Computer-to-telephone interface
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A portable personal computer comprising:
- a CPU;
a memory coupled to the CPU storing telephone dialing data including area codes, telephone numbers, long-distance carrier access numbers and user credit card numbers;
a display apparatus coupled to the memory and to the CPU; and
a speaker;
wherein, in response to user initiation, the CPU displays an interactive interface on the display apparatus, the interactive interface including selectable identifiers for call destinations and wherein the user selects call destinations, and the CPU generates audio data used to drive the speaker producing a string of audible DTMF tones based on the stored telephone dialing data including selectable long distance carrier access numbers and selectable credit card numbers.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A portable computer, such as a laptop, notebook, or palmtop computer, comprises control routines for providing a sophisticated touch-tone dialer operable through an existing or supplied output speaker, enabling calls to be routed without making a wired direct connection between the telephone equipment and the computer. In one embodiment a system is provided for transmitting computer-usable data over a phone connection through a pre-stored relationship between DTMF tones and ASCII code.
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Citations
8 Claims
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1. A portable personal computer comprising:
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a CPU; a memory coupled to the CPU storing telephone dialing data including area codes, telephone numbers, long-distance carrier access numbers and user credit card numbers; a display apparatus coupled to the memory and to the CPU; and a speaker; wherein, in response to user initiation, the CPU displays an interactive interface on the display apparatus, the interactive interface including selectable identifiers for call destinations and wherein the user selects call destinations, and the CPU generates audio data used to drive the speaker producing a string of audible DTMF tones based on the stored telephone dialing data including selectable long distance carrier access numbers and selectable credit card numbers. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A method for dialing a long-distance credit-card call over a touch-tone telephone system comprising steps of:
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(a) entering telephone dialing data into a memory device of a portable personal computer, the telephone dialing data including area codes, telephone numbers, long-distance carrier access numbers and user credit card numbers; (b) associating call destinations with the telephone dialing data in the memory device of the portable personal computer; (c) selecting a call destination in an interactive interface presented on a display apparatus of the portable personal computer; (c) generating a string of audible dual-tone multi-frequency (DTMF) signals at a speaker from the telephone dialing data associated with the call destination in the memory device of the portable personal computer; and (d) using the audible DTMF signals generated by the speaker as input for a microphone input of a telephone device to cause the telephone device to dial the call indicated by the DTMF signals.
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Specification