Information payphone

• US 6,320,946 B1
• Filed: 12/23/1999
• Issued: 11/20/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Enzmann, Mark J., Moton, Robert T. Jr., Zellner, Samuel N.
• Primary Examiner(s): TIEU, BINH KIEN
• Application Number:
  US09/472,135
• Time in Patent Office: 698 Days
• Field of Search: 379/143, 379/144, 379/146, 379/147, 379/148, 379/150, 379/151, 379/155, 379/93.05, 379/93.06, 379/93.18, 379/93.22, 379/93.23, 379/93.31
• US Class Current: 379/143
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/08 specially adapted for optional reception of entertainment or informative matter
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 17/02 Coin-freed or check-freed systems , e.g. mobile- or card-operated phones, public telephones or booths
• 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

Abstract

A payphone or coin-operated telephone that functions as an information transmittal device that dispenses user-selected information audibly to the user via the speaker in the payphone handset. A variety of information is stored in an information storage unit provided within the payphone unit. The information includes frequently-requested information on topics such as, for example, news, weather, sports, financial market reports, local travel information, local telephone yellow pages, etc. The user of the payphone may incur a nominal charge to retrieve the information from the payphone. A processing unit within the payphone or the information storage unit may update the content of the information with the help of an external information server or the Internet. The information server may be located within a telephone company central office and the central office switch may connect the information server to the processing unit in the payphone for desired data transfer. The information is thus directly available from the payphone itself. This allows payphone user to obtain a wide range of information from the payphone without resorting to phone calls to multiple sources of information and without incurring substantial, unnecessary expenses related to such phone calls.

Claims

1. A payphone comprising:

a speaker;

an off-hook sensor configured to generate an off-hook signal upon detecting an off-hook condition;

a housing;

an information storage unit located within the housing and having audio information stored therein, wherein the information storage unit is configured to send one or more parts of the audio information to the speaker when connected thereto so as to enable a user of said payphone to listen to said one or more parts of the audio information;

a processing unit in the housing and coupled to the information storage unit and the off-hook sensor, wherein the processing unit is configured to receive the off-hook signal from the off-hook sensor and thereafter connect the information storage unit to the speaker upon occurrence of a predetermined event; and

a line interface unit located within the housing and coupled to the processing unit and a communication network, wherein the line interface unit is configured to provide a signaling interface between the processing unit and the communication network,

wherein the processing unit is configured to automatically perform the following before said user accesses said payphone;

connect via the line interface unit to an information server coupled to the communication network, and

download said one or more parts of the audio information stored in said information server into said information storage unit.

2. The payphone as in claim 1, wherein the information storage unit includes a text-to-speech converter to convert a portion of said one or more parts of the audio information downloaded in a digital text file format from said information server into a digital audio file format so as to allow audible playback of said portion of said one or more parts of the audio information to said user through said speaker.

3. The payphone as in claim 1, wherein the communication network is at least one of a wireline communication network and a wireless communication network.

4. The payphone as in claim 3, wherein the wireline communication network includes the Internet.

5. The payphone as in claim 1, wherein the predetermined event constitutes at least one of the following:

manual entry of an access code by the user of the payphone;

deposit of a predetermined amount of money by the user of the payphone;

the user speaking one or more prescribed words; and

the off-hook sensor detecting the off-hook condition.

6. The payphone as in claim 1, wherein the processing unit is configured to calculate the amount of money deposited by said user of the payphone and to accordingly adjust the duration of connection of the information storage unit to the speaker.

7. A payphone comprising:

a speaker;

an off-hook sensor configured to generate an off-hook signal upon detecting an off-hook condition;

a housing;

an information storage unit located within the housing and having audio information stored therein, wherein the information storage unit is configured to send one or more parts of the audio information to the speaker when connected thereto so as to enable a user of said payphone to listen to said one or more parts of the audio information;

a processing unit in the housing and coupled to the information storage unit and the off-hook sensor, wherein the processing unit is configured to receive the off-hook signal from the off-hook sensor and thereafter connect the information storage unit to the speaker upon occurrence of a predetermined event; and

a line interface unit located within the housing and coupled to the processing unit and a communication network, wherein the line interface unit is configured to provide a signaling interface between the processing unit and the communication network,

wherein the processing unit is configured to automatically perform the following while the user is listening to a first portion of said one or more parts of the audio information through the speaker;

connect via the line interface unit to an information server coupled to the communication network, and

download a second portion of said one or more parts of the audio information stored in said information server into said information storage unit.

8. The payphone as in claim 7, wherein the processing unit is further configured to automatically send said second portion of said one or more parts of the audio information downloaded into said information storage unit to said speaker when said user finishes listening to said first portion of said one or more parts of the audio information.

9. The payphone as in claim 7, wherein the information storage unit includes a text-to-speech converter to convert said second portion of said one or more parts of the audio information downloaded in a digital text file format from said information server into a digital audio file format so as to allow audible playback of said second portion of said one or more parts of the audio information to said user through said speaker.

10. The payphone as in claim 7, wherein the predetermined event constitutes at least one of the following:

manual entry of an access code by the user of the payphone;

deposit of a predetermined amount of money by the user of the payphone;

the user speaking one or more prescribed words; and

the off-hook sensor detecting the off-hook condition.

11. The payphone as in claim 7, wherein the processing unit is configured to calculate the amount of money deposited by said user of the payphone and to accordingly adjust the duration of connection of the information storage unit to the speaker.

12. An information retrieval system comprising:

a telephone switching mechanism;

an information server coupled to the telephone switching mechanism and having audio information stored therein;

a telephone line connected to the telephone switching mechanism; and

a payphone that includes;

a speaker,

a housing,

an information storage unit located within the housing and having one or more parts of said audio information stored therein, wherein the information storage unit is configured to send one or more parts of the audio information to the speaker when connected thereto so as to enable a user of said payphone to listen to said one or more parts of the audio information, and

a processing unit in the housing and coupled to the information storage unit and to the telephone line,

wherein the telephone switching mechanism is configured to connect said information server to said telephone line upon receiving an indication therefor from said processing unit, and wherein the processing unit is configured to automatically perform the following before said user accesses said payphone;

establish a first connection to said telephone switching mechanism over said telephone line,

transmit, over said telephone line, said indication to said telephone switching mechanism for a second connection to said information server, and

download, over said telephone line, said one or more parts of the audio information stored in said information server into said information storage unit when said second connection is established.

13. The information retrieval system as in claim 12, wherein the information storage unit in said payphone includes a text-to-speech converter to convert a portion of said one or more parts of the audio information downloaded in a digital text file format from said information server into a digital audio file format so as to allow audible playback of said portion of said one or more parts of the audio information to said user through said speaker.