Method and system for telephone control using processing sensor

• US 7,162,259 B2
• Filed: 11/12/2002
• Issued: 01/09/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/01/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Limited
• Original Assignee: Silverbrook Research Pty Limited
• Inventors: Lapstun, Paul, Walmsley, Simon Robert, Lapstun, Jacqueline Anne, Silverbrook, Kia
• Primary Examiner(s): Beamer, Temica
• Assistant Examiner(s): CONTEE, JOY KIMBERLY
• Application Number:
  US10/291,522
• Publication Number:
  US 20030118166A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,519 Days
• Field of Search: 455/410, 455/411, 455/418, 455/419, 455/420, 235/375, 235/472.01
• US Class Current: 455/466
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 3/445 Printers integrated in other types of apparatus, e.g. printers integrated in cameras
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1626 with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1656 Details related to functional adaptations of the enclosure, e.g. to provide protection against EMI, shock, water, or to host detachable peripherals like a mouse or removable expansions units like PCMCIA cards, or to provide access to internal components for maintenance or to removable storage supports like CDs or DVDs, or to mechanically mount accessories mounting of accessories to a computer display G06F1/1607; display hoods G06F1/1603; cooling arrangements for portable computers G06F1/203
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1684 Constructional details or arrangements related to integrated I/O peripherals not covered by groups G06F1/1635 - G06F1/1675
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1688 the I/O peripheral being integrated loudspeakers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1614 Image rotation following screen orientation, e.g. switching from landscape to portrait mode
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1637 Sensing arrangement for detection of housing movement or orientation, e.g. for controlling scrolling or cursor movement on the display of an handheld computer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/0384 Wireless input, i.e. hardware and software details of wireless interface arrangements for pointing devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0321 by optically sensing the absolute position with respect to a regularly patterned surface forming a passive digitiser, e.g. pen optically detecting position indicative tags printed on a paper sheet constructional details of pen-shaped pointing devices G06F3/03545, G06F3/03542, G06F3/037
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03545 Pens or stylus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/16 Sound input; Sound output speech processing G10L
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/08 Insurance
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/27475 using interactive graphical means or pictorial representations
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2755 by optical scanning
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72409 by interfacing with external accessories hands-free H04M1/60
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72442 for playing music files
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72445 for supporting Internet browser applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/12 : including a sensor for measuring a physical value, e.g. temperature or motion
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42 : Systems providing special services or facilities to subscribers specially adapted for wireless communication networks H04W4/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0015 : First party call control architectures
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00204 : with a digital computer or a digital computer system, e.g. an internet server programmed control between transmitter and receiver or between image input and image output device H04N1/32561
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00244 : with a server, e.g. an internet server fax-servers or the like for store and forward H04N1/324
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00307 : with a mobile telephone apparatus constructional features of portable telephone sets H04M1/0202; mobile radio systems H04W84/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00326 : with a data reading, recognizing or recording apparatus, e.g. with a bar-code apparatus arrangements for the associated working of recording or reproducing apparatus with related apparatus G11B31/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00392 : Other manual input means, e.g. digitisers or writing tablets
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00968 : by scanning marks on a sheet mark-sheet input means H04N1/00355; sensing record carriers G06K7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32122 : in a separate device, e.g. in a memory or on a display separate from image data
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32133 : on the same paper sheet, e.g. a facsimile page header
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32778 : using a mark-sheet or machine-readable code request
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/60 : using transform coding
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/61 : in combination with predictive coding
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41407 : embedded in a portable device, e.g. video client on a mobile phone, PDA, laptop constructional details of equipment or arrangements specially adapted for portable computer application G06F1/1626; arrangements specially adapted for mobile receivers in broadcast systems H04H20/57
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/422 : Input-only peripherals , i.e. input devices connected to specially adapted client devices, e.g. global positioning system [GPS] input devices also receiving signals from specially adapted client devices H04N21/4104
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42203 : sound input device, e.g. microphone
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4223 : Cameras H04N23/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/478 : Supplemental services, e.g. displaying phone caller identification, shopping application
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/0082 : Image hardcopy reproducer H04N2201/0091 - H04N2201/0094 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3226 : of identification information or the like, e.g. ID code, index, title, part of an image, reduced-size image
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3247 : Data linking a set of images to one another, e.g. sequence, burst or continuous capture mode
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3264 : of sound signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3269 : of machine readable codes or marks, e.g. bar codes or glyphs
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3274 : Storage or retrieval of prestored additional information
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/445 : for displaying additional information H04N5/50 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/76 : Television signal recording
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/765 : Interface circuits between an apparatus for recording and another apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/783 : Adaptations for reproducing at a rate different from the recording rate
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/907 : using static stores, e.g. storage tubes or semiconductor memories H04N5/91 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/163 : by receiver means only
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99931 : Database or file accessing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/187 : Continuous sectional layer

Abstract

The invention concerns methods and systems for enabling telephones to be controlled through computer systems. Employing the invention involves the use of one or more control interfaces which are capable of being used to interact with a computer system or network, each interface comprising sheet material such as paper which has coded data printed on it and which allows it to be used to interact with the computer system by use of a sensing device operated by a user. Through this interaction, data from the control interface can be transmitted to the computer system to effect an operation relating to the functioning of the telephone. In this way, the computer system can invoke functions such as the making of outgoing calls, and the receiving and sending of text information such as short messages or retrieved telephone numbers.

Claims

1. A method of enabling at least one function of a telephone to be controlled, the telephone being operative to perform the at least one function in response to at least one command from a computer system, the method including the steps of:

providing a control interface containing information relating to the at least one function, the control interface including coded data indicative of an identity of the control interface and of at least one reference point of the control interface;

receiving, in the computer system, indicating data from a sensing device regarding the identity of the control interface and at least one of a position and a movement of the sensing device relative to the control interface; and

effecting, in the computer system and from the indicating data, at least one operation relating to the at least one command,

wherein the sensing device comprises;

(a) an image sensor adapted to capture images of at least some of the coded data when the sensing device is placed in an operative position relative to the control interface; and

(b) a processor adapted to;

(i) identify at least some of the coded data from one or more of the captured images;

(ii) determine an orientation, within the captured images, of at least some of the coded data;

(iii) decode at least some of the coded data; and

(iv) generate the indicating data using at least some of the decoded coded data.

2. The method of claim 1 in which the at least one operation is associated with at least one zone of the control interface and in which the method includes effecting, in the computer system and from the zone relative to which the sensing device is located, the at least one operation.

6. The method of claim 1, 3 or 4, wherein the processor is housed within the sensing device.

7. The method of claim 1, 3 or 4, wherein the processor is adapted to operate at processing speeds ranging from 1 instruction per second to 1×

10¹² instructions per second.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the processor is adapted to operate at processing speeds ranging from 10 instructions per second to 1×

10⁶ instructions per second.

9. The method of claim 1, 3 or 4, wherein the image sensor is housed within the sensing device.

10. The method of claim 1, 3 or 4, wherein the image sensor is adapted to capture images at rates ranging from 1 image per second to 1,000 images per second.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the image sensor is adapted to capture images at rates ranging from 10 images per second to 200 images per second.

12. The method of claim 1, 3 or 4, wherein the coded data comprises non-barcode coded data.

13. The method of claim 1, 3 or 4 in which the at least one operation relating to the at least one command is selected from the group comprising:

selecting said telephone from a list of telephones;

selecting a telephone number from a list of telephone numbers;

registering user access to control the telephone; and

authorising user access to control the telephone.

14. The method of any one of claims 1, 3 or 4 in which the at least one operation relating to the at least one command is selected from the group comprising:

issuing the at least one command to the telephone to cause the telephone to perform the at least one function; and

issuing the at least one command to a telephone control system to cause the telephone to perform the at least one function, the telephone being operatively connected to the telephone control system.

15. The method of claim 14 in which the at least one function is selected from the group comprising:

dialling a pre-determined telephone number;

making an outgoing call to a pre-determined telephone number;

sending text information;

receiving an incoming call;

receiving and storing text information; and

displaying text information on a display of said telephone.

16. The method of claim 14 in which the at least one command is issued through the sensing device.

17. The method of claim 14 in which the at least one command is issued independently of the sensing device.

18. The method of claim 14 in which the at least one command is issued through a wireless connection.

19. The method of claim 14 in which the at least one command is issued through a wired connection.

20. The method of any one of claims 1, 3 or 4, wherein the sensing device is embedded in the telephone.

3. A method of enabling at least one function of a telephone to be controlled, the telephone being operative to perform the at least one function in response to at least one command from a computer system, the method including the steps of:

providing a control interface containing information relating to the at least one function, the control interface including coded data indicative of at least one operation relating to the at least one command;

receiving, in the computer system and from the sensing device, indicating data regarding the at least one operation and at least one of movement data and position data regarding at least one of a movement and a position of the sensing device relative to the control interface; and

effecting, in the computer system and from the indicating data and at least one of the movement data and the position data, the at least one operation,

wherein the sensing device comprises;

(a) an image sensor adapted to capture images of at least some of the coded data when the sensing device is placed in an operative position relative to the control interface; and

(b) a processor adapted to;

(i) identify at least some of the coded data from one or more of the captured images;

(ii) determine an orientation, within the captured images, of at least some of the coded data;

(iii) decode at least some of the coded data;

(iv) generate the indicating data using at least some of the decoded coded data; and

(v) generate the data regarding at least one of the movement and position of the sensing device relative to the control interface using at least some of the decoded coded data.

4. A method of enabling at least one function of a telephone to be controlled, the telephone being operative to perform the at least one function in response to at least one command from a computer system, the method including the steps of:

providing a user with a control interface containing information relating to the at least one function, the control interface including coded data indicative of at least one operation relating to the at least one command;

receiving, in the computer system, identity data from a sensing device regarding an identity of the user, the sensing device being adapted to contain the identity data;

receiving, in the computer system, indicating data from the sensing device regarding the at least one operation; and

effecting, in the computer system and from the identity data and the indicating data, at least one operation relating to the at least one command,

wherein the sensing device comprises;

(a) an image sensor adapted to capture images of at least some of the coded data when the sensing device is placed in an operative position relative to the control interface; and

(b) a processor adapted to;

(i) identify at least some of the coded data from one or more of the captured images;

(ii) determine an orientation, within the captured images, of at least some of the coded data;

(iii) decode at least some of the coded data; and

(iv) generate the indicating data using at least some of the decoded coded data.

5. The method of claim 4 which includes receiving, in the computer system, at least one of movement data and position data from the sensing device regarding at least one of a movement and a position of the sensing device relative to the control interface, the sensing device, when moved relative to the control interface, generating at least one of the movement data and the position data using at least some of the coded data.

21. A system for enabling at least one function of a telephone to be controlled, the telephone being operative to perform the at least one function in response to at least one command, the system including:

a control interface containing information relating to the at least one function, the control interface including coded data indicative of an identity of the control interface and of at least one reference point of the control interface; and

a computer system operative to receive indicating data from a sensing device for effecting at least one operation relating to the at least one command, the indicating data being indicative of the identity of the control interface and at least one of a position and a movement of the sensing device relative to the control interface,

the sensing device comprising;

(a) an image sensor adapted to capture images of at least some of the coded data when the sensing device is placed in an operative position relative to the control interface; and

(b) a processor adapted to;

(i) identify at least some of the coded data from one or more of the captured images;

(ii) determine an orientation, within the captured images, of at least some of the coded data;

(iii) decode at least some of the coded data; and

(iv) generate the indicating data using at least some of the decoded coded data.

22. The system of claim 21 in which the at least one operation relating to the at least one command is associated with at least one zone of the control interface.

26. The system of claim 21, 23 or 24, wherein the processor is housed within the sensing device.

27. The system of claim 21, 23 or 24, wherein the processor is adapted to operate at processing speeds ranging from 1 instruction per second to 1×

10¹² instructions per second.

28. The system of claim 27 wherein the processor is adapted to operate at processing speeds ranging from 10 instructions per second to 1×

10⁶ instructions per second.

29. The system of claim 21, 23 or 24, wherein the image sensor is housed within the sensing device.

30. The system of claim 21, 23 or 24, wherein the image sensor is adapted to capture images at rates ranging from 1 image per second to 1,000 images per second.

31. The system of claim 30 wherein the image sensor is adapted to capture images at rates ranging from 10 images per second to 200 images per second.

32. The system of claim 21, 23 or 24, wherein the coded data comprises non-barcode coded data.

33. The system of claim 21, 23 or 24 in which the at least one operation relating to the at least one command is selected from the group comprising:

selecting said telephone from a list of telephones;

selecting a telephone number from a list of telephone numbers;

registering user access to control the telephone; and

authorising user access to control the telephone.

34. The system of any one of claims 21, 23 or 24 in which the at least one operation relating to the at least one command is selected from the group comprising:

issuing the at least one command to the telephone to cause the telephone to perform the at least one function; and

issuing the at least one command to a telephone control system to cause the telephone to perform the at least one function, the telephone being operatively connected to the telephone control system.

35. The system of claim 34 in which the at least one function is selected from the group comprising:

dialling a pre-determined telephone number;

making an outgoing call to a pre-determined telephone number;

sending text information;

receiving an incoming call; and

receiving and storing text information; and

displaying text information on a display of said telephone.

36. The system of claim 34 in which the computer is operative to issue the at least one command through the sensing device.

37. The system of claim 34 in which the computer is operative to issue the at least one command independently of the sensing device.

38. The system of any one of claims 21, 23 or 24 in which the sensing device is embedded in said telephone.

23. A system for enabling at least one function of a telephone to be controlled, the telephone being operative to perform the at least one function in response to at least one command, the system including:

a control interface containing information relating to the at least one function, the control interface including coded data indicative of at least one operation relating to the at least one command; and

a computer system operative to receive, from a sensing device, indicating data regarding said at least one operation and at least one of movement data and position data regarding at least one of a movement and a position of the sensing device relative to the control interface, and for effecting, from the indicating data and at least one of the movement data and the position data, the at least one operation relating to the at least one command,

the sensing device comprising;

(a) an image sensor adapted to capture images of at least some of the coded data when the sensing device is placed in an operative position relative to the control interface; and

(b) a processor adapted to;

(i) identify at least some of the coded data from one or more of the captured images;

(ii) determine an orientation, within the captured images, of at least some of the coded data;

(iii) decode at least some of the coded data;

(iv) generate the indicating data using at least some of the decoded coded data; and

(v) generate the data regarding at least one of the movement and position of the sensing device relative to the control interface using at least some of the decoded coded data.

24. A system for enabling at least one function of a telephone to be controlled, the telephone being operative to perform the at least one function in response to at least one command, the system including:

a control interface including coded data indicative of an identity of the control interface; and

a computer system operative to receive, from a sensing device, identity data regarding an identity of a user and indicating data regarding the identity of the control interface, and for effecting, from the identity data and the indicating data, at least one operation relating to the at least one command, the sensing device adapted to contain the identity data and comprising;

(a) an image sensor adapted to capture images of at least some of the coded data when the sensing device is placed in an operative position relative to the control interface; and

(b) a processor adapted to;

(i) identify at least some of the coded data from one or more of the captured images;

(ii) determine an orientation, within the captured images, of at least some of the coded data;

(iii) decode at least some of the coded data; and

(iv) generate the indicating data using at least some of the decoded coded data.

25. The system of claim 24 which includes the sensing device.