Telephone keypad matrix

• US 5,339,358 A
• Filed: 05/26/1992
• Issued: 08/16/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 03/28/1990
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Danish International, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Danish International, Inc.
• Inventors: Danish, Sherif, Danish, Adel, Kimbrough, Kris W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dwyer, James L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): SAINT SURIN, JACQUES M
• Application Number:
  US07/888,738
• Time in Patent Office: 812 Days
• Field of Search: 379/368, 379/354, 379/373, 379/376, 379/165, 379/94, 379/95, 379/355, 379/387, 379/100, 341/22, 341/28
• US Class Current: 379/368
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0233 Character input methods
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0235 using chord techniques G06F3/0234 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2748 by matching character strings
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/066 Telephone sets adapted for data transmision
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42 Systems providing special services or facilities to subscribers specially adapted for wireless communication networks H04W4/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 379/906 Touchtone message transmission

Abstract

A method and apparatus for the conversion of a standard push button telephone keypad into a data entry terminal permitting full alphanumeric DTMF entry through a telephone system to a file server for delivery to a service provider computer. The alphabetical letters are prearranged to enable single or adjacent keypairs to be defined for each alphabetical letter. DTMF signals are generated by the keypairs and are transmitted to conventional voice tone recognition apparatus and storage facilities of the central computer for later or simultaneous delivery to a service provider computer such as a facsimile machine, an E-mail system, a paging system, and/or any data base connected to a telephone line.

Claims

1. A matrix for entering alphanumeric characters into a first computer means for delivery to a service provider computer means configured as a facsimile system, the matrix comprising a pattern of characters prearranged on a conventional telephone keypad, the pattern arrayed so that only one character is placed between any two adjacent keys of the keypad.

2. The matrix of claim 1 wherein the service provider computer means is configured as a computer for a paging system.

3. The matrix of claim 1 wherein the service provider computer means is configured as a computer of a messaging system.

4. The matrix of claim 1 wherein the service provider computer means is configured as a telephone accessible data base computer.