Apparatus for providing a graphical control interface

• US 5,706,334 A
• Filed: 02/23/1995
• Issued: 01/06/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 08/18/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Lucent Technologies, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Lucent Technologies, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Hodgson, Garrett Gayer, Balk, Michael W., Heltai, Blaise, Primatic, Agesino, Ensor, Myra L., Smith, Thomas M., Sammon, Michael J., Sizer, Theodore II, Kowalski, Thaddeus Julius, Wallace, Bruce A., Janow, Richard H., Sumner, Eric E. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): WEAVER, SCOTT LOUIS
• Application Number:
  US08/393,615
• Time in Patent Office: 1,048 Days
• Field of Search: 379/67, 379/88, 379/89, 379/90, 379/102, 379/93, 379/96, 348/10, 348/11, 348/12, 348/13, 348/14
• US Class Current: 379/88.13
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2477 for selecting a function from a menu display H04M1/2474 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6505 storing speech in digital form
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72469 for operating the device by selecting functions from two or more displayed items, e.g. menus or icons
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/38 Displays
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/42 Graphical user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/493 Interactive information services, e.g. directory enquiries ; Arrangements therefor, e.g. interactive voice response [IVR] systems or voice portals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2543 Billing , e.g. for subscription services payment schemes, architectures or protocols G06Q20/00; e-commerce G06Q30/00; arrangements for billing for the use of broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/21
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/478 Supplemental services, e.g. displaying phone caller identification, shopping application
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47805 Electronic banking banking in general G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

Techniques for employing a television set and a television set controller as the control interface for devices which themselves do not have display capability and for services provided via the telephone network. The techniques involve control apparatus which is connected to the telephone network and a television set and is responsive to inputs from a hand-held controller for the television set. The control apparatus outputs a screen which contains control selections to the television set and the user employs the controller to make a selection. The control apparatus then performs the control function specified by the selection. One application is a telephone messaging system: integral with the control apparatus is a system which can answer calls and store voice messages, fax messages, character-string messages, and script messages. The control apparatus plays the voice messages on the television set and provide screens to the television set which display the fax and character-string messages. The script messages contain code which the control apparatus executes to produce displays. Services provided by the telephone network are controlled and displayed analogously. The services may also involve other devices connected to the control apparatus. The control apparatus may further be used with supplemental output devices such as printers and supplemental input devices such as fax machines, electronic pads, and keyboards.

Claims

1. Apparatus for using a television receiver and a controller for the television receiver as a graphical control interface for a device which itself is not capable of generating a graphical display yet interacts with a telephone system, the apparatus comprising:

means coupled to the television receiver for producing a screen on the television receiver which includes at least one indication of a function involving the device;

means coupled to the device for responding to an input from the controller specifying the indication by controlling the device as required to perform the function;

means coupled to the telephone system and to the means for responding to the input from the controller for performing any interaction with the telephone system required for the function; and

means coupled to the means coupled to the telephone system and the means for responding to an input for downloading program code for the apparatus from the telephone system in response to the input.

2. The apparatus set forth in claim 1 wherein:

the device is a digital answering machine.

3. The apparatus set forth in claim 2 wherein:

the digital answering machine receives voice messages from the telephone system and includes

means for storing the voice messages; and

means for playing the voice messages on the television receiver.

4. The apparatus set forth in claim 2 wherein:

the digital answering machine receives data messages from the telephone system and

the means for producing a screen further produces a screen with at least a portion of the received data message.

5. The apparatus set forth in claim 2 wherein:

the digital answering machine receives fax messages from the telephone system and

the means for producing a screen further produces a screen with at least a portion of the received fax message.

6. The apparatus set forth in claim 1 wherein:

the downloaded program code is code for a service which is provided via the telephone system and controlled by means of screens and controller inputs specified in the downloaded program code.

7. The apparatus set forth in claim 1 wherein:

the downloaded program code is code for a device which is coupled to the apparatus and controlled by means of screens and controller inputs specified in the downloaded program code.

8. The apparatus set forth in any one of claims 1, 2 through 5, 6 and 7 wherein:

the device is an integral part of the apparatus.

9. The apparatus set forth in any one of claims 1, 2 through 5, 6 and 7 wherein:

the controller is a wireless remote controller.

10. The apparatus set forth in any one of claims 1, 2 through 5, 6 and 7 wherein:

the apparatus is an integral part of the television receiver.

11. The apparatus set forth in claim 10 wherein:

the controller is an integral part of the television receiver.

12. A method of providing a service to a user of a telephone network comprising the steps of:

downloading program code to a graphical control interface device;

providing a screen specifying a selectable function of the service from the graphical control interface device coupled to the telephone network and a television receiver on the user'"'"'s premises to the television receiver;

responding in the graphical control interface device to input specifying the function from a controller for the television receiver which is provided in response to the screen by specifying the function to the telephone network;

performing the function for the user in the telephone network and providing the result to the user; and

responding in the graphical control interface device to the result by providing a screen displaying the result on the television receiver.

13. A method practiced in a telephone network of providing a service to a user of the telephone network, the method comprising the steps of:

downloading program code specifying a control interface involving screens displayed on a television receiver and inputs from a controller for the television receiver to control a programmable control apparatus coupled to the television receiver and the telephone network; and

responding to signals produced by the control interface while executing the downloaded program code as required for the service.

14. The method set forth in claim 13 wherein:

the service is provided by a service provider accessible via the telephone network; and

the step of responding to signals includes the step of establishing a connection between the service provider and the programmable control apparatus.

15. A programmable graphical control interface apparatus operably connected between and among a telephone network, a television with a screen, a controller device and a device having at least one function operative with the telephone network yet inoperative to generate a graphical display, the programmable graphical control interface apparatus comprising:

means for responding to an input from the controller device to download program code so that the controller device in conjunction with the programmable graphical control interface apparatus is programmed for causing the device to function; and

means for producing a display on the television screen that includes indicia relating to the at least one function of the device.

16. A programmable graphical control interface apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the indicia include alphanumeric characters.

17. A programmable graphical control interface apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the program code is downloaded via the telephone network.

18. A programmable graphical control interface apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the device is at least one of a telephone answering machine, a printer, a keyboard and a facsimile machine.

19. A programmable graphical control interface apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the controller device is operative with the television and the programmable graphical control interface apparatus whereby causing the device to function is achieved by activating the controller device in accordance with the indicia displayed on the television screen.