CRT mass-distribution, preprogrammed automatic dialing mechanism and related processes
First Claim
1. A pocket size automatic dialing device comprising:
- a portable card provided with information related to goods or services;
automatic telephone dialing means mounted on said card, said automatic dialing means capable of producing DTMF tones corresponding only to a single programmed telephone number for connecting a user directly with a source of said goods or services;
a power source for supplying power to said automatic telephone dialing means;
means for acoustically coupling said automatic dialing means to a telephone microphone; and
a single switch mounted on said card for supplying power from said power source to said automatic telephone dialing means for dialing said preprogrammed telephone number.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An automatic telephone number dialing device for use with mass-distribution media products to enable consumers to automatically dial of preprogrammed number associated with one or more sources of goods and/or services. The device may be constructed as an insert for magazines, books, direct mail advertising, or newspapers. The device may also be constructed as a customized service card for accessing sources of products or services. The preprogrammed number may be that of a centralized, automated, or personal telemarketing system. The dialing device includes a single chip microprocessor capable of producing DTMF tones corresponding to the preprogrammed telephone. By passing the tones through a miniature speaker or other sound transducer, the preprogrammed number will be automatically dialed. Related processes of manufacture and use are also disclosed.
113 Citations
28 Claims
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1. A pocket size automatic dialing device comprising:
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a portable card provided with information related to goods or services; automatic telephone dialing means mounted on said card, said automatic dialing means capable of producing DTMF tones corresponding only to a single programmed telephone number for connecting a user directly with a source of said goods or services; a power source for supplying power to said automatic telephone dialing means; means for acoustically coupling said automatic dialing means to a telephone microphone; and a single switch mounted on said card for supplying power from said power source to said automatic telephone dialing means for dialing said preprogrammed telephone number. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A portable communications device acoustically coupleable to a telephone microphone for linking inert and interactive media comprising:
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a flexible substrate, a microprocessor mounted on said substrte and having a memory sufficient to store at least one telephone number; means mounted on said substrate capable of generating dual tone multi-frequency signals corresponding only to a preprogrammed telephone number; means for detachably mounting said device to inert media means including advertising for a product or service source, said inert media means adapted for mass distribution; and switch means mounted on said substrate for activating said microprocessor and said generating means to generate said signals, such that, when said generating means is activated, and when said portable device is plated adjacent a telephone microphone, the preprogrammed telephone number is automatically dialed to connect the user directly with interactive media means at the source of said product or service. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A marketing system combining mass-distributed inert print media and a centralized interactive marketing media comprising:
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(a) a plurality of print media means adapted for mass-distribution to individual consumers; (b) a preprogrammed automatic telephone dialing device detachably mounted to each said print media means for automatically dialing a telephone number for the centralized interactive media said device further including switch means for actuating said automatic telephone dialing device; and (c) centralized interactive marketing media means for receiving consumer calls generated by said automatic telephone dialing devices. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22)
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23. A direct marketing system including front end interaction between inert media means, individual consumers, and a telemarketing system, and back end interaction between the telemarketing system and selected sources of products or services, comprising:
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mass-distributed inert media means, each of said inert media means including one or more removable substrates, each said substrate having incorporated therein an automatic telephone number dialing device; said substrate and said inert media means having advertising material associated therewith relating to goods or services from a source;
said automatic telephone number dialing device including means for generating DTMF tones corresponding to a preprogrammed telephone number; andactuation means for actuating said automatic telephone number dialing means enabling individual consumers to access the telemarketing system. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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Specification