system being in communication with said second communication system wherein depression of a preselected set of data entry keys by a user of said first communication system will instruct said first communication system to place a telephone call to a particular person normally present at said second communication system and causes said second communication system to page said particular person by emitting a preselected sound, rather than a normal telephone ring, to inform said particular person that the call is intended for said particular person, and to deliver a preselected message when said call is answered.
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8. A self contained communication system comprising:
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a keyboard terminal housing; a microprocessor located within said keyboard terminal housing; a real time means coupled to said microprocessor; a keyboard located on said keyboard terminal housing and having a plurality of alphanumeric data entry keys in communication with said microprocessor; memory means located within said keyboard terminal housing and in communication with said microprocessor for storing a program for controlling the operation of said microprocessor; random access memory means in communication with said microprocessor for temporary storage of data; telephone line interface means for coupling to a phone line, said telephone line interface means being means for receiving electrical signal from and providing electrical signals to a phone line, including an off hook signal to maintain a phone line connection; a telephone handset having a speaker for converting electrical signals to audio signals and a microphone for converting audio signals to electrical signals to be provided to said phone line; a one line display means, mounted in said keyboard terminal housing and coupled to said microprocessor; and a speech synthesizer including a speech synthesizer speaker located within said keyboard terminal housing and in electrical communication with said microprocessor; whereby depression of a data entry key will enter data to said microprocessor, which data may thereafter be converted by said speech synthesizer to tones of synthesized speech and transmitted over said speech synthesizer speaker, and wherein depression of a preselected set of data entry keys will instruct said communication system, between preselected times of the day, to automatically answer incoming telephone calls by transmitting a preselected sound and then terminating the call.
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9. A self contained communication system comprising:
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a keyboard terminal housing; a microprocessor located within said keyboard terminal housing; a real time means coupled to said microprocessor; a keyboard located on said keyboard terminal housing and having a plurality of alphanumeric data entry keys in communication with said microprocessor; memory means located within said keyboard terminal housing and in communication with said microprocessor for storing a program for controlling the operation of said microprocessor; random access memory means in communication with said microprocessor for temporary storage of data; telephone line interface means for coupling to a phone line, said telephone line interface means being means for receiving electrical signals from and providing electrical signals to a phone line, including an off hook signal to maintain a phone line connection; a telephone handset having a speaker for converting electrical signals to audio signals and a microphone for converting audio signals to electrical signals to be provided to said phone line; a one line display means, mounted in said keyboard terminal housing and coupled to said microprocessor; and a speech synthesizer including a speech synthesizer speaker located within said terminal housing and in electrical communication with said microprocessor; whereby depression of a data entry key will enter data to said microprocessor, which data may thereafter be converted by said speech synthesizer to tones of synthesized speech and transmitted over said speech synthesizer speaker, and wherein depression of a preselected set of data entry keys will instruct said communication system between preselected times of day to answer incoming calls without ringing and transmit a preselected message to the calling party and to receive and store any incoming message.
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10. A self contained communication system comprising:
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a keyboard terminal housing; a microprocessor located within said keyboard terminal housing; a real time means coupled to said microprocessor; a keyboard located on said keyboard terminal housing and having a plurality of alphanumeric data entry keys in communication with said microprocessor; memory means located within said keyboard terminal housing and in communication with said microprocessor for storing a program for controlling the operation of said microprocessor; random access memory means in communication with said microprocessor for temporary storage of data; telephone line interface means for coupling to a phone line, said telephone line interface means being means for receiving electrical signals from and providing electrical signals to a phone line, including an off hook signal to maintain a phone line connection; a telephone handset having a speaker for converting electrical signals to audio signals and a microphone for converting audio signals to electrical signals to be provided to said phone line; a one line display means, mounted in said keyboard terminal housing and coupled to said microprocessor; and a speech synthesizer including a speaker located within said keyboard terminal housing and in electrical communication with said microprocessor; whereby depression of a data entry key will enter data to said microprocessor, which data may thereafter be converted by said speech synthesizer to tones of synthesized speech and transmitted over said speech synthesizer speaker; and
whereby depression of a preselected set of data entry keys will instruct said system to speak the identity of keys depressed and to also decode and speak coded incoming messages letter by letter or word by word if the words are stored in the said memory means. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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Specification