Radio frequency-controlled telecommunication device

• US 6,983,124 B1
• Filed: 06/09/2003
• Issued: 01/03/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/12/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Vulcan Patents LLC
• Original Assignee: Vulcan Patents LLC
• Inventors: Bayley, Oliver T., Kerr, Bernard J., Smith, Geoffrey M., Dishman, James E., McCabe, Mark A., Ananny, John M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Trost, William
• Assistant Examiner(s): ZEWDU, MELESS NMN
• Application Number:
  US10/458,004
• Time in Patent Office: 939 Days
• Field of Search: 455/3.05, 455/41.1, 455/41.2, 455/41.3, 455/95, 455/410, 455/414.1, 455/413, 455/412.1, 455418-420, 455/100, 455/550.1, 455/404.1, 455/414.2, 455/414.3, 455/414.4, 455424-325, 455/500, 455/514, 455/556.1, 455/557, 455/564, 340/10.1, 340/10.41, 340/10.42, 340/572.1, 340/572.2, 340/10.2, 340/10.5, 235/493, 235/462.01, 235/375, 379/106.11, 379/144.04, 379/283
• US Class Current: 455/41.2
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10881 constructional details of hand-held scanners
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/48 Transceivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/79 for data transfer in combination with power transfer
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/275 implemented by means of portable electronic directories
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2757 by data transmission, e.g. downloading
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/724 User interfaces specially adapted for cordless or mobile telephones
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4931 Directory assistance systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4935 Connection initiated by DAS system

Abstract

Provided are telecommunications devices and systems which incorporate and use radio frequency (RF) tag technology. Telecommunications devices in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention incorporate RF transceivers (readers) which are configured to read associated RF transponders (tags) in order to automatically dial desired telephone numbers without the need for a manual user interface. Tags in systems in accordance with this embodiment of the present invention may be attached to or incorporated with a myriad of items, including picture frames, consumer products and packaging, advertising and promotional material, electronic business cards, record-keeping systems, etc. Devices and systems in accordance with the present invention have a variety of telephony and non-telephony applications.

Claims

1. A telecommunications device, comprising:

a DTMF generator;

a microprocessor coupled to said DTMF generator; and

a radio frequency transceiver coupled to said microprocessor;

wherein said radio frequency transceiver is configured to;

detect existence of a radio frequency tag;

receive from said radio frequency tag a radio frequency signal comprising tag data associated with said radio frequency tag, said tag data being associated with an item with which the radio frequency tag is associated; and

provide said tag data to the microprocessor;

wherein said microprocessor is configured to do the following substantially at the time the radio frequency signal is received;

receive said tag data from the radio frequency transceiver;

associate said tag data with an associated DTMF sequence; and

cause the DTMF generator to provide said associated DTMF sequence as output; and

wherein said radio frequency tag is attached to a business card on which information for an entity is displayed and wherein said tag data is associated with a telephone number for said entity, whereby said microprocessor causes the DTMF generator to dial said telephone number for said entity in response to receiving said tag data.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein said tag data comprises an indicated number associated with said telephone number for said entity.

3. The device of claim 2, wherein said indicated number comprises a complete telephone number.

4. The device of claim 2, further comprising a database of telephone numbers and wherein said microprocessor is further configured to query said database using said tag data to obtain a telephone number.

5. The device of claim 4, wherein said database is part of a telecommunications system of which said device is a part.

6. The device of claim 4, wherein said database is on site with said device.

7. The device of claim 4, wherein said database is online.

8. The device of claim 4, wherein said indicated number is a code referencing a complete telephone number in said database.

9. The device of claim 2, wherein said signal received from said radio frequency tag further comprises voicemail access and/or navigation numbers.

10. The device of claim 1, wherein:

said device further comprises a database of phone numbers; and

said microprocessor is configured to access said database of phone numbers to associate said tag data with said telephone number for said entity.

11. The device of claim 10, wherein said database is on board said device.

12. The device of claim 10, wherein said database is part of a telecommunications system of which said device is a part.

13. The device of claim 12, wherein said database is on site with said device.

14. The device of claim 12, wherein said database is online.

15. The device of claim 1, further comprising a keypad connected with said microprocessor.

16. The device of claim 1, wherein said device is a telephone.

17. The device of claim 1, wherein said device is a facsimile machine.

18. The device of claim 1, wherein said device is a cellular telephone.

19. The device of claim 1, wherein said signal received from said radio frequency tag further comprises telephone number property data.

20. The device of claim 19, wherein said property data comprises one of voice line, facsimile line and data line.

21. The device of claim 1, further comprising a memory accessible by said microprocessor, said memory capable of being read from or written to using said device.

22. The device of claim 21, wherein said memory is capable of being read from or written to with audible data.

23. A telecommunications device, comprising:

a DTMF generator;

a microprocessor coupled to said DTMF generator; and

a radio frequency transceiver coupled to said microprocessor;

wherein said radio frequency transceiver is configured to;

detect existence of a radio frequency tag;

receive from said radio frequency tag a radio frequency signal comprising tag data associated with said radio frequency tag, said tag data being associated with an item with which the radio frequency tag is associated; and

provide said tag data to the microprocessor; and

wherein said microprocessor is configured to do the following substantially at the time the radio frequency signal is received;

receive said tag data from the radio frequency transceiver;

associate said tag data with an associated DTMF sequence; and

cause the DTMF generator to provide said associated DTMF sequence as output; and

wherein said radio frequency tag is attached to a refrigerator magnet on which information for an entity is displayed and wherein said tag data is associated with a telephone number for said entity, whereby said microprocessor causes the DTMF generator to dial said telephone number for said entity in response to receiving said tag data.

24. The device of claim 23, wherein said tag data comprises an indicated number associated with said telephone number for said entity.

25. The device of claim 24, wherein said tag data comprises a complete telephone number.

26. The device of claim 24, further comprising a database of telephone numbers and wherein said microprocessor is further configured to query said database using said tag data to obtain a telephone number.

27. The device of claim 24, wherein said signal received from said radio frequency tag further comprises voicemail access and/or navigation numbers.

28. The device of claim 23, wherein said device further comprises a database of phone numbers and said microprocessor is configured to access said database of phone numbers to associate said tag data with said telephone number for said entity.

29. The device of claim 28, wherein said database is part of a telecommunications system of which said device is a part.

30. A telecommunications device, comprising:

a DTMF generator;

a microprocessor coupled to said DTMF generator; and

a radio frequency transceiver coupled to said microprocessor;

wherein said radio frequency transceiver is configured to;

detect existence of a radio frequency tag;

receive from said radio frequency tag a radio frequency signal comprising tag data associated with said radio frequency tag, said tag data being associated with an item with which the radio frequency tag is associated; and

provide said tag data to the microprocessor; and

wherein said microprocessor is configured to do the following substantially at the time the radio frequency signal is received;

receive said tag data from the radio frequency transceiver;

associate said tag data with an associated DTMF sequence; and

cause the DTMF generator to provide said associated DTMF sequence as output; and

wherein said radio frequency tag is attached to a consumer product label on which information for a first entity is displayed and wherein said tag data is associated with a telephone number for a second entity, whereby said microprocessor causes the DTMF generator to dial said telephone number for said entity in response to receiving said tag data.

31. The device of claim 30, wherein said first entity and second entity are the same.

32. The device of claim 30, wherein said second entity provides emergency services.

33. The device of claim 30, wherein said tag data comprises an indicated number associated with said telephone number for said second entity.

34. The device of claim 33, wherein said database is part of a telecommunications system of which said device is a part.

35. The device of claim 33, wherein said tag data comprises a complete telephone number.

36. The device of claim 33, further comprising a database of telephone numbers and wherein said microprocessor is further configured to query said database using said tag data to obtain a telephone number.

37. The device of claim 33, wherein said signal received from said radio frequency tag further comprises voicemail access and/or navigation numbers.

38. The device of claim 30, wherein said device further comprises a database of phone numbers and said microprocessor is configured to access said database of phone numbers to associate said tag data with said telephone number for said second entity.