Playing of audio via voice calls initiated from visual navigation

• US 7,035,620 B2
• Filed: 12/11/2000
• Issued: 04/25/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/11/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: At Road Incorporated
• Original Assignee: At Road Incorporated
• Inventors: Ben-Efraim, Amir, Del Pellegrino, Marco
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Lee
• Application Number:
  US09/737,435
• Publication Number:
  US 20040204116A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,961 Days
• Field of Search: 455/412.1, 455/412.2, 455/418, 455/566, 455/564, 455/3.03, 379/88.17, 379/88.25, 370/463, 709217-219
• US Class Current: 455/412.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2757 by data transmission, e.g. downloading
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72445 for supporting Internet browser applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72448 with means for adapting the functionality of the device according to specific conditions
• 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 3/493 Interactive information services, e.g. directory enquiries ; Arrangements therefor, e.g. interactive voice response [IVR] systems or voice portals

Abstract

Descriptions of audio contents available for playback via voice calls are displayed visually on a screen of a telephone handset (such as a cellular phone supporting Internet access, or a personal digital assistant supporting voice telephony). On selection of an audio content, the handset places a voice call to a computer that plays the audio content to the user (during the voice call). A data connection is used to retrieve description(s) for visual display, but this data connection is not used for retrieval of a file containing the audio content. Instead, a voice call is placed in the normal telephony manner, and the audio content is played by the computer that receives the voice call. The just-described method and system eliminates a prior art need for the user to navigate through a set of voice prompts to identify an audio content to be played, e.g. as required by an interactive voice response system. Instead, the user merely uses a display of the handset and the related input mechanism (such as touch screen or keypad) to navigate e.g. through a list of hits from a search engine, or through a number of categories and subcategories to identify an audio content. The combination of a conventional visual interface for navigation and a conventional audio interface for serving audio contents provides the benefits of both: the ease of navigation provided by web pages, and the quality of audio playback provided by the telephone handset.

Claims

1. A method of interfacing to a user, the method comprising:

using a data connection to receive a plurality of descriptions of audio contents;

receiving from the user a selection of a first description from among the plurality of descriptions;

automatically placing a voice call to play a first audio content described by the first description in response to the selection; and

returning to using the data connection to receive the descriptions of audio content in response to completion of the voice call.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein each audio content in the plurality is associated with a telephone number, the method further includes:

using the data connection to receive a telephone number, and dialing the telephone number during the placing of voice call.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the telephone number is hereinafter “

first telephone number”

, the method further comprising, after termination of said voice call;

receiving a plurality of additional descriptions of additional audio contents; and

placing another voice call to a second telephone number, wherein said second telephone number is different from said first telephone number.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising, after termination of said voice call:

receiving a plurality of additional descriptions of additional audio contents; and

placing another voice call to said telephone number to play an additional audio content.

5. The method of claim 4 further comprising:

dynamically assigning a different one of a plurality of predetermined phone numbers to each of a plurality of descriptions to be displayed as a group to the user for selection therein.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

using the selection of first description identified by the data connection to play the audio content during the voice call.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein:

each of the data connection and the voice call are respectively formed with a first logic and a second logic; and

the method includes the first logic providing information about the user to the second logic.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein:

the information being provided includes an identifier of an audio content currently described to the user.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprising:

receiving a plurality of calls from a corresponding plurality of users; and

matching the audio content to be played with a call, based on an identifier obtained from a wireless handset of the user.

10. The method of claim 7 further comprising:

retrieving each of the audio contents from the Internet.

11. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

visually displaying the descriptions on a monitor of a wireless handset.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising, prior to said using:

using the data connection to receive a plurality of categories;

visually displaying the categories on the monitor; and

requesting said plurality of descriptions in response to selection of a category in said plurality of categories;

wherein said plurality of descriptions are all classified under said category.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein:

the selected category is news;

each description is a news headline; and

each of the audio contents is a news report that provides details related to said news headline.

14. The method of claim 11 further comprising:

using the data connection to receive a plurality of additional categories;

visually displaying the additional categories on the monitor; and

requesting said plurality of categories in response to selection of an additional category.

15. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

terminating the voice call on completion of playing of the first audio content.

16. The method of claim 1 wherein:

the data connection is suspended during the voice call.

17. The method of claim 1 wherein:

each description is different in content from another description.

18. The method of claim 1 wherein:

during the act of visually displaying, telephone numbers corresponding to the descriptions are not displayed.

19. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

displaying a telephone number to be used in the voice call in response to the selection; and

performing said placing of voice call only after receiving a response from the user to dial the phone number being displayed.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein:

said receiving a response is one of;

detecting pressing of a button, detecting touching of a monitor, and detecting a voice command.

21. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

using the data connection to receive a plurality of phone numbers for a corresponding plurality of descriptions.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein:

said phone numbers and said descriptions are received as portions of a single message.

23. The method of claim 21 wherein:

said descriptions are received in a first message; and

said phone numbers are received in a second message.

24. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

transmitting the selection over the data connection; and

receiving from the data connection a telephone number to be used during said placing of voice call.

25. The method of claim 1 wherein:

each of said acts of using data connection and placing voice call includes using a wireless medium.

26. The method of claim 1 wherein:

said voice call is not a Voice Over IP call.

27. A method of interfacing to a user, the method comprising:

using a data connection to receive a description of an audio content;

receiving from the user a command to play the audio content;

automatically placing a voice call to play the audio content in response to the command; and

returning to using the data connection to receive at least one of the group of;

the description of the audio content and a description of another audio content, in response to completion of the voice call.

28. The method of claim 27 further comprising:

each of the data connection and the voice call are respectively formed with a first logic and a second logic; and

the method includes the first logic providing information about the user to the second logic.

29. The method of claim 29 wherein:

the information being provided includes an identifier of an audio content currently described to the user.

30. A method of interfacing to a user, the method comprising:

using a data connection to receive a number of descriptions of audio content;

displaying the descriptions to the user;

receiving from the user a command to play one of the audio contents described by the descriptions;

placing a voice call in response to the command;

playing said audio content to the user during the voice call; and

returning to using the data connection to receive the descriptions of audio content in response to completion of the voice call.

31. The method of claim 30 further comprising:

using an available telephone number to generate an instruction for said placing of voice call.

32. The method of claim 31 further comprising:

forming an association between said telephone number and said audio content; and

using said association on receipt of said voice call at said telephone number in identifying said audio content for said playing.

33. The method of claim 31 further comprising:

identifying the user on receipt of said voice call; and

using identity of the user on receipt of said voice call to identify said audio content for said playing.

34. The method of claim 30 further comprising:

displaying to the user a plurality of categories of audio contents; and

receiving from the user a selection of a category prior to said using of data connection.

35. The method of claim 34 wherein:

at least one of said categories relates to news; and

each description in said plurality identifies a news service.

36. The method of claim 34 further comprising:

displaying to the user a plurality of subcategories of audio contents; and

receiving from the user a selection of a subcategory prior to said using of data connection;

wherein each subcategory relates to a news service and each description relates to a headline of a news story.

37. A computer readable storage medium encoded with instructions to perform the method of claim 30.

38. A signal encoded in a carrier medium and including instructions to perform the method of claim 30.